Woollahra

Woollahra 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, Woollahra's population is around 7,961 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 507 people (6.8%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 7,454 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 7,777 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 84 validated new addresses since the Census date. This population level equates to a density ratio of 6,219 persons per square kilometer, which lies in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch, making land in the area a highly sought resource. Woollahra's 6.8% growth since the 2021 census exceeded the SA3 area (6.0%), marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration, which contributed approximately 90.4% 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. Moving forward with demographic trends, lower quartile growth of national statistical areas is anticipated, with the area expected to expand by 238 persons by 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting an increase of 0.7% in total over the 17 years.

The level of residential development activity in Woollahra is very low in comparison to the average area assessed nationally by AreaSearch

Woollahra has recorded around 8 residential properties granted approval each year, totalling 43 homes over the past 5 financial years. So far in FY-26, 1 approval has been recorded. With population declining over recent years, housing supply has remained adequate relative to demand, creating a well-balanced market with good buyer choice, while new properties are constructed at an average value of $1,515,000, revealing that developers are targeting the premium market segment with higher-end properties. There have also been $2.4 million in commercial approvals this financial year, indicating limited commercial development focus.

Compared to Greater Sydney, Woollahra shows substantially reduced construction (61.0% below regional average per person). This limited new supply generally supports stronger demand and values for established properties, though building activity has accelerated in recent years. This level is likewise lower than nationally, reflecting market maturity and pointing to possible development constraints. New development consists of 29.0% detached houses and 71.0% attached dwellings. This skew toward compact living offers affordable entry pathways and attracts downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers. The location has approximately 1185 people per dwelling approval, demonstrating an established market.

Future projections show Woollahra adding 54 residents by 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). Based on current development patterns, new housing supply should readily meet demand, offering good conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

Woollahra has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 10% nationally

Nothing can influence an area's performance as much as changes to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. In total, 37 projects have been identified by AreaSearch that are likely to have an impact on the area. Key projects include Westfield Bondi Junction, Woollahra Station Completion and Rezoning, Woollahra Public School Redevelopment (Stage 2), and Woollahra Station Activation (Eastern Suburbs Railway), with the list below detailing those likely to be of most relevance.

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.

Employment conditions in Woollahra demonstrate strong performance, ranking among the top 35% of areas assessed nationally

Woollahra features a highly educated workforce, with the technology sector a particular standout in terms of representation, an unemployment rate of just 2.9%, and 2.8% in estimated employment growth over the past year. As of December 2025, 4,582 residents are in work while the unemployment rate is 1.3% below Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%, and workforce participation is broadly similar to Greater Sydney's 70.2%. Based on Census responses, a high 66.4% of residents were found to work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered.

The key industries of employment among residents are professional & technical, finance & insurance, and health care & social assistance. The area shows particularly strong specialization in professional & technical, with an employment share of 2.0 times the regional level. In contrast, construction employs just 4.0% of local workers, below Greater Sydney's 8.6%. While local employment opportunities exist in the area, it appears many residents commute elsewhere for work, based on the count of Census working population to local population.

Based on AreaSearch analysis of SALM and ABS data, during the year to December 2025, employment levels increased by 2.8% and labour force increased by 3.3%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 0.5 percentage points. This contrasts with Greater Sydney, where employment rose by 2.2%, the labour force grew by 2.3%, and unemployment rose marginally. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 can offer further insight into potential future demand within Woollahra. These projections, covering five and ten-year periods, have been mapped against the local employment profile to estimate growth patterns. While national employment is forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, growth rates differ significantly between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to Woollahra's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.8% over five years and 15.3% over ten years (please note this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections).

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

The Woollahra SA2's income level is among the top percentile nationally according to the latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for FY-23. The Woollahra SA2's median income among taxpayers is $87,132 and the average income stands at $243,595, which compares to figures for Greater Sydney's of $60,817 and $83,003 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since FY-23, current estimates would be approximately $94,852 (median) and $265,178 (average) as of September 2025. Census data reveals household, family and personal incomes all rank highly in Woollahra, between the 97th and 98th percentiles nationally. The earnings profile shows 40.3% of the population (3,208 individuals) fall within the $4000+ income range, contrasting with the region where the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket leads at 30.9%. The substantial proportion of high earners (50.3% above $3,000/week) indicates strong economic capacity throughout Woollahra. High housing costs consume 15.9% of income, though strong earnings still place disposable income at the 96th percentile and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 10th decile.

