Bella Vista

Population growth drivers in Bella Vista are strong compared to national averages based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

As of Nov 2025, Bella Vista's population is estimated at around 8,903, reflecting an increase of 519 people since the 2021 Census. The 2021 Census reported a population of 8,384 in the suburb. This increase is inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population at 8,696 following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 and an additional 114 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 2,042 persons per square kilometer, above the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Over the past decade, Bella Vista has demonstrated resilient growth patterns with a compound annual growth rate of 1.7%, outpacing the SA3 area. Population growth for the suburb was primarily driven by overseas migration contributing approximately 73.0% of overall population gains during recent periods, although all drivers including natural growth and interstate migration were positive factors.

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. Future population trends project an above median growth, with the suburb expected to grow by 2,078 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting a total increase of 22.9% over the 17 years.

Residential development activity is slightly higher than average within Bella Vista when compared nationally

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers allocated from statistical area data shows Bella Vista had approximately 69 new homes approved annually. Between FY-21 and FY-25, around 349 homes were approved, with an additional 5 approved so far in FY-26. This results in about 1.9 new residents per year per dwelling constructed over the past five financial years. However, this figure increased to 8.9 people per dwelling over the last two financial years, indicating Bella Vista's growing popularity and potential supply constraints.

The average construction value of new homes is $749,000, suggesting a focus on premium segments with upmarket properties. This year has seen $118.9 million in commercial approvals, reflecting robust local business investment. Compared to Greater Sydney, Bella Vista records 11.0% less building activity per person and ranks among the 40th percentile nationally, offering limited choices for buyers and supporting demand for existing dwellings. New development consists of 20.0% detached dwellings and 80.0% attached dwellings, creating more affordable entry points and suiting downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers. This shift from the current housing mix (currently 82.0% houses) reflects reduced availability of development sites and addresses changing lifestyle demands and affordability requirements.

With around 410 people per dwelling approval, Bella Vista exhibits a developed market. Population forecasts indicate Bella Vista will gain approximately 2,043 residents by 2041, with current construction levels expected to meet demand adequately, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts.

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

The performance of an area can significantly be influenced by changes in local infrastructure. AreaSearch has identified a total of 30 projects that are expected to impact this region. Notable projects include Norwest City, Norwest Quarter, Hills Showground Station Precinct, and The Orchards Norwest. The following list details those considered most relevant.

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

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The labour market in Bella Vista shows considerable strength compared to most other Australian regions

Bella Vista has a highly educated workforce with strong representation in professional services. Its unemployment rate was 2.6% as of the past year, showing an estimated employment growth of 3.2%.

As of June 2025, 5,250 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 1.6% below Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%. Workforce participation is higher at 67.3%, compared to Greater Sydney's 60.0%. Key industries include health care & social assistance, professional & technical services, and finance & insurance. Health care & social assistance stands out with employment levels at 1.3 times the regional average, while transport, postal & warehousing has lower representation at 3.2% versus the regional average of 5.3%.

The area hosts more jobs than residents, with a ratio of 1.3 workers per resident as at the Census. Over the past year, employment increased by 3.2%, and labour force grew by 3.0%, causing the unemployment rate to fall by 0.2 percentage points. In comparison, Greater Sydney saw employment grow by 2.6%, labour force expand by 2.9%, and unemployment rise by 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 project a 6.6% increase in employment over five years and 13.7% over ten years nationally. Applying these projections to Bella Vista's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.3% over five years and 14.9% over ten years, based on 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

Bella Vista's median income among taxpayers was $65,631 in financial year 2022. The average income stood at $86,227 during the same period. These figures compare to Greater Sydney's median income of $56,994 and average income of $80,856 respectively. By September 2025, current estimates project Bella Vista's median income to be approximately $73,907 and the average income at around $97,100, based on a Wage Price Index growth rate of 12.61%. According to 2021 Census figures, household incomes in Bella Vista rank between the 85th and 99th percentiles nationally. The income distribution shows that 43.9% of residents earn over $4,000 per week, contrasting with regional levels where the $1,500 - $2,999 bracket is dominant at 30.9%. Bella Vista's affluence is evident with 58.7% of its residents earning more than $3,000 per week, supporting premium retail and service offerings in the area. Housing accounts for 13.9% of income, while strong earnings place residents within the 99th percentile for disposable income. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 10th decile.

