Warrawong vs Port Kembla

In both, most homes are detached houses. In Warrawong, about half of households rent. In Port Kembla, most households own their home. Houses cost more in Port Kembla: a median of $1.15 million, against $870,000 in Warrawong, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Warrawong tends to suit renters and 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

They split

one each way, out of the 6 things we measure here

  • Warrawong has more schools rated above their peers (1 vs 0)
  • Port Kembla has more separate houses rather than flats (77% vs 65%)

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

First-home buyers

Warrawong

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper units ($449,000 vs $682,500)
  • has cheaper houses ($870,000 vs $1,147,500)
  • But Port Kembla leaves households under less mortgage stress (34% vs 44%)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Warrawong

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (50% vs 35%)
  • has cheaper rent ($270/wk vs $340/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Warrawong

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (90/100 vs 18/100)

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

Downsizers and retirees

Warrawong

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (6 vs 0)
  • is more walkable (90/100 vs 18/100)
  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (35% vs 23%)

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

Investors

Too close to call

Nothing among the 2 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs house yield and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Warrawong Port Kembla
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.

Warrawong Port Kembla
Walkability 90 / 18
Warrawong — Walkability: 90/100 Port Kembla — Walkability: 18/100
Safety 5 / 13
Warrawong — Safety: 5/100 Port Kembla — Safety: 13/100
Low fire risk 100 / 87
Warrawong — Low fire risk: 100/100 Port Kembla — Low fire risk: 87/100

Demographics

Port Kembla has higher household incomes ($68,016 vs $47,216); Port Kembla rents higher ($340/wk vs $270/wk).

Warrawong Port Kembla
Population 4,659 5,088
+9% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -2.0% +1.5%
Median age 41 42
Median household income $47,216/yr $68,016/yr
+44% vs other
Median weekly rent $270/wk $340/wk
+26% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Warrawong Port Kembla
0-4 6.2% / 5.8%
Warrawong — 0-4: 6.2% Port Kembla — 0-4: 5.8%
5-14 12.3% / 11.4%
Warrawong — 5-14: 12.3% Port Kembla — 5-14: 11.4%
15-19 5.0% / 4.5%
Warrawong — 15-19: 5.0% Port Kembla — 15-19: 4.5%
20-24 5.6% / 6.2%
Warrawong — 20-24: 5.6% Port Kembla — 20-24: 6.2%
25-34 12.9% / 13.0%
Warrawong — 25-34: 12.9% Port Kembla — 25-34: 13.0%
35-44 11.4% / 12.3%
Warrawong — 35-44: 11.4% Port Kembla — 35-44: 12.3%
45-54 12.2% / 12.2%
Warrawong — 45-54: 12.2% Port Kembla — 45-54: 12.2%
55-64 11.7% / 14.0%
Warrawong — 55-64: 11.7% Port Kembla — 55-64: 14.0%
65-74 10.0% / 10.3%
Warrawong — 65-74: 10.0% Port Kembla — 65-74: 10.3%
75-84 8.1% / 6.4%
Warrawong — 75-84: 8.1% Port Kembla — 75-84: 6.4%
85+ 4.5% / 3.9%
Warrawong — 85+: 4.5% Port Kembla — 85+: 3.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (14.0%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Warrawong 44.9% lone person
Warrawong — Lone Person: 44.9% Warrawong — Couple Families: 28.4% Warrawong — One Parent Families: 22.7% Warrawong — Group Household: 3.0% Warrawong — Other Families: 1.1%
Port Kembla 40.2% lone person
Port Kembla — Lone Person: 40.2% Port Kembla — Couple Families: 33.0% Port Kembla — One Parent Families: 21.5% Port Kembla — Group Household: 3.7% Port Kembla — Other Families: 1.6%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Warrawong 49.8% renting
Warrawong — Owned Outright: 34.1% Warrawong — Mortgage: 16.1% Warrawong — Renting: 49.8%
Port Kembla 34.6% renting
Port Kembla — Owned Outright: 38.8% Port Kembla — Mortgage: 26.6% Port Kembla — Renting: 34.6%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Warrawong Port Kembla
Certificate III & IV 12.6% / 16.8%
Warrawong — Certificate III & IV: 12.6% Port Kembla — Certificate III & IV: 16.8%
Bachelor Degree 4.6% / 8.9%
Warrawong — Bachelor Degree: 4.6% Port Kembla — Bachelor Degree: 8.9%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 4.4% / 7.0%
Warrawong — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 4.4% Port Kembla — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.0%
Postgraduate Degree 1.5% / 3.0%
Warrawong — Postgraduate Degree: 1.5% Port Kembla — Postgraduate Degree: 3.0%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 0.6% / 1.0%
Warrawong — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.6% Port Kembla — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.8%).

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.

Warrawong Port Kembla
Italy 4.2% / 2.4%
Warrawong — Italy: 4.2% Port Kembla — Italy: 2.4%
England 1.5% / 2.0%
Warrawong — England: 1.5% Port Kembla — England: 2.0%
New Zealand 1.4% / 1.6%
Warrawong — New Zealand: 1.4% Port Kembla — New Zealand: 1.6%
Philippines 1.1% / 0.4%
Warrawong — Philippines: 1.1% Port Kembla — Philippines: 0.4%
Greece 0.6% / 0.9%
Warrawong — Greece: 0.6% Port Kembla — Greece: 0.9%
Vietnam 1.0% / 0.3%
Warrawong — Vietnam: 1.0% Port Kembla — Vietnam: 0.3%
Germany — / 0.5%
Warrawong — Germany: not among its largest Port Kembla — Germany: 0.5%

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

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Warrawong 65.2% houses
Warrawong — Houses: 65.2% Warrawong — Flats / Apartments: 20.5% Warrawong — Townhouses: 14.3%
Port Kembla 76.7% houses
Port Kembla — Houses: 76.7% Port Kembla — Flats / Apartments: 16.7% Port Kembla — Townhouses: 6.6%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Warrawong Port Kembla
Median house price $870,000 $1,147,500
Median unit price $449,000 $682,500
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 28 days
from 21 sales
 28 days
from 24 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.

