Laurieton - Bonny Hills

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

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, Laurieton - Bonny Hills's population is around 20,521 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 2,037 people (11.0%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 18,484 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 19,482 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 897 validated new addresses since the Census date. This population level equates to a density ratio of 39 persons per square kilometer, providing ample space per person. Laurieton - Bonny Hills's 11.0% growth since the 2021 census exceeded the Rest of NSW (5.9%) and the SA4 region, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by interstate migration, which contributed approximately 85.3% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For any SA2 areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch is utilising the NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, as released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are also applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Regarding demographic trends, an above-median population growth for Australian non-metropolitan areas is projected, with the area expected to increase by 4,223 persons by 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, recording a gain of 15.5% in total over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Laurieton - Bonny Hills among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

Laurieton - Bonny Hills has averaged around 215 new dwelling approvals annually, with 1,077 homes approved over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25) and 64 so far in FY-26. With an average of 1.4 people per year moving to the area for each dwelling built over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25), the market shows a good balance between supply and demand, supporting stable conditions, while new properties are constructed at an average value of $331,000. Additionally, $29.8 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded this financial year, demonstrating high levels of local commercial activity.

Compared to the rest of NSW, Laurieton - Bonny Hills shows moderately higher building activity (46.0% above regional average per person over the 5 year period), preserving reasonable buyer options while sustaining existing property demand. This level is well above average nationally, reflecting strong developer confidence in the area. New building activity consists of 89.0% detached dwellings and 11.0% attached dwellings, maintaining the area's traditional low density character with a focus on family homes appealing to those seeking space. The location has approximately 106 people per dwelling approval, indicating an expanding market.

Future projections show Laurieton - Bonny Hills adding 3,184 residents by 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

Laurieton - Bonny Hills has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 30thth percentile nationally

Nothing can influence an area's performance as much as changes to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. In total 9 projects have been identified by AreaSearch that are likely to have an impact on the area. Key projects include the Beach to Beach Shared Path, Lake Cathie Public School upgrade, and Whitewater Terrace Development, Lake Cathie, with the list below detailing those likely to be of most relevance.

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

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The employment landscape in Laurieton - Bonny Hills presents a mixed picture: unemployment remains low at 2.9%, yet recent job losses have affected its comparative national standing

Laurieton - Bonny Hills possesses a balanced workforce spanning white and blue collar employment, with essential services sectors well represented, and an unemployment rate of just 2.9%. As of December 2025, 7,618 residents are in work while the unemployment rate is 1.0% below Regional NSW's rate of 3.9%, and workforce participation lags significantly (46.1% compared to Regional NSW's 61.3%). Based on Census responses, a moderate 13.7% of residents were found to work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered.

The dominant employment sectors among residents include health care & social assistance, construction, and education & training. The area has a particular employment specialization in construction, with an employment share of 1.3 times the regional level. Conversely, public administration & safety shows lower representation at 4.6% versus the regional average of 7.5%. The area appears to offer limited employment opportunities locally, as indicated by the count of the Census working population versus the resident population.

Based on AreaSearch analysis of SALM and ABS data, during the year to December 2025, the labour force decreased by 1.1% while employment declined by 1.5%, resulting in the unemployment rate rising by 0.4 percentage points. This compares to Regional NSW, where employment fell by 1.2%, the labour force contracted by 0.8%, and unemployment rose 0.4 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 can offer further insight into potential future demand within Laurieton - Bonny Hills. These projections, covering five and ten-year periods, have been mapped against the local employment profile to estimate growth patterns. While national employment is forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, growth rates differ significantly between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to Laurieton - Bonny Hills's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.7% over five years and 13.8% over ten years (please note this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections).

Income metrics place the area in the bottom 10% of locations nationally according to AreaSearch analysis

The Laurieton - Bonny Hills SA2 shows a median taxpayer income of $42,903 and an average of $52,511 according to the latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for FY-23. This is lower than average on a national basis, contrasting with Regional NSW's median income of $52,390 and average income of $65,215. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since FY-23, current estimates would be approximately $46,704 (median) and $57,163 (average) as of September 2025. Census 2021 income data shows household, family and personal incomes in Laurieton - Bonny Hills all fall between the 6th and 8th percentiles nationally. Income brackets indicate the $400 - 799 bracket dominates with 29.8% of residents (6,115 people), differing from patterns across the broader area where $1,500 - 2,999 dominates with 29.9%. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 84.9% of income remaining, ranking at the 9th percentile.

