Normanhurst - Thornleigh - Westleigh

An assessment of population growth drivers in Normanhurst - Thornleigh - Westleigh reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, Normanhurst-Thornleigh-Westleigh's population is around 19,819 as of Nov 2025. This reflects an increase of 661 people from the 2021 Census figure of 19,158. The increase is inferred from the estimated resident population of 19,802 in Jun 2024 and 191 new addresses validated since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 1,983 persons per square kilometer, higher than the national average assessed by AreaSearch. The area's growth rate of 3.5% since the Census is within 0.8 percentage points of the SA3 area's 4.3%, indicating strong growth fundamentals. Overseas migration contributed approximately 91.6% of overall population gains during 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 are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Considering projected demographic shifts, the area is expected to grow by 835 persons to 2041 based on latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting a total gain of 4.1% over these 17 years.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Normanhurst - Thornleigh - Westleigh according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

Normanhurst-Thornleigh-Westleigh has seen approximately 45 residential properties granted approval annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25226 homes were approved, with a further 6 approved so far in FY26. On average, each dwelling has added 2.1 new residents per year over these five years, reflecting strong demand that supports property values.

New homes are being built at an average expected construction cost of $362,000. This financial year has seen $14.2 million in commercial approvals, indicating balanced commercial development activity. Compared to Greater Sydney, Normanhurst-Thornleigh-Westleigh shows 16.0% lower construction activity per person. Nationally, it ranks at the 22nd percentile of areas assessed, suggesting more limited choices for buyers and supporting demand for existing homes.

This activity is also below average nationally, which reflects the area's maturity and possible planning constraints. Recent construction comprises 90.0% standalone homes and 10.0% townhouses or apartments, maintaining the area's suburban identity with a concentration of family homes suitable for buyers seeking space. The location has approximately 722 people per dwelling approval, indicating an established market. By 2041, Normanhurst-Thornleigh-Westleigh is projected to grow by 815 residents (according to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing favourable conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

Normanhurst - Thornleigh - Westleigh has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 30% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 24 projects likely to affect the area. Notable ones include Thornleigh Quarter, Thornleigh Marketplace Redevelopment, 15-19 Station Street Mixed-Use Development Thornleigh, and Hornsby Park. The following list details those 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.

Normanhurst - Thornleigh - Westleigh shows employment indicators that trail behind approximately 70% of regions assessed across Australia

Normanhurst - Thornleigh - Westleigh has a highly educated workforce with significant representation in the technology sector. The unemployment rate as of September 2025 is 6.4%.

In this period, 10,149 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 2.2% higher than Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%. Workforce participation stands at 64.8%, slightly above Greater Sydney's 60.0%. Employment is concentrated in health care & social assistance, professional & technical services, and education & training, with notable concentration in the latter at 1.6 times the regional average. Conversely, transport, postal & warehousing shows lower representation at 2.8% compared to the regional average of 5.3%.

Over the year ending September 2025, labour force levels increased by 0.5%, while employment declined by 0.7%, leading to a rise in unemployment by 1.1 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Sydney saw employment growth of 2.1% and a 0.2 percentage point increase in unemployment. State-level data from NSW as of 25-Nov shows employment contracted by 0.03%, with an unemployment rate of 3.9%. Nationally, the unemployment rate is 4.3%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts project growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Normanhurst - Thornleigh - Westleigh's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.3% over five years and 14.7% over ten years, though these are simple extrapolations for illustrative purposes and do not account for localised population projections.

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

AreaSearch aggregated latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year 2022. Normanhurst - Thornleigh - Westleigh SA2 had a median income among taxpayers of $62,597 and an average level of $94,159. These figures place the area in the top percentile nationally. Comparatively, Greater Sydney's median and average incomes were $56,994 and $80,856 respectively. Considering a 12.61% growth in Wage Price Index since financial year 2022, estimated current incomes are approximately $70,490 (median) and $106,032 (average) as of September 2025. The 2021 Census reported household incomes at the 94th percentile ($2,781 weekly). Income analysis shows that 32.2% of individuals in the area earn over $4,000 per week, contrasting with the region's leading bracket of $1,500 - $2,999 at 30.9%. The district exhibits significant affluence with 47.0% earning over $3,000 weekly, supporting premium retail and service offerings. Housing expenses account for 14.9% of income. Strong earnings place residents in the 94th percentile for disposable income. The area's SEIFA income ranking is in the 9th decile.

