Bondi Junction - Waverly
Statistical Area - sa2

Population growth drivers in Bondi Junction - Waverly are strong compared to national averages based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Bondi Junction-Waverley's population, as per AreaSearch's analysis, was around 18,721 by August 2025. This figure indicates a rise of 1,001 individuals (5.6%) since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 17,720. The increase is inferred from ABS's estimated resident population of 18,893 in June 2024 and an additional 381 validated new addresses post-Census. This population density translates to 7,429 persons per square kilometer, placing Bondi Junction-Waverley among the top 10% of locations assessed by AreaSearch, highlighting its land's high demand. Between 2021 Census and 2025 August, Bondi Junction-Waverley's growth rate (5.6%) exceeded that of its SA3 area (4.9%), positioning it as a regional growth leader. Overseas migration drove this growth, contributing approximately 89.2% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 with a base year of 2022, and NSW State Government's SA2 level projections where applicable, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021. Considering these projections, the area is expected to exhibit above-median population growth nationally by 2041, with an increase of 3,208 persons and an overall rise of 18.1% over 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Bondi Junction - Waverly among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

Bondi Junction-Waverly averaged approximately 105 new dwelling approvals annually. The Australian Bureau of Statistics produces development approval data on a financial year basis, totaling 527 approvals across the past five financial years from FY-21 to FY-25, with none recorded so far in FY-26. On average, one person has moved to the area for each dwelling built over these five years, suggesting a balanced supply and demand market that supports stable conditions. New properties are constructed at an average expected cost of $777,000, indicating developers target the premium market segment with higher-end properties.

This financial year has seen $59.7 million in commercial development approvals, reflecting strong local business investment. Compared to Greater Sydney, Bondi Junction-Waverly records 100.0% more construction activity per person. New building activity comprises approximately 3.0% standalone homes and 97.0% townhouses or apartments, offering affordable entry pathways for downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers. With around 762 people per approval, Bondi Junction-Waverly demonstrates a mature, established area with a projected population increase of 3,380 residents by 2041. Development pace appears reasonable relative to projected growth, though increasing competition may arise as the population expands.

Population forecasts indicate Bondi Junction - Waverly will gain 3,380 residents through to 2041. Development is keeping reasonable pace with projected growth, though buyers may face increasing competition as the population expands.

Bondi Junction - Waverly has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 10% nationally

Infrastructure changes significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 24 projects likely affecting the region. Notable initiatives include The Bond Bondi Junction mixed-use development featuring affordable housing at 362-384 Oxford Street, Bondi Junction, Origami Bondi Junction, and The Centennial Collection. Relevant projects are detailed below.

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

Employment performance in Bondi Junction - Waverly exceeds national averages across key labour market indicators

Bondi Junction - Waverly has a highly educated workforce, with the technology sector prominent. Its unemployment rate was 3.4% in June 2025, below Greater Sydney's 4.2%.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 2.4%. As of June 2025, 12,009 residents were employed, with an unemployment rate of 0.8% below the Greater Sydney average and workforce participation at 65.5%. Key industries for employment among residents are professional & technical, finance & insurance, and health care & social assistance. The area specializes in professional & technical jobs, employing 1.6 times the regional level, while retail trade employs only 6.1% of local workers, below Greater Sydney's 9.3%.

The worker-to-resident ratio was 0.8 at the Census, indicating substantial local employment opportunities. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment levels increased by 2.4%, labour force grew by 2.4%, keeping unemployment relatively stable at 3.6%. In contrast, Greater Sydney saw employment rise by 2.6%, labour force grow by 2.9%, and unemployment increase to 4.5%. State-level data from Sep-25 shows NSW employment contracted by 0.41% (losing 19,270 jobs), with the state unemployment rate at 4.3%. National employment forecasts from May 2025 project national growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Bondi Junction - Waverly's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 7.5% over five years and 14.8% over ten years.

The economic profile demonstrates exceptional strength, placing the area among the top 10% nationally based on comprehensive AreaSearch income analysis

Bondi Junction - Waverly had a median taxpayer income of $70,155 and an average income of $130,666 in the financial year 2022, according to postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch. These figures are notably high compared to Greater Sydney's median income of $56,994 and average income of $80,856. By March 2025, estimates suggest the median income would be approximately $77,591 and the average income $144,517, accounting for a 10.6% growth in wages since financial year 2022. Census data shows that household, family, and personal incomes in Bondi Junction - Waverly rank highly nationally, between the 92nd and 96th percentiles. The income bracket of $4000+ captures 33.6% of the community (6,290 individuals), unlike broader area patterns where $1,500 - 2,999 dominates with 30.9%. Economic strength is evident in 45.1% of households earning high weekly incomes exceeding $3,000, supporting elevated consumer spending. High housing costs consume 20.0% of income, but strong earnings still place disposable income at the 88th percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 10th decile.

