Sylvania Waters

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

As per ABS population updates for the broader area and new addresses validated by AreaSearch, the estimated population of Sylvania Waters was around 3,028 as of May 2026. This figure reflects a decrease of 172 people (5.4%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 3,200 people. The current population is inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population at 3,016 following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2025 and an additional 9 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 2,856 persons per square kilometer, placing Sylvania Waters in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The primary driver for population growth in the suburb was overseas migration during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilises NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Based on aggregated SA2-level projections, Sylvania Waters is expected to increase by 161 persons to reach a population of around 3,189 by the year 2041, reflecting an overall increase of approximately 5% over the 16-year period.

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

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers shows Sylvania Waters had around 11 new homes approved each year over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated 57 homes. As of FY26, 7 approvals have been recorded. On average, 0.3 new residents arrived per new home annually between FY21 and FY25, indicating supply meeting or surpassing demand. The average dwelling value was $698,000, suggesting a focus on the premium segment.

This year, $5.4 million in commercial approvals have been registered, reflecting the area's residential character. Compared to Greater Sydney, Sylvania Waters has roughly half the building activity per person and ranks at the 24th percentile nationally, implying limited buyer options but strong demand for established properties. New building activity comprises 20.0% detached dwellings and 80.0% medium and high-density housing, catering to downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers. This shift reflects reduced development site availability and changing lifestyle demands. Sylvania Waters has around 644 people per dwelling approval, indicating a highly mature market. By 2041, it is projected to grow by 149 residents based on current development patterns, with new housing supply expected to meet demand.

Looking ahead, Sylvania Waters is expected to grow by 149 residents through to 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). Based on current development patterns, new housing supply should readily meet demand, offering good conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

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

Six projects have been identified by AreaSearch as likely to impact the area, with key ones including 117-131 Taren Point Road Specialised Retail Development, Florida Street Affordable Housing, Southgate Shopping Centre Expansion, and Frank Vickery Village Renewal.

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The employment environment in Sylvania Waters shows above-average strength when compared nationally

Sylvania Waters has a well-educated workforce with professional services being strongly represented. The unemployment rate is 3.1%. Employment stability has been relatively consistent over the past year, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data.

As of December 2025, 1,694 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 1.1% lower than Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%. Workforce participation is similar to Greater Sydney's 68.8%. Census responses indicate that 35.7% of residents work from home, although Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered. The key industries of employment among residents are health care & social assistance, construction, and retail trade.

Sylvania Waters has a particular specialization in construction, with an employment share 1.4 times the regional level. However, professional & technical services are under-represented, with only 8.8% of the workforce compared to Greater Sydney's 11.5%. The predominantly residential area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. Over the 12 months to December 2025, employment increased by 0.5% while labour force increased by 0.6%, leaving unemployment broadly flat, according to AreaSearch's analysis of SALM and ABS data aggregated from broader statistical areas. In contrast, Greater Sydney experienced employment growth of 2.2% and labour force growth of 2.3%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 offer further insight into potential future demand within Sylvania Waters. These projections estimate that national employment will expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with varying growth rates between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to Sylvania Waters's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.7% over five years and 13.5% over ten years, although this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for localised population projections.

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

The suburb of Sylvania Waters had a median taxpayer income of $59,666 and an average of $94,743 in the latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for the financial year 2023. Nationally, these figures are extremely high, contrasting with Greater Sydney's median income of $60,817 and average income of $83,003 during the same period. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.32% since financial year 2023, current estimates for Sylvania Waters would be approximately $65,824 (median) and $104,520 (average) as of March 2026. Census data reveals that household incomes in the suburb rank at the 86th percentile ($2,371 weekly). The earnings profile shows that the largest segment comprises 29.7% earning between $1,500 and $2,999 weekly (899 residents), aligning with the surrounding region where this cohort likewise represents 30.9%. Sylvania Waters demonstrates considerable affluence with 38.9% earning over $3,000 per week, supporting premium retail and service offerings. High housing costs consume 15.8% of income, though strong earnings still place disposable income at the 85th percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

