Mount Keira vs West Wollongong

West Wollongong is the younger of the two, with a median age of 35 against 40 in Mount Keira. In both, most households own their home and most homes are detached houses. In Mount Keira, most households are couple families. Houses cost more in Mount Keira: a median of $1.25 million, against $1.13 million in West Wollongong, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Mount Keira tends to suit couples, while West Wollongong suits people living alone.

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

Mount Keira

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (34/100 vs 56/100)
  • has more separate houses rather than flats (92% vs 63%)
  • is already more of a family suburb (72% vs 54%)
  • But West Wollongong has more childcare (6 vs 0)

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

First-home buyers

Mount Keira

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (23% vs 29%)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

West Wollongong

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (37% vs 16%)
  • has cheaper rent ($370/wk vs $420/wk)
  • But Mount Keira leaves renters under less rental stress (17% vs 22%)

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

Commuting to the city

They split

one each way, out of the 4 things we measure here

  • Mount Keira sits closer to the CBD (80.6 km vs 84.1 km)
  • West Wollongong is more walkable (62/100 vs 26/100)

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

Downsizers and retirees

West Wollongong

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (37% vs 8%)
  • is more walkable (62/100 vs 26/100)
  • But Mount Keira carries lower crime risk (34/100 vs 56/100)

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 1.6%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

Mount Keira 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.

Mount Keira 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.

Mount Keira West Wollongong
Walkability 26 / 62
Mount Keira — Walkability: 26/100 West Wollongong — Walkability: 62/100
Safety 66 / 44
Mount Keira — Safety: 66/100 West Wollongong — Safety: 44/100
Low fire risk 18 / 100
Mount Keira — Low fire risk: 18/100 West Wollongong — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

West Wollongong has more residents (5,223 vs 1,691); Mount Keira has higher household incomes ($128,752 vs $86,944).

Mount Keira West Wollongong
Population 1,691 5,223
+209% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +1.6% +8.2%
Median age 40 35
Median household income $128,752/yr
+32% vs other
 $86,944/yr
Median weekly rent $420/wk
+12% vs other
 $370/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Mount Keira West Wollongong
0-4 5.0% / 6.0%
Mount Keira — 0-4: 5.0% West Wollongong — 0-4: 6.0%
5-14 14.3% / 12.3%
Mount Keira — 5-14: 14.3% West Wollongong — 5-14: 12.3%
15-19 7.3% / 6.8%
Mount Keira — 15-19: 7.3% West Wollongong — 15-19: 6.8%
20-24 7.4% / 10.9%
Mount Keira — 20-24: 7.4% West Wollongong — 20-24: 10.9%
25-34 9.5% / 13.6%
Mount Keira — 25-34: 9.5% West Wollongong — 25-34: 13.6%
35-44 13.1% / 14.0%
Mount Keira — 35-44: 13.1% West Wollongong — 35-44: 14.0%
45-54 14.8% / 12.3%
Mount Keira — 45-54: 14.8% West Wollongong — 45-54: 12.3%
55-64 12.7% / 10.2%
Mount Keira — 55-64: 12.7% West Wollongong — 55-64: 10.2%
65-74 9.7% / 7.1%
Mount Keira — 65-74: 9.7% West Wollongong — 65-74: 7.1%
75-84 4.8% / 4.6%
Mount Keira — 75-84: 4.8% West Wollongong — 75-84: 4.6%
85+ 1.8% / 2.3%
Mount Keira — 85+: 1.8% West Wollongong — 85+: 2.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (14.8%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Mount Keira 57.8% couple families
Mount Keira — Couple Families: 57.8% Mount Keira — Lone Person: 23.0% Mount Keira — One Parent Families: 14.1% Mount Keira — Group Household: 4.3% Mount Keira — Other Families: 0.7%
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.

Mount Keira 15.5% renting
Mount Keira — Owned Outright: 43.3% Mount Keira — Mortgage: 41.2% Mount Keira — Renting: 15.5%
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.

Mount Keira West Wollongong
Bachelor Degree 17.0% / 16.0%
Mount Keira — Bachelor Degree: 17.0% West Wollongong — Bachelor Degree: 16.0%
Certificate III & IV 12.2% / 13.5%
Mount Keira — Certificate III & IV: 12.2% West Wollongong — Certificate III & IV: 13.5%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.0% / 7.3%
Mount Keira — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.0% West Wollongong — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.3%
Postgraduate Degree 8.5% / 6.7%
Mount Keira — Postgraduate Degree: 8.5% West Wollongong — Postgraduate Degree: 6.7%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.7% / 2.5%
Mount Keira — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.7% West Wollongong — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.0%).

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.

