Helensburgh
Statistical Area - sa2

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

Helensburgh's population, as of November 2025, is approximately 9,213. This figure represents an increase of 78 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 9,135. The change can be inferred from the estimated resident population of 9,124 in June 2024 and an additional 54 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 59 persons per square kilometer. Natural growth contributed approximately 51.9% 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. Future population dynamics anticipate lower quartile growth for national regional areas, with the area expected to expand by 365 persons to 2041 based on latest population numbers, recording a gain of approximately 3.0% over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development drivers sees a low level of activity in Helensburgh, placing the area among the bottom 25% of areas assessed nationally

Helensburgh has received approximately 22 dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling 112 homes. As of FY-26, 11 approvals have been recorded. The average construction cost value for new homes is $328,000. In this period, Helensburgh's population has fallen, suggesting that the new supply has likely kept pace with demand, providing good buying choices.

Commercial approvals totalling $1.3 million have been registered in FY-26, indicating the area's residential nature. Compared to Rest of NSW, Helensburgh has significantly less development activity, which is 58.0% below the regional average per person. This constrained new construction typically reinforces demand and pricing for existing properties. The development activity in Helensburgh is also lower than the national average, reflecting market maturity and possible development constraints. New building activity consists of 47.0% detached dwellings and 53.0% medium to high-density housing, offering affordable entry pathways and attracting downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers. This represents a significant shift from the current housing mix, which is predominantly houses (85.0%). The estimated population per dwelling approval in Helensburgh is 1151 people, reflecting its quiet, low activity development environment.

Future projections suggest that Helensburgh will add approximately 274 residents by 2041. Based on current development patterns, new housing supply should readily meet demand, offering good conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

Helensburgh has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 40% nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 16 projects that could affect this region. Notable projects include Helensburgh Pool Refurbishment, Former Helensburgh Waste Depot Remediation, Helensburgh Streetscape Masterplan - Stage 2 & 3, and Vera and Wilson Streets Helensburgh. 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.

AreaSearch analysis of employment trends sees Helensburgh performing better than 85% of local markets assessed across Australia

Helensburgh has a well-educated workforce with professional services showing strong representation. The unemployment rate was 1.8% as of June 2025.

This is below the Rest of NSW's rate of 3.7%. Employment stability in Helensburgh has been relative over the past year, with 5,172 residents in work and workforce participation at 68.2%, compared to Rest of NSW's 56.4%. The dominant employment sectors among residents include health care & social assistance, construction, and education & training. There is particularly strong specialization in professional & technical services, with an employment share of 1.9 times the regional level.

Agriculture, forestry & fishing has limited presence, at 0.6% compared to 5.3% regionally. Employment opportunities locally appear limited based on Census working population vs resident population figures. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment increased by 0.4%, while labour force grew by 0.6%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 0.3 percentage points. Rest of NSW recorded an employment decline of 0.1% over the same period, with labour force growth of 0.3% and a rise in unemployment of 0.4 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 suggest that national employment will expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Helensburgh's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.7% over five years and 13.8% over ten years, though these are simple weighted extrapolations for illustrative purposes only and do not account for localised population projections.

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

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 shows that Helensburgh has one of the highest incomes in Australia. The median income is $60,010 and the average income stands at $78,086. This contrasts with Rest of NSW's figures of a median income of $49,459 and an average income of $62,998. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% since financial year 2022, current estimates would be approximately $67,577 (median) and $87,933 (average) as of September 2025. Census 2021 income data shows that Helensburgh's household, family, and personal incomes rank highly nationally, between the 79th and 91st percentiles. In terms of income distribution, the $1,500 - 2,999 earnings band captures 33.7% of the community (3,104 individuals), aligning with regional levels where this cohort likewise represents 29.9%. The locality demonstrates considerable affluence with 39.3% earning over $3,000 per week, supporting premium retail and service offerings. Housing accounts for 14.8% of income while strong earnings rank residents within the 91st percentile for disposable income. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

Helensburgh is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with ownership patterns similar to the broader region

Helensburgh's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 85.4% houses and 14.6% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Non-Metro NSW had 58.9% houses and 41.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Helensburgh was 33.8%, with mortgaged dwellings at 50.7% and rented ones at 15.5%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Helensburgh was $2,512, higher than Non-Metro NSW's average of $2,189. Median weekly rent in Helensburgh was $530, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $400. Nationally, Helensburgh's mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $2,512 versus the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375 at $530.

