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 10,610 as of the 2021 Census. By Nov 2025, it is estimated to be around 10,980, an increase of 370 people (3.5%). This growth can be inferred from ABS estimates: 10,915 in June 2024 and an additional 21 validated new addresses since the Census date. The population density is 1,305 persons per square kilometer. Over the past decade, ending in 2021, Malabar - La Perouse had a compound annual growth rate of 0.2%, outpacing its SA3 area. 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, and NSW State Government's SA2 level projections for areas not covered by this data, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021. These projections indicate that Malabar - La Perouse is expected to increase by 1,312 persons to 2041, reflecting an 11.4% gain over the 17 years.

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 granted around 59 residential properties approval annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25297 homes have been approved, with a further 9 approved so far in FY26. Despite population decline during this period, development activity has been adequate relative to population changes, which is positive for buyers.

The average expected construction cost value of new dwellings is $722,000, indicating that developers are targeting the premium market segment with higher-end properties. In FY26, $1.1 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded, suggesting a predominantly residential focus. Compared to Greater Sydney, Malabar-La Perouse shows 106.0% higher construction activity per person. This offers buyers greater choice. New development consists of 17.0% detached houses and 83.0% townhouses or apartments, marking a significant shift from existing housing patterns (currently 47.0% houses). This trend towards denser development provides accessible entry options appealing to downsizers, investors, and entry-level buyers.

With around 185 people per dwelling approval, Malabar-La Perouse shows characteristics of a low density area. Future projections estimate that Malabar-La Perouse will add 1,247 residents by 2041 (based on 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.

Malabar - La Perouse has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 30% nationally

Infrastructure changes significantly influence regional performance. AreaSearch identified 23 projects potentially impacting the area. Notable projects include Malabar Ocean Pool Accessible Amenities Building, Jennifer St, Little Bay, 27 Jennifer Street, Little Bay, and Meriton Little Bay Development. The following list details those likely 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 a highly educated workforce with strong representation in professional services. The unemployment rate was 7.8% as of June 2025.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 3.7%. As of June 2025, there were 5,196 residents employed, with an unemployment rate of 3.6%, which is higher than Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%. Workforce participation in Malabar - La Perouse lagged behind Greater Sydney at 50.1% compared to 60.0%. Key industries of employment among residents were health care & social assistance, education & training, and professional & technical services.

The area had a particular specialization in public administration & safety with an employment share 1.4 times the regional level. Retail trade had limited presence with 7.0% employment compared to 9.3% regionally. Employment opportunities appeared limited locally based on Census working population vs resident population data. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment levels increased by 3.7%, labour force increased by 2.4%, leading to a fall in unemployment rate of 1.2 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Sydney experienced employment growth of 2.6% and labour force growth of 2.9%, with an unemployment rate rise of 0.3 percentage points. State-level data from Nov-25 showed NSW employment contracted by 0.03%, losing 2,260 jobs, with a state unemployment rate of 3.9%. This compared favourably to the national unemployment rate of 4.3%. National employment forecasts from May-25 projected growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Malabar - La Perouse's employment mix suggested local employment should increase by 6.9% over five years and 13.9% over ten years, assuming constant population projections for illustrative purposes.

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

The Malabar - La Perouse SA2 had a median taxpayer income of $62,493 and an average of $87,551 in financial year 2022. This was among the highest in Australia, compared to Greater Sydney's median income of $56,994 and average income of $80,856. By September 2025, estimates suggest median income would be approximately $70,373 and average income $98,591 based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% since financial year 2022. Census data shows Malabar - La Perouse's household, family, and personal incomes rank highly nationally, between the 77th and 79th percentiles. The $4000+ income bracket dominates with 25.5% of residents (2,799 people), unlike regional trends 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 in the area. High housing costs consume 18.8% of income, yet strong earnings place disposable income at the 74th percentile nationally. 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 metro had 26.9% houses and 73.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Malabar-La Perouse was at 33.2%, with the remaining dwellings 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 $3,033. The median weekly rent figure was recorded at $535, compared to Sydney metro's $550. 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 higher-than-average median household size

Family households account for 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% of the total. The median household size is 2.5 people, which is larger than the Greater Sydney average of 2.4.

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% 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

Malabar - La Perouse has 65 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 20 different routes that collectively facilitate 3724 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically located 163 meters from the nearest stop.

On average, there are 532 trips per day across all routes, which equates to approximately 57 weekly trips per individual stop.

Malabar - La Perouse's residents are relatively healthy in comparison to broader Australia with a fairly standard level of common health conditions seen across both young and old age cohorts

Malabar's health metrics are close to national benchmarks, with common health conditions seen across both young and old age cohorts. The rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 64% of the total population (7,005 people), compared to 70.6% across Greater Sydney and a national average of 55.3%. The most common medical conditions in the area are arthritis and mental health issues, impacting 7.6% and 6.4% of residents respectively.

Seventy-one point one percent of residents declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 76.0% across Greater Sydney. The area has 22.4% of residents aged 65 and over (2,456 people), which is higher than the 15.1% in Greater Sydney, broadly in line with the general population's health profile.

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, surveyed in June 2016, had a higher linguistic diversity than most local areas, with 23.9% of residents speaking a language other than English at home. Born overseas, 32.7% of the population contributed to cultural richness. Christianity dominated religious affiliation, practiced by 60.4%.

Notably, Judaism was more prevalent in Malabar-La Perouse at 2.2%, compared to Greater Sydney's 0.4%. Ancestral ties showed English (22.0%), Australian (18.4%), and Irish (10.6%) as the top three groups. French (1.8% vs regional 1.5%), Russian (0.9% vs 1.1%), and Hungarian (0.5% vs 0.6%) were overrepresented among other ethnicities.

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

Malabar - La Perouse has a median age of 44, which exceeds Greater Sydney's figure of 37 and is substantially higher than the national norm of 38. The 65-74 age group makes up 11.2% of the population, compared to Greater Sydney's percentage. Conversely, the 25-34 cohort is less prevalent at 10.8%. According to the 2021 Census, the 15 to 24 age group has grown from 9.5% to 11.8%, while the 25 to 34 cohort has declined from 11.6% to 10.8%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests Malabar - La Perouse's age profile will change significantly. The 65 to 74 group is projected to grow by 33%, reaching 1,644 people from the current 1,231. This growth will be led by those aged 65 and above, who are expected to comprise 72% of the population increase. Meanwhile, the 0 to 4 and 5 to 14 age groups are anticipated to experience population declines.