Fairlight

Fairlight has seen population growth performance typically on par with national averages when looking at short and medium term trends

As of November 2025, the estimated population of the Fairlight statistical area (Lv2) is around 6,579. This figure reflects an increase of 438 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 6,141. The change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of the resident population at 6,539 based on the latest ERP data release by the ABS (June 2024) and an additional 9 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population results in a density ratio of 5,623 persons per square kilometer, placing Fairlight in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The growth rate of 7.1% since the 2021 census exceeds both the SA4 region (3.4%) and the SA3 area, indicating Fairlight's status as a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 80.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilises NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Based on projected demographic shifts, a population increase just below the median of national areas is expected, with Fairlight (SA2) projected to expand by 835 persons to 2041, reflecting a gain of 13.9% in total over the 17 years.

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

AreaSearch analysis shows Fairlight had approximately 3 new homes approved annually. Between financial years FY-21 and FY-25, around 18 homes were approved, with an additional 4 approved so far in FY-26.

This results in about 8.8 new residents per year for every home built over the past five financial years. Demand outpaces supply, typically driving up prices and increasing buyer competition. New properties are constructed at an average value of $1,006,000, indicating a focus on the premium segment with upmarket properties. Compared to Greater Sydney, Fairlight has significantly less development activity, being 76.0% below the regional average per person. This scarcity can strengthen demand and prices for existing properties. Recent building activity consists entirely of townhouses or apartments, appealing to downsizers, investors, and entry-level buyers. This shift indicates decreasing availability of developable sites and reflects changing lifestyles requiring more diverse housing options.

With around 1642 people per dwelling approval, Fairlight reflects a highly mature market. Future projections estimate Fairlight will add 914 residents by 2041. At current development rates, housing supply may struggle to match population growth, potentially heightening buyer competition and supporting price increases.

Fairlight has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 20% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified four projects likely impacting this region. Notable projects include Two Tides in Manly, Le Onde, and Stockland Balgowlah Shopping Centre Expansion & Residential. Relevant details are provided below.

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 Fairlight demonstrate strong performance, ranking among the top 35% of areas assessed nationally

Fairlight has a highly educated workforce. The technology sector is particularly well-represented.

Its unemployment rate was 2.9% as of September 2025, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data. In this month, 4,090 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 1.3% lower than Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%. Workforce participation in Fairlight was higher at 70.1%, compared to Greater Sydney's 60.0%. Leading employment industries among residents included professional & technical services, health care & social assistance, and finance & insurance.

Professional & technical jobs were particularly notable, with employment levels at 1.9 times the regional average. Conversely, retail trade showed lower representation at 5.9% compared to the regional average of 9.3%. The predominantly residential area appeared to offer limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. Over the 12 months to September 2025, labour force levels in Fairlight increased by 0.0%, while employment declined by 0.8%, causing unemployment to rise by 0.9 percentage points. This contrasted with Greater Sydney where employment rose by 2.1% and the labour force grew by 2.4%. State-level data for NSW as of 25-Nov showed employment contracted by 0.03% (losing 2,260 jobs), with the state unemployment rate at 3.9%. This compared favourably to the national unemployment rate of 4.3%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 offered further insight into potential future demand within Fairlight. These projections, covering five and ten-year periods, estimated national employment growth at 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these industry-specific projections to Fairlight's employment mix suggested local employment should increase by 7.5% over five years and 14.9% over ten years. However, it is important to note that this was a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and did not take into account localised population projections.

The economic profile demonstrates exceptional strength, placing the area among the top 10% nationally based on comprehensive AreaSearch income analysis

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of ATO data released on 30 June 2023 for financial year 2023, Fairlight suburb had a median taxpayer income of $74,226 and an average income of $139,618. These figures are exceptionally high nationally compared to Greater Sydney's median of $60,817 and average of $83,003 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since financial year 2023, current estimates for Fairlight would be approximately $80,802 (median) and $151,988 (average) as of September 2025. From the Australian Bureau of Statistics Census conducted on 10 August 2021, household incomes in Fairlight rank at the 97th percentile nationally, with family incomes at the 98th percentile and personal incomes also ranking highly. The predominant income cohort in Fairlight is those earning over $4,000 annually, comprising 41.2% of locals (2,710 people), differing from broader area trends where the $1,500 - $2,999 category predominates at 30.9%. Economic strength is evident with 53.6% of households earning high weekly incomes exceeding $3,000. High housing costs consume 15.4% of income but strong earnings place disposable income at the 97th percentile nationally, and Fairlight's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 10th decile.

