Wamberal - Forresters Beach
Statistical Area - sa2

Population growth drivers in Wamberal - Forresters Beach are strong compared to national averages based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Wamberal - Forresters Beach's population was 10,675 people at the Census in 2021. By Aug 2025, it is estimated to be around 10,864 people, an increase of 189 people (1.8%) since the Census. This change is inferred from ABS data showing an estimated resident population of 10,862 as of June 2024 and four additional validated new addresses since the Census date. The population density in Aug 2025 will be approximately 791 persons per square kilometer. Over the past decade, from 2011 to 2021, Wamberal - Forresters Beach has shown resilient growth with a compound annual growth rate of 1.0%, outperforming the broader SA3 area. Overseas migration contributed around 62.9% of overall population gains during this period.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by these projections, NSW State Government's SA2 level projections from 2022 with a base year of 2021 are used. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations will be applied to all areas for the years 2032 to 2041. Based on projected demographic shifts, a population increase just below the median is expected in Wamberal - Forresters Beach by 2041. The area is projected to expand by 934 persons by then, representing an 8.6% increase over the 17-year period from 2024 to 2041.

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

Wamberal - Forresters Beach has seen approximately 25 new homes approved annually over the past five financial years, totalling 127 homes from FY-20 to FY-24. As of FY-26, 7 approvals have been recorded. On average, 2.6 new residents per year have been associated with each dwelling in this period. New homes are being constructed at an average expected cost of $741,000, indicating a focus on the premium market segment.

This financial year has seen $4.8 million in commercial approvals registered, suggesting limited commercial development emphasis compared to residential growth. Compared to Greater Sydney, Wamberal - Forresters Beach has around two-thirds the rate of new dwelling approvals per person and ranks among the 28th percentile nationally, implying somewhat limited buyer options while reinforcing demand for established dwellings. Recent construction comprises 67.0% detached dwellings and 33.0% townhouses or apartments, reflecting a growing mix of housing types to cater to diverse lifestyle demands and affordability requirements. The current estimated population density is 596 people per dwelling approval, indicating a quiet development environment. By 2041, the area is projected to grow by 932 residents, with building activity keeping pace with these growth projections.

However, increased competition among buyers can be expected as the population expands.

Wamberal - Forresters Beach has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 50% nationally

Thirty projects have been identified by AreaSearch that could impact the area, with key ones including the Central Coast Highway upgrade from Wamberal to Bateau Bay, set for completion in 2025, and the Wamberal Beach Coastal Protection Works project, commencing in June 2023. The Terrigal Public School upgrade is also notable, planned for completion by December 2024.

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

The exceptional employment performance in Wamberal - Forresters Beach places it among Australia's strongest labour markets

Wamberal - Forresters Beach has a well-educated workforce with strong representation in essential services sectors. The unemployment rate was 1.4% as of June 2025, and employment growth over the past year was estimated at 2.5%.

There were 5,756 residents employed by June 2025, with an unemployment rate of 2.8%, below Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%. Workforce participation was 62.4%, comparable to Greater Sydney's 60.0%. Key employment sectors included health care & social assistance, construction, and education & training, with a notable specialization in health care & social assistance at 1.3 times the regional level. Finance & insurance employed only 3.7% of local workers, lower than Greater Sydney's 7.3%.

The area showed limited local employment opportunities as indicated by Census data. Over the 12 months prior to June 2025, employment increased by 2.5%, labour force grew by 2.7%, raising unemployment by 0.2 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Sydney saw employment rise by 2.6% and unemployment increase by 0.3 percentage points. State-level data from Sep-25 showed NSW employment contracted by 0.41% (losing 19,270 jobs), with an unemployment rate of 4.3%, slightly better than the national rate of 4.5%. National employment forecasts from May 2025 suggest a potential growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Wamberal - Forresters Beach's employment mix, local growth could be approximately 7.0% over five years and 14.4% over ten years, though this is a simple extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

The area exhibits notably strong income performance, ranking higher than 70% of areas assessed nationally through AreaSearch analysis

AreaSearch's latest data for postcode level ATO incomes in financial year 2022 shows Wamberal - Forresters Beach having a median income of $54,604 and an average income of $82,407. This is higher than Greater Sydney's median income of $56,994 and average income of $80,856. With a 10.6% growth in wages since financial year 2022, current estimates for March 2025 would be approximately $60,392 (median) and $91,142 (average). The 2021 Census figures indicate that incomes in Wamberal - Forresters Beach are at the 72nd percentile nationally. Income distribution shows that 28.3% of locals earn between $1,500 and $2,999 weekly, similar to the metropolitan region's 30.9%. Notably, 35.2% earn above $3,000 weekly. Housing accounts for 15.1% of income, with residents ranking in the 78th percentile for disposable income. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

