Terrey Hills - Duffys Forest

An assessment of population growth drivers in Terrey Hills - Duffys Forest reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, Terrey Hills - Duffys Forest's population is around 3,641 as of Feb 2026. This reflects a decrease of 145 people (3.8%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 3,786 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 3,629 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 7 validated new addresses since the Census date. This population level equates to a density ratio of 51 persons per square kilometer, providing ample space per person. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration, which was essentially the sole driver of population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch adopts 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 utilizes 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, lower quartile growth of Australian statistical areas is anticipated, with the area expected to grow by 21 persons by 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting an increase of 0.2% in total over the 17 years.

The level of residential development activity in Terrey Hills - Duffys Forest is very low in comparison to the average area assessed nationally by AreaSearch

Terrey Hills - Duffys Forest has recorded around 5 residential properties granted approval per year, totalling 28 homes over the past 5 financial years. So far in FY-26, 1 approval has been recorded. With population declining over recent years, new supply has likely been keeping up with demand, offering good choice to buyers, while new homes are being built at an average value of $1,133,000, revealing that developers are targeting the premium market segment with higher-end properties. Also, $12.3 million in commercial approvals have been registered this financial year, demonstrating moderate levels of commercial development.

When measured against Greater Sydney, Terrey Hills - Duffys Forest records roughly half the building activity per person while it places among the 18th percentile of areas assessed nationally, resulting in relatively constrained buyer choice and supporting interest in existing dwellings. This is also below average nationally, reflecting the area's maturity and pointing to possible planning constraints. Meanwhile, recent development has been entirely comprised of detached dwellings, preserving the area's low density nature with an emphasis on detached housing attracting space-seeking buyers. The estimated count of 912 people in the area per dwelling approval reflects its quiet, low activity development environment.

Population forecasts indicate Terrey Hills - Duffys Forest will gain 9 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.

Terrey Hills - Duffys Forest has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 40% nationally

Nothing can influence an area's performance as much as changes to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. In total 12 projects have been identified by AreaSearch that are likely to have an impact on the area. Key projects include the Mona Vale Road West Upgrade (McCarrs Creek Road to Powder Works Road), Connecting Northern Beaches - Cycling & Walking Paths, Belrose North Residential Release, and Newcastle-Sydney and Wollongong-Sydney Rail Line Upgrades, 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.

Despite maintaining a low unemployment rate of 3.8%, Terrey Hills - Duffys Forest has experienced recent job losses, resulting in a below average employment performance ranking when compared nationally

Terrey Hills - Duffys Forest has a well-educated workforce, with professional services showing strong representation and an unemployment rate of only 3.8%. As of December 2025, 1,868 residents are in work, while the unemployment rate is 0.4% below Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%, and workforce participation lags significantly (63.4% compared to Greater Sydney's 70.2%). Based on Census responses, a high 46.6% of residents were found to work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered.

The key industries of employment among residents are construction, health care & social assistance, and professional & technical. The area demonstrates a particularly notable concentration in construction, with employment levels at 1.5 times the regional average. Conversely, public administration & safety shows lower representation at 3.3% versus the regional average of 5.7%. The ratio of 0.7 workers for each resident, as at the Census, indicates a level of local employment opportunities above the norm.

Based on AreaSearch analysis of SALM and ABS data, during the year to December 2025, the labour force decreased by 0.2% combined with employment decreasing by 0.8%, causing unemployment to rise by 0.6 percentage points. By comparison, Greater Sydney recorded employment growth of 2.2%, labour force growth of 2.3%, with unemployment rising marginally. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 can offer further insight into potential future demand within Terrey Hills - Duffys Forest. 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 Terrey Hills - Duffys Forest's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.9% over five years and 13.9% over ten years (please note this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections).

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

The Terrey Hills - Duffys Forest SA2's income level is exceptionally high nationally according to the latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for FY-23. The Terrey Hills - Duffys Forest SA2's median income among taxpayers is $65,810 and the average income stands at $133,599, which compares to figures for Greater Sydney's of $60,817 and $83,003 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since FY-23, current estimates would be approximately $71,641 (median) and $145,436 (average) as of September 2025. According to 2021 Census figures, household incomes rank exceptionally at the 96th percentile ($2,899 weekly). Distribution data shows the $4000+ bracket dominates with 35.2% of residents (1,281 people), contrasting with regional levels where the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket leads at 30.9%. Terrey Hills - Duffys Forest demonstrates considerable affluence with 48.4% earning over $3,000 per week, supporting premium retail and service offerings. After housing costs, residents retain 87.2% of income, reflecting strong purchasing power and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

Terrey Hills - Duffys Forest is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Dwelling structure within Terrey Hills - Duffys Forest, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 88.0% houses and 12.1% 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 Terrey Hills - Duffys Forest was well beyond that of Sydney metro, at 47.0%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged (37.2%) or rented (15.8%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was well above the Sydney metro average at $3,200, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded at $610, compared to Sydney metro's $2,427 and $470. Nationally, Terrey Hills - Duffys Forest's mortgage repayments are significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents are substantially above the national figure of $375.

