Dee Why (South) - North Curl Curl

An assessment of population growth drivers in Dee Why (South) - North Curl Curl reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

According to research conducted by AreaSearch, the population of Dee Why (South) - North Curl Curl is estimated to be 9,455 in May 2026. This represents a growth of 339 residents (3.7%) from the 9,116 individuals recorded during the 2021 Census. This calculation combines the ABS estimated resident population of 9,455 from June 2025 and 87 validated new addresses identified after the Census. The local population density stands at 4,751 persons per square kilometer, placing the suburb within the highest 10% of all areas analyzed nationwide, indicating significant demand for local land. The primary driver of this population increase was overseas migration, which accounted for roughly 71.7% of the total growth in recent times.

Projections from the ABS and Geoscience Australia, published in 2024 using 2022 as a baseline, are used for each SA2 region. For locations where this dataset is unavailable, figures from the NSW State Government SA2 projections released in 2022 with a 2021 base year are substituted. Age-specific growth dynamics from these sources are also projected for the period spanning 2032 to 2041. Future population trends suggest growth will align with the lowest national quartile, with the suburb projected to add 195 residents by 2041 compared to the most recent annual ERP data, representing a total rise of 2.1% over the 16 years.

Recent residential development output has been above average within Dee Why (South) - North Curl Curl when compared nationally

Approximately 61 residential builds receive development approval annually in Dee Why (South) - North Curl Curl, resulting in 306 approved dwellings during the 5 financial years from FY-21 to FY-25, alongside 19 approvals during FY-26 so far. Because the region attracted an average of just 0.2 additional residents per year for every completed home during the 5 financial years from FY-21 to FY-25, the local supply matches or exceeds demand, offering buyers more options and creating room for population expansion to outpace forecasts. The average valuation of these new properties is $541,000, which demonstrates a developer focus on high-end, premium housing. Commercial approvals for the current financial year total $300,000, highlighting that development remains heavily residential.

Dee Why (South) - North Curl Curl displays 123.0% more building approvals per capita than Greater Sydney, expanding choices for prospective purchasers. The composition of new construction comprises 18.0% standalone houses and 82.0% medium to high-density dwellings. This focus on denser residential options provides more attainable pathways to home ownership and appeals to downsizers, property investors, and first-time buyers. This trend departs from the current housing landscape where houses comprise 53.0% of properties, pointing to a scarcity of vacant land, changing consumer preferences, and the demand for more varied, cost-effective housing types. A ratio of approximately 693 residents per approved dwelling indicates a highly established local property market.

According to the latest quarterly estimates from AreaSearch, the population of Dee Why (South) - North Curl Curl is projected to grow by 195 people by 2041. Based on recent building trends, the supply of new housing is well-positioned to satisfy this demand, maintaining favorable conditions for purchasers and potentially enabling population growth to exceed current forecasts.

Dee Why (South) - North Curl Curl has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 42ndth percentile nationally

Local infrastructure projects, major planning decisions, and new developments are key factors in regional growth. AreaSearch has identified 15 projects that are expected to impact the local community. The most relevant projects include the Northern Beaches Coast Walk, Casa Delmar, Havana Dee Why, and the North Curl Curl Mixed-Use Development, with additional project details provided below.

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

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AreaSearch analysis indicates Dee Why (South) - North Curl Curl maintains employment conditions that align with national benchmarks

The workforce in Dee Why (South) - North Curl Curl is highly qualified, with a prominent share of professionals, a low unemployment rate of 4.0%, and steady job trends over the past year. In March 2026, employed residents numbered 5,714, with the local unemployment rate sitting 0.2% below the Greater Sydney average of 4.1%. Labor force participation is exceptionally high at 74.7% compared to the regional benchmark of 69.1%. Census data indicates that 47.6% of working residents performed their duties from home, though this figure may reflect the influence of pandemic lockdowns.

The primary employment sectors for local citizens are professional & technical services, health care & social assistance, and construction. Professional & technical services show a strong local concentration, with employment share reaching 1.2 times the metropolitan average. Conversely, transport, postal & warehousing represents a relatively small share of local employment at 3.1% compared to the regional figure of 5.3%. A comparison of the locally employed workforce to the resident working population suggests this residential suburb offers few local jobs.

An examination of SALM and ABS statistics by AreaSearch shows that during the 12 months ending March 2026, total employment grew by 0.2% while the active labor force grew by 1.4%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 1.2 percentage points. Over the same period, Greater Sydney experienced employment expansion of 1.9% and labor force growth of 1.9%, with a minor decrease in unemployment. Long-term employment trends can be evaluated using national forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia issued in May-25. These five and ten-year projections have been integrated with the local industry profile to estimate future trends. While national employment is expected to grow by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, the rate of change varies widely by sector. Aligning these industry trends with the local employment distribution suggests employment among residents could grow by 7.1% over five years and 14.2% over ten years, based on a simple weighted extrapolation that does not incorporate local population forecasts.

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

Based on the latest postcode-level ATO data released for the financial year 2023, taxpaying residents of the Dee Why (South) - North Curl Curl SA2 record a median income of $66,013 and an average income of $92,333. These figures are high on a national scale, compared to the Greater Sydney median of $60,817 and average of $83,003. Factoring in Wage Price Index growth of 10.32% since the financial year 2023, these values correspond to approximately $72,826 for median income and $101,862 for average income in March 2026. The 2021 Census confirms that household, family, and individual incomes are high, placing the area between the 86th and 91st percentiles nationally. The largest income bracket contains 31.3% of tax-paying residents earning $4000+ per week (2,959 residents), whereas the metropolitan area has its largest concentration in the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket at 30.9%. A substantial 43.4% of weekly household incomes exceed $3,000, indicating high household wealth. Although housing expenses account for 16.8% of income, strong earnings keep disposable income at the 90th percentile nationally, and the SEIFA index for income places the area in the 9th decile.

