Freshwater (NSW)

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

Based on analysis of ABS population updates for the broader area, and new addresses validated by AreaSearch, the Freshwater (NSW) statistical area (Lv2)'s population is estimated at around 9,682 as of Nov 2025. This reflects an increase of 496 people (5.4%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 9,186 people. The change is inferred from the resident population of 9,626 estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 and an additional 3 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 5,629 persons per square kilometer, which lies in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch, making land in the area a highly-sought resource. The Freshwater (NSW) (SA2)'s 5.4% growth since the 2021 census exceeded the SA3 area's 3.2%, along with the SA4 region, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration that contributed approximately 65.0% 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 any SA2 areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilises the 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 also applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Moving forward with demographic trends, lower quartile growth of Australian statistical areas is anticipated. The Freshwater (NSW) (SA2) is expected to grow by 183 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting an increase of 2.1% in total over the 17 years.

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

Freshwater has recorded approximately 17 residential properties granted approval per year over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated 89 homes. As of FY26, 10 approvals have been recorded. On average, each dwelling built between FY21 and FY25 accommodates around 2.9 new residents annually, indicating strong demand for housing in the area. New homes are being constructed at an average value of $1,054,000, targeting the premium market segment with higher-end properties.

In FY26, $47.6 million worth of commercial approvals have been registered, reflecting high levels of local commercial activity. Compared to Greater Sydney, Freshwater records about 65% of building activity per person but ranks among the 15th percentile nationally in terms of building activity, resulting in relatively constrained buyer choice and supporting interest in existing dwellings. This is indicative of the area's maturity and possible planning constraints. New building activity in Freshwater comprises approximately 62.0% standalone homes and 38.0% townhouses or apartments, offering options across different price points from family homes to more affordable compact living.

However, new construction favours detached housing more than current patterns suggest (42.0% at Census), demonstrating ongoing robust demand for family homes despite increasing density pressures. The location has approximately 1065 people per dwelling approval, indicating an established market. According to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate, Freshwater is projected to gain around 205 residents by 2041. Based on current development patterns, new housing supply should readily meet demand, offering good conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

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

Area infrastructure changes significantly influence local performance. AreaSearch identified ten projects potentially impacting the area. Major initiatives include Freshwater Beach Masterplan, The Alba project, Harbord Hotel's 37-room hotel wing proposal (DA No. 37-Room Hotel Wing), and Northern Beaches Secondary College's Freshwater Campus expansion. Most relevant projects are listed below.

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

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AreaSearch analysis places Freshwater well above average for employment performance across multiple indicators

Freshwater has an educated workforce with notable representation in the technology sector. Its unemployment rate was 2.8% as of September 2025.

This is below Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%. Workforce participation in Freshwater was 72.5%, higher than Greater Sydney's 60.0%. Key industries for employment were professional & technical, health care & social assistance, and construction. Professional & technical employment was particularly high at 1.5 times the regional average.

Conversely, health care & social assistance had lower representation at 10.8% compared to the regional average of 14.1%. Many residents commuted elsewhere for work based on Census data. From September 2024 to September 2025, Freshwater's labour force decreased by 0.3%, with employment declining by 1.2%. This led to a rise in unemployment by 0.9 percentage points. In comparison, Greater Sydney saw employment growth of 2.1% and labour force growth of 2.4%, with a smaller increase in unemployment at 0.2 percentage points. As of 25-Nov-25, NSW employment had contracted by 0.03%, losing 2,260 jobs. The state's unemployment rate was 3.9%, lower than the national rate of 4.3%. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia suggest growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Freshwater's employment mix, local employment is estimated to increase by 7.2% over five years and 14.3% over ten years, based on a 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

The suburb of Freshwater had exceptionally high income levels nationally according to latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. The median income among taxpayers was $74,509 and the average income stood at $133,268, compared to Greater Sydney's figures of $60,817 and $83,003 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $81,110 (median) and $145,076 (average) as of September 2025. According to 2021 Census figures, household, family and personal incomes all ranked highly in Freshwater, between the 94th and 96th percentiles nationally. Distribution data showed the $4000+ bracket dominated with 32.0% of residents (3,098 people), contrasting with regional levels where the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket led at 30.9%. Freshwater demonstrated considerable affluence with 46.4% earning over $3,000 per week, supporting premium retail and service offerings. High housing costs consumed 17.1% of income, though strong earnings still placed disposable income at the 93rd percentile and the area's SEIFA income ranking placed it in the 10th decile.

