Urban Area · Area profile
Wollongong
573 km²
Typical family incomes in Wollongong are much higher than in most similar areas, reaching $2,104 a week. This large community of over 305,000 people is marked by a strong preference for separate houses and a workforce heavily focused on health and education. While it mirrors the national age profile, the area is more diverse than many other local regions, with a notable proportion of residents born overseas. It is a place where most families enjoy spacious homes and high levels of education.
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The community has a balanced age structure, with the typical resident being 39. About 19% of the population are seniors, which is a little above the national figure of 17.2%.
Born overseas, 19.5% of residents come from other countries, which is much higher than most similar areas, though well below the New South Wales average of 29.3%. English and Australian are the most common ancestries.
A higher proportion of people use another language at home (13.8%) compared to most similar areas. However, this remains well below the state figure of 26.6%.
Religious views are split, with 51.3% identifying as Christian and 38.5% reporting no religion. The latter is well above the New South Wales figure of 33.2%.
Education levels are high for the area, with 22.1% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. Many residents have a background in management, commerce, or engineering.
Household wealth is strong, with 21.8% of homes earning $3,000 or more a week, a figure much higher than most similar areas.
Health challenges are more common here than in the state, with 31.2% of people living with a long-term health condition. Arthritis and mental health are the most reported issues.
More people here provide unpaid care for children (26.7%) than in most similar areas. However, the volunteering rate of 12.7% is much lower than in other similar regions.
Homes are larger than usual, with an average of 2.5 people per dwelling. This is consistent with the fact that 57.2% of households consist of couples with children.
Separate houses are common, and 75.3% of homes have three or more bedrooms. This helps explain why the typical monthly mortgage payment of $2,167 is among the highest for this level.
Working from home is very popular here, with 24.6% of the workforce doing so, which is well above the national average of 21%.
The population is relatively stable, as the 36.1% who moved in the last five years is much lower than most similar areas.
Employment is concentrated in health care and social assistance, though the full-time employment rate of 54.3% is much lower than in most similar areas.
Most homes are within a short walk of public transport (93.8%) and parks (94.5%). However, access to health services is far below the state average, with only 41.5% of homes within a 15-minute walk.