Mount Keira West Wollongong
England 3.7% / 2.5%
Mount Keira — England: 3.7% West Wollongong — England: 2.5%
India 1.8% / 1.6%
Mount Keira — India: 1.8% West Wollongong — India: 1.6%
New Zealand 1.3% / 1.4%
Mount Keira — New Zealand: 1.3% West Wollongong — New Zealand: 1.4%
Italy 1.2% / 0.7%
Mount Keira — Italy: 1.2% West Wollongong — Italy: 0.7%
China 0.5% / 1.3%
Mount Keira — China: 0.5% West Wollongong — China: 1.3%
Scotland 0.8% / —
Mount Keira — Scotland: 0.8% West Wollongong — Scotland: not among its largest
Thailand — / 0.8%
Mount Keira — Thailand: not among its largest West Wollongong — Thailand: 0.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (3.7%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Mount Keira 91.8% houses
Mount Keira — Houses: 91.8% Mount Keira — Flats / Apartments: 5.5% Mount Keira — Townhouses: 2.7%
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

Mount Keira West Wollongong
Median house price $1,245,500 $1,132,500
Median unit price — $561,000
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 24 days
from 10 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.

Mount Keira West Wollongong
3 bed $1.17M / $1.07M
Mount Keira — 3 bed: $1.17M (18 sales) West Wollongong — 3 bed: $1.07M (37 sales)

18 vs 37 sales

4 bed $1.23M / $1.2M
Mount Keira — 4 bed: $1.23M (9 sales) West Wollongong — 4 bed: $1.2M (27 sales)

9 vs 27 sales

Zoning mix

Mount Keira has more land zoned for conservation (85% vs 2%).

Mount Keira West Wollongong
Environmental 85% 2%
Residential 8% 81%
Parks and recreation 1% 9%
Infrastructure and transport 6% 8%
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

Mount Keira 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.

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

Ranking within NSW

Mount Keira West Wollongong
House price Higher than 64% of NSW Higher than 59% of NSW
Income Higher than 88% of NSW —
Schools — Higher than 31% of NSW
Walkability Higher than 73% of NSW Higher than 85% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 68% of NSW —
EV adoption Higher than 86% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 100% of NSW Higher than 98% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 33% of NSW

Liveability

West Wollongong is more walkable (62 vs 26).

Mount Keira West Wollongong
Grade C B
Score 48/100 50/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
 advantaged area
decile 7/10

Risk profile

Mount Keira carries more bushfire risk (82 vs 0); West Wollongong carries more crime risk (56 vs 34).

Mount Keira West Wollongong
Bushfire High
82/100
 None
0/100
Crime Low
34/100
 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 1
within 5 km
 12
within 5 km

Schools

Mount Keira West Wollongong
Inside the suburb 1 5
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 1 5
Rated below peers 0
same for both
Universities within 10 km 1
UOW Wollongong, 4.6 km
 1
UOW Wollongong, 2.4 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 4.1% 5.1%

Schools in Mount Keira

  • Mount Keira Public School Government · Primary at 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

Mount Keira West Wollongong
Parks & reserves 5 7
Childcare 0 6
Fuel stations 0 3
Waterways 2 0

Mobility

West Wollongong sits further from the CBD (84.1 km vs 80.6 km).

Mount Keira West Wollongong
Walkability score 26/100 62/100
Distance to Sydney 80.6 km 84.1 km
+4% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 77 min 78 min
Public transport score 67/100
Bus
 77/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 26.5
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.

Mount Keira West Wollongong
Car (driver) 56.6% / 56.8%
Mount Keira — Car (driver): 56.6% West Wollongong — Car (driver): 56.8%
Worked from Home 35.6% / 33.9%
Mount Keira — Worked from Home: 35.6% West Wollongong — Worked from Home: 33.9%
Car (passenger) 4.6% / 4.2%
Mount Keira — Car (passenger): 4.6% West Wollongong — Car (passenger): 4.2%
Walked Only 1.1% / 1.9%
Mount Keira — Walked Only: 1.1% West Wollongong — Walked Only: 1.9%
Bus 0.7% / 1.7%
Mount Keira — Bus: 0.7% West Wollongong — Bus: 1.7%
Bicycle 1.0% / 0.7%
Mount Keira — Bicycle: 1.0% West Wollongong — Bicycle: 0.7%

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

Setting

Mount Keira West Wollongong
Elevation 382 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 49 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 4.6 km
4.7 km to a named beach
 3.3 km
3.4 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Mount Keira West Wollongong
Connectivity score 100/100 98/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 100%
617 premises
 96%
2,309 premises

Climate

Mount Keira 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)

Mount Keira 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

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

Federal electorate

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

First Home Owner Grant

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

Tags

Mount Keira

Acreage Professionals Quiet

West Wollongong

Parks

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Mount Keira

Mount Keira vs Figtree Mount Keira vs Balgownie Mount Keira vs Keiraville Mount Keira vs Tarrawanna Mount Keira vs Mount Ousley Mount Keira vs Mount Pleasant

Other comparisons with West Wollongong

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

Save this page for later

We'll email you a link to this page so you can finish reading it on any device. We use your address once to send it and don't keep it.

or