Horsley vs Wongawilli

Wongawilli is the younger of the two, with a median age of 31 against 36 in Horsley. In both, the large majority of households own their home, the large majority of homes are detached houses, and most households are couple families. Houses cost more in Wongawilli: a median of $1.2 million, against $995,000 in Horsley, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Horsley tends to suit buyers on a tighter budget, while Wongawilli suits families with children and couples.

Which one suits you?

There is no overall winner — the suburb that suits a family with school-age kids is routinely the wrong one for someone commuting into the city. So each of these answers its own question, against a checklist you can see, using the same figures in the tables below.

Families with school-age kids

Horsley

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (6 vs 1)
  • has more childcare (4 vs 1)
  • has more schools rated above their peers (1 vs 0)
  • But Wongawilli is already more of a family suburb (89% vs 80%)

Weighs schools, house stock, crime, parks, childcare, and who already lives there.

First-home buyers

Horsley

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper houses ($995,000 vs $1,195,000)
  • has cheaper land ($560,000 vs $670,000)

Weighs house prices, land prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Horsley

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($500/wk vs $600/wk)

Weighs rent, rental stress, and how much is for rent.

Commuting to the city

Horsley

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (55/100 vs 17/100)
  • has a shorter drive in (90 min vs 96 min)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Horsley

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (55/100 vs 17/100)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (12% vs 4%)

Weighs smaller dwellings, who already lives there, GPs, walkability, and crime.

Investors

Wongawilli

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (760.3% vs 14.8%)

Weighs house yield and population growth.

Where they sit

Horsley and Wongawilli drawn to the same scale. Both outlines are shown together, so the map answers whether they share a border and how their areas compare.

Horsley Wongawilli
Hides rows where both suburbs match

Bars start at zero. Scores, risks and rankings are drawn against their full 0–100 range; other rows are drawn in proportion to the larger of the two.

Side by side, out of 100

Risks are inverted — shown as safety and low exposure — so a longer bar always means better.

Horsley Wongawilli
Walkability 55 / 17
Horsley — Walkability: 55/100 Wongawilli — Walkability: 17/100
Safety 70 / 66
Horsley — Safety: 70/100 Wongawilli — Safety: 66/100
Low fire risk 100 / 8
Horsley — Low fire risk: 100/100 Wongawilli — Low fire risk: 8/100

Demographics

Horsley has more residents (9,437 vs 1,213); Wongawilli has higher household incomes ($147,732 vs $112,528).

Horsley Wongawilli
Population 9,437
+87% vs other
 1,213
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +14.8% +760.3%
Median age 36 31
Median household income $112,528/yr $147,732/yr
+31% vs other
Median weekly rent $500/wk $600/wk
+20% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Horsley Wongawilli
0-4 6.4% / 11.2%
Horsley — 0-4: 6.4% Wongawilli — 0-4: 11.2%
5-14 16.1% / 18.1%
Horsley — 5-14: 16.1% Wongawilli — 5-14: 18.1%
15-19 7.4% / 5.5%
Horsley — 15-19: 7.4% Wongawilli — 15-19: 5.5%
20-24 6.3% / 4.2%
Horsley — 20-24: 6.3% Wongawilli — 20-24: 4.2%
25-34 11.7% / 19.5%
Horsley — 25-34: 11.7% Wongawilli — 25-34: 19.5%
35-44 15.2% / 18.9%
Horsley — 35-44: 15.2% Wongawilli — 35-44: 18.9%
45-54 13.2% / 10.3%
Horsley — 45-54: 13.2% Wongawilli — 45-54: 10.3%
55-64 11.4% / 8.3%
Horsley — 55-64: 11.4% Wongawilli — 55-64: 8.3%
65-74 7.4% / 2.6%
Horsley — 65-74: 7.4% Wongawilli — 65-74: 2.6%
75-84 3.8% / 1.0%
Horsley — 75-84: 3.8% Wongawilli — 75-84: 1.0%
85+ 1.2% / 0.4%
Horsley — 85+: 1.2% Wongawilli — 85+: 0.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (19.5%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Horsley 60.9% couple families
Horsley — Couple Families: 60.9% Horsley — Lone Person: 17.6% Horsley — One Parent Families: 18.7% Horsley — Group Household: 2.2% Horsley — Other Families: 0.6%
Wongawilli 80.2% couple families
Wongawilli — Couple Families: 80.2% Wongawilli — Lone Person: 9.5% Wongawilli — One Parent Families: 8.4% Wongawilli — Group Household: 1.8% Wongawilli — Other Families: 0.0%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Horsley 17.2% renting
Horsley — Owned Outright: 29.7% Horsley — Mortgage: 53.1% Horsley — Renting: 17.2%
Wongawilli 9.4% renting
Wongawilli — Owned Outright: 13.2% Wongawilli — Mortgage: 77.5% Wongawilli — Renting: 9.4%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

