Valentine - Eleebana
Statistical Area - sa2

Valentine - Eleebana is positioned among the lower quartile of areas assessed nationally for population growth based on AreaSearch's assessment of recent, and medium term trends

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, Valentine-Eleebana's population is around 12,560 as of Aug 2025. This reflects a decrease of 8 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 12,568 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 12,550 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 8 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 1,259 persons per square kilometer, which is above the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. While Valentine-Eleebana experienced a 0.1% decline since census, the SA3 area achieved 2.8% growth, highlighting divergent population trends. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration that contributed approximately 93.6% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting 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 is utilising 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. Over this period, projections indicate a decline in overall population, with the area's population expected to contract by 611 persons by 2041 according to this methodology. However, growth across specific age cohorts is anticipated, led by the 85 and over age group, which is projected to expand by 274 people.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development drivers sees a low level of activity in Valentine - Eleebana, placing the area among the bottom 25% of areas assessed nationally

Valentine - Eleebana has averaged approximately 20 new dwelling approvals annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, a total of 103 homes were approved. As of FY-26, no new dwelling approvals have been recorded yet.

Each year, an average of 0.5 new residents per dwelling has been observed. This indicates that the supply of new dwellings is keeping pace with or exceeding demand, providing ample buyer choice and creating capacity for population growth beyond current forecasts. The average value of new dwellings developed is $716,000, suggesting that developers are targeting the premium market segment with higher-end properties. In FY-26, $7.2 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded, highlighting the area's primarily residential nature. Compared to the Rest of NSW, Valentine - Eleebana has significantly less development activity, which is 61.0% below the regional average per person.

This limited new supply generally supports stronger demand and values for established properties. Nationally, this figure is also lower, reflecting market maturity and possible development constraints. New building activity in Valentine - Eleebana shows that 76.0% of approved dwellings are detached houses, with the remaining 24.0% being townhouses or apartments. This sustains the area's suburban identity, concentrating on family homes suited to buyers seeking space. With around 698 people per dwelling approval, Valentine - Eleebana reflects a highly mature market. Given that population is expected to remain stable or decline, there should be reduced pressure on housing in the area, potentially creating opportunities for buyers.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 16 projects likely to affect the region. Notable ones include the 83 Jonathan Street Residential Subdivision, Bareki Road project, Eleebana to Valentine Shared Path initiative, expansion of Calvary St Francis Retirement Community, and Woolworths Belmont North Supermarket Development. The following list details those most relevant.

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

AreaSearch analysis of employment trends sees Valentine - Eleebana performing better than 90% of local markets assessed across Australia

Valentine - Eleebana has an educated workforce with significant representation in essential services. Its unemployment rate was 1.0% as of June 2025, lower than the Rest of NSW's 3.7%.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 2.3%. The area had a workforce participation rate of 62.5%, higher than the Rest of NSW's 56.4%. Key industries of employment among residents were health care & social assistance, education & training, and construction. Notably, education & training had an employment share 1.3 times the regional level, while agriculture, forestry & fishing was under-represented at 0.3% compared to 5.3% in Rest of NSW.

Employment opportunities locally may be limited as indicated by Census data on working population vs resident population. Over a 12-month period ending June 2025, employment increased by 2.3%, labour force by 2.5%, and unemployment rose by 0.2 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of NSW saw employment fall by 0.1%, labour force expand by 0.3%, and unemployment rise by 0.4 percentage points. State-level data to Sep-25 showed NSW employment contracted by 0.41% (losing 19,270 jobs), with the state unemployment rate at 4.3%. National unemployment was 4.5% with national employment growth of 0.26%. Jobs and Skills Australia's forecasts from May 2025 suggest national employment will expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but growth rates vary between sectors. Applying these projections to Valentine - Eleebana's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.9%% over five years and 14.2% over ten years.