Warrawong Port Kembla
3 bed $852K / $1.15M
Warrawong — 3 bed: $852K (28 sales) Port Kembla — 3 bed: $1.15M (29 sales)

28 vs 29 sales

4 bed $985K / $1.33M
Warrawong — 4 bed: $985K (13 sales) Port Kembla — 4 bed: $1.33M (8 sales)

13 vs 8 sales

Zoning mix

Port Kembla has more industrially zoned land (40% vs 5%).

Warrawong Port Kembla
Residential 62% 13%
Industrial 5% 40%
Infrastructure and transport 11% 20%
Commercial 6% 13%
Parks and recreation 12% 9%
Environmental 3%
same for both
Planning zones cover 100% of Warrawong and 98% of Port Kembla. The rest is unzoned land such as water or road reserve.
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

Warrawong Port Kembla
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.

Warrawong Port Kembla
Houses 4.0%
$650/wk on $850K
 4.3%
$775/wk on $929K
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Warrawong Port Kembla
House price Higher than 36% of NSW Higher than 49% of NSW
Income Higher than 9% of NSW Higher than 31% of NSW
Schools Higher than 53% of NSW Higher than 11% of NSW
Walkability Higher than 96% of NSW Higher than 68% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 24% of NSW Higher than 37% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 39% of NSW Higher than 59% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 72% of NSW Higher than 75% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 72% of NSW Higher than 87% of NSW

Liveability

Warrawong is more walkable (90 vs 18); Warrawong scores higher overall (43 vs 29).

Warrawong Port Kembla
Grade C D
Score 43/100 29/100
Socio-economic band high-need area
decile 1/10
 below-average income
decile 3/10

Risk profile

Port Kembla carries more bushfire risk (13 vs 0).

Warrawong Port Kembla
Bushfire None
0/100
 Low
13/100
Crime High
95/100
 High
87/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion None
0/100
 High
94/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 17
within 5 km
 19
within 5 km

Schools

Warrawong Port Kembla
Inside the suburb 4 3
Rated above peers 1 0
Rated at peers 2
same for both
Rated below peers 1 0
Universities within 10 km 1
UOW Wollongong, 6.6 km
 1
UOW Wollongong, 4.8 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 0.9% 1.2%

Schools in Warrawong

  • St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary School Catholic · Primary above peers
  • Kemblawarra Public School Government · Primary at peers
  • Warrawong High School Government · Secondary at peers
  • Warrawong Public School Government · Primary below peers

Schools in Port Kembla

  • Port Kembla Public School Government · Primary at peers
  • St Patrick's Catholic Primary School Catholic · Primary at peers
  • Five Islands Secondary College Government · Secondary

Amenities in the suburb

Warrawong Port Kembla
Supermarkets 3 0
Cafes & restaurants 2 3
Parks & reserves 5 3
Childcare 4 5
GPs 6 0
Pharmacies 4 1
Hospitals 1 0
Police stations 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 3 2
Fuel stations 0 1
EV chargers 2 0
Waterways 2 4

Mobility

Warrawong Port Kembla
Walkability score 90/100 18/100
Distance to Sydney 93 km
+1% vs other
 92 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 87 min 85 min
Public transport score 79/100
Bus
 79/100
Rail · Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 139.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
 116.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 0.4%
postcode 2502
 0.6%
postcode 2505
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 28
postcode 2502
 32
postcode 2505

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.

Warrawong Port Kembla
Car (driver) 71.2% / 67.5%
Warrawong — Car (driver): 71.2% Port Kembla — Car (driver): 67.5%
Worked from Home 16.1% / 24.9%
Warrawong — Worked from Home: 16.1% Port Kembla — Worked from Home: 24.9%
Car (passenger) 6.1% / 3.8%
Warrawong — Car (passenger): 6.1% Port Kembla — Car (passenger): 3.8%
Walked Only 2.8% / 1.3%
Warrawong — Walked Only: 2.8% Port Kembla — Walked Only: 1.3%
Bus 2.5% / 1.0%
Warrawong — Bus: 2.5% Port Kembla — Bus: 1.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (71.2%).

Setting

Warrawong Port Kembla
Elevation 24 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 15 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 2.1 km
3.0 km to a named beach
 567 m
2.0 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Warrawong Port Kembla
Connectivity score 64/100 68/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 35%
2,661 premises
 42%
2,920 premises

Climate

Warrawong Port Kembla
Annual rainfall 974 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Warrawong Port Kembla
PM2.5 5.9 µg/m³ 6.2 µg/m³
PM10 19.8 µg/m³ 18.2 µg/m³
NO₂ 0.45 pphm 0.66 pphm

Council rates

Warrawong Port Kembla
Average residential rate $1,751/yr
same for both
Council Wollongong
same for both

Federal electorate

Warrawong Port Kembla
Division Cunningham
same for both
Member Alison Byrnes
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Warrawong Port Kembla
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Warrawong

Coastal Multicultural Parks

Port Kembla

Coastal

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Warrawong

Warrawong vs Lake Heights Warrawong vs Cringila Warrawong vs Primbee

Other comparisons with Port Kembla

Port Kembla vs Wollongong Port Kembla vs Coniston Port Kembla vs Cringila Port Kembla vs Primbee Port Kembla vs Spring Hill
Full data on Warrawong Full data on Port Kembla
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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