suburb.guide

NSW · Wollongong Council

Stanwell Tops, 2508

Est. population · Jun 2025

519

Growth (1 yr)

+0.4%

Growth (5 yr)

-0.2%

Median age

38

Median income

$2,663/wk

Employment rate

63.5%

University qualified

28.5%

Work from home

39.8%

Median house price · October to December 2025

$1,415,000

Languages at home

3.2%non-English

Mostly English at home

2021 Census · usual residence

Desirability score

53.6/100
Average

Top 23% of New South Wales' suburbs

Verified 95% confidence

How this score is calculated
  • Coastal
What Stanwell Tops is known for: Coastal

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Suburb Guide, “Stanwell Tops, NSW Suburb Guide”, updated 2 October 2026, https://suburb.guide/nsw/stanwell-tops

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Suburb profile

Stanwell Tops is a coastal town in New South Wales, in Wollongong Council.

Local school ICSEA scores are among the highest in the peer group, placing it among the highest-ranked coastal towns. Socio-economic advantage is among the highest in the peer group. Space is a strength, but car dependence is high. The clearer weaknesses are limited amenity for the price, higher recorded crash rates relative to resident population and weaker population growth, with population growth 105% below the peer median.

Overall, the suburb suits people prioritising school quality and socio-economic advantage over amenity for the price.

Generated from the official metrics on this page. It can omit nuance or contain errors — check the tables and source notes before relying on it.

Strengths and weaknesses

Coastal town · compared with coastal towns in New South Wales (162)

Strengths

  • Local school ICSEA scores are among the highest in the peer group
  • Socio-economic advantage is among the highest in the peer group

Weaknesses

  • Buyers pay a premium despite relatively limited amenity access
  • Recorded crashes relative to resident population are elevated
  • Population has been growing more slowly than in comparable places, or declining

What stands out

  • Space is a strength, but car dependence is high

Who it suits

  • Families
  • Professionals
  • Retirees
  • Students
  • Budget buyers

Housing, growth and risk

How Stanwell Tops compares

A quick read of housing, growth, livability, and risk

Median house price

$1.42M

+4.8% change

Median rent

$765/wk

Population (ERP)

519

+0.4% annual growth

Dwelling vacancy

4.7%

Census unoccupied dwellings

Livability profile

Desirability pillars vs the peer median (50th percentile)

How it compares

Relative standing using percentiles, ranks, and national deciles

Desirability

#25

among Coastal & beach · Established

Crime rate

4th

percentile in state (higher = more crime)

Pop. growth

46th

percentile in NSW

Rented dwellings

15%

2021 Census tenure

Advantage (IRSAD)

10/10

national SEIFA decile

School ICSEA

87th

percentile among schools with ICSEA

Population growth

Recent ERP change over 1 and 5 years

Housing mix

Dwelling types from the 2021 Census

Risks & flags

Quick scan — open a section below for full context

Living here

Desirability

Ranks & confidence
Desirability score
53.6/100 — Average
State standing
Top 23% of New South Wales' suburbs
National rank
1336th in Australia
State rank
476th in NSW
Peer rank
#25 among Coastal & beach · Established suburbs
Cohort rank
#73 among Coastal & beach suburbs
Data confidence
95%

Data sources & freshness

  • Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived) · current · Updated

Housing

Houses (January to March 2026)
$795
Median house price (October to December 2025)
$1,415,000
Median price change
+4.8%

Median weekly rent from NSW DCJ rent tables. Figures can be unreliable where few bonds were lodged in the quarter.

Contributes to desirability score · Housing (10%) · Future Growth (6%)

Household crowding and healthy vacancy — not cheapness Modest price change as a healthy-growth band

Data sources & freshness

Population

Estimated resident population

519(June 2025)

+0.4% annual · -0.2% over 5 years · 46th percentile in NSW

Growth figures & methodology
Annual growth
+0.4%
5-year growth
-0.2%
Change in 1 year
+2
Change in 5 years
-1
Growth rank in NSW
46th percentile

ABS Estimated Resident Population allocated to this suburb from SA2-level data. Not an official ABS suburb count.

