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This analysis uses Suburbs and Localities (SAL) boundaries, which can materially differ from Statistical Areas (SA2) even when sharing the same name.
SAL boundaries are defined by Australia Post and the Australian Bureau of Statistics to represent commonly-known suburb names used in postal addresses.
Statistical Areas (SA2) are designed for census data collection and may combine multiple suburbs or use different geographic boundaries. For comprehensive analysis, consider reviewing both boundary types if available.
est. as @ -- *
2021 Census | -- people
The median house price in Bonny Hills is $1.06m, with units at $718k. House values have moved 3.7% a year compounded over five years.
Curious about local property values? Filter the chart to assess the volume and appreciation (including resales) trends and regional comparisons, or scroll to the map below view this information at an individual property level.
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Bonny Hills has an estimated 3,096 residents, up from 3,045 at the 2021 Census — a change of 51 people, or 1.7%. That puts 149 residents on each square kilometre. Population is estimated from ABS Estimated Resident Population releases and GNAF address data, re-based from the 2021 Census and updated annually.
Detail
Demographic assessments incorporating regional ABS updates and address confirmations by AreaSearch indicate that the suburb of Bonny Hills reached an estimated resident count of 3,096 by Aug 2026. This represents a gain of 51 people (1.7%) above the 3,045 people documented in the 2021 Census. Such figures are derived from an ERP figure of 3,083 published by the ABS in June 2025 alongside 45 validated new addresses added post-Census. With 149 persons per square kilometer, the locality maintains substantial physical room per inhabitant and scope for expanded settlement. Migration from interstate generated roughly 85.0% of the overall demographic expansion across recent cycles.
Long-term demographic modeling for the suburb of Bonny Hills utilizes combined ABS/Geoscience Australia SA2 projections published in 2024 with a 2022 baseline, supplemented where necessary by 2022 NSW State Government SA2 series referencing 2021. For the period spanning 2032 to 2041, age-specific growth trajectories from these aggregated datasets are applied. Across the broader regional landscape nationally, forward projections anticipate above-median gains, with the area modeled to add 521 persons by 2041 via aggregated SA2 projections, representing an expansion of 16.4% over 16 years.
Frequently Asked Questions - Population
74 new dwellings have been approved in Bonny Hills over the past five years, an average of 14 a year. That is 4.1 approvals per 1,000 residents. Approvals are currently running at an annualised 5, well below that longer-run average. Figures come from ABS building approvals aggregated to this Suburb (SAL) boundary and are updated monthly as the ABS releases them.
Detail
An evaluation of ABS residential approval records indicates that Bonny Hills averages approximately 14 dwellings sanctioned per annum, yielding 74 homes throughout the preceding 5 financial years. During FY-25 to date, 5 approvals have been logged. With an average of only 0.4 new residents per year per dwelling constructed between FY-21 and FY-25, residential supply is comfortably keeping pace with or exceeding local absorption, expanding purchaser choice and accommodating potential future expansion. Newly approved homes reflect an average construction value of $459,000. On the commercial front, approvals amount to $2.0 million this financial year, pointing to very subdued non-residential development.
Per capita residential construction in Bonny Hills runs at roughly half the rate seen in Rest of NSW, placing the locality in the 29th percentile across Australia. This relatively restricted pipeline tends to support demand across existing properties. Standalone residences comprise 92.0% of new dwelling approvals while medium and high-density housing represents 8.0%, maintaining the neighborhood's low-density profile oriented toward detached houses for buyers seeking generous lot space. The quiet nature of local building activity is further highlighted by a ratio of 512 people per dwelling approval. Looking forward from the most recent AreaSearch quarterly release, Bonny Hills is projected to add 508 residents through to 2041. While current construction trajectories match anticipated needs, prospective purchasers could encounter tighter market conditions as the population expands.
Frequently Asked Questions - Development
Development applications around Bonny Hills
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| Lodged | Address | Description | Type | Distance | Status |
|---|
SOURCE: Planning portals and council registers, compiled by AreaSearch. Distance & bearing measured from the suburb midpoint.
