Katoomba - Leura

Katoomba - Leura is positioned among the lower quartile of areas assessed nationally for population growth based on AreaSearch's assessment of recent, and medium term trends

As of May 2026, Katoomba - Leura's population is approximately 13,590. This figure represents a growth of 242 people since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 13,348. The increase was inferred from the estimated resident population of 13,569 in June 2025 and an additional 116 validated new addresses post-Census. This results in a population density ratio of 332 persons per square kilometer. Katoomba - Leura's growth rate of 1.8% since the 2021 Census exceeded the SA3 area average of 1.6%. Overseas migration was the primary driver of this growth.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by these projections, NSW State Government's SA2 level projections from 2022 with a base year of 2021 are used. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, Katoomba - Leura is expected to increase by approximately 1,310 persons by 2041, reflecting a gain of around 9.5% over the 16-year period.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Katoomba - Leura according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

Katoomba-Leura has seen around 47 dwelling approvals annually. Between Financial Year 21 and FY-25236 homes were approved, with a further 22 approved in FY-26 so far. Despite population decline, development activity has been adequate relative to population changes, benefiting buyers.

New properties are constructed at an average value of $260,000, below the regional average, suggesting affordable housing options. There have been $4.9 million in commercial approvals this financial year, indicating the area's residential character. Compared to Greater Sydney, Katoomba-Leura has 75% more building activity per person, offering buyers greater choice. However, activity is lower than the national average, reflecting market maturity and possible development constraints. New building activity comprises 65% detached houses and 35% medium-high density housing, indicating an expanding range of affordable options. This shift from the area's existing 84% houses suggests decreasing developable sites and changing lifestyles.

With around 319 people per dwelling approval, Katoomba-Leura shows low-density characteristics. Population forecasts indicate a gain of 1,289 residents by 2041. Current construction rates appear balanced with future demand, fostering steady market conditions without excessive price pressure.

Katoomba - Leura has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 50% nationally

Local infrastructure changes significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified five projects expected to impact the region. Notable projects include the Katoomba Cultural Centre and Civic Precinct Upgrade, Katoomba Town Centre Upgrade, Echo Point Precinct Upgrade, and Lilypad Katoomba. Relevant details are provided below.

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

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AreaSearch analysis reveals Katoomba - Leura recording weaker employment conditions than most comparable areas nationwide

Katoomba-Leura has a well-educated workforce with significant representation in essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate is 4.3%, as of December 2025. There are 6,382 residents employed, matching Greater Sydney's unemployment rate of 4.2%.

However, workforce participation lags behind Greater Sydney at 55.6%. According to Census responses, 42.2% of residents work from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. Employment is concentrated in health care & social assistance (30.8%), education & training (17.4%), and accommodation & food (14.7%). The area specialises in accommodation & food employment with a share 1.9 times the regional level, while finance & insurance has lower representation at 2.2%.

Many residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census data. Over the year to December 2025, labour force levels decreased by 4.7% alongside a 4.4% employment decline, causing unemployment to fall by 0.3 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Sydney experienced 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 Katoomba-Leura's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.9% over five years and 14.3% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

Income figures position the area below 75% of locations analysed nationally by AreaSearch

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023 shows that income in Katoomba - Leura SA2 is just below the national average. The median assessed income is $48,690 and the average income stands at $66,570. This contrasts with Greater Sydney's figures of a median income of $60,817 and an average income of $83,003. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.32% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $53,715 (median) and $73,440 (average) as of March 2026. Census 2021 income data shows household, family and personal incomes in Katoomba - Leura all fall between the 16th and 25th percentiles nationally. Income brackets indicate that the $1,500 - 2,999 earnings band captures 26.0% of the community (3,533 individuals), aligning with the metropolitan region where this cohort likewise represents 30.9%. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 81.4% of income remaining, ranking at the 14th percentile and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 5th decile.

Katoomba - Leura is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

In Katoomba-Leura, as per the latest Census, 83.8% of dwellings were houses, with 16.2% being semi-detached, apartments, or other types. This compares to Sydney metro's 55.9% houses and 44.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Katoomba-Leura stood at 41.1%, with mortgaged dwellings at 29.5% and rented ones at 29.4%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,733, lower than Sydney metro's $2,427. The median weekly rent was $380, compared to Sydney metro's $470. Nationally, Katoomba-Leura's mortgage repayments were below the Australian average of $1,863, while rents exceeded the national figure of $375.

