Question 1

Is Brownsville a nice place to live?

Accepted Answer

Brownsville is a small, mostly residential suburb in the Illawarra on the outskirts of the Shellharbour and Wollongong area. It has quiet, tree-lined streets and predominantly single-storey homes with established gardens, giving a settled, suburban feel that appeals to families and older residents. The local population is small — 524 people with a median age of 44 — and most homes are owner-occupied, with a combined 63.2% owned outright or with a mortgage.

Everyday life centres on neighbourhood parks and small shopping strips, while larger retail and services are a short drive away. The suburb has access to main roads and local bus routes and residents benefit from easy access to coastal beaches and nearby green reserves. Planning is under way for proposed south-facing ramps onto the M1 to improve connections with nearby centres, and council works have upgraded William Beach Park with new paths, bike parking, landscaping and Aboriginal artworks. Whether that suits you depends on what you want from a suburb.

Question 2

Is it expensive to live in Brownsville?

Accepted Answer

Unit rents in Brownsville sit at about $523 a week. Against the typical local household income recorded at the most recent Census — $1,160 a week — that rent would take roughly 45.1% of a typical household's weekly income, which is a large share. If you're renting a unit rather than buying, that rent share is the figure most relevant to your cost of living here; whether it feels expensive depends on your own income and circumstances.

Everyone's financial situation is different, so it's important to consider your own circumstances when deciding which suburb is right for you.

Question 3

Is Brownsville a good place to invest?

Accepted Answer

Over the past 12 months the clearest movement in Brownsville was a strong rise in unit rents, which increased 13.7%. If rental income is your priority, that 13.7% figure is the one that speaks to how the rent a unit earned changed over the year; whether that matters to you depends on your own goals and circumstances.

This information has been prepared without taking your objectives, needs and overall financial situation into account. It is not meant to be a substitute for professional financial advice. For this reason, you should consider the appropriateness of the information and, if necessary, seek appropriate professional advice.

	Houses	Units
Median price Past 3 months	N/A	N/A
Change in value Past 12 months	N/A	N/A
Sold Past 3 months	2	1
Median days on market Past 12 months	N/A	N/A
Average rent Past 12 months	N/A	$523
Change in rent Past 12 months	N/A	13.7%

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