Wamberal - Forresters Beach is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Dwelling structure in Wamberal - Forresters Beach, as per the latest Census, comprised 84.9% houses and 15.1% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Sydney metro had 74.2% houses and 25.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in Wamberal - Forresters Beach was at 39.0%, with the rest either mortgaged (43.7%) or rented (17.2%). The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,434, higher than Sydney metro's average of $2,150. Weekly rent in Wamberal - Forresters Beach was $500, compared to Sydney metro's $400. Nationally, mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $1,863 and rents substantially above the national figure of $375.

Wamberal - Forresters Beach features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households account for 78.9% of all households, including 39.1% couples with children, 29.7% couples without children, and 9.6% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 21.1%, with lone person households at 18.7% and group households comprising 2.4%. The median household size is 2.8 people, larger than the Greater Sydney average of 2.5.

The educational profile of Wamberal - Forresters Beach exceeds national averages, with above-average qualification levels and academic performance metrics

The area's educational profile is notable regionally, with university qualification rates of 29.8% among residents aged 15+, surpassing the SA4 region average of 20.8%. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 20.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (6.0%) and graduate diplomas (3.0%). Vocational skills are also prominent, with 37.5% of residents aged 15+ holding credentials such as advanced diplomas (12.9%) and certificates (24.6%).

Educational participation is high, at 31.4%, including primary education (10.8%), secondary education (9.3%), and tertiary education (4.7%). Educational institutions include Wamberal Public School and Tuggerah Lakes Secondary College Tumbi Umbi Campus, serving a total of 1,390 students. The area has typical Australian school conditions with balanced educational opportunities, as indicated by an ICSEA score of 1013. Educational provision is conventionally split between one primary institution and one secondary institution.

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

Wamberal - Forresters Beach has 104 active public transport stops. These are served by a mix of buses operating along 118 routes, which together facilitate 1,420 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated excellent; residents on average live 160 meters from the nearest stop.

Across all routes, there are an average of 202 trips daily, equating to about 13 weekly trips per individual stop.

The level of general health in Wamberal - Forresters Beach is notably higher than the national average with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Wamberal-Forresters Beach shows superior health outcomes for both younger and older populations, with low prevalence of common conditions. Approximately 61% of its total population of 6,605 has private health cover, higher than Greater Sydney's 54.7% and the national average of 55.3%. The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (8.0%) and asthma (7.3%), while 71.2% report no medical ailments, compared to 64.8% in Greater Sydney.

The area has a lower proportion of residents aged 65 and over at 22.5%, with 2,441 people, than Greater Sydney's 24.5%. Health outcomes among seniors are above average, mirroring the general population's health profile.

Wamberal - Forresters Beach ranks below the Australian average when compared to other local markets across a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Wamberal-Forresters Beach had low cultural diversity, with 84.4% of residents born in Australia, 92.5% being citizens, and 94.9% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, comprising 53.9%, slightly higher than Greater Sydney's 53.4%. The top three ancestry groups were English (31.8%), Australian (29.4%), and Irish (9.9%).

Welsh (0.9%) and South African (0.6%) populations were notably higher than regional averages of 0.7% and 0.5%, respectively, while Maltese remained the same at 0.7%.

Wamberal - Forresters Beach hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

The median age in Wamberal - Forresters Beach is 42 years, significantly higher than Greater Sydney's average of 37 years and Australia's median age of 38 years. The 65-74 age group constitutes 11.3% of the population compared to Greater Sydney, while the 25-34 cohort makes up 7.3%. Post-2021 Census data shows that the 75 to 84 age group has increased from 6.5% to 7.9%, and the 85+ cohort has risen from 2.0% to 3.3%. Conversely, the 25 to 34 cohort has decreased from 8.8% to 7.3%, and the 45 to 54 group has fallen from 14.1% to 13.1%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes in Wamberal - Forresters Beach, with the 85+ age group expected to grow by 135% (491 people), reaching 854 from 362. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups will account for 78% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. In contrast, the 25-34 and 5-14 cohorts are projected to experience population declines.