East Lindfield

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

East Lindfield's population, as estimated based on ABS updates and AreaSearch validations, is around 3,904 as of November 2025. This figure represents an increase of 194 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 3,710. The change is inferred from the resident population estimate of 3,814 by AreaSearch following examination of ABS's latest ERP data release in June 2024 and an additional two validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 1,675 persons per square kilometer, higher than the average across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. East Lindfield's growth rate of 5.2% since the 2021 Census exceeded that of its SA3 area at 4.4%, indicating it as a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 92.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is using 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 where applicable, released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Growth rates by age group are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Future population dynamics project an above median growth for national statistical areas, with East Lindfield expected to expand by 549 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting a total increase of 13.7% over the 17 years.

Residential development activity is lower than average in East Lindfield according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

East Lindfield has seen around 2 dwellings receiving development approval each year. Over the past 5 financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, approximately 10 homes were approved, with another 4 approved in FY-26 so far.

On average, about 9.2 people have moved to the area for each dwelling built over these years. This supply lagging demand has led to heightened buyer competition and pricing pressures. New properties are constructed at an average expected cost of $900,000, indicating a focus on premium segment upmarket properties. Compared to Greater Sydney, East Lindfield shows substantially reduced construction, 86.0% below the regional average per person. This constrained new construction typically reinforces demand and pricing for existing homes, though building activity has accelerated in recent years. Nationally, this is also below average, reflecting the area's maturity and possible planning constraints. New development consists of 50.0% detached houses and 50.0% townhouses or apartments, providing accessible entry options appealing to downsizers, investors, and entry-level buyers.

This represents a shift from the area's existing housing composition, currently 88.0% houses, indicating decreasing availability of developable sites and reflecting changing lifestyles and demand for diverse, affordable housing options. The location has approximately 772 people per dwelling approval, demonstrating an established market. Looking ahead, East Lindfield is expected to grow by 536 residents through to 2041, as per the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate. If current construction levels persist, housing supply may lag population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and underpinning price growth.

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

The performance of a region can significantly be influenced by changes in local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. A single project has been identified by AreaSearch that could potentially impact this area. Notable projects include Lourdes Retirement Village Expansion, Beaconsfield Parade Luxury Apartments, Forestville RSL Club Redevelopment, and Killara High School Upgrade, with the following list providing more details on those 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.

The employment landscape in East Lindfield presents a mixed picture: unemployment remains low at 3.8%, yet recent job losses have affected its comparative national standing

East Lindfield has a highly educated workforce with a notable presence in the technology sector. Its unemployment rate is 3.8%, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data.

As of June 2025, there are 1,866 residents employed, with an unemployment rate of 4.2% compared to Greater Sydney's 4.2%. Workforce participation is similar to Greater Sydney at 60.0%. Residents primarily work in professional & technical (1.7 times the regional level), finance & insurance, and health care & social assistance sectors. Construction employment is relatively low at 5.1% compared to the regional average of 8.6%.

The area offers limited local employment opportunities, indicated by the difference between Census working population and resident population. Between June 2024 and June 2025, labour force levels increased by 0.1%, while employment decreased by 1.0%, leading to a rise in unemployment rate of 0.9 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Sydney saw employment grow by 2.6% and labour force expand by 2.9%, with an unemployment increase of 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 project total employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to East Lindfield's current employment mix suggests local employment could increase by 7.5% over five years and 14.9% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for localised population projections.

Income metrics indicate excellent economic conditions, with the area achieving higher performance than 75% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of ATO data released for financial year ended June 2022, East Lindfield had a median income among taxpayers of $63,318 and an average level of $132,799. These figures place East Lindfield in the top percentile nationally, compared to Greater Sydney's median of $56,994 and average of $80,856. Based on Wage Price Index growth from June 2022 to September 2025 (an estimated increase of 12.61%), current estimates for East Lindfield would be approximately $71,302 median income and $149,545 average income as of September 2025. According to Census 2021 data, incomes in East Lindfield rank highly nationally, with household, family, and personal incomes between the 87th and 99th percentiles. The income bracket of $4000+ dominates in East Lindfield, with 45.3% of residents (1,768 people), differing from metropolitan Sydney's dominant bracket of $1,500 - 2,999 at 30.9%. Economic strength is evident through 56.3% of households earning high weekly incomes exceeding $3,000, supporting elevated consumer spending. Housing accounts for 14.0% of income, with strong earnings placing residents in the 98th percentile for disposable income. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 10th decile.

