Wollongong vs Port Kembla

Wollongong is the younger of the two, with a median age of 35 against 42 in Port Kembla. In Wollongong, most households rent, the large majority of homes are flats or apartments, and about half of households are people living alone. In Port Kembla, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. On these figures, Wollongong tends to suit renters, young adults, and 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

Wollongong

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (16 vs 3)
  • has more childcare (17 vs 5)
  • has more schools inside the suburb (5 vs 3)
  • But Port Kembla has more separate houses rather than flats (77% vs 14%)

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

First-home buyers

Wollongong

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (29% vs 34%)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

They split

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

  • Wollongong has a bigger rental market to choose from (57% vs 35%)
  • Port Kembla has cheaper rent ($340/wk vs $410/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Wollongong

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (91/100 vs 18/100)
  • sits closer to the CBD (84.6 km vs 92 km)

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

Downsizers and retirees

Wollongong

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (16 vs 0)
  • is more walkable (91/100 vs 18/100)
  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (86% vs 23%)

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

Investors

Wollongong

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (10.9% vs 1.5%)

Weighs house yield and population growth.

Where they sit

Wollongong 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.

Wollongong 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.

Wollongong Port Kembla
Walkability 91 / 18
Wollongong — Walkability: 91/100 Port Kembla — Walkability: 18/100
Safety 7 / 13
Wollongong — Safety: 7/100 Port Kembla — Safety: 13/100
Low fire risk 100 / 87
Wollongong — Low fire risk: 100/100 Port Kembla — Low fire risk: 87/100

Demographics

Wollongong has more residents (20,446 vs 5,088); Wollongong rents higher ($410/wk vs $340/wk).

Wollongong Port Kembla
Population 20,446
+75% vs other
 5,088
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +10.9% +1.5%
Median age 35 42
Median household income $80,548/yr
+16% vs other
 $68,016/yr
Median weekly rent $410/wk
+17% vs other
 $340/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Wollongong Port Kembla
0-4 3.7% / 5.8%
Wollongong — 0-4: 3.7% Port Kembla — 0-4: 5.8%
5-14 5.0% / 11.4%
Wollongong — 5-14: 5.0% Port Kembla — 5-14: 11.4%
15-19 3.6% / 4.5%
Wollongong — 15-19: 3.6% Port Kembla — 15-19: 4.5%
20-24 13.3% / 6.2%
Wollongong — 20-24: 13.3% Port Kembla — 20-24: 6.2%
25-34 23.9% / 13.0%
Wollongong — 25-34: 23.9% Port Kembla — 25-34: 13.0%
35-44 10.9% / 12.3%
Wollongong — 35-44: 10.9% Port Kembla — 35-44: 12.3%
45-54 9.7% / 12.2%
Wollongong — 45-54: 9.7% Port Kembla — 45-54: 12.2%
55-64 11.1% / 14.0%
Wollongong — 55-64: 11.1% Port Kembla — 55-64: 14.0%
65-74 9.5% / 10.3%
Wollongong — 65-74: 9.5% Port Kembla — 65-74: 10.3%
75-84 6.5% / 6.4%
Wollongong — 75-84: 6.5% Port Kembla — 75-84: 6.4%
85+ 2.8% / 3.9%
Wollongong — 85+: 2.8% Port Kembla — 85+: 3.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (23.9%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Wollongong 52.9% lone person
Wollongong — Lone Person: 52.9% Wollongong — Couple Families: 18.1% Wollongong — One Parent Families: 10.3% Wollongong — Group Household: 16.7% Wollongong — Other Families: 2.0%
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.

Wollongong 56.6% renting
Wollongong — Owned Outright: 25.0% Wollongong — Mortgage: 18.4% Wollongong — Renting: 56.6%
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.

Wollongong Port Kembla
Bachelor Degree 20.9% / 8.9%
Wollongong — Bachelor Degree: 20.9% Port Kembla — Bachelor Degree: 8.9%
Certificate III & IV 12.7% / 16.8%
Wollongong — Certificate III & IV: 12.7% Port Kembla — Certificate III & IV: 16.8%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.1% / 7.0%
Wollongong — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.1% Port Kembla — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.0%
Postgraduate Degree 9.8% / 3.0%
Wollongong — Postgraduate Degree: 9.8% Port Kembla — Postgraduate Degree: 3.0%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.2% / 1.0%
Wollongong — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.2% Port Kembla — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (20.9%).

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.

Wollongong Port Kembla
England 3.2% / 2.0%
Wollongong — England: 3.2% Port Kembla — England: 2.0%
Italy 1.0% / 2.4%
Wollongong — Italy: 1.0% Port Kembla — Italy: 2.4%
China 3.0% / —
Wollongong — China: 3.0% Port Kembla — China: not among its largest
India 2.8% / —
Wollongong — India: 2.8% Port Kembla — India: not among its largest
New Zealand 1.1% / 1.6%
Wollongong — New Zealand: 1.1% Port Kembla — New Zealand: 1.6%
Philippines 1.1% / 0.4%
Wollongong — Philippines: 1.1% Port Kembla — Philippines: 0.4%
Greece — / 0.9%
Wollongong — Greece: not among its largest Port Kembla — Greece: 0.9%
Germany — / 0.5%
Wollongong — Germany: not among its largest Port Kembla — Germany: 0.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (3.2%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Wollongong 78.8% flats / apartments
Wollongong — Flats / Apartments: 78.8% Wollongong — Houses: 13.8% Wollongong — Townhouses: 7.4%
Port Kembla 16.7% flats / apartments
Port Kembla — Flats / Apartments: 16.7% Port Kembla — Houses: 76.7% Port Kembla — Townhouses: 6.6%
Flats / Apartments Houses Townhouses

Property market

Wollongong Port Kembla
Median house price $1,225,000 $1,147,500
Median unit price $715,000 $682,500
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 28 days
from 37 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.