Methodology

Figures are allocated from ABS Estimated Resident Population at Statistical Area Level 2 (SA2), using 2021 Census share within overlapping SA2 regions. Where Census data is unavailable, area overlap is used instead.

The dashed chart line is a simple growth-trend estimate to June 2030 (~550), extrapolated at +0.3% average annual growth since 2011. It is illustrative only — not an official ABS forecast.

2021 Census figures

2021 Census

Population
517
Median age
38
Median household income / week
$2,663
Dwelling vacancy
4.7%
Unoccupied private dwellings
8 of 172
Median monthly mortgage
$2,625
Median weekly rent (2021 Census)
$650
Tenure (owned / mortgaged / rented)
42.9% / 42.2% / 14.9%
Employment rate
63.5%
Travel to work (WFH / public transport / car)
39.8% / 0% / 40.6%
Walked or cycled to work
3.1%
Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
164 / 0 / 4

Contributes to desirability score · Community (12%) · Accessibility (12%) · Future Growth (6%)

Employment, household income and owned-outright tenure (2021 Census) Work-from-home and public-transport commute shares (2021 Census) Five-year population change as a healthy-growth band, not a boom bonus

Data sources & freshness

  • 2021 Census — General Community Profile (including method of travel to work and educational attainment) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated

    The 2026 Census was conducted in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.

  • Estimated Resident Population — Australian Bureau of Statistics · 2025 · Updated · SA2 ERP allocated to suburb boundaries

Qualifications

28.5% of adults have a university degree, compared with 27.8% across New South Wales. 21.5% have a trade or vocational qualification.

  • University qualified28.5% · 27.8% NSW
  • Diploma qualified13.8% · 9.3% NSW
  • Trade / vocational21.5% · 15% NSW
  • Year 12 or below36.2% · 47.9% NSW

Highest qualification field

Main field of the highest non-school qualification (2021 Census).

  • Engineering and related technologies18.9%
  • Management and commerce18.5%
  • Education14%
  • Society and culture12.9%
  • Health9.8%
  • Architecture and building8.7%
How these groups are defined
MeasureDefinition
University qualifiedBachelor degree or higher
Diploma qualifiedAdvanced Diploma / Diploma
Trade / vocationalCertificate III + IV
Year 12Year 12 as highest attainment
Below Year 12Year 11 / 10 / 9 or below

People aged 15 years and over, 2021 Census. University, diploma and trade shares match ABS highest educational attainment (HEAP). Year 12 and below Year 12 are combined in the chart because the General Community Profile reports school-only attainment as a residual.

Contributes to desirability score · Community (12%)

University qualifications from the 2021 Census

Data sources & freshness

  • 2021 Census — General Community Profile (including method of travel to work and educational attainment) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated

    The 2026 Census was conducted in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.

Tax & income

Median taxable income (2023–24)
$67,481

82nd percentile in NSW · +15% vs Australia

Median salary / wages (2023–24)
$73,030

79th percentile in NSW · +12% vs Australia

Residents with rental investments
17.0%

71st percentile in NSW · +23% vs Australia

Median super balance (2023–24)
$122,094

90th percentile in NSW · +93% vs Australia

Residents with business income
11.0%

64th percentile in NSW · +6% vs Australia

Australian Taxation Office Taxation Statistics 2023–24, individuals Table 25. Figures describe taxpayers who live in postcode 2508 — not a suburb-level official statistic. Rental investment is the share of local taxpayers reporting rental income or loss, not the share of local properties owned by investors.

Counts, net rent & state comparison
Taxpayers in this postcode
5,869
Taxpayers reporting net rent
974
Median net rent
-$673
Taxpayers reporting business income
640
Taxable income vs state median
+21%
Salary / wages vs state median
+16%
Rental investment vs state median
+21%
Super vs state median
+73%
Business income vs state median
+10%

Percentiles rank this postcode among unique postcodes in NSW, so suburbs that share a postcode are not counted twice. Dollar figures are compared with Australia-wide ATO medians from the same release. Median net rent is among taxpayers who reported the rent label and can be negative.

