Brighton-Le-Sands

Brighton-Le-Sands 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 analysis of ABS population updates for the broader area, and new addresses validated by AreaSearch, the population of Brighton-Le-Sands is estimated at around 8,132 as of Feb 2026. This reflects a decrease of 204 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 8,336 people. The change is inferred from the resident population of 8,118 estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS on June 2024 and address validation since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 5,179 persons per square kilometer, which lies in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Population growth for the suburb was primarily driven by overseas migration that contributed approximately 86.0% 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. Looking at population projections moving forward, lower quartile growth of statistical areas analysed by AreaSearch is anticipated, with the suburb expected to expand by 200 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting an increase of 2.3% in total over the 17 years.

The level of residential development activity in Brighton-Le-Sands is very low in comparison to the average area assessed nationally by AreaSearch

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers, allocated from statistical area data, indicates Brighton-Le-Sands experienced around 17 dwellings receiving development approval each year over the past five financial years ending June 2021. This totals an estimated 86 homes. As of July 2022, seven approvals have been recorded in FY-26. The area has seen population decline, yet development activity has been adequate relative to this trend, which could be positive for buyers.

New homes are being built at an average expected construction cost value of $604,000, suggesting developers target the premium market segment with higher-end properties. In FY-26, $8.8 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded, reflecting the area's primarily residential nature. Compared to Greater Sydney, Brighton-Le-Sands shows substantially reduced construction (64.0% below regional average per person). This limited new supply generally supports stronger demand and values for established homes. Nationally, this activity is also below average, indicating the area's maturity and possible planning constraints. New building activity comprises 43.0% detached dwellings and 57.0% townhouses or apartments, showing a trend towards denser development that provides accessible entry options appealing to downsizers, investors, and entry-level buyers.

With around 776 people per dwelling approval, Brighton-Le-Sands reflects a highly mature market. AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate projects the area to grow by 186 residents through to 2041. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

Brighton-Le-Sands has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 10% nationally

Ten projects have been identified by AreaSearch as potentially impacting the area's performance. Key projects include Moate Avenue Mixed Use Development, Bay Street Mixed-Use Development at 271-275 Bay Street, Seychelles Brighton-Le-Sands, and Northern Georges River Submain Upgrade. The following list details those likely to be most relevant.

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 Brighton-Le-Sands remain below the national average according to AreaSearch analysis

Brighton-Le-Sands has a well-educated workforce with professional services showing strong representation. The unemployment rate was 4.0% in December 2025, with an estimated employment growth of 4.6% over the past year based on AreaSearch aggregation of statistical area data. As of December 2025, 4,837 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 0.1% below Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%.

Workforce participation was broadly similar to Greater Sydney's 70.2%. According to Census responses, 37.1% of residents worked from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered. Employment among residents is concentrated in health care & social assistance, construction, and professional & technical services. The area shows strong specialization in transport, postal & warehousing, with an employment share of 1.6 times the regional level.

However, professional & technical services are under-represented at 9.4% compared to Greater Sydney's 11.5%. Over the 12 months to December 2025, employment increased by 4.6% while labour force increased by 4.9%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that Brighton-Le-Sands' local employment should increase by 6.7% over five years and 13.6% over ten years, based on industry-specific projections applied to its current employment mix.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

The latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year ending June 2023 indicates that Brighton-Le-Sands suburb had a median income among taxpayers of $51,002 and an average of $64,571. These figures are below the national average. Compared to Greater Sydney's median of $60,817 and average of $83,003 for the same period, Brighton-Le-Sands' incomes are lower. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% from financial year ending June 2023 to September 2025, estimated median income would be approximately $55,521 and average income around $70,292 by the latter date. According to the 2021 Census, incomes in Brighton-Le-Sands rank modestly, between the 40th and 52nd percentiles for household, family, and personal incomes. Income analysis reveals that 30.7% of the population (2,496 individuals) fall within the $1,500 - $2,999 income range, consistent with broader trends across the surrounding region showing 30.9% in the same category. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 79.4% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 36th percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 6th decile.

