Collaroy - Collaroy Plateau

Collaroy - Collaroy Plateau is positioned among the lower quartile of areas assessed nationally for population growth based on AreaSearch's assessment of recent, and medium term trends

According to the analysis by AreaSearch, the population of Collaroy - Collaroy Plateau stands at approximately 14,229 as of May 2026. This represents a growth of 249 individuals (1.8%) from the 2021 Census, when 13,980 residents were recorded. This population shift is calculated utilizing the ABS estimated resident population of 14,229 from June 2025 alongside 14 validated new addresses registered since the Census date. The resulting density corresponds to 3,445 persons per square kilometer, placing the locality in the highest quartile among nationwide areas reviewed by AreaSearch. The post-census growth of 1.8% in Collaroy - Collaroy Plateau is within 1.9 percentage points of the broader SA3 region (3.7%), showing competitive expansion characteristics. The primary driver of this population growth was overseas migration, which accounted for roughly 86.6% of all population increases in recent times.

AreaSearch implements projections from the ABS and Geoscience Australia for individual SA2 sectors, which were published in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For SA2 territories not represented in this dataset, projections from the NSW State Government released in 2022 using a 2021 base year are substituted. The age cohort growth rates derived from these datasets are projected forward for the years 2032 to 2041. Based on these demographic models, the overall population is projected to contract, with a forecasted decrease of 419 residents by 2041. In contrast, specific age brackets are expected to expand, particularly the cohort aged 85 and over, which is projected to grow by 573 individuals. Refer to the age section for further details.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Collaroy - Collaroy Plateau according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

Collaroy - Collaroy Plateau averages approximately 36 residential approvals yearly, totaling 181 home approvals over the last 5 financial years (from FY-21 to FY-25) and 17 during FY-26 so far. Because the population has decreased recently, the new residential volume has likely matched demand, providing options for purchasers, while the mean construction cost of these new residences sits at $782,000, showing that builders are focusing on the higher-end luxury market. Furthermore, $322,000 in commercial approvals have been registered during this financial year, pointing to very low levels of commercial building projects.

In comparison to Greater Sydney, Collaroy - Collaroy Plateau has 12.0% less building activity on a per-capita basis, placing it in the 49th percentile of areas evaluated nationwide, which translates to fewer purchasing options and reinforces demand for established properties. This rate of construction is also below the national mean, reflecting the established status of the locality and hinting at possible zoning restrictions. The new residential construction consists of 59.0% detached houses and 41.0% multi-unit buildings, with a shifting combination of townhomes and flats offering choices across different budgets, spanning family residences to more economical compact spaces. Averaging about 364 residents for each residential approval, Collaroy - Collaroy Plateau presents a mature market profile.

Faced with stable or shrinking population predictions, Collaroy - Collaroy Plateau could see diminished pressure on housing stock, generating advantageous terms for home buyers.

Collaroy - Collaroy Plateau has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 38thth percentile nationally

Local performance is heavily shaped by developments in regional infrastructure, major construction initiatives, and planning policies. AreaSearch has identified a total of 18 projects expected to influence the local area. Principal developments include Montecito Collaroy, the 1010-1014 Pittwater Road Mixed Use Development, the 1129-1131 Pittwater Road Mixed Use, and the Cromer Village Green (Proposed Mixed-Use Precinct), with the details of the most significant projects presented in the list below.

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

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The labour market in Collaroy - Collaroy Plateau demonstrates typical performance when compared to similar areas across Australia

The labor force in Collaroy - Collaroy Plateau is highly educated, featuring a strong presence in professional fields, an unemployment rate of just 3.9%, and an estimated job growth rate of 0.6% over the previous year. In March 2026, 8,136 local citizens were employed, with the unemployment rate tracking 0.2% lower than the Greater Sydney average of 4.1%, and labor participation aligning closely with the Greater Sydney level of 69.1%. According to self-reported Census data, a notable 44.5% of the workforce operated from home, though this figure may reflect the influence of pandemic containment measures.