Dee Why (South) - North Curl Curl features a more urban dwelling mix with significant apartment living, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

The local housing stock at the time of the latest Census consisted of 52.7% detached houses and 47.3% other dwelling types, including townhouses and apartments, compared to 55.9% houses and 44.1% other options across metropolitan Sydney. Home ownership rates in Dee Why (South) - North Curl Curl were significantly higher than metropolitan averages at 32.3%, with mortgaged properties accounting for 34.1% and rental properties making up 33.6%. The median mortgage payment in the area was $3,000 per month, higher than the Sydney average of $2,427, while the median weekly rent was $573, compared to the metropolitan average of $470. Locally, mortgage repayments are significantly higher than the Australian median of $1,863, and median rents are also well above the national benchmark of $375.

Dee Why (South) - North Curl Curl features high concentrations of group households, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households represent 73.5% of the local population, with couples with children accounting for 39.2%, couples without children making up 23.4%, and single-parent homes comprising 10.0%. Non-family households account for the remaining 26.5%, consisting of lone-person households at 21.9% and group households at 4.7%. The median household size of 2.7 people matches the average for Greater Sydney.

Dee Why (South) - North Curl Curl demonstrates exceptional educational outcomes, ranking among the top 5% of areas nationally based on AreaSearch's comprehensive analysis of qualification and performance metrics

Dee Why (South) - North Curl Curl has high levels of educational attainment, with 42.5% of residents aged 15+ holding a university degree, compared to national and state averages of 30.4% and 32.2% respectively. This educational profile positions the workforce well for knowledge-based employment. Bachelor degrees are held by 29.7% of residents, followed by postgraduate degrees at 9.8% and graduate diplomas at 3.0%. Vocational training is also common, with 29.8% of residents aged 15+ holding qualifications, consisting of advanced diplomas at 12.8% and certificates at 17.0%.

A high proportion of the population is engaged in education, with 31.8% of residents currently enrolled in study. This includes 9.6% in primary school, 9.1% in secondary school, and 6.5% enrolled in higher education.

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

Public transport services in Dee Why (South) - North Curl Curl include 43 active transport stops, which are primarily bus stops. These stops are served by 57 routes, providing a total of 1,588 passenger trips per week. Transport links are accessible, with an average distance of 117 meters from homes to the nearest stop. The suburb is primarily residential, and most workers commute outside the area; private vehicles are the main mode of travel at 80%, followed by bus transit at 9% and walking at 5%. Dwellings average 1.3 motor vehicles. A high proportion of residents, 47.6%, worked from home according to the 2021 Census, which may reflect pandemic-related restrictions.

Service frequency across all local routes averages 226 trips per day, which represents approximately 36 weekly trips for each transport stop.

Dee Why (South) - North Curl Curl's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Health indicators show favorable outcomes in Dee Why (South) - North Curl Curl, based on analysis of mortality statistics and chronic disease rates, which reveal low rates of illness across all demographics. Private health insurance coverage is exceptionally high, with approximately 67% of residents (6,315 people) holding cover, compared to 59.9% in Greater Sydney and a national average of 55.7%.

Asthma and mental health conditions are the most common diagnoses, affecting 6.2 and 5.8% of residents respectively. However, 77.9% of the population reported no chronic health issues, compared to 74.6% across Greater Sydney. Residents aged 65 and over make up 14.8% of the local population (1,400 people). Senior health profiles are favorable, with national rankings aligning closely with the general population.

The level of cultural diversity witnessed in Dee Why (South) - North Curl Curl was found to be above average when compared nationally for a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Dee Why (South) - North Curl Curl displays higher cultural diversity than many other areas, with 16.8% of residents speaking a language other than English at home and 31.9% of the population born outside Australia. Christianity is the most common religion, representing 46.9% of the population. The most prominent religious overrepresentation is Judaism, which accounts for 0.4% of the population compared to 0.8% across Greater Sydney.

In terms of family background, the main ancestries are English at 29.6% (compared to the regional average of 19.0%), Australian at 21.7%, and Other at 10.6% (below the regional average of 16.0%). Specific backgrounds show notable variations, with French ancestry representing 1.0% of the population (compared to 0.5% regionally), Welsh at 0.9% (compared to 0.4%), and South Australian at 0.9% (compared to 0.5%).

Dee Why (South) - North Curl Curl's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

The median age in Dee Why (South) - North Curl Curl is 38 years, which is close to the Greater Sydney average of 37 years and matches the national median of 38 years. The suburb has a higher proportion of residents aged 55 - 64 (13.7%) and a lower proportion of people aged 35 - 44 (13.6%) compared to Greater Sydney. Since the 2021 Census, the 55 to 64 cohort grew from 12.6% to 13.7%, and the 65 to 74 group rose from 7.1% to 8.1%. Conversely, the 45 to 54 group declined from 16.1% to 13.6%, and the 5 to 14 cohort fell from 13.1% to 10.6%. By 2041, demographic changes are expected, with the 35 to 44 age group projected to grow by 32% (411 people) to reach 1,698 from 1,286, while the 0 to 4 and 5 to 14 cohorts are expected to decrease in size.