SuburbCheck

Wollongong

NSW 2500 · Wollongong

20,446 (2021)23,295 est. (2025) · High Growth

Part of the Wollongong local government area (est. 224,373 residents)

87
Overall score

Based on transport, liveability & education. Safety is scored separately below.

20,446
Population
$1.36M
Median house (2026)
26
Safety score
92
Transport score

Wollongong is a high growth suburb in Wollongong, NSW 2500, about 68km from Sydney CBD. Its median house price of $1.36M is more expensive than the NSW average. The suburb has 5 schools, a transport score of 92/100, and is right by the coast. Wollongong has an overall score of 87/100, based on transport, liveability and education, plus a separate residential safety score of 26/100.

68.1 km
To Sydney CBD
1.0 km
To coast
$720/wk
Median rent (house)
450 m
To nearest station
Loading map…

Demographics

20,446
Population
35
Median age
2
Avg household

Age distribution

Wollongong LGA population (est. 2025)224,373
Median household income (weekly)$1,549
vs NSW median-16.3%
Median taxable income (individual)$54,924/yr
vs national median ($59,576)↓ -8%

ATO 2023-24, postcode 2500 area — postcode-level, not suburb-specific.

Bachelor degree or higher51.5%
Born in Australia63.0%
Dwellings: house / unit / townhouse1,318 / 7,365 / 702

Top countries of birth: England (3.2%), China (3.04%), India (2.82%), North Macedonia (1.51%), Philippines (1.1%)

Top languages: Mandarin (3.41%), Macedon (2.34%), Arabic (2.26%), Greek (1.3%), Serbian (1.25%)

Source: ABS Census 2021

Property

$1.36M+13.8%
Median house (2026)
$758K+3.8%
Median unit (2026)

Median price history

Median rent — house / unit$720 / $625 wk
Rental yield (house)2.8%
Days on market (house)61 days

Source: NSW Valuer General · Updated Q1 2026

Residential Safety

26
Residential

Visitor / tourist hub. This suburb attracts significant visitor and tourist traffic. Crime figures are recorded by incident location and include offences involving visitors, not just residents, so the per-resident rates below may overstate the risk for people living here.

Recorded residential incidents (latest year), with rate per 100,000 residents:

98
Break & enter dwelling479/100k
115
Steal from dwelling562/100k
59
Motor vehicle theft289/100k
108
Domestic assault528/100k
15
Robbery73/100k
229
Non-domestic assault1,120/100k

Includes street and public-place assaults — supplementary context, not part of the safety score.

Residential incidents over time

Sum of the five residential categories above — not all recorded crime.

Area crime context

Total recorded incidents: 3,290 (all categories, latest year)16,091 per 100,000 residents2-yr5-yr

These totals are recorded by incident location and include offences involving the suburb's many visitors, not just residents.

An independent score — crime data quality varies by state, so safety is shown separately and is not part of the overall score.

Source: BOCSAR · Updated March 2026

Schools

87

Outstanding school access

Top 20% nationally — strong, high-ICSEA schools nearby with genuine choice. An excellent suburb for families prioritising education.

66
Within 10km5 in suburb
3
Govt (suburb)
0
Catholic (suburb)
2
Indep. (suburb)

Average ICSEA of schools within 10km 1017 (above the national average of 1000).

In suburb

  • Smiths Hill High SchoolSecondary · GovernmentICSEA 1186
  • St Mary Star of the Sea CollegeSecondary · IndependentICSEA 1104
  • Wollongong Public SchoolPrimary · GovernmentICSEA 1084
  • Novo Education SpaceSecondary · IndependentICSEA 983
  • Illawarra Hospital SchoolCombined · Government

Nearby (within 10km)

  • Coniston Public SchoolPrimary · Government · 1.4kmICSEA 990
  • St Brigid's Catholic Primary SchoolPrimary · Catholic · 1.6kmICSEA 1083
  • Gwynneville Public SchoolPrimary · Government · 1.7kmICSEA 1065
  • Para Meadows SchoolCombined · Government · 1.9kmICSEA 945
  • Wollongong West Public SchoolPrimary · Government · 2kmICSEA 991
  • St Therese Catholic Primary SchoolPrimary · Catholic · 2kmICSEA 1090
  • The Illawarra Grammar SchoolCombined · Independent · 2kmICSEA 1159
  • Keiraville Public SchoolPrimary · Government · 2.3kmICSEA 1103
  • Mount St Thomas Public SchoolPrimary · Government · 2.4kmICSEA 1070
  • Wollongong High School of the Performing ArtsSecondary · Government · 2.4kmICSEA 1075
  • Keira High SchoolSecondary · Government · 2.4kmICSEA 984
  • Aspect South Coast School, Wollongong UniversityCombined · Independent · 2.5km

Source: ACARA MySchool · Updated 2025

Transport

92
2Train
102Bus
CBD commute (est.)120 min (train)
Peak train frequency27.5/hr
Nearest train stationWollongong (450 m)

Source: TfNSW GTFS

Employment & Economy

Unemployment rate6.1% · vs NSW avg 4.1% ↑

Top local industries

Health Care & Social Assistance
17.6%
Education & Training
12.0%
Accommodation & Food Services
9.1%
Professional, Scientific & Technical
9.1%
Retail Trade
9.0%

Source: DEWR SALM / ABS Census 2021 · Updated SALM Mar 2026 / 2021 Census

Liveability

25.0°C
Summer max
17.5°C
Winter max
1,250mm
Rainfall/yr
6.8h
Sun/day

Amenities within 2–3km

Counted within a short distance of the suburb centre (so nearby facilities count), with the in-boundary count shown beneath.

