Terrey Hills

Terrey Hills is positioned among the lower quartile of areas assessed nationally for population growth based on AreaSearch's assessment of recent, and medium term trends

As of November 2025, the estimated population of Terrey Hills is around 3,019 people. This figure reflects a decrease of 123 individuals since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 3,142 people in the suburb. The latest estimate by AreaSearch, based on examination of the ABS ERP data release from June 2024 and additional validated new addresses, is 3,011 residents. This results in a population density ratio of 357 persons per square kilometer for Terrey Hills. Overseas migration was the primary driver of population growth in recent periods for the suburb.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022, and NSW State Government's SA2 level projections for areas not covered by this data, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021. Growth rates by age group are applied to all areas from these aggregations for years 2032 to 2041. According to population projections, the suburb is expected to expand by 37 persons by 2041, reflecting an anticipated gain of 0.7% over the 17-year period.

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

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers shows Terrey Hills experienced around 4 dwelling approvals per year. Between FY-21 and FY-25, approximately 23 homes were approved, with none so far in FY-26. The population has declined recently, but development activity has been adequate relative to this decline.

Developers target the premium market segment, with average construction costs of $2,669,000 per dwelling. This financial year, $38,000 in commercial development approvals were recorded, reflecting the area's residential nature. Compared to Greater Sydney, Terrey Hills has significantly less development activity, which is 50.0% below the regional average per person. This constrained new construction typically reinforces demand and pricing for existing dwellings. Nationally, development activity is also lower, suggesting market maturity and possible development constraints.

Recent development has been entirely comprised of detached dwellings, preserving the area's low density nature and attracting space-seeking buyers. The estimated population per dwelling approval is 672 people. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Terrey Hills is expected to grow by 21 residents through to 2041. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

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

AreaSearch has identified two projects that may impact the area significantly due to changes in local infrastructure. Key projects include Connecting Northern Beaches - Cycling & Walking Paths, Mona Vale Road West Upgrade from McCarrs Creek Road to Powder Works Road, Newcastle-Sydney and Wollongong-Sydney Rail Line Upgrades, and Wakehurst Parkway Improvements from Frenchs Forest to Narrabeen. The following list details those 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.

Employment performance in Terrey Hills exceeds national averages across key labour market indicators

Terrey Hills has a well-educated workforce with professional services being strongly represented. The unemployment rate is 3.0%, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data.

As of June 2025, there are 1,578 residents employed while the unemployment rate is 1.2% lower than Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%. Workforce participation is at par with Greater Sydney's 60.0%. Employment among residents is concentrated in construction, professional & technical services, and health care & social assistance. The area shows a notable concentration in construction employment which is at 1.5 times the regional average.

Conversely, transport, postal & warehousing employment is lower at 2.9% compared to the regional average of 5.3%. The predominantly residential area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities as indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. Between June 2024 and June 2025, the labour force increased by 0.4% while employment declined by 0.6%, leading to a rise in unemployment by 1.0 percentage points. This contrasts with Greater Sydney where employment rose by 2.6%, the labour force grew by 2.9%, and unemployment rose by 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 suggest that national employment is projected to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Terrey Hills' employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.0% over five years and 14.0% over ten years, though these are simple weighted extrapolations for illustrative purposes and do not consider localised population projections.

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

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 reports Terrey Hills' median income among taxpayers at $60,722 and average at $134,512. These figures place the suburb in the top percentile nationally. In comparison, Greater Sydney has a median of $56,994 and an average of $80,856. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% since financial year 2022, current estimates for Terrey Hills are approximately $68,379 (median) and $151,474 (average) as of September 2025. The 2021 Census shows household incomes in Terrey Hills rank at the 94th percentile with $2,778 weekly. The earnings profile indicates that 33.1% of residents (999 people) fall within the $4000+ bracket, unlike regional trends where 30.9% fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 range. Higher earners represent a substantial presence with 47.1% exceeding $3,000 weekly. After housing costs, residents retain 87.2% of their income, reflecting strong purchasing power and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

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

In Terrey Hills, as per the latest Census, 86.5% of dwellings were houses with the remaining 13.5% being semi-detached, apartments, or other dwellings. This compares to Sydney metropolitan area's 57.6% houses and 42.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Terrey Hills stood at 47.1%, with mortgaged dwellings at 38.0% and rented ones at 14.9%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $3,033, higher than Sydney metro's $3,000. Median weekly rent was $600 compared to Sydney metro's $592. Nationally, Terrey Hills' mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863 and rents substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 83.2% of all households, including 45.4% couples with children, 30.3% couples without children, and 7.0% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 16.8%, with lone person households at 14.6% and group households comprising 2.2%. The median household size is 3.0 people, which is larger than the Greater Sydney average of 2.7.

