Telopea

Population growth drivers in Telopea are above average based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

The population of the suburb of Telopea is estimated at around 5,914 as of February 2026. This reflects an increase of 558 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 5,356 people. The change is inferred from the resident population of 5,478 estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 and an additional 31 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 4,050 persons per square kilometer, which lies in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The suburb's 10.4% growth since the 2021 census exceeded the state (7.8%) and Greater Sydney, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration that contributed approximately 82.0% 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 from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Based on aggregated SA2-level projections, the suburb is expected to grow by 1,528 persons to 2041, reflecting a gain of 19.9% in total over the 17 years.

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

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers allocated from statistical area data shows Telopea had approximately 35 new homes approved annually. Between FY-21 and FY-25, around 177 homes were approved, with an additional 37 approved in FY-26 so far. Over these five years, an average of zero people moved to the area per dwelling built, indicating that new supply met or exceeded demand, providing ample buyer choice and capacity for population growth beyond current forecasts.

The average construction value of new properties was $639,000, suggesting developers focused on the premium market with high-end developments. This financial year, $1.5 million in commercial approvals were registered, predominantly residential-focused. Compared to Greater Sydney, Telopea had around two-thirds the rate of new dwelling approvals per person and ranked among the 74th percentile nationally. New development consisted of 31.0% standalone homes and 69.0% medium and high-density housing, appealing to downsizers, investors, and entry-level buyers.

With approximately 165 people per dwelling approval, Telopea exhibited growth area characteristics. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, the population is forecasted to increase by 1,176 residents through to 2041. Development pace appears reasonable with projected growth, though increasing competition among buyers is expected as the population expands.

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

Eleven projects have been identified by AreaSearch as potentially impacting the area. Key projects include the 25 Station Street Childcare Facility, the 47-71 Stewart Street Development, the Telopea Renewal Project, and the 18-22 Sophie Street Telopea. 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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Telopea has seen below average employment performance when compared to national benchmarks

Telopea has an educated workforce with professional services well represented. The unemployment rate was 4.7% in the past year, with estimated employment growth of 2.7%. As of September 2025, 3029 residents were employed and the unemployment rate was 4.8%, slightly higher than Greater Sydney's 4.2%.

Workforce participation matched Greater Sydney's 70.0%. Home workership was high at 45.3% but Covid-19 impacts should be considered. Dominant sectors include health care & social assistance, professional & technical, and retail trade.

Professional & technical employed only 9.5% of local workers compared to Greater Sydney's 11.5%. Limited local employment opportunities were indicated by Census data comparison. From September 2024 to September 2025, employment levels increased by 2.7% and labour force grew by 3.1%, raising unemployment by 0.4 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Sydney saw employment rise by 2.1%, labour force grow by 2.4%, and unemployment increase by 0.2 percentage points. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia (May-25) project national growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Telopea's employment mix suggests local employment should grow by 6.9% in five years and 14.1% in ten years, though this is a simple extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

Income figures position the area below 75% of locations analysed nationally by AreaSearch

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year ending June 2023 indicates Telopea's median income among taxpayers is $45,479, with an average of $62,536. This is lower than national averages. Greater Sydney has a median income of $60,817 and an average of $83,003. Based on Wage Price Index growth from July 2023 to September 2025, estimated incomes would be approximately $49,508 (median) and $68,077 (average). The 2021 Census shows Telopea's household, family, and personal incomes rank modestly, between the 28th and 33rd percentiles. Income analysis reveals that 30.1% of residents earn between $1,500 - 2,999 annually, consistent with surrounding regions at 30.9%. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 76.8% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 23rd percentile. Telopea's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 6th decile.

Telopea displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Dwelling structure in Telopea, as evaluated at the latest Census conducted in 2016, comprised 34.9% houses and 65.1% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Sydney metropolitan area had 55.9% houses and 44.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Telopea was at 21.4%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged at 30.7% or rented at 47.9%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Telopea was $2,300, recorded in June 2018, while the median weekly rent figure was $370. In comparison, Sydney metropolitan area had mortgage repayments of $2,427 and rents at $475 as of June 2018. Nationally, Telopea's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were less than the national figure of $375 recorded in June 2018.

Telopea features high concentrations of lone person households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 65.9% of all households, including 32.6% couples with children, 20.4% couples without children, and 12.0% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 34.1%, with lone person households at 31.0% and group households comprising 3.0%. The median household size is 2.5 people, which is smaller than the Greater Sydney average of 2.7.

Telopea shows below-average educational performance compared to national benchmarks, though pockets of achievement exist

The area's educational profile is notable regionally with university qualification rates at 40.0% of residents aged 15+, surpassing the Australian average of 30.4% and NSW's rate of 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 25.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (12.6%) and graduate diplomas (2.1%). Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 26.1% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications – advanced diplomas at 10.8% and certificates at 15.3%.

Educational participation is high, with 30.7% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, including 10.1% in primary, 6.9% in secondary, and 6.6% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Telopea has 31 active public transport stops offering a mix of light rail and bus services. These are served by 13 routes facilitating 2,995 weekly passenger trips in total. Residents enjoy good transport accessibility, with an average distance of 225 meters to the nearest stop. As a predominantly residential area, most commutes are outward-bound. Car remains the primary mode of transport at 81%, followed by train at 10% and bus at 5%. The average vehicle ownership per dwelling is 1.0, lower than the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, 45.3% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 427 trips daily across all routes, equating to approximately 96 weekly trips per individual stop.

The level of general health in Telopea is notably higher than the national average with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Telopea shows better-than-average health outcomes based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Both younger and older age groups have low prevalence of common health conditions.

Private health cover is relatively low at approximately 52% of the total population (~3,056 people), compared to 59.9% across Greater Sydney. The most prevalent medical conditions are mental health issues (7.3%) and arthritis (6.1%). 73.4% of residents report no medical ailments, close to Greater Sydney's 74.6%. Under-65s have better-than-average health outcomes. Telopea has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 18.0% (1,064 people), compared to Greater Sydney's 15.4%. Health outcomes among seniors are strong, broadly in line with national rankings.

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

Telopea has a population where 54.1% were born overseas, with 61.4% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Telopea, comprising 47.6%. Buddhism, however, is overrepresented at 5.6%, compared to Greater Sydney's average of 4.1%.

In terms of ancestry, Chinese is the largest group at 25.1%, significantly higher than Greater Sydney's 8.4%. Other ancestry comprises 14.2% and English ancestry is lower at 13.2%, versus Greater Sydney's 19.0%. Notably, Korean (8.7%) and Russian (0.7%) are overrepresented compared to regional averages of 1.1% and 0.4% respectively. Lebanese ancestry is also slightly higher at 2.8%.

Telopea's population is slightly older than the national pattern

Telopea's median age is 40, slightly higher than Greater Sydney's 37 and Australia's 38. The 55-64 age group is notably over-represented in Telopea at 12.8%, while the 25-34 cohort is under-represented at 12.1%. Between 2021 and now, the 15-24 age group has increased from 9.4% to 10.8%, and the 65-74 cohort has risen from 9.1% to 10.5%. Conversely, the 55-64 cohort has decreased from 13.6% to 12.8%. By 2041, demographic modeling projects significant growth in the 75-84 age group, expanding by 222 people (75%) from 295 to 518. The 35-44 cohort is projected to grow modestly by 2% (18 people).