Data sources & freshness

  • Taxation Statistics 2023–24 — individuals by postcode (Table 25) — Australian Taxation Office · Updated · Annual release; taxpayer residential postcode, not suburb boundary

Community & culture

3.2% speak a language other than English at home; 11.2% born overseas

Language at home
488 English only · 16 other
Non-English at home
3.2%
Born overseas
56 (11.2%)
Australian citizens
481

Religion

56.5%Most common religion · Christianity

Christianity is the most common response at 56.5%, while 37.7% reported no religion.

MeasureSuburbState
No religion37.7%32.8%
Christianity56.5%47.6%
Other / not stated5.8%19.6%
Christian denominations
DenominationSuburbState
Catholic20.3%22.4%
Anglican16.2%11.9%
Pentecostal6.6%0.9%
Christian (not further defined)4.8%2.4%
Uniting Church3.5%2.1%
Presbyterian and Reformed2.1%1.9%

2021 Census — languages spoken at home, birthplace, Indigenous status, and religious affiliation (usual residence). Religion is optional on the Census form.

Data sources & freshness

  • 2021 Census — General Community Profile (including method of travel to work and educational attainment) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated

    The 2026 Census was conducted in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.

Crime & safety

Offence counts are estimated for this suburb from postcode 2508, which is shared with other suburbs.

Reported offences increased compared with the previous period.

Offence counts & rates
Total offences (Jan 2025 to Dec 2025)
12
Against the person
4
Against property
4
Rate per 1,000 residents
23.1
Person-crime prevalence
About 1 in 129 residents
State crime-rate percentile
4.3th (higher = more crime)
Increase (daily rate)
+9.4%
Recorded road crashes (in suburb)
7
Crash rate per 1,000 residents (state rank)
13.49

Most common offence types

  • Domestic Violence Related Assault1
  • Fraud1
  • Intimidation, Stalking And Harassment2
  • Malicious Damage To Property1
  • Steal From Motor Vehicle1

Contributes to desirability score · Safety (22%)

Crime rate, offences against the person, year-on-year trend and recorded road crash rates

Data sources & freshness

Family & Lifestyle

Schools & preschools

Schools within 2 km
1
Median school ICSEA
1,112
Median ICSEA percentile
87th
Primary catchments overlapping suburb
3
Secondary catchments overlapping suburb
2
School list
  • Stanwell Park Public SchoolPrimary · Government · ICSEA 1112 · 87th percentile · LBOTE 16% · 150 students · Top SEA quarter 47% · 1.4 km awayView on My School →
School catchments
  • Bulli HSGovernment school catchment overlapping this suburb boundarysecondary_catchment
  • Heathcote HSGovernment school catchment overlapping this suburb boundarysecondary_catchment
  • Helensburgh PSGovernment school catchment overlapping this suburb boundaryprimary_catchment
  • Otford PSGovernment school catchment overlapping this suburb boundaryprimary_catchment
  • Stanwell Park PSGovernment school catchment overlapping this suburb boundaryprimary_catchment

Government school intake zones that overlap this suburb boundary. Living in a catchment does not guarantee enrolment; check the education authority.

Contributes to desirability score · Education (14%)

Median school ICSEA first, then school and catchment counts

Data sources & freshness

Public transport

20 public transport stops in this suburb

  • Annesley Av At Stirling St
  • Bald Hill Lookout
  • Bendena Gardens At Plateau Rd
  • Bendena Gardens At Stonehaven Rd
  • Stonehaven Rd At Annesley Av

Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (12%)

Public transport stops per 1,000 residents and walkability

Data sources & freshness

  • Timetables Complete GTFS stops (© Transport for NSW, CC BY 4.0) — Transport for NSW — Open Data Hub · current · Updated · Nightly GTFS feed

