St Leonards - Naremburn
Statistical Area - sa2

St Leonards - Naremburn 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 Leonards-Naremburn's population is approximately 13,589 as of August 2025. This figure represents a growth of 1,686 people, or 14.2%, since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 11,903. The increase is inferred from the ABS's estimated resident population of 13,495 in June 2024 and an additional 911 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density of 4,923 persons per square kilometer, placing St Leonards-Naremburn in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The area's growth rate exceeded both its SA4 region (5.4%) and the state level since the 2021 Census. Overseas migration contributed approximately 69.7% to overall population gains during recent periods, with other factors such as natural growth and interstate migration also being positive contributors.

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, NSW State Government's SA2 level projections released in 2022 with a base year of 2021 are used. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for the years 2032 to 2041. By 2041, St Leonards-Naremburn is forecasted to experience a significant population increase in the top quartile of national statistical areas, with an expected growth of 5,988 persons, representing a total gain of 43.3% over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential approval activity sees St Leonards - Naremburn among the top 30% of areas assessed nationwide

St Leonards-Naremburn has averaged approximately 363 new dwelling approvals annually. The Australian Bureau of Statistics produces development approval data on a financial year basis, totaling 1,816 approvals from FY20 to FY25, with 4 approvals recorded in FY26 so far. An average of 7.0 new residents per year has been associated with each home built over the past five financial years. This supply lagging demand suggests heightened buyer competition and pricing pressures, with new homes being constructed at an average expected cost value of $964,000, indicating a focus on the premium segment.

In FY26, commercial approvals have reached $375.7 million, reflecting strong local business investment. Compared to Greater Sydney, St Leonards-Naremburn has about two-thirds the rate of new dwelling approvals per person and ranks in the 43rd percentile nationally, resulting in relatively limited buyer choice and interest in existing dwellings. New development consists predominantly of townhouses or apartments (92.0%) with a smaller proportion of detached dwellings (8.0%), providing accessible entry options for downsizers, investors, and first-time buyers. The area has around 1069 people per approval, indicating a mature and established population.

Future projections estimate St Leonards-Naremburn will add approximately 5,882 residents by 2041. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 63 projects likely to affect this region. Notable ones include Royal North Shore Hospital Redevelopment, The Newlands by Eterno (formerly Top Spring), Park Avenue Residences St Leonards, and St Leonards Telstra Exchange Mixed-Use Tower. The following list details those most relevant.

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

The labour market in St Leonards - Naremburn demonstrates typical performance when compared to similar areas across Australia

St Leonards - Naremburn has an educated workforce with a notable presence in the technology sector. The unemployment rate as of June 2025 is 3.7%.

There are 8,820 residents employed, with an unemployment rate 0.5% lower than Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%. Workforce participation is high at 75.0%, compared to Greater Sydney's 60.0%. Employment is concentrated in professional & technical (1.9 times the regional average), finance & insurance, and health care & social assistance sectors. Construction has limited presence with 4.2% employment compared to 8.6% regionally.

The area hosts more jobs than residents, attracting workers from surrounding areas. From June 2024 to June 2025, the labour force decreased by 0.2%, while employment declined by 1.5%, causing unemployment to rise by 1.2 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Sydney saw employment growth of 2.6% and a labour force increase of 2.9%. As of Sep-25, 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 growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to St Leonards - Naremburn's employment mix indicates local growth of approximately 7.7% over five years and 15.2% over ten years, though these are simple extrapolations for illustrative purposes only.

The economic profile demonstrates exceptional strength, placing the area among the top 10% nationally based on comprehensive AreaSearch income analysis

AreaSearch released postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 on St Leonards - Naremburn. The median income among taxpayers was $82,149 with an average of $119,227. Nationally, this places the area in the top percentile. Greater Sydney's median income was $56,994 and average was $80,856. As of March 2025, estimates based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.6% are approximately $90,857 (median) and $131,865 (average). Census data shows household, family, and personal incomes rank highly in St Leonards - Naremburn, between the 95th and 99th percentiles nationally. The earnings profile indicates that 33.8% of residents earn over $4000 per week (4,593 people), differing from the surrounding region where the $1,500 - 2,999 category is predominant at 30.9%. Affluence is evident with 47.5% earning over $3,000 per week, supporting premium retail and service offerings. High housing costs consume 18.2% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 93rd percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 10th decile.

