Mangerton vs West Wollongong

West Wollongong is the younger of the two, with a median age of 35 against 39 in Mangerton. In both, most households own their home and most homes are detached houses. In Mangerton, about half of households are couple families. Houses cost more in Mangerton: a median of $1.35 million, against $1.13 million in West Wollongong. On these figures, West Wollongong tends to suit buyers on a tighter budget.

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

West Wollongong

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more schools inside the suburb (5 vs 1)
  • has more childcare (6 vs 3)
  • carries lower crime risk (56/100 vs 74/100)
  • But Mangerton has more schools rated above their peers (1 vs 0)

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

First-home buyers

They split

one each way, out of the 3 things we measure here

  • Mangerton leaves households under less mortgage stress (24% vs 29%)
  • West Wollongong has cheaper houses ($1,132,500 vs $1,355,000)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

They split

one each way, out of the 3 things we measure here

  • Mangerton leaves renters under less rental stress (16% vs 22%)
  • West Wollongong has a bigger rental market to choose from (37% vs 27%)

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

Commuting to the city

Mangerton

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (77/100 vs 62/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, rail access, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

They split

one each way, out of the 5 things we measure here

  • Mangerton is more walkable (77/100 vs 62/100)
  • West Wollongong carries lower crime risk (56/100 vs 74/100)

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

Investors

West Wollongong

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (8.2% vs 0.1%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Mangerton West Wollongong
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.

Mangerton West Wollongong
Walkability 77 / 62
Mangerton — Walkability: 77/100 West Wollongong — Walkability: 62/100
Safety 26 / 44
Mangerton — Safety: 26/100 West Wollongong — Safety: 44/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Mangerton — Low fire risk: 100/100 West Wollongong — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

West Wollongong has more residents (5,223 vs 2,862); Mangerton has higher household incomes ($111,644 vs $86,944).

Mangerton West Wollongong
Population 2,862 5,223
+82% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +0.1% +8.2%
Median age 39 35
Median household income $111,644/yr
+22% vs other
 $86,944/yr
Median weekly rent $353/wk $370/wk
+5% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Mangerton West Wollongong
0-4 5.6% / 6.0%
Mangerton — 0-4: 5.6% West Wollongong — 0-4: 6.0%
5-14 12.6% / 12.3%
Mangerton — 5-14: 12.6% West Wollongong — 5-14: 12.3%
15-19 7.1% / 6.8%
Mangerton — 15-19: 7.1% West Wollongong — 15-19: 6.8%
20-24 6.7% / 10.9%
Mangerton — 20-24: 6.7% West Wollongong — 20-24: 10.9%
25-34 12.5% / 13.6%
Mangerton — 25-34: 12.5% West Wollongong — 25-34: 13.6%
35-44 13.8% / 14.0%
Mangerton — 35-44: 13.8% West Wollongong — 35-44: 14.0%
45-54 15.0% / 12.3%
Mangerton — 45-54: 15.0% West Wollongong — 45-54: 12.3%
55-64 12.5% / 10.2%
Mangerton — 55-64: 12.5% West Wollongong — 55-64: 10.2%
65-74 9.0% / 7.1%
Mangerton — 65-74: 9.0% West Wollongong — 65-74: 7.1%
75-84 4.0% / 4.6%
Mangerton — 75-84: 4.0% West Wollongong — 75-84: 4.6%
85+ 1.2% / 2.3%
Mangerton — 85+: 1.2% West Wollongong — 85+: 2.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (15.0%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Mangerton 47.8% couple families
Mangerton — Couple Families: 47.8% Mangerton — Lone Person: 33.2% Mangerton — One Parent Families: 11.7% Mangerton — Group Household: 5.7% Mangerton — Other Families: 1.6%
West Wollongong 39.5% couple families
West Wollongong — Couple Families: 39.5% West Wollongong — Lone Person: 35.0% West Wollongong — One Parent Families: 14.1% West Wollongong — Group Household: 10.0% West Wollongong — Other Families: 1.4%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Mangerton 26.6% renting
Mangerton — Owned Outright: 34.7% Mangerton — Mortgage: 38.7% Mangerton — Renting: 26.6%
West Wollongong 37.0% renting
West Wollongong — Owned Outright: 31.0% West Wollongong — Mortgage: 31.9% West Wollongong — Renting: 37.0%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Mangerton West Wollongong
Bachelor Degree 19.0% / 16.0%
Mangerton — Bachelor Degree: 19.0% West Wollongong — Bachelor Degree: 16.0%
Certificate III & IV 11.0% / 13.5%
Mangerton — Certificate III & IV: 11.0% West Wollongong — Certificate III & IV: 13.5%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.4% / 7.3%
Mangerton — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.4% West Wollongong — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.3%
Postgraduate Degree 8.2% / 6.7%
Mangerton — Postgraduate Degree: 8.2% West Wollongong — Postgraduate Degree: 6.7%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.9% / 2.5%
Mangerton — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.9% West Wollongong — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (19.0%).

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.