Bondi Junction - Waverly features a more urban dwelling mix with significant apartment living, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

In Bondi Junction-Waverly, as per the latest Census evaluation, 13.0% of dwellings were houses while 87.0% were other types such as semi-detached homes, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. This is compared to Sydney metro's figures of 18.3% houses and 81.8% other dwellings. The home ownership rate in Bondi Junction-Waverly was 27.1%, with mortgaged dwellings at 24.1% and rented ones at 48.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $3,500, lower than Sydney metro's average of $3,600. The median weekly rent figure stood at $652, compared to Sydney metro's $670. Nationally, Bondi Junction-Waverly's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Bondi Junction - Waverly features high concentrations of group households and lone person households, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households constitute 60.2% of all households, including 24.5% couples with children, 27.4% couples without children, and 7.3% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 39.8%, with lone person households at 32.0% and group households comprising 7.9%. The median household size is 2.3 people, which aligns with the Greater Sydney average.

Bondi Junction - Waverly demonstrates exceptional educational outcomes, ranking among the top 5% of areas nationally based on AreaSearch's comprehensive analysis of qualification and performance metrics

Educational attainment in Bondi Junction-Waverly is notably high, with 58.6% of residents aged 15 years and over holding university qualifications, compared to the national average of 30.4% and NSW's 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 39.4%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (15.9%) and graduate diplomas (3.3%). Vocational pathways account for 21.0% of qualifications among those aged 15 years and over, with advanced diplomas making up 10.1% and certificates 10.9%. Educational participation is high at 30.6%, including 8.6% in primary education, 6.9% in secondary education, and 6.8% pursuing tertiary education.

As of the latest data, there are approximately 5,438 students educated across a robust network of 8 schools in Bondi Junction-Waverly, with an ICSEA score of 1144 indicating significant socio-educational advantages and academic achievement. The educational mix includes 3 primary, 3 secondary, and 2 K-12 schools. As an education hub, the area has a high school places per resident ratio at 29.1, above the regional average of 15.9, attracting students from surrounding communities.

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

Transport analysis in Bondi Junction - Waverly shows 87 active transport stops operating, with a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by 84 individual routes, providing a total of 16,353 weekly passenger trips. Residential accessibility to public transport is rated excellent, with residents typically located 112 metres from the nearest stop.

Service frequency averages 2,336 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 187 weekly trips per individual stop.

Bondi Junction - Waverly's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with younger cohorts in particular seeing very low prevalence of common health conditions

Health outcomes data shows excellent results in Bondi Junction - Waverly, with younger cohorts experiencing very low prevalence of common health conditions. Approximately 81% of the total population (15,201 people) has private health cover, compared to 89.7% across Greater Sydney and a national average of 55.3%. The most prevalent medical conditions are asthma and mental health issues, affecting 5.9 and 5.9% of residents respectively.

76.9% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 77.6% across Greater Sydney. In this area, 15.7% of residents are aged 65 and over (2,929 people). Health outcomes among seniors require more attention than the broader population, despite being above average.

Bondi Junction - Waverly is among the most culturally diverse areas in the country based on AreaSearch assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Bondi Junction-Waverly has high cultural diversity, with 25.3% of its population speaking a language other than English at home and 46.6% born overseas. Christianity is the main religion in Bondi Junction-Waverly, comprising 40.3% of its population. Judaism, however, is notably lower at 11.0%, compared to Greater Sydney's average of 16.0%.

In terms of ancestry, the top three groups are English (23.2%), Australian (15.5%), and Other (15.1%). Notably, Russian (1.7% vs regional 1.6%), French (1.6% vs 1.5%), and Spanish (1.2% vs 1.0%) are overrepresented in Bondi Junction-Waverly.

Bondi Junction - Waverly's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

Bondi Junction-Waverly's median age is nearly 36 years, closely matching Greater Sydney's average of 37 and slightly below Australia's median of 38. Compared to Greater Sydney, Bondi Junction-Waverly has a higher percentage of residents aged 25-34 (21.5%) but fewer residents aged 5-14 (9.2%). This concentration of 25-34 year-olds is notably above the national average of 14.5%. Between the 2021 Census and the present, the population aged 15-24 has grown from 9.0% to 11.5%, while the 5-14 age group has decreased from 9.9% to 9.2%. By 2041, demographic modeling projects significant changes in Bondi Junction-Waverly's age profile. The 45-54 age cohort is expected to grow by 26%, adding 610 residents to reach a total of 2,930. Meanwhile, the 0-4 age cohort is projected to grow by a modest 4% (34 people).