New South Wales · Suburb Profile

Shellharbour NSW — Suburb Profile

Population, median income, rent prices, housing costs and demographics for Shellharbour, New South Wales. ABS Census 2021.

The population of Shellharbour NSW is 3,520 according to the 2021 Census. The median personal income in Shellharbour is $741 per week ($38,532 per year). Median rent in Shellharbour is $420 per week ($1,820 per month). Shellharbour has a median age of 46 years, older than the national median of 38. Shellharbour has a population density of 1442.6 people per km².

The most common overseas birthplace in Shellharbour is England. The most common religion is No Religion (38% of residents). After English, the most spoken language is Macedon. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Shellharbour is $2,167.

There were 60 recorded offences in Shellharbour in 2025-26, a rate of 17 offences per 1,000 people. The most common offence category was theft (24 offences).

Shellharbour Map

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Shellharbour Population

residents (Census 2021)

Shellharbour Median Income & Rent

💰

Median Income

$741/wk

$38,532 per year

#4717 of 14,663

🏠

Median Rent

$420/wk

$1,820 per month

#1513 of 14,663

👤

Median Age

46years

8 years older than national median

🏡

Mortgage

$2,167/mo

Avg household size: 2.5 · 0.8 per bedroom

Shellharbour Demographics

Gender Split

Male 48.6% (1,709) Female 51.4% (1,808)

Population Density

1442.6

people per km²

3,520 people · 2.4 km²

Households

2.5

Avg household size

0.8

Persons per bedroom

$2,066

Family income/wk

Shellharbour Age Distribution

0-4

5-9

10-14

15-19

20-24

25-29

30-34

35-39

40-44

45-49

50-54

55-59

60-64

65-69

70-74

75-79

80-84

85+

♂ Male ♀ Female

Source: ABS Census 2021 — Suburb & Locality (SAL)

Shellharbour Housing Tenure

🏠

Owned outright

57.9% 515 dwellings

🏦

Owned with mortgage

42.1% 375 dwellings

Source: ABS Census 2021 — Suburb & Locality (SAL)

Shellharbour Country of Birth

Australia

92.4%

England

5.4%

Germany

0.7%

Croatia

0.6%

Greece

0.3%

Hong Kong

0.3%

Egypt

0.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G09 — Country of Birth by SAL

Shellharbour Religion

No Religion

37.5%

Catholic

29.0%

Anglican

18.1%

Not stated

5.6%

Eastern Orthodox

3.5%

Christian (other)

2.8%

Christinty Prsbytrin Refrmd

1.9%

Uniting Church

1.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G14 — Religion by SAL

Shellharbour Education Level

Year 12 or equivalent

48.0%

Year 10 or equivalent

37.2%

Year 9 or equivalent

8.0%

Year 11 or equivalent

6.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G16 — Highest Year of School by SAL

Shellharbour Languages Spoken at Home

Macedon

37.3%

Spanish

12.7%

Other

12.7%

Greek

10.0%

Italian

6.4%

Portuguese

6.4%

Thai

5.5%

Turkish

4.5%

Australian Indigenous

4.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G13 — Language Spoken at Home by SAL

Shellharbour Employment

💼

Employed full-time

31.9% 854 people

⏰

Employed part-time

22.8% 609 people

🔍

Unemployed

2.5% 67 people

🏠

Not in labour force

42.8% 1,144 people

Source: ABS Census 2021 G46 — Labour Force Status by SAL

Shellharbour Qualifications

Certificate III/IV

45.6%

Bachelor Degree

23.8%

Advanced Diploma/Diploma

19.0%

Postgraduate Degree

6.3%

Graduate Diploma/Certificate

3.1%

Certificate I/II

2.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G49 — Non-School Qualification by SAL

Shellharbour Occupation

Professionals

27.1%

Technicians & Trade Workers

17.6%

Community & Personal Service

15.4%

Clerical & Administrative

12.8%

Managers

11.5%

Machinery Operators & Drivers

5.9%

Sales Workers

4.9%

Labourers

4.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G51 — Industry of Employment by Occupation

