St Ives

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

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, St Ives's population is around 22,767 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 1,102 people (5.1%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 21,665 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 22,724 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 112 validated new addresses since the Census date. This population level equates to a density ratio of 1,280 persons per square kilometer, which is above the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. St Ives's 5.1% growth since the 2021 census exceeded the SA3 area (4.3%), marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration, which was essentially the sole driver of population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For any SA2 areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch is utilising the NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, as released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are also applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Regarding demographic trends, a population increase just below the median of statistical areas across the nation is expected, with the area expected to grow by 1,853 persons to 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting a gain of 8.0% in total over the 17 years.

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

St Ives has seen around 94 new homes approved each year, with 472 homes approved over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25) and 32 so far in FY-26. With an average of 1.5 people per year moving to the area for each dwelling built over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25), supply and demand appear well-balanced, creating stable market conditions, though recent data shows this has intensified to 5.2 people per dwelling over the past 2 financial years, indicating growing popularity and potential undersupply. New homes are being built at an average construction cost of $756,000, showing that developers are focusing on the premium market with high-end developments. Additionally, $47.2 million in commercial approvals have been registered this financial year, suggesting robust local business investment.

When measured against Greater Sydney, St Ives has slightly more development (11.0% above regional average per person over the 5 year period), balancing buyer choice with support for current property values. New building activity shows 58.0% detached houses and 42.0% medium and high-density housing, showing an expanding range of medium-density options creating a mix of opportunities across price brackets, from traditional family housing to more affordable compact alternatives. With around 295 people per dwelling approval, St Ives shows characteristics of a low density area.

Population forecasts indicate St Ives will gain 1,810 residents through to 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.

St Ives has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 20% nationally

Nothing can influence an area's performance as much as changes to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. In total, 19 projects have been identified by AreaSearch that are likely to have an impact on the area. Key projects include Hermitage St Ives, St Ives Indoor Sports Centre, St Ives Shopping Village Redevelopment, and Ellis Residences, with the list below detailing those likely to be of most relevance.

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 possesses a highly educated workforce, with the technology sector a particular standout in terms of representation, an unemployment rate of only 3.9%, and relative employment stability over the past year. As of December 2025, 10,822 residents are in work while the unemployment rate is 0.3% below Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%, and workforce participation lags significantly (62.3% compared to Greater Sydney's 70.2%). Based on Census responses, a high 60.8% of residents were found to work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered.

Leading employment industries among residents comprise professional & technical, health care & social assistance, and finance & insurance. The area demonstrates a particularly notable concentration in professional & technical, with employment levels at 1.6 times the regional average. Conversely, construction shows lower representation at 5.3% versus the regional average of 8.6%. The predominantly residential area appears to offer limited employment opportunities locally, as indicated by the count of the Census working population versus the resident population.

Based on AreaSearch analysis of SALM and ABS data, during the year to December 2025, employment levels increased by 0.1% and the labour force increased by 1.1%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 1.0 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Sydney experienced employment growth of 2.2% and labour force growth of 2.3%, with a marginal rise. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 can offer further insight into potential future demand within St Ives. These projections, covering five and ten-year periods, have been mapped against the local employment profile to estimate growth patterns. While national employment is forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, growth rates differ significantly between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to St Ives's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.5% over five years and 14.9% over ten years (please note this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections).

