Fairlight

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

As of February 2026, the estimated population of Fairlight is around 6,579, reflecting a growth of 438 people since the 2021 Census. This increase represents a 7.1% rise from the previous population count of 6,141. AreaSearch validated this estimate by examining the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 and identifying an additional 9 new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 5,623 persons per square kilometer, placing Fairlight within the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The suburb's growth rate exceeded both the SA4 region (3.5%) and the SA3 area, indicating its status as a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 80.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch projections for Fairlight are based on ABS/Geoscience Australia data 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. Considering these projections, Fairlight is expected to experience population growth just below the national median by 2041, with an anticipated increase of 804 persons over the 17-year period, reflecting an 11.6% total gain.

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

Fairlight has seen approximately 3 new homes approved annually, with a total of 17 homes approved between the financial years FY21 to FY25. An additional 4 homes have been approved in FY26 so far.

On average, each home built over these past five years accommodates around 9.7 new residents per year. This demand outpaces supply, which can put upward pressure on prices and increase competition among buyers. The average construction cost of new properties is $1,006,000, indicating a focus on the premium segment. Compared to Greater Sydney, Fairlight has significantly less development activity, being 78.0% below the regional average per person. This scarcity can strengthen demand and prices for existing properties. Additionally, Fairlight's development levels are also under the national average, suggesting an established area with potential planning limitations. Recent building activity consists entirely of townhouses or apartments, representing a notable shift from the area's current housing composition (26.0% houses).

This trend may reflect decreasing availability of developable sites and changing lifestyles requiring more diverse, affordable housing options. With around 1879 people per dwelling approval, Fairlight reflects a highly mature market. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, the area is projected to add 764 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 identified four projects likely impacting the area: Two Tides (Manly), Le Onde, and Stockland Balgowlah Shopping Centre Expansion & Residential. The following details these key projects.

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

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

Fairlight's workforce is highly educated, with the technology sector notably represented. Its unemployment rate was 2.9% as of AreaSearch aggregation of statistical area data. As of December 2025, 4,089 residents were employed, with an unemployment rate of 1.3%, below Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%.

Workforce participation in Fairlight was 76.4%, higher than Greater Sydney's 70.2%. According to Census responses, 64.0% of residents worked from home, potentially impacted by Covid-19 lockdowns. Leading employment industries were professional & technical, health care & social assistance, and finance & insurance. Fairlight had a notable concentration in professional & technical jobs, at 1.9 times the regional average, but lower representation in retail trade, at 5.9% compared to the regional average of 9.3%.

Over the year to December 2025, labour force levels increased by 0.1%, while employment declined by 0.7%, causing unemployment to rise by 0.7 percentage points. This contrasted with Greater Sydney's employment growth of 2.2% and labour force growth of 2.3%. Jobs and Skills Australia forecasts national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Fairlight's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.5% over five years and 14.9% over ten years, based on simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

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 the latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year 2023, Fairlight had a median income among taxpayers of $74,226. The average income stood at $139,618 in this period. Nationally, these figures are exceptionally high compared to the median income of $60,817 and average income of $83,003 across Greater Sydney respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since financial year 2023, current estimates for Fairlight's incomes would be approximately $80,802 (median) and $151,988 (average) as of September 2025. From the 2021 Census data, household, family, and personal incomes in Fairlight rank highly nationally, between the 97th and 98th percentiles. Income distribution in Fairlight shows that the predominant cohort spans 41.2% of locals (2,710 people) with incomes in the $4000+ category. This is different from the broader area where the $1,500 - 2,999 category predominates at 30.9%. Economic strength in Fairlight is evident through 53.6% of households achieving high weekly earnings exceeding $3,000, which supports elevated consumer spending. High housing costs consume 15.4% of income in the area, however strong earnings place disposable income at the 97th percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 10th decile.

Fairlight features a more urban dwelling mix with significant apartment living, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Fairlight's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 26.4% houses and 73.5% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), contrasting with Sydney metro's 55.9% houses and 44.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Fairlight stood at 33.9%, with mortgaged dwellings at 30.5% and rented ones at 35.7%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $3,467, exceeding the Sydney metro average of $2,427. The median weekly rent in Fairlight was $720, compared to Sydney metro's $470. Nationally, Fairlight's mortgage repayments were higher than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 69.9% of all households, including 32.4% couples with children, 29.7% couples without children, and 7.1% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 30.1%, with lone person households at 23.8% and group households comprising 6.3%. The median household size is 2.4 people, which is smaller than the Greater Sydney average of 2.7.

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 exceeds national averages. Among residents aged 15+, 56.3% hold university qualifications, compared to 30.4% in Australia and 32.2% in NSW. Bachelor degrees are most common at 36.4%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (15.7%) and graduate diplomas (4.2%). Vocational pathways account for 22.6%.

Advanced diplomas make up 11.8%, while certificates represent 10.8%. Educational participation is high, with 26.4% currently enrolled in formal education. This includes primary education (7.8%), secondary education (6.9%), and tertiary education (5.7%).

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 that together facilitate 3,381 weekly passenger trips. The average distance from residents' homes to the nearest transport stop is 88 meters, indicating excellent accessibility. Most residents commute outward due to Fairlight's primarily residential nature. Car remains the most popular mode of transportation at 72%, with walking and bus use accounting for 10% and 8% respectively. Vehicle ownership averages one per dwelling, lower than the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, 64% of residents work from home, a figure that may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency across all routes is 483 trips per day, equating to approximately 58 weekly trips per stop.

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

AreaSearch's assessment shows excellent health outcomes in Fairlight. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are very low across all age groups. Private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 82%, compared to 59.9% in Greater Sydney and a national average of 55.7%.

Asthma and arthritis are the most common conditions, affecting 6.5% and 6.1% respectively. 77.2% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 74.6% in Greater Sydney. Fairlight has 17.4% of residents aged 65 and over (1,144 people), higher than the 15.4% in Greater Sydney. Health outcomes among seniors are strong, ranking nationally in line with the general population.

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, surveyed in June 2016, had a higher proportion of residents speaking languages other than English at home, with 10.8%, compared to most local areas. Overseas-born population was 33.9%. Christianity was the predominant religion, at 44.1%.

Judaism, while small at 0.4%, was higher than Greater Sydney's average of 0.8%. The top three ancestry groups were English (32.3%), Australian (20.8%), and Irish (10.7%). Notably, French (1.4% vs regional 0.5%), Welsh (1.1% vs 0.4%), and Spanish (0.8% vs 0.6%) were overrepresented compared to the region's averages.

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

The median age in Fairlight is 39 years, which is higher than Greater Sydney's average of 37 years and close to the national average of 38 years. Compared to Greater Sydney, Fairlight has a notably higher percentage of residents aged 55-64 (12.6% locally) and a lower percentage of residents aged 5-14 (9.8%). According to post-2021 Census data, the population of residents aged 15-24 has grown from 9.2% to 11.6%, while the population of those aged 45-54 has declined from 13.9% to 12.4%. By 2041, Fairlight's population is expected to see significant demographic changes. The 75-84 age group is projected to grow by 52%, reaching 610 people from 401. Residents aged 65 and older are anticipated to represent 64% of the population growth, while the 5-14 and 0-4 age groups are expected to experience population declines.