Balgowlah

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

By Nov 2025, the population of the Balgowlah statistical area (Lv2) is estimated at around 8,322 people. This reflects an increase of 254 individuals since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 8,068 people. The change was inferred from AreaSearch's resident population estimate of 8,077 following examination of ABS's latest ERP data release in June 2024 and an additional 19 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population results in a density ratio of 4,245 persons per square kilometer, placing it within the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Balgowlah's 3.1% growth since census is close to the SA4 region's growth rate of 3.4%, indicating competitive growth fundamentals. Overseas migration contributed approximately 78.0% of overall population gains during recent periods in the area.

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 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. According to these projections, the Balgowlah (SA2) population is expected to decline by 60 persons by 2041. However, growth across specific age cohorts is anticipated, led by the 75 to 84 age group, which is projected to increase by 199 people.

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

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers, allocated from statistical area data, shows Balgowlah recorded approximately 25 residential properties granted approval each year over the past five financial years. This totals an estimated 128 homes. So far in FY-26, 12 approvals have been recorded. The population has declined in recent years, suggesting new supply has kept pace with demand, providing good choice for buyers.

New homes are being built at an average expected construction cost value of $965,000, indicating a focus on the premium segment with upmarket properties. This financial year, $5.8 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded, reflecting the area's residential character. Comparatively, Balgowlah shows moderately higher development activity than Greater Sydney, at 32.0% above the regional average per person over the past five years. This has preserved reasonable buyer options while sustaining existing property demand.

However, this level is below the national average, suggesting the area's established nature and potential planning limitations. Recent construction in Balgowlah comprises 52.0% detached houses and 48.0% medium and high-density housing. This features an increasing blend of attached housing types, offering choices across price ranges from spacious family homes to more accessible compact options. New construction favours detached housing more than current patterns suggest (35.0% at Census), indicating ongoing robust demand for family homes despite increasing density pressures. Balgowlah indicates a mature market with around 396 people per approval. With population projections showing stability or decline, Balgowlah should see reduced housing demand pressures in the future, benefiting potential buyers.

Balgowlah has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 20% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch identified five projects likely affecting the region. Key initiatives include Stockland Balgowlah Shopping Centre Expansion & Residential, Totem Road Precinct - Balgowlah Heights, The Strand - Balgowlah, and Balgowlah RSL Club Renovations (Stage 1 of Master Plan). Below are details of most relevant projects.

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

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The employment landscape in Balgowlah presents a mixed picture: unemployment remains low at 3.8%, yet recent job losses have affected its comparative national standing

Balgowlah has a highly educated workforce with notable representation in the technology sector. Its unemployment rate is 3.8%, as per AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data.

As of September 2025, there are 4,615 residents employed, which is 0.4% below Greater Sydney's unemployment rate of 4.2%. Workforce participation in Balgowlah is 68.0%, compared to Greater Sydney's 60.0%. The leading employment industries among residents are professional & technical, health care & social assistance, and finance & insurance. Professional & technical employment levels are at 1.6 times the regional average.

However, transport, postal & warehousing has limited presence with 2.6% employment compared to the regional average of 5.3%. The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. Over a 12-month period ending in September 2025, Balgowlah's labour force decreased by 0.5%, with employment declining by 2.3%, leading to an unemployment rate increase of 1.7 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Sydney recorded employment growth of 2.1% and labour force growth of 2.4%, with unemployment rising by 0.2 percentage points. State-level data as of 25-Nov-25 shows NSW employment contracted by 0.03%, losing 2,260 jobs, with the state unemployment rate at 3.9%. National employment forecasts from May-25 suggest national employment will expand by 6.6% over five years and 14.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Balgowlah's employment mix indicates local employment should increase by 7.3% over five years and 14.6% over ten years, assuming constant population projections for illustrative purposes.