96 in suburbSupermarkets
10189 in suburbCafes/Rest.
3316 in suburbParks
168 in suburbPlaygrounds
4026 in suburbPools
115 in suburbGyms
0Dog parks
1715 in suburbGPs
117 in suburbPharmacies
20 in suburbChildcare
31 in suburbLibraries
12618 in suburbSports fields
0Vets

In this suburb

7Public toilets
2Hairdressers
Air qualityGood air quality (78/100, 2026-07-27)
Nearest beachBrighton Beach (1.3 km)
Nearest hospitalWollongong Hospital (980 m)
Nearest vet4.3 km
Nearest airportSydney (59.6 km)

Source: Bureau of Meteorology · OpenStreetMap · Healthdirect NHSD (via Geoscience Australia)

Fitness

34

Limited facilities

Below average — fewer fitness options nearby, so you may need to travel to a gym or pool.

11
Gyms
7
Leisure centres
3
Public pools
126
Sports fields

Facilities within 3km of the suburb centre. The Fitness Score is a national percentile of these counts per resident.

Source: OpenStreetMap

Outdoors

34

Limited outdoor options

Below average — fewer parks and green spaces close by.

33
Parks
3
Nature reserves
77
Bike paths
0
Hiking trails
0
Dog parks
19
Picnic areas
0
Skate parks

Within 3km of the suburb centre. The Outdoor Score is a national percentile led by parks and green space.

Source: OpenStreetMap

Culture

48

Some cultural venues

Around the national average — a handful of cultural venues, with more on offer a short trip away.

3
Theatres
1
Cinemas
2
Museums
10
Galleries
3
Libraries
2
Arts centres
7
Landmarks

Within 3km of the suburb centre. The Culture Score is a national percentile weighting theatres, museums, galleries, libraries and arts centres most heavily.

Source: OpenStreetMap

Entertainment Scene

78

Solid scene

Well above average for licensed venues — you won't struggle for a night out or a good meal.

13
Pubs & Hotels
10
Bars
6
Clubs RSL/Leagues
103
Dining & Licensed
Licensed venues per 1,000 residents1.42

View nearby venues on the Entertainment Map →

Source: Liquor & Gaming NSW · Updated June 2024

Childcare

63

Strong options nearby

Well above average for childcare services — good choice and quality, with most families finding a place without a long drive.

17
Long Day Care
2
Preschool / Kinder
3
OSHC
Total services21
Exceeding NQS or above8 of 18 rated
Services per 1,000 residents1.03

View childcare centres on the map →

Source: ACECQA National Quality Framework Register · Updated July 2026

Aged Care

12
Services
1
Aged care homes
155
Residential places
11
Home care providers
Average Star Rating4 of 5 (1 rated home)

Government-subsidised aged care services located in this suburb. Star Ratings are the official ratings for residential aged care homes.

Source: Dept of Health, Disability and Ageing · Updated May 2026 Star Ratings

Places of Worship

10
Christian7 in suburb
4
Muslim0 in suburb
Total within 3km16
In this suburb9

Mapped places of worship within 3km of the suburb centre, grouped by religion where recorded. Community mapping may not capture every congregation.

Source: OpenStreetMap

Population & Growth

High Growth
Annual growth rate3.32%
Projected population 204148,145
Projected households 2041Data not available

Source: ABS ERP & NSW DPHI

Nearby suburbs in Wollongong

Compare Wollongong with another suburb

Compare two suburbs

Wollongong

Frequently asked questions about Wollongong

Is Wollongong safe?

Wollongong has a residential safety score of 26/100, based on residential crime (break-ins, theft from dwellings, vehicle theft, domestic assault and robbery) per resident relative to the NSW median. Its total recorded incident rate is 16,091 per 100,000 across all categories.

What are property prices in Wollongong?

In Wollongong, the median house price is $1.36M and the median unit price is $758K. Median weekly house rent is $720.

How far is Wollongong from Sydney CBD?

Wollongong is about 68.1 km from Sydney CBD, an estimated 120 minutes by public transport.

What schools are in Wollongong?

Wollongong has 5 schools, with an average ICSEA of 1089 (the national average is 1000). Schools are listed factually, not ranked.

What is public transport like in Wollongong?

Wollongong has a transport score of 92/100, including 2 train stations and 102 bus stops.

Data sources: ABS Census 2021 & ERP, NSW Valuer General, BOCSAR, TfNSW, ACARA, Bureau of Meteorology, OpenStreetMap, NSW DPHI. Data refreshed quarterly.

Data shown is from public sources and may not reflect current conditions. How we calculate scores.