St Ives Chase

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

The population of St Ives Chase is estimated at around 3,334 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 51 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 3,283 people. The change is inferred from the resident population of 3,328 estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 and an additional 6 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 958 persons per square kilometer. St Ives Chase's 1.6% growth since census positions it within 2.7 percentage points of the SA3 area, demonstrating competitive growth fundamentals. Population growth for the suburb was primarily driven by overseas migration during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as 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 are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. By 2041, the suburb is expected to grow by 216 persons based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting an increase of 6.3% in total over the 17 years.

AreaSearch analysis of residential development drivers sees St Ives Chase recording a relatively average level of approval activity when compared to local markets analysed countrywide

St Ives Chase recorded approximately 5 residential properties granted approval per year based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers. Around 25 homes were approved in the past 5 financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, with an additional 1 approved so far in FY-26.

This results in an average of 5.1 new residents per year for every home built during this period. Demand significantly outpaces supply, which typically influences prices and competition among buyers. New properties are constructed at an average value of $975,000, indicating a focus on the premium market with high-end developments. Compared to Greater Sydney, St Ives Chase has notably lower building activity, 61.0% below the regional average per person. This scarcity of new homes often strengthens demand and prices for existing properties.

However, building activity has increased in recent years. Nationally, this is also below average, suggesting possible planning constraints due to the area's maturity. Recent construction comprises 86.0% detached dwellings and 14.0% medium and high-density housing, preserving the area's suburban character with a focus on family homes. The location has approximately 313 people per dwelling approval, indicating a low density market. Population forecasts estimate St Ives Chase will gain 210 residents by 2041 (based on AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate). Existing development levels appear aligned with future requirements, maintaining stable market conditions without significant price pressures.

St Ives Chase has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 30% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified one major project likely affecting the region: Ku-ring-gai Transport Oriented Development, Newcastle-Sydney Rail Line Upgrades, Wollongong-Sydney Rail Line Upgrades, Sydney Metro City & Southwest Extension, and NSW Government Low and Mid-Rise Housing Reforms (Northern Beaches).

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AreaSearch assessment positions St Ives Chase ahead of most Australian regions for employment performance

St Ives Chase has a highly educated workforce with notable representation in the technology sector. The unemployment rate is 3.3%, with an estimated employment growth of 0.6% over the past year (AreaSearch aggregation). As of December 2025, there are 1,642 residents employed, with an unemployment rate of 0.9% below Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%.

Workforce participation is lower at 65.5%, compared to Greater Sydney's 70.2%. According to Census responses, 64.5% of residents work from home. The dominant employment sectors are professional & technical, health care & social assistance, and finance & insurance. St Ives Chase has a high specialization in professional & technical jobs (1.7 times the regional level), but construction is under-represented at 4.7%, compared to Greater Sydney's 8.6%.

Local employment opportunities appear limited due to the difference between working population and resident population counts. Over the year to December 2025, employment increased by 0.6% while labour force grew by 1.4%, causing unemployment to rise by 0.8 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Sydney had employment growth of 2.2%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest a potential future demand within St Ives Chase. National employment is forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to St Ives Chase's employment mix, local employment could increase by 7.4% over five years and 14.8% over ten years.

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

The suburb of St Ives Chase had exceptionally high income levels nationally according to AreaSearch data aggregated from ATO records for the financial year ended June 2023. The median income among taxpayers in St Ives Chase was $59,356, with an average income of $104,740. These figures compared to Greater Sydney's median and average incomes of $60,817 and $83,003 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% from July 2023 to September 2025, estimated current median income in St Ives Chase would be approximately $64,615, with an average income of around $114,020. Census data indicated that household incomes in St Ives Chase ranked at the 98th percentile ($3,306 weekly). The largest segment comprised 41.7% earning over $4,000 weekly (1,390 residents), contrasting with the metropolitan region where the $1,500 - $2,999 bracket led at 30.9%. Economic strength was evident through 55.3% of households achieving high weekly earnings exceeding $3,000, supporting elevated consumer spending. High housing costs consumed 16.6% of income, yet strong earnings placed disposable income at the 97th percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking placed it in the 10th decile.

