East Killara

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

The estimated population of the suburb of East Killara is around 3,026 as of February 2026. This figure reflects a growth of 131 people since the Census in 2021 when the population was recorded at 2,895. The latest resident population estimate by AreaSearch, following examination of ABS ERP data released in June 2024 and address validation since the Census date, is 3,011. This results in a population density ratio of 948 persons per square kilometer, comparable to averages seen across locations assessed by AreaSearch. East Killara's growth rate of 4.5% since the 2021 census exceeded that of its SA3 area (4.3%), positioning it as a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration was identified as the primary driver behind this population increase.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year, and NSW State Government's SA2 level projections for areas not covered by this data, released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Applying growth rates by age group from these aggregations to all areas until 2041 suggests a population increase just below the median of statistical areas analysed by AreaSearch is expected for East Killara. Based on aggregated SA2-level projections, the suburb's population is expected to grow by 320 persons to reach approximately 3,346 by 2041, reflecting an overall increase of 10.1% over these 17 years.

The level of residential development activity in East Killara is very low in comparison to the average area assessed nationally by AreaSearch

East Killara has recorded zero new dwelling approvals over the past five years. This indicates a mature, established suburb with limited land available for new construction. For buyers, this scarcity of new housing stock typically supports property values and may result in competition primarily among existing homes.

Compared to Greater Sydney, East Killara records significantly lower building activity, which usually reinforces demand and pricing for existing homes. This level of activity is also below the national average, suggesting the area's established nature and potential planning limitations.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified five projects that could impact this region. Key initiatives include the Killara Golf Club Residential Development, Lourdes Retirement Village Expansion, Buckingham Road Residential Development, and Killara High School Upgrade. The following list details those likely most relevant.

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

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Employment performance in East Killara has been broadly consistent with national averages

East Killara has a highly educated workforce, with the technology sector being notably represented. The unemployment rate in East Killara is 3.6%, with an estimated employment growth of 1.2% over the past year. As of December 2025, there are 1,438 residents employed, which is 0.6% below Greater Sydney's unemployment rate of 4.2%.

Workforce participation in East Killara is significantly lower at 59.3%, compared to Greater Sydney's 70.2%. Census responses indicate that 56.8% of residents work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered. Key industries of employment among residents are professional & technical, health care & social assistance, and finance & insurance. East Killara has a particular specialization in professional & technical jobs, with an employment share 1.7 times the regional level.

Conversely, construction is under-represented, with only 3.8% of East Killara's workforce compared to Greater Sydney's 8.6%. While local employment opportunities exist, many residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census data. Over a 12-month period ending in May-25, employment increased by 1.2%, while labour force grew by 1.6%, leading to an unemployment rate rise of 0.4 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Sydney experienced employment growth of 2.2% and labour force growth of 2.3%. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia project a growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to East Killara's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.6% over five years and 15.1% over ten years, though these are simple extrapolations for illustrative purposes and do not account for localized population projections.

The economic profile demonstrates above-average performance, with income metrics exceeding national benchmarks based on AreaSearch comparative assessment

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023 shows East Killara's median income among taxpayers is $50,526. The average income is $102,141. Nationally, this is exceptionally high compared to Greater Sydney's median of $60,817 and average of $83,003. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since financial year 2023, current estimates for East Killara would be approximately $55,003 (median) and $111,191 (average) as of September 2025. According to Census 2021 income data, household incomes rank at the 96th percentile ($3,005 weekly), while personal income ranks at the 68th percentile. Income distribution shows that 39.7% of locals (1,201 people) fall into the $4000+ category, differing from the metropolitan region where the $1,500 - 2,999 category predominates at 30.9%. Economic strength is evident with 50.1% of households earning high weekly incomes exceeding $3,000, supporting elevated consumer spending. High housing costs consume 15.9% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 96th percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 10th decile.

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

East Killara's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 99.7% houses and 0.3% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In contrast, Sydney metro had 55.9% houses and 44.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in East Killara was at 48.1%, with mortgaged dwellings at 40.0% and rented ones at 11.9%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $3,900, exceeding Sydney metro's average of $2,427. The median weekly rent in East Killara was $1,000, higher than Sydney metro's $470. Nationally, East Killara's mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $3,900 compared to Australia's average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 88.5 percent of all households, including 55.1 percent couples with children, 22.1 percent couples without children, and 10.1 percent single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 11.5 percent, with lone person households at 10.4 percent and group households comprising 0.7 percent of the total. The median household size is 3.2 people, which is larger than the Greater Sydney average of 2.7.

East Killara shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

East Killara's educational attainment significantly exceeds national averages. Among residents aged 15+, 55.4% hold university qualifications, compared to Australia's 30.4% and NSW's 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 35.5%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (17.2%) and graduate diplomas (2.7%). Vocational pathways account for 15.5%, with advanced diplomas at 8.9% and certificates at 6.6%.

Educational participation is high, with 34.3% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 11.3% in secondary education, 9.9% in primary education, and 8.7% pursuing tertiary education.

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

East Killara has 27 operational public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops serve 41 unique routes that together facilitate 916 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents on average being 124 meters away from the nearest stop. Most East Killara residents commute outward due to its residential nature. Car remains the primary mode of transport at 81%, while train usage stands at 13%. Vehicle ownership per dwelling averages 1.8, surpassing the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, a high proportion of residents work from home, with this figure potentially influenced by COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency across all routes averages 130 trips daily, equating to approximately 33 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

East Killara shows excellent health outcomes based on 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 (2,032 people), compared to 59.9% in Greater Sydney and 55.7% nationally.

The most common medical conditions are asthma and arthritis, affecting 5.1% and 5.0% of residents respectively. 78.1% of residents report being completely clear of medical ailments, higher than the 74.6% in Greater Sydney. East Killara has 19.8% of residents aged 65 and over (599 people), higher than the 15.4% in Greater Sydney. Health outcomes among seniors are strong, broadly aligning with national rankings for the general population.

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

East Killara has a high level of cultural diversity, with 55.6% of its population speaking a language other than English at home, as recorded in the Australian Bureau of Statistics Census on August 9, 2016. Additionally, 56.1% of East Killara's residents were born overseas. Christianity is the predominant religion in East Killara, comprising 35.7% of its population, according to the census data.

However, Judaism is notably overrepresented in East Killara, with 2.7% of its population identifying as Jewish, compared to the regional average of 0.8%. In terms of ancestry, based on the country of birth of parents, Chinese is the most represented group in East Killara, comprising 38.8% of the population, which is significantly higher than the regional average of 8.4%. English ancestry follows at 15.4%, and Australian ancestry is at 11.6%, notably lower than the regional average of 17.8%. Other ethnic groups with notable representation in East Killara include Korean at 2.6% (compared to 1.1% regionally), Hungarian at 0.5% (vs 0.3%), and Russian at 0.5% (vs 0.4%).

East Killara hosts a notably older demographic compared to the national average

The median age in East Killara is 43 years, which is higher than Greater Sydney's average of 37 years and exceeds the national average of 38 years. The age profile shows that those aged 15-24 make up 17.4% of the population, while those aged 25-34 constitute 7.1%. Between 2021 and present, the proportion of 15-24 year-olds has increased from 15.2% to 17.4%, while the 75-84 age group has grown from 5.8% to 6.9%. Conversely, the 0-4 age group has decreased from 3.3% to 2.4%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in East Killara's age structure. The 75-84 age cohort is projected to rise substantially, increasing by 109 people (52%) from 208 to 318. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups are expected to account for 68% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. Conversely, the 0-4 and 25-34 cohorts are projected to experience population declines.