Helensburgh features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 83.9% of all households, including 47.5% couples with children, 26.6% couples without children, and 9.1% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 16.1%, with lone person households at 14.6% and group households making up 1.6%. The median household size is 2.9 people, larger than the Rest of NSW average of 2.5.

Helensburgh shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

The area's university qualification rate is 30.0% among residents aged 15+, exceeding the Rest of NSW average of 21.3%. This is also higher than the SA4 region's rate of 25.2%, indicating a strong emphasis on higher education in the community. Bachelor degrees are the most common, at 19.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (7.7%) and graduate diplomas (3.0%).

Vocational credentials are prominent among residents aged 15+, with 40.7% holding such qualifications. This includes advanced diplomas (12.7%) and certificates (28.0%). Educational participation is high, with 30.5% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes primary education (10.6%), secondary education (7.8%), and tertiary education (4.3%). Helensburgh's five schools have a combined enrollment of 1,004 students. The area has above-average socio-educational conditions, with an ICSEA score of 1065. The educational mix includes four primary schools and one K-12 school. There are 10.9 school places per 100 residents in the area, which is below the regional average of 15.0. Some students may attend schools in adjacent areas due to this discrepancy.

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

Helensburgh has 97 active public transport stops, offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by 20 individual routes, facilitating 1,640 weekly passenger trips in total. The average distance from residents to the nearest transport stop is 176 meters, indicating excellent accessibility.

On average, there are 234 trips per day across all routes, with each stop receiving approximately 16 weekly trips.

The level of general health in Helensburgh is notably higher than the national average with prevalence of common health conditions low among the general population though higher than the nation's average across older, at risk cohorts

Helensburgh shows better-than-average health outcomes with fewer common health conditions among its general population compared to national averages, but higher rates are seen among older, at-risk cohorts. Private health cover is exceptionally high here, at approximately 59% of the total population (5,417 people), compared to 56.6% across Rest of NSW.

The most prevalent medical conditions are asthma and arthritis, affecting 8.1 and 7.4% of residents respectively, while 71.0% report being completely free from medical ailments, compared to 68.6% in Rest of NSW. As of 2021, the area has 15.2% of residents aged 65 and over (1,404 people), which is lower than the 17.7% seen in Rest of NSW. Health outcomes among seniors require more attention than those of the broader population.

Helensburgh is considerably less culturally diverse than average when assessed alongside AreaSearch's national rankings for language and cultural background related metrics

Helensburgh had a cultural diversity level below average, with 86.6% of its population born in Australia, 92.7% being citizens, and 95.1% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Helensburgh, accounting for 50.2% of people, compared to 51.0% across Rest of NSW. The top three ancestry groups were English (30.9%), Australian (30.3%), and Irish (9.9%).

Notably, Maltese (0.8%) was overrepresented in Helensburgh compared to the regional average of 0.6%, while Macedonian (0.2% vs 1.5%) and Dutch (1.4% vs 1.5%) were underrepresented.

Helensburgh's population is slightly older than the national pattern

The median age in Helensburgh is 39 years, which is significantly lower than Rest of NSW's average of 43 but aligns with Australia's median age of 38 years. Compared to Rest of NSW, Helensburgh has a higher proportion of residents aged 5-14 (14.9%) but fewer residents aged 65-74 (8.8%). According to the 2021 Census, the 5-14 age group increased from 14.1% to 14.9%, while the 55-64 cohort decreased from 13.2% to 11.8%. By 2041, demographic projections show significant shifts in Helensburgh's age structure. The 75-84 age group is expected to grow by 46%, reaching 638 people from 437. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups will account for 57% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. Conversely, both the 15-24 and 65-74 age groups are projected to decrease in number.