The latest 2023-24 Time Series Data is in, offering insights on how Kiama is tracking across key areas like population trends, employment, development, financial performance, and sustainability. This data isn't just numbers—this data helps us measure our impact, plan, and ensure we're meeting the needs of our community.
For Kiama Council staff, this is a valuable resource for understanding our community's trajectory and shaping the way we plan and deliver services. There are some key insights worth noting—our population has dipped slightly over the past five years, but employment remains strong. In addition, our waste and recycling efforts continue to be a standout and we're seeing a shift towards an older demographic.
Here are some of the key Kiama Council 2023-24 takeaways:
Demographics & Economy
Population: 23,002 (a -1.6% change over five years)
Population Density: 89.3 people/km²
Age Breakdown: Under 20: 22.0%, 20–60: 42.1%, Over 60: 35.9%
Employment & Income:
Unemployment Rate (June 2024): 2.3%
Largest Industry Employer (2022): Health Care & Social Assistance
Average Taxable Income (2020): $65,850
Active Businesses in Kiama (2023): 2,119
Development & Financial Performance
Development Applications Processed (2024): 187
Total Value of Approved Developments: $125,893,403
Mean DA Processing Time: 165 days
Financial Indicators
Operating Performance Ratio: -17.6%
Unrestricted Current Ratio: 2.6
Own Source Revenue: 64.4%
Grants & Contributions Revenue: 35.5%
Net Operating Result (Before Capital): -$26,623,000
Sustainability & Waste Management
Recycling Rate (2022-23): 73.7%
Tonnes of Dry Recycling Collected: 2,552
Tonnes of Organics Collected: 5,627 (50.7% of total waste)
The full dataset will be finalised by the Office of Local Government soon, but this preliminary report gives us key insights into our community's trajectory.
For more details or to explore comparisons with neighbouring councils, visit the Office of Local Government's website.
More statistics on Kiama Council can be found in our Annual Report, State of our Municipality Report and monthly Business papers (Council meeting agendas).