AreaSearch tracks one current infrastructure or development project inside Bonny Hills. A further 53 sit in the immediately surrounding suburbs, taking the tracked pipeline within reach of the area to $6.33 billion. 20 are already under construction and 19 are due for completion within three years. The pipeline spans residential development, communities, precincts & urban renewal and communities. Records are compiled from Infrastructure Australia, state agencies, council planning portals and public announcements, reviewed and updated daily, then ranked by proximity, construction stage, completion horizon and project scale.
Detail
Strategic infrastructure improvements and development undertakings play a defining role in shaping local outcomes. AreaSearch has pinpointed 4 significant works with potential local influence, including the Beach to Beach Shared Path, Whitewater Terrace Development, Lake Cathie, the upgrade at Lake Cathie Public School, and Glen Eden Estate.
Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.
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Frequently Asked Questions - Infrastructure
Beach to Beach Shared Path
Coastal shared pathway connecting beaches and recreational areas, providing safe pedestrian and cycling access between key destinations along the Port Macquarie coastline.
The Pacific at Catarina Beachfront Estate
The first release at Catarina Beachfront Estate, The Pacific features a boutique collection of luxury apartments and exclusive penthouses. Designed by ELK Architecture, the project is part of a larger masterplan for Catarina Estate which will include a future retail precinct with cafes, shops, and hospitality venues, as well as conference facilities, a function centre, a pub and a gym.
Whitewater Terrace Development, Lake Cathie
A five-building mixed-use development including 95 apartments with tourist accommodation, about 1240sq m of commercial space, indoor recreation facilities, and parking for 176 vehicles.
Lake Cathie Public School upgrade
Upgrade delivering 17 flexible learning spaces (including 2 support unit classrooms), a new hall, new bus bay, refurbished library and special programs unit, and landscaping. Works completed December 2021 to enhance capacity and learning environments for the growing Lake Cathie community.
Rainbow Beach Estate
A 704-lot masterplanned residential estate located between Lake Cathie and Bonny Hills on the NSW Mid North Coast, developed by St Vincent's Foundation with King & Campbell as principal consultant. The estate offers house and land packages across staged releases, with Stage 6C currently selling. Community amenities include a future village shopping centre, walkways, cycleways, lakeside parklands, regenerated bushland corridors, playing fields, and a preschool and primary school adjoining the estate. The town centre is planned to service over 10,000 residents on completion.
Glen Eden Estate
A 68-lot residential estate in Lake Cathie offering a mix of coastal and rural living, with lots ranging in size from 465m2 to 2,972m2. The estate is fully sold out and registered, with new home builds largely complete. Located minutes from the local shopping centre, Lake Cathie Public School, Lake Cathie Beach, and walking trails, and around a 20 minute drive to Port Macquarie.
Lake Cathie Foreshore Reserve Master Plan
Port Macquarie-Hastings Council has adopted a revised Master Plan for the Lake Cathie Foreshore Reserve, updating the original 2018 plan. The plan sets out a staged vision for the foreshore including a continuous coastal walkway, safer and more accessible paths and crossings, formalised parking to protect tree roots, new picnic shelters, shade trees, seating and lighting, coastal protection upgrades including sea wall staging, and improvements across Aqua Reserve, Bundella Ave, and Jonathan Dickson Reserve. Early works including the Lake Cathie Skate Space and accessible amenities were delivered under the 2018 plan.The updated plan was formally adopted at the 11 December 2025 Ordinary Council Meeting following public exhibition and community engagement.
Beach to Beach Shared Path
Community-driven active transport and recreation project delivering an approximately 11 km shared walking and cycling route between North Haven Breakwall and Pilot Beach. Stage D3 was completed in June 2024 and Stage D5, including the signature over-water boardwalk, was completed in August 2025, extending the completed network to more than 8 km. Remaining sections will be delivered as future planning, approvals and funding are secured.