Katoomba - Leura features high concentrations of lone person households and group households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 57.1% of all households, including 17.7% couples with children, 27.8% couples without children, and 10.8% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 42.9%, with lone person households at 38.5% and group households comprising 4.3%. The median household size is 2.1 people, which is smaller than the Greater Sydney average of 2.7.

The educational profile of Katoomba - Leura exceeds national averages, with above-average qualification levels and academic performance metrics

In Katoomba - Leura, educational attainment exceeds broader standards. Among residents aged 15+, 37.7% possess university qualifications, compared to 23.9% in the SA4 region and 30.4% nationally. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 22.5%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (11.2%) and graduate diplomas (4.0%). Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 32.8% of residents holding such qualifications – advanced diplomas (12.8%) and certificates (20.0%).

Notably, 24.8% of the population is actively pursuing formal education, including 7.5% in primary, 6.7% in secondary, and 4.7% in tertiary education.

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

Transport analysis indicates 242 active public transport stops in Katoomba-Leura area, consisting of train and bus services. These stops are served by 48 individual routes, offering a total of 4,031 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated good, with residents typically located 239 meters from the nearest stop. As predominantly residential, most commute outward; car remains dominant at 82%, while 10% walk. Average vehicle ownership per dwelling is 0.9, below regional average. In 2021 Census, 42.2% of residents worked from home, possibly due to COVID-19 conditions.

Service frequency averages 575 trips daily across all routes, or approximately 16 weekly trips per stop. Map accompanies, displaying the 100 nearest stops to area's centerpoint.

Health performance in Katoomba - Leura is lower than average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts

Katoomba-Leura faces significant health challenges, based on AreaSearch's assessment. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence were high, with common health conditions prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts.

Private health cover was at approximately 52% of the total population (~7,080 people), slightly lagging the average SA2 area rate of 59.9%. The most common medical conditions were mental health issues (11.2%) and arthritis (9.7%). 62.0% of residents declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 74.6% across Greater Sydney. The working-age population faced notable health challenges due to elevated chronic condition rates. The area had 29.8% of residents aged 65 and over (4,052 people), higher than the 15.5% in Greater Sydney. Health outcomes among seniors were above average, with national rankings even higher than those of the general population.

In terms of cultural diversity, Katoomba - Leura records figures broadly comparable to the national average, as found in AreaSearch's assessment of a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Katoomba-Leura has a higher than average cultural diversity, with 10.2% of its residents speaking a language other than English at home and 24.1% born overseas. The predominant religion in the area is Christianity, comprising 36.5% of the population. However, Judaism is overrepresented, making up 0.5% compared to the Greater Sydney average of 0.8%.

In terms of ancestry, the top three groups are English (29.5%), Australian (20.9%), and Irish (12.2%). These percentages are substantially higher than the regional averages of 19.0%, 14.3%, and 6.1% respectively. Notably, Hungarian (0.6%) and Scottish (9.7%) populations are overrepresented compared to regional averages of 0.3% and 4.8%. Polish residents also show an increase from the regional average of 0.6% to 1.1%.

Katoomba - Leura ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

Katoomba-Leura's median age is 50 years, significantly higher than Greater Sydney's 37 years and the national average of 38 years. Compared to Greater Sydney, Katoomba-Leura has a higher proportion of residents aged 65-74 (16.5%) but fewer residents aged 25-34 (8.2%). The 65-74 age group is also above the national average of 9.4%. Between the 2021 Census and present, the 75 to 84 age group has increased from 8.0% to 10.5%, while the 15 to 24 cohort has risen from 8.9% to 10.9%. Conversely, the 55 to 64 age group has decreased from 15.7% to 14.6%. By 2041, Katoomba-Leura is expected to see notable demographic shifts. The 75 to 84 age group is projected to grow by 47%, adding 667 people and reaching a total of 2,100 from the current 1,432. Residents aged 65 and older are anticipated to represent 84% of this growth. Conversely, both the 0 to 4 and 15 to 24 age groups are expected to decrease in number.