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

In East Lindfield, as per the latest Census, 88.0% of dwellings were houses, with the remaining 12.0% comprising semi-detached homes, apartments, and other types. This is compared to Sydney metro's 68.8% houses and 31.3% other dwellings. Home ownership in East Lindfield stood at 48.5%, with mortgaged properties at 39.0% and rented ones at 12.5%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $4,000, higher than Sydney metro's average of $3,500. The median weekly rent in East Lindfield was $990, compared to Sydney metro's $630. Nationally, East Lindfield's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households comprise 82.4% of all households, including 53.6% couples with children, 20.5% couples without children, and 7.9% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 17.6%, with lone person households at 16.9% and group households comprising 0.6%. The median household size is 3.1 people, larger than the Greater Sydney average of 2.9.

East Lindfield demonstrates exceptional educational outcomes, ranking among the top 5% of areas nationally based on AreaSearch's comprehensive analysis of qualification and performance metrics

East Lindfield's educational attainment is notably higher than national averages. 57.4% of residents aged 15+ have university qualifications, compared to Australia's 30.4% and NSW's 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are the most common (34.9%), followed by postgraduate qualifications (18.6%) and graduate diplomas (3.9%). Vocational pathways account for 15.8%, with advanced diplomas at 9.1% and certificates at 6.7%.

Educational participation is high, with 35.2% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 12.0% in secondary, 11.4% in primary, and 7.6% in tertiary education. Lindfield East Public School serves East Lindfield, with an enrollment of 555 students as of a recent report. The school's ICSEA score is 1168, indicating high advantage nationally. It focuses exclusively on primary education, with secondary options available nearby. As of the same report, there are 14.2 school places per 100 residents, below the regional average of 20.6. Some students may attend schools in adjacent areas.

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

East Lindfield has 41 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 25 different routes that together facilitate 1,216 weekly passenger trips. The average distance from residents to the nearest transport stop is 141 meters, indicating excellent accessibility.

On average, there are 173 trips per day across all routes, which equates to approximately 29 weekly trips per individual stop.

East Lindfield's residents are extremely healthy with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Analysis of health metrics shows strong performance throughout East Lindfield. Prevalence of common health conditions is very low across all age groups.

The rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 79% of the total population (3090 people), compared to the national average of 55.3%. The most common medical conditions are arthritis and asthma, impacting 6.5% and 5.9% of residents respectively. 75.3% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 76.0% across Greater Sydney. East Lindfield has 20.4% of residents aged 65 and over (796 people). Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, broadly in line with the general population's health profile.

East Lindfield 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 Lindfield has a high cultural diversity, with 34.3% speaking a language other than English at home and 40.6% born overseas. The predominant religion is Christianity, comprising 47.3%. Judaism is notably represented at 2.5%, higher than Greater Sydney's average of 2.5%.

Top ancestry groups are Chinese (22.9%), English (22.9%), and Australian (17.7%). Korean is overrepresented at 1.3% compared to the regional average of 2.3%. Hungarian and Russian are also slightly overrepresented, with 0.4% each.

East Lindfield hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

The median age in East Lindfield is 43 years, significantly higher than Greater Sydney's average of 37 years and exceeding the national average of 38 years. The age profile shows that those aged 5-14 years make up 16.2% of the population, while those aged 25-34 years comprise only 4.8%. Between 2021 and present, the proportion of 15 to 24-year-olds has increased from 14.0% to 16.4%, while the percentage of 35 to 44-year-olds has decreased from 12.0% to 10.8%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate substantial shifts in East Lindfield's age structure. The number of people aged 85 and above is projected to grow by 169 individuals (an increase of 103%), from 163 to 333. Notably, the combined population of those aged 65 and above will account for 68% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic trend. Conversely, the populations of those aged 0-4 years and 5-14 years are expected to decline.