1,372 residents of Bonny Hills are employed, from a labour force of 1,399. Unemployment sits at 1.9%, with participation at 53.0%. Weighted for its industry mix, the area's sectors are forecast to grow about 6.8% nationally over five years. That reflects industry composition only and makes no allowance for local population growth. The working-day population is estimated at 2,523, about 81% of the resident population, so more people leave the area for work than travel in. Unemployment and labour force come from ABS Small Area Labour Markets, updated quarterly; the industry and occupation profile is from the 2021 Census.
Detail
Bonny Hills maintains a highly capable labor pool with substantial representation across core service sectors and an unemployment rate of only 1.9%, according to statistical aggregations by AreaSearch. In March 2026, 1,372 residents were actively employed. The local jobless rate sits 2.2% under the 4.1% recorded for Regional NSW, whereas the labor participation rate of 53.0% falls well short of the regional benchmark of 60.6%. Census findings also show 13.5% of workers operating from home, though pandemic-related movement restrictions should be borne in mind. The primary employment sectors for local residents consist of health care & social assistance, education & training, along with construction.
Workforce concentration is exceptionally pronounced in education & training, where representation reaches 1.6 times the Regional NSW average. Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing accounts for just 1.9% of workers in the area, trailing the 5.3% regional level. Comparisons between the resident workforce and the local Census daytime working population suggest limited domestic job generation within the immediate vicinity. According to ABS and SALM figures aggregated across wider regions, the year to March 2026 saw local labor force numbers drop by 4.8% alongside a 4.9% decline in total employment, driving an increase in the unemployment rate of 0.2 percentage points. Across Regional NSW, employment contracted by 0.9%, the workforce shrank by 0.4%, and joblessness climbed by 0.5 percentage points. Broader national projections released by Jobs and Skills Australia in Mar-26 forecast Australian employment to increase by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Weighting these sectoral trajectories against the local industrial makeup indicates projected employment growth of 6.8% over five years and 13.9% over ten years for Bonny Hills, noting this simple weighting exercise does not incorporate local demographic forecasts.
Frequently Asked Questions - Employment
Median household income in Bonny Hills is $1,421 a week (about $74,000 a year), with median personal income at $677 a week. ATO records put median taxable income at $48,456 a year against an average of $60,287. Household income is from the 2021 Census; taxable income is from ATO Taxation Statistics for the latest financial year available, indexed forward using the ABS Wage Price Index.
Detail
ATO taxation statistics for financial year 2023 indicate that the suburb of Bonny Hills logged a median personal income of $48,456 and an average of $60,287, placing it below national benchmarks as well as the Regional NSW figures of $52,390 and $65,215. Incorporating a 10.32% rise in the Wage Price Index since financial year 2023 adjusts estimated median and average earnings to roughly $53,457 and $66,509 as of March 2026. Across the 2021 Census, local personal, family, and household incomes ranked between the 24th and 30th percentiles. The $1,500 - 2,999 weekly band represents the largest income group at 28.3% (876 people), mirroring the regional rate of 29.9%.
Non-housing expenses account for 85.5% of residual income, and the suburb sits in the 5th decile on the SEIFA income index.
Frequently Asked Questions - Income
Bonny Hills had 1,174 occupied dwellings at the 2021 Census, 99% detached houses and 0% apartments. 31% are owned with a mortgage, 17% rented and 52% owned outright. At that Census the median rent was $445 a week and the median mortgage repayment $1,820 a month. Rent absorbs 31.3% of household income here and mortgage repayments 29.6%. Dwelling stock, tenure and housing costs are 2021 Census measures — the only source that counts dwellings at this boundary size.
Detail
According to the latest Census, standalone houses represent 98.8% of all residences in Bonny Hills, with semi-detached dwellings, units, and other configurations making up 1.2%, contrasted with Regional NSW where houses comprise 82.6% and other formats total 17.4%. Outright home ownership stands exceptionally high at 51.8%, while 31.0% of properties carry a mortgage and 17.1% are leased. Typical monthly mortgage payments of $1,820 exceed the regional standard of $1,733, and median weekly rent of $445 is higher than the $330 recorded regionally. Against nationwide figures, local monthly loan repayments sit beneath the Australian median of $1,863, whereas local rents comfortably surpass the national standard of $375.
