Malabar - La Perouse

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

Malabar - La Perouse's population was around 10,610 as of May 2021, according to the census. By June 2025, this had increased to an estimated resident population of 11,097. This increase is attributed to 132 validated new addresses since the Census date, resulting in a population of approximately 11,109 by May 2026. The area's population density as of May 2026 is around 1,320 persons per square kilometer. Over the past decade, ending in May 2026, Malabar - La Perouse has shown a compound annual growth rate of 0.1%, outpacing its SA3 region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 98.3% of overall population gains during this period.

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 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, Malabar - La Perouse is projected to increase by 1,262 persons by 2041, reflecting an 11.2% total gain over the 16-year period.

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

Malabar - La Perouse has recorded approximately 59 residential properties granted approval annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, around 297 homes were approved, with an additional 19 approved so far in FY-26. Despite a decline in population during this period, development activity has been adequate relative to population changes, which may be beneficial for buyers.

The average expected construction cost value of new dwellings is approximately $481,000, indicating that developers are targeting the premium market segment with higher-end properties. This financial year, around $1.1 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded, suggesting a predominantly residential focus. Compared to Greater Sydney, Malabar - La Perouse shows 108.0% higher construction activity per person, offering buyers greater choice. New development consists of approximately 17.0% detached houses and 83.0% townhouses or apartments, marking a significant shift from the existing housing pattern of around 47.0% houses. This trend toward denser development provides accessible entry options for downsizers, investors, and entry-level buyers, potentially responding to evolving lifestyle preferences and housing affordability needs. With approximately 185 people per dwelling approval, Malabar - La Perouse shows characteristics of a low density area.

According to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate, Malabar - La Perouse is projected to add around 1,250 residents by 2041. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting population growth beyond current projections.

Malabar - La Perouse has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 40% nationally

The performance of a region is significantly impacted by changes in local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has identified 23 such projects that could potentially affect this area. Notable among these are the Malabar Ocean Pool Accessible Amenities Building, Jennifer St, Little Bay, 27 Jennifer Street, Little Bay, and Meriton Little Bay Development. The following list provides more details on those projects deemed most 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.

Employment drivers in Malabar - La Perouse are experiencing difficulties, placing it among the bottom 20% of areas assessed across Australia

Malabar - La Perouse has an educated workforce with professional services well represented. The unemployment rate was 8.1% in December 2025, with estimated employment growth of 3.5% over the past year. As of that date, 5,106 residents were employed while the unemployment rate stood at 4.0%, slightly higher than Greater Sydney's 4.2%.

Workforce participation was lower at 57.7% compared to Greater Sydney's 68.8%. A significant number of residents worked from home, with 46.0% doing so according to Census responses. Key industries for employment were health care & social assistance, education & training, and professional & technical services. The area had a notable specialization in public administration & safety, with an employment share 1.4 times the regional level.

Retail trade had limited presence at 7.0%, compared to the regional average of 9.3%. Employment opportunities locally appeared limited based on Census data comparing working population and resident population. Between December 2024 and December 2025, employment levels increased by 3.5% while labour force grew by 3.3%, reducing the unemployment rate by 0.2 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Sydney saw employment growth of 2.2% and labour force growth of 2.3%. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia, published in May-25, project national employment to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Malabar - La Perouse's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by approximately 6.9% over five years and 13.9% over ten years, though this is a simple extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for localized population projections.

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

The median taxpayer income in Malabar - La Perouse SA2 is $66,164, with an average of $90,029, according to the latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. This is among the highest in Australia, contrasting with Greater Sydney's median income of $60,817 and average income of $83,023. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.32% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $72,992 (median) and $99,320 (average) as of March 2026. Census data reveals household, family and personal incomes all rank highly in Malabar - La Perouse, between the 77th and 79th percentiles nationally. The data shows that 25.5% of residents fall within the $4000+ income bracket (2,832 people), unlike trends in the region where 30.9% fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 range. A substantial proportion of high earners (37.1% above $3,000/week) indicates strong economic capacity throughout Malabar - La Perouse. High housing costs consume 18.8% of income, though strong earnings still place disposable income at the 74th percentile and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

