Willoughby

Willoughby has seen population growth performance typically on par with national averages when looking at short and medium term trends

Willoughby's population is around 13,473 as of November 2025. This reflects an increase of 477 people, or approximately 3.7%, since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 12,996 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 13,392 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 290 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 4,388 persons per square kilometer, which places Willoughby in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch, indicating high demand for land in the area. Willoughby's growth rate of 3.7% since the census is within 1.7 percentage points of the SA4 region's growth rate of 5.4%, demonstrating competitive growth fundamentals. Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration, which contributed approximately 93.8% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilises the NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Future population trends indicate an increase just below the median of national areas, with the area expected to expand by 785 persons to 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting an overall increase of approximately 5.2% over the 17-year period.

AreaSearch analysis of residential development drivers sees Willoughby recording a relatively average level of approval activity when compared to local markets analysed countrywide

Willoughby averaged approximately 156 new dwelling approvals per year. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, a total of 784 homes were approved, with an additional 12 approved so far in FY26. The average population increase per dwelling built over these years was 0.3 people.

This indicates that new supply is meeting or exceeding demand, providing ample buyer choice and capacity for population growth beyond current forecasts. The average construction cost value of new homes was $512,000, suggesting a focus on the premium market with high-end developments. In FY26, commercial development approvals totaled $25.2 million, showing balanced commercial development activity. Compared to Greater Sydney, Willoughby has 89.0% higher new home approvals per person, offering buyers greater choice. However, building activity has slowed in recent years. This high level of developer confidence is well above the national average. Current development consists of 10.0% detached houses and 90.0% townhouses or apartments, reflecting a trend towards denser development to provide accessible entry options for downsizers, investors, and entry-level buyers.

This represents a shift from the area's existing housing composition, which is currently 60.0% houses. The location has approximately 439 people per dwelling approval, indicating an established area. According to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate, Willoughby is expected to grow by 704 residents through to 2041. With current construction levels, housing supply should adequately meet demand, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts.

Willoughby has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 30% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 11 projects likely influencing this region. Notable ones are Aurora Willoughby, Heart Of Willoughby, Willoughby Grounds, and The Quarry Naremburn, with the following list detailing those most relevant.

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.

AreaSearch analysis reveals Willoughby recording weaker employment conditions than most comparable areas nationwide

Willoughby has a highly educated workforce with significant representation in the technology sector. Its unemployment rate is 5.5%.

As of September 2025, there are 6,877 employed residents, an unemployment rate of 5.5%, which is 1.3% higher than Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%. Workforce participation in Willoughby stands at 64.5%, compared to Greater Sydney's 60.0%. Employment is concentrated in professional & technical (1.6 times the regional level), finance & insurance, and health care & social assistance sectors. The construction sector has limited presence with 5.3% employment compared to the regional average of 8.6%.

Over the year to September 2025, labour force levels increased by 0.9%, while employment decreased by 1.5%, leading to a rise in unemployment rate by 2.4 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Sydney saw employment grow by 2.1% and labour force expand by 2.4%, with unemployment rising by only 0.2 percentage points. State-level data from NSW as of 25-Nov-25 shows employment contracted by 0.03%, with an unemployment rate of 3.9%. National employment forecasts from May-25 project national growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but local projections for Willoughby suggest a higher growth rate due to its employment mix, estimated at 7.4% over five years and 14.8% over ten years.

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

AreaSearch aggregated latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year 2022. Willoughby SA2 had a median taxpayer income of $73,437 and an average income of $151,799, placing it in the top percentile nationally. This compares to Greater Sydney's median and average incomes of $56,994 and $80,856 respectively. By September 2025, estimated median and average incomes would be approximately $82,697 and $170,941, based on a 12.61% Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2022. Census 2021 income data shows Willoughby's household, family, and personal incomes rank highly nationally, between the 88th and 95th percentiles. Income brackets indicate that 38.7% of residents (5,214 people) earn $4000 or more, differing from metropolitan patterns where the $1,500 - $2,999 bracket dominates at 30.9%. Economic strength is evident with 48.6% of households earning high weekly incomes exceeding $3,000, supporting elevated consumer spending. High housing costs consume 15.7% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 95th percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 10th decile.

