Gordon - Killara
Statistical Area - sa2

Population growth drivers in Gordon - Killara are strong compared to national averages based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Gordon-Killara's population is approximately 23,962 as of August 2025. This figure represents an increase of 1,529 people, a 6.8% rise since the 2021 Census which recorded a population of 22,433. The change is inferred from ABS's estimated resident population of 23,783 in June 2024 and an additional 133 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 2,053 persons per square kilometer, above average national levels assessed by AreaSearch. Gordon-Killara's growth rate of 6.8% since the 2021 census exceeds both its SA3 area (4.0%) and SA4 region, positioning it as a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration was the primary driver of population growth 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 the years 2032 to 2041. By 2041, based on current demographic trends and population numbers, Gordon-Killara is expected to increase by approximately 2,594 persons, representing a total gain of around 10.1% over the 17-year period.

AreaSearch analysis of residential development drivers sees Gordon - Killara recording a relatively average level of approval activity when compared to local markets analysed countrywide

Gordon-Killara has received approximately 47 dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling 236 homes from FY-18 to FY-22. In FY-26, 19 approvals have been recorded so far. Each dwelling built between FY-21 and FY-25 has resulted in an average of 2.9 new residents per year, indicating strong demand for housing. The average expected construction cost value of new homes is $1,319,000, suggesting developers are targeting the premium market segment with higher-end properties.

Commercial approvals have reached $114.7 million in FY-26, reflecting high levels of local commercial activity. Compared to Greater Sydney, Gordon-Killara has roughly half the building activity per person and ranks in the 19th percentile nationally for assessed areas, indicating limited buyer options but strengthening demand for established dwellings. This lower level of development activity may suggest market maturity or potential constraints. New developments consist of 71.0% detached houses and 29.0% townhouses or apartments, maintaining the area's suburban character with a focus on detached housing that attracts space-seeking buyers.

The population density is approximately 815 people per dwelling approval, reflecting an established market. By 2041, Gordon-Killara is projected to grow by 2,415 residents. At current development rates, housing supply may struggle to keep pace with population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and supporting price increases.

Gordon - Killara has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 10% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 46 projects likely affecting the area. Notable ones include The Origin Killara, The Marian - involving sites at 20, 22A & 22 Marian Street for Transit-Oriented Development (TOD), IC3 Super West Data Centre, and Stanhope Road Development Site. Below is a list of those most relevant.

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

AreaSearch analysis reveals Gordon - Killara recording weaker employment conditions than most comparable areas nationwide

Killara has an educated workforce with a notable presence in the technology sector and an unemployment rate of 4.5% as of June 2025. There are 12,099 residents employed, with an unemployment rate of 4.8%, slightly higher than Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%.

Workforce participation is at par with Greater Sydney at 60.0%. Key industries include professional & technical (with a specialization index of 1.6), health care & social assistance, and finance & insurance. Construction employment is relatively low at 4.1%, compared to the regional average of 8.6%. The area appears to have limited local employment opportunities, with fewer working residents than would be expected based on population numbers.

Between June 2024 and June 2025, Killara's labour force decreased by 0.3% and employment declined by 2.2%, leading to a rise in unemployment of 1.9 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Sydney saw employment growth of 2.6%. As of Sep-25, NSW employment contracted by 0.41%, with the state unemployment rate at 4.3%. National forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia project national employment to grow by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Killara's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 7.6% over five years and 15.1% over ten years, though these are simple extrapolations for illustrative purposes only.

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

The latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 shows that Gordon - Killara had a median income among taxpayers of $59,739 and an average income of $120,764. These figures are notably high compared to national averages and Greater Sydney's median of $56,994 and average of $80,856. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.6% since financial year 2022, estimated current incomes for March 2025 would be approximately $66,071 (median) and $133,565 (average). Census data indicates that household, family, and personal incomes in Gordon - Killara rank highly nationally, between the 84th and 93rd percentiles. Income distribution shows that 33.7% of the population earns within the $4000+ range, contrasting with regional levels where the $1,500 - 2,999 range dominates at 30.9%. A significant 45.3% of individuals in Gordon - Killara earn above $3,000 weekly. High housing costs consume 15.8% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 92nd percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 10th decile.

