St Georges Basin - Erowal Bay
Statistical Area - sa2

St Georges Basin - Erowal 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

St Georges Basin - Erowal Bay's population was around 15,362 as of Aug 2025. This reflected an increase of 103 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 15,259 people. The change was inferred from the estimated resident population of 15,360 from the ABS in June 2024 and an additional 167 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equated to a density ratio of 199 persons per square kilometer. Over the past decade, St Georges Basin - Erowal Bay had demonstrated resilient growth patterns with a 1.1% compound annual growth rate, outpacing the non-metro area. Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration, contributing approximately 76.9% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch adopted ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilised NSW State Government's SA2 level projections released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations were applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Based on demographic trends and latest population numbers, an above median population growth was projected for Australia's non-metropolitan areas. The area was expected to expand by 3,675 persons to 2041, recording a gain of 23.9% in total over the 17 years.

Recent residential development output has been above average within St Georges Basin - Erowal Bay when compared nationally

St Georges Basin-Erowal Bay saw approximately 73 new homes approved annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, around 365 homes were approved, with an additional 28 approved so far in FY26. The average number of new residents per year arriving for each new home over these five years was approximately 1.1. This figure has recently eased to about -0.4 people per dwelling over the past two financial years, reflecting improved supply availability.

New properties are constructed at an average expected cost value of $471,000. In FY26, there have been around $5.7 million in commercial approvals, suggesting the area's residential character. Compared to the rest of NSW, St Georges Basin-Erowal Bay has roughly two-thirds the rate of new dwelling approvals per person and ranks among the 64th percentile nationally for areas assessed.

New development consists predominantly of detached houses at 79%, with attached dwellings making up the remaining 21%. This preserves the area's low-density nature, attracting space-seeking buyers. The location has approximately 237 people per dwelling approval, indicating a low-density market. Future projections estimate St Georges Basin-Erowal Bay to add around 3,670 residents by 2041. If current development rates continue, housing supply may not keep pace with population growth, potentially increasing competition among buyers and supporting stronger price growth.

St Georges Basin - Erowal Bay has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 46thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 19 projects likely to impact the area. Notable ones are Village Grove, Sanctuary Point Library, Mixed Use Development with In-Fill Affordable Housing, St Georges Basin, and Paradise Beach Road Multi Dwelling Housing. The following list details those most relevant.

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

AreaSearch assessment positions St Georges Basin - Erowal Bay ahead of most Australian regions for employment performance

St Georges Basin - Erowal Bay has a balanced workforce with both white and blue collar jobs. Key industries include health care & social assistance, construction, and retail trade.

As of June 2025, the unemployment rate is 2.8%, with an estimated employment growth of 3.8% over the past year. There are 5,735 residents in work. The unemployment rate is 0.8% lower than Rest of NSW's rate of 3.7%. Workforce participation is significantly lower at 44.4%.

Employment specialization exists in construction, with a share 1.5 times the regional level. Agriculture, forestry & fishing employs just 0.8%, below Rest of NSW's 5.3%. The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities based on Census data analysis. In the year to June 2025, employment levels increased by 3.8% and labour force grew by 2.6%, resulting in a unemployment fall of 1.2 percentage points. This contrasts with Rest of NSW where employment contracted by 0.1%. State-level data to Sep-25 shows NSW employment contracted by 0.41%, with an unemployment rate of 4.3% compared to the national rate of 4.5%. National employment forecasts from May 2025 suggest a growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to St Georges Basin - Erowal Bay's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.5%% over five years and 13.4% over ten years, based on simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

Income metrics place the area in the bottom 10% of locations nationally according to AreaSearch analysis

AreaSearch's data for financial year 2022 shows median income in St Georges Basin - Erowal Bay was $41,818 and average income was $52,714. This is lower than Rest of NSW's median income of $49,459 and average income of $62,998. By March 2025, adjusted for Wage Price Index growth of 10.6%, estimated median income would be approximately $46,251 and average income $58,302. Census 2021 data places St Georges Basin - Erowal Bay's household, family, and personal incomes between the 7th and 8th percentiles nationally. The largest earnings segment comprises 29.0% earning $400-$799 weekly. In contrast, metropolitan regions have a larger segment of earners falling within the $1,500-$2,999 range at 29.9%. Housing affordability is severe, with only 82.3% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 8th percentile nationally.

