Bonnells Bay - Silverwater
Statistical Area - sa2

Bonnells Bay - Silverwater lies within the top quartile of areas nationally for population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Bonnells Bay - Silverwater's population was around 10,157 as of Aug 2025. This reflected an increase of 466 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 9,691. The change was inferred from the estimated resident population of 10,140 in June 2024 and an additional 33 validated new addresses since the Census date. This resulted in a density ratio of 999 persons per square kilometer. Over the past decade, Bonnells Bay - Silverwater showed resilient growth patterns with a compound annual growth rate of 1.6%, outpacing its SA4 region. Population growth was primarily driven by interstate migration contributing approximately 48.2% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch adopted ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered, AreaSearch utilised NSW State Government's SA2 level projections released in 2022 with a base year of 2021. Growth rates by age group were applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Future population trends forecasted a significant increase in the top quartile of Australian non-metropolitan areas, with Bonnells Bay - Silverwater expected to grow by 4,029 persons to 2041 based on latest numbers, indicating an overall increase of 39.5% over 17 years.

Recent residential development output has been above average within Bonnells Bay - Silverwater when compared nationally

Bonnells Bay - Silverwater has had around 41 residential properties approved annually on average over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25. A total of 209 homes were approved during this period, with a further 6 approved in FY26. On average, 3.7 people have moved to the area each year for every dwelling built between FY21 and FY25, indicating high demand outpacing supply, which typically influences property prices positively.

New homes are being constructed at an average expected cost of $517,000. This financial year has seen $831,000 in commercial development approvals, reflecting the area's residential nature. Compared to the rest of NSW, Bonnells Bay - Silverwater has significantly less development activity, with 52.0% below the regional average per person. This limited new construction often reinforces demand and pricing for existing properties.

Recent construction comprises predominantly detached dwellings (91.0%) and a smaller proportion of townhouses or apartments (9.0%), maintaining the area's suburban character focused on family homes. With approximately 342 people being approved per dwelling, Bonnells Bay - Silverwater suggests a mature market. Projections indicate that the area is expected to grow by 4,012 residents by 2041. If current development rates continue, housing supply may struggle to keep pace with population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and supporting price increases.

Bonnells Bay - Silverwater has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 30% nationally

Infrastructure changes significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch identified six projects likely affecting the region. Key projects are Trinity Point Mixed Use Development, Fishery Point Road and Morisset Park Road Intersection Upgrade, Alliance Avenue and Wyee Road Intersection Upgrade, and Morisset Place Strategy. The following details those most relevant.

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

Employment conditions in Bonnells Bay - Silverwater remain below the national average according to AreaSearch analysis

Bonnells Bay - Silverwater has a skilled workforce with essential services sectors well represented. Its unemployment rate was 3.8% in the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 2.0%.

As of June 2025, 4,826 residents were employed, with an unemployment rate of 3.9%, slightly above Rest of NSW's 3.7%. Workforce participation was similar to Rest of NSW at 56.4%. Key employment sectors include health care & social assistance, construction, and retail trade. The area specializes in construction, with an employment share 1.5 times the regional level.

Agriculture, forestry & fishing employed only 0.7% of local workers, below Rest of NSW's 5.3%. Employment increased by 2.0% over a 12-month period ending June 2025, while labour force grew by 2.5%, raising the unemployment rate by 0.5 percentage points. State-level data from Sep-25 shows NSW employment contracted by 0.41%, with an unemployment rate of 4.3%. National forecasts project employment to expand by 6.6% over five years and 14.0% over ten years for Bonnells Bay - Silverwater, based on its employment mix.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

Bonnells Bay - Silverwater's median income among taxpayers in financial year 2022 was $46,179. The average income stood at $59,372 during the same period. These figures compare to Rest of NSW's median and average incomes of $49,459 and $62,998 respectively. By March 2025, estimates based on Wage Price Index growth suggest Bonnells Bay - Silverwater's median income will be approximately $51,074 and the average income will be around $65,665. According to the 2021 Census, household, family, and personal incomes in Bonnells Bay - Silverwater ranked modestly between the 30th and 35th percentiles. Income analysis shows that the largest segment comprises 33.1% of residents earning $1,500 - 2,999 weekly, which is consistent with broader trends across the metropolitan region at 29.9%. Housing affordability pressures are severe in Bonnells Bay - Silverwater, with only 83.8% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 36th percentile.