Highest non-school qualification, residents 15+, 2021 Census.

Horsley Wongawilli
Certificate III & IV 19.8% / 18.0%
Horsley — Certificate III & IV: 19.8% Wongawilli — Certificate III & IV: 18.0%
Bachelor Degree 8.7% / 12.6%
Horsley — Bachelor Degree: 8.7% Wongawilli — Bachelor Degree: 12.6%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.2% / 7.5%
Horsley — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.2% Wongawilli — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.5%
Postgraduate Degree 2.7% / 4.0%
Horsley — Postgraduate Degree: 2.7% Wongawilli — Postgraduate Degree: 4.0%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.3% / 1.1%
Horsley — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.3% Wongawilli — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (19.8%).

Where residents were born

Largest overseas birthplaces, as a share of all residents, 2021 Census. A dash means that country is not among the suburb's own eight largest.

Horsley Wongawilli
England 4.1% / 2.5%
Horsley — England: 4.1% Wongawilli — England: 2.5%
India 1.2% / 4.2%
Horsley — India: 1.2% Wongawilli — India: 4.2%
New Zealand 1.0% / 0.9%
Horsley — New Zealand: 1.0% Wongawilli — New Zealand: 0.9%
Philippines 0.9% / 0.5%
Horsley — Philippines: 0.9% Wongawilli — Philippines: 0.5%
Italy 0.7% / 0.6%
Horsley — Italy: 0.7% Wongawilli — Italy: 0.6%
China 0.8% / —
Horsley — China: 0.8% Wongawilli — China: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (4.2%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Horsley 95.4% houses
Horsley — Houses: 95.4% Horsley — Townhouses: 4.1% Horsley — Flats / Apartments: 0.5%
Wongawilli 99.4% houses
Wongawilli — Houses: 99.4% Wongawilli — Townhouses: 0.9% Wongawilli — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Horsley Wongawilli
Median house price $995,000 $1,195,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price $560,000 $670,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 27 days
from 108 sales
 77 days
from 22 sales

House price by bedroom count

Only bed counts both suburbs published enough sales for. Sale counts are shown because the buckets differ in depth.

Horsley Wongawilli
3 bed $875K / $885K
Horsley — 3 bed: $875K (65 sales) Wongawilli — 3 bed: $885K (6 sales)

65 vs 6 sales

4 bed $1.05M / $1.2M
Horsley — 4 bed: $1.05M (101 sales) Wongawilli — 4 bed: $1.2M (42 sales)

101 vs 42 sales

5 bed $1.17M / $1.53M
Horsley — 5 bed: $1.17M (21 sales) Wongawilli — 5 bed: $1.53M (7 sales)

21 vs 7 sales

Zoning mix

Wongawilli has more land zoned for conservation (68% vs 24%); Wongawilli has more rural and farming land (16% vs 2%).

Horsley Wongawilli
Environmental 24% 68%
Residential 63% 15%
Rural and farming 2% 16%
Parks and recreation 10% 0%
Infrastructure and transport 1%
same for both
Zoning sets what may be built, not what is there today. A single address can sit in a different zone to the suburb around it. Zones as at 2026-09.

