West Wollongong, NSW: suburb profile

The population of West Wollongong NSW is 5,223 according to the 2021 Census. The median personal income in West Wollongong is $759 per week ($39,468 per year). Median rent in West Wollongong is $370 per week ($1,603 per month). West Wollongong has a median age of 35 years, younger than the national median of 38. West Wollongong has a population density of 2,528 people per km².

The most common overseas birthplace in West Wollongong is England. The most common religion is No religion (35.9% of residents). After English, the most spoken language is Arabic. The median monthly mortgage repayment in West Wollongong is $2,123.

There were 67 recorded offences in West Wollongong in 2025-26, a rate of 13 offences per 1,000 people. The most common offence category was theft (25 offences).

Population
5,223
Census 2021
Median income
$759/wk
Personal, Census 2021
Median rent
$370/wk
Weekly, Census 2021
Median age
35years
Census 2021

Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing 2021; offences from NSW BOCSAR (bocsar.nsw.gov.au), 2025-26.

West Wollongong vs the typical NSW suburb

The median personal income in West Wollongong is $759 a week, in line with the typical NSW suburb ($765). That ranks 1,107th of 2,150 NSW suburbs with 200 or more residents. Median rent is $370 a week, $15 less than the typical NSW suburb. Rent takes 22.1% of the median household income here, against 22.6% in the typical NSW suburb. The median resident is 35, 8 years younger than in the typical NSW suburb (43).

The typical suburb is the median across suburbs with 200 or more residents. ABS Census 2021, calculated by GDP.com.au.
MeasureWest WollongongTypical NSWDifferenceTypical Australia
Personal income$759/wk$765/wk −1%$766/wk
Household income$1,672/wk$1,704/wk −2%$1,637/wk
Rent$370/wk$385/wk −4%$330/wk
Mortgage repayment$2,123/mo$1,965/mo +8%$1,733/mo
Median age3543 −8 yrs42
Rent share of household income22.1%22.6% −0.5 pts20.3%
Income, rent and mortgage against the typical suburb Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS, calculated by GDP.com.au
Bar chart of median income, rent and mortgage repayment in West Wollongong, the typical NSW suburb and the typical Australian suburb.

West Wollongong Population

5,223 residents at the 2021 Census.

West Wollongong Median Income & Rent

Median Income
$759/wk
$39,468 per year
Ranked 4,333 of 14,663
Median Rent
$370/wk
$1,603 per month
Ranked 2,711 of 14,663
Median Age
35years
3 years younger than the national median
Mortgage
$2,123/mo
Avg household size: 2.5 · 0.9 per bedroom

Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing.

West Wollongong Rent Prices & Affordability

22% of median household income goes on median rent

Marks at 25% and 35%. Band: affordable.

Household income $1,672/wk
Median rent $370/wk
Rent to income 22.1%

Rent is under 25% of household income, generally considered affordable.

Median rent in West Wollongong against your income

About $7,245 a month
Median rent $370/wk
Left after rent $1,302/wk
Rent share 22.1%

West Wollongong Schools

29
schools nearby
19
government
1064
avg ICSEA score
10,563
total students
Smiths Hill High School Government
Secondary · 7-12 · 736 students
1186
ICSEA
The Illawarra Grammar School Independent
Combined · K-12 · 970 students
1159
ICSEA
Pleasant Heights Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 241 students
1126
ICSEA
Elonera Montessori School Independent
Combined · K-12 · 187 students
1108
ICSEA
Keiraville Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 297 students
1103
ICSEA
St Therese Catholic Primary School Catholic
Primary · K-6 · 368 students
1090
ICSEA
Wollongong Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 579 students
1084
ICSEA
St Brigid's Catholic Primary School Catholic
Primary · K-6 · 175 students
1083
ICSEA
Edmund Rice College Independent
Secondary · 7-12 · 1,054 students
1083
ICSEA
Good Samaritan Catholic Primary School Catholic
Primary · K-6 · 335 students
1081
ICSEA
Nareena Hills Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 209 students
1080
ICSEA
Mount Ousley Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 193 students
1079
ICSEA
Wollongong High School of the Performing Arts Government
Secondary · 7-12 · 1,169 students
1075
ICSEA
Mount Keira Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 91 students
1072
ICSEA
Mount St Thomas Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 354 students
1070
ICSEA

Showing 15 of 29 schools.

Source: Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA), 2025. ICSEA is the Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage (national average 1000).

