Wollongbar, NSW: suburb profile

The population of Wollongbar NSW is 3,261 according to the 2021 Census. The median personal income in Wollongbar is $792 per week ($41,184 per year). Median rent in Wollongbar is $420 per week ($1,820 per month). Wollongbar has a median age of 40 years, older than the national median of 38. Wollongbar has a population density of 185 people per km².

The most common overseas birthplace in Wollongbar is England. The most common religion is No religion (41.6% of residents). After English, the most spoken language is Spanish. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Wollongbar is $1,842.

There were 40 recorded offences in Wollongbar in 2025-26, a rate of 12 offences per 1,000 people. The most common offence category was theft (18 offences).

Population
3,261
Census 2021
Median income
$792/wk
Personal, Census 2021
Median rent
$420/wk
Weekly, Census 2021
Median age
40years
Census 2021

Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing 2021; offences from NSW BOCSAR (bocsar.nsw.gov.au), 2025-26.

Wollongbar vs the typical NSW suburb

The median personal income in Wollongbar is $792 a week, 4% above the typical NSW suburb ($765). That ranks 976th of 2,150 NSW suburbs with 200 or more residents. Median rent is $420 a week, $35 more than the typical NSW suburb. Rent takes 25.6% of the median household income here, against 22.6% in the typical NSW suburb. The median resident is 40, 3 years younger than in the typical NSW suburb (43).

The typical suburb is the median across suburbs with 200 or more residents. ABS Census 2021, calculated by GDP.com.au.
MeasureWollongbarTypical NSWDifferenceTypical Australia
Personal income$792/wk$765/wk +4%$766/wk
Household income$1,639/wk$1,704/wk −4%$1,637/wk
Rent$420/wk$385/wk +9%$330/wk
Mortgage repayment$1,842/mo$1,965/mo −6%$1,733/mo
Median age4043 −3 yrs42
Rent share of household income25.6%22.6% +3.0 pts20.3%
Income, rent and mortgage against the typical suburb Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS, calculated by GDP.com.au
Bar chart of median income, rent and mortgage repayment in Wollongbar, the typical NSW suburb and the typical Australian suburb.

Wollongbar Population

3,261 residents at the 2021 Census.

Wollongbar Median Income & Rent

Median Income
$792/wk
$41,184 per year
Ranked 3,716 of 14,663
Median Rent
$420/wk
$1,820 per month
Ranked 1,513 of 14,663
Median Age
40years
2 years older than the national median
Mortgage
$1,842/mo
Avg household size: 2.6 · 0.7 per bedroom

Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing.

Wollongbar Rent Prices & Affordability

26% of median household income goes on median rent

Marks at 25% and 35%. Band: moderate.

Household income $1,639/wk
Median rent $420/wk
Rent to income 25.6%

Rent is between 25% and 35% of household income: moderate housing costs.

Median rent in Wollongbar against your income

About $7,102 a month
Median rent $420/wk
Left after rent $1,219/wk
Rent share 25.6%

Wollongbar Schools

4
schools nearby
3
government
1016
avg ICSEA score
1,232
total students
St Joseph's Primary School Catholic
Primary · K-6 · 187 students
1045
ICSEA
Wollongbar Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 243 students
1028
ICSEA
Alstonville Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 280 students
1001
ICSEA
Alstonville High School Government
Secondary · 7-12 · 522 students
990
ICSEA

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

All schools near Wollongbar, with a map

Wollongbar Map

Wollongbar, New South Wales Map data: OpenStreetMap
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People in Wollongbar

Demographics

Gender Split

Male 49.2% (1,605) Female 50.8% (1,655)

Population Density

185
people per km²
3,261 people · 17.6 km²

Households

2.6
Avg household size
0.7
Persons per bedroom
$1,927
Family income/wk

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 and Locality (SAL)

Most common overseas birthplaces

England
2.9%
New Zealand
1.3%
South Africa
0.8%
Chile
0.4%
Malaysia
0.4%
Germany
0.3%
India
0.3%

Shares are of all residents. Source: ABS Census 2021, G09 Country of Birth by SAL

Most common languages at home other than English

Spanish
0.9%
Portuguese
0.4%
Japanese
0.3%
Afrikaans
0.2%
Arabic
0.2%
Italian
0.2%
Australian Indigenous Languages
0.2%

Shares are of all residents. Source: ABS Census 2021, G13 Language Used at Home by SAL

Ancestry

English
45.9%
Australian
41.7%
Irish
13.2%
Scottish
13.0%
German
5.3%
Australian Aboriginal
4.7%
Italian
4.2%
Dutch
1.5%
Chinese
1.0%
Welsh
0.8%
South African
0.7%

Shares are of the suburb population. People can report up to two ancestries, so shares add to more than 100%. Source: ABS Census 2021, G08 Ancestry by SAL

Religion

No religion
41.6%
Catholic
18.6%
Anglican
14.6%
Not stated
4.4%
Uniting Church
4.1%
Presbyterian and Reformed
3.6%
Christian (other)
3.6%
Baptist
2.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G14 Religion by SAL

