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 was 21,665 people as per the 2021 Census. By Nov 2025, it had increased to around 22,767, a rise of 1,102 people (5.1%). This increase is inferred from ABS's estimated resident population of 22,724 in June 2024 and an additional 110 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 1,280 persons per square kilometer, higher than the average across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. St Ives' growth rate of 5.1% since the 2021 census exceeded that of its SA3 area (4.3%), making it a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration was the primary driver of population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting 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 uses NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. These projections estimate a population increase of 1,853 persons to 2041, reflecting an 8.0% gain over the 17 years. This growth is expected to be just below the median for statistical areas across the nation.

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

St Ives has seen approximately 94 new homes approved annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, around 472 homes were approved, with an additional 30 approved in FY26 so far. On average, about 1.5 people moved to the area for each dwelling built over these years. However, recent data shows this has 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 expected cost of $756,000, suggesting a focus on the premium market. This year alone, $47.2 million in commercial approvals have been registered, reflecting robust local business investment. Compared to Greater Sydney, St Ives has seen slightly more development, with 11.0% above the regional average per person over the five-year period, balancing buyer choice while supporting current property values.

Building activity shows 58.0% detached houses and 42.0% medium and high-density housing, expanding the range of medium-density options and creating a mix of opportunities across price brackets. St Ives has around 295 people per dwelling approval, indicating characteristics of a low-density area. Population forecasts suggest St Ives will gain approximately 1,810 residents by 2041, based on the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate. Given current development patterns, new housing supply should 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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 19 projects likely to impact the area. Key projects include Hermitage St Ives, St Ives Indoor Sports Centre, St Ives Shopping Village Redevelopment, and Ellis Residences. The following list details those most relevant.

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

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

St Ives has an educated workforce with high representation in the technology sector and an unemployment rate of 4.1% as of September 2025. There are 10,826 residents employed, aligning with Greater Sydney's unemployment rate of 4.2%, but workforce participation is lower at 62.8%. According to Census responses, 60.8% of residents work from home.

Leading employment industries include professional & technical, health care & social assistance, and finance & insurance. St Ives shows strong specialization in professional & technical services with an employment share 1.6 times the regional level, but construction representation is lower at 5.3%. The area offers limited local employment opportunities. In the year to September 2025, the labour force increased by 0.5% while employment declined by 0.9%, raising unemployment by 1.4 percentage points.

Greater Sydney recorded employment growth of 2.1% and labour force growth of 2.4%, with a smaller unemployment increase of 0.2%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest national employment will expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but growth rates vary between industries. Applying these projections to St Ives' employment mix indicates 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 released for financial year 2023 shows St Ives SA2 had a median income among taxpayers of $64,662 and an average of $110,616. Nationally, these figures are exceptionally high compared to Greater Sydney's median of $60,817 and average of $83,003. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since financial year 2023, current estimates for St Ives would be approximately $70,391 (median) and $120,417 (average) as of September 2025. Census 2021 income data indicates that household, family, and personal incomes in St Ives rank highly nationally, between the 84th and 96th percentiles. Income analysis reveals that the largest segment comprises 37.7% earning $4000+ weekly (8,583 residents), contrasting with the metropolitan region where the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket leads at 30.9%. A substantial proportion of high earners (49.6% above $3,000/week) indicates strong economic capacity throughout this suburb. Housing accounts for 15.0% of income while 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 structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 70.3% houses and 29.7% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), contrasting with Sydney metro's 55.9% houses and 44.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in St Ives stood at 42.7%, with the rest being mortgaged (41.7%) or rented (15.6%). The median monthly mortgage repayment was $3,500, surpassing Sydney metro's average of $2,427. Median weekly rent in St Ives was $700, higher than Sydney metro's $470. Nationally, St Ives' mortgage repayments exceeded the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were 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

St Ives has a significantly higher proportion of residents aged 15 and above with university qualifications compared to national and state averages. As of the latest data, 54.0% of St Ives residents hold such qualifications, surpassing the Australian average of 30.4% and the New South Wales (NSW) average of 32.2%. This educational advantage is driven by a high proportion of Bachelor degrees (32.9%), followed by postgraduate qualifications (17.8%) and graduate diplomas (3.3%). Vocational pathways are also well-represented, with advanced diplomas accounting for 11.1% and certificates for 8.8%.

Educational participation in the area 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

St Ives has 136 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 93 different routes, together offering 2,240 weekly passenger trips. The town's transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically living just 182 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward daily due to St Ives' primarily residential nature. Car remains the dominant mode of commuting at 85%, while train usage stands at 7%. On average, there are 1.5 vehicles per dwelling, surpassing the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, 60.8% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 320 trips per day across all routes, translating 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

Health outcomes data shows excellent results across St Ives, as assessed by AreaSearch using mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. The area has a very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups. Approximately 75% of the total population (17,143 people) has private health cover, compared to 59.9% in Greater Sydney and a national average of 55.7%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis and asthma, affecting 6.4% and 5.6% of residents respectively. A total of 75.6% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 74.6% in Greater Sydney. St Ives has 22.1% of residents aged 65 and over (5,040 people), higher than the 15.3% in Greater Sydney. Health outcomes among seniors are strong and generally align with 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 predominant religion in St Ives, comprising 43.4% of the population. However, Judaism is notably overrepresented, making up 8.3%, which is significantly higher than Greater Sydney's average of 0.8%.

In terms of ancestry, English (22.5%), Chinese (16.7%), and Australian (15.8%) are the top three groups represented in St Ives. Notably, South African (3.9% vs regional 0.5%), Korean (1.9% vs 1.1%), and Russian (0.6% vs 0.4%) ethnicities are overrepresented compared to regional averages.

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 individuals aged 5-14 years make up a significant portion (16.9%) of the population, while those aged 25-34 years constitute a smaller proportion (4.8%) compared to Greater Sydney. Between 2021 and present, the percentage of the population aged 15-24 has increased from 11.3% to 13.0%, while the percentage of those aged 25-34 has decreased from 5.8% to 4.8%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate substantial shifts in St Ives's age structure. The number of individuals aged 85 and above is projected to grow exceptionally, increasing by 1,027 people (110%) from 933 to 1,961. Notably, the combined age groups of 65 and above will account for 86% of total population growth, reflecting St Ives's aging demographic profile. Conversely, the populations aged 55-64 and 25-34 are expected to decline.