Residential employment is primarily centered in construction, professional & technical roles, and healthcare & social assistance. Local specialization is particularly high in the construction sector, where the employment concentration is 1.5 times the regional norm. Conversely, transportation, mail & storage accounts for only 3.2% of workers, trailing the 5.3% share in Greater Sydney. The highly residential character of the neighborhood means local employment options are relatively scarce, as highlighted by comparing the number of working residents to the locally based job positions.

Based on analysis of SALM and ABS statistics by AreaSearch, the recent 12-month window experienced a job increase of 0.6% while the total workforce grew by 1.4%, leading to a rise in the unemployment rate of 0.8 percentage points. This pattern diverges from Greater Sydney, which registered a 1.9% rise in employment, a 1.9% expansion of the labor force, and a small drop in unemployment. National employment projections from May-25 by Jobs and Skills Australia provide context for future labor demands in Collaroy - Collaroy Plateau. These five-year and ten-year projections have been applied to the local workforce structure to calculate potential growth. Although nationwide employment is anticipated to rise by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, expansion rates vary widely by sector. Projecting these industry trends onto the employment distribution of Collaroy - Collaroy Plateau points to a local employment rise of 7.0% over five years and 13.9% over ten years (note that this calculation is a basic weighted projection for visualization and does not account for localized population changes).

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

According to the latest postcode-level ATO data released by AreaSearch for the 2023 financial year, the median taxpayer income in the Collaroy - Collaroy Plateau SA2 is $65,091, with a mean income of $104,080. These figures rank in the highest national percentile and exceed the Greater Sydney median of $60,817 and average of $83,003. Adjusting for Wage Price Index inflation of 10.32% since the 2023 financial year, estimated figures as of March 2026 stand at roughly $71,808 for the median and $114,821 for the average. Census records show that household, family, and individual incomes are all elevated in Collaroy - Collaroy Plateau, falling between the 84th and 92nd percentiles nationwide. The statistics indicate that the highest weekly income bracket of $4000+ is the most common, containing 30.2% of residents (4,297 people), which differs from the regional pattern where the $1,500 - 2,999 range is largest at 30.9%. High-income earners are highly visible, with 43.6% making more than $3,000 per week, reflecting significant spending capacity in the area. Expensive residential costs absorb 15.9% of local income, but strong wages ensure that disposable income remains in the 91st percentile, and the SEIFA index places the community in the 9th decile for income.

Collaroy - Collaroy Plateau displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

At the time of the most recent Census, the distribution of residential structures in Collaroy - Collaroy Plateau stood at 58.1% standalone houses and 41.9% alternative housing types (such as duplexes, units, and other dwellings), compared to 55.9% houses and 44.1% alternative structures throughout metropolitan Sydney. Home ownership rates in Collaroy - Collaroy Plateau were considerably higher than the Sydney metropolitan average, registering at 36.6%, while the remaining properties were either held with a mortgage (36.9%) or occupied by tenants (26.5%). The median monthly home loan repayment of $3,000 was far higher than the Sydney metropolitan median of $2,427, and the median weekly rental cost was recorded at $600 compared to the metropolitan average of $470. On a national level, mortgage commitments in Collaroy - Collaroy Plateau are much larger than the Australian median of $1,863, and typical rent levels exceed the national benchmark of $375.

Collaroy - Collaroy Plateau has a typical household mix, with a fairly typical median household size

Families comprise the vast majority of households at 76.0%, consisting of couples with offspring at 38.9%, couples without offspring at 26.6%, and single parent units at 9.5%. The remaining 24.0% consists of non-family living arrangements, with single occupant households accounting for 21.1% and shared group households making up 2.9% of the total. The median household occupancy is 2.7 individuals, aligning with the metropolitan average for Greater Sydney.

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

The proportion of residents with tertiary credentials in Collaroy - Collaroy Plateau is below regional levels, with 35.6% of individuals aged 15+ holding a university degree compared to 41.5% in the broader SA4 area. This difference points to opportunities for future educational growth and vocational training. Bachelor degrees are the most frequent credential at 25.4%, followed by postgraduate degrees (7.4%) and graduate diplomas (2.8%). Vocational and technical training is common, with 33.5% of the population aged 15+ holding practical qualifications, consisting of advanced diplomas (13.3%) and certificates (20.2%).

