Seaforth (NSW)

An assessment of population growth drivers in Seaforth 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 suburb of Seaforth (NSW) had an estimated population of around 7,668 as of Feb 2026. This reflected an increase of 284 people from the 2021 Census figure of 7,384 people, a rise of 3.8%. The change was inferred from AreaSearch's resident population estimate of 7,506 following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024, along with an additional 42 validated new addresses since the Census date. This resulted in a population density ratio of 2,465 persons per square kilometer, placing Seaforth in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The suburb's growth rate of 3.8% since the 2021 census exceeded the SA4 region's growth rate of 3.5%, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 78.0% of overall population gains during recent periods, driving Seaforth's population growth.

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. According to these projections, Seaforth's population is expected to decline by 73 persons by 2041. However, specific age cohorts are anticipated to grow, notably the 85 and over age group, which is projected to increase by 158 people over this period.

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

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers in Seaforth shows around 26 dwellings receiving development approval each year. Between FY-21 and FY-25, approximately 131 homes were approved, with a further 21 approved so far in FY-26. Despite population decline, housing supply has remained adequate relative to demand, indicating a balanced market with good buyer choice.

New properties are constructed at an average value of $965,000, suggesting developers target the premium market segment. Commercial approvals this financial year totalled $9.1 million, reflecting limited commercial development focus. Compared to Greater Sydney, Seaforth has moderately higher new home approvals (50.0% above regional average per person over the 5-year period), preserving buyer options while sustaining property demand. However, activity is below the national average, suggesting established area characteristics and potential planning limitations. New development consists of 50.0% standalone homes and 50.0% attached dwellings, promoting affordability and suiting downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers. This shift reflects reduced availability of development sites and changing lifestyle demands.

With around 308 people per dwelling approval, Seaforth exhibits low-density characteristics. Population projections indicating stability or decline suggest reduced housing demand pressures, benefiting potential buyers.

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

Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch identified four projects likely to impact the region: Seaforth Village Masterplan & Redevelopment, Seaforth Public School Expansion & Modernisation, Sangrado Road Residential Development, and Beaches Link Tunnel.

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 Seaforth has been broadly consistent with national averages

Seaforth has an educated workforce with 3.5% unemployment as of AreaSearch data aggregation. As of December 2025, 3853 residents are employed at a rate 0.7% below Greater Sydney's 4.2%. Workforce participation is lower at 66.9%, compared to Greater Sydney's 70.2%.

Census responses show 62.7% work from home, potentially impacted by Covid-19 lockdowns. Dominant sectors include professional & technical, finance & insurance, health care & social assistance. Seaforth specializes in professional & technical jobs at 1.6 times the regional level, but has limited health care & social assistance employment at 10.8% compared to 14.1% regionally. The area offers limited local employment opportunities.

Between December 2024 and December 2025, labour force levels decreased by 0.3%, employment declined by 1.6%, causing unemployment to rise by 1.3 percentage points. Greater Sydney recorded employment growth of 2.2% and labour force growth of 2.3%. Jobs and Skills Australia's May-25 forecasts suggest national employment will grow by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with varying rates across sectors. Applying these projections to Seaforth's employment mix indicates local employment should increase by 7.4% over five years and 14.6% over ten years, assuming constant population projections.

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

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of ATO data released for financial year 2023, Seaforth had a median income among taxpayers of $71,559 and an average level of $147,933. Nationally, these figures place Seaforth in the top percentile. In Greater Sydney, the median income was $60,817 and the average was $83,003. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since financial year 2023, current estimates for Seaforth would be approximately $77,899 (median) and $161,040 (average) as of September 2025. Census data shows household, family, and personal incomes in Seaforth rank highly nationally, between the 93rd and 99th percentiles. The earnings profile indicates that 51.1% of residents earn $4,000 or more per week (3,918 people), unlike the metropolitan region where the predominant category is $1,500 - $2,999 at 30.9%. This shows strong economic capacity with 61.0% of residents earning above $3,000 per week. Housing accounts for 14.0% of income, and residents rank in the 99th percentile for disposable income. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 10th decile.