Freshwater features a more urban dwelling mix with significant apartment living, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

The dwelling structure in Freshwater, as per the latest Census, consisted of 41.8% houses and 58.2% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Sydney metro had 57.6% houses and 42.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Freshwater was at 28.4%, with the remaining dwellings either mortgaged (34.2%) or rented (37.4%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in Freshwater was $3,055, higher than Sydney metro's average of $3,000. The median weekly rent figure in Freshwater was $600, compared to Sydney metro's $592. Nationally, Freshwater's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households compose 69.8% of all households, including 32.8% couples with children, 28.4% couples without children, and 8.0% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 30.2%, with lone person households at 24.9% and group households comprising 5.2% of the total. The median household size is 2.5 people, which is smaller than the Greater Sydney average of 2.7.

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

Freshwater has a notably high level of educational attainment among its residents aged 15 and above, with 48.6% holding university qualifications compared to the broader Australian average of 30.4% and the New South Wales (NSW) average of 32.2%. This indicates a significant educational advantage for the area, positioning it favourably for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees are the most prevalent at 34.1%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 11.2% and graduate diplomas at 3.3%. Vocational credentials are also prominent among residents aged 15 and above, with 28.1% holding such qualifications.

This includes advanced diplomas held by 12.2% of residents and certificates held by 15.9%. Educational participation in Freshwater is notably high, with 28.1% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.1% in primary education, 7.6% in secondary education, and 5.0% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Freshwater has 69 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 27 different routes that together facilitate 1,670 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of these services is rated as excellent, with residents on average being located 104 meters from the nearest stop.

On a daily basis, there are an average of 238 trips across all routes, which equates to approximately 24 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Freshwater's health outcomes show excellent results across all age groups, with a very low prevalence of common health conditions. Private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 79% of the total population (7,683 people), compared to 71.5% in Greater Sydney and the national average of 55.7%. The most prevalent medical conditions are asthma and arthritis, affecting 6.0% and 5.4% of residents respectively.

A significant majority, 79.2%, report being completely free from medical ailments, compared to 74.7% in Greater Sydney. Freshwater has a lower proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 14.0% (1,355 people), compared to 17.8% in Greater Sydney. Despite this, health outcomes among seniors are strong and align with the general population's health profile.

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

Freshwater's population showed higher cultural diversity compared to most local markets, with 12.8% speaking a language other than English at home and 30.4% born overseas. Christianity was the predominant religion in Freshwater, accounting for 45.0% of its population. Notably, Judaism had an overrepresentation in Freshwater at 0.1%, compared to Greater Sydney's 0.3%.

The top three ancestry groups were English (30.7%), Australian (23.3%), and Irish (9.8%). Some ethnic groups showed notable differences: French was equally represented at 1.1% in both Freshwater and regionally, Welsh was overrepresented at 0.9% compared to the regional 0.7%, and Spanish was slightly higher at 0.8%.

Freshwater's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

Freshwater's median age is 37, matching Greater Sydney's figure of 37 and remaining comparable to Australia's 38 years. The 45-54 age group comprises 13.7% of Freshwater's population compared to Greater Sydney, while the 5-14 cohort makes up 10.3%. Between 2021 and present, the 15-24 age group has grown from 9.7% to 11.5%, while the 5-14 cohort has declined from 12.2% to 10.3% and the 45-54 group has decreased from 15.0% to 13.7%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Freshwater's age structure. Notably, the 75-84 group is projected to grow by 65%, reaching 737 people from 445. The aging population trend is evident, with those aged 65 and above accounting for 92% of projected growth. Conversely, the 45-54 and 15-24 age cohorts are expected to experience population declines.