Development activity

Horsley Wongawilli
New dwellings approved 1,476
across Wollongong
same for both
Approvals change year on year -31%
same for both

Gross rental yield

Gross — before strata, rates, management, insurance and vacancy. From median advertised rents and median asking prices over the last 6 months. How we calculate.

Horsley Wongawilli
Houses 3.7%
$750/wk on $1.06M
 3.9%
$830/wk on $1.11M
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Horsley Wongawilli
House price Higher than 43% of NSW Higher than 62% of NSW
Income Higher than 78% of NSW Higher than 94% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 83% of NSW Higher than 68% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 79% of NSW Higher than 78% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 67% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 99% of NSW Higher than 97% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 54% of NSW Higher than 68% of NSW

Liveability

Horsley is more walkable (55 vs 17); Horsley scores higher overall (65 vs 45).

Horsley Wongawilli
Grade B C
Score 65/100 45/100
Socio-economic band advantaged area
decile 7/10
 very advantaged area
decile 10/10

Risk profile

Wongawilli carries more bushfire risk (92 vs 0).

Horsley Wongawilli
Bushfire None
0/100
 High
92/100
Crime Low
30/100
 Low
34/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 6
within 5 km
 3
within 5 km

Schools

Horsley Wongawilli
Inside the suburb 1 0
Rated above peers 1 0
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Horsley

  • Dapto Public School Government · Primary above peers

Schools in Wongawilli

No schools recorded inside this suburb's boundary. Children here will be zoned to schools nearby.

Amenities in the suburb

Horsley Wongawilli
Supermarkets 1 0
Cafes & restaurants 1
same for both
Parks & reserves 6 1
Childcare 4 1
Waterways 1 0

Mobility

Horsley Wongawilli
Walkability score 55/100 17/100
Distance to Sydney 98.4 km 99.9 km
+2% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 90 min 96 min
Public transport score 77/100
Bus
 42/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 168.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
 10.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
 1 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 0.7%
postcode 2530
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 54
postcode 2530
same for both

How people get to work

Method of travel on census day 2021 — which fell during COVID restrictions, so working from home is inflated and every travel mode understated.

Horsley Wongawilli
Car (driver) 68.1% / 64.7%
Horsley — Car (driver): 68.1% Wongawilli — Car (driver): 64.7%
Worked from Home 26.3% / 32.9%
Horsley — Worked from Home: 26.3% Wongawilli — Worked from Home: 32.9%
Car (passenger) 3.7% / 1.8%
Horsley — Car (passenger): 3.7% Wongawilli — Car (passenger): 1.8%
Walked Only 0.5% / 0.5%
Horsley — Walked Only: 0.5% Wongawilli — Walked Only: 0.5%
Train 0.8% / —
Horsley — Train: 0.8% Wongawilli — Train: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (68.1%).

Setting

Horsley Wongawilli
Elevation 24 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 100 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 10.1 km 12.6 km

NBN connectivity

Horsley Wongawilli
Connectivity score 100/100 97/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 100%
3,554 premises
 96%
490 premises

Climate

Horsley Wongawilli
Annual rainfall 974 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Horsley Wongawilli
PM2.5 5.9 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 19.8 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.45 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Horsley Wongawilli
Average residential rate $1,751/yr
same for both
Council Wollongong
same for both

Federal electorate

Horsley Wongawilli
Division Whitlam
same for both
Member Carol Berry
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Horsley Wongawilli
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Horsley

Family Quiet Regional Centre

Wongawilli

Acreage Family Young Families

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Horsley

Horsley vs Dapto Horsley vs Huntley

Other comparisons with Wongawilli

Wongawilli vs Dombarton Wongawilli vs Huntley
Full data on Horsley Full data on Wongawilli
Unlock full address-level data — $29/month

Information shown is provided as-is from Australian government and commercial data sources.
Always verify with the relevant authority before making property decisions.
See Data Sources and How We Calculate for details.

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