Toronto - Awaba
Statistical Area - sa2

An assessment of population growth drivers in Toronto - Awaba reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

Toronto-Awaba's population, as of August 2025, is approximately 14,261. This figure represents a growth of 300 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 13,961. The increase was inferred from ABS estimates and validated new addresses between June 2024 and the Census date. The population density is about 326 persons per square kilometer. Toronto-Awaba's growth rate since the census, at 2.1%, is comparable to non-metro areas, which grew by approximately 4.8%. Interstate migration contributed around 60.2% of recent population gains.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022, and NSW State Government's SA2 level projections where ABS data is not available. These projections suggest a median population increase by 2041, with Toronto-Awaba expected to grow by 1,868 persons, an 11.8% increase over the 17-year period.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Toronto - Awaba according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

Toronto Awaba has averaged approximately 46 new dwelling approvals annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, a total of 231 homes were approved, with an additional 6 approved so far in FY26. The average population growth per dwelling built over these years was around 0.9 people annually, indicating that new supply has kept pace with or exceeded demand, offering ample buyer choice and creating capacity for future population growth beyond current forecasts.

The average construction cost value of new properties is $706,000, suggesting developers are targeting the premium market segment with higher-end properties. This financial year has seen $5.3 million in commercial approvals registered, reflecting the area's primarily residential nature. Compared to the Rest of NSW, Toronto Awaba records significantly lower building activity, at 63.0% below the regional average per person. This limited new supply generally supports stronger demand and values for established dwellings. Nationally, building activity is also below average, possibly due to the area's maturity and potential planning constraints. New building activity consists of 65.0% standalone homes and 35.0% attached dwellings, expanding the range of medium-density options and creating a mix of opportunities across price brackets.

This shift indicates decreasing availability of developable sites and reflects changing lifestyles, with a growing need for more diverse, affordable housing options. The area currently has an estimated population of 741 people per dwelling approval, reflecting its quiet, low activity development environment. Future projections suggest Toronto Awaba will add approximately 1,682 residents by 2041. Building activity is keeping pace with growth projections, though buyers may experience increased competition as the population grows.

Toronto - Awaba has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 30% nationally

AreaSearch has identified 13 projects that could impact the area's performance due to changes in local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. Key projects include Toronto Foreshore Revitalisation, Rathmines Park Transformation, Mixed Use Development at 114-120 Cary Street, and Apartment Development at 136-138 Brighton Avenue. The following list details those most likely to be relevant.

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

Toronto - Awaba shows employment indicators that trail behind approximately 70% of regions assessed across Australia

Toronto's Awaba region has a skilled workforce with well-represented essential services sectors. The unemployment rate was 4.8% as of June 2025, with an estimated employment growth of 2.0% over the past year.

As of this date, 6,372 residents were in work, while the unemployment rate was 1.1% higher than the Rest of NSW's rate of 3.7%. Workforce participation in Awaba lagged significantly at 50.9%, compared to the Rest of NSW's 56.4%. The key industries of employment among Awaba residents were health care & social assistance, construction, and retail trade.

Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing showed lower representation at 0.5% versus the regional average of 5.3%. Employment opportunities locally appeared limited, as indicated by the count of Census working population vs resident population. Over the 12 months to June 2025, employment in Awaba increased by 2.0%, while labour force increased by 2.5%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 0.5 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of NSW experienced an employment decline of 0.1% and labour force growth of 0.3%, with a 0.4 percentage point rise in unemployment. Providing broader context, state-level data for NSW as of Sep-25 showed employment had contracted by 0.41% (losing 19,270 jobs), with the state unemployment rate at 4.3%. This compared favourably to the national unemployment rate of 4.5%, but lagged behind the national employment growth of 0.26%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 offered further insight into potential future demand within Awaba. These projections, covering five and ten-year periods, estimated national employment growth at 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these industry-specific projections to Awaba's employment mix suggested local growth of approximately 6.6%% over five years and 13.9% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for localised population projections.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

AreaSearch released postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022. Toronto - Awaba had a median taxpayer income of $48,449 and an average of $68,865. These figures were higher than the national averages. Rest of NSW had a median income of $49,459 and an average of $62,998. Using Wage Price Index growth of 10.6% since financial year 2022, current estimates for Toronto - Awaba would be approximately $53,585 (median) and $76,165 (average) as of March 2025. Census 2021 income data showed household, family, and personal incomes in Toronto - Awaba ranked modestly between the 24th and 29th percentiles. Income distribution indicated that 28.8% of locals (4,107 people) earned $1,500 to $2,999, similar to the surrounding region at 29.9%. Housing affordability pressures were severe with only 84.6% of income remaining, ranking at the 29th percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking placed it in the 4th decile.

