Menai - Lucas Heights - Woronora

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

Menai - Lucas Heights - Woronora's population is 20,958 as of February 2026. This reflects an increase from the 2021 Census figure of 20,927 people, a change inferred from ABS estimated resident population data and validated new addresses since June 2024. The population density is 627 persons per square kilometer. Overseas migration contributed approximately 58.5% of recent population gains in the area. 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 are used, with growth rates applied until 2041. The area is projected to grow by 647 persons by 2041, reflecting a total increase of 2.8% over the period.

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 property approvals per year. Between financial years FY-21 to FY-25235 homes were approved, with an additional 7 approved so far in FY-26. The area's population decline suggests that new supply is meeting demand, providing good options for buyers.

Average construction value is $429,000, moderately above regional levels, indicating quality construction emphasis. This year, $10.0 million in commercial approvals have been registered, showing steady investment activity. Compared to Greater Sydney, Menai - Lucas Heights - Woronora has about three-quarters the rate of new dwelling approvals per person, placing it among the 11th percentile nationally, suggesting limited buyer choices and supporting demand for existing dwellings. Recent construction comprises 77.0% standalone homes and 23.0% medium to high-density housing, maintaining the area's traditional low density character appealing to those seeking space in family homes.

The estimated population per dwelling approval is 1418 people, reflecting its quiet development environment. Future projections estimate an addition of 590 residents by 2041. Current construction levels should adequately meet demand, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling growth exceeding current forecasts.

Menai - Lucas Heights - Woronora has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 30% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 17 projects likely impacting the area. Key projects are Illawong Village Shopping Centre Redevelopment, Baxter Place, Sutherland Public School Hall Upgrade, and Blaxland Riverside Estate. The following list details those most relevant.

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

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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 strong professional services representation. Its unemployment rate was 2.0% in the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 1.7%. As of September 2025, 12,195 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 2.2%, below Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%.

Workforce participation is at 73.9%, slightly higher than Greater Sydney's 70.0%. A significant 43.6% of residents work from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. Employment is concentrated in 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 comparing working population to resident population. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment levels increased by 1.7%, while labour force grew by 1.2%, reducing the unemployment rate by 0.5 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Sydney recorded employment growth of 2.1% and a slight rise in unemployment. 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 Menai - Lucas Heights - Woronora's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by approximately 6.7% over five years and 13.6% over ten years, assuming constant population projections.

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

The median income among taxpayers in Menai - Lucas Heights - Woronora SA2, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of latest postcode level ATO data for the financial year 2023, was $65,958. The average income stood at $84,052. Nationally, these figures are extremely high, with Greater Sydney reporting median and average incomes of $60,817 and $83,053 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since financial year 2023, estimated current incomes as of September 2025 would be approximately $71,802 (median) and $91,499 (average). Census data indicates household incomes rank at the 93rd percentile ($2,692 weekly). Income distribution shows 28.8% of the population, equating to 6,035 individuals, fall within the $1,500 - $2,999 income range, mirroring the regional trend where 30.9% occupy this bracket. Higher earners make up a substantial presence with 44.3% exceeding $3,000 weekly, suggesting strong purchasing power in the community. Housing expenses account for 13.5% of income, while residents' disposable incomes rank them within the 94th percentile. 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

The latest Census evaluation showed that in Menai - Lucas Heights - Woronora, 82.7% of dwellings were houses, with the remaining 17.2% comprising semi-detached houses, apartments, and other types of dwellings. This contrasts with Sydney metropolitan areas, where 55.9% of dwellings are houses and 44.1% are other types. Home ownership in Menai - Lucas Heights - Woronora stood at 40.8%, with mortgaged properties making up 48.0% and rented dwellings accounting for 11.2%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,687, exceeding Sydney metropolitan areas' average of $2,427. Weekly rent in Menai - Lucas Heights - Woronora was recorded at $580, compared to Sydney's average of $470. Nationally, mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while 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 constitute 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 comprise the remaining 13.5%, with lone person households at 12.5% and group households making up 1.0%. The median household size is 3.0 people, larger than the Greater Sydney average of 2.7.

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

Menai-Lucas Heights-Woronora trail residents aged 15+ with university degrees: 28.6%, compared to Greater Sydney's 38.0%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 19.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (6.0%) and graduate diplomas (2.7%). Vocational credentials held by 37.1% of residents, including advanced diplomas (12.6%) and certificates (24.5%). Current educational participation is high at 29.5%, with 9.7% in primary, 8.4% in secondary, and 5.2% in tertiary education.

Educational participation is notably high, with 29.5% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.7% in primary education, 8.4% in secondary education, and 5.2% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Menai - Lucas Heights - Woronora has 133 active public transport stops operating, serving a mix of bus routes. These stops are serviced by 60 individual routes, providing 1,883 weekly passenger trips in total. The area's transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically located 166 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward due to its residential nature. Car remains the dominant mode of transport at 89%, while train usage stands at 6%. Vehicle ownership averages 1.9 per dwelling, above the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, 43.6% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 269 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 14 weekly trips per individual stop. The map accompanying the analysis shows the 100 nearest stops to the location's centrepoint.

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 according to AreaSearch's evaluation of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Both younger and older age groups exhibit low incidence of common health conditions.

Private health insurance coverage is exceptionally high at approximately 62% of the total population (12,910 people), compared to the national average of 55.7%. The most prevalent medical conditions are asthma and arthritis, affecting 7.7% and 7.6% of residents respectively. 71.2% of residents report no medical ailments, slightly lower than the Greater Sydney average of 74.6%. Under-65 health outcomes are better than average. The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 19.2% (4,015 people), compared to Greater Sydney's 15.4%. Senior health outcomes align with national rankings, mirroring those of the general population.

In terms of cultural diversity, Menai - Lucas Heights - Woronora records figures broadly comparable to the national average, as found in AreaSearch's assessment of 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 49.2% across Greater Sydney. The top three ancestry groups are Australian (26.3%), English (25.9%), and Irish (8.0%).

Notably, Macedonian (1.4%) is overrepresented compared to the regional average of 0.4%. Similarly, Greek (3.2%) and Maltese (1.2%) have higher representations than their respective regional averages of 1.9% and 1.0%.

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. Compared to the Greater Sydney average, the 65-74 cohort is notably over-represented at 11.3% locally, while the 25-34 year-olds are under-represented at 8.6%. Between 2021 and present, the 75-84 age group has grown from 4.1% to 6.1% of the population. Conversely, the 55-64 cohort has declined from 14.6% to 12.6%, and the 25-34 group has dropped from 9.9% to 8.6%. Demographic modeling suggests that by 2041, Menai - Lucas Heights - Woronora's age profile will evolve significantly. The 75-84 age cohort is projected to grow significantly, expanding by 739 people (58%) from 1,276 to 2,016. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups are expected to account for 78% 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.