North Narrabeen

North Narrabeen is positioned among the lower quartile of areas assessed nationally for population growth based on AreaSearch's assessment of recent, and medium term trends

As of Feb 2026, the estimated population of North Narrabeen is around 6,139, reflecting an increase of 123 people since the 2021 Census. This growth was inferred from AreaSearch's resident population estimate of 6,060 in Jun 2024 and four new addresses validated subsequently. The current density ratio is 2,445 persons per square kilometer, placing North Narrabeen in the upper quartile nationally according to AreaSearch assessments. Over the past decade, ending Feb 2026, North Narrabeen's population grew at a compound annual rate of 0.8%, outpacing its SA3 area. Overseas migration contributed approximately 75% of overall population gains during recent periods. For projections until 2041, AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia data released in 2024 with a base year of 2022 for covered areas and NSW State Government's SA2 level projections released in 2022 with a base year of 2021 for uncovered areas.

Projections indicate an overall population decline by 146 persons by 2041, but specific age cohorts are expected to grow, notably the 75-84 age group by 255 people.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development drivers sees a low level of activity in North Narrabeen, placing the area among the bottom 25% of areas assessed nationally

North Narrabeen recorded around 4 residential properties granted approval annually. Over the past 5 financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, approximately 21 homes were approved, with an additional 1 approved so far in FY-26.

On average, about 3 people moved to the area per dwelling built over these years. This demand significantly exceeds new supply, typically leading to price growth and increased buyer competition. New properties are constructed at an average expected cost of $700,000, indicating a focus on the premium segment with upmarket properties. Compared to Greater Sydney, North Narrabeen has significantly less development activity, 77.0% below the regional average per person. This scarcity of new homes usually strengthens demand and prices for existing properties. Nationally, this is also below average, reflecting the area's maturity and possible planning constraints.

New building activity in North Narrabeen shows a mix of 67.0% detached dwellings and 33.0% medium to high-density housing, including townhouses and apartments. This represents a notable shift from the area's existing housing composition, currently 90.0% houses. This change indicates decreasing availability of developable sites and reflects changing lifestyles with a need for more diverse, affordable housing options. At around 1225 people per approval, North Narrabeen shows characteristics of a mature, established area. With population projections indicating stability or decline, the area should see reduced housing demand pressures in the future, potentially benefiting potential buyers.

North Narrabeen has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 40% nationally

Area infrastructure changes significantly influence local performance. AreaSearch identified 16 projects potentially impacting the area. Notable projects are Warriewood Community Centre, Warriewood Valley Release Area, Warriewood Square Redevelopment, and Vantage Warriewood. The following details 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.

Employment performance in North Narrabeen exceeds national averages across key labour market indicators

North Narrabeen has a well-educated workforce with the technology sector being prominent. The unemployment rate is 3.5%, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data. As of September 2025, there are 3,513 residents in work, with an unemployment rate of 0.6% below Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%.

Workforce participation is at 75.0%, slightly higher than Greater Sydney's 70.0%. Census responses indicate that 43.0% of residents work from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. Key industries for employment are construction, health care & social assistance, and professional & technical services. Construction stands out with employment levels at 1.7 times the regional average.

However, finance & insurance has limited presence, with only 4.6% of residents employed in this sector compared to the regional average of 7.3%. The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities, as suggested by the ratio of Census working population to resident population. Between September 2024 and September 2025, the labour force decreased by 0.7% while employment declined by 1.9%, leading to a rise in unemployment rate by 1.3 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Sydney saw employment growth of 2.1% and labour force growth of 2.4%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project overall employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to North Narrabeen's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by approximately 6.9% over five years and 13.8% over ten years, though this is a simple extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for 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 latest data for financial year 2023 shows median income in North Narrabeen is $59,364 and average income is $90,842. This compares to Greater Sydney's median of $60,817 and average of $83,003. By September 2025, estimated incomes would be approximately $64,624 (median) and $98,891 (average), based on an 8.86% growth in wages since financial year 2023. In North Narrabeen, household, family, and personal incomes rank between the 82nd and 94th percentiles nationally, according to Census 2021 data. The $4000+ earnings band includes 29.9% of residents (1,835 individuals), unlike surrounding areas where the $1,500 - 2,999 band dominates at 30.9%. High weekly earnings exceeding $3,000 are achieved by 45.4% of households, indicating strong consumer spending power despite high housing costs consuming 16.4% of income. Disposable income ranks at the 93rd percentile and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

