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 was around 23,388 as of May 2026. This reflected an increase of 1,560 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 21,828. The growth was inferred from ABS' estimated resident population of 23,383 in June 2025 and 90 validated new addresses since the Census date. This resulted in a density ratio of 3,257 persons per square kilometer, placing Freshwater-Brookvale in the upper quartile nationally according to AreaSearch's assessments. The area's growth of 7.1% since the 2021 census exceeded its SA3 area (3.7%) and SA4 region, making it a growth leader. Overseas migration contributed approximately 71.6% of overall population gains recently.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered by this data, NSW State Government's SA2 level projections are used, 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. Future population dynamics anticipate lower quartile growth nationally, with Freshwater-Brookvale expected to grow by 344 persons to 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting a total increase of 1.4% over the 16 years.

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. Over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, a total of 311 homes have been approved, with an additional 51 approved in FY-26 so far. On average, each dwelling accommodates approximately 2.2 new residents annually over these five years, indicating healthy demand which supports property values.

The average construction cost value for new homes is $727,000, suggesting developers focus on the premium market with high-end developments. In FY-26 alone, commercial approvals amount to $111.1 million, demonstrating strong commercial development momentum in the area. Compared to Greater Sydney, Freshwater - Brookvale maintains similar development levels per capita, consistent with the broader area's market balance. However, these activity levels are below the national average, suggesting the area's established nature and potential planning limitations.

Recent construction comprises 62.0% standalone homes and 38.0% medium to high-density housing, offering options across various price points from family homes to more affordable compact living. Notably, developers build more traditional houses than the current mix suggests (42.0% at Census), indicating strong demand for family homes despite density pressures. With approximately 426 people per approval, Freshwater - Brookvale indicates a mature market. According to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate, the area is projected to add 339 residents by 2041. Given current construction levels, housing supply should adequately meet demand, 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 45thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 32 such projects likely affecting this region. Notable ones include Freshwater Beach Masterplan, The Alba, Warringah Mall Mixed Use Redevelopment, and Northern Beaches Secondary College Freshwater Campus Expansion. Relevant projects are detailed below.

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

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AreaSearch assessment positions Freshwater - Brookvale ahead of most Australian regions for employment performance

Freshwater - Brookvale has an educated workforce with a notable presence in the technology sector. Its unemployment rate is 3.1%. As of December 2025, there are 14,480 residents employed, with an unemployment rate of 1.1% below Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%.

Workforce participation stands at 76.2%, higher than Greater Sydney's 68.8%. According to Census responses, 53.0% of residents work from home. The dominant employment sectors are professional & technical, health care & social assistance, and construction. Professional & technical jobs are particularly concentrated, with levels at 1.5 times the regional average.

Health care & social assistance has limited presence at 11.3%, compared to 14.1% regionally. The ratio of workers to residents is 0.8, indicating ample local employment opportunities. Between December 2024 and December 2025, labour force decreased by 0.2% while employment decreased by 1.1%, leading to a 0.9 percentage point rise in unemployment rate. In contrast, Greater Sydney saw employment growth of 2.2%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project overall employment growth of 6.6% 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 these are simple extrapolations for illustrative purposes only.

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 2023 shows Freshwater - Brookvale SA2 had a median income of $74,724 and an average income of $126,872 among taxpayers. Nationally, these figures are exceptionally high compared to Greater Sydney's median of $60,817 and average of $83,003. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.32% since financial year 2023, current estimates for Freshwater - Brookvale would be approximately $82,436 (median) and $139,965 (average) as of March 2026. According to the 2021 Census, incomes in Freshwater - Brookvale rank highly nationally, with household, family, and personal incomes all between the 94th and 94th percentiles. The earnings profile shows that 32.0% of residents (7,484 people) fall into the $4000+ 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, but 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 ownership patterns similar to the broader region

