Menai - Lucas Heights - Woronora
Statistical Area - sa2

Menai - Lucas Heights - Woronora has shown very soft population growth performance across periods assessed by AreaSearch

Menai - Lucas Heights - Woronora's population is around 20,930 as of Aug 2025. This reflects an increase of 3 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 20,927 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 20,906 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 24 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 626 persons per square kilometer. Menai - Lucas Heights - Woronora's 0.0% growth since census positions it within 2.5 percentage points of the SA3 area (2.5%), demonstrating competitive growth fundamentals. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration, contributing approximately 58.5% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilises NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Lower quartile growth is anticipated, with the area expected to grow by 647 persons to 2041 based on latest population numbers, resulting in a total increase of 3.0% over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development drivers sees a low level of activity in Menai - Lucas Heights - Woronora, placing the area among the bottom 25% of areas assessed nationally

Menai - Lucas Heights - Woronora has recorded approximately 47 residential properties granted approval annually. Development approval data is provided by the ABS on a financial year basis, with 235 homes approved over the past five financial years from FY-21 to FY-25, and three already approved in FY-26. The population decline in recent years has resulted in adequate development activity relative to other areas, benefiting buyers. New properties are constructed at an average expected cost of $847,000, indicating developers target the premium market segment with higher-end properties.

This financial year has seen $10.0 million in commercial development approvals, suggesting moderate levels of commercial development. Compared to Greater Sydney, Menai - Lucas Heights - Woronora has around three-quarters the rate of new dwelling approvals per person and ranks among the 11th percentile nationally for residential development activity, offering limited choices for buyers but supporting demand for existing dwellings due to its established nature and potential planning limitations. Recent construction comprises 77.0% standalone homes and 23.0% medium and high-density housing, maintaining the area's traditional low density character focused on family homes. The estimated population per dwelling approval is 1418 people, reflecting a quiet, low activity development environment.

Future projections indicate Menai - Lucas Heights - Woronora will add 618 residents by 2041, with current construction levels expected to adequately meet demand and create favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts.

Menai - Lucas Heights - Woronora has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 20% nationally

The performance of an area is significantly influenced by changes to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has identified a total of 14 such projects that are expected to impact the area. Notable among these are the Heathcote Road Upgrade (Infantry Parade to The Avenue), Sutherland Public School Hall Upgrade, Sutherland Leisure Centre Indoor Complex Renewal, and Heathcote Road Koala Protection Fencing. The following list details those projects deemed most relevant.

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

Employment conditions in Menai - Lucas Heights - Woronora rank among the top 10% of areas assessed nationally

Menai - Lucas Heights - Woronora has a highly educated workforce with professional services well represented. The unemployment rate in the area was 2.1% as of June 2025, which is lower than Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%.

Employment growth in the past year was estimated at 3.3%. There are 12,223 residents currently employed with a workforce participation rate of 67.7%, higher than Greater Sydney's 60.0%. Major industries for local employment include health care & social assistance, education & training, and construction. Notably, employment in education & training is at 1.4 times the regional average.

However, professional & technical services employ only 9.3% of local workers, lower than Greater Sydney's 11.5%. The area may offer limited local employment opportunities as indicated by Census data on working population versus resident population. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment levels increased by 3.3%, while the labour force also grew by 3.3%, keeping unemployment largely unchanged. In comparison, Greater Sydney saw employment growth of 2.6% and a slight increase in unemployment to 4.5%. Statewide in NSW as of Sep-25, employment contracted by 0.41% with an unemployment rate of 4.3%, slightly better than the national rate of 4.5%. Looking ahead, Jobs and Skills Australia's May 2025 forecasts suggest national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Menai - Lucas Heights - Woronora's employment mix indicates potential local growth of approximately 6.7% over five years and 13.6% over ten years, though these are simple extrapolations for illustrative purposes only.