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

North Narrabeen's dwelling structure in its latest Census comprised 89.8% houses and 10.3% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Sydney metro's 55.9% houses and 44.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in North Narrabeen stood at 38.0%, with mortgaged dwellings at 43.4% and rented ones at 18.6%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $3,200, higher than Sydney metro's average of $2,427. The median weekly rent figure in North Narrabeen was recorded at $665, compared to Sydney metro's $470. Nationally, North Narrabeen's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 80.7% of all households, including 46.7% couples with children, 22.3% couples without children, and 11.1% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 19.3%, with lone person households at 16.8% and group households making up 2.3%. The median household size is 3.0 people, larger than the Greater Sydney average of 2.7.

North Narrabeen shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

North Narrabeen's educational qualifications trail regional benchmarks, with 32.3% of residents aged 15+ holding university degrees compared to the SA4 region's 41.5%. This gap suggests potential for educational development and skills enhancement. Bachelor degrees are most common at 22.5%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (6.9%) and graduate diplomas (2.9%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 38.1% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas (13.6%) and certificates (24.5%).

Educational participation is notably high, with 31.2% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 11.2% in primary education, 9.1% in secondary education, and 4.1% pursuing tertiary education.

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

North Narrabeen has 54 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 67 different routes that collectively facilitate 2,813 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically located 144 meters from the nearest transport stop. Most residents commute outward due to its residential nature. Cars remain the dominant mode of transportation at 88%. Vehicle ownership averages 1.7 per dwelling, which is higher than the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, a high 43.0% of residents work from home, possibly due to COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 401 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 52 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

North Narrabeen's health outcomes show excellent results according to AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. The area has a very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups. Approximately 63% of North Narrabeen's total population (3,852 people) have private health cover, compared to Greater Sydney's 59.9%.

Nationally, this figure stands at 55.7%. Asthma and mental health issues are the most common medical conditions in North Narrabeen, affecting 7.0% and 6.0% of residents respectively. 76.0% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to Greater Sydney's 74.6%. The area has 17.1% of residents aged 65 and over (1,049 people), higher than Greater Sydney's 15.4%. Health outcomes among seniors in North Narrabeen are particularly strong, ranking broadly in line with the general population nationally.

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

North Narrabeen's population, born in Australia, was 78.2%, with 90.1% being citizens and 90.0% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the dominant religion, comprising 49.5%. Judaism, however, was overrepresented at 0.1% compared to Greater Sydney's 0.8%.

In terms of ancestry, English (30.4%) and Australian (26.9%) were significantly higher than regional averages of 19.0% and 17.8%, respectively. Irish ancestry was also notable at 8.5%. Other ethnic groups with notable divergences included Hungarian (0.4% vs regional 0.3%), Dutch (1.9% vs 0.7%), and South African (0.9% vs 0.5%).

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

North Narrabeen has a median age of 40, which is slightly higher than Greater Sydney's figure of 37 years and Australia's median age of 38 years. The 55-64 cohort is notably over-represented in North Narrabeen at 13.1%, compared to the Greater Sydney average, while the 25-34 year-olds are under-represented at 7.8%. From 2021 to present, the 15-24 age group has grown from 11.7% to 15.4% of the population, and the 75-84 cohort has increased from 4.7% to 6.3%. Conversely, the 25-34 cohort has declined from 10.0% to 7.8%, and the 35-44 group has dropped from 13.6% to 11.8%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests that North Narrabeen's age profile will change significantly. The 75-84 age cohort is projected to grow by 213 people (55%), from 386 to 600. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups are expected to account for 100% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. Meanwhile, the 25-34 and 55-64 cohorts are expected to experience population declines.