Educational achievement in Terrey Hills places it within the top 10% nationally, reflecting strong academic performance and high qualification levels across the community

Educational qualifications in Terrey Hills trail regional benchmarks; 32.3% of residents aged 15+ hold university degrees compared to the SA4 region's 41.5%. This gap suggests potential for educational development and skills enhancement. Bachelor degrees are most common at 21.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (7.2%) and graduate diplomas (3.2%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 35.4% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials - advanced diplomas (13.1%) and certificates (22.3%).

Educational participation is high; 28.5% of residents are currently enrolled in formal education. This includes primary education (10.1%), secondary education (8.7%), and tertiary education (4.5%). Terrey Hills' four schools have a combined enrollment of 645 students, with the area demonstrating significant socio-educational advantages and academic achievement (ICSEA: 1115). The educational mix includes three primary schools and one K-12 school; capacity exceeds typical residential needs (21.4 places per 100 residents vs regional average of 16.2), indicating the area serves as an educational center for the broader region. Note: where schools show 'n/a' for enrolments, please refer to parent campus.

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

Transport analysis shows 33 active transport stops operating in Terrey Hills, serving a mix of bus routes. These stops are serviced by 67 individual routes, providing a total of 1,473 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents typically located 260 meters from the nearest stop.

Service frequency averages 210 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 44 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health outcomes in Terrey Hills are marginally below the national average with common health conditions slightly more prevalent than average across both younger and older age cohorts

Terrey Hills shows below-average health indicators with common conditions more prevalent than average across both younger and older age groups. Private health cover rate is exceptionally high at approximately 80% of the total population (2,410 people), compared to 71.5% in Greater Sydney and a national average of 55.3%. The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (8.2%) and mental health issues (7.1%).

69.0% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 74.7% in Greater Sydney. Residents aged 65 and over comprise 27.2% of the population (821 people), higher than Greater Sydney's 17.8%. Health outcomes among seniors are above average, outperforming general population metrics.

In terms of cultural diversity, Terrey Hills records figures broadly comparable to the national average, as found in AreaSearch's assessment of a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Terrey Hills' population was found to be roughly in line with the wider region's average cultural diversity, with 77.2% born in Australia, 93.0% being citizens, and 90.7% speaking English only at home. Christianity is the main religion in Terrey Hills, comprising 54.5% of its population. However, Judaism was found to be overrepresented at 0.7%, compared to the Greater Sydney average of 0.3%.

The top three represented ancestry groups are English (31.4%), Australian (25.6%), and Irish (8.7%). Notably, South African ancestry is overrepresented at 1.4% in Terrey Hills versus 0.9% regionally, Russian at 0.7% versus 0.4%, and Hungarian at 0.4% versus 0.3%.

Terrey Hills hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

Terrey Hills's median age is 47 years, considerably higher than Greater Sydney's average of 37 years and exceeding the national average of 38 years. The 75-84 age group represents 10.9% of Terrey Hills' population, compared to Greater Sydney, while the 25-34 cohort is less prevalent at 5.5%. According to post-2021 Census data, the 75 to 84 age group has grown from 8.7% to 10.9%, and the 15 to 24 cohort increased from 12.1% to 14.0%. Conversely, the 45 to 54 cohort declined from 16.1% to 14.4%, and the 35 to 44 group dropped from 9.7% to 8.5%. Demographic modeling suggests that Terrey Hills' age profile will significantly evolve by 2041, with the 75 to 84 cohort projected to grow by 41%, adding 134 residents to reach 464. Senior residents aged 65 and above will drive all population growth, emphasizing demographic aging trends. Meanwhile, population declines are projected for both the 25 to 34 and 15 to 24 cohorts.