Bayview - Elanora Heights
Statistical Area - sa2

An assessment of population growth drivers in Bayview - Elanora Heights reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

Bayview - Elanora Heights' population, as of August 2025, is approximately 11,342. This figure represents an increase of 99 people since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 11,243. The growth is inferred from the estimated resident population of 11,332 in June 2024 and an additional 17 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density of 175 persons per square kilometer. Bayview - Elanora Heights' 0.9% growth since census compares favorably with its SA3 area's 1.7%, indicating strong growth fundamentals. Overseas migration was the primary driver of this growth.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data, NSW State Government's SA2 level projections from 2022 with a base year of 2021 are used. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. According to these projections, the area's population is expected to decrease by 29 persons by 2041, with an anticipated expansion in specific age cohorts, notably the 85 and over group projected to grow by 624 people.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development drivers sees a low level of activity in Bayview - Elanora Heights, placing the area among the bottom 25% of areas assessed nationally

Bayview - Elanora Heights has seen approximately 25 new homes approved annually. Development approval data is compiled by the ABS on a financial year basis, with a total of 129 approvals recorded across the past five financial years from FY-21 to FY-25, and four additional approvals in FY-26 so far. Despite population decline in the area, development activity has remained relatively stable, which may benefit buyers due to increased choice among new properties constructed at an average expected construction cost of $828,000, indicating a focus on premium segment properties. This financial year has seen $3.8 million in commercial approvals registered, suggesting the area's predominantly residential character.

Compared to Greater Sydney, Bayview - Elanora Heights experiences about three-quarters the building activity per person, placing it among the 20th percentile of areas assessed nationally, which may limit choices for buyers and support demand for existing properties. This lower-than-average national level reflects the area's maturity and potential planning constraints. New building activity consists of 88.0% detached houses and 12.0% medium and high-density housing, preserving the area's traditional low density character with a focus on family homes that appeal to those seeking spacious living arrangements. The estimated population per dwelling approval is 1055 people, indicating a quiet, low activity development environment.

With population expected to remain stable or decline in the future, Bayview - Elanora Heights should experience reduced pressure on housing, potentially presenting opportunities for buyers.

Bayview - Elanora Heights has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 0thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 28 projects likely impacting the area. Key projects include Mona Vale Road Upgrade, Northern Beaches B-Line Enhancement, Warriewood Valley Release Area, and Dove Lane Residences. The following details those likely most relevant.

Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.

The employment landscape in Bayview - Elanora Heights presents a mixed picture: unemployment remains low at 3.2%, yet recent job losses have affected its comparative national standing

Bayview - Elanora Heights has a highly educated workforce with notable representation in the technology sector. As of June 2025, its unemployment rate is 3.2%, 1.0% lower than Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%.

Workforce participation in the area stands at 57.7%, slightly below Greater Sydney's 60.0%. Employment among residents is predominantly in professional & technical, construction, and health care & social assistance roles. The area has a strong specialization in construction, with an employment share 1.5 times higher than the regional level. Conversely, transport, postal & warehousing employs only 2.5% of local workers, lower than Greater Sydney's 5.3%.

Over the year to June 2025, labour force levels remained unchanged while employment decreased by 1.1%, leading to a rise in unemployment rate by 1.1 percentage points. In comparison, Greater Sydney saw employment growth of 2.6% and labour force growth of 2.9%, with unemployment rising by 0.3 percentage points. State-level data from Sep-25 shows NSW's employment contracted by 0.41%, losing 19,270 jobs, with an unemployment rate of 4.3%. Nationally, the unemployment rate is 4.5% and employment growth is 0.26%. Job forecasts indicate national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Bayview - Elanora Heights's employment mix suggests local growth could be approximately 6.9% over five years and 14.0% over ten years, though these are illustrative extrapolations and do not account for localized population projections.