Amenities

33 mapped amenities

1 playgrounds · 5 swimming pools

Local character & venue list

Local character

  • A car helps for daily needs
  • Great for outdoor family life — 2 parks mapped in suburb, 1 playgrounds nearby
  • Well connected by public transport — 20 public transport stops
Walkability proxy
30/100
Cafés per 1,000 residents
0
Food & drink per 1,000 residents
0
Parks per 1,000 residents
3.87
Sport & outdoors(10)
  • Princes HighwayCycling route
  • Henry Hallorhan ParkPark
  • The Tops Conference CentrePark
  • Picnic area
  • Playground
  • Swimming pool (5)
Places to stay(1)
  • Tumbling Waters RetreatGuest house
Entertainment(5)
  • Viewpoint (5)
Transport(5)

5 bus stops

Other(3)
  • Bench (5)
  • Information (2)
  • Parking (5)

Names and addresses from OpenStreetMap. Unnamed venues show as their type (e.g. Cafe). Transport stops are summarised by type rather than listed individually. Campgrounds, beaches, wineries and local trails are included when they sit inside the suburb boundary.

Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (12%)

Food, shopping, recreation and sport per 1,000 residents (OpenStreetMap)

Data sources & freshness

  • Local amenity insights — Suburb Guide (derived) · current · Updated
  • OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · current · Updated

Sporting clubs

1 named sporting club in this suburb

  • FlyStanwell Incorporated

    Free Flying

Named sporting clubs from OpenStreetMap, assigned to this suburb's boundary. Sporting facilities such as ovals, courts and recreation centres are listed under Amenities.

Data sources & freshness

  • OpenStreetMap sporting clubs — OpenStreetMap contributors · current · Updated · Geofabrik australia-latest.osm.pbf

Parks & reserves

2 parks and public open space in this suburb

  • Henry Hallorhan ParkPark
  • The Tops Conference CentrePark

Data sources & freshness

Green cover

Green cover of suburb area
15.9%
Woodland / forest cover
0%
Parks & woodland features (OSM)
2
Parks (OSM)
2
Typical summer maximum
25°C

Green cover is the share of this suburb's boundary overlapping OpenStreetMap parks, woodland and forest polygons — not a satellite tree-canopy product. Summer maximum is the WorldClim / Open-Meteo seasonal normal already collected for Weather.

Contributes to desirability score · Environment (12%)

Tree canopy first, then green-cover area and parks per 1,000

Data sources & freshness

  • OpenStreetMap green cover and tree canopy — OpenStreetMap contributors · current · Updated · Park/woodland polygons intersected with suburb boundaries

Health access

Nearest hospital
Coledale Hospital (7.4 km)
Nearest hospital type
Hospital
Nearest hospital emergency
Emergency department
GP clinics in suburb
0

GP clinic counts from OpenStreetMap. Bulk-billing figures only include clinics tagged in OSM (sparse and unofficial — not a Medicare list).

Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (12%)

Hospitals, GPs and aged care

Data sources & freshness

NDIS participation

NDIS participants (31 March 2026)
11
Participants per 1,000 residents
21.2

Active NDIS participants allocated from NDIA Statistical Area Level 2 (SA2, ASGS 2016) counts to this suburb boundary. Not an official suburb-level NDIS figure · as at 31 March 2026.

For NDIS spend and service-demand exploration by SA2 or postcode, see the Care Sector Demand Map.

Data sources & freshness

Weather

Typical conditions by season for suburbs in the same ~44 km climate area. Rainfall totals are summed from monthly WorldClim layers; rainy-day counts are approximate.

Summer (Dec–Feb)

Usual max / min
25° / 17°
Rainfall
321 mm · ~40 rainy days

Autumn (Mar–May)

Usual max / min
22° / 14°
Rainfall
359 mm · ~45 rainy days

Winter (Jun–Aug)

Usual max / min
17° / 8°
Rainfall
263 mm · ~33 rainy days

Spring (Sep–Nov)

Usual max / min
21° / 12°
Rainfall
242 mm · ~30 rainy days

Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (12%)

Temperature and humidity comfort

Data sources & freshness

  • Seasonal climate normals — WorldClim 2.1 · Updated

Future & Planning

Planning & development

Development applications from NSW Planning Portal.

