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 of Feb 2026, the estimated population of the suburb of Sylvania Waters is around 3,231, reflecting a 1.0% increase since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 3,200. This change was inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of 3,226 residents following examination of ABS ERP data released in June 2024 and an additional 9 validated new addresses since the Census date. The population density ratio is 3,048 persons per square kilometer, placing it in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Overseas migration was the primary driver for this growth. For projections, AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia data released in 2024 with a base year of 2022 for SA2 areas covered and NSW State Government's SA2-level projections released in 2022 with a base year of 2021 for areas not covered.

By 2041, the suburb is expected to increase by 184 persons based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting an overall increase of 5.5% over the 17 years.

The level of residential development activity in Sylvania Waters is very low in comparison to the average area assessed nationally by AreaSearch

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers, allocated from statistical area data, shows Sylvania Waters has seen approximately 11 new homes approved each year over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated 57 homes. As of FY-26 so far, 5 approvals have been recorded. Despite a fall in population during this period, development activity has been adequate relative to other areas, which is positive for buyers. The average expected construction cost value of new dwellings is $698,000, indicating a focus on the premium segment with upmarket properties.

This financial year has seen $5.4 million in commercial approvals registered, suggesting the area's residential character. Compared to Greater Sydney, Sylvania Waters records roughly half the building activity per person. Nationally, it places among the 24th percentile of areas assessed, indicating somewhat limited buyer options while strengthening demand for established properties. This level is below average nationally, reflecting the area's maturity and possible planning constraints. New building activity shows 20.0% detached dwellings and 80.0% medium and high-density housing, creating more affordable entry points and suiting downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers. This represents a considerable change from the current housing mix of 80.0% houses, reflecting reduced availability of development sites and addressing shifting lifestyle demands and affordability requirements.

Sylvania Waters reflects a highly mature market with around 647 people per dwelling approval. Looking ahead, AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate projects the area to grow by 179 residents through to 2041. 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 identified by AreaSearch are expected to impact the area significantly. These include 117-131 Taren Point Road Specialised Retail Development, Florida Street Affordable Housing, Southgate Shopping Centre Expansion, and Frank Vickery Village Renewal. The following list details those likely to be most relevant.

Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.

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

Sylvania Waters has an educated workforce with professional services well-represented. Its unemployment rate was 3.1% in the past year, with estimated employment growth of 0.5%. As of December 2025, 1,703 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 1.1% lower than Greater Sydney's 4.2%.

Workforce participation was at 63.7%, compared to Greater Sydney's 70.2%. A significant 35.7% of residents worked from home, possibly influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. Key industries included health care & social assistance, construction, and retail trade. Construction employment was particularly high at 1.4 times the regional level, while professional & technical services were under-represented at 8.8%.

Employment opportunities locally may be limited as indicated by Census data. Between December 2024 and December 2025, employment increased by 0.5% while labour force grew by 0.7%, raising the unemployment rate slightly to 3.2%. In contrast, Greater Sydney saw employment growth of 2.2% and labour force growth of 2.3%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project overall employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Sylvania Waters' employment mix suggests local employment should increase by approximately 6.7% over five years and 13.5% over ten years, though this is a simplified extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

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 income of $94,743 in the financial year 2023, according to postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch. This is notably higher than 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 8.86% since financial year 2023, estimated incomes for September 2025 would be approximately $64,952 (median) and $103,137 (average). Census data shows that household incomes in Sylvania Waters rank at the 86th percentile with a weekly income of $2,371. The earnings profile indicates that the largest segment is 29.7% of residents earning between $1,500 and $2,999 weekly (959 residents), which aligns with the surrounding region where this cohort also represents 30.9%. Sylvania Waters exhibits considerable affluence with 38.9% of residents earning over $3,000 per week, supporting premium retail and service offerings. High housing costs consume 15.8% of income, but 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

In Sylvania Waters, as per the latest Census, 80.3% of dwellings were houses, with the remaining 19.7% being semi-detached, apartments, or other dwellings. This is compared 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. 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 account for 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 make up the remaining 18.0%, with lone person households at 15.5% and group households comprising 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

Educational qualifications in Sylvania Waters lag behind regional benchmarks, with 29.9% of residents aged 15 and above holding university degrees compared to 38.0% in Greater Sydney. This gap indicates potential for educational development and skill enhancement. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 21.1%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (7.0%) and graduate diplomas (1.8%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 33.4% of residents aged 15 and above holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas (12.0%) and certificates (21.4%).

Educational participation is notably high, 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

Public transport analysis indicates 23 active transport stops operating within Sylvania Waters, consisting of buses. These stops are served by 7 individual routes, collectively offering 372 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents typically located 154 meters from the nearest transport stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward, with car remaining the dominant mode at 92%. Vehicle ownership averages 1.9 per dwelling, exceeding the regional average. According to the 2021 Census, 35.7% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions.

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 shows excellent health outcomes based on AreaSearch's evaluation. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence were very low across all age groups. Private health cover was exceptionally high at approximately 64% of the total population (2,076 people), compared to 59.9% in Greater Sydney and a national average of 55.7%.

The most prevalent medical conditions were arthritis (7.5%) and asthma (4.5%). A majority, 75.9%, reported no medical ailments, slightly higher than the 74.6% in Greater Sydney. Sylvania Waters has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 21.4% (691 people), compared to 15.4% in Greater Sydney. Health outcomes among seniors are strong and align 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% of its population born overseas and 38.9% speaking a language other than English at home. The dominant religion in Sylvania Waters is Christianity, comprising 68.3% of the population, which is higher than the Greater Sydney average of 49.2%. The top three ancestry groups are English (17.5%), Australian (15.8%), and Other (12.1%).

Notably, Greek ancestry is overrepresented in Sylvania Waters at 11.1%, compared to 1.9% regionally. Similarly, Macedonian ancestry stands at 3.2% versus the regional average of 0.4%, and Russian ancestry is at 1.0% compared to the regional average of 0.4%.

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

The median age in Sylvania Waters is 43 years, significantly higher than Greater Sydney's average of 37 years and also exceeding the national average of 38 years. The age profile shows that those aged 55-64 years make up 14.1% of the population, a prominent figure compared to other age groups. Meanwhile, the 25-34 year-olds comprise only 10.1%, which is smaller than the proportion in Greater Sydney. Between 2021 and present day, the percentage of individuals aged 15-24 has increased from 13.0% to 14.9%. Conversely, the percentage of those aged 5-14 has decreased from 11.8% to 10.6%. Looking forward to 2041, demographic projections indicate substantial changes in Sylvania Waters' age structure. The number of individuals aged 85 and above is projected to rise by 80 people (75%), increasing from 106 to 187. Notably, the combined age groups of 65+ are expected to account for 77% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic trend. Conversely, both the 25-34 and 0-4 age cohorts are projected to experience population declines.