St Leonards - Naremburn features a more urban dwelling mix with significant apartment living, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

St Leonards - Naremburn dwelling structures in 2016 Census showed 16.8% houses, 83.2% other dwellings. Sydney metro had 41.1% houses, 58.9% other dwellings. Home ownership was 20.2%, lower than Sydney's 70.3%. Mortgages were 24.5%, rentals 55.3%. Median monthly mortgage repayment in 2016 was $3,000, below Sydney's $3,033 but above national average of $1,863. Median weekly rent was $600, higher than Sydney's $560 and Australia's $375.

St Leonards - Naremburn features high concentrations of lone person households and group households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 60.3% of all households, including 23.8% couples with children, 29.6% couples without children, and 6.0% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 39.7%, with lone person households at 34.4% and group households comprising 5.3% of the total. The median household size is 2.1 people, smaller than the Greater Sydney average of 2.5.

St Leonards - Naremburn shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

St Leonards-Naremburn has a notably high educational attainment among residents aged 15 and above, with 66.6% holding university qualifications compared to the national average of 30.4% and the NSW average of 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 41.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 20.9% and graduate diplomas at 3.9%. Vocational pathways account for 17.0% of qualifications, with advanced diplomas making up 9.6% and certificates 7.4%. Educational participation is high, with 25.2% of residents currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes 7.7% in primary education, 6.6% in tertiary education, and 4.2% pursuing secondary education. The area has four schools with a combined enrollment of 463 students as of the latest data. St Leonards-Naremburn demonstrates significant socio-educational advantages and academic achievement, with an ICSEA score of 1127. The educational mix includes one primary school, two secondary schools, and one K-12 school. However, there is limited local school capacity, with only 3.4 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 12.0, leading many families to travel to nearby areas for schooling.

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

St Leonards - Naremburn has 25 active public transport stops. These include train and bus services. There are 49 individual routes operating in total, serving 10,876 weekly passenger trips.

The area's transport accessibility is rated good, with residents located an average of 208 meters from the nearest stop. Daily service frequency averages 1,553 trips across all routes, equating to approximately 435 weekly trips per individual stop.

St Leonards - Naremburn'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 Leonards - Naremburn, with a very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups. Approximately 80% of the total population (10,857 people) has private health cover, significantly higher than the national average of 55.3%.

The most prevalent medical conditions in the area are asthma and mental health issues, affecting 6.3% and 6.2% of residents respectively. A majority, 79.2%, report being completely free from medical ailments, slightly higher than the Greater Sydney average of 78.0%. The area has a lower proportion of seniors aged 65 and over, with 11.6% (1,577 people) compared to Greater Sydney's 15.7%. Despite this, health outcomes among seniors in St Leonards - Naremburn align well with the general population's health profile.

St Leonards - Naremburn 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 Leonards-Naremburn has a high level of cultural diversity, with 37.6% speaking a language other than English at home and 49.1% born overseas. Christianity is the predominant religion in St Leonards-Naremburn, comprising 37.4% of its population. Judaism is slightly overrepresented compared to Greater Sydney, making up 0.9% of the population.

The top three ancestry groups are English (19.2%), Australian (15.4%), and Chinese (15.3%). Notable divergences include Russian at 0.8%, Korean at 1.6%, and Spanish at 0.7%.

St Leonards - Naremburn's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

St Leonards-Naremburn has a median age of 37 years, matching Greater Sydney's figure and being comparable to Australia's median age of 38 years. The age group 35-44 is strongly represented at 21.5%, compared to Greater Sydney's percentage, while the 15-24 cohort is less prevalent at 8.8%. This concentration in the 35-44 age group is well above the national figure of 14.2%. Between 2021 and present, the 15-24 age group has grown from 7.2% to 8.8%, while the 75-84 cohort increased from 2.7% to 4.0%. Conversely, the 25-34 age group has declined from 23.7% to 22.1%. Looking ahead to 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in St Leonards-Naremburn's age structure, with the 45-54 group expected to grow by 55%, adding 975 people and reaching a total of 2,735 from its current figure of 1,759.