North Sydney

North Sydney lies within the top quartile of areas nationally for population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of recent, and medium to long-term trends

As of Nov 2025, the estimated population for the North Sydney statistical area (Lv2) is around 9,551 people. This figure represents an increase of 587 individuals since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 8,964 people. The change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population at 9,532 following examination of the ABS's latest ERP data release in June 2024 and an additional 415 validated new addresses since the Census date. This population density translates to approximately 6,453 persons per square kilometer, placing North Sydney (SA2) within the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The growth rate of 6.5% since the 2021 Census exceeded both the SA3 area's growth at 5.4% and the SA4 region's growth. This increase was primarily driven by overseas migration, which contributed approximately 84.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area as released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilises the NSW State Government's SA2 level projections released in 2022 with a base year of 2021. Looking ahead, an above median population growth is projected for national areas, including North Sydney (SA2). Based on aggregated SA2-level projections, the area is expected to increase by 1,444 persons by 2041, reflecting a total increase of 15.8% over the 17-year period.

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

North Sydney averaged approximately 8 new dwelling approvals per year based on AreaSearch analysis. Between FY-21 and FY-25, around 44 homes were approved, with a further 45 approved in FY-26. This averages to about 10.6 people moving to the area for each dwelling built over these five years.

Supply is substantially lagging demand, which typically leads to heightened buyer competition and pricing pressures. Developers are focusing on the premium market, constructing new properties at an average expected cost of $1,676,000. This financial year has seen $837.7 million in commercial approvals, indicating robust local business investment. Compared to Greater Sydney, North Sydney has significantly less development activity, 55.0% below the regional average per person. This scarcity of new dwellings usually strengthens demand and prices for existing properties. Nationally, North Sydney reflects a highly mature market with around 2733 people per dwelling approval.

Population forecasts indicate North Sydney will gain 1,513 residents by 2041. If current construction levels persist, housing supply could lag population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and underpinning price growth. New building activity shows 10.0% detached houses and 90.0% attached dwellings, indicating a trend towards denser development that appeals to downsizers, investors, and entry-level buyers.

North Sydney has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 10% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 48 projects likely to affect this region. Notable initiatives include Western Harbour Tunnel and Warringah Freeway Upgrade, Hume Place, Affinity Place, East Walker Residences. The following list details those expected to be 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 Sydney has been broadly consistent with national averages

North Sydney has a highly educated workforce with the technology sector being prominent. Its unemployment rate is 4.0%, lower than Greater Sydney's 4.2%.

Employment stability has been maintained over the past year. As of September 2025, 6,506 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 4.0%, 0.2% below Greater Sydney's rate. Workforce participation is high at 70.6%. Leading employment industries include professional & technical services (2.1 times the regional average), finance & insurance, and health care & social assistance (9.4%).

There are 4.3 workers per resident, indicating a significant job hub status. Between September 2024 and September 2025, labour force levels increased by 0.6% while employment declined by 0.4%, causing unemployment to rise by 1.0 percentage points. In comparison, Greater Sydney saw employment grow by 2.1%. State-level data from 25-Nov-25 shows NSW employment contracted by 0.03%, with an unemployment rate of 3.9%, compared to the national rate of 4.3%. National employment forecasts suggest a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but local growth patterns may vary based on industry-specific projections applied to North Sydney's employment mix.

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

The suburb of North Sydney had an income level among the top percentile nationally according to the latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. The median income among taxpayers in North Sydney was $76,346 and the average income stood at $135,257, compared to figures for Greater Sydney 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 $83,110 (median) and $147,241 (average) as of September 2025. From the Census conducted in August 2021, household, family and personal incomes all ranked highly in North Sydney, between the 88th and 98th percentiles nationally. Income analysis revealed that 30.6% of the population (2,922 individuals) fell within the $1,500 - $2,999 income range, consistent with broader trends across the region showing 30.9% in the same category. A significant 42.2% earned above $3,000 weekly. High housing costs consumed 19.8% of income, though strong earnings still placed disposable income at the 81st percentile and the area's SEIFA income ranking placed it in the 10th decile.

