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

Collaroy-Collaroy Plateau's population was around 14,229 as of May 2026. This reflected an increase of 249 people since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 13,980. The growth was inferred from ABS estimated resident population of 14,229 in June 2025 and additional 14 validated new addresses after the Census date. This resulted in a density ratio of 3,445 persons per square kilometer, placing it in the upper quartile nationally according to AreaSearch. The area's 1.8% growth since census was within 1.9 percentage points of its SA3 area (3.7%), indicating competitive growth fundamentals. Overseas migration contributed approximately 86.6% 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. For areas not covered by this data, NSW State Government's SA2 level projections released in 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 decline by 419 persons by 2041. However, growth is anticipated in specific age cohorts, notably the 85 and over age group projected to increase by 573 people.

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 has seen approximately 36 dwelling approvals annually. Between FY21 and FY25181 homes were approved, with a further 14 approved in FY26 as of the present time. The population has fallen during this period, suggesting that new supply is meeting demand, providing good options for buyers.

The average construction cost value of new homes is $782,000, indicating developers are targeting the premium market segment with higher-end properties. This financial year, $322,000 in commercial approvals have been registered, reflecting minimal commercial development activity. Compared to Greater Sydney, Collaroy - Collaroy Plateau has 12.0% less building activity per person and ranks at the 50th percentile nationally, suggesting an established area with potential planning limitations. New building activity comprises 59.0% standalone homes and 41.0% attached dwellings, offering a mix of townhouses and apartments across various price points.

With around 361 people per dwelling approval, Collaroy - Collaroy Plateau shows a developed market. Given stable or declining population forecasts, the area may experience less housing pressure, creating favourable conditions for buyers.

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

Changes in local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 18 projects that could affect the area. Notable ones include Montecito Collaroy, 1010-1014 Pittwater Road Mixed Use Development, 1129-1131 Pittwater Road Mixed Use, and Cromer Village Green (Proposed Mixed-Use Precinct). The following list details those most likely to be relevant.

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

Denotes AI-based impression for illustrative purposes only, not to be taken as definitive under any circumstances. Please follow links and conduct other investigations from the project's source for actual imagery. Developers and project owners wishing us to use original imagery please Contact Us and we will do so.

Employment conditions in Collaroy - Collaroy Plateau remain below the national average according to AreaSearch analysis

Collaroy - Collaroy Plateau has a well-educated workforce with professional services showing strong representation. The unemployment rate in December 2025 was 4.1%, similar to Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%. There were 8,063 residents employed at this time, and the workforce participation rate was broadly similar to Greater Sydney's 68.8%.

According to Census responses, 44.5% of residents worked from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdown impacts. The dominant employment sectors among residents include construction, professional & technical, and health care & social assistance. Notably, construction employment levels were at 1.5 times the regional average. Conversely, transport, postal & warehousing showed lower representation at 3.2% compared to the regional average of 5.3%.

The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities based on Census data. Over a 12-month period ending in December 2025, labour force decreased by 0.2%, and employment decreased by 1.3%, causing unemployment rate to rise by 1.0 percentage points. This contrasts with Greater Sydney's employment growth of 2.2% and labour force growth of 2.3%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that Collaroy - Collaroy Plateau's employment should increase by 7.0% over five years and 13.9% over ten years, based on industry-specific projections applied to the local employment mix.

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

In AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year 2023, Collaroy - Collaroy Plateau SA2 had a median income among taxpayers of $65,091 and an average income of $104,080. These figures are exceptionally high nationally compared to Greater Sydney's median of $60,817 and average of $83,030. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.32% since financial year 2023, current estimates for Collaroy - Collaroy Plateau would be approximately $71,808 (median) and $114,821 (average) as of March 2026. Census data shows that household, family, and personal incomes in Collaroy - Collaroy Plateau rank highly nationally, between the 84th and 92nd percentiles. Income analysis reveals that 30.2% of individuals earn $4,000 or more (4,297 individuals), differing from the regional norm where the $1,500 - $2,999 category is predominant at 30.9%. Economic strength is evident with 43.6% of households achieving high weekly earnings exceeding $3,000, supporting elevated consumer spending. High housing costs consume 15.9% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 91st percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