Frequently Asked Questions - Housing
Bonny Hills counted 1,174 households at the 2021 Census, averaging 2.5 people each. 27% are couples with children, against 39% couples without children. 21% of households are people living alone, and families average 1.9 children. Household and family composition is measured only by the Census, so these are 2021 figures.
Detail
Families make up 75.8% of domestic arrangements, comprising couples without children at 39.1%, couples with offspring at 27.2%, and single parent households at 9.5%. Non-family living situations represent the remaining 24.2%, led by single-person residences at 20.9% and group arrangements at 2.9%. The average household size is 2.5 people, exceeding the 2.4 benchmark across Regional NSW.
Frequently Asked Questions - Households
21.4% of adults in Bonny Hills hold a university qualification, including 14.5% with a bachelor degree and 4.0% with postgraduate qualifications, higher than 90% of areas nationally. A further 30.3% hold a vocational qualification. Qualifications come from the 2021 Census.
Detail
University attainment levels among local residents stand at 21.4%, which sits noticeably below the 32.2% benchmark for NSW overall. Within tertiary credentials, bachelor degrees account for 14.5%, postgraduate awards comprise 4.0%, and graduate diplomas represent 2.9%. Vocational and technical qualifications are widespread, with 42.7% of community members aged 15+ possessing formal certificates (30.3%) or advanced diplomas (12.4%). Formal academic engagement is robust, with 25.0% of the population participating in an educational program. Broken down by tier, 8.6% attend primary school, 7.4% are in secondary schooling, and 3.2% undertake higher education.
Frequently Asked Questions - Education
Schools Detail
Public transport in Bonny Hills reaches 29 stops on 32 routes, timetabled for about 230 services a week. The typical home sits about 220 m from its nearest stop. Households keep an average of 1.7 vehicles. Stop and service counts are built from operators' published GTFS timetables and refresh with each timetable release; vehicle ownership is from the 2021 Census.
Detail
Bonny Hills contains 29 transit stops providing bus connections across 32 distinct routes, which combine for 233 passenger departures weekly. Transport connectivity is strong, with typical walking distances to a stop averaging 223 meters. Given the residential setting, outward commuting is standard, with private vehicles used for 95% of journeys. Households maintain an average of 1.7 motor vehicles, higher than regional norms. In the 2021 Census, 13.5% of workers reported working from home, which may have been influenced by COVID-19 settings. Public transport operations provide an average frequency of 33 departures each day across the network, translating to around 8 weekly departures for each designated stop.
Frequently Asked Questions - Transport
Transport Stops Detail
62.6% of residents in Bonny Hills report no long-term health condition. 6.2% need daily assistance with core activities, and 50.8% hold private health cover. The standardised death rate runs at 4.4 per 1,000 residents. Health conditions, assistance needs and insurance are 2021 Census measures; the death rate comes from current ABS releases.
Detail
Community wellness metrics in Bonny Hills align closely with broader national patterns across both younger and older residents, showing typical prevalence rates for standard ailments and a private health insurance rate of approximately 51% (around 1,572 people). Arthritis and mental health conditions are the most prevalent reported conditions locally, impacting 12.0 and 8.1% of the populace respectively, while 62.6% of residents reported having no chronic medical diagnoses, in line with 63.3% for Regional NSW. Working-age residents experience higher incidences of chronic illness. Residents aged 65 and over constitute 30.5% of the population (944 people), above the 23.3% proportion across Regional NSW, with senior cohorts displaying above-average health metrics relative to nationwide cohorts.
Frequently Asked Questions - Health
Bonny Hills is largely Australian-born, at 90.0% of residents, with 2.8% speaking a language other than English at home. The largest reported ancestries are English (32.8%) and Australian (32.1%). Ancestry, language and country of birth are counted only by the Census, so these are 2021 figures.
