Wollongong crime rate and Crime Score · New South Wales council area
Wollongong is a council area in New South Wales with about 224,327 residents. It has a Crime Score 45 out of 100 (moderate), 208th of 362 councils nationally.
The score blends national percentile ranks for each published offence category with fixed severity weights; here it is driven most by robbery (69th percentile), sexual offences (57th percentile), assault (37th percentile). Five years earlier the same basis gave 49.
In 2025-26: violent 1,099 per 100,000 (+17% vs five years earlier); property 2,948 per 100,000 (-7% vs five years earlier); break-ins 316 per 100,000 (-15% vs five years earlier); theft 1,440 per 100,000 (-1% vs five years earlier). For violent crime that is 75th of 129 New South Wales councils with data, highest first.
Unemployment in the Wollongong council area is 4.9% (New South Wales 4.9%), Census, 10 August 2021. Social housing makes up 7% of occupied homes (5,120 public and 545 community-housing dwellings at the 2021 Census; New South Wales 4.2%). An estimated 821 people were homeless on Census night 2021, 37.9 per 10,000 residents (New South Wales 43.4), apportioned from ABS Statistical Area Level 2 counts. 21.9% of residents were born overseas (New South Wales 31%), most often in England, North Macedonia, Italy. Modelled estimates for 2026-27, not measurements: unemployment about 4.8% (confidence 85 of 100); social housing about 6.4% of homes; about 37.3 homeless people per 10,000 residents; about 22.3% born overseas. Confidence falls with distance from the last published figure, and the map's Estimates toggle shows every year back to 1994-95.
| Offences | Per 100,000 | Count | 5-yr change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent | 1,099 | 2,466 | +17% |
| Property | 2,948 | 6,613 | -7% |
| Break-ins | 316 | 708 | -15% |
| Theft | 1,440 | 3,231 | -1% |
Questions
Is Wollongong safe?
Wollongong recorded 1,100 violent offences per 100,000 residents in 2025-26, close to the New South Wales rate (1,150) and about 14% lower than the national rate (1,280). Its Crime Score is 45.4 out of 100 (moderate), 208th of 362 councils. These are offences recorded by police per resident: they describe the area as a whole, not the risk on any particular street, and places with a busy centre record more because offences are counted where they happen.
How many break-ins are there in Wollongong?
708 break-ins were recorded in 2025-26: 316 per 100,000 residents, close to the New South Wales rate (301).
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Police news near Wollongong
- Teen charged following alleged stabbing - Wollongong · Wollongong, 1 Nov 2026 · 4 km away
- Man charged after multiple thefts, intimidations and assaults - Wollongong · Wollongong, 17 Oct 2026 · 4 km away
- One man dead after three-vehicle crash - Corrimal · Corrimal, 21 Sept 2026 · 4 km away
- Man dies after fire at unit complex - Wollongong · Wollongong, 20 Sept 2026 · 4 km away
Part of Wollongong: Wollongong crime rate and crime map.
Suburbs in the Wollongong council area
Austinmer · Avondale · Balgownie · Bellambi · Berkeley · Brownsville · Bulli · Cataract · Cleveland · Clifton · Coalcliff · Coledale · Coniston · Cordeaux · Cordeaux Heights · Corrimal · Cringila · Dapto · Darkes Forest · Dombarton · East Corrimal · Fairy Meadow · Farmborough Heights · Fernhill · Figtree · Gwynneville · Haywards Bay · Helensburgh · Horsley · Huntley · Kanahooka · Keiraville · Kembla Grange · Kembla Heights · Koonawarra · Lake Heights · Lilyvale · Maddens Plains · Mangerton · Marshall Mount · Mount Keira · Mount Kembla · Mount Ousley · Mount Pleasant · Mount Saint Thomas · North Wollongong · Otford · Penrose · Port Kembla · Primbee · Russell Vale · Scarborough · Spring Hill · Stanwell Park · Stanwell Tops · Tarrawanna · Thirroul · Towradgi · Unanderra · Warrawong · West Wollongong · Windang · Wollongong · Wombarra · Wongawilli · Woonona · Woronora Dam · Yallah
Postcodes in the Wollongong council area
2500 · 2502 · 2505 · 2506 · 2508 · 2515 · 2516 · 2517 · 2518 · 2519 · 2525 · 2526 · 2528 · 2530 · 2560
australiancrimerate.com.au/council/nsw-wollongong/ · Australian Crime Map