Laurieton - Bonny Hills is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Dwelling structure within Laurieton - Bonny Hills, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 84.7% houses and 15.3% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), in comparison to Regional NSW's 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings. Meanwhile, the level of home ownership within Laurieton - Bonny Hills was well beyond that of Regional NSW, at 56.8%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged (24.7%) or rented (18.5%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was in line with the Regional NSW average at $1,733, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded at $354, compared to Regional NSW's $1,733 and $330. Nationally, Laurieton - Bonny Hills's mortgage repayments are lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents are less than the national figure of $375.

Laurieton - Bonny Hills has a typical household mix, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households dominate at 69.1% of all households, comprising 19.2% couples with children, 40.3% couples without children, and 9.0% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 30.9%, with lone person households at 28.6% and group households comprising 2.3% of the total. The median household size of 2.2 people is smaller than the Regional NSW average of 2.4.

Educational outcomes in Laurieton - Bonny Hills fall within the lower quartile nationally, indicating opportunities for improvement in qualification attainment

The area faces educational challenges, with university qualification rates (16.4%) substantially below the NSW average of 32.2%. This represents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees lead at 11.6%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.7%) and graduate diplomas (2.1%). Trade and technical skills feature prominently, with 43.5% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials, including advanced diplomas (10.7%) and certificates (32.8%).

A substantial 21.6% of the population actively pursues formal education. This includes 8.0% in primary education, 6.6% in secondary education, and 2.1% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Public transport analysis reveals 194 active transport stops operating within Laurieton - Bonny Hills, comprising a mix of trains and buses. These stops are serviced by 84 individual routes, collectively providing 791 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents typically located 222 meters from the nearest transport stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward; the car remains the dominant mode at 94%. Vehicle ownership averages 1.4 per dwelling. Some 13.7% of residents work from home (2021 Census; may reflect COVID-19 conditions).

Service frequency averages 113 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 4 weekly trips per individual stop. The accompanying map shows the 100 nearest stops to the location centrepoint.

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

Laurieton - Bonny Hills faces significant health challenges, based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Common health conditions are somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts, and the rate of private health cover is extremely low at approximately 46% of the total population (~9,501 people). This compares to 51.9% across Regional NSW. The national average is 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions in the area are arthritis and mental health issues, impacting 14.3 and 8.4% of residents, respectively, while 55.5% declared themselves as completely clear of medical ailments compared to 63.3% across Regional NSW. The working-age population faces notable health challenges with elevated chronic condition rates. The area has 38.7% of residents aged 65 and over (7,947 people), which is higher than the 23.4% in Regional NSW. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

The latest Census data sees Laurieton - Bonny Hills placing among the least culturally diverse areas in the country when compared across a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Laurieton - Bonny Hills was found to be below average in terms of cultural diversity, with 88.7% of its population born in Australia, 93.3% being citizens, and 97.7% speaking English only at home. The main religion in Laurieton - Bonny Hills is Christianity, which makes up 59.4% of the population, compared to 55.9% across Regional NSW.

In terms of ancestry (country of birth of parents), the top three represented groups in Laurieton - Bonny Hills are English, comprising 34.5% of the population, Australian, comprising 31.2% of the population, and Irish, comprising 9.5% of the population. Additionally, there are notable divergences in the representation of certain other ethnic groups: Scottish is overrepresented at 9.2% in Laurieton - Bonny Hills (vs 8.0% regionally), Australian Aboriginal at 3.0% (vs 4.6%), and Maltese at 0.4% (vs 0.4%).

Laurieton - Bonny Hills ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

With a median age of 58, Laurieton - Bonny Hills is significantly above the Regional NSW figure of 43 and substantially exceeds Australia's 38 years. The 65 - 74 age group shows strong representation at 19.4% compared to Regional NSW, whereas the 25 - 34 cohort is less prevalent at 6.2%. This 65 - 74 concentration is well above the national 9.5%. Since 2021, the 75 to 84 age group has grown from 13.1% to 14.5% of the population. Conversely, the 45 to 54 cohort has declined from 11.3% to 9.9% and the 65 to 74 group dropped from 20.5% to 19.4%. Demographic modeling suggests Laurieton - Bonny Hills's age profile will evolve significantly by 2041. Leading the demographic shift, the 85+ group will grow by 83% (828 people), reaching 1,828 from 999. Demographic aging continues as residents 65 and older represent 53% of anticipated growth. Conversely, the 55 to 64 group will contract by 64 residents.