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 22,767 as of February 2026. This figure reflects an increase of 1,102 people from the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 21,665. The growth was inferred from ABS's estimated resident population of 22,724 in June 2024 and 112 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 surpassed the SA3 area's 4.3%, indicating it as a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration was the primary driver of population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilises NSW State Government's SA2 level projections released in 2022 with a base year of 2021. Growth rates by age group are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Based on demographic trends and the latest annual ERP population numbers, St Ives is expected to grow by approximately 1,853 persons by 2041, reflecting an overall gain of around 8.0% over the 17-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. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, around 472 homes were approved, with an additional 30 approved so far in FY26. On average, about 1.5 people moved to the area per dwelling built over these five years, indicating balanced supply and demand conditions. However, recent data shows this has intensified to 5.2 people per dwelling over the past two financial years, suggesting growing popularity and potential undersupply.

New homes are being constructed at an average expected cost of $756,000, reflecting a focus on premium market developments. This year alone, $47.2 million in commercial approvals have been registered, indicating robust local business investment. Compared to Greater Sydney, St Ives has slightly more development activity, with 11.0% above the regional average per person over the five-year period, balancing buyer choice while supporting current property values.

The new building activity comprises 58.0% detached houses and 42.0% medium and high-density housing, offering a mix of opportunities across price brackets. With around 295 people per dwelling approval, St Ives exhibits characteristics of a low-density area. Population forecasts estimate St Ives will gain approximately 1,810 residents by 2041, based on the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate. Given current development patterns, new housing supply is expected to meet demand, providing 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 in local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 19 projects expected to influence the region. Notable initiatives 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.

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

St Ives has a highly educated workforce with notable representation in the technology sector. Its unemployment rate is 4.1% as of September 2025. In that month, 10,826 residents are employed, and the unemployment rate aligns with Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%.

However, workforce participation lags behind Greater Sydney at 62.5%, compared to its 70.0%. According to Census responses, 60.8% of residents work from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdown impacts. The leading employment industries among residents are 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.

Conversely, construction has lower representation at 5.3% compared to the regional average of 8.6%. The area's predominantly residential nature suggests limited local employment opportunities, indicated by the ratio of Census working population to resident population. Between September 2024 and September 2025, St Ives' labour force increased by 0.5%, while employment declined by 0.9%, leading to a rise in unemployment rate by 1.4 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Sydney saw employment growth of 2.1% and labour force growth of 2.4%, with unemployment rising by only 0.2 percentage points during the same period. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project overall employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to St Ives' employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.5% over five years and 14.9% over ten years, though these are simple extrapolations for illustrative purposes and do not account for localized population projections.

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

AreaSearch released postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023. St Ives SA2's median income among taxpayers was $64,662 with an average of $110,616. This is notably high compared to national figures and Greater Sydney's median of $60,817 and average of $83,003. Based on Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2023, estimated incomes as of September 2025 are approximately $70,391 (median) and $120,417 (average). Census 2021 data shows St Ives' household, family, and personal incomes rank highly nationally, between the 84th and 96th percentiles. Income analysis reveals that the largest segment comprises 37.7% earning $4000+ weekly, contrasting with metropolitan regions 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 in St Ives. Housing accounts for 15.0% of income, with residents ranking 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

In St Ives, as per the latest Census evaluation, 70.3% of dwellings were houses, with the remaining 29.7% being semi-detached, apartments, or other types. In comparison, Sydney metro had 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, exceeding the Sydney metro average of $2,427. The median weekly rent in St Ives was $700, higher than Sydney metro's $470. Nationally, St Ives' mortgage repayments were significantly higher than 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 constitute 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 account for 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

Educational attainment in St Ives is notably higher than broader benchmarks. As of 2021, 54.0% of residents aged 15 and above hold university qualifications, compared to 30.4% nationally and 32.2% in NSW. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 32.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (17.8%) and graduate diplomas (3.3%). Vocational pathways account for 19.9% of qualifications, with advanced diplomas making up 11.1% and certificates 8.8%.

Educational participation is high, with 32.1% of residents currently enrolled in formal education as of the latest census data. 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 that there are 136 active transport stops currently operating within the area. These stops serve a mix of bus routes, with a total of 93 individual routes providing service. Collectively, these routes facilitate 2,240 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility to transport is rated as excellent, with residents typically located approximately 182 meters from their nearest transport stop. As St Ives is primarily residential, most commuting patterns involve outward journeys. The car remains the dominant mode of transport for residents, with 85% using this method, while 7% opt for the train.

On average, there are 1.5 vehicles per dwelling in the area, which exceeds the regional average. According to the 2021 Census, a high proportion of residents, specifically 60.8%, work from home, which may be reflective of COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency across all routes averages approximately 320 trips per day, equating to around 16 weekly trips per individual stop. A map accompanies the analysis, showcasing 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 according to AreaSearch's assessment. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are very low across all age groups. The rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 75% of the total population (17,143 people), compared to 59.9% in Greater Sydney and a national average of 55.7%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (6.4%) and asthma (5.6%). A majority of residents (75.6%) report being completely clear of medical ailments, slightly higher than the 74.6% in Greater Sydney. St Ives has a larger senior population at 22.7% (5,177 people) compared to Greater Sydney's 15.4%. Health outcomes among seniors align with national rankings and are generally strong.

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 high level of 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 the population. Notably, Judaism is overrepresented, making up 8.3%, compared to the Greater Sydney average of 0.8%.

The top three ancestry groups are English at 22.5%, Chinese at 16.7%, which is higher than the regional average of 8.4%, and Australian at 15.8%. Other ethnic groups with notable divergences include South African, overrepresented at 3.9% compared to the regional average of 0.5%, Korean at 1.9% (regional average: 1.1%), and Russian at 0.6% (regional average: 0.4%).

St Ives's median age exceeds the national pattern

The median age in St Ives is 43 years, considerably higher than Greater Sydney's average of 37 and substantially exceeding the national average of 38 years. The age profile shows that those aged 5-14 years make up 16.7% of the population, while those aged 25-34 are relatively smaller at 4.5%. Between 2021 and present, the proportion of those aged 15 to 24 has increased from 11.3% to 13.4%, while the 25 to 34 age group has declined from 5.8% to 4.5%. Looking ahead to 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in St Ives's age structure. The number of those aged 85 and above is projected to grow exceptionally, increasing by 986 people (101%) from 974 to 1,961. Notably, the combined age groups of 65 and above will account for 87% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. Conversely, those aged 55 to 64 and 0 to 4 are expected to experience population declines.