Newport - Bilgola
Statistical Area - sa2

Newport - Bilgola is positioned among the lower quartile of areas assessed nationally for population growth based on AreaSearch's assessment of recent, and medium term trends

Newport-Bilgola's population is approximately 13,902 as of August 2025. This figure shows an increase of 221 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 13,681. The growth is inferred from ABS data: Newport-Bilgola's estimated resident population was 13,846 in June 2024, with an additional 53 validated new addresses recorded since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 2,396 persons per square kilometer, placing it in the upper quartile compared to other locations assessed by AreaSearch. Newport-Bilgola's growth rate of 1.6% since the census is close to that of its SA3 area (1.7%), indicating strong growth fundamentals. Overseas migration contributed approximately 68.2% of overall population gains in recent periods.

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, AreaSearch utilises NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. By 2041, Newport-Bilgola is projected to grow by 94 persons based on the latest population numbers, recording a total gain of 0.3% over the 17-year period.

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

Newport-Bilgola has received around 32 dwelling approvals annually. The Australian Bureau of Statistics provides development approval data on a financial year basis, totalling 160 approvals over the past five years from FY20 to FY25, with four approvals recorded so far in FY26. Despite population decline during this period, development activity has been adequate relative to demand, maintaining market balance and buyer choice. The average expected construction cost of new dwellings is $1,012,000, indicating a focus on the premium market segment.

Commercial approvals registered in FY26 amount to $841,000, reflecting a predominant residential focus. Compared to Greater Sydney, Newport-Bilgola shows approximately 75% of construction activity per capita and ranks among the 31st percentile nationally, suggesting relatively constrained buyer choice and supporting interest in existing properties. This lower activity level may reflect market maturity and possible development constraints. Building activity comprises 54.0% standalone homes and 46.0% attached dwellings, expanding medium-density options and creating a mix of price brackets from traditional family housing to more affordable compact alternatives. This shift marks a significant departure from the current 73.0% house dominance, potentially indicating diminishing developable land availability and responding to evolving lifestyle preferences and affordability needs.

With around 564 people per dwelling approval, Newport-Bilgola indicates a highly mature market. Future projections estimate an addition of 38 residents by 2041. Given current construction levels, housing supply is expected to adequately meet demand, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts.

Newport - Bilgola has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 10% nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 15 projects expected to impact this region. Notable ones are IPM Ocean Road Newport Development, Kenza Newport, Robertson Road Corner Site Development, and The Moorings Newport. Below is a list of those likely to be most relevant.

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

AreaSearch assessment positions Newport - Bilgola ahead of most Australian regions for employment performance

Newport Bilgola has an educated workforce with a 3.2% unemployment rate as of June 2025. There are 7,856 residents employed, with the unemployment rate being 1.0% below Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%.

Workforce participation is high at 65.1%, compared to Greater Sydney's 60.0%. Key industries for employment among residents are professional & technical, construction, and health care & social assistance. The area has a strong specialization in construction with an employment share of 1.4 times the regional level, but transport, postal & warehousing is under-represented at 2.6% compared to Greater Sydney's 5.3%. Over a 12-month period ending June 2025, Newport Bilgola's labour force remained unchanged while employment decreased by 1.0%, leading to an unemployment rate increase of 1.0 percentage points.

In contrast, Greater Sydney saw employment growth of 2.6% and labour force growth of 2.9%. As of Sep-25, NSW employment had contracted by 0.41%, with the state unemployment rate at 4.3%, compared to the national unemployment rate of 4.5%. National employment forecasts from May 2025 project a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but growth rates vary significantly between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Newport Bilgola's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.9% over five years and 14.0% over ten years.

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

Newport - Bilgola has a median taxpayer income of $58,932 and an average income of $108,744, according to postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for the financial year 2022. This is notably high compared to Greater Sydney's median income of $56,994 and average income of $80,856. Based on a 10.6% growth in wages since financial year 2022, current estimates suggest a median income of approximately $65,179 and an average income of around $120,271 as of March 2025. The 2021 Census indicates that incomes in Newport - Bilgola rank highly nationally, between the 87th and 93rd percentiles for household, family, and personal incomes. Income analysis reveals that the bracket earning over $4,000 per week dominates with 32.4% of residents (4,504 people), contrasting with regional levels where the $1,500 - $2,999 bracket leads at 30.9%. Newport - Bilgola demonstrates significant affluence with 44.5% earning over $3,000 per week, which supports premium retail and service offerings. High housing costs consume 15.2% of income, but strong earnings still place disposable income at the 92nd percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 10th decile.