Indigenous Population

5.0%
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander

Source: ABS Census 2021, G07 Indigenous Status by SAL

Marital Status

Married
48.0% 1,249
Separated
2.7% 70
Divorced
10.3% 268
Widowed
5.0% 129
Never married
34.1% 888

Source: ABS Census 2021, G05 Marital Status by SAL

Family Structure

Couple: children under 15
40.1%
Couple: no children
27.7%
Couple: no children under 15
15.7%
One parent: children under 15
9.8%
One parent: no children under 15
6.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G29 Family Composition by SAL

Household Size

1 person
20.1%
2 persons
37.0%
3 persons
16.7%
4 persons
16.0%
5 persons
7.2%
6+ persons
3.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G35 Household Size by SAL

Homes in Wollongbar

Housing Tenure

Of the 1,208 occupied private dwellings in Wollongbar at the 2021 Census, 24.8% were rented, 36.9% owned outright and 36.8% owned with a mortgage.

Other tenure type
1.2% 14 dwellings
Owned outright
36.9% 446 dwellings
Owned with mortgage
36.8% 444 dwellings
Rented
24.8% 299 dwellings
Tenure type not stated
0.9% 11 dwellings

Source: ABS Census 2021, Suburb and Locality (SAL)

Dwelling Types

Separate house
92.5%
Semi-detached (1 storey)
7.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G36 Dwelling Structure by SAL

Number of Bedrooms

1 bedroom
0.9%
2 bedrooms
9.8%
3 bedrooms
43.2%
4 bedrooms
39.5%
5 bedrooms
5.3%
6+ bedrooms
1.2%

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

Monthly Mortgage Repayments

$0-$299/mo
4.0%
$300-$449/mo
2.5%
$450-$599/mo
1.0%
$600-$799/mo
1.8%
$800-$999/mo
6.3%
$1,000-$1,399/mo
13.0%
$1,400-$1,799/mo
21.1%
$1,800-$2,399/mo
32.3%
$2,400-$2,999/mo
11.5%
$3,000-$3,999/mo
6.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G38 Mortgage Repayment by SAL

Car Ownership

0 vehicles
1.1%
1 vehicle
32.2%
2 vehicles
45.4%
3 vehicles
14.3%
4+ vehicles
7.1%

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

Work, income and education in Wollongbar

Employment

Employed full-time
38.3% 935 people
Employed part-time
24.2% 592 people
Unemployed
1.9% 47 people
Not in labour force
35.6% 869 people

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

Occupation

Professionals
30.5%
Technicians & Trade Workers
15.3%
Community & Personal Service
14.7%
Managers
13.0%
Clerical & Administrative
12.1%
Labourers
6.1%
Sales Workers
5.0%
Machinery Operators & Drivers
3.4%

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

Weekly Household Income

Nil/Negative/wk
1.3%
$1-$149/wk
0.6%
$150-$299/wk
0.7%
$300-$399/wk
1.0%
$400-$499/wk
4.7%
$500-$649/wk
4.4%
$650-$799/wk
6.7%
$800-$999/wk
8.3%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
8.5%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
9.8%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
6.6%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
6.4%
$2,000-$2,499/wk
13.8%
$2,500-$2,999/wk
8.2%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
7.3%
$3,500-$3,999/wk
4.1%
$4,000+/wk
7.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G33 Household Income by SAL

Personal Weekly Income Distribution

$0 or less/wk
7.1%
$1-$149/wk
5.3%
$150-$299/wk
5.1%
$300-$399/wk
5.2%
$400-$499/wk
4.1%
$500-$649/wk
4.4%
$650-$799/wk
9.8%
$800-$999/wk
12.6%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
14.2%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
9.4%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
7.1%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
5.3%
$2,000-$2,999/wk
7.8%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
1.1%
$3,500+/wk
1.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G17 Personal Income by SAL

How People Get to Work

Car (driver)
75.5%
Did not go to work
15.7%
Car (passenger)
4.2%
Walked only
1.5%
Truck
0.8%
Other
0.7%
Bus
0.7%
Bicycle
0.7%
Motorbike/Scooter
0.3%

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

Education Level

Year 12 or equivalent
54.3%
Year 10 or equivalent
31.6%
Year 11 or equivalent
7.4%
Year 9 or equivalent
6.6%

Shares are of people whose highest year of school is Year 9 to 12 only. Source: ABS Census 2021, G16 Highest Year of School by SAL

Qualifications

Certificate III/IV
38.6%
Bachelor Degree
28.2%
Advanced Diploma/Diploma
18.3%
Postgraduate Degree
7.3%
Graduate Diploma/Certificate
4.8%
Certificate I/II
2.9%

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

Field of Study

Management & Commerce
19.8%
Society & Culture
14.2%
Engineering
13.7%
Health
13.5%
Education
13.0%
Food, Hospitality & Personal Services
6.7%
Agriculture & Environment
5.6%
Architecture & Building
5.4%
Creative Arts
3.5%
Natural & Physical Sciences
2.8%
Information Technology
1.7%

