Terrey Hills

An assessment of population growth drivers in Terrey Hills 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 Terrey Hills is around 3,028, a decrease of 114 people from the 2021 Census figure of 3,142. This decrease reflects an estimated resident population of 3,020 as per AreaSearch's analysis of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024, along with validation of five new addresses since the Census date. The population density is approximately 358 persons per square kilometer. Overseas migration was the primary driver of population growth in recent periods for Terrey Hills. AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for SA2 areas 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.

These projections indicate lower quartile growth is anticipated until 2041, with the suburb expected to expand by 37 persons by then, reflecting a gain of 1.0% over the 17 years.

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 allocated from statistical area data shows Terrey Hills had approximately 3 dwellings receiving development approval per year. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, around 19 homes were approved, with one more approved in FY26 so far. Population decline in recent years has meant development activity has been adequate relative to population changes, benefiting buyers.

The average expected construction cost value of new dwellings is $2,669,000, indicating developers target the premium market segment. This financial year, Terrey Hills recorded $12.3 million in commercial development approvals, showing moderate levels of commercial development compared to Greater Sydney, where development activity is 59.0% higher per person. The area's constrained new construction typically reinforces demand and pricing for existing dwellings. Recent development has been entirely detached dwellings, preserving Terrey Hills' low density nature and attracting space-seeking buyers, with an estimated 1009 people per dwelling approval. By 2041, Terrey Hills is projected to grow by 29 residents, with current development rates expected to comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting population growth beyond current projections.

Looking ahead, Terrey Hills is expected to grow by 29 residents through to 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). 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 strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 30% nationally

Two projects have been identified by AreaSearch that are likely to impact the area: Connecting Northern Beaches - Cycling & Walking Paths, Mona Vale Road West Upgrade (McCarrs Creek Road to Powder Works Road).

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

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Employment performance in Terrey Hills has been broadly consistent with national averages

Terrey Hills has a well-educated workforce with professional services being strongly represented. The unemployment rate was 3.6% as aggregated by AreaSearch from statistical area data. As of December 2025, there were 1,542 residents in work and the unemployment rate was 0.6% lower than Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%.

Workforce participation was at 63.2%, compared to Greater Sydney's 70.2%. According to Census responses, 46.0% of residents worked from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered. Employment among residents is concentrated in construction (1.5 times the regional average), professional & technical services, and health care & social assistance. Conversely, transport, postal & warehousing shows lower representation at 2.9% versus the regional average of 5.3%.

The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities as indicated by the count of Census working population vs resident population. During the year to December 2025, the labour force remained stable (0.0%) while employment declined by 0.6%, causing unemployment to rise by 0.6 percentage points. This contrasts with Greater Sydney where employment rose by 2.2% and the labour force grew by 2.3%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years for national employment. Applying these projections to Terrey Hills's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.0% over five years and 14.0% over ten years, based on simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and not accounting for localised population projections.

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

As per AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data released on 1 July 2023 for financial year 2023, the suburb of Terrey Hills' median income among taxpayers is $60,722. The average income in Terrey Hills is $134,512. This places it in the top percentile nationally. In comparison, Greater Sydney's median income is $60,817 with an average of $83,003. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $66,102 for the median and $146,430 for the average as of September 2025. According to the 2021 Census, Terrey Hills' household incomes rank at the 94th percentile with a weekly income of $2,778. The earnings profile shows that 33.1% of residents (1,002 people) fall within the $4,000+ 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. 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

Terrey Hills' dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 86.5% houses and 13.5% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Sydney metro's 55.9% houses and 44.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Terrey Hills was 47.1%, with mortgaged dwellings at 38.0% and rented ones at 14.9%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $3,033, exceeding Sydney metro's average of $2,427. Median weekly rent in Terrey Hills was $600, higher than Sydney metro's $470. Nationally, Terrey Hills' mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were 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 make up 16.8%, comprising 14.6% lone person households and 2.2% group households. The median household size is 3.0 people, 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 indicates potential for educational development and skills enhancement. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent 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 at 13.1% and certificates at 22.3%.

Educational participation is notably high, with 28.5% of residents currently enrolled in formal education; this includes 10.1% in primary education, 8.7% in secondary education, and 4.5% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Transport analysis indicates 38 active public transport stops in Terrey Hills, all of which are bus stops. These stops are serviced by 66 different routes, collectively facilitating 2,049 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents typically residing 260 meters from the nearest stop. As a predominantly residential area, most commutes are outward-bound, with cars being the primary mode of transportation at 91%. On average, there are 2.0 vehicles per dwelling, exceeding the regional average. According to the 2021 Census, 46% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions.

The average service frequency across all routes is 292 trips per day, equating to approximately 53 weekly trips per stop.

Terrey Hills's residents are extremely healthy with younger cohorts in particular seeing very low prevalence of common health conditions

Analysis of health metrics indicates strong performance throughout Terrey Hills. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence were assessed by AreaSearch, showing particularly low prevalence of common health conditions among younger cohorts. Private health cover was found to be exceptionally high at approximately 80% of the total population (2,417 people), compared to 59.9% across Greater Sydney and a national average of 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions in the area were arthritis and mental health issues, impacting 8.2 and 7.1% of residents respectively. Notably, 69.0% of residents declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 74.6% across Greater Sydney. Working-age residents exhibit low chronic condition prevalence. The area has 28.6% of residents aged 65 and over (866 people), higher than the 15.4% in Greater Sydney. Health outcomes among seniors are above average but rank lower nationally than the broader population.

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' cultural diversity aligns with its broader region, as shown by the birthplace of residents: 77.2% were born in Australia. Citizenship is high at 93.0%, and English-only speakers at home are 90.7%. Christianity dominates religious affiliation at 54.5%.

While Judaism's representation is low (0.7%), it's slightly higher than Greater Sydney's average of 0.8%. In terms of ancestry, the top groups in Terrey Hills are English (31.4%, regional avg: 19.0%), Australian (25.6%, regional avg: 17.8%), and Irish (8.7%). Notable overrepresentations include South Australian (Terrey Hills: 1.4%, region: 0.5%), Russian (Terrey Hills: 0.7%, region: 0.4%), and Hungarian (Terrey Hills: 0.4%, region: 0.3%).

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

Terrey Hills has a median age of 47, which is higher than Greater Sydney's average of 37 years and exceeds the national average of 38 years. The age group of 75-84 years shows strong representation at 11.4%, compared to Greater Sydney's percentage, while the 25-34 cohort has a lower prevalence at 5.5%. This concentration of the 75-84 age group is higher than the national average of 6.1%. According to post-2021 Census data, the 75 to 84 age group has grown from 8.7% to 11.4%, and the 15 to 24 cohort has increased from 12.1% to 14.5%. Conversely, the 45 to 54 cohort has declined from 16.1% to 13.8%, and the 35 to 44 group has dropped from 9.7% to 7.9%. Demographic modeling suggests that Terrey Hills' age profile will evolve significantly by 2041, with the 75 to 84 cohort projected to grow by 36%, adding 123 residents to reach a total of 469. 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 age cohorts.