Telopea

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

As of Feb 2026, the population of Telopea is estimated at around 5,914, reflecting a 10.4% increase since the 2021 Census which reported 5,356 people. This growth is inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of 5,478 residents in Jun 2024 and additional validated new addresses since then. Telopea's population density is approximately 4,050 persons per square kilometer, placing it within the top 10% nationally. The suburb's growth exceeds both state (7.8%) and Greater Sydney averages, driven primarily by overseas migration contributing around 82%. AreaSearch projects a significant increase of 1,499 persons to 2041, reflecting an 18% total gain over the 17 years.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For any SA2 areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch is utilising the NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, as released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are also applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Moving forward with demographic trends, a significant population increase in the top quartile of statistical areas analysed by AreaSearch is forecast, with the area expected to increase by 1,499 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting recording a gain of 18.0% in total over the 17 years.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Telopea according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers in Telopea shows around 34 dwellings receiving development approval each year. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, approximately 171 homes were approved, with a further 76 approved so far in FY26. Despite population decline in recent years, development activity has been adequate relative to population changes, benefiting buyers.

The average construction cost value of new properties is $639,000, indicating developers target the premium market segment. This financial year, there have been $1.5 million in commercial approvals, suggesting a predominantly residential focus. Compared to Greater Sydney, Telopea has around two-thirds the rate of new dwelling approvals per person and ranks among the 71st percentile nationally. New development consists of 31.0% standalone homes and 69.0% medium and high-density housing, appealing to downsizers, investors, and entry-level buyers.

With approximately 182 people per dwelling approval, Telopea exhibits characteristics of a growth area. Population forecasts indicate Telopea will gain around 1,063 residents by 2041. Development activity is keeping pace 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 a highly educated workforce with strong representation in professional services. The unemployment rate was 4.6% as of December 2025. This rate is 0.4% higher than Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%.

Workforce participation in Telopea matches Greater Sydney's figure of 70.2%. According to Census responses, 45.3% of residents work from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. The dominant employment sectors are health care & social assistance, professional & technical, and retail trade.

However, professional & technical employs only 9.5% of local workers, lower than Greater Sydney's 11.5%. Employment opportunities locally may be limited due to the predominantly residential nature of Telopea. Between December 2024 and December 2025, employment levels increased by 4.3%, while the labour force grew by 4.1%, leading to a decrease in unemployment rate by 0.2 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Sydney saw employment rise by 2.2% and unemployment increase marginally. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 indicate that Telopea's employment should increase by 6.9% over five years and 14.1% over ten years, based on industry-specific projections applied to the local employment mix.

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

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023 shows Telopea's median income among taxpayers is $45,479, with an average of $62,536. This is lower than the national average and compares to Greater Sydney's median of $60,817 and average of $83,003. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since financial year 2023, current estimates for Telopea would be approximately $49,508 (median) and $68,077 (average) as of September 2025. The 2021 Census indicates household, family, and personal incomes in Telopea rank modestly, between the 28th and 33rd percentiles. Income analysis reveals that the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket dominates with 30.1% of residents (1,780 people), consistent with broader trends across the surrounding region showing 30.9% in the same category. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 76.8% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 23rd percentile. The area'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

Telopea's dwelling structures in its latest Census evaluation showed 34.9% houses and 65.1% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), contrasting with Sydney metro's 55.9% houses and 44.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Telopea stood at 21.4%, with mortgaged dwellings at 30.7% and rented ones at 47.9%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,300, below Sydney metro's $2,427, while the median weekly rent was $370, compared to Sydney metro's $470. Nationally, Telopea's mortgage repayments were higher at $1,863 and rents lower at $375.

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

Family households constitute 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 account for 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 the NSW 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 these, including advanced diplomas (10.8%) and certificates (15.3%).

Educational participation is high, with 30.7% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, comprising 10.1% in primary education, 6.9% in secondary education, 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

Transport analysis indicates 31 active public transport stops in Telopea. These include a mix of light rail and bus services. There are 13 individual routes operating, providing a total of 2995 weekly passenger trips. Residents have good access to transport, with an average distance of 225 meters to the nearest stop. Most residents commute outwards from Telopea, which is primarily residential. The dominant mode of transport is car at 81%, followed by train at 10% and bus at 5%.

Vehicle ownership averages one per dwelling, below the regional average. According to the 2021 Census, 45.3% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency across all routes averages 427 trips per day, 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 demonstrates above-average health outcomes based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Both young and old age cohorts show low prevalence of common health conditions.

The rate of 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 common medical conditions are mental health issues affecting 7.3% and arthritis impacting 6.1% of residents. A total of 73.4% declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 74.6% across Greater Sydney. The under-65 population demonstrates better than average health outcomes. As of 2021, the area has 18.1% of residents aged 65 and over (1,070 people), which is higher than the 15.4% in Greater Sydney. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

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, and 61.4% speak a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Telopea, with 47.6%. Buddhism's representation is higher here at 5.6%, compared to Greater Sydney's 4.1%.

The top three ancestry groups are Chinese (25.1%), Other (14.2%), and English (13.2%). Notably, Korean ancestry is overrepresented in Telopea at 8.7% versus the regional average of 1.1%, Russian at 0.7% (regional: 0.4%), and Lebanese at 2.8% (regional: 2.6%).

Telopea's population is slightly older than the national pattern

Telopea's median age is 40, which is somewhat higher than Greater Sydney's figure of 37 and Australia's median age of 38 years. Compared to Greater Sydney's average, Telopea has an over-representation of the 65-74 cohort at 10.5% locally, while the 25-34 year-olds are under-represented at 12.0%. Between 2021 and present, the 65-74 age group grew from 9.1% to 10.5%, and the 15-24 cohort increased from 9.4% to 10.7%. Conversely, the 55-64 cohort declined from 13.6% to 12.6%. By 2041, demographic modeling projects significant changes in Telopea's age profile. The 75-84 age cohort is projected to grow by 213 people (72%), from 295 to 509. Meanwhile, the 35-44 cohort is expected to grow by a modest 0% (3 people).