All schools near West Wollongong, with a map

West Wollongong Map

West Wollongong, New South Wales Map data: OpenStreetMap
Loading map…

West Wollongong, New South Wales: 34.4257°S, 150.8679°E

West Wollongong Circle size: offences per 1,000 residents Schools (29)

People in West Wollongong

Demographics

Gender Split

Male 49.4% (2,575) Female 50.6% (2,642)

Population Density

2,528
people per km²
5,223 people · 2.1 km²

Households

2.5
Avg household size
0.9
Persons per bedroom
$2,140
Family income/wk

Age Distribution

0-4
5-9
10-14
15-19
20-24
25-29
30-34
35-39
40-44
45-49
50-54
55-59
60-64
65-69
70-74
75-79
80-84
85+
Male Female

Source: ABS Census 2021, Suburb and Locality (SAL)

Most common overseas birthplaces

England
2.5%
India
1.6%
New Zealand
1.4%
China
1.3%
North Macedonia
0.9%
Thailand
0.8%
Croatia
0.7%

Shares are of all residents. Source: ABS Census 2021, G09 Country of Birth by SAL

Most common languages at home other than English

Arabic
2.3%
Serbian
2.1%
Mandarin
1.7%
Macedonian
1.4%
Greek
1.2%
Italian
1.1%
Malayalam
1.0%

Shares are of all residents. Source: ABS Census 2021, G13 Language Used at Home by SAL

Ancestry

English
31.5%
Australian
30.9%
Irish
11.0%
Scottish
9.5%
Italian
5.7%
German
3.6%
Serbian
3.0%
Macedonian
2.7%
Chinese
2.5%
Greek
2.4%
Dutch
2.1%

Shares are of the suburb population. People can report up to two ancestries, so shares add to more than 100%. Source: ABS Census 2021, G08 Ancestry by SAL

Religion

No religion
35.9%
Catholic
20.5%
Anglican
9.9%
Not stated
6.9%
Eastern Orthodox
6.6%
Islam
4.1%
Christian (other)
3.3%
Uniting Church
2.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G14 Religion by SAL

Indigenous Population

1.8%
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander

Source: ABS Census 2021, G07 Indigenous Status by SAL

Marital Status

Married
42.3% 1,807
Separated
2.7% 114
Divorced
7.8% 333
Widowed
5.0% 215
Never married
42.2% 1,799

Source: ABS Census 2021, G05 Marital Status by SAL

Family Structure

Couple: children under 15
45.9%
Couple: no children
23.6%
Couple: no children under 15
16.8%
One parent: children under 15
7.0%
One parent: no children under 15
6.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G29 Family Composition by SAL

Household Size

1 person
27.4%
2 persons
29.9%
3 persons
17.4%
4 persons
15.4%
5 persons
7.5%
6+ persons
2.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G35 Household Size by SAL

Homes in West Wollongong

Housing Tenure

Of the 1,954 occupied private dwellings in West Wollongong at the 2021 Census, 36.3% were rented, 30.4% owned outright and 31.3% owned with a mortgage.

Other tenure type
1.1% 22 dwellings
Owned outright
30.4% 594 dwellings
Owned with mortgage
31.3% 611 dwellings
Rented
36.3% 709 dwellings
Tenure type not stated
1.4% 27 dwellings

Source: ABS Census 2021, Suburb and Locality (SAL)

Dwelling Types

Separate house
78.9%
Semi-detached (2+ storey)
12.7%
Semi-detached (1 storey)
8.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G36 Dwelling Structure by SAL

Number of Bedrooms

1 bedroom
5.6%
2 bedrooms
22.5%
3 bedrooms
46.1%
4 bedrooms
21.4%
5 bedrooms
3.7%
6+ bedrooms
0.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G41 Number of Bedrooms by SAL

Monthly Mortgage Repayments

$0-$299/mo
5.3%
$300-$449/mo
1.7%
$450-$599/mo
1.5%
$600-$799/mo
1.9%
$800-$999/mo
3.8%
$1,000-$1,399/mo
10.0%
$1,400-$1,799/mo
15.8%
$1,800-$2,399/mo
25.6%
$2,400-$2,999/mo
20.3%
$3,000-$3,999/mo
14.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G38 Mortgage Repayment by SAL

Car Ownership

0 vehicles
9.0%
1 vehicle
36.5%
2 vehicles
38.6%
3 vehicles
10.8%
4+ vehicles
5.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G34 Motor Vehicles per Dwelling by SAL