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

The dwelling structure in St Ives Chase, as per the latest Census, consisted of 96.0% houses and 4.0% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Sydney metro's 55.9% houses and 44.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in St Ives Chase stood at 43.6%, with mortgaged dwellings at 48.6% and rented ones at 7.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $4,223, higher than Sydney metro's average of $2,427. The median weekly rent figure in St Ives Chase was recorded as $950, compared to Sydney metro's $470. Nationally, St Ives Chase's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 90.7% of all households, including 57.6% couples with children, 25.7% couples without children, and 6.9% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 9.3%, with lone person households at 8.8% and group households comprising 1.0%. The median household size is 3.2 people, larger than the Greater Sydney average of 2.7.

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

St Ives Chase has a notably higher level of educational attainment than broader Australian benchmarks. Among residents aged 15+, 54.9% have university qualifications, compared to 30.4% nationally and 32.2% in NSW. This indicates a significant educational advantage for the area. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 33.4%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (18.1%) and graduate diplomas (3.4%).

Vocational pathways account for 19.0% of qualifications among those aged 15+, with advanced diplomas making up 9.8% and certificates 9.2%. Educational participation is high, with 34.4% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 13.5% in primary education, 10.3% in secondary education, and 5.7% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Transport analysis shows 20 active stops operating in St Ives Chase, with a mix of bus services. These are served by 12 individual routes, offering 989 weekly passenger trips collectively. Transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents located an average of 172 meters from the nearest stop. Most commuting is outward-bound due to the area's residential nature. Cars remain the dominant transport mode at 88%, while trains account for 7%. Vehicle ownership averages 1.9 per dwelling, higher than the regional average.

In 2021 Census data, possibly reflecting COVID-19 conditions, 64.5% of residents work from home. Service frequency averages 141 trips daily across all routes, equating to approximately 49 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

St Ives Chase shows excellent health outcomes based on AreaSearch's evaluation of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. The area has a very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups. Approximately 68% of St Ives Chase residents have private health cover, compared to 59.9% in Greater Sydney and the national average of 55.7%.

Asthma and arthritis are the most prevalent medical conditions, affecting 6.1 and 5.0% of residents respectively. A total of 76.5% of residents report being completely free from medical ailments, compared to 74.6% in Greater Sydney. St Ives Chase has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 20.8%, compared to 15.4% in Greater Sydney. Health outcomes among seniors in the area are strong and align with national rankings for the general population.

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

St Ives Chase has a high level of cultural diversity, with 33.7% of its population speaking a language other than English at home and 47.4% born overseas. Christianity is the predominant religion in St Ives Chase, comprising 42.2% of the population. However, Judaism is significantly overrepresented, making up 7.1% compared to the Greater Sydney average of 0.8%.

The top three ancestry groups are English (23.0%), Chinese (18.2%), and Australian (16.7%). Notably, South Australian ancestry is overrepresented at 4.0%, Russian at 0.7%, and Hungarian at 0.4% compared to regional averages.

St Ives Chase's median age exceeds the national pattern

The median age in St Ives Chase is 42 years, which is significantly higher than Greater Sydney's average of 37 years and Australia's national average of 38 years. The 5-14 age group comprises 19.4% of the population in St Ives Chase, compared to Greater Sydney, while the 25-34 cohort makes up only 3.3%. This concentration of the 5-14 age group is well above the national average of 12.1%. According to post-2021 Census data, the 15 to 24 age group has increased from 11.4% to 13.4%, while the 25 to 34 cohort has decreased from 4.5% to 3.3%, and the 0 to 4 group has dropped from 4.4% to 3.4%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes in St Ives Chase, with the 85+ age group expected to grow by 94% (an increase of 102 people), reaching a total of 213 from 110. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups are projected to account for 84% of the total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. In contrast, the 55 to 64 and 0 to 4 cohorts are expected to experience population declines.