Fairlight features a more urban dwelling mix with significant apartment living, with ownership patterns similar to the broader region

In Fairlight, as per the latest Census evaluation, 26.4% of dwellings were houses while 73.5% consisted of other types such as semi-detached homes and apartments. In contrast, Sydney metropolitan area had 36.7% houses and 63.3% other dwellings. Home ownership in Fairlight stood at 33.9%, similar to Sydney metro's level, with mortgaged properties at 30.5% and rented ones at 35.7%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Fairlight was $3,467, lower than the Sydney metro average of $3,800. The median weekly rent figure in Fairlight was recorded as $720, matching the Sydney metro average. Nationally, Fairlight's median monthly mortgage repayments were higher at $3,467 compared to Australia's average of $1,863. Meanwhile, rents in Fairlight were substantially above the national average of $375.

Fairlight features high concentrations of group households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 69.9 percent of all households, including 32.4 percent couples with children, 29.7 percent couples without children, and 7.1 percent single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 30.1 percent, with lone person households at 23.8 percent and group households comprising 6.3 percent of the total. The median household size is 2.4 people, which is smaller than the Greater Sydney average of 2.5.

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

Fairlight's educational attainment significantly exceeds national and state averages. Among residents aged 15 and above, 56.3% hold university qualifications, compared to 30.4% in Australia and 32.2% in New South Wales (NSW). This high level of educational attainment positions the area favourably for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 36.4%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 15.7% and graduate diplomas at 4.2%.

Vocational pathways account for 22.6% of qualifications among those aged 15 and above, with advanced diplomas at 11.8% and certificates at 10.8%. Educational participation is notably high in Fairlight, with 26.4% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 7.8% in primary education, 6.9% in secondary education, and 5.7% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Fairlight has 58 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 33 different routes, offering a total of 3,381 weekly passenger trips. The average distance from residents to the nearest transport stop is 88 meters.

On average, there are 483 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 58 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Fairlight's health outcomes show excellent results with very low prevalence of common conditions across all ages. Private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 82% of Fairlight's total population of 5,384 people, compared to the national average of 55.7%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are asthma and arthritis, affecting 6.5% and 6.1% of residents respectively. A majority, 77.2%, report being completely free from medical ailments, slightly higher than Greater Sydney's rate of 77.4%. Fairlight has a senior population of 16.5%, or 1,085 people aged 65 and over. The health outcomes among seniors are notably strong, mirroring the general population's health profile.

The level of cultural diversity witnessed in Fairlight was found to be slightly above average when compared nationally for a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Fairlight's population showed higher cultural diversity than most local markets, with 10.8% speaking a language other than English at home and 33.9% born overseas. Christianity was the predominant religion in Fairlight, accounting for 44.1% of its population. Judaism, however, was notably overrepresented, comprising 0.4% compared to the same proportion across Greater Sydney.

The top three ancestry groups were English (32.3%), Australian (20.8%), and Irish (10.7%). Other ethnic groups showed notable variations: French (1.4%, versus regional 1.4%), Welsh (1.1%, versus regional 0.9%), and Spanish (0.8%, matching the regional figure).

Fairlight's population aligns closely with national norms in age terms

The median age in Fairlight is 39 years, slightly higher than Greater Sydney's average of 37 years and close to Australia's national average of 38 years. Compared to Greater Sydney, the 55-64 age group is over-represented at 12.5% locally, while the 5-14 age group is under-represented at 9.8%. According to post-2021 Census data, the 15-24 age group has increased from 9.2% to 11.2%, while the 45-54 age group has decreased from 13.9% to 12.6%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate significant demographic changes in Fairlight. The 65-74 age group is expected to grow by 40%, reaching 794 people from 565. Those aged 65 and older will represent 62% of the anticipated growth. Conversely, the 35-44 and 5-14 age groups are projected to experience population declines.