Wollongong population: How 17 people turned the trend around

Only 17 people left Wollongong and weren't replaced between 2020 and 2021, but this was enough to interrupt the streak of the steel city's population rising each year.

But over the past 20 years, Wollongong maintained a moderate growth rate of 6.2 per cent, which was lower than the overall regional Australian growth rate of 11 per cent.

The release of new population estimates based on the 2021 Census data shows the Wollongong Local Government Area with an estimated population of 214,657 - up from 188,275 in 2001.

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Shellharbour, meanwhile, has continued its surge with an overall population growth rate of 15.4 per cent over the past 20 years - from 59,383 in 2011 to 76,443 in 2021.

It's a rate that outpaces not only regional Australia but many nearby regions as well - Shoalhaven city (up 12.8 per cent 2001-21), the Sutherland Shire (up 4.8 per cent in 20 years) and Wingecarribee Shire (up 13.7 per cent, , the Australian Bureau of Statistics estimates show.

Shellharbour's growth rate can be expected to rise over the current period, with new housing developments at Shell Cove and Calderwood, among others, growing apace.

Kiama grew by 10.4 per cent to 22,961 people.

Wollongong's population had grown by 12,589 people in the 10 years to 2021 - equivalent to two sell-out crowds at an Illawarra Hawks home game at the WIN Entertainment Centre.

Some of the fastest-growing local government areas in New South Wales were on our doorstep: Wollondilly's population grew by 21.5 per cent over the 20 years, while further west Camden registered a massive 105 per cent increase to 119,951 people.

The region call look forward to massive growth in Wollondilly as the new towns around Wilton are build and populated.

Sydney's west intensified its growth with The Hills district, Liverpool, Strathfield, Blacktown and Parramatta all well above 20 per cent population growth for the period.

Of the state's regional areas, people were leaving the far west fastest. Bourke lost 20.8 per cent of its population, Brewarrina lost 20.6 per cent, Walgett lost 17.8 per cent and Bogan shire 17.5 per cent.

Shellharbour's population density ended the twenty-year period at 518 people per square kilometre, Wollongong 313 (large amounts of escarpment are included in the LGA area), and Kiama 89.