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

In Collaroy - Collaroy Plateau, as per the latest Census evaluation, 58.1% of dwellings were houses, with the remaining 41.9% being semi-detached, apartments, or other types. This compares to Sydney metropolitan areas' figures of 55.9% houses and 44.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Collaroy - Collaroy Plateau stood at 36.6%, with mortgaged properties at 36.9% and rented dwellings at 26.5%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $3,000, higher than Sydney metro's average of $2,427. Weekly rent in the area was recorded at $600, compared to Sydney metro's $470. Nationally, Collaroy - Collaroy Plateau's median mortgage repayments were significantly higher than Australia's average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 76.0% of all households, including 38.9% couples with children, 26.6% couples without children, and 9.5% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 24.0%, with lone person households at 21.1% and group households comprising 2.9%. The median household size is 2.7 people, which aligns with the Greater Sydney average.

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

Educational qualifications in Collaroy-Collaroy Plateau trail regional benchmarks with 35.6% of residents aged 15+ holding university degrees compared to 41.5% in SA4 region as of 2016 data. Bachelor degrees lead at 25.4%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 7.4% and graduate diplomas at 2.8%. Trade and technical skills feature prominently with 33.5% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas at 13.3% and certificates at 20.2%. Educational participation is notably high with 29.2% of residents currently enrolled in formal education as of 2016 data, including 9.3% in primary education, 8.4% in secondary education, and 5.5% pursuing tertiary education.

Educational participation is notably high, with 29.2% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.3% in primary education, 8.4% in secondary education, and 5.5% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Public transport analysis shows 79 active stops operating within Collaroy-Collaroy Plateau, serving a mix of bus routes. These stops are serviced by 60 individual routes, collectively providing 5,648 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents typically located 172 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward daily, with car being the dominant mode at 85%, while 7% use buses. Vehicle ownership averages 1.5 per dwelling, above the regional average. According to the 2021 Census, 44.5% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions.

Service frequency averages 806 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 71 weekly trips per stop.

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

Analysis of health metrics shows strong performance throughout Collaroy - Collaroy Plateau. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence were low across both young and old age cohorts. Private health cover was exceptionally high at approximately 73% of the total population (10,401 people), compared to 59.9% across Greater Sydney and 55.7% nationally.

The most common medical conditions were asthma and arthritis, impacting 6.4 and 6.2% of residents respectively. 75.2% of residents declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 74.6% across Greater Sydney. As of 18 September 2021, the area had 18.5% of residents aged 65 and over (2,629 people), higher than the 15.5% in Greater Sydney. Health outcomes among seniors were particularly strong, with national rankings even higher than the general population.

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

Collaroy-Collaroy Plateau has a higher than average cultural diversity, with 13.4% of its population speaking a language other than English at home and 26.0% born overseas. Christianity is the predominant religion in Collaroy-Collaroy Plateau, comprising 54.9% of people. However, Judaism's representation stands out at 0.3%, compared to Greater Sydney's 0.8%.

In terms of ancestry, English (29.2%) and Australian (24.0%) are the top groups, both substantially higher than regional averages of 19.0% and 17.8% respectively. Irish ancestry is also notable at 9.4%. Other ethnicities with notable representation include French (0.8%), Serbian (0.6%), and New Zealand (1.0%).

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

Collaroy-Collaroy Plateau's median age is 41 years, significantly higher than Greater Sydney's average of 37 and Australia's median of 38. The 55-64 cohort is notably over-represented at 13.7%, compared to the Greater Sydney average, while the 25-34 cohort is under-represented at 11.7%. Post-2021 Census, the 15-24 age group grew from 12.7% to 14.9%, and the 75-84 cohort increased from 5.3% to 6.6%. Conversely, the 35-44 cohort declined from 13.1% to 11.3%, and the 5-14 group dropped from 12.4% to 10.9%. By 2041, demographic modeling projects significant changes in Collaroy-Collaroy Plateau's age profile, with the 85+ cohort showing the strongest growth at 163%, adding 560 residents to reach 903. Residents aged 65 and older will represent 100% of anticipated population growth, while declines are projected for the 45-54 and 55-64 cohorts.