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 ABS population updates and AreaSearch validation, the estimated population of the suburb of St Leonards (NSW) is around 7,987 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 775 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 7,212 people. The change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimated resident population of 7,983 following examination of ABS's latest ERP data release in Jun 2024 and an additional 894 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 9,983 persons per square kilometer, making land in the area highly sought after. St Leonards' growth rate of 10.7% since the 2021 census exceeded both its SA4 region (5.8%) and SA3 area, marking it as a growth leader. Overseas migration contributed approximately 71.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

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 are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Future population dynamics anticipate a significant increase in the top quartile of Australian statistical areas, with St Leonards expected to grow by 2,600 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting an increase of 32.6% 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 FY2021 to FY2025, around 406 homes were approved, with an additional 10 approved so far in FY2026. On average, about 1.8 people moved to the area for each dwelling built over these years, indicating balanced supply and demand. However, this ratio increased to 10.1 people per dwelling over the past two financial years, suggesting growing popularity and potential supply constraints.

New homes are being constructed at an average expected cost of $964,000, targeting the premium market with high-end developments. This year has seen $25.5 million in commercial approvals, reflecting steady commercial investment activity. Compared to Greater Sydney, St Leonards has 74.0% more development activity per person. Recent construction comprises 7.0% standalone homes and 93.0% medium and high-density housing, creating affordable entry points for downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers. The population density stands at around 250 people per dwelling approval. Future projections estimate St Leonards will add approximately 2,606 residents by 2041.

Building activity is keeping pace with growth projections, though increased competition may arise as the population grows.

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

The performance of an area is significantly influenced by changes to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has identified a total of 52 projects that are 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 projects likely 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.

The employment environment in St Leonards shows above-average strength when compared nationally

St Leonards has a highly educated workforce with significant representation in the technology sector. Its unemployment rate is 3.8%, lower than Greater Sydney's 4.2%. As of September 2025, 5,855 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 0.4% below Greater Sydney's and a workforce participation rate of 82.3%.

According to Census responses, 67.0% of residents work from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. Employment is concentrated in professional & technical (2.1 times the regional average), finance & insurance, and health care & social assistance sectors. Construction employs only 3.8% of local workers compared to Greater Sydney's 8.6%. There are 2.4 workers per resident, indicating St Leonards functions as an employment hub attracting workers from surrounding areas.

Between September 2024 and September 2025, the labour force increased by 0.9%, while employment decreased by 0.2%, causing unemployment to rise by 1.0 percentage points. In comparison, Greater Sydney recorded employment growth of 2.1% and unemployment rising by 0.2 percentage points. According to Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25, national employment is projected to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to St Leonards' employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.8% over five years and 15.3% over ten years, though this extrapolation does not account for 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. These figures are exceptionally high nationally compared to Greater Sydney's median income of $60,817 and average income of $83,003. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since financial year 2023, the estimated current incomes for St Leonards as of September 2025 are approximately $91,132 (median) and $133,483 (average). Census data indicates 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, equating to 2,699 individuals, fall within the $1,500 - $2,999 income range, similar to the regional average of 30.9%. A substantial proportion, 43.8%, earns more than $3,000 weekly, suggesting strong purchasing power in the community. 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' dwellings, as per the latest Census, consisted of 2.8% houses and 97.2% other types (semi-detached, apartments, 'other'). This contrasts with Sydney metro's 55.9% houses and 44.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in St Leonards stood 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 $2,427. Median weekly rent 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, broken down into 16.0% couples with children, 32.5% couples without children, and 4.7% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 46.0%, with lone person households at 39.1% and group households making up 6.8% of the total. 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 level of educational attainment compared to broader benchmarks. Specifically, 71.9% of residents aged 15 years and over hold university qualifications, which is significantly higher than the Australian average of 30.4% and the New South Wales (NSW) average of 32.2%. This high level of educational attainment positions St Leonards favourably for opportunities in knowledge-based sectors. Bachelor degrees are the most common type of qualification held by residents, with 44.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 23.8% and graduate diplomas at 3.8%.

Vocational pathways account for 15.2% of qualifications among those aged 15 years and over, with advanced diplomas making up 8.9% and certificates comprising 6.3%. Notably, a substantial proportion of the population is actively pursuing formal education, with 23.5% engaged in various educational pursuits. This includes 8.5% enrolled in tertiary education, 4.8% in primary education, and 2.4% pursuing secondary education.

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

St Leonards has 21 active public transport stops offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by 43 individual routes that facilitate 11,647 weekly passenger trips in total. Residents enjoy excellent transport accessibility, with an average distance of 132 meters to the nearest stop. As a predominantly residential area, most residents commute outward using various modes of transportation: car (41%), train (26%), and walking (22%). The average vehicle ownership per dwelling is 0.3, lower than the regional average. According to the 2021 Census, 67% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions.

Public transport services operate at an average frequency of 1,663 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 554 weekly trips per 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 across St Leonards, based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence, with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups. The rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 75% of the total population (6,005 people), compared to 59.9% across Greater Sydney and a national average of 55.7%. The most common medical conditions in the area are mental health issues and asthma, impacting 5.9 and 5.8% of residents respectively, while 82.2% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 74.6% across Greater Sydney.

The area has 9.1% of residents aged 65 and over (726 people), which is lower than the 15.4% in Greater Sydney. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, with national rankings broadly in line with 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 is among the most culturally diverse areas in the country, with 49.9% of its population speaking a language other than English at home as of 2016 Census data. Additionally, 61.4% were born overseas. Christianity was found to be the main religion, comprising 30.8%.

However, Buddhism is notably overrepresented at 5.9%, compared to 4.1% across Greater Sydney. In terms of ancestry, the top three represented groups are Chinese (21.7%), Other (17.9%), and English (14.9%). Korean is overrepresented at 2.5% in St Leonards versus 1.1% regionally, Russian at 0.8% versus 0.4%, and Spanish at 0.8% versus 0.6%.

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

St Leonard's median age is 35 years, slightly younger than Greater Sydney's 37 and the national average of 38. The 25-34 age group makes up 31.7%, higher than Greater Sydney but lower than the national average of 14.4%. The 5-14 cohort is less prevalent at 4.5%. Between 2021 and present, the 15-24 age group has grown from 7.2% to 9.2%, while the 75-84 cohort increased from 1.9% to 3.5%. Conversely, the 25-34 cohort has declined from 33.3% to 31.7%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate that St Leonard's 25-34 age group is projected to increase by 470 people (19%), from 2,531 to 3,002.