Wollongong Port Kembla
2 bed $710K / $841K
Wollongong — 2 bed: $710K (14 sales) Port Kembla — 2 bed: $841K (8 sales)

14 vs 8 sales

3 bed $1.21M / $1.15M
Wollongong — 3 bed: $1.21M (36 sales) Port Kembla — 3 bed: $1.15M (29 sales)

36 vs 29 sales

4 bed $1.35M / $1.33M
Wollongong — 4 bed: $1.35M (19 sales) Port Kembla — 4 bed: $1.33M (8 sales)

19 vs 8 sales

Zoning mix

Port Kembla has more industrially zoned land (40% vs 11%).

Wollongong Port Kembla
Residential 43% 13%
Industrial 11% 40%
Infrastructure and transport 16% 20%
Parks and recreation 17% 9%
Commercial 11% 13%
Environmental 2% 3%
Planning zones cover 99% of Wollongong 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

Wollongong 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.

Wollongong Port Kembla
Houses 4.3%
$770/wk on $940K
 4.3%
$775/wk on $929K
Units 4.6%
$680/wk on $777K
 —

Ranking within NSW

Wollongong Port Kembla
House price Higher than 68% of NSW Higher than 49% of NSW
Income Higher than 48% of NSW Higher than 31% of NSW
Schools Higher than 23% of NSW Higher than 11% of NSW
Walkability Higher than 97% of NSW Higher than 68% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 28% of NSW Higher than 37% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 86% of NSW Higher than 59% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 96% of NSW Higher than 75% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 84% of NSW Higher than 87% of NSW
Rental yield (units) Higher than 46% of NSW —

Liveability

Wollongong is more walkable (91 vs 18); Wollongong scores higher overall (49 vs 29).

Wollongong Port Kembla
Grade B D
Score 49/100 29/100
Socio-economic band advantaged area
decile 8/10
 below-average income
decile 3/10

Risk profile

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

Wollongong Port Kembla
Bushfire None
0/100
 Low
13/100
Crime High
93/100
 High
87/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion Moderate
65/100
 High
94/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 16
within 5 km
 19
within 5 km

Schools

Wollongong Port Kembla
Inside the suburb 5 3
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 3 2
Rated below peers 0
same for both
Universities within 10 km 1
UOW Wollongong, 0.0 km
 1
UOW Wollongong, 4.8 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 6.0% 1.2%

Schools in Wollongong

  • Smiths Hill High School Government · Secondary at peers
  • St Mary Star of the Sea College Independent · Secondary at peers
  • Wollongong Public School Government · Primary at peers
  • Illawarra Hospital School Government · Combined · Special school
  • Novo Education Space Independent · Secondary · Special school

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

Wollongong Port Kembla
Supermarkets 6 0
Cafes & restaurants 87 3
Parks & reserves 16 3
Childcare 17 5
GPs 16 0
Pharmacies 8 1
Hospitals 3 0
Police stations 1
same for both
Banks & Bank@Post 9 2
Fuel stations 3 1
EV chargers 4 0
Beaches 3 0
Waterways 0 4

Mobility

Port Kembla sits further from the CBD (92 km vs 84.6 km).

Wollongong Port Kembla
Walkability score 91/100 18/100
Distance to Sydney 84.6 km 92 km
+9% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 82 min 85 min
Public transport score 79/100
Rail · Bus
same for both
Peak arrivals per hour 602.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
 116.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 1.3%
postcode 2500
 0.6%
postcode 2505
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 14
postcode 2500
 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.

Wollongong Port Kembla
Car (driver) 46.8% / 67.5%
Wollongong — Car (driver): 46.8% Port Kembla — Car (driver): 67.5%
Worked from Home 34.6% / 24.9%
Wollongong — Worked from Home: 34.6% Port Kembla — Worked from Home: 24.9%
Walked Only 10.2% / 1.3%
Wollongong — Walked Only: 10.2% Port Kembla — Walked Only: 1.3%
Car (passenger) 3.1% / 3.8%
Wollongong — Car (passenger): 3.1% Port Kembla — Car (passenger): 3.8%
Train 2.4% / 0.9%
Wollongong — Train: 2.4% Port Kembla — Train: 0.9%
Bus 2.2% / 1.0%
Wollongong — Bus: 2.2% Port Kembla — Bus: 1.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (67.5%).

Setting

Wollongong Port Kembla
Elevation 12 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 15 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 984 m
1.1 km to a named beach
 567 m
2.0 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Wollongong Port Kembla
Connectivity score 93/100 68/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises Fibre to the node
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 85%
14,752 premises
 42%
2,920 premises

Climate

Wollongong 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)

Wollongong Port Kembla
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

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

Federal electorate

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

First Home Owner Grant

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

Tags

Wollongong

Affordable Apartments Beach Coastal Professionals Regional Centre Urban

Port Kembla

Coastal

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Wollongong

Wollongong vs West Wollongong Wollongong vs Gwynneville Wollongong vs Mangerton Wollongong vs North Wollongong Wollongong vs Coniston

Other comparisons with Port Kembla

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