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

Seaforth's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 86.8% houses and 13.1% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), contrasting with Sydney metro's 55.9% houses and 44.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Seaforth stood at 39.4%, with mortgaged dwellings at 44.2% and rented ones at 16.5%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $4,333, higher than Sydney metro's average of $2,427. The median weekly rent in Seaforth was $875, compared to Sydney metro's $470. Nationally, Seaforth's mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $1,863, while rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 86.6% of all households, including 53.9% couples with children, 23.5% couples without children, and 8.9% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 13.4%, with lone person households at 11.4% and group households comprising 1.6%. The median household size is 3.1 people, larger than the Greater Sydney average of 2.7.

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

In Seaforth, residents aged 15 and above have a notably higher educational attainment compared to broader benchmarks. Specifically, 50.7% of Seaforth's residents hold university qualifications, surpassing the national average of 30.4% and the NSW average of 32.2%. This significant educational advantage positions Seaforth favourably for opportunities in knowledge-based sectors. Among these university-qualified residents, bachelor degrees are the most prevalent at 34.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (12.8%) and graduate diplomas (3.1%).

Vocational pathways also contribute to educational attainment in Seaforth, with advanced diplomas accounting for 11.2% and certificates for another 11.2%. Educational participation is notably high in the area, with 35.2% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 12.1% in primary education, 11.6% in secondary education, and 5.8% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Seaforth has 82 active public transport stops serving a mix of bus routes. These are covered by 54 individual routes, offering 4,064 weekly passenger trips in total. The area's transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents typically located 132 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward daily, primarily using cars (85%), followed by buses at 7%. On average, there are 1.7 vehicles per dwelling, exceeding the regional average. According to the 2021 Census, 62.7% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions.

Service frequency across all routes averages 580 trips per day, resulting in approximately 49 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Seaforth's health outcomes show excellent results based on AreaSearch's assessment. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are very low across all age groups. Private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 85% of the total population (6,525 people), compared to Greater Sydney's 59.9% and the national average of 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions are asthma and mental health issues, affecting 6.1 and 5.5% of residents respectively. 77.5% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to Greater Sydney's 74.6%. The area has 16.3% of residents aged 65 and over (1,249 people). Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, broadly in line with the general population nationally.

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

Seaforth's population was found to be more linguistically diverse than most local areas, with 15.5% speaking a language other than English at home as of the last census. This is higher than the regional average of approximately 9%. Additionally, 33.3% of Seaforth's residents were born overseas, compared to around 28% in Greater Sydney.

Christianity was identified as the predominant religion in Seaforth, with 53.3% of residents identifying as such, slightly higher than the regional average of about 47%. However, Judaism was found to be more prevalent in Seaforth than across Greater Sydney, making up 0.3% of its population compared to 0.8% regionally. In terms of ancestry, those claiming English heritage made up 29.8% of Seaforth's population, which is notably higher than the regional average of approximately 19%. Australian ancestry was also prevalent at 20.6%, and Irish ancestry followed closely at 9.7%. Some ethnic groups were particularly notable for their representation in Seaforth compared to the region: Welsh at 0.9% versus 0.4%, French at 1.0% versus 0.5%, and South Australian at 1.2% versus 0.5%.

Seaforth's median age exceeds the national pattern

The median age in Seaforth is 42 years, significantly higher than Greater Sydney's average of 37 years and Australia's national average of 38 years. The 45-54 age group has a strong representation at 17.2%, compared to Greater Sydney's percentage, while the 25-34 cohort is less prevalent at 5.5%. This concentration in the 45-54 age group is well above the national average of 12.0%. According to post-2021 Census data, the 15 to 24 age group has grown from 12.9% to 15.8%, and the 55 to 64 cohort has increased from 12.7% to 13.9%. Conversely, the 35 to 44 cohort has declined from 12.2% to 10.6%, and the 5 to 14 group has dropped from 17.3% to 16.0%. Population forecasts for the year 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes for Seaforth. Leading this shift, the 85+ age group is expected to grow by 76% (138 people), reaching a total of 323 from 184. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups will account for 100% of total population growth, reflecting Seaforth's aging demographic profile. In contrast, the 25 to 34 and 55 to 64 cohorts are expected to experience population declines.