St Ives

Population growth drivers in St Ives are slightly above average based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium term trends

St Ives' population is approximately 23,013 as of May 2026. This figure represents an increase of 1,348 people, a 6.2% rise since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 21,665. The change is inferred from ABS's estimated resident population of 22,932 in June 2025 and an additional 127 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 1,294 persons per square kilometer, higher than the average across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. St Ives' growth rate exceeded that of its SA3 area (4.4%) and SA4 region, positioning it as a growth leader. Overseas migration was the primary driver of population gains in recent periods.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 with a 2022 base year, and NSW State Government's SA2 level projections where data is not available, released in 2022 with a 2021 base year. Growth rates by age group are applied to all areas from these aggregations for years 2032 to 2041. Based on demographic trends and the latest annual ERP population numbers, St Ives is expected to grow by approximately 1,685 persons by 2041, reflecting a total gain of around 7.0% over the 16-year period.

Recent residential development output has been above average within St Ives when compared nationally

St Ives has seen approximately 94 new homes approved annually. Between FY21-FY25472 homes were approved, with another 41 approved in FY26 so far. Over these years, an average of 1.5 people moved to the area per dwelling built. However, this figure increased to 5.2 people per dwelling over the past two financial years, indicating growing popularity and potential undersupply.

New homes are being constructed at an average value of $756,000, suggesting a focus on the premium market by developers. This year has seen $47.2 million in commercial approvals registered, indicating strong local business investment. Compared to Greater Sydney, St Ives has slightly more development activity, balancing buyer choice while supporting current property values.

Building activity shows 58% detached houses and 42% medium-high density housing, expanding affordable options. With around 295 people per dwelling approval, St Ives exhibits low-density characteristics. By 2041, St Ives is projected to gain 1604 residents. Given current development patterns, new housing supply should meet demand, offering favorable conditions for buyers and facilitating population growth beyond projections.

St Ives has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 40% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 29 projects that may impact the area. Major projects include Hermitage St Ives, St Ives Indoor Sports Centre, St Ives Shopping Village Redevelopment, and Ellis Residences. The following list details those likely to be 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.

Employment conditions in St Ives remain below the national average according to AreaSearch analysis

St Ives has a highly educated workforce, with the technology sector prominent. The unemployment rate was 3.9% as of December 2025. This is 0.3% lower than Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%.

Workforce participation in St Ives is 61.4%, compared to Greater Sydney's 68.8%. According to Census data, 60.8% of residents work from home. Leading employment industries are professional & technical, health care & social assistance, and finance & insurance. Professional & technical jobs are particularly concentrated, at 1.6 times the regional average.

Conversely, construction shows lower representation, at 5.3% compared to the regional average of 8.6%. Employment opportunities locally may be limited, as indicated by the difference between Census working population and resident population. Between December 2024 and December 2025, employment levels increased by 0.1%, while labour force grew by 1.1%, causing unemployment to rise by 1 percentage point. In contrast, Greater Sydney saw employment growth of 2.2% and labour force growth of 2.3%. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia, issued in May-25, project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to St Ives's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.5% over five years and 14.9% over ten years.

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

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023 shows that St Ives SA2 has exceptionally high incomes nationally. The median income is $64,662 and the average income stands at $110,616. This contrasts with Greater Sydney's figures of a median income of $60,817 and an average income of $83,003. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.32% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $71,335 (median) and $122,032 (average) as of March 2026. According to the 2021 Census figures, household, family and personal incomes all rank highly in St Ives, between the 84th and 96th percentiles nationally. Income analysis reveals that 37.7% of the community (8,675 individuals) earn $4000 or more weekly, unlike trends in the surrounding region where 30.9% fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 range. A significant 49.6% earn above $3,000 weekly. Housing accounts for 15.0% of income and strong earnings rank residents within the 96th percentile for disposable income. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 10th decile.