Malabar - La Perouse displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

The dwelling structure in Malabar - La Perouse, as per the latest Census, consisted of 46.6% houses and 53.4% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Sydney metropolitan area had 55.9% houses and 44.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Malabar - La Perouse was at 33.2%, with the rest either mortgaged (28.8%) or rented (38.0%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $3,200, higher than Sydney metro's average of $2,427. The median weekly rent figure for Malabar - La Perouse was recorded at $535, compared to Sydney metro's $470. Nationally, Malabar - La Perouse's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Malabar - La Perouse has a typical household mix, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 70.2% of all households, including 33.7% couples with children, 26.1% couples without children, and 9.5% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 29.8%, with lone person households at 27.6% and group households making up 2.1%. The median household size is 2.5 people, which is smaller than the Greater Sydney average of 2.7.

Malabar - La Perouse 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 39.5%, significantly lower than the SA4 region average of 54.6%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 24.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (12.2%) and graduate diplomas (2.4%). Vocational credentials are held by 32.8% of residents aged 15+, with advanced diplomas at 12.1% and certificates at 20.7%. Educational participation is high, with 36.2% of residents currently enrolled in formal education: 12.0% in primary, 10.0% in secondary, and 6.8% in tertiary education.

Educational participation is notably high, with 36.2% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 12.0% in primary education, 10.0% in secondary education, and 6.8% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Public transport analysis reveals 104 active transport stops operating within Malabar - La Perouse. These stops are serviced by 20 individual routes, collectively providing 3599 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically located 163 meters from the nearest transport stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward. Car remains the dominant mode of transport at 86%, with 5% by bus. Vehicle ownership averages 1.3 per dwelling.

A high 46.0% of residents work from home (2021 Census). Service frequency averages 514 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 34 weekly trips per individual stop. The accompanying map shows the 100 nearest stops to the location centrepoint.

Health outcomes in Malabar - La Perouse are marginally below the national average with common health conditions slightly more prevalent than average across both younger and older age cohorts

Malabar - La Perouse shows below-average health outcomes based on AreaSearch's assessment. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are slightly higher than average across both younger and older age groups. Private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 66% of the total population (7,320 people), compared to 59.9% in Greater Sydney and a national average of 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions are arthritis and mental health issues, affecting 7.6% and 6.4% of residents respectively. 71.1% of residents report being completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 74.6% in Greater Sydney. Working-age residents have low chronic condition prevalence. The area has 22.5% of residents aged 65 and over (2,496 people), higher than the 15.5% in Greater Sydney. National rankings are broadly in line with the general population.

The level of cultural diversity witnessed in Malabar - La Perouse was found to be above average when compared nationally for a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Malabar-La Perouse has a higher linguistic diversity than most local areas, with 23.9% of its residents speaking a language other than English at home and 32.7% born overseas. Christianity is the predominant religion in Malabar-La Perouse, making up 60.4% of the population. Notably, Judaism is more prevalent here than in Greater Sydney, comprising 2.2% compared to the regional average of 0.8%.

The top three ancestry groups based on parental country of birth are English (22.0%), Australian (18.4%), and Irish (10.6%). Some ethnic groups show significant differences: French residents make up 1.8% in Malabar-La Perouse compared to 0.5% regionally, Russians comprise 0.9% versus the regional average of 0.4%, and Hungarians account for 0.5% compared to 0.3%.

Malabar - La Perouse hosts a notably older demographic compared to the national average

Malabar - La Perouse has a median age of 44, which is higher than Greater Sydney's figure of 37 and significantly exceeds the national norm of 38. The age group of 65-74 years shows strong representation at 11.4%, compared to Greater Sydney's figures. Conversely, the 25-34 age group has a lower prevalence at 11.4%. According to the 2021 Census, the 15 to 24 age group has increased from 9.5% to 12.5% of the population, while the 5 to 14 cohort has declined from 10.4% to 9.2%. Demographic modeling indicates that Malabar - La Perouse's age profile will undergo significant changes by 2041. The 65 to 74 age group is projected to grow by 29%, adding 369 people, reaching a total of 1,637 from the current figure of 1,267. This growth reflects an aging population trend, with those aged 65 and above comprising 69% of the projected growth. Meanwhile, the 0 to 4 and 5 to 14 age cohorts are expected to experience population declines.