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

Balgowlah suburb has exceptionally high national income levels according to latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. Balgowlah's median taxpayer income is $71,616 and average income stands at $148,050, compared to Greater Sydney's figures of $60,817 and $83,003 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since financial year 2023, current estimates for Balgowlah would be approximately $77,961 (median) and $161,167 (average) as of September 2025. Census 2021 income data shows household, family and personal incomes in Balgowlah rank highly nationally, between the 93rd and 93rd percentiles. The predominant cohort spans 34.1% of locals (2,837 people) in the $4000+ category, differing from regional patterns where $1,500 - 2,999 dominates with 30.9%. A substantial proportion of high earners (46.0% above $3,000/week) indicates strong economic capacity throughout the area. High housing costs consume 17.0% of income, however strong earnings still place disposable income at the 92nd percentile and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 10th decile.

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

Balgowlah's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 34.6% houses and 65.4% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Sydney metro's 34.7% houses and 63.3% other dwellings. Home ownership in Balgowlah was at 34.7%, with mortgaged dwellings at 33.5% and rented ones at 31.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $3,250, below Sydney metro's average of $3,800. Median weekly rent in Balgowlah was $640, compared to Sydney metro's $720. Nationally, Balgowlah's mortgage repayments were higher at $3,250 versus Australia's average of $1,863, while rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Balgowlah features high concentrations of group households, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households constitute 71.2% of all households, including 35.0% couples with children, 25.5% couples without children, and 9.8% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 28.8%, with lone person households at 24.8% and group households comprising 4.0%. The median household size is 2.5 people, which aligns with the Greater Sydney average.

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

Balgowlah's educational attainment exceeds national and state averages. 51.0% of residents aged 15+ have university qualifications, compared to Australia's 30.4% and NSW's 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 34.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (13.1%) and graduate diplomas (3.7%). Vocational pathways account for 24.2%, with advanced diplomas at 12.0% and certificates at 12.2%.

Educational participation is high, with 29.7% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.6% in primary, 8.1% in secondary, and 5.6% in tertiary education.

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

Balgowlah has 80 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 64 different routes that together facilitate 4,158 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of the transport system is rated as excellent, with residents typically residing just 102 meters from their nearest stop.

On average, there are 594 trips per day across all routes, which translates to approximately 51 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Balgowlah's health outcomes data shows excellent results, with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups. The private health cover rate is exceptionally high at approximately 85% of the total population (7,085 people), compared to the national average of 55.7%.

Asthma and mental health issues are the most common medical conditions in the area, affecting 6.4 and 5.7% of residents respectively. A significant majority, 76.5%, report being completely clear of medical ailments, slightly lower than the Greater Sydney average of 77.4%. As of 2021, 17.4% of Balgowlah's population is aged 65 and over (1,448 people). Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, closely aligning with the general population's health profile.

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

Balgowlah, as per the 2016 Census, had a higher cultural diversity than most local areas with 14.4% of its population speaking languages other than English at home and 33.2% born overseas. Christianity was the predominant religion in Balgowlah, comprising 47.6% of the population. Notably, Judaism was overrepresented compared to Greater Sydney, making up 0.4% of Balgowlah's population.

The top three ancestry groups were English (30.5%), Australian (21.0%), and Irish (10.1%). There were also notable differences in the representation of French (1.4% vs regional 1.4%), Welsh (0.9% vs regional 0.9%) and South African (1.2% vs regional 1.1%) ethnic groups.

Balgowlah's median age exceeds the national pattern

Balgowlah's median age is 41 years, which is significantly higher than Greater Sydney's average of 37 and slightly older than Australia's median of 38. Compared to Greater Sydney's average, Balgowlah has a notably higher proportion of the 45-54 cohort (15.5% locally) and a lower proportion of the 25-34 age group (10.5%). According to the 2021 Census, the 15-24 age group increased from 10.4% to 12.8%, while the 35-44 cohort decreased from 14.9% to 13.6%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests significant changes in Balgowlah's age profile. The 75-84 cohort is projected to grow by 29%, adding 168 residents to reach 743. Residents aged 65 and older will represent all of the anticipated population growth, while declines are expected for the 55-64 and 15-24 cohorts.