Willoughby
Statistical Area - sa2

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 13,403 as of Aug 2025. This reflects an increase of 407 people 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 265 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 4,365 persons per square kilometer, which lies in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Willoughby's growth rate of 3.1% since census positions it within 2.3 percentage points of the SA4 region (5.4%), demonstrating competitive growth fundamentals. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration, contributing approximately 93.8% 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 areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilises NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Examining future trends, a population increase just below the median of national areas is expected, with the area expected to expand by 785 persons to 2041 based on latest numbers, reflecting an increase of 5.8% in total over the 17 years.

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. Between FY-21 and FY-25784 homes were approved, with a further 5 approved in FY-26 to date. Over these five years, an average of 0.3 people moved to the area for each dwelling built.

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 value of new homes was $1,030,000, suggesting a focus on premium market developments. In FY-26, $25.2 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded, indicating balanced commercial development activity. Compared to Greater Sydney, Willoughby has 89.0% higher new home approvals per person, offering buyers greater choice, although building activity has slowed in recent years. This is well above the national average, reflecting strong developer confidence in the area. New developments consist of 10.0% detached houses and 90.0% townhouses or apartments, shifting from the current 60.0% houses to provide accessible entry options for downsizers, investors, and entry-level buyers. The location has approximately 439 people per dwelling approval, reflecting an established area.

By 2041, Willoughby is expected to grow by 774 residents. 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 very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 20% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 11 projects that could impact this region. Notable projects include Heart Of Willoughby, Willoughby Grounds, Aurora Willoughby, and The Quarry Naremburn. The following list details those likely to be most relevant.

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

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

Willoughby has a highly educated workforce with notable representation in the technology sector. The unemployment rate as of June 2025 is 5.4%.

In this month, 6,824 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 1.2% higher than Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%. Workforce participation stands at 64.5%, slightly above Greater Sydney's 60.0%. Employment among residents is concentrated in professional & technical, finance & insurance, and health care & social assistance sectors. Willoughby shows strong specialization in professional & technical jobs, with an employment share 1.6 times the regional level.

Conversely, construction has limited presence with 5.3% employment compared to 8.6% regionally. The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities based on Census data comparing working population to resident population. Over the 12 months to June 2025, labour force levels decreased by 0.2% and employment decreased by 2.7%, leading to a rise in unemployment rate by 2.4 percentage points. In Greater Sydney, employment grew by 2.6%, labour force expanded by 2.9%, and unemployment rose by 0.3 percentage points during the same period. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 project that national employment will expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Willoughby's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 7.4%% over five years and 14.8% over ten years, though these are simple weighting extrapolations for illustrative purposes and do not account for localized population projections.

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

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of the latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year 2022, Willoughby had a median income among taxpayers of $73,437. The average income stood at $151,799. This places Willoughby in the top percentile nationally. In comparison, Greater Sydney's median and average incomes were $56,994 and $80,856 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% since financial year 2022, current estimates for Willoughby would be approximately $82,697 (median) and $170,941 (average) as of September 2025. Census 2021 income data shows household, family, and personal incomes in Willoughby rank highly nationally, between the 89th and 96th percentiles. Income brackets indicate that 38.7% of residents (5,186 people) fall into the $40,000+ bracket, differing from metropolitan patterns where the $1,500 - $2,999 bracket dominates with 30.9%. Economic strength is evident through 48.6% of households achieving high weekly earnings 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

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

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

Family households comprise 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 account for 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 is notably high, with 52.4% of residents aged 15 and above holding university qualifications, compared to 30.4% nationally and 32.2% in NSW. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 34.1%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (14.5%) and graduate diplomas (3.8%). Vocational pathways account for 20.2% of qualifications, 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 education, 9.1% in secondary education, and 6.4% pursuing tertiary education. Willoughby's three schools have a combined enrollment of 2,244 students as of the latest data. The area demonstrates high educational performance, with an ICSEA score of 1152, indicating that local schools are among the most advantaged nationally. Education provision is balanced, with two primary and one secondary school serving distinct age groups. School capacity exceeds typical residential needs, with 16.7 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 11.9, suggesting that Willoughby serves as an educational center for the broader region.

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 68 active transport stops currently operating. These stops offer a mix of bus services. They are serviced by 63 individual routes, which collectively provide 3,447 weekly passenger trips.

The report rates the transport accessibility as excellent, with residents typically located 134 meters from the nearest transport stop. On average, service frequency is 492 trips per day across all routes, equating 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

Health outcomes data shows excellent results throughout Willoughby, with 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 (11,633 people), compared to 78.2% across Greater Sydney and a national average of 55.3%. The most common medical conditions in the area are asthma and arthritis, affecting 6.9% and 5.8% of residents respectively, while 75.9% declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments compared to 78.0% across Greater Sydney.

As of 2021, 16.6% of Willoughby's residents are aged 65 and over (2,224 people). Health outcomes among seniors in the area are particularly strong, broadly aligning with the general population's health profile.

Willoughby is among the most culturally diverse areas in the country based on AreaSearch assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

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

The top three ancestry groups are English (21.7%), Australian (20.2%), and Other (11.8%). Notably, Croatian is overrepresented at 1.4%, Chinese at 11.4%, and Korean at 0.9%.

Willoughby's median age exceeds the national pattern

Willoughby's median age is 41 years, which is significantly higher than Greater Sydney's average of 37 years and somewhat older than Australia's median of 38 years. Compared to the Greater Sydney average, 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 15-24 age group has grown from 11.0% to 13.5% of Willoughby's population. Conversely, the 35-44 cohort has declined from 15.8% to 14.7%. Demographic modeling suggests that by 2041, Willoughby's age profile will evolve significantly. The 65-74 cohort is projected to grow by 35%, adding 384 residents to reach a total of 1,497. Meanwhile, both the 0-4 and 5-14 age groups are expected to see reduced numbers.