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New South Wales · Postcode 2529
Shell Cove postcode and suburb data
New South Wales · Phone area code 02 · 86 km from Sydney
Suburb snapshot
Shell Cove at a glance vs NSW
Fast facts and benchmark bars show the suburb's key postcode, Census, SEIFA, school and LGA signals in context.
Quick facts
Benchmarks against NSW
Income, rent and SEIFA figures are from the ABS 2021 Census and are reported in 2021 dollars, not adjusted for subsequent inflation.
Where Shell Cove ranks: household income is in the top 25% of NSW suburbs; rents are among the top 10% in NSW; SEIFA decile 10 puts it in the top 20% of Australia for socio-economic advantage.
ABS Census 2021 · SEIFA 2021Detailed comparison table
Shell Cove vs the NSW average and the national average, using population-weighted 2021 Census data.
| Metric | Shell Cove | NSW avg | AU avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Household income/wk | $2,452 +NSW | $1,931 | $1,836 |
| Rent/wk | $600 +NSW | $445 | $390 |
| Mortgage/month | $2,386 ≈NSW | $2,247 | $1,958 |
| Median age | 40 | 45.0 | 45.0 |
| SEIFA decile | 10/10 +NSW | 6.0/10 | 6.0/10 |
| Unemployment | 3.6% -NSW | 5.0% | 5.0% |
Green pill = at least 10% above the NSW average; red = at least 10% below; grey = within 10%. For unemployment, colour polarity is inverted: lower is better.
Postcode 2529 covers Shell Cove, an inland suburb of Sydney about 86 km from the city centre. It forms part of the Illawarra region of New South Wales. Local government services are provided by Shellharbour.
According to the 2021 Census, Shell Cove has a population of 7,591 with a median age of 40. The median weekly household income is $2,452, above the NSW average. The unemployment rate is 3.6%, lower than the NSW average. The Indigenous population is 194 (2.6% of residents).
Housing in Shell Cove includes a median weekly rent of $600, median monthly mortgage repayment of $2,386, with 2,449 total dwellings. These housing costs sit above the NSW average. Owner-occupied dwellings (owned or mortgaged) make up 80.0% of housing.
On the SEIFA Index of Relative Socio-economic Advantage and Disadvantage, Shell Cove scores in decile 10 out of 10, which is well above the national average.
Shell Cove is served by Shell Cove Public School.
Shell Cove is part of the Kiama - Shellharbour statistical area in New South Wales.
Shell Cove details
Location, Census, housing, SEIFA and geography fields used across this profile.
| Postcode | 2529 |
| State | New South Wales (NSW) |
| Phone Area Code | 02 |
| Population (2021) | 7,591 |
| Median Age | 40 years |
| Median Household Income (Census 2021) | $2,452/week |
| Median Personal Income (Census 2021) | $931/week |
| Median Weekly Rent (Census 2021) | $600 |
| Median Monthly Mortgage (Census 2021) | $2,386 |
| Average Household Size | 3 persons |
| Area | 10.1 km² |
| Population Density | 751/km² |
| Total Dwellings | 2,449 |
| Australian Citizens | 93.2% |
| Indigenous Population | 194 (2.6%) |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.6% |
| SEIFA IRSAD Decile | 10/10 (well above average) |
| Latitude | -34.59 |
| Longitude | 150.861667 |
| Distance from Sydney | 86 km |
| Region (SA4) | Illawarra |
| Area (SA3) | Kiama - Shellharbour |
| Local Government | Shellharbour |
| Federal Electorate | Whitlam |
| State Electorate | Shellharbour |
| Time Zone | AEST (UTC+10), Australia/Sydney (standard time) |
Age Profile
Show counts
| 0–14 years | 1,565 (20.6%) |
| 15–24 years | 1,018 (13.4%) |
| 25–44 years | 1,745 (23.0%) |
| 45–64 years | 2,048 (27.0%) |
| 65+ years | 1,220 (16.1%) |
Housing Tenure
SEIFA socio-economic index
Health Conditions (2021 Census)
| Arthritis | 646 (8.5%) |
| Asthma | 569 (7.5%) |
| Diabetes | 292 (3.8%) |
| Heart Disease | 271 (3.6%) |
| Cancer | 240 (3.2%) |
| Lung Condition | 89 (1.2%) |
| Dementia | 25 (0.3%) |
Long-term health conditions self-reported in the 2021 Census. Persons may report more than one condition.
Motor Vehicles per Dwelling
| No vehicle | 21 (0.9%) |
| 1 vehicle | 595 (24.5%) |
| 2 vehicles | 1,141 (47.1%) |
| 3+ vehicles | 668 (27.5%) |
Schools in Shell Cove
ACARA 2025 school profiles for schools located in Shell Cove. ICSEA is shown where ACARA publishes it.
Suburbs Near Shell Cove
Same Postcode (2529)
More Shell Cove Data
Page last reviewed . Data sources: Australian Bureau of Statistics 2021 Census (CC BY 4.0), SEIFA 2021 IRSAD, ACARA school profiles 2025. How this data is sourced.