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

Gordon-Killara's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 55.7% houses and 44.3% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This differs from Sydney metro's composition of 68.8% houses and 31.3% other dwellings. Home ownership in Gordon-Killara stood at 38.1%, with the remaining dwellings either mortgaged (33.1%) or rented (28.8%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $3,200, lower than Sydney metro's average of $3,500. The median weekly rent figure was recorded at $600, compared to Sydney metro's $630. Nationally, Gordon-Killara's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Gordon - Killara features high concentrations of family households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 79.6% of all households, including 43.5% couples with children, 24.1% couples without children, and 11.0% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 20.4%, with lone person households at 18.7% and group households comprising 1.8%. The median household size is 2.8 people, which is smaller than the Greater Sydney average of 2.9.

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

Gordon-Killara has higher educational attainment than national averages. 59.5% of residents aged 15+ have university qualifications, compared to Australia's 30.4% and NSW's 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 36.1%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (20.1%) and graduate diplomas (3.3%). Vocational pathways account for 16.1%, including advanced diplomas (9.6%) and certificates (6.5%).

Educational participation is high, with 32.9% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes secondary education (10.3%), primary education (9.5%), and tertiary education (8.2%). The area's 5 schools have a combined enrollment of 3,772 students. Schools perform exceptionally well, with an ICSEA score of 1163, indicating high advantage nationally. School types include 2 primary, 1 secondary, and 2 K-12 schools. There are 15.7 school places per 100 residents, below the regional average of 20.6, suggesting some students may attend adjacent areas' schools. No enrollment data was available for certain schools; please refer to their parent campus.

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

Transport analysis shows 116 active stops operating in Gordon-Killara. These include train and bus services. There are 98 routes serving these stops, providing a total of 7,426 weekly passenger trips.

Residents have excellent transport accessibility, with an average distance of 166 meters to the nearest stop. Service frequency is 1,060 trips per day across all routes, equating to about 64 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Gordon-Killara shows excellent health outcomes with a very low prevalence of common conditions across all ages. Private health cover stands at approximately 80%, much higher than the national average of 55.3%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are asthma and arthritis, affecting 5.5% and 4.6% respectively. A total of 78.4% report no medical ailments, compared to 76.0% in Greater Sydney. The area has 19.0% residents aged 65 and over (4,555 people), lower than the 20.2% in Greater Sydney. Seniors' health outcomes are strong and align with the general population's profile.

Gordon - Killara is among the most culturally diverse areas in the country based on AreaSearch assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Gordon-Killara scores highly in cultural diversity, with 46.9% speaking a language other than English at home (2016 Census). Born overseas makes up 51.5%. Christianity is the main religion, at 41.1%, but Judaism stands out at 1.8%, compared to Greater Sydney's 2.5%.

Top ancestry groups are Chinese at 27.6% (higher than regional average of 17.8%), English at 18.1%, and Australian at 14.1%. Notable divergences include Korean at 3.7% (vs regional 2.3%), Russian at 0.6% (vs 0.5%), and South African at 0.8% (vs 1.6%).

Gordon - Killara's median age exceeds the national pattern

Gordon-Killara's median age is 41 years, which is significantly higher than Greater Sydney's average of 37 years and somewhat older than Australia's median of 38 years. Compared to Greater Sydney, Gordon-Killara has a notably over-represented cohort of 15-24 year-olds (16.0%) and an under-represented cohort of 25-34 year-olds (9.5%). According to the 2021 Census, the 15-24 age group grew from 14.0% to 16.0%, while the 0-4 age group declined from 4.0% to 3.1%. Demographic modeling projects significant changes in Gordon-Killara's age profile by 2041, with the 75-84 cohort showing the strongest growth (56%), adding 884 residents to reach 2,456. The population is projected to age further, with residents aged 65 and older representing 70% of anticipated growth. Conversely, population declines are projected for the 0-4 and 25-34 cohorts.