2026· 3 proposals

  • August 2026

  • Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure
    20 BENDENA GARDENS STANWELL TOPS 2508Determined
  • Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure
    13 STONEHAVEN ROAD STANWELL TOPS 2508Determined

  • March 2026

  • Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure
    185 ANNESLEY AVENUE STANWELL TOPS 2508Additional Information Requested
2025· 4 proposals

  • December 2025

  • Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Swimming pool
    39 ANNESLEY AVENUE STANWELL TOPS 2508Determined
  • Erection of a new structure; Garage, carport or carparking space
    30 SOUTHVIEW AVENUE STANWELL TOPS 2508Determined

  • July 2025

  • Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure
    1 PLATEAU ROAD STANWELL TOPS 2508Withdrawn

  • June 2025

  • Hotel or motel accommodation; Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia
    31 STONEHAVEN ROAD STANWELL TOPS 2508Under Assessment
2024· 3 proposals

  • December 2024

  • Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure
    5 PLATEAU ROAD STANWELL TOPS 2508Determined

  • October 2024

  • Subdivision; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (detached)
    10 LONGVIEW CRESCENT STANWELL TOPS 2508Determined

  • March 2024

  • Advertising and signage; Function centre; Recreation facility (outdoor)
    51 BENDENA GARDENS STANWELL TOPS 2508Determined
2023· 5 proposals

  • August 2023

  • Alterations and additions to residential development
    32 STONEHAVEN ROAD STANWELL TOPS 2508Determined

  • May 2023

  • Pools / decks / fencing; Alterations and additions to residential development
    6A LONGVIEW CRESCENT STANWELL TOPS 2508Determined
  • Dwelling; Pools / decks / fencing
    18 PLATEAU ROAD STANWELL TOPS 2508Determined

  • April 2023

  • Balconies, decks, patios, terraces or verandahs
    17 SOUTHVIEW AVENUE STANWELL TOPS 2508Determined

  • March 2023

  • Alterations and additions to residential development
    22 BENDENA GARDENS STANWELL TOPS 2508Determined
2022· 5 proposals

  • November 2022

  • Alterations and additions to residential development
    22 BENDENA GARDENS STANWELL TOPS 2508Determined
  • Alterations and additions to residential development
    16 PLATEAU ROAD STANWELL TOPS 2508Determined

  • September 2022

  • Bed and breakfast accommodation
    31 STONEHAVEN ROAD, STANWELL TOPSWithdrawn

  • April 2022

  • Balconies, decks, patios, terraces or verandahs; Demolition
    31 STONEHAVEN ROAD STANWELL TOPS 2508Determined

  • March 2022

  • Alterations and additions to residential development
    22 LONGVIEW CRESCENT STANWELL TOPS 2508Withdrawn
2021· 7 proposals

  • November 2021

  • Secondary dwelling; Alterations and additions to residential development
    22 LONGVIEW CRESCENT STANWELL TOPS 2508Withdrawn
  • Alterations and additions to residential development
    6 ANNESLEY AVENUE STANWELL TOPS 2508Determined

  • September 2021

  • Garages, carports and car parking spaces
    26 longview crescent, stanwell topsDetermined
  • Pools / decks / fencing; Earthworks / change in levels; Retaining walls, protection of trees
    22 SOUTHVIEW AVENUE STANWELL TOPS 2508Withdrawn

  • August 2021

  • Balconies, decks, patios, terraces or verandahs; Alterations and additions to residential development; Garages, carports and car parking spaces
    34 LONGVIEW CRESCENT STANWELL TOPS 2508Withdrawn

  • June 2021

  • Alterations and additions to residential development
    38 ANNESLEY AVENUE STANWELL TOPS 2508Determined

