Elanora Heights

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

As of November 2025, the estimated population of Elanora Heights is around 4,627 people. This figure represents a 1% increase from the 2021 Census count of 4,581 residents. The latest estimate by AreaSearch, based on ABS ERP data released in June 2024 and additional validated addresses since the census date, is 4,619 people. This results in a population density ratio of approximately 1,192 persons per square kilometer. Elanora Heights' growth rate since the census is comparable to the SA3 area's growth fundamentals. Overseas migration was the primary driver behind this growth.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by these data, NSW State Government's SA2 level projections from 2022 with a base year of 2021 are applied. These projections indicate a decline in Elanora Heights' overall population by 303 persons by the year 2041. However, specific age cohorts are expected to grow, notably the 85 and over age group which is projected to increase by 149 people during this period.

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

Elanora Heights has seen approximately two residential properties approved annually based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, around 12 homes were granted approval, with one more approved in FY26 so far.

The population decline in recent years has maintained an adequate housing supply relative to demand, resulting in a balanced market with varied buyer choices. New properties are constructed at an average cost of $700,000, higher than regional norms due to quality-focused development. Compared to Greater Sydney, Elanora Heights has significantly less development activity, 82.0% below the regional average per person. This scarcity typically strengthens demand and prices for existing properties but recent periods have seen increased development activity. Nationally, Elanora Heights also has lower development activity, indicating market maturity and possible development constraints. Building activity shows 67.0% detached dwellings and 33.0% medium to high-density housing, with a growing mix of townhouses and apartments offering options across different price points.

This shift from the area's existing housing (currently 94.0% houses) suggests decreasing availability of developable sites and reflects changing lifestyles requiring more diverse, affordable housing options. Elanora Heights has around 1526 people per approval, indicating a mature, established area. With population projections showing stability or decline, the area should see reduced housing demand pressures, benefiting potential buyers.

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

Area infrastructure changes significantly influence local performance. Five key projects identified by AreaSearch may impact this area: Warriewood Valley Release Area, Warriewood Square Redevelopment, Mona Vale Road East Upgrade, and Vantage Warriewood. Details on these projects are provided below for further relevance assessment.

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Employment conditions in Elanora Heights demonstrate strong performance, ranking among the top 35% of areas assessed nationally

Elanora Heights has a highly educated workforce with significant representation in the technology sector. Its unemployment rate is 2.6%, as per AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data.

As of June 2025, there are 2,538 residents employed, with an unemployment rate 1.5% lower than Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%. Workforce participation in Elanora Heights is high at 67.7%, compared to Greater Sydney's 60.0%. Key industries for employment among residents are professional & technical services, construction, and health care & social assistance. Notably, construction employment levels are 1.5 times the regional average.

However, finance & insurance has limited presence with only 4.1% of employment, compared to the regional average of 7.3%. The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the difference between Census working population and resident population figures. Between June 2024 and June 2025, Elanora Heights' labour force increased by 0.2% while employment declined by 0.7%, leading to a 1.0 percentage point rise in unemployment rate. In contrast, Greater Sydney experienced employment growth of 2.6% and labour force growth of 2.9%, with a slight rise of 0.3 percentage points in its unemployment rate. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 suggest that national employment is expected to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. However, growth rates vary significantly between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Elanora Heights' employment mix indicates potential local employment increases of 7.0% over five years and 14.0% over ten years. These figures are based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and do not consider localised population projections.

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

AreaSearch's data from June 2022 shows Elanora Heights has high incomes nationally. The median is $60,044 and the average is $117,122. This compares to Greater Sydney's median of $56,994 and average of $80,856. By September 2025, adjusted for Wage Price Index growth, estimated incomes are approximately $67,616 (median) and $131,891 (average). Census 2021 data ranks Elanora Heights' household, family, and personal incomes between the 82nd and 97th percentiles nationally. The $4000+ earnings band includes 36.4% of residents (1,684 individuals), unlike surrounding areas where $1,500 - 2,999 dominates with 30.9%. High weekly earnings exceeding $3,000 are achieved by 51.0% of households, indicating strong consumer spending. Housing accounts for 15.1% of income, and residents rank in the 96th percentile for disposable income. The area's SEIFA income ranking is in the 10th decile.