Mangerton West Wollongong
England 3.5% / 2.5%
Mangerton — England: 3.5% West Wollongong — England: 2.5%
India 1.0% / 1.6%
Mangerton — India: 1.0% West Wollongong — India: 1.6%
China 1.1% / 1.3%
Mangerton — China: 1.1% West Wollongong — China: 1.3%
New Zealand 1.0% / 1.4%
Mangerton — New Zealand: 1.0% West Wollongong — New Zealand: 1.4%
Greece 0.6% / 0.6%
Mangerton — Greece: 0.6% West Wollongong — Greece: 0.6%
Thailand — / 0.8%
Mangerton — Thailand: not among its largest West Wollongong — Thailand: 0.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (3.5%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Mangerton 71.7% houses
Mangerton — Houses: 71.7% Mangerton — Flats / Apartments: 16.6% Mangerton — Townhouses: 11.7%
West Wollongong 63.0% houses
West Wollongong — Houses: 63.0% West Wollongong — Flats / Apartments: 20.0% West Wollongong — Townhouses: 17.0%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Mangerton West Wollongong
Median house price $1,355,000 $1,132,500
Median unit price $530,000 $561,000
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 33 days
from 7 sales
 21 days
from 30 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.

Mangerton West Wollongong
3 bed $1.12M / $1.07M
Mangerton — 3 bed: $1.12M (18 sales) West Wollongong — 3 bed: $1.07M (37 sales)

18 vs 37 sales

4 bed $1.39M / $1.2M
Mangerton — 4 bed: $1.39M (25 sales) West Wollongong — 4 bed: $1.2M (27 sales)

25 vs 27 sales

Zoning mix

Mangerton West Wollongong
Residential 87% 81%
Parks and recreation 2% 9%
Infrastructure and transport 5% 8%
Environmental 5% 2%
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

Mangerton West Wollongong
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.

Mangerton West Wollongong
Houses — 3.3%
$750/wk on $1.19M
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Mangerton West Wollongong
House price Higher than 70% of NSW Higher than 59% of NSW
Income Higher than 77% of NSW —
Schools — Higher than 31% of NSW
Walkability Higher than 91% of NSW Higher than 85% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 49% of NSW —
EV adoption Higher than 86% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 98% of NSW
same for both
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 33% of NSW

Liveability

Mangerton scores higher overall (67 vs 50); Mangerton is more walkable (77 vs 62).

Mangerton West Wollongong
Grade B
same for both
Score 67/100 50/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
 advantaged area
decile 7/10

Risk profile

Mangerton carries more crime risk (74 vs 56).

Mangerton West Wollongong
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime High
74/100
 Moderate
56/100
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 16
within 5 km
 12
within 5 km

Schools

Mangerton West Wollongong
Inside the suburb 1 5
Rated above peers 1 0
Rated at peers 0 5
Rated below peers 0
same for both
Universities within 10 km 1
UOW Wollongong, 2.0 km
 1
UOW Wollongong, 2.4 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 3.4% 5.1%

Schools in Mangerton

  • Mount St Thomas Public School Government · Primary above peers

Schools in West Wollongong

  • Edmund Rice College Independent · Secondary at peers
  • Lindsay Park Public School Government · Primary at peers
  • St Therese Catholic Primary School Catholic · Primary at peers
  • The Illawarra Grammar School Independent · Combined at peers
  • Wollongong West Public School Government · Primary at peers

Amenities in the suburb

Mangerton West Wollongong
Cafes & restaurants 4 0
Parks & reserves 7
same for both
Childcare 3 6
Fuel stations 0 3

Mobility

Mangerton West Wollongong
Walkability score 77/100 62/100
Distance to Sydney 85.5 km
+2% vs other
 84.1 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 80 min 78 min
Public transport score 74/100
Bus
 77/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 30.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
 194.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
 0 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 1.3%
postcode 2500
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 14
postcode 2500
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.

Mangerton West Wollongong
Car (driver) 54.4% / 56.8%
Mangerton — Car (driver): 54.4% West Wollongong — Car (driver): 56.8%
Worked from Home 39.2% / 33.9%
Mangerton — Worked from Home: 39.2% West Wollongong — Worked from Home: 33.9%
Car (passenger) 3.0% / 4.2%
Mangerton — Car (passenger): 3.0% West Wollongong — Car (passenger): 4.2%
Walked Only 1.1% / 1.9%
Mangerton — Walked Only: 1.1% West Wollongong — Walked Only: 1.9%
Bus 0.9% / 1.7%
Mangerton — Bus: 0.9% West Wollongong — Bus: 1.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (56.8%).

Setting

Mangerton West Wollongong
Elevation 54 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 49 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 2.7 km
2.7 km to a named beach
 3.3 km
3.4 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Mangerton West Wollongong
Connectivity score 99/100 98/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 97%
1,305 premises
 96%
2,309 premises

Climate

Mangerton West Wollongong
Annual rainfall 974 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Mangerton West Wollongong
PM2.5 6.2 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 18.2 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.66 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Mangerton West Wollongong
Average residential rate $1,751/yr
same for both
Council Wollongong
same for both

Federal electorate

Mangerton West Wollongong
Division Cunningham
same for both
Member Alison Byrnes
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Mangerton West Wollongong
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Mangerton

Coastal Parks Professionals

West Wollongong

Parks

More comparisons

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Other comparisons with West Wollongong

West Wollongong vs Wollongong West Wollongong vs Figtree West Wollongong vs Keiraville West Wollongong vs Gwynneville West Wollongong vs Mount Keira
Full data on Mangerton Full data on West Wollongong
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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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