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

Dwelling structure in Bella Vista, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 82.5% houses and 17.5% other dwellings. In comparison, Sydney metro had 78.2% houses and 21.8% other dwellings. Home ownership in Bella Vista was 36.9%, with mortgaged dwellings at 50.3% and rented ones at 12.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $3,400, while the median weekly rent figure was $740. Nationally, Bella Vista's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, with rents substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 92.4% of all households, including 61.0% couples with children, 22.9% couples without children, and 7.8% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 7.6%, with lone person households at 6.4% and group households making up 1.0%. The median household size is 3.4 people, larger than the Greater Sydney average of 3.0.

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

Bella Vista's educational attainment is notably higher than national and state averages. Among residents aged 15 and above, 51.0% have university qualifications, compared to Australia's 30.4% and NSW's 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 31.4%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (17.2%) and graduate diplomas (2.4%). Vocational pathways account for 20.5%, with advanced diplomas at 9.8% and certificates at 10.7%.

Educational participation is high, with 31.5% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.3% in primary, 8.6% in secondary, and 7.9% in tertiary education. Educational facilities appear to be located outside Bella Vista's immediate boundaries, requiring families to access schools in neighboring areas.

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

Bella Vista has 53 active public transport stops, served by a mix of lightrail and bus routes. There are 42 individual routes operating in total, offering 4,923 weekly passenger trips collectively. Residents enjoy excellent transport accessibility, with an average distance of 172 meters to the nearest stop.

Daily service frequency across all routes averages 703 trips, translating to about 92 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Bella Vista shows excellent health outcomes across all age groups, with very low prevalence of common health conditions. Approximately 61% (5,426 people) have private health cover, compared to 63.7% in Greater Sydney and a national average of 55.3%. Diabetes and asthma are the most common medical conditions, affecting 5.2% and 4.9% of residents respectively.

About 79.3% report no medical ailments, higher than the 75.9% across Greater Sydney. The area has 16.0% (1,424 people) aged 65 and over, lower than Greater Sydney's 18.9%. Health outcomes among seniors are strong, similar to those of the general population.

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

Bella Vista, one of the most culturally diverse areas in the country, has 55.3% of its population speaking a language other than English at home and 50.6% born overseas. Christianity is the predominant religion, comprising 44.3% of Bella Vista's population. Hinduism stands out with 16.2%, significantly higher than Greater Sydney's average of 8.6%.

In terms of ancestry, 'Other' tops the list at 20.2%, higher than the regional average of 14.1%. Chinese and Indian ancestry follow, making up 17.0% and 12.6% respectively, both significantly higher than regional averages. Notable divergences include Sri Lankan (1.6% vs 1.0%), Lebanese (2.2% vs 1.6%) and Korean (1.4% vs 2.3%).

Bella Vista's median age exceeds the national pattern

Bella Vista has a median age of 40, which is slightly higher than Greater Sydney's figure of 37 and Australia's median age of 38. Compared to the Greater Sydney average, Bella Vista has an over-representation of the 55-64 age cohort (13.9% locally) and an under-representation of the 25-34 age group (9.0%). Between 2021 and now, the 15-24 age group has increased from 14.0% to 15.8%, while the 75-84 cohort has risen from 3.3% to 4.9%. Conversely, the 55-64 age group has decreased from 14.8% to 13.9%. By 2041, demographic modeling projects significant changes in Bella Vista's age profile. The 45-54 age cohort is expected to expand by 417 people (33%), growing from 1,273 to 1,691. Meanwhile, the 35-44 age group is projected to decrease by 52 residents.