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

North Sydney's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, comprised 6.1% houses and 93.9% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Sydney metro had 17.9% houses and 82.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in North Sydney was at 19.5%, with the rest either mortgaged (18.0%) or rented (62.6%). The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,817, below the Sydney metro average of $3,085. The median weekly rent figure was $575, compared to Sydney metro's $582. Nationally, North Sydney's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

North Sydney features high concentrations of lone person households and group households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 52.5% of all households, including 15.5% couples with children, 30.3% couples without children, and 5.5% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 47.5%, with lone person households at 42.4% and group households comprising 5.2%. The median household size is 1.9 people, which is smaller than the Greater Sydney average of 2.1.

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

North Sydney has a notably high level of educational attainment among its residents aged 15 and above, with 66.5% holding university qualifications. This figure exceeds the national average of 30.4% and the NSW average of 32.2%, indicating a significant educational advantage for the area. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 40.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 22.5% and graduate diplomas at 3.7%. Vocational pathways make up 17.3% of qualifications, with advanced diplomas accounting for 9.8% and certificates for 7.5%.

Educational participation is particularly high in North Sydney, with 26.2% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 8.9% in tertiary education, 5.4% in primary education, and 4.7% pursuing secondary education.

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

North Sydney has 81 active public transport stops. These include ferry, train, light rail, and bus services. There are 100 individual routes operating in total.

They facilitate 19,882 weekly passenger trips collectively. The average distance from residents to the nearest transport stop is 114 meters. Service frequency averages 2,840 trips per day across all routes, resulting in approximately 245 weekly trips per individual stop.

North Sydney's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with younger cohorts in particular seeing very low prevalence of common health conditions

Health outcomes data shows excellent results across North Sydney, with younger cohorts experiencing a very low prevalence of common health conditions. The rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 80% of the total population (7,654 people), compared to 84.7% across Greater Sydney and a national average of 55.7%. The most prevalent medical conditions in the area are mental health issues affecting 6.4% of residents and asthma impacting 6.3%, while 77.7% declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 75.2% across Greater Sydney.

The area has 15.1% of residents aged 65 and over (1,442 people), which is lower than the 20.1% in Greater Sydney. Health outcomes among seniors require more attention than those of the broader population.

North Sydney is among the most culturally diverse areas in the country based on AreaSearch assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

North Sydney has a high level of cultural diversity, with 34.0% of its population speaking a language other than English at home and 49.9% born overseas. Christianity is the main religion in North Sydney, comprising 39.7% of people. Judaism is overrepresented in North Sydney compared to Greater Sydney, making up 0.6% versus 1.0%.

The top three represented ancestry groups are English (21.7%), Other (14.6%), and Australian (14.2%). Notably, Spanish (1.0%) and Russian (0.8%) are overrepresented compared to regional figures of 0.7% each. French is slightly underrepresented at 0.9%, with a regional figure of 1.1%.

North Sydney's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

North Sydney's median age is 36 years, nearly matching Greater Sydney's average of 37 years. This is modestly below the Australian median age of 38 years. Compared to Greater Sydney, North Sydney has a higher concentration of residents aged 25-34 (25.7%) but fewer residents aged 5-14 (6.2%). The 25-34 concentration in North Sydney is well above the national average of 14.5%. Between the 2021 Census and now, the population share of those aged 15 to 24 has grown from 8.9% to 9.9%, while the share of those aged 45 to 54 has declined from 11.3% to 10.6%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests significant changes in North Sydney's age profile. The 85+ cohort is projected to grow by 198%, adding 434 residents to reach 654. Residents aged 65 and above will drive 66% of population growth, indicating demographic aging trends. Conversely, the 0-4 and 35-44 age cohorts are expected to experience population declines.