The economic profile demonstrates exceptional strength, placing the area among the top 10% nationally based on comprehensive AreaSearch income analysis

AreaSearch's aggregation of latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year 2022 shows Menai - Lucas Heights - Woronora had a median income among taxpayers of $61,314 and an average income of $80,783. Nationally, these figures are very high, with Greater Sydney's median and average incomes being $56,994 and $80,856 respectively. By March 2025, adjusting for Wage Price Index growth of 10.6%, estimated median income is approximately $67,813 and average income is around $89,346. Census data indicates household incomes rank at the 94th percentile with a weekly income of $2,692. Income distribution shows 28.8% (6,027 individuals) fall within the $1,500 - $2,999 range, similar to Greater Sydney's 30.9%. Higher earners make up 44.3%, suggesting strong purchasing power. Housing takes up 13.5% of income, and residents rank in the 94th percentile for disposable income. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

Menai - Lucas Heights - Woronora is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Menai - Lucas Heights - Woronora's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, were 82.7% houses and 17.2% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Sydney metro's 70.4% houses and 29.6% other dwellings. Home ownership in Menai - Lucas Heights - Woronora stood at 40.8%, with the rest being mortgaged (48.0%) or rented (11.2%). The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,687, higher than Sydney metro's average of $2,600. The median weekly rent figure was $580, compared to Sydney metro's $483. Nationally, Menai - Lucas Heights - Woronora's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Menai - Lucas Heights - Woronora features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households comprise 86.5% of all households, including 48.7% couples with children, 26.2% couples without children, and 11.0% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 13.5%, with lone person households at 12.5% and group households comprising 1.0%. The median household size is 3.0 people, larger than the Greater Sydney average of 2.8.

Menai - Lucas Heights - Woronora shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

In Menai - Lucas Heights - Woronora, 28.6% of residents aged 15 and above hold university degrees, compared to 38.0% in Greater Sydney. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 19.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (6.0%) and graduate diplomas (2.7%). Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 37.1% of residents holding such qualifications - advanced diplomas at 12.6% and certificates at 24.5%. Educational participation is high, with 29.5% of residents currently enrolled in formal education: 9.7% in primary, 8.4% in secondary, and 5.2% in tertiary education.

There are nine schools operating within the area, educating approximately 5,639 students. The area has above-average socio-educational conditions (ICSEA: 1075) and functions as an education hub with 26.9 school places per 100 residents, significantly higher than the regional average of 17.8. This attracts students from surrounding communities.

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

The Menai - Lucas Heights - Woronora area has 133 active public transport stops. These are served by a mix of buses operating via 58 different routes. Together, these routes facilitate 2,326 weekly passenger trips.

The average distance from residents to the nearest stop is 166 meters, indicating excellent accessibility. On average, there are 332 daily trips across all routes, which translates to about 17 weekly trips per individual stop.

The level of general health in Menai - Lucas Heights - Woronora is notably higher than the national average with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Menai-Lucas Heights-Woronora shows superior health outcomes for both younger and older age groups, with low prevalence of common conditions.

Around 60% of its total population of 12,516 have private health cover, which is unusually high. The most prevalent medical conditions are asthma (7.7%) and arthritis (7.6%), while 71.2% report no medical ailments, compared to 70.6% in Greater Sydney. Approximately 18.4%, or 3,861 people, are aged 65 and over. Health outcomes among seniors are commendable, mirroring the general population's health profile.

The level of cultural diversity witnessed in Menai - Lucas Heights - Woronora was found to be above average when compared nationally for a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Menai-Lucas Heights-Woronora has a cultural diversity above average, with 18.2% of its population born overseas and 14.7% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the main religion in Menai-Lucas Heights-Woronora, comprising 69.7%, compared to 61.9% across Greater Sydney. The top three ancestry groups are Australian (26.3%), English (25.9%), and Irish (8.0%).

Notably, Macedonian is overrepresented at 1.4% (vs regional 0.8%), Greek at 3.2% (vs 2.2%), and Lebanese at 1.2% (vs 1.1%).

Menai - Lucas Heights - Woronora's population is slightly older than the national pattern

Menai - Lucas Heights - Woronora has a median age of 40, which is higher than Greater Sydney's figure of 37 and Australia's figure of 38 years. The area has an over-representation of the 65-74 cohort at 11.1%, compared to Greater Sydney's average, while the 25-34 age group is under-represented at 8.9%. Between January 2021 and present, the 75-84 age group has increased from 4.1% to 5.6% of the population. Conversely, the 55-64 cohort has decreased from 14.6% to 13.0%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests significant changes in Menai - Lucas Heights - Woronora's age profile. The 75-84 age group is projected to grow by 850 people (73%), from 1,165 to 2,016. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups will account for 79% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. Meanwhile, the 15-24 and 25-34 cohorts are expected to experience population declines.