Normanhurst - Thornleigh - Westleigh is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

As per the latest Census evaluation in Normanhurst - Thornleigh - Westleigh, 82.9% of dwellings were houses, with the remaining 17.2% comprising semi-detached homes, apartments, and other types. This differs from Sydney metropolitan areas, where 61.4% of dwellings are houses and 38.6% are other types. Home ownership in Normanhurst - Thornleigh - Westleigh stood at 36.4%, with mortgaged properties at 45.4% and rented ones at 18.2%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $3,000, higher than the Sydney metro average of $2,500. The median weekly rent in the area was $550, compared to Sydney's $480. Nationally, Normanhurst - Thornleigh - Westleigh's mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $3,000 versus Australia's average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Normanhurst - Thornleigh - Westleigh features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 82.7% of all households, including 48.7% couples with children, 23.9% couples without children, and 9.6% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 17.3%, with lone person households at 15.6% and group households at 1.6%. The median household size is 2.9 people, larger than the Greater Sydney average of 2.7.

Normanhurst - Thornleigh - Westleigh demonstrates exceptional educational outcomes, ranking among the top 5% of areas nationally based on AreaSearch's comprehensive analysis of qualification and performance metrics

Normanhurst-Thornleigh-Westleigh has a notably high educational attainment, with 49.4% of residents aged 15+ holding university qualifications compared to the Australian average of 30.4% and NSW's 32.2%. The area's most common qualification is bachelor degrees at 30.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (15.2%) and graduate diplomas (4%). Vocational pathways account for 23.7% of qualifications, with advanced diplomas making up 11.1% and certificates 12.6%. Educational participation in the area is high, with 32.3% of residents currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes 11.1% in primary education, 9.4% in secondary education, and 6.5% pursuing tertiary education.

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

The analysis of public transport in the Normanhurst - Thornleigh - Westleigh area shows that there are currently 163 active transport stops operating. These stops offer a mix of train and bus services, with a total of 53 individual routes providing passenger trips. Each week, these routes collectively facilitate 3,262 passenger trips.

The accessibility of transport in this region is rated as excellent, with residents typically located approximately 156 meters from the nearest transport stop. On average, across all routes, there are 466 trips per day, which equates to about 20 weekly trips per individual stop.

Normanhurst - Thornleigh - Westleigh's residents are extremely healthy with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Analysis of health metrics shows strong performance throughout Normanhurst-Thornleigh-Westleigh. Prevalence of common health conditions is very low across all age groups. Private health cover rate is exceptionally high at approximately 68% of the total population (13,516 people), compared to 60.8% across Greater Sydney and 55.3% nationally.

The most common medical conditions are asthma and mental health issues, impacting 7.0 and 6.7% of residents respectively. 72.2% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 74.0% across Greater Sydney. As of 18th March 2021, the area has 18.0% of residents aged 65 and over (3,567 people). Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, broadly in line with the general population's health profile.

Normanhurst - Thornleigh - Westleigh was found to be more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets in Australia, upon assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Normanhurst-Thornleigh-Westleigh has a high level of cultural diversity, with 29.3% of its population speaking a language other than English at home and 35.8% born overseas. The predominant religion in the area is Christianity, comprising 52.9% of the population. Hinduism is notably overrepresented, making up 4.2% compared to the Greater Sydney average of 7.3%.

The top three ancestry groups are English (22.9%), Australian (21.2%), and Chinese (10.0%). There are significant differences in the representation of certain ethnic groups: Korean is overrepresented at 1.8%, Lebanese at 2.1%, and South African at 0.8%.

Normanhurst - Thornleigh - Westleigh's population is slightly older than the national pattern

Normanhurst - Thornleigh - Westleigh's median age is 41 years, which is significantly higher than Greater Sydney's average of 37 years and slightly older than Australia's median of 38 years. Compared to Greater Sydney, the 45-54 age cohort is notably over-represented in Normanhurst - Thornleigh - Westleigh at 15.5%, while the 25-34 age group is under-represented at 6.9%. According to the 2021 Census, the 15-24 age group has grown from 12.6% to 14.3% of the population, while the 25-34 cohort has declined from 7.6% to 6.9%. Demographic modeling suggests that Normanhurst - Thornleigh - Westleigh's age profile will change significantly by 2041. The 85+ age group is projected to grow by 99%, adding 507 residents to reach 1,023. Residents aged 65 and older are expected to represent 92% of the population growth, while declines are projected for the 25-34 and 0-4 age cohorts.