In Freshwater-Brookvale, as per the latest Census evaluation, 41.7% of dwellings were houses while 58.4% consisted of semi-detached homes, apartments, and other types. This contrasts with Sydney metropolitan areas where 55.9% were houses and 44.1% were other dwellings. Home ownership in Freshwater-Brookvale stood at 27.6%, similar to the Sydney metro average. Mortgaged dwellings accounted for 35.4% and rented dwellings made up 37.0%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $3,033, higher than the Sydney metro average of $2,427. The median weekly rent in Freshwater-Brookvale was $600, compared to $470 in Sydney metro areas. Nationally, Freshwater-Brookvale's mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $3,033 versus Australia's average of $1,863. Rents were also 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 comprise the remaining 29.7%, with lone person households at 24.5% and group households making up 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 surpasses broader benchmarks. As of 2016, 46.9% of residents aged 15+ held university qualifications, compared to Australia's 30.4% and New South Wales' 32.2%. This area has a substantial educational advantage with bachelor degrees leading at 32.6%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (11.0%) and graduate diplomas (3.3%). Trade and technical skills are prominently featured, with 27.6% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas (11.7%) and certificates (15.9%).

Educational participation is notably high, with 28.5% of residents currently enrolled in formal education as of the 2016 Census. 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

The analysis of public transport in Freshwater-Brookvale indicates that there are 209 active transport stops operating within the area. These stops serve a mix of bus routes, totalling 114 individual routes. Together, they facilitate 9,988 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of transport is rated as excellent, with residents typically located 131 meters from their nearest transport stop. In this predominantly residential area, most commuting is outward-bound. Cars remain the dominant mode of transport at 78%, followed by buses at 8% and walking at 7%.

On average, there are 1.2 vehicles per dwelling. According to the 2021 Census, a high proportion of residents, specifically 53.0%, work from home, which may be reflective of COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency averages 1,426 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 47 weekly trips per individual stop. The accompanying map illustrates the 100 nearest stops to the location's centrepoint.

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

Freshwater-Brookvale's health outcomes show excellent results based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Common health conditions have very low prevalence across all age groups. Private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 80% of the total population (18,687 people), compared to Greater Sydney's 59.9% and the national average of 55.7%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are asthma and mental health issues, affecting 6.3 and 5.8% of residents respectively. 78.0% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to Greater Sydney's 74.6%. The area has 13.7% of residents aged 65 and over (3,208 people), lower than Greater Sydney's 15.5%. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, aligning with national rankings for 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 areas, with 16.5% of its residents speaking a language other than English at home and 33.3% born overseas. Christianity is the predominant religion in Freshwater-Brookvale, making up 45.3% of the population. Notably, Judaism comprises 0.2% of the population, compared to 0.8% across Greater Sydney.

In terms of ancestry, the top three groups are English (29.5%), Australian (21.5%), and Other (9.8%). While English is substantially higher than the regional average of 19.0%, Other is notably lower at 16.0%. Some ethnic groups show significant differences: French at 1.3% (regional average 0.5%), Spanish at 0.8% (0.6%), and Welsh at 0.8% (0.4%).

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

Freshwater-Brookvale has a median age of 37, matching Greater Sydney's figure and closely resembling Australia's median age of 38. The age group of 45-54 is strongly represented at 13.7%, compared to Greater Sydney, while the 5-14 cohort is less prevalent at 10.1%. Between 2021 and present, the 15-24 age group has increased from 10.4% to 12.5% of the population. Conversely, the 5-14 cohort has decreased from 11.9% to 10.1%, and the 45-54 group has dropped from 15.1% to 13.7%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Freshwater-Brookvale's age structure. The 75-84 age group is projected to grow by 57%, adding 572 people and reaching a total of 1,578 from the current figure of 1,005. This growth reflects an aging population trend, with those aged 65 and above accounting for 94% of the projected population increase. Meanwhile, the 45-54 and 25-34 age groups are expected to experience population declines.