Northbridge (NSW)

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

As of Feb 2026, the estimated population of the suburb of Northbridge (NSW) is around 6,415, reflecting a decrease of 78 people since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 6,493. This change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population at 6,399 following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 and validation of an additional 10 new addresses since the Census date. The current population density ratio is 2,393 persons per square kilometer, placing it in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Overseas migration primarily drove recent population growth in the suburb. AreaSearch's projections for Northbridge are based on ABS/Geoscience Australia data released in 2024 with a base year of 2022 for covered areas, and NSW State Government SA2 level projections released in 2022 with a base year of 2021 for uncovered areas.

Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. According to these projections, the suburb is expected to increase by 5 persons to 2041, reflecting an overall gain of 0.8% over the 17-year period.

The level of residential development activity in Northbridge is very low in comparison to the average area assessed nationally by AreaSearch

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers shows Northbridge recorded approximately 4 residential properties granted approval each year over the past five financial years, totalling around 20 homes. No approvals have been recorded so far in FY-26.

The population has fallen during this period, yet housing supply has remained adequate relative to demand, resulting in a balanced market with good buyer choice. Compared to Greater Sydney, Northbridge shows significantly reduced construction activity, being 90.0% below the regional average per person. This constrained new construction typically reinforces demand and pricing for existing dwellings, although development activity has increased recently. The area's construction levels are also below the national average, suggesting its established nature and potential planning limitations. Recent construction comprises 67.0% detached houses and 33.0% townhouses or apartments, offering options across different price points.

Northbridge has approximately 646 people per dwelling approval, indicating an established market. Population forecasts suggest Northbridge will gain 53 residents by 2041. With current construction levels, housing supply should meet demand adequately, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts.

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

Five projects have been identified by AreaSearch as potentially impacting the area: Northbridge Public School Upgrade, Flo Northbridge by WINIM, Cammeray Golf Club Redevelopment, and Airena St Leonards.

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

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Employment performance in Northbridge exceeds national averages across key labour market indicators

Northbridge has a highly educated workforce with strong representation in professional services. Its unemployment rate was 2.9% as of September 2025. This rate is 1.3% lower than Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%.

Workforce participation in Northbridge was 63.2%, compared to Greater Sydney's 70.0%. According to Census responses, 64.7% of residents worked from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. Leading employment industries include professional & technical services, finance & insurance, and health care & social assistance. Northbridge has a particularly strong specialization in finance & insurance, with an employment share 2.2 times the regional level.

However, construction employment is limited at 4.8%, compared to the regional average of 8.6%. The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. Between September 2024 and September 2025, labour force levels increased by 0.4% while employment declined by 0.1%, resulting in a rise in unemployment rate by 0.5 percentage points. In comparison, Greater Sydney recorded employment growth of 2.1% and labour force growth of 2.4%, with an unemployment increase of 0.2 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Northbridge's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.6% over five years and 15.1% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for localized population projections.

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

The median taxpayer income in Northbridge is $77,586, with an average of $182,817 according to postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for the financial year 2023. This places it among the top percentile nationally compared to Greater Sydney's median income of $60,817 and average income of $83,017. By September 2025, based on an 8.86% Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2023, estimated incomes would be approximately $84,460 (median) and $199,015 (average). Census data reveals that household, family, and personal incomes in Northbridge rank highly nationally, between the 96th and 99th percentiles. The majority of residents, 49.3% or 3,162 people, fall into the $4000+ bracket, contrasting with regional trends where 30.9% earn between $1,500 - 2,999 weekly. A significant proportion, 58.2%, earn above $3,000 per week, indicating strong economic capacity throughout Northbridge. After housing costs, residents retain 87.6% of their income, reflecting robust purchasing power. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 10th decile.

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

Northbridge's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, comprised 74.1% houses and 25.8% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Sydney metro had 55.9% houses and 44.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Northbridge was at 49.1%, with the remainder being mortgaged (31.0%) or rented (19.9%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in Northbridge was $4,649, higher than Sydney metro's average of $2,427. The median weekly rent figure for Northbridge was $740, compared to Sydney metro's $470. Nationally, Northbridge's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 80.5% of all households, consisting of 46.3% couples with children, 25.7% couples without children, and 7.5% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 19.5%, with lone person households at 18.5% and group households comprising 1.2% of the total. The median household size is 2.9 people, larger than the Greater Sydney average of 2.7.

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

Northbridge has a notably high level of educational attainment among its residents aged 15 and above, with 56.9% holding university qualifications. This figure exceeds the national average of 30.4% and the state average of 32.2%. The area's strong educational advantage is reflected in various qualification types: Bachelor degrees are most common at 35.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (17.2%) and graduate diplomas (3.8%). Vocational pathways account for 16.7% of qualifications, with advanced diplomas at 9.7% and certificates at 7.0%.

Educational participation is particularly high in Northbridge, with 33.8% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes secondary education (11.7%), primary education (11.4%), and tertiary education (6.5%).

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

Northbridge has 46 active public transport stops, all bus services. These are covered by 36 routes, offering 1,619 weekly passenger trips in total. Transport accessibility is excellent, with residents typically living 136 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward daily. Cars are the dominant mode at 80%, followed by walking at 7% and bus use at 6%. Vehicle ownership averages 1.5 per dwelling, higher than the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, 64.7% of residents work from home, possibly due to COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency averages 231 trips per day across all routes, resulting in approximately 35 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Northbridge's health outcomes show excellent results based on 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 99% of Northbridge's total population (6,334 people) has private health cover, compared to 59.9% in Greater Sydney and the national average of 55.7%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis and asthma, affecting 6.7 and 6.2% of residents respectively. A significant majority, 75.9%, report being completely free from medical ailments, compared to 74.6% in Greater Sydney. Northbridge has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 23.2% (1,488 people), compared to 15.4% in Greater Sydney. Health outcomes among seniors are notably strong, aligning with national rankings for the general population.

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

Northbridge's cultural diversity surpasses most local markets, with 21.0% of residents speaking a language other than English at home and 30.7% born overseas. Christianity is the dominant religion in Northbridge, accounting for 54.7% of its population. Notably, Judaism is overrepresented compared to Greater Sydney, making up 1.6% of Northbridge's population versus 0.8%.

In terms of ancestry, English (24.8%) and Australian (20.8%) are the top groups in Northbridge, exceeding regional averages of 19.0% and 17.3%, respectively. Irish ancestry is also prominent at 9.9%. Some ethnic groups show notable divergence: French (1.0%), Russian (0.8%), and Hungarian (0.5%) are overrepresented compared to their regional percentages of 0.5%, 0.4%, and 0.3%, respectively.

Northbridge hosts a notably older demographic compared to the national average

Northbridge's median age stands at 44 years, surpassing Greater Sydney's figure of 37 and significantly exceeding the national average of 38 years. The age group of 55-64 is notably represented at 13.4%, compared to Greater Sydney, while the 25-34 cohort is less prevalent at 5.0%. Post the 2021 Census, the population aged 15 to 24 grew from 12.3% to 15.8%, and the 75 to 84 group increased from 6.3% to 8.2%. Conversely, the 5 to 14 age group declined from 16.4% to 14.2%, and the 35 to 44 cohort decreased from 11.8% to 10.5%. Demographic projections indicate significant changes in Northbridge's age profile by 2041. The 85+ group is expected to grow by 103%, reaching 559 people from the current 275, with those aged 65 and above accounting for 74% of projected population growth. Meanwhile, the 35 to 44 and 25 to 34 age groups are anticipated to experience population declines.