North Sydney - Lavender Bay
Statistical Area - sa2

North Sydney - Lavender Bay lies within the top quartile of areas nationally for population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of recent, and medium to long-term trends

North Sydney - Lavender Bay's population was around 14,312 as of November 2025. This reflected an increase of 1,871 people (15.0%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 12,441 people. The change was inferred from the estimated resident population of 13,541 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 535 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equated to a density ratio of 7,493 persons per square kilometer, which placed it in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch, indicating high demand for land in the area. North Sydney - Lavender Bay's growth of 15.0% since the 2021 Census exceeded the SA4 region's growth of 5.4%. Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration, contributing approximately 83.6% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch adopted 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 utilised the NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations were applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Based on the latest population numbers, an above median growth was projected for the area, with an expected increase of 3,238 persons to 2041, representing a total increase of 17.2% over the 17 years.

Residential development activity is lower than average in North Sydney - Lavender Bay according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

North Sydney - Lavender Bay has recorded approximately 8 residential properties granted approval per year over the past five financial years, totalling 44 homes. As of FY-26, 71 approvals have been recorded. On average, around 23.2 people moved to the area annually for each dwelling built between FY-21 and FY-25, indicating significant demand outpacing supply. New homes are being constructed at an average expected cost of $1,197,000, targeting the premium market segment.

This financial year has seen $837.7 million in commercial approvals registered, reflecting high local commercial activity. Compared to Greater Sydney, North Sydney - Lavender Bay records markedly lower building activity, 67.0% below the regional average per person, which typically reinforces demand and pricing for existing dwellings. This is also below national averages, suggesting possible planning constraints. New building activity consists of 11.0% standalone homes and 89.0% townhouses or apartments, favouring higher-density living. With around 7614 people per approval, the area shows signs of maturity and established population. Population forecasts indicate North Sydney - Lavender Bay will gain approximately 2,467 residents by 2041.

At current development rates, housing supply may struggle to match population growth, potentially increasing buyer competition and supporting price increases.

North Sydney - Lavender Bay has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 20% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 40 projects likely impacting the region. Notable initiatives include Victoria Cross Station and Tower, East Walker Residences, Sydney Metro City & Southwest, and Affinity Place. Relevant projects are detailed below.

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

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Despite maintaining a low unemployment rate of 3.8%, North Sydney - Lavender Bay has experienced recent job losses, resulting in a below average employment performance ranking when compared nationally

North Sydney - Lavender Bay has a highly educated workforce with significant representation in the technology sector. As of June 2025, its unemployment rate is 3.8%.

In this month, 9,151 residents are employed, which is 0.4% below Greater Sydney's unemployment rate of 4.2%. The workforce participation rate is 70.4%, compared to Greater Sydney's 60.0%. Key industries for employment among residents are professional & technical, finance & insurance, and health care & social assistance. Professional & technical services demonstrate notable concentration with employment levels at 2.1 times the regional average.

Conversely, retail trade shows lower representation at 5.3% versus the regional average of 9.3%. There are 4.5 workers for every resident in the area, indicating it functions as an employment hub hosting more jobs than residents and attracting workers from surrounding areas. Over the 12 months to June 2025, labour force levels decreased by 0.3% alongside a 1.2% employment decline in North Sydney - Lavender Bay, resulting in an unemployment rate rise of 0.9 percentage points. In comparison, Greater Sydney recorded employment growth of 2.6%, labour force growth of 2.9%, with unemployment rising 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 offer insights into potential future demand within North Sydney - Lavender Bay. National employment is forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these industry-specific projections to the local employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 7.7% over five years and 15.1% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

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

North Sydney - Lavender Bay's median income among taxpayers was $80,705 and average income stood at $144,339 in the financial year 2022. This compares to Greater Sydney's figures of $56,994 and $80,856 respectively. By September 2025, estimates suggest median income would be approximately $90,882 and average income $162,540, based on a 12.61% growth in wages since the financial year 2022. According to 2021 Census figures, incomes in North Sydney - Lavender Bay rank highly nationally, between the 94th and 99th percentiles for household, family, and personal incomes. The income distribution shows that 34.8% of residents (4,980 people) are in the $4000+ bracket, contrasting with regional levels where the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket leads at 30.9%. In North Sydney - Lavender Bay, 47.3% earn over $3,000 per week, supporting premium retail and service offerings. High housing costs consume 17.3% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 93rd percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 10th decile.