Bonnells Bay - Silverwater is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Dwelling structure in Bonnells Bay - Silverwater, as evaluated at the latest Census held on 28 August 2016, comprised 96.1% houses and 3.9% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Non-Metro NSW's 89.7% houses and 10.2% other dwellings. Home ownership in Bonnells Bay - Silverwater stood at 40.6%, with mortgaged dwellings at 33.9% and rented dwellings at 25.5%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,783, lower than Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,900. Median weekly rent in the area was $400, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $380. Nationally, Bonnells Bay - Silverwater's median monthly mortgage repayment of $1,783 was lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while median weekly rent of $400 exceeded the national figure of $375.

Bonnells Bay - Silverwater has a typical household mix, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households constitute 75.3% of all households, including 27.5% couples with children, 32.6% couples without children, and 14.1% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 24.7%, with lone person households at 22.1% and group households comprising 2.7%. The median household size is 2.5 people, which aligns with the average in the Rest of NSW.

Educational outcomes in Bonnells Bay - Silverwater fall within the lower quartile nationally, indicating opportunities for improvement in qualification attainment

The area's university qualification rate is 17.8%, significantly lower than the NSW average of 32.2%. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 12.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.7%) and graduate diplomas (2.1%). Vocational credentials are prominent, with 44.7% of residents aged 15+ holding them - advanced diplomas at 11.7% and certificates at 33.0%.

Educational participation is high, with 25.7% of residents currently enrolled in formal education: 9.4% in primary, 6.8% in secondary, and 3.4% in tertiary education. Brightwaters Christian College and Bonnells Bay Public School serve a total of 491 students, with the area having typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 971) and balanced educational opportunities. The educational mix includes one primary and one K-12 school. Local school capacity is limited at 4.8 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 12.3, leading many families to travel for schooling.

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

Bonnells Bay - Silverwater has 75 active public transport stops operating within its boundaries. These stops are served by a mix of buses operating along 31 individual routes. The total number of weekly passenger trips provided is 381.

Residents' accessibility to transport is rated as good, with an average distance of 203 meters to the nearest stop. Service frequency across all routes averages 54 trips per day, resulting in approximately 5 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Bonnells Bay - Silverwater is well below average with prevalence of common health conditions notable across both younger and older age cohorts

Bonnells Bay - Silverwater faces significant health challenges, with common conditions prevalent across both younger and older age groups. Private health cover stands at approximately 49% (~4,987 people), compared to 51.5% across Rest of NSW, which is below the national average of 55.3%. Arthritis and mental health issues are the most common medical conditions in the area, affecting 10.5% and 10.2% of residents respectively.

However, 59.9% of residents report being completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 60.3% across Rest of NSW. The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 23.4% (2,378 people), compared to 21.9% in Rest of NSW. Despite this, health outcomes among seniors in the area perform better than those in the general population.

Bonnells Bay - Silverwater is considerably less culturally diverse than average when assessed alongside AreaSearch's national rankings for language and cultural background related metrics

Bonnells Bay-Silverwater had a cultural diversity below average, with 87.5% of its population born in Australia, 92.5% being citizens, and 95.6% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the main religion, comprising 54.5% of people, compared to 54.0% across Rest of NSW. The top ancestry groups were English (32.5%), Australian (30.7%), and Scottish (8.3%).

Notably, Australian Aboriginal were overrepresented at 4.2%, Maltese at 0.5%, and Dutch at 1.3%.

Bonnells Bay - Silverwater hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

Bonnells Bay-Silverwater's median age is 42 years, similar to Rest of NSW's average of 43 but older than Australia's average of 38 years. The age profile shows that the 65-74 year-olds are particularly prominent at 13.1%, while the 45-54 group is smaller at 10.3% compared to Rest of NSW. Between 2021 and present, the 35-44 age group has grown from 10.7% to 12.1% of the population, and the 25-34 cohort has increased from 11.1% to 12.4%. Conversely, the 45-54 cohort has declined from 12.2% to 10.3%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes with the 25-34 cohort projected to grow by 51%, adding 642 residents to reach 1,899.