Woollahra features a more urban dwelling mix with significant apartment living, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Dwelling structure within Woollahra, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 18.3% houses and 81.7% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), in comparison to Sydney metro's 55.9% houses and 44.1% other dwellings. Meanwhile, the level of home ownership within Woollahra was 38.2%, which is well beyond that of Sydney metro, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged (25.8%) or rented (36.0%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was well above the Sydney metro average at $4,000, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded at $675, compared to Sydney metro's $2,427 and $470. Nationally, Woollahra's mortgage repayments are significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents are substantially above the national figure of $375.

Woollahra features high concentrations of group households and lone person households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households dominate at 60.2% of all households, comprising 23.4% couples with children, 27.6% couples without children, and 8.0% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 39.8%, with lone person households at 33.4% and group households comprising 6.3% of the total. The median household size of 2.2 people is smaller than the Greater Sydney average of 2.7.

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

Educational attainment in Woollahra significantly surpasses broader benchmarks, with 65.2% of residents aged 15+ holding university qualifications compared to 30.4% in Australia and 32.2% in NSW. This substantial educational advantage positions the area strongly for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees lead at 42.5%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (19.2%) and graduate diplomas (3.5%). Vocational pathways account for 15.6% of qualifications among those aged 15+ – advanced diplomas (8.7%) and certificates (6.9%).

Educational participation is notably high, with 27.5% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 8.9% in primary education, 6.6% in secondary education, and 6.4% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Public transport analysis reveals 33 active transport stops operating within Woollahra comprising a mix of buses. These stops are serviced by 32 individual routes, collectively providing 10,611 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically located 122 meters from the nearest transport stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward; the car remains the dominant mode at 58%, with 14% by train and 14% walking. Vehicle ownership averages 0.7 per dwelling, below the regional average. A high 66.4% of residents work from home (2021 Census; may reflect COVID-19 conditions).

Service frequency averages 1,515 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 321 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Health outcomes data demonstrates outstanding results across Woollahra, based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. There is a very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups, and the rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 95% of the total population (7,554 people). This compares to 59.9% across Greater Sydney and a national average of 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions in the area are arthritis and asthma, impacting 6.5% and 6.3% of residents, respectively, while 74.8% declared themselves as completely clear of medical ailments compared to 74.6% across Greater Sydney. The area has 24.3% of residents aged 65 and over (1,937 people), which is higher than the 15.4% in Greater Sydney. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

The level of cultural diversity witnessed in Woollahra was found to be above average when compared nationally for a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Woollahra was found to be more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets, with 15.8% of its population speaking a language other than English at home and 34.2% born overseas. The main religion in Woollahra is Christianity, which makes up 43.7% of people. However, the most apparent overrepresentation is in Judaism, which comprises 8.4% of the population, substantially higher than the Greater Sydney average of 0.8%.

In terms of ancestry (country of birth of parents), the top three represented groups in Woollahra are English, comprising 26.6% of the population, which is substantially higher than the regional average of 19.0%, Australian, comprising 18.7% of the population, and Other, comprising 10.7% of the population, which is notably lower than the regional average of 16.0%. Additionally, there are notable divergences in the representation of certain other ethnic groups: Hungarian is notably overrepresented at 1.0% of Woollahra (vs 0.3% regionally), Polish at 1.5% (vs 0.6%) and French at 1.1% (vs 0.5%).

Woollahra's median age exceeds the national pattern

The 42-year median age in Woollahra is significantly above Greater Sydney's average of 37 and similarly considerably older than Australia's 38 years. The 75 - 84 age group shows strong representation at 10.1% compared to Greater Sydney, whereas the 15 - 24 cohort is less prevalent at 10.2%. Post-2021 Census data shows the 75 to 84 age group has grown from 8.4% to 10.1% of the population, while the 15 to 24 cohort increased from 8.9% to 10.2%. Conversely, the 65 to 74 cohort has declined from 11.1% to 9.2% and the 45 to 54 group dropped from 12.3% to 11.2%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes for Woollahra. Leading the demographic shift, the 85+ group will grow by 66% (267 people), reaching 672 from 404. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups will account for 91% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. In contrast, the 55 to 64 and 0 to 4 cohorts are expected to experience population declines.