Beacon Hill

An assessment of population growth drivers in Beacon Hill reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

As of February 2026, the estimated population of the suburb of Beacon Hill is around 7,836. This reflects an increase from the 2021 Census figure of 7,814 people, a change inferred from AreaSearch's resident population estimate of 7,832 based on ABS ERP data released in June 2024 and additional validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 2,711 persons per square kilometer, placing Beacon Hill in the upper quartile relative to other locations assessed by AreaSearch. Overseas migration contributed approximately 88.0% of overall population gains during recent periods. For projections until 2041, AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022, and NSW State Government's SA2 level projections for areas not covered by this data, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021.

According to these projections, the suburb's population is expected to decline by 81 persons by 2041, while specific age cohorts are anticipated to grow, notably the 75 to 84 age group projected to increase by 215 people over this period.

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

Based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers allocated from statistical area data, Beacon Hill has experienced around 28 dwellings receiving development approval each year over the past five financial years ending June 2021. This totals an estimated 142 homes. As of September 2026, 19 approvals have been recorded in FY-26. The population has fallen during this period, yet housing supply has remained adequate relative to demand, creating a well-balanced market with good buyer choice.

New homes are being built at an average expected construction cost value of $542,000, indicating a focus on the premium segment with upmarket properties. Additionally, $2.6 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded this financial year, suggesting the area's residential character. Relative to Greater Sydney, Beacon Hill records somewhat elevated construction activity, with 23.0% above the regional average per person over the five-year period ending June 2021. This maintains good buyer choice while supporting existing property values.

However, this activity is under the national average, indicating the area's established nature and suggesting potential planning limitations. Recent construction comprises 93.0% detached houses and 7.0% townhouses or apartments, preserving the area's suburban nature with an emphasis on detached housing attracting space-seeking buyers. With around 333 people per approval, Beacon Hill reflects a low density area. Population projections show stability or decline, which should reduce housing demand pressures, benefiting potential buyers in the future.

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

Eleven projects have been identified by AreaSearch as potentially impacting the area, with key ones including the Beacon Hill Reserve Masterplan and Sportsfield Upgrade, Northern Beaches Bus Network Improvements, Beacon Hill Road Mixed-Use Precinct (Potential), and Brookvale Structure Plan Implementation. The following list details those most likely to be relevant.

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

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

Beacon Hill has an educated workforce with notable representation in the technology sector. The unemployment rate is 5.4%, as per AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data. As of September 2025, there are 4,248 employed residents, an unemployment rate of 1.2% higher than Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%.

Workforce participation matches Greater Sydney's 70.0%. According to Census responses, 45.3% of residents work from home, with Covid-19 lockdown impacts considered. Major employment industries include health care & social assistance, professional & technical services, and retail trade.

However, transport, postal & warehousing is under-represented at 3.1%, compared to Greater Sydney's 5.3%. The area offers limited local employment opportunities, indicated by the working population count versus resident population. Between September 2024 and September 2025, the labour force decreased by 0.7% and employment declined by 1.9%, resulting in a 1.2 percentage point unemployment rate rise. Conversely, Greater Sydney saw employment grow by 2.1%, labour force increase by 2.4%, and unemployment rise by 0.2 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Beacon Hill's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.8% over five years and 13.8% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

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

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023 shows that Beacon Hill suburb has a median income of $65,858 and an average income of $101,917. Greater Sydney's median income is $60,817 with an average of $83,003. By September 2025, estimates suggest the median income will be approximately $71,693 and the average $110,947 based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86%. The 2021 Census figures rank Beacon Hill's household incomes at the 96th percentile with weekly earnings of $2,937. The predominant income cohort spans 35.1% (2,750 people) earning more than $4,000 weekly, differing from surrounding areas where the $1,500 - $2,999 category dominates at 30.9%. A substantial 49.4% earn over $3,000 weekly. High housing costs consume 15.7% of income but strong earnings place disposable income at the 95th percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

Beacon Hill is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

The latest Census evaluation showed that dwelling structures in Beacon Hill comprised 89.5% houses and 10.6% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Sydney metro had 55.9% houses and 44.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Beacon Hill was at 37.9%, with the remainder being mortgaged (45.4%) or rented (16.7%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $3,250, compared to Sydney metro's $2,427. The median weekly rent figure was recorded at $730, while Sydney metro's was $470. Nationally, Beacon Hill's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 85.9% of all households, including 51.6% who are couples with children, 23.2% who are couples without children, and 10.6% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 14.1%, with lone person households at 12.0% and group households comprising 1.9%. The median household size is 3.2 people, larger than the Greater Sydney average of 2.7.

Educational achievement in Beacon Hill places it within the top 10% nationally, reflecting strong academic performance and high qualification levels across the community

Educational qualifications in Beacon Hill trail regional benchmarks, with 35.2% of residents aged 15 and over holding university degrees compared to 41.5% in the SA4 region as of 2021 data. This gap highlights potential for educational development and skills enhancement. Bachelor degrees lead at 24.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 7.5% and graduate diplomas at 2.8%. Trade and technical skills feature prominently, with 32.0% of residents aged 15 and over holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas at 12.8% and certificates at 19.2%.

Educational participation is notably high, with 31.9% of residents currently enrolled in formal education as of the 2021 census. This includes 10.3% in primary education, 9.4% in secondary education, and 5.8% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Beacon Hill has 44 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 49 different routes, offering a total of 3572 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents typically located 220 meters from the nearest stop. The area is primarily residential, and most commuters travel outward. Cars remain the dominant mode of transport, used by 89% of residents. Vehicle ownership averages 1.8 per dwelling, which is above the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, 45.3% of residents work from home, a figure that may reflect COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 510 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 81 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Beacon Hill's health outcomes show remarkable results according to AreaSearch's assessment. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are very low across all age groups. Private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 67% of the total population (5,257 people), compared to 59.9% in Greater Sydney and a national average of 55.7%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are asthma and mental health issues, affecting 6.4 and 5.9% of residents respectively. Notably, 74.8% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, slightly higher than the 74.6% in Greater Sydney. Working-age residents have low chronic condition prevalence. The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 17.3%, compared to 15.4% in Greater Sydney. Health outcomes among seniors are strong, broadly in line with national rankings for the general population.

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

Beacon Hill's population was found to be more culturally diverse than most local markets, with 30.1% born overseas and 20.6% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Beacon Hill, accounting for 57.3%. However, Judaism appeared overrepresented at 0.2%, compared to Greater Sydney's 0.8%.

In terms of ancestry, the top three groups were English (24.9%), Australian (21.8%), and Other (9.8%). Notably, Serbian (0.8%) and Welsh (0.8%) were overrepresented, while Italian (7.9%) was notably higher than the regional average of 3.4%.

Beacon Hill's median age exceeds the national pattern

Beacon Hill'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. The 55-64 cohort is notably over-represented in Beacon Hill at 13.4%, compared to the Greater Sydney average, while the 25-34 age group is under-represented at 8.5%. According to the 2021 Census, the 15 to 24 age group has grown from 13.6% to 16.0% of Beacon Hill's population. Conversely, the 45 to 54 cohort has declined from 15.9% to 14.8%. Demographic modeling suggests that by 2041, Beacon Hill's age profile will evolve significantly. The 75 to 84 cohort shows the strongest projected growth at 37%, adding 178 residents to reach 656. This demographic aging trend continues as residents aged 65 and older represent 100% of anticipated population growth. However, population declines are projected for the 25 to 34 and 55 to 64 cohorts.