Elanora Heights is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with ownership patterns similar to the broader region

Elanora Heights' dwellings, as per the latest Census, were 94.2% houses and 5.8% other types (semi-detached, apartments, 'other'). Sydney metro had 72.1% houses and 27.9% others. Home ownership in Elanora Heights was 43.0%, similar to Sydney metro's figure. Mortgaged dwellings were 44.5% and rented ones were 12.5%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $3,586, above Sydney metro's $3,200. Median weekly rent was $750, compared to Sydney metro's $695. Nationally, Elanora Heights' mortgage repayments exceeded the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were higher than the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 86.8% of all households, including 52.7% couples with children, 23.7% couples without children, and 9.5% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 13.2%, made up of lone person households at 11.8% and group households at 1.7%. The median household size is 3.2 people, larger than the Greater Sydney average of 2.7.

Educational achievement in Elanora Heights places it within the top 10% nationally, reflecting strong academic performance and high qualification levels across the community

Educational qualifications in Elanora Heights show 35.5% of residents aged 15+ have university degrees, compared to the SA4 region's 41.5%. University degree holders lead at 24.6%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (6.8%) and graduate diplomas (4.1%). Vocational credentials are prominent, with 33.6% of residents aged 15+ holding them - advanced diplomas at 14.0% and certificates at 19.6%. Educational participation is high, with 32.1% currently enrolled in formal education: primary (11.9%), secondary (10.0%), and tertiary (4.2%).

Elanora Heights Public School serves the area, enrolling 401 students as of a specific date. The school focuses on primary education, with ICSEA score of 1092 indicating above-average socio-educational conditions. School places per 100 residents in Elanora Heights are 8.7, below the regional average of 12.7, suggesting some students may attend schools in nearby areas for secondary education.

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

Elanora Heights has 24 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 19 different routes that together facilitate 251 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents on average located just 209 meters from the nearest stop.

On average, there are 35 trips per day across all routes, which equates to about 10 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Elanora Heights shows excellent health outcomes with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups. The private health cover rate is exceptionally high at approximately 73% of the total population (3,379 people), compared to the national average of 55.3%.

Asthma and arthritis are the most common medical conditions in the area, affecting 6.8 and 6.7% of residents respectively. A total of 73.6% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, slightly higher than the Greater Sydney average of 72.8%. The area has an 18.8% senior population (aged 65 and over, with 869 people), which is lower than Greater Sydney's 24.1%. Despite this, health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong and broadly in line with the general population's health profile.

In terms of cultural diversity, Elanora Heights records figures broadly comparable to the national average, as found in AreaSearch's assessment of a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Elanora Heights' cultural diversity aligns with the broader region's average, as indicated by its population statistics from June 2016: 78.6% born in Australia, 92.9% citizens, and 91.2% speaking English at home. Christianity is the dominant religion, practiced by 55.1%. However, Judaism is marginally overrepresented at 0.3%, compared to Greater Sydney's 0.3%.

The top three ancestry groups are English (30.1%), Australian (27.5%), and Irish (8.5%). Some ethnic groups show notable differences: South African (1.0% vs regional 0.8%), French (0.8% vs 0.8%), and Serbian (0.7% vs 0.5%) are relatively more represented in Elanora Heights.

Elanora Heights hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

Elanora Heights's median age is 41 years, which is significantly higher than Greater Sydney's average of 37 and somewhat older than Australia's median of 38. Compared to Greater Sydney, Elanora Heights has a notably over-represented cohort aged 5-14 (16.4%) and an under-represented cohort aged 25-34 (6.0%). According to the 2021 Census, the population aged 15-24 grew from 12.4% to 14.4%, while those aged 75-84 increased from 6.3% to 7.4%. Conversely, the cohort aged 25-34 declined from 7.1% to 6.0%. Demographic modeling indicates that Elanora Heights' age profile will significantly change by 2041. The cohort aged 85 and above is projected to grow by 119%, adding 142 residents to reach 263. This growth is driven by demographic aging, with residents aged 65 and older representing all anticipated population growth. However, declines are projected for the cohorts aged 55-64 and 25-34.