  • March 2021

  • Alterations and additions to residential development
    5 PLATEAU ROAD STANWELL TOPS 2508Determined
2020· 4 proposals

  • November 2020

  • Alterations and additions to residential development
    17 ANNESLEY AVENUE STANWELL TOPS 2508Determined

  • October 2020

  • Balconies, decks, patios, terraces or verandahs; Demolition; Alterations and additions to residential development; Retaining walls, protection of trees
    34 LONGVIEW CRESCENT STANWELL TOPS 2508Determined

  • September 2020

  • Alterations and additions to residential development; Garages, carports and car parking spaces
    26 LONGVIEW CRESCENT STANWELL TOPS 2508Determined
  • Alterations and additions to residential development
    38 ANNESLEY AVENUE STANWELL TOPS 2508Determined

Data sources & freshness

Heritage

1 heritage place

  • Otford railway tunnel (former)Illawarra Railway, OtfordSHR

Contributes to desirability score · Environment (12%)

Heritage listings as established streetscape

Data sources & freshness

  • State heritage register — State heritage authority · current · Updated

Hazards

Bushfire planning zone
Overlay applies
Flood / inundation overlay
No mapped inundation on suburb boundary

Bushfire overlay checked at suburb centroid via NSW bush fire prone land mapping. Flood cover uses NSW flood planning polygons against the suburb boundary.

Contributes to desirability score · Safety (22%)

Bushfire and flood hazard overlays

Data sources & freshness

  • Bushfire and flood planning overlays — State government hazard layers · current · Updated

Politics & representation

Federal electorate
Cunningham
Member of Parliament
Alison BYRNES (Australian Labor Party)
Results from
2025 federal election
Electorate enrolment (2025)
132,139
Turnout (2025)
92.4%
Swing since 2022 (2025)
+2.5 pp toward Labor

Two-party preferred (2025)

Coalition 32.5%Labor 67.5%

Estimated suburb voting profile

Estimated from 8 nearby ordinary polling places (up to 12.1 km away).

Coalition 32.4%Labor 67.6%

0.1 percentage points more Labor-leaning than the electorate

Estimated swing since 2022: +1.7 pp toward Labor

Nearest polling places

  • Stanwell ParkLabor 67.9% · Coalition 32.1% TPP (2025)1.2 km away
  • HelensburghLabor 61.9% · Coalition 38.1% TPP (2025)3.6 km away
  • Helensburgh NorthLabor 67.0% · Coalition 33.0% TPP (2025)4.1 km away
  • WombarraLabor 73.0% · Coalition 27.0% TPP (2025)6.3 km away
  • ColedaleLabor 69.9% · Coalition 30.1% TPP (2025)8.2 km away

Federal electorate from AEC federal division boundaries (2025 redistribution). Division-level results are official AEC figures from the latest general election, with by-election updates where applicable. The estimated suburb profile blends up to eight nearest ordinary polling booths in the same electorate using inverse-distance weighting from the suburb centroid — an approximation, not official AEC data. Nearest polling places are shown for reference.

Data sources & freshness

Socio-economic

IRSAD decile (2021)
10/10
IRSD decile (2021)
10/10

ABS Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas (SEIFA), 2021 release — the latest available, derived from the 2021 Census. Deciles rank suburbs nationally from 1 (lowest) to 10 (highest).

What do IRSAD and IRSD measure?

IRSAD — Index of Relative Socio-economic Advantage and Disadvantage. Combines indicators of advantage (e.g. high income, skilled occupations) and disadvantage. Higher decile = more advantaged relative to other Australian areas.

IRSD — Index of Relative Socio-economic Disadvantage. Focuses on disadvantage only (e.g. low income, unemployment, limited education). Higher decile = less disadvantage nationally.

A new SEIFA edition typically follows each census; the ABS has not announced a release date beyond 2021.

Contributes to desirability score · Community (12%)

Socio-economic advantage (IRSAD and IRSD deciles)

Data sources & freshness

More in Wollongong Council

Other suburbs in the same local government area.

Comparable suburbs

Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of New South Wales.