Newport - Bilgola is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

The dwelling structure in Newport-Bilgola, as per the latest Census data, consisted of 73.0% houses and 26.9% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Sydney metropolitan areas which had 72.1% houses and 27.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in Newport-Bilgola stood at 41.5%, with the remaining dwellings either mortgaged (39.1%) or rented (19.4%). The median monthly mortgage repayment was $3,033, below Sydney metro's average of $3,200. The median weekly rent figure was recorded as $628, compared to Sydney metro's $695. Nationally, Newport-Bilgola's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Newport - Bilgola features high concentrations of family households, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households are present in 78.1% of all households, including 37.2% couples with children, 31.7% couples without children, and 8.5% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 21.9%, with lone person households at 19.9% and group households comprising 2.0%. The median household size is 2.7 people, which aligns with the Greater Sydney average.

Educational achievement in Newport - Bilgola places it within the top 10% nationally, reflecting strong academic performance and high qualification levels across the community

The area's educational profile is notable regionally, with university qualification rates at 39.7% of residents aged 15+, surpassing the Australian average of 30.4% and the NSW average of 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 27.4%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (9.0%) and graduate diplomas (3.3%). Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 33.1% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications – advanced diplomas account for 14.5% and certificates for 18.6%.

Educational participation is high, with 28.3% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 8.8% in primary education, 8.8% in secondary education, and 5.3% pursuing tertiary education. Two schools serve the area: Newport Public School and Bilgola Plateau Public School, collectively educating 911 students. These schools focus exclusively on primary education and demonstrate significant socio-educational advantages and academic achievement (ICSEA score of 1108). Secondary options are available in nearby areas. The school places per 100 residents stand at 6.6, below the regional average of 12.7, indicating some students may attend schools outside the immediate area.

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

The transport analysis indicates that Newport-Bilgola has 61 active public transport stops, offering a mix of ferry and bus services. These stops are served by 36 different routes, which together facilitate 1,839 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility to public transport is rated as good, with residents on average located 218 meters from the nearest stop.

On a daily basis, there are an average of 262 trips across all routes, equating to approximately 30 weekly trips per individual stop.

Newport - Bilgola's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Health outcomes data shows excellent results across Newport-Bilgola, with a very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups. The rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 75% of the total population (10,468 people), compared to the national average of 55.3%.

The most prevalent medical conditions in the area are arthritis and asthma, impacting 7.6 and 6.3% of residents respectively. A significant majority, 73.6%, declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, slightly higher than the Greater Sydney average of 72.8%. The area has a lower proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 22.9% (3,180 people), compared to Greater Sydney's 24.1%. Health outcomes among seniors in Newport-Bilgola are particularly strong, performing better than the general population in health metrics.

In terms of cultural diversity, Newport - Bilgola records figures broadly comparable to the national average, as found in AreaSearch's assessment of a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Newport-Bilgola's cultural diversity is roughly aligned with the broader region, as indicated by its 75.6% Australian-born population, 91.0% citizenship rate, and 92.9% English-only speaking households. Christianity is the prevalent religion in Newport-Bilgola, comprising 48.0%. While Judaism's 0.4% representation is slightly higher than Greater Sydney's 0.3%, it remains the most overrepresented religious group.

The top ancestral groups are English (33.6%), Australian (23.1%), and Irish (9.8%). Notably, French (0.9%), Scottish (9.3%), and South African (0.9%) ancestry is overrepresented compared to regional averages of 0.8%, 8.7%, and 0.8% respectively.

Newport - Bilgola hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

The median age in Newport - Bilgola is 46 years, which is notably higher than Greater Sydney's average of 37 years and also exceeds the Australian median of 38 years. Compared to Greater Sydney, the cohort aged 55-64 is over-represented in Newport-Bilgola at 16.5%, while those aged 25-34 are under-represented at 7.3%. The concentration of people aged 55-64 is well above the national average of 11.2%. According to the 2021 Census, the population aged 15-24 has grown from 11.8% to 13.8%, while those aged 75-84 have increased from 6.7% to 8.2%. Conversely, the population aged 5-14 has declined from 12.4% to 10.9% and those aged 25-34 have decreased from 8.5% to 7.3%. Population forecasts for Newport-Bilgola indicate substantial demographic changes by 2041. The population aged 85+ is projected to surge dramatically, expanding by 411 people (130%) from 316 to 728. The aging population dynamic is clear, with those aged 65 and above comprising all of the projected growth. Conversely, the cohorts aged 55-64 and 25-34 are expected to experience population declines.