Freshwater - Brookvale

An assessment of population growth drivers in Freshwater - Brookvale reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

Freshwater-Brookvale's population is 23,382 as of November 2025. This figure shows an increase of 1,554 people since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 21,828. The growth was inferred from ABS' June 2024 estimated resident population of 23,255 and 63 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 3,256 persons per square kilometer, placing Freshwater-Brookvale in the upper quartile nationally according to AreaSearch's assessments. The area's growth rate of 7.1% since the 2021 Census exceeded both the SA4 region (3.2%) and the SA3 area, making it a growth leader. Overseas migration contributed approximately 65.3% 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 are used, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. By 2041, Freshwater-Brookvale is expected to grow by 490 persons based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting an increase of 1.6% over the 17-year period.

Residential development activity is slightly higher than average within Freshwater - Brookvale when compared nationally

Freshwater - Brookvale has granted around 62 residential properties approval per year on average over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25. This totals 311 homes approved during this period. In FY-26 alone, 33 homes have been approved so far.

On average, each dwelling has accommodated approximately 2.2 new residents annually over these five years, indicating steady demand which supports property values. The average expected construction cost value of new homes being built is $727,000, reflecting developers' focus on the premium market with high-end developments. In FY-26, commercial approvals have reached $111.1 million, demonstrating robust commercial development momentum in the area. Compared to Greater Sydney, Freshwater - Brookvale maintains similar levels of development per person, indicating a balanced market consistent with the broader region.

However, these development levels are below the national average, suggesting an established nature for the area and potential planning limitations. Recent construction in Freshwater - Brookvale comprises 62.0% standalone homes and 38.0% medium to high-density housing. This mix includes a growing number of townhouses and apartments, offering options across different price points from family homes to more affordable compact living. Notably, developers are building more traditional houses than the current market share suggests (42.0% at Census), indicating strong demand for family homes despite density pressures. With approximately 426 people approved per dwelling, Freshwater - Brookvale indicates a mature market. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, the area is projected to add 363 residents by 2041. Given current construction levels, housing supply should adequately meet demand in Freshwater - Brookvale, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts.

Freshwater - Brookvale has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 40thth percentile nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 32 projects likely to impact the area. Notable projects include Freshwater Beach Masterplan, The Alba, Northern Beaches Secondary College Freshwater Campus Expansion, and Brookvale Structure Plan Implementation. The following list details those most 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.

AreaSearch analysis places Freshwater - Brookvale well above average for employment performance across multiple indicators

Freshwater - Brookvale has a highly educated workforce with notable representation in the technology sector. Its unemployment rate is 3.0%.

As of September 2025, 14,445 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 1.1% below Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%. Workforce participation stands at 72.0%, compared to Greater Sydney's 60.0%. Dominant employment sectors include professional & technical, health care & social assistance, and construction. Professional & technical employment is particularly high, at 1.5 times the regional average.

Health care & social assistance has limited presence, with 11.3% employment compared to 14.1% regionally. The worker-resident ratio is 0.8, indicating above-normal local employment opportunities. Between September 2024 and September 2025, labour force decreased by 0.3%, while employment decreased by 1.2%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 0.9 percentage points. Conversely, Greater Sydney saw employment growth of 2.1% and labour force growth of 2.4%, with a 0.2 percentage point rise in unemployment. As of 25-November-25, NSW employment contracted by 0.03% (losing 2,260 jobs), with the state unemployment rate at 3.9%. Nationally, the unemployment rate is 4.3%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Freshwater - Brookvale's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.2% over five years and 14.3% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not consider localized population projections.

The economic profile demonstrates exceptional strength, placing the area among the top 10% nationally based on comprehensive AreaSearch income analysis

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 shows Freshwater - Brookvale SA2 had a median income of $71,210 and an average income of $127,367 among taxpayers. Nationally, these figures are exceptionally high compared to Greater Sydney's median of $56,994 and average of $80,856. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% since financial year 2022, current estimates for Freshwater - Brookvale would be approximately $80,190 (median) and $143,428 (average) as of September 2025. The 2021 Census reveals that household, family, and personal incomes in Freshwater - Brookvale rank highly nationally, between the 94th and 94th percentiles. The earnings profile shows that 32.0% of residents (7,482 people) fall into the $4,000+ bracket, contrasting with the surrounding region where the $1,500 - $2,999 bracket leads at 30.9%. Economic strength is evident through 46.0% of households achieving high weekly earnings exceeding $3,000, supporting elevated consumer spending. High housing costs consume 17.2% of income, though strong earnings still place disposable income at the 93rd percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 10th decile.