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 FY-23 reveals that income in the St Ives SA2 is exceptionally high nationally, with the median assessed at $64,662 while 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 8.86% since FY-23, current estimates would be approximately $70,391 (median) and $120,417 (average) as of September 2025. According to 2021 Census figures, household, family and personal incomes all rank highly in St Ives, between the 84th and 96th percentiles nationally. Income analysis reveals the $4000+ earnings band captures 37.7% of the community (8,583 individuals), 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, reflecting pockets of prosperity that drive robust local economic activity. Housing accounts for 15.0% of income while strong earnings rank residents within the 96th percentile for disposable income and 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

Dwelling structure within St Ives, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 70.3% houses and 29.7% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), in comparison to Sydney metro's 55.9% houses and 44.1% other dwellings. Meanwhile, the level of home ownership within St Ives was well beyond that of Sydney metro, at 42.7%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged (41.7%) or rented (15.6%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was well above the Sydney metro average at $3,500, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded at $700, compared to Sydney metro's $2,427 and $470. Nationally, St Ives's mortgage repayments are significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents are 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 dominate at 83.2% of all households, comprising 47.7% couples with children, 26.2% couples without children, and 8.8% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 16.8%, with lone person households at 15.8% and group households comprising 0.9% of the total. The median household size of 2.9 people is 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

Educational attainment in St Ives significantly surpasses broader benchmarks, with 54.0% of residents aged 15+ holding university qualifications compared to 30.4% in Australia and 32.2% in NSW. This substantial educational advantage positions the area strongly for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees lead at 32.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (17.8%) and graduate diplomas (3.3%). Vocational pathways account for 19.9% of qualifications among those aged 15+ – advanced diplomas (11.1%) and certificates (8.8%).

Educational participation is notably 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

Public transport analysis reveals 136 active transport stops operating within St Ives, comprising a mix of buses. These stops are serviced by 93 individual routes, collectively providing 2,240 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically located 182 meters from the nearest transport stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward; the car remains the dominant mode at 85%, with 7% by train. Vehicle ownership averages 1.5 per dwelling, which is above the regional average. A high 60.8% of residents work from home (2021 Census; may reflect COVID-19 conditions).

Service frequency averages 320 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 16 weekly trips per individual stop. The accompanying map shows the 100 nearest stops to the location centrepoint.

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

Health outcomes data demonstrates outstanding results across St Ives, based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. There is a very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups, and the rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 75% of the total population (17,143 people). This compares to 59.9% across Greater Sydney and a national average of 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions in the area are arthritis and asthma, impacting 6.4 and 5.6% of residents, respectively, while 75.6% declared themselves as completely clear of medical ailments compared to 74.6% across Greater Sydney. The area has 22.7% of residents aged 65 and over (5,177 people), which is higher than the 15.4% in Greater Sydney. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

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 scores highly on cultural diversity, with 34.1% of its population speaking a language other than English at home and 48.4% born overseas. The main religion in St Ives is Christianity, which makes up 43.4% of the population. However, the most apparent overrepresentation is in Judaism, which comprises 8.3% of the population, substantially higher than the Greater Sydney average of 0.8%.

In terms of ancestry (country of birth of parents), the top three represented groups in St Ives are English, comprising 22.5% of the population, Chinese, comprising 16.7% of the population, which is substantially higher than the regional average of 8.4%, and Australian, comprising 15.8% of the population. Additionally, there are notable divergences in the representation of other ethnic groups: South Australian is notably overrepresented at 3.9% of St Ives (vs 0.5% regionally), Korean at 1.9% (vs 1.1%), and Russian at 0.6% (vs 0.4%).

St Ives's median age exceeds the national pattern

The 43-year median age in St Ives is considerably higher than Greater Sydney's average of 37 as well as substantially exceeding the 38-year national average. The age profile shows 5 - 14 year-olds are particularly prominent (16.7%), while the 25 - 34 group is comparatively smaller (4.5%) than in Greater Sydney. In the period since 2021, the 15 to 24 age group has grown from 11.3% to 13.4% of the population. Conversely, the 25 to 34 cohort has declined from 5.8% to 4.5%. Looking ahead to 2041, demographic projections reveal significant shifts in St Ives's age structure. The 85+ age cohort is projected to grow exceptionally, expanding by 986 people (101%) from 974 to 1,961. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups will account for 87% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. On the other hand, the 55 to 64 and 0 to 4 cohorts are expected to experience population declines.