Budgewoi - Buff Point - Halekulani
Statistical Area - sa2

Budgewoi - Buff Point - Halekulani has seen population growth performance typically on par with national averages when looking at short and medium term trends

Budgewoi - Buff Point - Halekulani's population is around 10,087 as of Aug 2025. This reflects an increase of 359 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 9,728 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 9,968 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 23 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 1,081 persons per square kilometer. Budgewoi - Buff Point - Halekulani's growth rate of 3.7% since the 2021 census exceeded the SA4 region's growth rate of 3.1%. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration, contributing approximately 51.3% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilises NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Based on latest population numbers, the area is expected to expand by 1,290 persons to 2041, with an increase of 11.6% in total over the 17 years.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Budgewoi - Buff Point - Halekulani according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

Budgewoi - Buff Point - Halekulani has received approximately 17 dwelling approvals per year on average. The Australian Bureau of Statistics produces development approval data on a financial year basis, totalling 87 approvals from FY-20 to FY-25, with 3 approvals so far in FY-26. Over the past five financial years, an average of 2.1 people have moved to the area per new home constructed, indicating strong demand that supports property values. New homes are being built at an average expected construction cost value of $284,000, which is below the regional average, suggesting more affordable housing options for buyers.

This financial year has seen $739,000 in commercial approvals, reflecting the area's residential nature. Compared to Greater Sydney, Budgewoi - Buff Point - Halekulani records about 57% of the building activity per person and ranks among the 31st percentile nationally, suggesting limited buyer options while strengthening demand for established dwellings. This level is lower than the national average, indicating market maturity and possible development constraints. New development consists of 90.0% standalone homes and 10.0% townhouses or apartments, maintaining the area's traditional suburban character with a focus on family homes appealing to those seeking space.

With around 557 people per dwelling approval, Budgewoi - Buff Point - Halekulani reflects a highly mature market. By 2041, the area is expected to grow by 1,170 residents. If current construction levels persist, housing supply may lag population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and underpinning price growth.

Budgewoi - Buff Point - Halekulani has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 50% nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified eight projects that could affect this region. Notable ones are Waratah Super Battery, Toukley Desalination Water Treatment Plant Project, Darkinjung LALC & Landcom Housing Project, and Charmhaven Master-Planned Housing Community. The following list details those most likely to be relevant.

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

Employment performance in Budgewoi - Buff Point - Halekulani has been below expectations when compared to most other areas nationally

Budgewoi - Buff Point - Halekulani has a balanced workforce with both white and blue collar jobs. The unemployment rate was 5.3% as of June 2025.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 1.5%. There were 4,335 residents employed in June 2025, with an unemployment rate of 6.4%, compared to Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%. Workforce participation stood at 50.2%, lower than Greater Sydney's 60.0%. The dominant employment sectors include health care & social assistance, construction, and retail trade.

Construction is particularly notable with employment levels at 1.7 times the regional average. However, professional & technical services are under-represented, at 3.5% compared to Greater Sydney's 11.5%. Employment opportunities appear limited locally, as indicated by Census data comparing working population and resident population. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment increased by 1.5%, while labour force rose by 2.7%, leading to a 1.0 percentage point rise in unemployment. In contrast, Greater Sydney experienced employment growth of 2.6% and labour force growth of 2.9%, with a 0.3 percentage point increase in unemployment. State-level data as of Sep-25 shows NSW employment contracted by 0.41%, losing 19,270 jobs, with an unemployment rate of 4.3%. This compares to the national unemployment rate of 4.5% and national employment growth of 0.26%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 project a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Budgewoi - Buff Point - Halekulani's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, assuming no changes in population projections.

The area's income levels rank in the lower 15% nationally based on AreaSearch comparative data

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 shows that income in Budgewoi - Buff Point - Halekulani is lower than average nationally. The median income is $44,991 and the average is $51,499. This contrasts with Greater Sydney's figures of a median income of $56,994 and an average of $80,856. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.6% since financial year 2022, current estimates for Budgewoi - Buff Point - Halekulani would be approximately $49,760 (median) and $56,958 (average) as of March 2025. According to the 2021 Census, household, family and personal incomes in Budgewoi - Buff Point - Halekulani all fall between the 16th and 17th percentiles nationally. The earnings profile shows that 28.7% of the population (2,894 individuals) have incomes within the $1,500 - $2,999 range, similar to the surrounding region where 30.9% fall into this category. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 81.9% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 14th percentile nationally.