Income analysis reveals strong economic positioning, with the area outperforming 60% of locations assessed nationally by AreaSearch

Valentine-Eleebana's median income among taxpayers was $53,437 and average income stood at $71,686 in financial year 2022. This compares to Rest of NSW's figures of $49,459 and $62,998 respectively. By March 2025, estimates suggest median income would be approximately $59,101 and average income $79,285, based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.6% since financial year 2022. According to the 2021 Census, incomes in Valentine-Eleebana cluster around the 72nd percentile nationally. The largest income bracket comprises 30.4% earning $1,500-$2,999 weekly (3,818 residents), similar to the broader area where 29.9% occupy this bracket. A substantial proportion of high earners, at 34.1%, indicates strong economic capacity in the district. After housing costs, residents retain 88.5% of income, reflecting strong purchasing power. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

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

The dwelling structure in Valentine - Eleebana, as per the latest Census, consisted of 90.6% houses and 9.3% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Non-Metro NSW's 82.4% houses and 17.6% other dwellings. Home ownership in Valentine - Eleebana stood at 49.1%, with the rest being mortgaged (40.1%) or rented (10.8%). The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,167, higher than Non-Metro NSW's average of $2,000. The median weekly rent was $490, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $370. Nationally, Valentine - Eleebana's mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $2,167 versus the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Valentine - Eleebana features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households account for 81.2% of all households, including 38.9% couples with children, 32.8% couples without children, and 8.9% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 18.8%, with lone person households at 17.7% and group households comprising 1.1%. The median household size is 2.7 people, higher than the Rest of NSW average of 2.5.

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

The area's university qualification rate of 30.6% among residents aged 15+ exceeds the Rest of NSW average of 21.3%. This is also higher than the SA3 area average of 23.5%, indicating a strong emphasis on higher education in the community. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 21.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (6.5%) and graduate diplomas (3.1%).

Vocational credentials are prominent, with 38.1% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications. This includes advanced diplomas (13.0%) and certificates (25.1%). Educational participation is high, with 28.7% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.1% in primary education, 8.7% in secondary education, and 4.2% pursuing tertiary education. The area has two public schools, Valentine Public School and Eleebana Public School, serving a total of 1,036 students. These schools focus exclusively on primary education, with secondary options available in surrounding areas. The school places per 100 residents (8.2) are below the regional average (14.6), suggesting some students may attend schools in nearby regions.

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

The analysis of public transportation in the Valentine-Eleebana area shows that there are 161 active transport stops currently operating. These stops serve a mix of bus routes, with a total of 34 individual routes providing service to the area. Each week, these routes facilitate 436 passenger trips collectively.

The accessibility of public transportation in the region is rated as excellent, with residents typically located approximately 134 meters from the nearest transport stop. On average, there are 62 trips per day across all routes, which equates to roughly two weekly trips per individual stop.

Health outcomes in Valentine - Eleebana are marginally below the national average with common health conditions slightly more prevalent than average across both younger and older age cohorts

Valentine - Eleebana has below-average health outcomes compared to other areas.

Common health conditions are slightly more prevalent here than average across both younger and older age groups. Approximately 55% (~6,945 people) of Valentine - Eleebana's total population has private health cover, which is very high. The most common medical conditions in the area are arthritis and asthma, affecting 9.5 and 8.1% of residents respectively. A higher proportion of residents, 66.1%, report being completely clear of medical ailments compared to Rest of NSW at 62.6%. Valentine - Eleebana has a larger senior population than the state average, with 23.3% (2,923 people) aged 65 and over compared to Rest of NSW's 21.4%. Despite this, health outcomes among seniors in Valentine - Eleebana are above average and better than those of the general population in terms of health metrics.

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

Valentine-Eleebana, as per the census conducted in June 2016, showed low cultural diversity with 87.4% of its population born in Australia and 94.7% being citizens. English was spoken at home by 95.2%. Christianity was the predominant religion, practiced by 54.0%.

Judaism, however, was slightly overrepresented at 0.2%, compared to the Rest of NSW's 0.1%. The top three ancestry groups were English (33.2%), Australian (30.0%), and Scottish (9.3%). Notably, Welsh (0.8%) South African (0.6%) and Macedonian (0.3%) ethnicities showed higher representation than the regional averages of 0.7%, 0.3% and 0.4% respectively.

Valentine - Eleebana hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

Valentine-Eleebana has a median age of 45 years, slightly higher than Rest of NSW's 43 years and considerably older than Australia's national norm of 38 years. Compared to the Rest of NSW average, Valentine-Eleebana has an over-representation of the 5-14 age group (14.3% locally) and an under-representation of the 25-34 age group (6.2%). Between 2021 and present, the 15 to 24 age group has increased from 11.4% to 13.4%, while the 55 to 64 age group has declined from 13.3% to 12.4%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests Valentine-Eleebana's age profile will significantly change. The 85+ cohort is projected to grow by 70%, from 366 to 622 people. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups are expected to account for 67% of total population growth. Conversely, population declines are projected for the 0-4 and 35-44 cohorts.