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

School & University Attendance

Primary: Government
32.5%
Secondary: Government
21.4%
Pre-school
11.6%
Vocational Education
10.9%
Secondary: Catholic
8.1%
Primary: Other Non-Govt
6.3%
Primary: Catholic
4.7%
Secondary: Other Non-Govt
4.6%

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

More from the 2021 Census

Need for Assistance

Does not have need for assistance
92.5%
Has need for assistance
4.6%
Need for assistance not stated
2.9%

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

Long-term Health Conditions

Mental health
344
Asthma
136
Arthritis
95
Heart disease
81
Diabetes
74
Cancer
55
Lung condition
52
Stroke
27
Kidney disease
22
Dementia
10

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

Unpaid Carers

Provided unpaid assistance
14.3% 358
Did not provide
85.7% 2,149

Source: ABS Census 2021, G25 Unpaid Assistance by SAL

Volunteering

Volunteer
18.9% 475
Not a volunteer
81.1% 2,044

Source: ABS Census 2021, G23 Voluntary Work by SAL

Military Service

Previously served
3.3% 83
Never served
96.7% 2,442

Source: ABS Census 2021, G22 ADF Service by SAL

Children Ever Born

No children
26.6%
1 child
10.9%
2 children
31.3%
3 children
22.2%
4 children
7.4%
5+ children
1.6%

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

When Migrants Arrived

Before 1951
3
1951: 1960
33
1961: 1970
49
1971: 1980
38
1981: 1990
38
1991: 2000
41
2001: 2010
75
2011: 2015
38
2016
10
2017
12
2018
11
2019
13

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

Population Mobility

15.7%
moved in the last year
46.2%
moved in the last 5 years
2.9%
unemployment rate (Census)
63.7%
labour force participation

Source: ABS Census 2021, G43 Summary by SAL

Where Residents Moved From

Same address
2,640
Moved from NSW
276
Moved: same area (SA2)
136
Moved from QLD
25
Moved from VIC
20
Moved from TAS
9
Moved from overseas
8
Moved from SA
5
Moved from WA
3

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

Unpaid Domestic Work

Less than 5 hours
21.9%
5: 14 hours
31.7%
15: 29 hours
15.7%
30+ hours
10.1%
Did not do domestic work
20.6%

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

Family Blending

Intact family: no other children
85.5%
Step family: no other children
9.0%
Blended family: no other children
4.4%
Intact family: other children present
1.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G31 Family Blending by SAL

Wollongbar Crime Statistics

40 reported offences in 2025-26, by category.

Theft
18
Other Against Property
6
Other Against Person
5
Sexual Offences
4
Property Damage
4
Assault
2
Drug Offences
1

Total offences by year

2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025

Source: NSW BOCSAR (bocsar.nsw.gov.au).

Cheaper alternatives with similar incomes

Suburbs near Wollongbar

The closest suburb to Wollongbar is Alstonville, 4.3 km away.

Alstonville
4.3 km away · income $671/wk · rent $380/wk
Goonellabah
7.3 km away · income $705/wk · rent $320/wk
Lismore Heights
10.7 km away · income $742/wk · rent $338/wk
Lismore (NSW)
11.8 km away · income $598/wk · rent $280/wk
West Ballina
11.8 km away · income $601/wk · rent $370/wk
East Lismore
11.9 km away · income $670/wk · rent $310/wk

Frequently Asked Questions About Wollongbar

What is the population of Wollongbar NSW?

The population of Wollongbar NSW is 3,261 according to the ABS Census 2021. The suburb has a population density of 185 people per km². Wollongbar is ranked #2,255 out of 14,663 suburbs by population.

What is the median income in Wollongbar?

The median personal income in Wollongbar NSW is $792 per week, or $41,184 per year. The median household income is $1,639 per week. Family income is $1,927 per week. Wollongbar is ranked #3,716 by income out of 14,663 Australian suburbs.

How much is rent in Wollongbar?

Median rent in Wollongbar NSW is $420 per week ($1,820 per month). Rent represents 25.6% of household income, which is considered moderate. Wollongbar ranks #1,513 out of 14,663 suburbs by rent.

What are mortgage repayments in Wollongbar?

The median monthly mortgage repayment in Wollongbar NSW is $1,842. This data comes from the ABS Census 2021 and reflects mortgage repayments for owner-occupied dwellings.

What is the median age in Wollongbar?

The median age in Wollongbar NSW is 40 years. This is older than the national median age of 38 years.

Is Wollongbar a good suburb to live in?

Wollongbar is a suburb in New South Wales with a population of 3,261. The median income is $792/wk, which is above the typical NSW suburb ($765/wk). Rent affordability is rated as moderate (25.6% of household income). See the full suburb profile above for detailed statistics.

Data: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2021. SA2 area: 14375. All dollar figures in AUD.