Rose Bay - Vaucluse - Watsons Bay

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

Rose Bay - Vaucluse - Watsons Bay's population was 12,018 as of Nov 2025. This showed an increase of 94 people since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 11,924. The change was inferred from ABS' estimated resident population of 11,857 in June 2024 and 92 validated new addresses since the Census date. This resulted in a density ratio of 2,338 persons per square kilometer, placing it in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Overseas migration primarily drove population growth 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, NSW State Government's SA2 level projections were used, 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. By 2041, the population is projected to increase by 1,102 persons, reflecting a gain of 7.8% over the 17-year period.

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

Rose Bay - Vaucluse - Watsons Bay has averaged approximately 42 new dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, with a total of 213 homes approved during this period and an additional 22 approved so far in FY-26. The population has decreased slightly during this time, yet housing supply has remained adequate relative to demand, resulting in a well-balanced market with good buyer choice. The average value of new dwellings developed is $1,502,000, indicating that developers are targeting the premium market segment with higher-end properties.

In FY-26 alone, there have been $443.4 million in commercial approvals, demonstrating high levels of local commercial activity. Compared to Greater Sydney, Rose Bay - Vaucluse - Watsons Bay has slightly more development, with 20.0% above the regional average per person over the five-year period, supporting existing property values while maintaining good buyer choice. However, development activity has moderated in recent periods, which is below the national average, suggesting the area's established nature and potential planning limitations. New development consists of 31.0% detached dwellings and 69.0% townhouses or apartments, marking a significant shift from existing housing patterns (currently 46.0% houses), potentially due to diminishing developable land availability and evolving lifestyle preferences and housing affordability needs. With around 527 people per dwelling approval, Rose Bay - Vaucluse - Watsons Bay shows a developed market with future projections estimating an addition of 941 residents by 2041 based on the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate. Given current development patterns, new housing supply should readily meet demand, offering good conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

Future projections show Rose Bay - Vaucluse - Watsons Bay adding 941 residents by 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). Based on current development patterns, new housing supply should readily meet demand, offering good conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

Rose Bay - Vaucluse - Watsons Bay has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 10% nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 42 projects that could affect the region. Notable initiatives include Kincoppal-Rose Bay School Campus Masterplan, Wilberforce Avenue Car Park Redevelopment, 88-96 Newcastle Street Rose Bay, and Parsley Bay Pump Station. 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.

AreaSearch analysis places Rose Bay - Vaucluse - Watsons Bay well above average for employment performance across multiple indicators

Rose Bay - Vaucluse - Watsons Bay has a highly educated workforce with strong representation in professional services. The unemployment rate was 2.8% as of September 2025, which is below Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%. Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 2.3%.

There were 6,356 residents employed while the unemployment rate was 1.4% lower than Greater Sydney's. Workforce participation was somewhat lower at 65.7%, compared to Greater Sydney's 70.0%. According to Census responses, 57.7% of residents worked from home. Employment is concentrated in professional & technical, health care & social assistance, and finance & insurance sectors.

The area has a notable concentration in professional & technical services with employment levels at 1.6 times the regional average. Transport, postal & warehousing has limited presence with 1.7% employment compared to 5.3% regionally. The predominantly residential area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities. In the 12-month period ending September 2025, employment increased by 2.3% while labour force grew by 2.6%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 0.3 percentage points. This contrasts with Greater Sydney where employment rose by 2.1%, labour force grew by 2.4%, and unemployment rose by 0.2 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that national employment is expected to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with varying growth rates between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Rose Bay - Vaucluse - Watsons Bay's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.6% over five years and 14.9% over ten years.

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

The Rose Bay-Vaucluse-Watsons Bay SA2 has a high national income level according to AreaSearch's aggregation of latest ATO data for financial year 2023. The median income among taxpayers is $80,453 and the average income stands at $207,015, compared to Greater Sydney's figures of $60,817 and $83,003 respectively. As of September 2025, estimated incomes would be approximately $87,581 (median) and $225,357 (average), based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since financial year 2023. Census data shows household, family, and personal incomes all rank highly in Rose Bay-Vaucluse-Watsons Bay, between the 97th and 99th percentiles nationally. The earnings profile reveals that 45.5% of residents (5,468 people) fall into the $4000+ bracket, differing from the broader area where the $1,500-$2,999 category predominates at 30.9%. Notably, 56.0% earn above $3,000 weekly. Housing accounts for 13.5% of income, and residents rank within the 99th percentile for disposable income. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 10th decile.