St Georges Basin - Erowal Bay is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with ownership patterns similar to the broader region

The dwelling structure in St Georges Basin - Erowal Bay, as per the latest Census, consisted of 88.4% houses and 11.6% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Non-Metro NSW's 87.8% houses and 12.2% other dwellings. The home ownership level in St Georges Basin - Erowal Bay was 45.2%, with the rest either mortgaged (30.3%) or rented (24.6%). The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,517, below Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,733. The median weekly rent figure was $360, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $350. Nationally, St Georges Basin - Erowal Bay's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were less than the national figure of $375.

St Georges Basin - Erowal Bay has a typical household mix, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households account for 68.3% of all households, including 20.0% couples with children, 35.0% couples without children, and 12.6% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 31.7%, with lone person households at 28.6% and group households comprising 3.0%. The median household size is 2.3 people, which matches the average for the Rest of NSW.

St Georges Basin - Erowal Bay faces educational challenges, with performance metrics placing it in the bottom quartile of areas assessed nationally

The area's university qualification rate is 12.0%, significantly lower than the NSW average of 32.2%. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are most common at 8.5%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.0%) and graduate diplomas (1.5%). Vocational credentials are prominent, with 44.7% of residents aged 15+ holding them - advanced diplomas at 10.0% and certificates at 34.7%.

A substantial 24.2% of the population is actively pursuing formal education, including 9.0% in primary, 7.3% in secondary, and 1.9% in tertiary education. Educational provision includes Sanctuary Point Public School and St Georges Basin Public School, serving a total of 782 students. Both schools focus exclusively on primary education, with secondary options available in surrounding areas. Local school capacity is limited, with only 5.1 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 12.8, leading many families to travel for schooling.

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

Analysis indicates 191 active transport stops within St Georges Basin - Erowal Bay, serving a mix of buses. These stops are covered by 24 routes, facilitating 390 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents typically situated 162 meters from the nearest stop.

Service frequency averages 55 trips daily across all routes, translating to approximately 2 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in St Georges Basin - Erowal Bay is a key challenge with a range of health conditions having marked impacts on both younger and older age cohorts

St Georges Basin - Erowal Bay faces significant health challenges, with various conditions affecting both younger and older residents. As of approximately 2016-17, around 47% (~7,174 people) had private health cover, compared to 49.3% in the Rest of NSW and a national average of 55.3%. The most prevalent conditions were arthritis (13.6%) and mental health issues (10.3%), while 54.4% reported no medical ailments, compared to 59.4% in the Rest of NSW.

Residents aged 65 and over comprised 29.2% (4,491 people), higher than the 27.8% in the Rest of NSW. Senior health outcomes broadly align with the general population's health profile.

St Georges Basin - Erowal Bay ranks below the Australian average when compared to other local markets across a number of language and cultural background related metrics

St Georges Basin-Erowal Bay, surveyed in August 2016, showed low cultural diversity with 85.3% born in Australia, 90.5% being citizens, and 95.0% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the dominant religion at 53.0%, slightly higher than Rest of NSW's 52.6%. Top ancestral groups were English (32.0%), Australian (29.9%), and Irish (8.1%).

Notably, Australian Aboriginal were overrepresented at 5.5% compared to regional 4.4%, Hungarians at 0.4% vs 0.2%, and Maltese at 0.9% vs 0.6%.

St Georges Basin - Erowal Bay ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

St Georges Basin - Erowal Bay has a median age of 49, which is higher than the Rest of NSW figure of 43 and well above Australia's median age of 38. The 75-84 cohort is notably over-represented in St Georges Basin - Erowal Bay at 11.0%, compared to the national average of 6.0% and the Rest of NSW average. Conversely, the 5-14 year-old group is under-represented locally at 9.7%. Between 2021 and present day, the 25 to 34 age group has grown from 9.4% to 10.8%, while the 35 to 44 cohort increased from 9.9% to 11.2%. During this period, the 65 to 74 cohort has declined from 16.8% to 15.1%. Looking ahead to 2041, demographic projections show significant shifts in St Georges Basin - Erowal Bay's age structure. The 35 to 44 age cohort is projected to grow by 718 people (42%), from 1,712 to 2,431. Meanwhile, the 15 to 24 cohort grows by a modest 10%, adding 148 people.