St Leonards (NSW)

St Leonards lies within the top 10% of areas nationally in terms of population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of short and medium-term trends

Based on analysis of ABS population updates for the broader area, and new addresses validated by AreaSearch, the suburb of St Leonards (NSW) had an estimated population of around 7,987 as of Feb 2026. This reflected an increase of 775 people (10.7%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 7,212 people. The change was inferred from the resident population of 7,983 estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 and an additional 894 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equated to a density ratio of 9,983 persons per square kilometer, placing St Leonards in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch, indicating high demand for land in the area. The suburb's 10.7% growth since the 2021 Census exceeded both the SA4 region (5.8%) and the SA3 area, positioning it as a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 71.0% of overall population gains during recent periods, driving primary population growth for the suburb.

AreaSearch adopted 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 utilized NSW State Government's SA2 level projections released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations were applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Future population dynamics indicated a significant increase, with the suburb expected to grow by 2,652 persons by 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting an overall increase of 33.1% over the 17 years.

Recent residential development output has been above average within St Leonards when compared nationally

St Leonards recorded approximately 81 residential properties granted approval per year. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, around 405 homes were approved, with an additional 10 approved in FY26 so far. On average, 1.8 people moved to the area for each dwelling built over these five years. However, this figure increased to 10.3 people per dwelling over the past two financial years, indicating growing popularity and potential supply constraints.

New homes are being constructed at an average expected cost of $964,000, demonstrating a focus on the premium market. This year has seen $25.5 million in commercial approvals, reflecting steady commercial investment activity. Compared to Greater Sydney, St Leonards has 79.0% more development activity per person, offering buyers ample choice. Recent construction comprises 7.0% standalone homes and 93.0% medium and high-density housing, creating more affordable entry points for downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers. There are around 254 people per dwelling approval in St Leonards, indicating a developing market. Future projections estimate St Leonards will add 2,648 residents by 2041.

Building activity is keeping pace with growth projections, but heightened competition may be experienced as the population grows.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 52 projects likely to impact the area. Notable projects include The Landmark Quarter St Leonards, Park Avenue Residences St Leonards, St Leonards Telstra Exchange Mixed-Use Tower, and Waterstone, St Leonards. The following list 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.

The labour market in St Leonards shows considerable strength compared to most other Australian regions

St Leonards has a highly educated workforce. In the technology sector, it stands out in terms of representation, with an unemployment rate of only 3.5%. Over the past year, estimated employment growth was 0.7%, according to AreaSearch aggregation of statistical area data.

As of December 2025, 5,855 residents are employed, while the unemployment rate is 0.7% below Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%. Workforce participation in St Leonards is high at 83.4%, compared to Greater Sydney's 70.2%. According to Census responses, 67.0% of residents work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered. Employment among residents is concentrated in professional & technical (2.1 times the regional average), finance & insurance, and health care & social assistance sectors.

Construction employs just 3.8% of local workers, below Greater Sydney's 8.6%. As at the Census, there are 2.4 workers for every resident, indicating that St Leonards functions as an employment hub hosting more jobs than residents and attracting workers from surrounding areas. Between December 2024 and December 2025, employment levels increased by 0.7% and labour force increased by 1.1%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 0.4 percentage points. In comparison, Greater Sydney recorded employment growth of 2.2% and labour force growth of 2.3%, with unemployment rising marginally. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 offer further insight into potential future demand within St Leonards. These projections suggest that national employment should expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these industry-specific projections to St Leonards' employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.8% over five years and 15.3% over ten years, though these are simple weighting extrapolations for illustrative purposes and do not take into account localised 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 the latest postcode level ATO data released on 30 June 2023, St Leonards had a median income among taxpayers of $83,715 and an average income of $122,619. Nationally, these figures are exceptionally high, with Greater Sydney's median and average incomes being $60,817 and $83,003 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since financial year 2023, estimates for September 2025 would be approximately $91,132 (median) and $133,483 (average). Census data reveals that household, family, and personal incomes in St Leonards rank highly nationally, between the 90th and 98th percentiles. Income distribution shows that 33.8% of the population falls within the $1,500 - 2,999 income range, similar to the regional average of 30.9%. Higher earners are prominent, with 43.8% exceeding $3,000 weekly, indicating strong purchasing power. High housing costs consume 21.2% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 83rd percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 10th decile.