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

The dwelling structure in Sylvania Waters, as per the latest Census, consisted of 80.3% houses and 19.7% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Sydney metro's figures of 55.9% houses and 44.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Sylvania Waters stood at 43.9%, with mortgaged dwellings at 40.5% and rented ones at 15.6%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $3,000, higher than Sydney metro's average of $2,427. The median weekly rent in the area was $600, compared to Sydney metro's $470. Nationally, Sylvania Waters' mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $1,863, and rents substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 82.0% of all households, including 44.4% couples with children, 26.8% couples without children, and 10.3% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 18.0%, with lone person households at 15.5% and group households at 2.4%. The median household size is 2.9 people, larger than the Greater Sydney average of 2.7.

Sylvania Waters shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

Sylvania Waters has a lower percentage of residents with university degrees compared to Greater Sydney. Specifically, as of the latest data available (2016), 29.9% of Sylvania Waters residents aged 15 and above hold university degrees, while this figure stands at 38.0% for Greater Sydney. This indicates a gap in educational attainment that suggests potential for improvement. Among those with university qualifications, bachelor degrees are the most common (21.1%), followed by postgraduate qualifications (7.0%) and graduate diplomas (1.8%).

Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 33.4% of residents aged 15 and above holding such qualifications. Advanced diplomas account for 12.0%, while certificates make up 21.4%. Notably, educational participation is high in Sylvania Waters, with 28.0% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 8.7% in primary education, 8.4% in secondary education, and 5.7% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Sylvania Waters has 23 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 7 different routes that together facilitate 372 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of public transport in the area is rated as excellent, with residents typically living just 154 meters from their nearest transport stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward, with cars being the dominant mode of transportation at 92%. On average, there are 1.9 vehicles per dwelling, which is higher than the regional average. According to the 2021 Census, 35.7% of residents work from home, a figure that may reflect COVID-19 conditions.

The service frequency averages 53 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 16 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Sylvania Waters demonstrates excellent health outcomes based on AreaSearch's assessment. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are very low across all age groups. Approximately 64% of the total population has private health cover, compared to 59.9% in Greater Sydney and a national average of 55.7%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (7.5%) and asthma (4.5%). A majority, 75.9%, report no medical ailments, slightly higher than the Greater Sydney figure of 74.6%. The area has 20.9% residents aged 65 and over (632 people), which is higher than Greater Sydney's 15.5%. Health outcomes among seniors are strong, aligning with national rankings for the general population.

Sylvania Waters was found to be more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets in Australia, upon assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Sylvania Waters has a high level of cultural diversity, with 32.7 percent of its population born overseas and 38.9 percent speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Sylvania Waters, making up 68.3 percent of the population, compared to 49.2 percent across Greater Sydney. The top three ancestry groups are English (17.5%), Australian (15.8%), and Other (12.1%).

Notably, Greek (11.1% vs regional 1.9%), Macedonian (3.2% vs regional 0.4%), and Russian (1.0% vs regional 0.4%) ethnic groups are overrepresented in Sylvania Waters compared to the Greater Sydney region.

Sylvania Waters hosts a notably older demographic compared to the national average

The median age in Sylvania Waters is 43 years, which is higher than Greater Sydney's average of 37 years and exceeds the national average of 38 years. The age profile shows that those aged 55-64 years make up 13.9% of the population, while those aged 25-34 years comprise 11.0%. Between 2021 and present, the proportion of those aged 15-24 has increased from 13.0% to 14.5%, while the percentage of those aged 5-14 has decreased from 11.8% to 10.4%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate that the age cohort of 75-84 years is expected to increase by 66 people (28%), rising from 242 to 309. Notably, the combined age groups of 65 and above are projected to account for 77% of total population growth. Conversely, the age cohorts of 25-34 and 0-4 years are expected to experience population declines.