Work, income and education in West Wollongong

Employment

Employed full-time
36.1% 1,353 people
Employed part-time
21.6% 811 people
Unemployed
4.1% 152 people
Not in labour force
38.2% 1,433 people

Source: ABS Census 2021, G46 Labour Force Status by SAL

Occupation

Professionals
34.5%
Technicians & Trade Workers
16.2%
Community & Personal Service
12.8%
Managers
12.6%
Clerical & Administrative
10.4%
Labourers
4.8%
Machinery Operators & Drivers
4.6%
Sales Workers
4.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G51 Industry of Employment by Occupation

Weekly Household Income

Nil/Negative/wk
2.1%
$1-$149/wk
0.9%
$150-$299/wk
1.2%
$300-$399/wk
3.4%
$400-$499/wk
5.4%
$500-$649/wk
4.9%
$650-$799/wk
6.2%
$800-$999/wk
5.7%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
7.9%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
8.3%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
5.8%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
7.0%
$2,000-$2,499/wk
10.6%
$2,500-$2,999/wk
7.5%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
6.8%
$3,500-$3,999/wk
5.3%
$4,000+/wk
11.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G33 Household Income by SAL

Personal Weekly Income Distribution

$0 or less/wk
10.8%
$1-$149/wk
4.2%
$150-$299/wk
7.0%
$300-$399/wk
4.9%
$400-$499/wk
3.7%
$500-$649/wk
4.2%
$650-$799/wk
8.6%
$800-$999/wk
9.2%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
11.9%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
9.0%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
7.0%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
5.6%
$2,000-$2,999/wk
9.3%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
2.0%
$3,500+/wk
2.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G17 Personal Income by SAL

How People Get to Work

Car (driver)
65.1%
Did not go to work
22.2%
Car (passenger)
4.8%
Walked only
2.2%
Bus
2.0%
Truck
0.9%
Motorbike/Scooter
0.8%
Bicycle
0.8%
Train
0.6%
Other
0.5%
Taxi/Rideshare
0.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G62 Method of Travel to Work by SAL

Education Level

Year 12 or equivalent
70.7%
Year 10 or equivalent
19.0%
Year 11 or equivalent
5.9%
Year 9 or equivalent
4.5%

Shares are of people whose highest year of school is Year 9 to 12 only. Source: ABS Census 2021, G16 Highest Year of School by SAL

Qualifications

Bachelor Degree
34.0%
Certificate III/IV
28.9%
Advanced Diploma/Diploma
15.4%
Postgraduate Degree
14.2%
Graduate Diploma/Certificate
5.2%
Certificate I/II
2.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G49 Non-School Qualification by SAL

Field of Study

Management & Commerce
18.5%
Engineering
16.7%
Society & Culture
14.4%
Health
12.9%
Education
12.1%
Architecture & Building
6.4%
Creative Arts
4.7%
Food, Hospitality & Personal Services
4.7%
Natural & Physical Sciences
4.4%
Information Technology
4.2%
Agriculture & Environment
1.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G51 Field of Study by SAL

School & University Attendance

Primary: Government
24.9%
Secondary: Government
18.2%
Vocational Education
16.8%
Pre-school
13.0%
Secondary: Catholic
10.8%
Primary: Catholic
9.1%
Primary: Other Non-Govt
3.6%
Secondary: Other Non-Govt
3.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G15 Type of Educational Institution by SAL

More from the 2021 Census

Need for Assistance

Does not have need for assistance
88.6%
Has need for assistance
5.7%
Need for assistance not stated
5.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G18 Core Activity Need for Assistance by SAL

Long-term Health Conditions

Mental health
484
Asthma
168
Arthritis
117
Diabetes
112
Heart disease
87
Lung condition
82
Cancer
53
Kidney disease
41
Stroke
40
Dementia
9

Source: ABS Census 2021, G19 Long-term Health Conditions by SAL

Unpaid Carers

Provided unpaid assistance
13.6% 548
Did not provide
86.4% 3,479

Source: ABS Census 2021, G25 Unpaid Assistance by SAL

Volunteering

Volunteer
15.9% 640
Not a volunteer
84.1% 3,388

Source: ABS Census 2021, G23 Voluntary Work by SAL

Military Service

Current ADF: Regular
0.3% 14
Current ADF: Reserves
0.2% 9
Previously served
1.4% 55
Never served
98.1% 3,983

Source: ABS Census 2021, G22 ADF Service by SAL

Children Ever Born

No children
39.0%
1 child
14.1%
2 children
26.6%
3 children
14.9%
4 children
4.5%
5+ children
0.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G28 Children Ever Born by SAL

