Eden

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

Based on ABS population updates and AreaSearch validations, as of Nov 2025, Eden's estimated population is around 3437. This reflects an increase of 87 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 3350. The change is inferred from AreaSearch's resident population estimate of 3368 in Jun 2024 and 59 validated new addresses since the Census date. Eden's population density is approximately 40 persons per square kilometer. Since the Census, Eden has shown a growth rate of 2.6%, compared to the SA4 region's 5.1%. Interstate migration contributed around 70% of recent population gains in the area.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data, NSW State Government's SA2 level projections released in 2022 with a base year of 2021 are used. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. According to these projections, the Eden statistical area's population is expected to decline by 277 persons by 2041. However, specific age cohorts like those aged 85 and over are projected to grow, with an increase of 94 people anticipated in this group.

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

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers, allocated from statistical area data, indicates Eden has averaged approximately 13 new dwelling approvals per year. Between FY21 and FY25, around 65 homes were approved, with one additional approval in FY26 to date. On average, 1.9 new residents have been associated with each dwelling constructed over the past five financial years. However, this has eased to 1 person per dwelling over the past two financial years, reflecting improved supply availability.

The average construction cost value of new homes is $370,000. This year, Eden has registered $7.9 million in commercial approvals, indicating its primarily residential nature.

New development consists of 75% detached houses and 25% townhouses or apartments, maintaining the area's traditional low density character focused on family homes. With around 150 people per approval, Eden reflects a low density area. Population projections suggest stability or decline, which should reduce housing demand pressures, benefiting potential buyers.

Eden has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 40% nationally

Ten projects identified by AreaSearch could significantly influence the area's performance due to their potential impact on local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. These include Eden Town Centre Revitalisation, Fenbury - Eden (Cattle Bay), Sapphire of Eden, Storey Avenue Roadworks, and Princes Highway Roadworks. The following list details those most likely to be 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 Eden face significant challenges, ranking among the bottom 10% of areas assessed nationally

Eden has a balanced workforce spanning white and blue collar employment. Tourism and hospitality sectors are prominently featured.

Its unemployment rate is 6.4%, as per AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data. As of September 2025, 1,294 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 2.6% higher than Rest of NSW's rate of 3.8%. Workforce participation in Eden lags at 44.5%, compared to Rest of NSW's 56.4%. Key industries of employment among residents are health care & social assistance, retail trade, and accommodation & food.

Eden shows strong specialization in accommodation & food, with an employment share of 1.6 times the regional level. Health care & social assistance has limited presence at 14.1%, compared to the regional rate of 16.9%. Many residents commute elsewhere for work, indicated by Census working population counts. In the 12-month period ending September 2025, Eden's labour force decreased by 5.3% and employment declined by 5.5%, causing unemployment to rise by 0.1 percentage points. Comparatively, Rest of NSW recorded an employment decline of 0.5%, labour force decline of 0.1%, with unemployment rising by 0.4 percentage points. State-level data from 25-Nov-25 shows NSW employment contracted by 0.03% (losing 2,260 jobs), with the state unemployment rate at 3.9%. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia predict national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Eden's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.0% over five years and 12.6% over ten years, based on simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

Income metrics place the area in the bottom 10% of locations nationally according to AreaSearch analysis

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023 shows Eden's median income among taxpayers is $41,416. The average income in Eden is $51,407. Nationally, the median income is higher at $52,390 and the average is $65,215. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since financial year 2023, estimated incomes for September 2025 would be approximately $45,085 (median) and $55,962 (average). Census data indicates household, family, and personal incomes in Eden fall between the 4th and 9th percentiles nationally. Income analysis reveals that 30.0% of locals (1,031 people) earn between $400 and $799 annually, differing from the surrounding region where earnings predominantly fall within the $1,500 to $2,999 range at 29.9%. Housing affordability pressures are severe in Eden, with only 84.3% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 6th percentile nationally.

Eden is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with strong rates of outright home ownership

Eden's housing structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 80.6% houses and 19.4% other dwellings. Home ownership stood at 46.9%, with mortgaged dwellings accounting for 21.3% and rented ones at 31.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,517, and the median weekly rent was $270. Compared nationally, Eden's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

Eden features high concentrations of lone person households, with a median household size of 2.2 people

Family households comprise 63.6% of all households, including 17.7% couples with children, 33.1% couples without children, and 11.7% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 36.4%, with lone person households at 33.8% and group households making up 2.6%. The median household size is 2.2 people.

Eden faces educational challenges, with performance metrics placing it in the bottom quartile of areas assessed nationally

The area's university qualification rate is 14.6%, significantly lower than NSW's average of 32.2%. This discrepancy presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are the most prevalent at 10.5%, followed by graduate diplomas (2.2%) and postgraduate qualifications (1.9%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 40.8% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas (9.9%) and certificates (30.9%).

Educational participation is high, with 26.5% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.0% in primary education, 7.9% in secondary education, and 1.8% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Eden's public transport analysis shows 50 active stops serving a mix of bus routes. These stops are covered by 19 distinct routes offering 274 weekly passenger trips in total. Transport access is considered good, with residents usually located 206 meters from the nearest stop.

Across all routes, service frequency averages 39 trips per day, translating to roughly 5 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Eden is a key challenge with a range of health conditions having marked impacts on both younger and older age cohorts

Eden faces significant health challenges, with various conditions affecting both younger and older age groups. Approximately 47% (~1,626 individuals) have private health cover, lower than the national average of 55.7%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (affecting 12.7% of residents) and mental health issues (8.6%). Conversely, 57.5% claim to be free from any medical ailments, compared to 0% in Rest of NSW. Eden's population comprises 33.4% (1,147 individuals) aged 65 and over. While seniors face certain health challenges, their outcomes generally surpass those of the broader population.

Eden is considerably less culturally diverse than average when assessed alongside AreaSearch's national rankings for language and cultural background related metrics

Eden's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with 87.8% of its population being citizens, 87.3% born in Australia, and 96.5% speaking English only at home. Christianity is the main religion in Eden, comprising 50.2% of people, compared to None% across Rest of NSW. The top three ancestry groups are English (33.4%), Australian (29.2%), and Irish (8.5%).

Notably, Australian Aboriginal representation is overrepresented at 6.0%, while French is at 0.6% and Hungarian at 0.3%.

Eden ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

Eden has a median age of 53, which is higher than the Rest of NSW figure of 43 and substantially exceeds the national norm of 38. Compared to Rest of NSW, Eden has a higher concentration of residents aged 75-84 (12.5%), but fewer residents aged 25-34 (7.7%). This 75-84 concentration is well above the national figure of 6.0%. Between the 2016 and 2021 Censuses, the 75 to 84 age group grew from 9.7% to 12.5% of Eden's population. Conversely, the 65 to 74 cohort declined from 18.4% to 16.8%, and the 45 to 54 group dropped from 11.9% to 10.4%. Looking ahead to 2041, demographic projections reveal significant shifts in Eden's age structure. The 85+ group is projected to grow by 70%, reaching 240 people from the current 140. All of this growth will come from those aged 65 and over. Conversely, both the 25 to 34 and 0 to 4 age groups are projected to decrease in number.