Shellharbour Field of Study

Management & Commerce

21.6%

Engineering

17.6%

Health

13.4%

Society & Culture

13.3%

Education

11.2%

Architecture & Building

10.2%

Food, Hospitality & Personal Services

4.9%

Creative Arts

3.0%

Agriculture & Environment

1.9%

Natural & Physical Sciences

1.8%

Information Technology

1.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G51 — Field of Study by SAL

Shellharbour Dwelling Types

Separate house

81.9%

Semi-detached (2+ storey)

11.5%

Semi-detached (1 storey)

6.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G36 — Dwelling Structure by SAL

Shellharbour Weekly Household Income

Nil/Negative/wk

1.3%

$1-$149/wk

0.2%

$150-$299/wk

0.8%

$300-$399/wk

3.0%

$400-$499/wk

6.5%

$500-$649/wk

5.3%

$650-$799/wk

6.5%

$800-$999/wk

8.7%

$1,000-$1,249/wk

8.2%

$1,250-$1,499/wk

6.9%

$1,500-$1,749/wk

5.4%

$1,750-$1,999/wk

5.3%

$2,000-$2,499/wk

10.4%

$2,500-$2,999/wk

8.5%

$3,000-$3,499/wk

8.3%

$3,500-$3,999/wk

4.1%

$4,000+/wk

10.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G33 — Household Income by SAL

Shellharbour Marital Status

💍

Married

51.1% 1,526

↔️

Separated

3.1% 92

📋

Divorced

9.5% 285

🕊️

Widowed

5.5% 165

👤

Never married

30.7% 918

Source: ABS Census 2021 G05 — Marital Status by SAL

Shellharbour Ancestry

English

32.0%

Australian

29.6%

Irish

9.3%

Scottish

7.7%

Other

4.9%

Italian

4.0%

German

3.5%

Macedonian

2.6%

Aboriginal Australianralian

2.4%

Maltese

1.7%

Spanish

1.4%

Dutch

1.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G08 — Ancestry by SAL

Shellharbour School & University Attendance

Primary — Government

25.9%

Secondary — Government

23.3%

Vocational Education

15.2%

Pre-school

13.3%

Primary — Catholic

9.4%

Secondary — Catholic

8.8%

Secondary — Other Non-Govt

3.1%

Primary — Other Non-Govt

1.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G15 — Type of Educational Institution by SAL

Shellharbour Need for Assistance

♿

Needs assistance

6.2% 417

✅

No need for assistance

93.8% 6,348

Source: ABS Census 2021 G18 — Core Activity Need for Assistance by SAL

Shellharbour Volunteering

🤝

Volunteer

13.3% 380

—

Not a volunteer

86.7% 2,485

Source: ABS Census 2021 G23 — Voluntary Work by SAL

Shellharbour Monthly Mortgage Repayments

$0-$299/mo

8.6%

$300-$449/mo

1.0%

$450-$599/mo

1.0%

$600-$799/mo

1.3%

$800-$999/mo

4.6%

$1,000-$1,399/mo

10.5%

$1,400-$1,799/mo

15.1%

$1,800-$2,399/mo

28.0%

$2,400-$2,999/mo

14.8%

$3,000-$3,999/mo

15.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G38 — Mortgage Repayment by SAL

Shellharbour How People Get to Work

Car (driver)

69.2%

Did not go to work

23.0%

Car (passenger)

3.9%

Walked only

2.1%

Truck

0.9%

Bicycle

0.3%

Other

0.3%

Bus

0.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G62 — Method of Travel to Work by SAL

Shellharbour Car Ownership

0 vehicles

5.7%

1 vehicle

34.3%

2 vehicles

37.7%

3 vehicles

13.6%

4+ vehicles

8.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G34 — Motor Vehicles per Dwelling by SAL

Shellharbour Number of Bedrooms

1 bedroom

4.2%

2 bedrooms

21.3%

3 bedrooms

40.2%

4 bedrooms

27.4%

5 bedrooms

5.8%

6+ bedrooms

1.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G41 — Number of Bedrooms by SAL

Shellharbour Population Mobility

12.2%

moved in the last year

36.0%

moved in the last 5 years

4.0%

unemployment rate (Census)