Willoughby displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Willoughby's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 59.9% houses and 40.2% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In contrast, Sydney metro had 41.1% houses and 58.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in Willoughby stood at 37.2%, with mortgaged dwellings at 33.1% and rented ones at 29.7%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $3,600, higher than Sydney metro's average of $3,033. Median weekly rent in Willoughby was $596, compared to Sydney metro's $560. Nationally, mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $1,863 and rents substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 77.3% of all households, including 42.6% couples with children, 22.4% couples without children, and 11.1% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 22.7%, with lone person households at 20.3% and group households comprising 2.5%. The median household size is 2.8 people, larger than the Greater Sydney average of 2.5.

Willoughby demonstrates exceptional educational outcomes, ranking among the top 5% of areas nationally based on AreaSearch's comprehensive analysis of qualification and performance metrics

Willoughby's educational attainment exceeds national and state averages. Among residents aged 15+, 52.4% hold university qualifications, compared to 30.4% nationally and 32.2% in NSW. Bachelor degrees are the most common (34.1%), followed by postgraduate qualifications (14.5%) and graduate diplomas (3.8%). Vocational pathways account for 20.2%, with advanced diplomas at 10.2% and certificates at 10.0%.

Educational participation is high, with 32.8% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 12.0% in primary, 9.1% in secondary, and 6.4% in tertiary education.

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

The analysis of public transport in Willoughby shows that there are currently 68 active transport stops operating within the area. These stops primarily service buses, with a total of 63 individual routes providing passenger trips. The weekly passenger trips across these routes amount to 3,447.

Residents enjoy excellent transport accessibility, with an average distance of 134 meters to the nearest transport stop. On average, there are 492 trips per day across all routes, which breaks down to approximately 50 weekly trips per individual stop.

Willoughby's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Willoughby demonstrates excellent health outcomes, with a very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups. The rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 87% of the total population (11,694 people), compared to 78.2% in Greater Sydney and the national average of 55.3%. Asthma and arthritis are the most common medical conditions in the area, affecting 6.9 and 5.8% of residents respectively.

A significant majority, 75.9%, report being completely free from medical ailments, compared to 78.0% across Greater Sydney. Willoughby has a population with 16.6% aged 65 and over (2,236 people), and health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, aligning broadly with the general population's health profile.

Willoughby was found to be more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets in Australia, upon assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Willoughby has a high level of cultural diversity, with 35.0% of its population born overseas and 29.2% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Willoughby, making up 52.6% of its population. However, Judaism is overrepresented compared to Greater Sydney, comprising 0.9% versus 1.0%.

The top three ancestry groups based on country of birth of parents are English (21.7%), Australian (20.2%), and Other (11.8%). Notably, Croatian ethnicity is overrepresented at 1.4%, compared to the regional average of 0.7%. Chinese ethnicity is underrepresented at 11.4% versus the regional figure of 17.1%, while Korean ethnicity is also underrepresented at 0.9% compared to Greater Sydney's 1.8%.

Willoughby's population is slightly older than the national pattern

Willoughby's median age is 41 years, which is significantly higher than Greater Sydney's average of 37 and somewhat older than Australia's median of 38. Compared to Greater Sydney, the 45-54 cohort is notably over-represented in Willoughby at 16.3%, while the 25-34 age group is under-represented at 7.7%. According to the 2021 Census, the 15 to 24 age group has increased from 11.0% to 13.5% of Willoughby's population, while the 35 to 44 cohort has declined from 15.8% to 14.7%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests significant changes in Willoughby's age profile. The 65 to 74 cohort is projected to grow by 34%, adding 378 residents to reach a total of 1,497. Conversely, both the 0 to 4 and 5 to 14 age groups are expected to see reduced numbers.