Freshwater - Brookvale features a more urban dwelling mix with significant apartment living, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

In Freshwater-Brookvale, as per the latest Census, 41.7% of dwellings were houses while 58.4% were other types such as semi-detached homes, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. In comparison, Sydney metropolitan area had 57.6% houses and 42.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Freshwater-Brookvale was at 27.6%, with mortgaged dwellings at 35.4% and rented ones at 37.0%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $3,033, higher than Sydney metro's average of $3,000. Median weekly rent was $600, compared to Sydney metro's $592. Nationally, Freshwater-Brookvale's median monthly mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $3,033 compared to the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Freshwater - Brookvale features high concentrations of group households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 70.3% of all households, including 33.2% couples with children, 27.9% couples without children, and 8.3% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 29.7%, with lone person households at 24.5% and group households comprising 5.2%. The median household size is 2.5 people, which is smaller than the Greater Sydney average of 2.7.

Educational achievement in Freshwater - Brookvale places it within the top 10% nationally, reflecting strong academic performance and high qualification levels across the community

Freshwater - Brookvale's educational attainment significantly exceeds national and state averages. Among residents aged 15 and above, 46.9% hold university qualifications, compared to 30.4% in Australia and 32.2% in New South Wales (NSW). Bachelor degrees are the most common at 32.6%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 11.0% and graduate diplomas at 3.3%. Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 27.6% of residents holding such qualifications - advanced diplomas at 11.7% and certificates at 15.9%.

Educational participation is notably high in the area, with 28.5% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 8.9% in primary education, 7.8% in secondary education, and 5.3% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Freshwater-Brookvale has 153 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 114 unique routes that together facilitate 9,717 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents, on average, located just 141 meters from the nearest stop.

Across all routes, service frequency averages 1,388 trips per day, which equates to approximately 63 weekly trips per individual stop.

Freshwater - Brookvale's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Freshwater-Brookvale demonstrates excellent health outcomes across all age groups, with very low prevalence of common health conditions. Private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 81% of the total population (18,986 people), compared to 71.5% in Greater Sydney and a national average of 55.3%. The most prevalent medical conditions are asthma (6.3%) and mental health issues (5.8%).

A significant majority, 78.0%, report being completely clear of medical ailments, higher than the Greater Sydney average of 74.7%. In terms of demographics, 13.5% of residents are aged 65 and over (3,165 people), lower than Greater Sydney's 17.8%. Health outcomes among seniors align with those of the general population.

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

Freshwater-Brookvale has a higher cultural diversity than most local markets, with 16.5% of its population speaking a language other than English at home and 33.3% born overseas. Christianity is the predominant religion in Freshwater-Brookvale, comprising 45.3%. Judaism, however, is overrepresented compared to Greater Sydney, making up 0.2% versus 0.3%.

The top three ancestral groups are English (29.5%), Australian (21.5%), and Other (9.8%). Notably, French (1.3%) Spanish (0.8%), and Welsh (0.8%) ethnicities are overrepresented compared to regional averages of 1.1%, 0.6%, and 0.7% respectively.

Freshwater - Brookvale's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

Freshwater - Brookvale has a median age of 37, matching Greater Sydney's figure of 37 years and remaining comparable to Australia's median age of 38 years. The 45-54 age group is strongly represented at 13.9%, higher than Greater Sydney's percentage. Conversely, the 5-14 age cohort is less prevalent at 10.1%. Between 2021 and present, the 15 to 24 age group has grown from 10.4% to 12.2% of the population. During this period, the 5-14 age group declined from 11.9% to 10.1%, and the 45-54 age group decreased from 15.1% to 13.9%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Freshwater - Brookvale's age structure. The 75-84 age group is projected to grow by 65%, adding 652 people, reaching a total of 1,663 from the previous figure of 1,010. This growth is primarily driven by an aging population dynamic, with those aged 65 and above comprising 93% of the projected growth. Conversely, the 45-54 and 15-24 age cohorts are expected to experience population declines.