Income metrics indicate excellent economic conditions, with the area achieving higher performance than 75% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch

Bayview-Elanora Heights' income level is exceptionally high nationally according to latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2022. The median income among taxpayers is $57,765 and the average income stands at $113,190, compared to Greater Sydney's figures of $56,994 and $80,856 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.6% since financial year 2022, current estimates would be approximately $63,888 (median) and $125,188 (average) as of March 2025. Census data reveals household, family and personal incomes all rank highly in Bayview-Elanora Heights, between the 79th and 92nd percentiles nationally. Income brackets indicate 32.4% of the population (3,674 individuals) fall within the $4000+ income range, unlike trends in the broader area where 30.9% fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 range. The locality demonstrates considerable affluence with 45.0% earning over $3,000 per week, supporting premium retail and service offerings. High housing costs consume 15.2% of income, though strong earnings still place disposable income at the 91st percentile and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

Bayview - Elanora Heights is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Bayview - Elanora Heights dwellings were 82.0% houses and 18.0% other dwellings in the latest Census data, compared to Sydney metro's 72.1% houses and 27.9% other dwellings. Home ownership was 50.7%, with mortgaged dwellings at 37.6% and rented ones at 11.7%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $3,467, higher than Sydney metro's $3,200. Median weekly rent was $745, compared to Sydney metro's $695. Nationally, mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $1,863 and rents substantially above the national figure of $375.

Bayview - Elanora Heights has a typical household mix, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households constitute 76.8% of all households, including 39.3% couples with children, 30.1% couples without children, and 6.7% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 23.2%, with lone person households at 21.7% and group households comprising 1.4% of the total. The median household size is 2.7 people, which aligns with the Greater Sydney average.

Bayview - Elanora Heights shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

The area's educational profile is notable regionally, with university qualification rates of 37.4% among residents aged 15+, exceeding both the Australian average of 30.4% and NSW's rate of 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 26.1%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (8.2%) and graduate diplomas (3.1%). Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 32.4% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications - advanced diplomas at 13.9% and certificates at 18.5%.

Educational participation is high, with 29.2% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, including 9.8% in primary, 9.0% in secondary, and 5.0% pursuing tertiary education. Bayview - Elanora Heights has 3 schools with a combined enrollment of 718 students, demonstrating above-average socio-educational conditions (ICSEA: 1070). The educational mix includes 2 primary and 1 K-12 school. School places per 100 residents (6.3) are below the regional average (12.7), with some students likely attending schools in adjacent areas. Note: where schools show 'n/a' for enrolments, please refer to parent campus.

Transport servicing is moderate compared to other areas nationally based on assessment of service frequency, route connectivity and accessibility

Bayview-Elanora Heights has 105 active public transport stops offering a mix of ferry and bus services. These stops are served by 62 individual routes, facilitating 2,244 weekly passenger trips in total. Transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents typically located 239 meters from the nearest stop.

Service frequency averages 320 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 21 weekly trips per individual stop.

The level of general health in Bayview - Elanora Heights is notably higher than the national average with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Bayview-Elanora Heights shows superior health outcomes for both young and elderly residents. The prevalence of common conditions is low, with arthritis affecting 9.0% and asthma impacting 6.2%. A total of 78% of the population (8,790 people) has private health cover, compared to 74.1% in Greater Sydney and a national average of 55.3%.

Seventy-point-eight percent of residents report no medical ailments, slightly lower than the 72.8% across Greater Sydney. The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 27.7% (3,137 people), compared to 24.1% in Greater Sydney. Health outcomes among seniors are notably strong, exceeding those of the general population.

The level of cultural diversity witnessed in Bayview - Elanora Heights was found to be above average when compared nationally for a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Bayview-Elanora Heights has a higher-than-average cultural diversity, with 9.1% of residents speaking a language other than English at home and 26.1% born overseas. Christianity is the predominant religion, practiced by 53.5% of the population. Notably, Judaism is represented at 0.3%, similar to Greater Sydney's average.

The top three ancestry groups are English (32.4%), Australian (24.5%), and Irish (8.8%). Some ethnic groups have notable differences in representation: French (0.9% vs regional 0.8%), South African (0.9% vs 0.8%), and Serbian (0.6% vs 0.5%) are overrepresented in Bayview-Elanora Heights.

Bayview - Elanora Heights hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

Bayview - Elanora Heights has a median age of 49, which is higher than Greater Sydney's figure of 37 and above the national average of 38. The age profile shows that those aged 75-84 years are particularly prominent at 10.9%, while those aged 25-34 years make up only 5.3% of the population, compared to Greater Sydney. Between the censuses of 2021 and 2026, the age group of 15-24 years grew from 11.6% to 13.3%, while the 75-84 cohort increased from 9.7% to 10.9%. Conversely, the 35-44 age group declined from 9.9% to 8.7%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Bayview - Elanora Heights' age structure. The 85+ age group is expected to grow by 114%, reaching 1,111 people from 519. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups will account for all of the total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. In contrast, the 55-64 and 25-34 age cohorts are projected to experience population declines.