St Ives is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

St Ives dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 70.3% houses and 29.7% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Sydney metro's 55.9% houses and 44.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in St Ives stood at 42.7%, with mortgaged dwellings at 41.7% and rented ones at 15.6%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $3,500, higher than Sydney metro's average of $2,427. Median weekly rent in St Ives was $700, compared to Sydney metro's $470. Nationally, St Ives' mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $1,863 and rents substantially above the national figure of $375.

St Ives features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households account for 83.2% of all households, including 47.7% couples with children, 26.2% couples without children, and 8.8% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 16.8%, with lone person households at 15.8% and group households comprising 0.9%. The median household size is 2.9 people, larger than the Greater Sydney average of 2.7.

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

In St Ives, educational attainment is notably higher than national averages. Among residents aged 15 and above, 54.0% possess university qualifications, compared to 30.4% nationally and 32.2% in New South Wales. University degrees are the most common, with 32.9% of residents holding one. Postgraduate qualifications follow at 17.8%, and graduate diplomas account for 3.3%.

Vocational pathways make up 19.9% of qualifications, with advanced diplomas at 11.1% and certificates at 8.8%. Educational participation is high, with 32.1% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 12.0% in primary education, 9.3% in secondary education, and 5.8% pursuing tertiary education.

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

The analysis of public transport in St Ives indicates there are 136 active transport stops operating within the area. These stops service a mix of buses along 93 individual routes, collectively providing 2,240 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of transport is rated as excellent, with residents typically located 182 meters from the nearest transport stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward using various modes of transport. Cars remain the dominant mode at 85%, while 7% use the train for their commutes. Vehicle ownership averages 1.5 per dwelling, which is above the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, a high percentage of residents work from home, with 60.8% doing so. This figure may reflect the conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic. Service frequency across all routes averages 320 trips per day, equating to approximately 16 weekly trips per individual stop. The accompanying map displays the 100 nearest stops to the location's centrepoint.

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

St Ives' health outcomes show excellent results based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence, with very low prevalence across all age groups. The rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 75% of the total population (17,328 people), compared to 59.9% in Greater Sydney and a national average of 55.7%. The most common medical conditions are arthritis and asthma, affecting 6.4% and 5.6% of residents respectively.

A total of 75.6% of residents claim to be completely free from medical ailments, compared to 74.6% in Greater Sydney. St Ives has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 22.4%, with 5,143 people falling into this category, compared to 15.5% in Greater Sydney. Health outcomes among seniors are strong and align broadly with the general population's national rankings.

St Ives is among the most culturally diverse areas in the country based on AreaSearch assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

St Ives has a notable cultural diversity, with 34.1% of its population speaking a language other than English at home and 48.4% born overseas. Christianity is the main religion in St Ives, comprising 43.4% of people. However, Judaism is significantly overrepresented at 8.3%, which is substantially higher than the Greater Sydney average of 0.8%.

In terms of ancestry, the top three groups are English (22.5%), Chinese (16.7%), and Australian (15.8%). Notably, South Australian (3.9%) and Korean (1.9%) ethnicities are overrepresented compared to regional averages of 0.5% and 1.1%, respectively. Additionally, Russian ethnicity is slightly higher at 0.6%.

St Ives's median age exceeds the national pattern

The median age in St Ives is 43 years, which is higher than Greater Sydney's average of 37 years and exceeds the national average of 38 years. The age profile shows that those aged 5-14 years make up 16.5% of the population, while those aged 25-34 years are less prevalent at 5.0%. Between 2021 and present, the proportion of those aged 15-24 has increased from 11.3% to 13.7%, while the 0-4 age group has decreased from 4.7% to 3.5%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in St Ives's age structure. The number of those aged 85 and above is projected to rise substantially, increasing by 967 people (99%) from 975 to 1,943. Notably, the combined age groups of 65 and above are expected to account for 89% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. Conversely, the 55-64 and 0-4 age cohorts are projected to experience population declines.