When Migrants Arrived

Before 1951
12
1951: 1960
79
1961: 1970
156
1971: 1980
138
1981: 1990
107
1991: 2000
139
2001: 2010
190
2011: 2015
155
2016
81
2017
38
2018
54
2019
63
2020
31
2021
6

Source: ABS Census 2021, G10 Year of Arrival by SAL

Population Mobility

15.6%
moved in the last year
40.9%
moved in the last 5 years
5.8%
unemployment rate (Census)
61.3%
labour force participation

Source: ABS Census 2021, G43 Summary by SAL

Where Residents Moved From

Same address
4,128
Moved from NSW
573
Moved: same area (SA2)
102
Moved from overseas
31
Moved from QLD
9
Moved from ACT
8
Moved from NT
6
Moved from VIC
5
Moved from WA
3

Source: ABS Census 2021, G44 Address 1 Year Ago by SAL

Unpaid Domestic Work

Less than 5 hours
21.8%
5: 14 hours
31.9%
15: 29 hours
14.0%
30+ hours
8.7%
Did not do domestic work
23.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G24 Unpaid Domestic Work by SAL

Family Blending

Intact family: no other children
88.8%
Step family: no other children
8.1%
Blended family: no other children
2.1%
Other couple: children only
1.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G31 Family Blending by SAL

West Wollongong Crime Statistics

67 reported offences in 2025-26, by category.

Theft
25
Other Against Property
13
Assault
10
Property Damage
6
Other Against Person
5
Sexual Offences
3
Drug Offences
3
Weapons
2

Total offences by year

2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025

Source: NSW BOCSAR (bocsar.nsw.gov.au).

Cheaper alternatives with similar incomes

Walgett
Income: $823/wk Rent: $175/wk $195/wk less rent
Bourke
Income: $860/wk Rent: $180/wk $190/wk less rent
Kooringal (NSW)
Income: $777/wk Rent: $270/wk $100/wk less rent
Gateshead
Income: $611/wk Rent: $300/wk $70/wk less rent
Glenfield Park
Income: $808/wk Rent: $330/wk $40/wk less rent
Metford
Income: $731/wk Rent: $350/wk $20/wk less rent
Hillston
Income: $852/wk Rent: $220/wk $150/wk less rent
Tolland
Income: $666/wk Rent: $220/wk $150/wk less rent

Suburbs near West Wollongong

The closest suburb to West Wollongong is Mangerton, 0.9 km away.

Mangerton
0.9 km away · income $941/wk · rent $353/wk
Mount Saint Thomas
1.7 km away · income $819/wk · rent $300/wk
Figtree
1.7 km away · income $815/wk · rent $430/wk
Coniston
1.8 km away · income $739/wk · rent $350/wk
Keiraville
1.8 km away · income $610/wk · rent $420/wk
Gwynneville
1.9 km away · income $602/wk · rent $350/wk

Compare West Wollongong

Frequently Asked Questions About West Wollongong

What is the population of West Wollongong NSW?

The population of West Wollongong NSW is 5,223 according to the ABS Census 2021. The suburb has a population density of 2,528 people per km². West Wollongong is ranked #1,506 out of 14,663 suburbs by population.

What is the median income in West Wollongong?

The median personal income in West Wollongong NSW is $759 per week, or $39,468 per year. The median household income is $1,672 per week. Family income is $2,140 per week. West Wollongong is ranked #4,333 by income out of 14,663 Australian suburbs.

How much is rent in West Wollongong?

Median rent in West Wollongong NSW is $370 per week ($1,603 per month). Rent represents 22.1% of household income, which is considered affordable. West Wollongong ranks #2,711 out of 14,663 suburbs by rent.

What are mortgage repayments in West Wollongong?

The median monthly mortgage repayment in West Wollongong NSW is $2,123. This data comes from the ABS Census 2021 and reflects mortgage repayments for owner-occupied dwellings.

What is the median age in West Wollongong?

The median age in West Wollongong NSW is 35 years. This is younger than the national median age of 38 years.

Is West Wollongong a good suburb to live in?

West Wollongong is a suburb in New South Wales with a population of 5,223. The median income is $759/wk, which is below the typical NSW suburb ($765/wk). Rent affordability is rated as affordable (22.1% of household income). See the full suburb profile above for detailed statistics.

Explore More

Australian Average Salary Australian House Prices Sydney Cost of Living

Data: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2021. SA2 area: 14272. All dollar figures in AUD.