Moving to Koonawarra NSW 2530
What the official numbers say about living in Koonawarra — before you pack a box.
At a glance
Housing: buy or rent
Renting? The census median is $350 a week, against a median household income of $1,258 a week.
About 57% of homes are owner-occupied and 42% rented, and the most common dwelling type is the house.
Who you'll be living with
Koonawarra grew 3% between the 2011 and 2021 censuses (3,633 → 3,732 people).
Around 75% of households are families, averaging 2.6 people per home.
Largest overseas birthplaces: England, Scotland, New Zealand; most spoken languages besides English: Spanish, Macedonian, Vietnamese.
On the ABS advantage scale (SEIFA), Koonawarra scores below the national average (decile 1 of 10).
The commute
The most common way to work is by car (82% of workers), while 15% work from home.
Nearest train station: Dapto, 1.9 km north-west.
Nearest railway halt: Kembla Grange, 4 km north.
Nearest airport: Shellharbour Airport, 6.3 km south.
The Sydney CBD is roughly 80 km away in a straight line.
Daily life
Mapped locally so far: 9 schools · 4 cafes & restaurants · 5 supermarkets · 11 parks — see them all on the Koonawarra profile.
What's actually nearby
Schools: Koonawarra Public School 450 m · Lakelands Public School 1000 m · Kanahooka High School 1.2 km · St John's Catholic Primary School 1.5 km · Hayes Park Primary School 1.7 km · Dapto High School 1.9 km · Mount Brown Primary 2.3 km · Dapto Primary School 3 km
Groceries: IGA 500 m · Pilipinas Emporium 1.3 km · Coles 1.6 km · Woolworths 1.6 km · ALDI 1.7 km
Parks and reserves: Gilba Road Reserve 550 m · Lakelands Park 900 m · Lakeside Drive Reserve 1.1 km · Lion's Park 1.5 km · Hartigan Park 1.9 km · Kundle Street Reserve 1.9 km · Khan Park 2.2 km · St Lukes Park 2.4 km
What you'll see in the garden
Birds recorded around Koonawarra, most often seen first: Common Myna · Magpie-lark · Welcome Swallow · Australian Raven · Australian Magpie · Willie Wagtail.
How the neighbours compare
The suburbs nearest to Koonawarra, side by side.
| Suburb | People | Median house | Advantage | Canopy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Koonawarra here | 3,732 | — | 1/10 | 14% |
| Dapto | 10,954 | — | 3/10 | 16% |
| Kanahooka | 5,698 | — | 5/10 | 10% |
| Avondale | 1,695 | — | 3/10 | 35% |
| Kembla Grange | 1,452 | — | 9/10 | 20% |
| Horsley | 9,437 | — | 7/10 | 11% |
| Haywards Bay | 1,280 | — | 9/10 | 6% |
Before you move — quick checklist
- Your council will be Wollongong — bins, rates, pets and permits live there.
- You'll vote in the federal electorate of Whitlam — update your enrolment address.
- The postcode is 2530 — handy for utility sign-ups and quotes.
- Check street-level details on the full Koonawarra profile (map, streets, amenities, wildlife).
In short
Renters pay a median $350 a week, and about 42% of homes here are rented.
The population grew 3% between the 2011 and 2021 censuses, from 3,633 people to 3,732. It sits about 80 km from the Sydney CBD in a straight line, and Dapto station is roughly 1.9 km away. Local government is Wollongong council, and the federal seat is Whitlam.
Weighing up alternatives?
Side-by-side: Koonawarra vs Kanahooka · Koonawarra vs Avondale.
Nearby guides: Dapto · Kanahooka · Avondale · Kembla Grange · Horsley · Haywards Bay.
Keep an eye on Koonawarra
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