North Manly

North Manly 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 North Manly statistical area (Lv2) is around 3,570 people. This reflects an increase of 174 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 3,396 people. The change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population at 3,559 following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 and an additional 9 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 3,245 persons per square kilometer, placing it in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. North Manly's growth rate of 5.1% since the 2021 census exceeded that of its SA3 area (3.2%) and SA4 region, marking it as a growth leader. Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration contributing 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 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. Future population trends anticipate lower quartile growth across statistical areas nationally, with North Manly expected to grow by 116 persons by 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting a gain of 4.4% in total over the 17 years.

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

Based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers, North Manly has experienced around 7 dwellings receiving development approval per year. Over the past five financial years, between FY-21 and FY-25, approximately 36 homes were approved, with another 6 approved so far in FY-26.

This results in an average of about 2.7 people moving to the area per new home constructed over these years. The estimated construction cost value for new homes is around $1,054,000, indicating a focus on the premium market with high-end developments. Compared to Greater Sydney, North Manly has around three-quarters the rate of new dwelling approvals per person. Nationally, it places among the 33rd percentile of areas assessed, suggesting somewhat limited buyer options while strengthening demand for established homes. New building activity shows an equal split between standalone homes and townhouses or apartments, creating more affordable entry points and suiting downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers. This marks a significant shift from the current housing mix, which is predominantly houses at 83.0%.

With around 508 people per dwelling approval, North Manly shows a developed market. Looking ahead, AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate projects North Manly to grow by approximately 156 residents through to 2041. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

North Manly has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 30% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 12 projects likely affecting the area. Notable ones are The Alba, Freshwater Beach Masterplan, Warringah Mall Mixed Use Redevelopment, and Brookvale Structure Plan Implementation. Below is a list detailing those most 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.

North Manly ranks among the top 25% of areas assessed nationally for overall employment performance

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

As of September 2025, the unemployment rate in North Manly was 2.6%. This is lower than Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%, with a workforce participation rate of 68.8% compared to Greater Sydney's 60.0%. Employment among residents is concentrated in professional & technical (1.6 times the regional average), health care & social assistance, and construction. Health care & social assistance employs 10.9% of local workers, below Greater Sydney's 14.1%.

Many residents commute elsewhere for work. In the 12 months prior to September 2025, North Manly's labour force increased by 0.2%, while employment declined by 0.6%, leading to an unemployment rate rise of 0.8 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Sydney experienced employment growth of 2.1% and labour force growth of 2.4%. As of 25-Nov-25, NSW employment contracted by 0.03% (losing 2,260 jobs), with the state unemployment rate at 3.9%, compared to the national unemployment rate of 4.3%. National employment forecasts from May-25 project a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to North Manly's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.1% over five years and 14.2% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

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

The suburb of North Manly has one of the highest income levels nationally according to AreaSearch data based on the latest ATO figures for the financial year ending 30 June 2023. The median income among taxpayers in North Manly is $62,741, with an average income of $112,220. This compares to Greater Sydney's median and average incomes of $60,817 and $83,003 respectively. By September 2025, based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86%, the estimated median income in North Manly would be approximately $68,300 and the average income around $122,163. The 2021 Census shows that household, family, and personal incomes in North Manly rank highly nationally, between the 87th and 98th percentiles. Income distribution data indicates that 38.2% of residents (1,363 people) earn over $4,000 annually, contrasting with regional levels where earnings between $1,500 and $2,999 are most common at 30.9%. Economic strength is evident in North Manly with 52.1% of households earning high weekly incomes exceeding $3,000, supporting increased consumer spending. However, high housing costs consume 16.0% of income. Despite this, disposable income ranks at the 97th percentile nationally, and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 10th decile.

North Manly is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

North Manly's dwelling structure at Census evaluation comprised 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Sydney metro's 57.6% houses and 42.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in North Manly was 34.9%, with mortgaged dwellings at 43.9% and rented dwellings at 21.2%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $3,600, above Sydney metro's average of $3,000. Median weekly rent in North Manly was $675, compared to Sydney metro's $592. Nationally, North Manly's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 81.6% of all households, including 49.8% couples with children, 21.2% couples without children, and 9.9% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 18.4%, with lone person households at 16.3% and group households making up 2.4%. The median household size is 3.1 people, larger than the Greater Sydney average of 2.7.

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

North Manly's educational attainment is notably higher than national and state averages. Among residents aged 15+, 41.8% have university qualifications compared to Australia's 30.4% and NSW's 32.2%. University graduates make up the majority with 28.6%, followed by postgraduates at 10.5% and graduate diplomas at 2.7%. Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 27.4% of residents holding such qualifications; advanced diplomas account for 12.0% and certificates for 15.4%.

Educational participation is high in the area, with 34.7% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 12.3% in primary, 11.2% in secondary, and 5.1% in tertiary education.

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

North Manly has 38 active public transport stops, all serving buses. These stops are covered by 37 different routes, offering a total of 3,271 weekly passenger trips. The average distance to the nearest stop for residents is 144 meters.

On average, there are 467 trips per day across all routes, which equals about 86 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

North Manly demonstrates excellent health outcomes with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups. Approximately 71% of its total population (2,538 people) has private health cover, significantly higher than the national average of 55.7%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are asthma and mental health issues, affecting 5.6% and 5.5% of residents respectively. A majority, 77.7%, report being completely free of medical ailments compared to 74.7% in Greater Sydney. North Manly has a lower proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 14.7% (524 people) than Greater Sydney's 17.8%. However, health outcomes among seniors require more attention despite being strong overall.

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

North Manly had a higher cultural diversity than most local areas, with 16.6% speaking a language other than English at home and 31.5% born overseas. Christianity was the predominant religion, making up 50.6%. Judaism was slightly overrepresented at 0.2%, compared to 0.3% in Greater Sydney.

The top three ancestry groups were English (30.0%), Australian (22.2%), and Irish (8.6%). Notably, French (1.0%) was overrepresented compared to the regional average of 1.1%, as were New Zealanders (1.2% vs 0.9%) and Spaniards (0.8% vs 0.6%).

North Manly's population is slightly older than the national pattern

North Manly has a median age of 40, which is slightly higher than Greater Sydney's figure of 37 and Australia's figure of 38. The 45-54 age cohort is notably over-represented in North Manly at 16.9%, while the 25-34 age group is under-represented at 9.0%. Between 2021 and present, the 15 to 24 age group has increased from 12.1% to 13.9% of the population. Conversely, the 5 to 14 age cohort has decreased from 17.6% to 16.2%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests North Manly's age profile will change significantly. The 75 to 84 age cohort is projected to grow by 126 people (71%), from 178 to 305. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups are expected to account for 92% of total population growth. Meanwhile, the 45 to 54 and 25 to 34 cohorts are projected to experience population declines.