North Sydney - Lavender Bay features a more urban dwelling mix with significant apartment living, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

North Sydney - Lavender Bay had 5.6% houses and 94.4% other dwellings in its dwelling structure as of the latest Census, compared to Sydney metro's 17.9% houses and 82.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in North Sydney - Lavender Bay stood at 23.3%, with mortgaged dwellings at 16.4% and rented ones at 60.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,850, below the Sydney metro average of $3,085. Median weekly rent in North Sydney - Lavender Bay was $600, compared to Sydney metro's $582. Nationally, mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $1,863 and rents substantially above the national figure of $375.

North Sydney - Lavender Bay features high concentrations of lone person households and group households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households compose 55.3% of all households, including 14.7% couples with children, 33.7% couples without children, and 5.8% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 44.7%, with lone person households at 40.3% and group households comprising 4.3%. The median household size is 1.9 people, smaller than the Greater Sydney average of 2.1.

North Sydney - Lavender Bay demonstrates exceptional educational outcomes, ranking among the top 5% of areas nationally based on AreaSearch's comprehensive analysis of qualification and performance metrics

Educational attainment in North Sydney - Lavender Bay exceeds broader standards significantly. Among residents aged 15+, 68.3% hold university qualifications, compared to 30.4% nationally and 32.2% in NSW. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 40.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (23.5%) and graduate diplomas (4.1%). Vocational pathways account for 16.6%, with advanced diplomas at 9.3% and certificates at 7.3%.

A total of 24.3% of the population is actively pursuing formal education, including 8.7% in tertiary, 4.7% in primary, and 4.5% in secondary education. The area has 11 schools serving 8,324 students, with an ICSEA score of 1169, indicating high educational performance nationally. There are five primary, four secondary, and two K-12 schools. North Sydney - Lavender Bay functions as an education hub with 58.2 school places per 100 residents, significantly above the regional average of 19.2, attracting students from surrounding communities. Note: for schools showing 'n/a' in enrolments, please refer to the parent campus.

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

North Sydney-Lavender Bay has 74 active public transport stops. These include ferry, train, light rail, and bus services. There are 97 individual routes operating in total.

Weekly passenger trips across these routes amount to 16,618. Residential accessibility to transport is rated excellent, with residents typically located 107 meters from the nearest stop. Service frequency averages 2,374 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 224 weekly trips per individual stop.

North Sydney - Lavender Bay's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

North Sydney - Lavender Bay's health outcomes show a low prevalence of common conditions across all ages. Private health cover stands at approximately 84% (12,079 people), compared to Greater Sydney's 86.4%, and the national average of 55.3%. Asthma and mental health issues are the most prevalent conditions, affecting 6.0 and 5.9% respectively.

78.0% report no medical ailments, compared to 75.2% in Greater Sydney. The area has 17.2% (2,457 people) aged 65 and over, lower than Greater Sydney's 20.1%. Seniors' health outcomes align with the general population's profile.

North Sydney - Lavender Bay is among the most culturally diverse areas in the country based on AreaSearch assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

North Sydney-Lavender Bay has a high level of cultural diversity, with 32.6% of its population speaking a language other than English at home and 49.0% born overseas. Christianity is the predominant religion in North Sydney-Lavender Bay, making up 40.9% of people. However, Judaism is overrepresented compared to Greater Sydney, comprising 0.6% versus 1.0%.

The top three ancestry groups are English (22.5%), Australian (13.9%), and Other (13.5%). Notably, French (1.1%) and Spanish (0.9%) are overrepresented in North Sydney-Lavender Bay compared to regional figures of 1.1% and 0.7%, respectively.

North Sydney - Lavender Bay's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

The median age in North Sydney - Lavender Bay was close to Greater Sydney's average of 37 at 38 years as of the 2021 Census. This figure is equivalent to Australia's national median age of 38. Compared to Greater Sydney, North Sydney - Lavender Bay had a higher proportion of residents aged 25-34 (23.0%) but fewer residents aged 5-14 (5.6%). The concentration of 25-34 year-olds was well above the national average of 14.5%. Between the 2016 and 2021 Censuses, the proportion of residents aged 75 to 84 grew from 5.6% to 6.8%, while the proportion of those aged 25 to 34 decreased from 24.3% to 23.0%. By 2041, North Sydney - Lavender Bay is projected to see significant shifts in its age composition, with the 75 to 84 age group expected to grow by 77%, reaching 1,735 people from 977. The population aged 65 and above is projected to comprise 72% of this growth. Conversely, population declines are projected for those aged 0-4 and 35-44 years.