Toronto - Awaba is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

In Toronto - Awaba, as per the latest Census evaluation, 84.2% of dwellings were houses, with the remaining 15.8% comprising semi-detached units, apartments, and other dwelling types. In contrast, Non-Metro NSW had 89.7% houses and 10.2% other dwellings. Home ownership in Toronto - Awaba stood at 42.2%, with mortgaged dwellings accounting for 31.9% and rented dwellings making up 25.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,733, lower than Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,900. Weekly rent figures in Toronto - Awaba were recorded at $340, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $380. Nationally, Toronto - Awaba's mortgage repayments were below the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were less than the national figure of $375.

Toronto - Awaba has a typical household mix, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households are the majority at 69.7%. They consist of couples with children at 24.0%, couples without children at 31.5%, and single parent families at 13.3%. Non-family households make up the remaining 30.3%, with lone person households at 28.4% and group households comprising 1.9%. The median household size is 2.4 people, which is smaller than the Rest of NSW average of 2.5.

Educational outcomes in Toronto - Awaba fall within the lower quartile nationally, indicating opportunities for improvement in qualification attainment

The area's university qualification rate in 2016 was 20.3%, significantly lower than the NSW average of 32.2%. Bachelor degrees were the most prevalent at 14.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (4.2%) and graduate diplomas (2.1%). Vocational credentials were prominent, with 41.4% of residents aged 15+ holding them - advanced diplomas at 11.4% and certificates at 30.0%. In 2016, 24.9% of the population was actively pursuing formal education, including 8.8% in primary, 6.7% in secondary, and 3.3% in tertiary education.

As of 2021, Toronto - Awaba operates a robust network of 10 schools educating approximately 2,863 students, with typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 988) and balanced educational opportunities. The educational mix includes 8 primary, 1 secondary, and 1 K-12 school. As an education hub, the area had 20.1 school places per 100 residents in 2021, significantly above the regional average of 12.3, attracting students from surrounding communities.

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

Public transport analysis reveals 114 active transport stops operating within Toronto - Awaba comprising a mix of train and bus services. These stops are serviced by 95 individual routes, collectively providing 3,126 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents typically located 209 meters from the nearest transport stop.

Service frequency averages 446 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 27 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Toronto - Awaba is a key challenge with a range of health conditions having marked impacts on both younger and older age cohorts

Toronto-Awaba faces significant health challenges, affecting both younger and older age groups. Approximately 54% (~7,658 people) have private health cover, slightly higher than the 51.5% across Rest of NSW.

The most prevalent conditions are arthritis (11.3%) and mental health issues (10.5%). About 57.9% report no medical ailments, compared to 60.3% in Rest of NSW. The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 27.2% (3,877 people), compared to 21.9% in Rest of NSW. Seniors' health outcomes present challenges generally aligned with the overall population's health profile.

Toronto - Awaba is considerably less culturally diverse than average when assessed alongside AreaSearch's national rankings for language and cultural background related metrics

Toronto was found to have below average cultural diversity, with 88.3% of its population born in Australia, 92.7% being citizens, and 96.0% speaking English only at home. The dominant religion in Toronto is Christianity, comprising 52.9% of the population, compared to 54.0% across Rest of NSW. Regarding ancestry, the top three groups are English (33.0%), Australian (30.1%), and Scottish (8.8%).

Notably, Welsh representation is higher at 0.9%, while Australian Aboriginal is 4.6% and Samoan is 0.2%.

Toronto - Awaba hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

Toronto Awaba's median age is 47 years, significantly higher than Rest of NSW's average of 43 years and the national average of 38 years. The age profile shows that those aged 65-74 years make up a substantial portion (14.6%), while those aged 5-14 years are comparatively smaller (11.1%) compared to Rest of NSW. This concentration of those aged 65-74 is well above the national average of 9.4%. Between 2021 and present, the population aged 35-44 has grown from 9.5% to 11.4%, while the 45-54 age group has declined from 12.3% to 11.0%. By 2041, Toronto Awaba's age composition is expected to shift notably. The 35-44 age group is projected to grow by 29% (469 people), reaching 2,094 from 1,624. Meanwhile, the 65-74 and 55-64 cohorts are expected to experience population declines.