Detail
Cultural homogeneity is prominent in Bonny Hills, where 90.0% of inhabitants were born in Australia, 94.8% hold Australian citizenship, and 97.2% speak only English in their households. Christianity is the predominant faith, practiced by 60.0% of residents compared to 55.9% throughout Regional NSW. Regarding ancestral background, English ancestry is the most common at 32.8%, followed by Australian at 32.1% and Irish at 9.3%. Notable variations also appear across smaller heritage groups, with Scottish background representing 9.2% (against 8.0% regionally), Welsh accounting for 0.6% (against 0.5%), and South Australian standing at 0.5% (against 0.2%).
Frequently Asked Questions - Diversity
The median resident of Bonny Hills is 51, older than 93% of areas nationally. 17.4% of residents are aged 15 to 34. Age cohorts are not raw Census counts: the Census split is re-based to the latest ABS population estimates and state projections.
Detail
The demographic profile of Bonny Hills leans heavily toward older brackets. In August 2026, residents aged 65+ account for 30.5% of the population compared to 23.3% regionally, whereas those aged 25 - 44 represent 15.4% against 23.5% across Regional NSW. The estimated median age in August 2026 is 51, unchanged since the 2021 Census, remaining above the regional median of 43 and the national figure of 38 from that Census. The 45 - 64 age group has contracted from 30.5% at the Census to 28.0%. By 2041, senior cohorts are projected to absorb the majority of population expansion, increasing by 23% (216 residents) to 1,160, while the 25 - 44 bracket is anticipated to register the fastest relative growth, rising 27% to 606 residents.
Frequently Asked Questions - Age
Data & MethodBoundaries, Sources & Method for Bonny Hills
8 of 14 data sections on this page were updated within the last 12 months — the newest current to Oct 2026.
Everything is aggregated to the Suburb (SAL) boundary shown above, on a 2021 Census baseline. Only 3 sections — housing, households and cultural diversity — still wait on the 2026 Census.
The ledger — source, cycle and currency by section
| Section | Source & update cycle | Currency |
|---|---|---|
| Updated within the last 12 months 8 sections | ||
| Population | ABS, GNAF, Geoscience Australia Annual (ABS ERP) | Aug 2026 2 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Re-based to the ABS Estimated Resident Population (June 2025 release) and updated with new dwellings from GNAF address data. Current to Aug 2026, with the 2021 Census supplying the small-area baseline. | ||
| Age profile | ABS, Geoscience Australia, State governments Annual | Aug 2026 2 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Age cohorts are re-based to the latest ABS population estimates and state projections, current to Aug 2026. Each cohort is held as a Census baseline and a current estimate. | ||
| Development & approvals | ABS, GNAF Monthly (ABS approvals) | Aug 2026 2 months ago headline measures · Jul 2026 baseline |
| Property sales & rents | Valuer General, Rental Board, ABS Weekly sales, quarterly rents | Oct 2026 this month headline measures · Sep 2026 baseline |
| Sales from the state Valuer General register, refreshed weekly, and rents from quarterly rental bond lodgements. Both are read live each time this page loads, current to Oct 2026. | ||
| Employment | ABS, DEWR, JSA Quarterly (ABS SALM) | Mar 2026 7 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Unemployment and labour force from ABS Small Area Labour Markets, current to Mar 2026. The growth outlook applies Department of Employment (now Jobs and Skills Australia) forecasts for all 19 industry divisions to the local industry mix, so it measures sector composition rather than local expansion and makes no allowance for population growth. Job demand comes from the same agency via its Internet Vacancy Index; industry and occupation structure from the 2021 Census. | ||
| Education | ABS, ACARA Annual (ACARA) | Sep 2026 last month headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Transport | ABS, State Transport Departments Each timetable release | Jul 2026 3 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Services & amenities | Provider directories, ACECQA Continuous | Sep 2026 last month all 14 measures |
| Annual and financial-year sources 3 sections | ||
| Infrastructure projects | Infrastructure Australia, State agencies, Local governments Daily | Jul 2025 about a year ago all 1 projects tracked here |
| Project pipeline maintained continuously from Infrastructure Australia, state agencies, local government and public announcements. Records are added and revised daily; this area was last updated Jul 2025. | ||
| Income | ABS, ATO Annual (ATO) | FY 2023 3 years ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| ATO taxable income statistics for FY 2023, indexed forward using the Wage Price Index. Census household income provides the distribution detail. | ||
| Health | ABS, ATO Annual | 2024 2 years ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Census-measured — next update: 2026 Census 3 sections No more current small-area source exists for these, so they are labelled as Census-measured rather than implied to be current. | ||
| Housing | ABS 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 30 measures |
| Households | ABS 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 18 measures |
| Cultural diversity | ABS, Geoscience Australia 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 44 measures |
"Currency" is the most recent release feeding that section. Where the Census supplies the structural baseline underneath a current headline figure, the row says so.