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

St Leonards' dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 2.8% houses and 97.2% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This contrasts with Sydney metro's 55.9% houses and 44.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in St Leonards was at 12.5%, with mortgaged dwellings at 17.8% and rented ones at 69.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,600, higher than Sydney metro's average of $2,427. Median weekly rent in St Leonards was $600, compared to Sydney metro's $470. Nationally, St Leonards' mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $1,863 and rents substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 54.0% of all households, including 16.0% couples with children, 32.5% couples without children, and 4.7% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 46.0%, with lone person households at 39.1% and group households comprising 6.8%. The median household size is 1.9 people, which is smaller than the Greater Sydney average of 2.7.

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

St Leonards has a notably higher educational attainment than broader averages. Among residents aged 15 and above, 71.9% hold university qualifications, compared to 30.4% nationally and 32.2% in NSW. This high level of attainment is led by Bachelor degrees (44.3%), followed by postgraduate qualifications (23.8%) and graduate diplomas (3.8%). Vocational pathways account for 15.2%, with advanced diplomas at 8.9% and certificates at 6.3%.

A significant portion of the population, 23.5%, is actively engaged in formal education. This includes 8.5% pursuing tertiary education, 4.8% in primary education, and 2.4% in secondary education.

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

Public transport analysis shows 21 active stops operating within St Leonards. These include a mix of train and bus services. There are 43 individual routes serving these stops, collectively providing 11,647 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated excellent with residents typically located 132 metres from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward daily. Car remains the dominant mode at 41%, followed by train at 26% and walking at 22%.

Vehicle ownership averages 0.3 per dwelling, below the regional average. According to the 2021 Census, a high 67.0% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 1,663 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 554 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Health outcomes data shows excellent results for St Leonards, as per AreaSearch's evaluation of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Common health conditions have very low prevalence across all age groups. Private health cover is exceptionally high, at approximately 75% of the total population (6,005 people), compared to 59.9% in Greater Sydney and a national average of 55.7%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are mental health issues (5.9%) and asthma (5.8%). A total of 82.2% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, higher than the 74.6% across Greater Sydney. St Leonards has 8.9% of residents aged 65 and over (710 people), lower than Greater Sydney's 15.4%. Health outcomes among seniors are strong, broadly in line with national rankings for the general population.

St Leonards 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 Leonards has a high level of cultural diversity, with 49.9% of its population speaking a language other than English at home and 61.4% born overseas. Christianity is the predominant religion in St Leonards, making up 30.8% of people. However, Buddhism is more prevalent here compared to Greater Sydney, comprising 5.9% versus 4.1%.

The top three ancestry groups are Chinese (21.7%), Other (17.9%), and English (14.9%). Notably, Korean (2.5%) and Russian (0.8%) ethnicities are overrepresented compared to Greater Sydney's averages of 1.1% and 0.4%, respectively. Additionally, Spanish ethnicity is slightly higher than the regional average at 0.8%.

St Leonards hosts a young demographic, positioning it in the bottom quartile nationwide

St Leonard's median age is 35 years, which is slightly younger than Greater Sydney's 37 and the national average of 38. The 25-34 age group comprises 31.1% of St Leonard's population, higher than Greater Sydney but lower than the national average of 14.4%. The 5-14 age group makes up 4.5%, which is less prevalent compared to Greater Sydney. Between 2021 and present, the 15-24 age group has grown from 7.2% to 9.0%, while the 75-84 cohort increased from 1.9% to 3.4%. Conversely, the 25-34 age group has decreased from 33.3% to 31.1%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate that St Leonard's 25-34 age cohort will increase significantly, with an additional 469 people (a 19% rise) bringing the total to 2,953 from the current 2,483.