Rose Bay - Vaucluse - Watsons Bay features a more urban dwelling mix with significant apartment living, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Rose Bay - Vaucluse - Watsons Bay's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 46.1% houses and 53.9% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Sydney metro's 55.9% houses and 44.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in the area was at 44.4%, with mortgaged dwellings at 28.2% and rented ones at 27.4%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $4,195, higher than Sydney metro's average of $2,427. The median weekly rent figure was $713, compared to Sydney metro's $470. Nationally, the area's mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $4,195 versus Australia's average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Rose Bay - Vaucluse - Watsons Bay has a typical household mix, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 73.4% of all households, including 36.8% couples with children, 27.8% couples without children, and 8.4% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 26.6%, with lone person households at 24.1% and group households comprising 2.3%. The median household size is 2.6 people, which is smaller than the Greater Sydney average of 2.7.

Educational achievement in Rose Bay - Vaucluse - Watsons Bay places it within the top 10% nationally, reflecting strong academic performance and high qualification levels across the community

Rose Bay - Vaucluse - Watsons Bay has a high level of educational attainment among residents aged 15 and above. 55% hold university qualifications, compared to the Australian average of 30.4% and the NSW average of 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 36.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 14.9% and graduate diplomas at 3.3%. Vocational pathways account for 17.6%, with advanced diplomas at 9.8% and certificates at 7.8%.

Educational participation is high, with 32.5% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.7% in secondary education, 9.8% in primary education, and 7.2% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Rose Bay - Vaucluse - Watsons Bay has 135 active public transport stops offering a mix of ferry and bus services. These are served by 41 routes, facilitating 6,651 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is excellent, with residents located an average of 126 meters from the nearest stop. Most commuters travel outward daily. Car remains the primary mode at 76%, while walking accounts for 9%. Vehicle ownership averages 1.3 per dwelling.

According to the 2021 Census, 57.7% of residents work from home, potentially due to COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 950 trips daily across all routes, equating to around 49 weekly trips per stop. The accompanying map displays the 100 nearest stops to the location's centrepoint.

Rose Bay - Vaucluse - Watsons Bay's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Rose Bay - Vaucluse - Watsons Bay shows excellent health outcomes according to AreaSearch's analysis of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. The area has a very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups. Approximately 92% of its total population (11,116 people) have private health cover, compared to 59.9% in Greater Sydney and 55.7% nationally.

The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis and asthma, affecting 6.1 and 5.3% of residents respectively. A significant majority, 76.1%, report being completely free from medical ailments, slightly higher than the 74.6% in Greater Sydney. The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 23.6% (2,832 people), compared to 15.3% in Greater Sydney. Health outcomes among seniors are consistently strong, aligning with national rankings for the general population.

The level of cultural diversity witnessed in Rose Bay - Vaucluse - Watsons Bay was found to be above average when compared nationally for a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Rose Bay-Vaucluse-Watsons Bay had a higher cultural diversity than most local areas, with 18.3% of its residents speaking a language other than English at home and 37.6% born overseas. Christianity was the predominant religion in Rose Bay-Vaucluse-Watsons Bay, comprising 42.9% of the population. However, Judaism was significantly overrepresented compared to the Greater Sydney average, making up 23.2%.

The top three ancestry groups were English (22.3%), Australian (16.9%), and Other (14.7%). Notably, South African (3.8%), Polish (2.3%), and Russian (1.8%) ethnicities were overrepresented compared to regional averages of 0.5%, 0.6%, and 0.4% respectively.

Rose Bay - Vaucluse - Watsons Bay hosts a notably older demographic compared to the national average

The median age in Rose Bay - Vaucluse - Watsons Bay is 44, surpassing Greater Sydney's figure of 37 and the national norm of 38. The area has a strong representation of the 75-84 age group at 9.1%, compared to Greater Sydney, while the 25-34 cohort is less prevalent at 8.8%. According to the 2021 Census, the 75 to 84 age group grew from 7.2% to 9.1%, and the 15 to 24 cohort increased from 13.3% to 14.8%. Conversely, the 45 to 54 cohort declined from 15.1% to 13.7%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests significant changes in Rose Bay - Vaucluse - Watsons Bay's age profile. The 85+ group is projected to grow by 103%, reaching 945 people from 466. The aging population trend is clear, with those aged 65 and above comprising 83% of the projected growth. Meanwhile, the 25-34 and 0-4 age cohorts are expected to experience population declines.