How the numbers are built
Population
The Census provides the small-area baseline, aggregated from mesh blocks to this boundary. It is then re-based to the ABS Estimated Resident Population (June 2025 release), and new dwellings built since Census night are counted from address data — 45 validated new addresses here. The headline figure is therefore a current estimate for Aug 2026, not a 2021 count (3,045 at the 2021 Census → 3,096 now). Annual growth rates are compound (CAGR), not simple averages.
Age profile
Cohort shares are not raw Census counts. Every cohort is held as a pair — the Census baseline and a current estimate — and the split is re-based using ERP and state population projections, current to Aug 2026. Median age is the Census median plus modelled change since. Charts that show both are labelled "2021 Census vs Current Estimate".
Property sales
Sourced from the state valuation authority's sales register — current, not Census, and refreshed weekly. Medians are calculated from settled transactions in the period shown; periods with very low transaction counts are flagged or suppressed, because a handful of sales can move a median substantially.
Rents
Derived from state rental bond lodgement data, by dwelling type and bedroom count. Bonds are lodged at the start of a new tenancy, so this reflects new lettings, not the whole rented stock.
Development & infrastructure
Building approvals come from current ABS releases; development applications are collected from council and state planning portals; the infrastructure pipeline is compiled from Infrastructure Australia and local government sources. Applications are matched to this boundary by address or coordinates, so very recent lodgements may not yet appear.
Employment & income
Industry and occupation structure comes from the Census, but the headline labour-market indicators do not. Unemployment and labour force are derived from ABS Small Area Labour Markets (quarterly). The employment outlook applies Department of Employment forecasts for all 19 industry divisions to this area's own industry mix (the agency is now Jobs and Skills Australia), as does the Internet Vacancy Index used for job demand. Because it is weighted on industry composition alone, that outlook carries no allowance for local population growth — in fast-growing areas the real rise in local jobs will typically be higher. Income combines Census household income with ATO taxable-income statistics for FY 2023, indexed forward using the Wage Price Index.
Education, transport & amenities
School enrolments, ICSEA and performance come from ACARA's current release, not the Census. Public transport stops and service frequency are derived from GTFS timetable feeds published by state transport departments. Services and amenities are proximity and count scores built from provider directories, refreshed on their own cycle. The Census contributes only the travel-to-work and qualification measures.
Rankings and benchmarks. Where we rank this area, the comparison set is every area of the same boundary type — suburbs against suburbs, SA2s against SA2s. Benchmarks compare this area against its greater capital city region and the national figure for the same measure and period.
Limits worth knowing. Small areas carry larger error margins, and the ABS introduces small random adjustments to Census counts to protect confidentiality — so totals may not sum exactly. Estimates re-based from regional data describe the area's expected trajectory, not a direct count of it. Figures are indicative for research and are not financial, planning or valuation advice.
Cross-check us. The Census baseline for this boundary is at ABS 2021 Census QuickStats (SAL10468). QuickStats reports 2021 only — the figures on this page are more current wherever the ledger shows a later date.