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

Dwelling structure in Brighton-Le-Sands, as per the latest Census, consisted of 29.7% houses and 70.3% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Sydney metro's 55.9% houses and 44.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Brighton-Le-Sands stood at 31.8%, with the rest being mortgaged (23.4%) or rented (44.9%). The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,300, below Sydney metro's average of $2,427. Median weekly rent was $450, compared to Sydney metro's $470. Nationally, Brighton-Le-Sands' mortgage repayments were higher at $2,300 against the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 60.0% of all households, including 24.1% couples with children, 22.4% couples without children, and 11.8% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 40.0%, with lone person households at 36.1% and group households comprising 4.0%. The median household size is 2.2 people, which is smaller than the Greater Sydney average of 2.7.

The educational profile of Brighton-Le-Sands exceeds national averages, with above-average qualification levels and academic performance metrics

Brighton-Le-Sands' residents aged 15+ have lower university degree holders (30.9%) compared to the SA3 area's 38.7%. Bachelor degrees are most common (20.7%), followed by postgraduate qualifications (8.1%) and graduate diplomas (2.1%). Vocational credentials are prominent, with 32.0% holding such qualifications, including advanced diplomas at 13.2% and certificates at 18.8%. Educational participation is high, with 27.5% currently enrolled in formal education: primary (7.7%), secondary (6.0%), and tertiary (5.7%).

Educational participation is notably high, with 27.5% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 7.7% in primary education, 6.0% in secondary education, and 5.7% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Brighton-Le-Sands has 53 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 7 different routes that together facilitate 1,215 weekly passenger trips. The average distance from a resident's home to the nearest transport stop is 122 meters, indicating excellent accessibility. In this predominantly residential area, most commuters travel outwards. Cars remain the primary mode of transportation, used by 75% of residents. Train use stands at 13%, and bus use at 5%.

The average vehicle ownership per dwelling is 0.9, lower than the regional average. According to the 2021 Census, 37.1% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. On average, there are 173 transport trips daily across all routes, equating to approximately 22 weekly trips per individual stop.

Brighton-Le-Sands's residents are extremely healthy with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Analysis of health metrics shows strong performance throughout Brighton-Le-Sands. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence were low across both young and old age cohorts.

Private health cover was approximately 52% of the total population (~4,267 people), leading that of the average SA2 area but lower than Greater Sydney's 59.9%. The most common medical conditions were arthritis (7.5%) and diabetes (5.5%), while 73.0% of residents declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 74.6% across Greater Sydney. Working-age residents had low chronic condition prevalence. The area had 22.0% of residents aged 65 and over (1,789 people), higher than Greater Sydney's 15.4%. Health outcomes among seniors were strong, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

Brighton-Le-Sands is among the most culturally diverse areas in the country based on AreaSearch assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Brighton-Le-Sands has a high level of cultural diversity, with 45.4% of its population born overseas and 51.4% speaking a language other than English at home. The predominant religion in Brighton-Le-Sands is Christianity, accounting for 66.2% of the population, compared to 49.2% across Greater Sydney. The top three ancestry groups based on country of birth of parents are Other (21.7%), Greek (14.6%), and Australian (11.7%).

These percentages are substantially higher than the regional averages of 16.0%, 1.9%, and 17.8% respectively. Notably, Serbian, Spanish, and Macedonian ethnic groups are overrepresented in Brighton-Le-Sands at 1.7%, 1.6%, and 2.9% respectively, compared to their regional averages of 0.5%, 0.6%, and 0.4%.

Brighton-Le-Sands hosts a notably older demographic compared to the national average

The median age in Brighton-Le-Sands is 43 years, which is higher than Greater Sydney's average of 37 years and also exceeds the national average of 38 years. The age profile shows that individuals aged 55-64 years make up a significant portion at 13.6%, while those aged 5-14 years are relatively smaller at 8.7%. Between 2021 and present, the population aged 15-24 years has grown from 9.1% to 10.3%. Conversely, the age groups of 35-44 years have declined from 15.6% to 14.4%, and those aged 45-54 years have dropped from 14.5% to 13.4%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate that the population aged 65-74 years is expected to increase by 187 people (22%), from 845 to 1,033. Notably, the combined age groups of 65+ are projected to account for 94% of total population growth, reflecting Brighton-Le-Sands' aging demographic profile. Conversely, the populations aged 45-54 years and 25-34 years are expected to decline.