Wollongong suburbs where the most Malayalam is spoken at home

Calderwood has the highest share, at 2.3% of residents. Fairy Meadow and West Wollongong follow.

This page ranks Wollongong suburbs by the share of residents who speak Malayalam at home in the 2021 Census — where the Malayalam-speaking community is most concentrated. Only suburbs with at least 2,000 residents are ranked.

Shares are the count of Wollongong residents who speak Malayalam at home divided by the suburb's total population, from the ABS 2021 Census language table — the same source as each suburb page's language breakdown. Percentile ranks are computed within Wollongong's pool. Language spoken at home understates a community's full size — it misses Malayalam-heritage residents who speak mainly English at home — but it's the cleanest signal of an active community. Descriptive demographic information, not a recommendation.

Wollongong suburbs where the most Malayalam is spoken at home

Ranked by the share of residents who speak Malayalam at home in the 2021 Census, among suburbs with at least 2,000 residents — where the Malayalam-speaking community is most established.

1

Calderwood

NSW 2527 · 3,013 residents

2.3% of residents · 68 speakers

B 100.0
2

Fairy Meadow

NSW 2519 · 7,512 residents

1.2% of residents · 93 speakers

C 80.0
3

West Wollongong

NSW 2500 · 5,223 residents

1.0% of residents · 50 speakers

B 60.0
4

Horsley

NSW 2530 · 9,437 residents

0.9% of residents · 88 speakers

B 40.0
5

Wollongong

NSW 2500 · 20,446 residents

0.7% of residents · 139 speakers

B 20.0
6

Figtree

NSW 2525 · 12,335 residents

0.4% of residents · 55 speakers

B 0.0

Ranked from 6 qualifying suburbs.

How we ranked these

100% share of residents who speak this language at home in the 2021 Census (speakers divided by the suburb's total population), percentile-ranked within Wollongong's candidate pool. Only suburbs with at least 2,000 residents qualify, and the larger absolute number of speakers breaks ties. Language spoken at home understates a community's full size but is the cleanest signal of an active community. Descriptive ABS Census data, not a recommendation. See how we calculate for the full methodology.

Common questions about this ranking

Which Wollongong suburbs have the most Malayalam spoken at home?

Calderwood has the highest share, at 2.3% of residents. Fairy Meadow and West Wollongong follow.

How is this ranking put together?

Each Wollongong suburb is ranked by the share of its residents who speak Malayalam at home in the 2021 Census — that count divided by the suburb's total population. Only suburbs with at least 2,000 residents are included, and percentile ranks are computed within Wollongong's pool, so the list reflects concentration relative to other metro suburbs.

Where does the data come from?

The Australian Bureau of Statistics 2021 Census 'language used at home' question — the same source as the language breakdown on each suburb page. Nothing is estimated or inferred about any individual.

Does this capture everyone of Malayalam heritage?

No — it counts people who speak Malayalam at home, which understates the full community: Malayalam-heritage residents who speak mainly English at home aren't counted. It's the cleanest available signal of an active language community, not a complete ancestry measure, and it isn't a recommendation to seek out or avoid anywhere.

How current is it?

The figures are from the 2021 Census, the most recent available until results from the August 2026 Census are released in 2027. The top 15 is recomputed whenever we refresh the census data.

Same list in other cities

Related

Rankings last computed 28 September 2026. Recomputed after each ACARA schools data refresh.

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