Budgewoi - Buff Point - Halekulani is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

In Budgewoi - Buff Point - Halekulani, as per the latest Census, 91.9% of dwellings were houses while 8.1% were other types such as semi-detached, apartments, or 'other' dwellings. This differs from Sydney metro's figures of 83.2% houses and 16.7% other dwellings. Home ownership in the area was higher at 41.9%, with mortgaged dwellings at 33.4% and rented ones at 24.7%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Budgewoi - Buff Point - Halekulani was $1,733, lower than Sydney metro's average of $1,900. Median weekly rent was $360 compared to Sydney metro's $385. Nationally, the area's mortgage repayments were below the Australian average of $1,863 and rents were less than the national figure of $375.

Budgewoi - Buff Point - Halekulani features high concentrations of lone person households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 64.8% of all households, including 22.2% couples with children, 27.6% couples without children, and 14.2% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 35.2%, with lone person households at 32.2% and group households comprising 3.0% of the total. The median household size is 2.3 people, which is smaller than the Greater Sydney average of 2.5.

Budgewoi - Buff Point - Halekulani faces educational challenges, with performance metrics placing it in the bottom quartile of areas assessed nationally

The area's university qualification rate is 12.3%, significantly lower than Greater Sydney's average of 38.0%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 9.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (1.8%) and graduate diplomas (1.3%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 44.9% of residents aged 15+ holding them - advanced diplomas at 10.2% and certificates at 34.7%. Educational participation is high, with 26.6% of residents currently enrolled in formal education: 9.8% in primary, 6.9% in secondary, and 2.9% in tertiary education.

Budgewoi Public School serves the area, with an enrollment of 570 students as of a recent report. The area has varied educational conditions, with one school focusing exclusively on primary education and secondary options available nearby. Local school capacity is limited at 5.7 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 13.6, resulting in many families traveling for schooling.

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

Budgewoi - Buff Point - Halekulani has 87 active public transport stops. These are served by a mix of buses on 31 individual routes, offering 545 weekly passenger trips in total. The area's transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents typically located 162 meters from the nearest stop.

On average, there are 77 daily trips across all routes, equating to approximately six weekly trips per stop.

Health performance in Budgewoi - Buff Point - Halekulani is a key challenge with a range of health conditions having marked impacts on both younger and older age cohorts

Budgewoi - Buff Point - Halekulani faces significant health challenges, with various conditions affecting both younger and older residents. The area has a low private health cover rate of approximately 46% (around 4,680 people), compared to Greater Sydney's 49.3%. Nationally, the average is 55.3%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (12.2%) and mental health issues (10.5%), with 57.8% of residents reporting no medical ailments, compared to 61.5% in Greater Sydney. Residents aged 65 and over comprise 26.4% (2,657 people) of the population, higher than Greater Sydney's 22.3%. Health outcomes among seniors are broadly inline with those of the general population.

Budgewoi - Buff Point - Halekulani is considerably less culturally diverse than average when assessed alongside AreaSearch's national rankings for language and cultural background related metrics

Budgewoi - Buff Point - Halekulani had below average cultural diversity, with 88.9% of its population born in Australia, 91.1% being citizens, and 97.1% speaking English only at home. The predominant religion was Christianity, comprising 57.8% of the population in Budgewoi - Buff Point - Halekulani, compared to 56.2% across Greater Sydney. The top three ancestry groups were English (32.9%), Australian (30.3%), and Irish (8.8%).

Notably, Maltese was overrepresented at 1.1%, Australian Aboriginal at 5.0%, and Maori at 0.5%.

Budgewoi - Buff Point - Halekulani hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

The median age in Budgewoi - Buff Point - Halekulani is 45 years, significantly higher than Greater Sydney's average of 37 years and Australia's average of 38 years. Compared to Greater Sydney, Budgewoi - Buff Point - Halekulani has a higher percentage of residents aged 65-74 (13.6%) but fewer residents aged 35-44 (10.5%). As per the 2021 Census, the 75-84 age group has increased from 8.8% to 9.7%, while the 55-64 age group has declined from 14.4% to 12.9%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Budgewoi - Buff Point - Halekulani's age structure. The 75-84 age group is projected to grow by 54%, reaching 1,505 people from the current 975. Notably, the combined age groups of 65+ will account for 77% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic trend. In contrast, both the 35-44 and 0-4 age groups are projected to decrease in number.