Enrollment rates in educational institutions are high, with 29.2% of the local population participating in structured learning. This group includes 9.3% attending primary school, 8.4% enrolled in secondary school, and 5.5% undertaking higher education.

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

Analysis of transit options indicates there are 79 active public transport stops in Collaroy - Collaroy Plateau, consisting of a range of bus services. These stops are connected by 60 unique routes, which together accommodate 5,648 passenger journeys each week. Public transit access is classified as excellent, with residents living an average of 172 meters from the nearest stop. Due to the residential nature of the community, the majority of workers commute to other areas, with private vehicles remaining the primary choice at 85%, and buses used by 7%. Household car ownership averages 1.5 vehicles, which is above the regional norm. A high proportion of residents, 44.5%, worked from home according to the 2021 Census, which may have been influenced by pandemic conditions.

Service frequency averages 806 daily journeys across the transit network, which translates to roughly 71 weekly services per individual stop.

Collaroy - Collaroy Plateau's residents are extremely healthy with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Evaluations of local health statistics show positive outcomes throughout Collaroy - Collaroy Plateau, according to AreaSearch's analysis of mortality data and the occurrence of chronic illnesses, which reveals low rates of standard health issues among both younger and older populations, while the percentage of residents with private health insurance is remarkably high at roughly 73% of the population (10,401 people). This rate exceeds the Greater Sydney average of 59.9% and the national average of 55.7%.

Asthma and arthritis represent the most frequent health issues in the neighborhood, affecting 6.4% and 6.2% of citizens, respectively, while 75.2% of the population reported no chronic medical conditions, compared to 74.6% across Greater Sydney. Residents aged 65 and over make up 18.5% of the population (2,629 people), exceeding the 15.5% average in Greater Sydney. Health measurements for senior residents are especially positive, ranking higher relative to the nation than the local population as a whole.

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

The community has a higher level of cultural diversity than average, with 13.4% of inhabitants speaking a non-English language at home and 26.0% having been born outside Australia. Christianity is the primary religious affiliation in Collaroy - Collaroy Plateau, representing 54.9% of the population. The most distinct statistical variation is observed in Judaism, which represents 0.3% of the community compared to 0.8% across Greater Sydney.

Regarding ancestral origins (parents' country of birth), the three most common backgrounds in Collaroy - Collaroy Plateau are English at 29.2% of the population (considerably above the regional level of 19.0%), Australian at 24.0% (considerably above the regional level of 17.8%), and Irish at 9.4%. Other distinct differences in ethnic composition include French heritage representing 0.8% of Collaroy - Collaroy Plateau (compared to 0.5% in the region), Serbian heritage at 0.6% (compared to 0.5%), and New Zealand heritage at 1.0% (compared to 0.5%).

Collaroy - Collaroy Plateau's population is slightly older than the national pattern

The median age of 41 years in Collaroy - Collaroy Plateau is notably higher than the Greater Sydney average of 37 and older than the national median of 38. Relative to Greater Sydney, there is an over-representation of residents in the 55 - 64 age bracket (13.7% locally) and an under-representation of those in the 25 - 34 bracket (11.7%). Since the 2021 Census, the proportion of individuals aged 15 to 24 grew from 12.7% to 14.9%, while the 75 to 84 bracket rose from 5.3% to 6.6%. On the other hand, the 35 to 44 cohort shrank from 13.1% to 11.3% and the 5 to 14 cohort declined from 12.4% to 10.9%. Demographic models suggest that the age structure in Collaroy - Collaroy Plateau will change considerably by 2041. The group aged 85 and over is projected to have the largest relative growth at 163%, adding 560 people to total 903. This aging trend is highlighted by the fact that residents aged 65 and older account for 100% of the forecasted growth. Meanwhile, population reductions are projected for the 45 to 54 and 55 to 64 age brackets.