Terrey Hills - Duffys Forest features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households dominate at 83.2% of all households, comprising 45.2% couples with children, 30.6% couples without children, and 6.8% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 16.8%, with lone person households at 15.2% and group households comprising 1.9% of the total. The median household size of 3.0 people is larger than the Greater Sydney average of 2.7.

Terrey Hills - Duffys Forest shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

Educational qualifications in Terrey Hills - Duffys Forest trail regional benchmarks, with 33.8% of residents aged 15+ holding university degrees compared to 41.5% in the SA4 region. This gap highlights the potential for educational development and skills enhancement. Bachelor degrees lead at 23.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (7.3%) and graduate diplomas (3.2%). Trade and technical skills feature prominently, with 34.9% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials, including advanced diplomas (12.9%) and certificates (22.0%).

Educational participation is notably high, with 28.6% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.0% in primary education, 8.9% in secondary education, and 4.4% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Public transport analysis reveals 66 active transport stops operating within Terrey Hills - Duffys Forest, comprising a mix of buses. These stops are serviced by 74 individual routes, collectively providing 2,089 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents typically located 374 meters from the nearest transport stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward; the car remains the dominant mode at 91%, with 5% walking. Vehicle ownership averages 2.1 per dwelling, which is above the regional average. A high 46.6% of residents work from home (2021 Census; may reflect COVID-19 conditions).

Service frequency averages 298 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 31 weekly trips per individual stop.

Terrey Hills - Duffys Forest's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with younger cohorts in particular seeing very low prevalence of common health conditions

Health outcomes data demonstrates outstanding results across Terrey Hills - Duffys Forest, based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Younger cohorts in particular see very low prevalence of common health conditions, and the rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 82% of the total population (2,967 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 mental health issues, impacting 7.9% and 6.9% of residents, respectively, while 69.9% declared themselves as completely clear of medical ailments compared to 74.6% across Greater Sydney. The under-65 population demonstrates better than average health outcomes. The area has 27.7% of residents aged 65 and over (1,010 people), which is higher than the 15.4% in Greater Sydney. Health outcomes among seniors are above average, though they rank lower nationally than the broader population.

In terms of cultural diversity, Terrey Hills - Duffys Forest records figures broadly comparable to the national average, as found in AreaSearch's assessment of a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Terrey Hills - Duffys Forest is above average in terms of cultural diversity, with 9.6% of its population speaking a language other than English at home and 23.4% born overseas. The main religion in Terrey Hills - Duffys Forest is Christianity, which makes up 54.1% of the population. However, the most apparent overrepresentation is in Judaism, which comprises 0.6% of the population, compared to 0.8% across Greater Sydney.

In terms of ancestry (country of birth of parents), the top three represented groups in Terrey Hills - Duffys Forest are English, comprising 31.0% of the population, which is substantially higher than the regional average of 19.0%, Australian, comprising 24.8% of the population, which is substantially higher than the regional average of 17.8%, and Irish, comprising 8.7% of the population. Additionally, there are notable divergences in the representation of certain other ethnic groups: South Australian is notably overrepresented at 1.6% of Terrey Hills - Duffys Forest (vs 0.5% regionally), Hungarian at 0.5% (vs 0.3%) and Russian at 0.7% (vs 0.4%).

Terrey Hills - Duffys Forest hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

At 47 years, Terrey Hills - Duffys Forest's median age is considerably higher than the Greater Sydney average of 37 and substantially exceeds the 38-year national average. The 75 - 84 age group shows strong representation at 10.9% compared to Greater Sydney, whereas the 25 - 34 cohort is less prevalent at 5.5%. Post-2021 Census data shows the 75 to 84 age group has grown from 8.1% to 10.9% of the population, while the 15 to 24 cohort increased from 12.6% to 15.1%. Conversely, the 45 to 54 cohort has declined from 16.0% to 13.8% and the 35 to 44 group dropped from 9.8% to 8.0%. Demographic modeling suggests Terrey Hills - Duffys Forest's age profile will evolve significantly by 2041. The 75 to 84 cohort shows the strongest projected growth at 33%, adding 132 residents to reach 531. Senior residents (65+) will drive 100% of population growth, underscoring demographic aging trends. Meanwhile, population declines are projected for the 25 to 34 and 0 to 4 cohorts.