57.5%

labour force participation

Source: ABS Census 2021 G43 — Summary by SAL

Shellharbour Indigenous Population

4.0%

Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander

270

Indigenous residents

6,511

Non-Indigenous residents

Source: ABS Census 2021 G07 — Indigenous Status by SAL

Shellharbour Long-term Health Conditions

Mental health

296

Arthritis

170

Asthma

118

Diabetes

108

Heart disease

Cancer

Lung condition

Kidney disease

Stroke

Dementia

Source: ABS Census 2021 G19 — Long-term Health Conditions by SAL

Shellharbour Personal Weekly Income Distribution

$0 or less/wk

9.7%

$1-$149/wk

4.8%

$150-$299/wk

5.3%

$300-$399/wk

5.3%

$400-$499/wk

4.5%

$500-$649/wk

3.7%

$650-$799/wk

10.0%

$800-$999/wk

10.1%

$1,000-$1,249/wk

12.4%

$1,250-$1,499/wk

8.4%

$1,500-$1,749/wk

6.5%

$1,750-$1,999/wk

5.8%

$2,000-$2,999/wk

9.5%

$3,000-$3,499/wk

1.9%

$3,500+/wk

2.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G17 — Personal Income by SAL

Shellharbour Family Structure

Couple — children under 15

33.2%

Couple — no children

31.7%

Couple — no children under 15

20.8%

One parent — no children under 15

7.9%

One parent — children under 15

6.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G29 — Family Composition by SAL

Shellharbour Military Service

🛡️

Current ADF — Reserves

0.2% 5

🏅

Previously served

2.4% 70

👤

Never served

97.4% 2,797

Source: ABS Census 2021 G22 — ADF Service by SAL

Shellharbour Unpaid Carers

🤲

Provided unpaid assistance

14.4% 412

—

Did not provide

85.6% 2,450

Source: ABS Census 2021 G25 — Unpaid Assistance by SAL

Shellharbour Children Ever Born

No children

27.0%

1 child

10.1%

2 children

33.3%

3 children

22.0%

4 children

5.9%

5+ children

1.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G28 — Children Ever Born by SAL

Shellharbour When Migrants Arrived

Before 1951

1951–1960

1961–1970

165

1971–1980

112

1981–1990

1991–2000

2001–2010

2011–2015

2016

2017

2019

Source: ABS Census 2021 G10 — Year of Arrival by SAL

Shellharbour Unpaid Domestic Work

Less than 5 hours

20.0%

5–14 hours

29.2%

15–29 hours

15.5%

30+ hours

9.9%

Did not do domestic work

25.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G24 — Unpaid Domestic Work by SAL

Shellharbour Household Size

1 person

24.2%

2 persons

37.9%

3 persons

15.3%

4 persons

14.5%

5 persons

6.1%

6+ persons

1.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G35 — Household Size by SAL

Shellharbour Where Residents Moved From

Same address

2,940

Moved from NSW

273

Moved — same area (SA2)

Moved from ACT

Moved from overseas

Moved from TAS

Moved from QLD

Source: ABS Census 2021 G44 — Address 1 Year Ago by SAL

Shellharbour Family Blending

Intact family — no other children

87.2%

Step family — no other children

10.3%

Blended family — no other children

2.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G31 — Family Blending by SAL

Shellharbour Crime Statistics

Reported offences in 2025-26 — 60 total

Theft

Assault

Other Against Person

Other Against Property

Property Damage

Sexual Offences

Drug Offences

Offence trend by year:

2020

2021

2022

2023

2024

2025

Source: NSW BOCSAR — bocsar.nsw.gov.au

Shellharbour Schools

schools nearby

government

974

avg ICSEA score

5,754

total students

Shellharbour Anglican College Independent

Combined · K-12 · 981 students

1099

ICSEA

Nazareth Catholic Primary School Catholic

Primary · K-6 · 413 students

1052

ICSEA

Stella Maris Catholic Primary School Catholic

Primary · K-6 · 405 students

1050

ICSEA

Shell Cove Public School Government

Primary · K-6 · 463 students

1049

ICSEA

Flinders Public School Government

Primary · K-6 · 518 students

1004

ICSEA

Shellharbour Public School Government

Primary · K-6 · 368 students

999

ICSEA

Warilla High School Government

Secondary · 7-12 · 1,020 students

968

ICSEA

Peterborough School Government

Combined · U · 115 students

938

ICSEA

Warilla Public School Government

Primary · K-6 · 279 students

937

ICSEA

Oak Flats High School Government

Secondary · 7-12 · 648 students

932

ICSEA

Mount Warrigal Public School Government

Primary · P-6 · 185 students

885

ICSEA

Barrack Heights Public School Government

Primary · K-6 · 192 students

873

ICSEA

Warilla North Public School Government

Primary · K-6 · 167 students

872

ICSEA

Aspect South Coast School, Barrack Heights Independent

Primary

Amity College Illawarra Campus Independent

Combined

Showing 15 of 16 schools

Source: ACARA — Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority, 2025. ICSEA = Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage (national average 1000).

View all schools in Shellharbour with map →

Shellharbour Rent Prices & Affordability

26%

of income

Moderate

Household Income $1,596/wk

Median Rent $420/wk

Rent-to-Income 26.3%

Rent is between 25–35% of household income — moderate housing costs.

If you earn X in Shellharbour

Your weekly income

≈ $6,916/month

Median rent $420/wk

Left after rent $1,176/wk

Rent share 26.3%

Cheaper alternatives with similar incomes

Malabar

Income: $820/wk Rent: $150/wk Save: $270/wk

Uralla (NSW)

Income: $628/wk Rent: $250/wk Save: $170/wk

Quirindi

Income: $651/wk Rent: $250/wk Save: $170/wk

West Albury

Income: $794/wk Rent: $255/wk Save: $165/wk

Barooga

Income: $719/wk Rent: $260/wk Save: $160/wk

Salt Ash

Income: $610/wk Rent: $310/wk Save: $110/wk

Tinonee

Income: $662/wk Rent: $350/wk Save: $70/wk

Cundletown

Income: $640/wk Rent: $350/wk Save: $70/wk

Shellharbour vs State & National Average

Nearby Suburbs in NSW

Kew (NSW)

Pop: 1,761 Income: $542/wk Rent: $370/wk

Iluka (NSW)

Pop: 1,764 Income: $487/wk Rent: $300/wk

Mount Kuring-Gai

Pop: 1,766 Income: $961/wk Rent: $568/wk

Boambee

Pop: 1,770 Income: $809/wk Rent: $315/wk

Colo Vale

Pop: 1,775 Income: $796/wk Rent: $430/wk

South Lismore

Pop: 1,775 Income: $638/wk Rent: $300/wk

Compare Shellharbour

Shellharbour vs Kew (NSW) →Shellharbour vs Iluka (NSW) →Shellharbour vs Mount Kuring-Gai →Shellharbour vs Boambee →

Frequently Asked Questions About Shellharbour

What is the population of Shellharbour NSW?

The population of Shellharbour NSW is 3,520 according to the ABS Census 2021.The suburb has a population density of 1442.6 people per km².Shellharbour is ranked #2,123 out of 14,663 suburbs by population.

What is the median income in Shellharbour?

The median personal income in Shellharbour NSW is $741 per week, or $38,532 per year.The median household income is $1,596 per week.Family income is $2,066 per week.Shellharbour is ranked #4,717 by income out of 14,663 Australian suburbs.

How much is rent in Shellharbour?

Median rent in Shellharbour NSW is $420 per week ($1,820 per month).Rent represents 26.3% of household income, which is considered moderate.Shellharbour ranks #1,513 out of 14,663 suburbs by rent.

What are mortgage repayments in Shellharbour?

The median monthly mortgage repayment in Shellharbour NSW is $2,167. This data comes from the ABS Census 2021 and reflects mortgage repayments for owner-occupied dwellings.

What is the median age in Shellharbour?

The median age in Shellharbour NSW is 46 years.This is older than the national median age of 38 years.

Is Shellharbour a good suburb to live in?

Shellharbour is a suburb in New South Wales with a population of 3,520.The median income is $741/wk, which is below the NSW average of $781/wk.Rent affordability is rated as moderate (26.3% of household income). See the full suburb profile above for detailed statistics.

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Looking for schools, childcare centres, and playgrounds in this area? See kid.com.au for family facilities data.

Data: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2021. SA2 area: 13548. All dollar figures in AUD.