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

The estimated population of the suburb of Terrey Hills is around 2,962 as of May 2026. This figure reflects a decrease of 180 people since the census conducted in 2021, which reported a population of 3,142. The current estimate is based on AreaSearch's analysis of the latest ERP data release by the ABS (June 2025) and validation of five new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of approximately 350 persons per square kilometer. Overseas migration was the primary driver of population growth in recent periods for Terrey Hills.

AreaSearch's projections for the suburb are based on ABS/Geoscience Australia projections released in 2024 with a base year of 2022, and NSW State Government's SA2 level projections released in 2022 with a base year of 2021 for areas not covered by the former data. Population growth is projected to be relatively low until 2041, with Terrey Hills expected to expand by approximately 30 persons over this period, reflecting an increase of about 1.0% in total population.

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 had approximately 3 dwellings receiving development approval annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, around 19 homes were approved, with an additional 2 approved in FY-26. Despite population decline, development activity has been adequate relative to population changes, benefiting buyers.

The average expected construction cost value for new dwellings is $2,669,000, indicating developers target the premium market segment. This year, $12.3 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded, suggesting moderate levels of commercial development. Compared to Greater Sydney, Terrey Hills has significantly less development activity, 58.0% below the regional average per person, which typically reinforces demand and pricing for existing dwellings. Development activity is also lower than national averages, reflecting market maturity and possible development constraints. All recent development comprises detached dwellings, preserving the area's low-density nature and attracting space-seeking buyers.

The estimated population per dwelling approval is 1013 people. By 2041, Terrey Hills is projected to grow by 30 residents. At current development rates, new housing supply should meet demand comfortably, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current projections.

Terrey Hills has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 30% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch identified two projects that could affect this region: Connecting Northern Beaches - Cycling & Walking Paths, Mona Vale Road West Upgrade (McCarrs Creek Road to Powder Works Road), Newcastle-Sydney and Wollongong-Sydney Rail Line Upgrades, Wakehurst Parkway Improvements (Frenchs Forest to Narrabeen).

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 strong representation in professional services. The unemployment rate is 3.5%, as per AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data. As of December 2025, there are 1,534 residents employed, with an unemployment rate at 0.6% below Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%.

Workforce participation in Terrey Hills is 63.4%, compared to Greater Sydney's 68.8%. According to Census responses, 46.0% of residents work from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdown impacts. 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 offers limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the count of Census working population vs resident population. Between December 2024 and December 2025, Terrey Hills' labour force decreased by 0.1%, with employment declining by 0.6%, leading to a rise in unemployment by 0.6 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Sydney saw employment rise by 2.2% and the labour force grow by 2.3%. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia (May-25) project national employment growth of 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 this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes only and does not account for localised population projections.

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

AreaSearch released postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023. Terrey Hills' median income among taxpayers was $60,722, with an average of $134,512. This places it in the top percentile nationally. Greater Sydney's median was $60,817 and average was $83,013. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.32% since financial year 2023, current estimates for Terrey Hills are approximately $66,989 (median) and $148,394 (average) as of March 2026. The 2021 Census showed household incomes ranked exceptionally at the 94th percentile ($2,778 weekly). In Terrey Hills, 33.1% of residents earn over $4,000 weekly (980 people), 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 income. 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 evaluation, 86.5% of dwellings were houses, with the remaining 13.5% comprising semi-detached homes, apartments, and other types. This differs from Sydney metropolitan areas where 55.9% are houses and 44.1% are other dwellings. Home ownership in Terrey Hills stood at 47.1%, higher than Sydney's metro average. Mortgaged dwellings accounted for 38.0%, with rented dwellings at 14.9%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $3,033, above the Sydney metro average of $2,427 and the national average of $1,863. Median weekly rent in Terrey Hills was $600, higher than Sydney's metro figure of $470 and the national average 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 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, 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

Terrey Hills' educational qualifications trail regional benchmarks, with 32.3% of residents aged 15+ holding university degrees compared to the SA4 region's 41.5%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 21.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (7.2%) and graduate diplomas (3.2%). Vocational credentials are prominent, with 35.4% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications – advanced diplomas at 13.1% and certificates at 22.3%. Educational participation is high, with 28.5% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, including 10.1% in primary, 8.7% in secondary, and 4.5% in tertiary education.

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

Terrey Hills has 38 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by a total of 66 routes, providing 2,049 weekly passenger trips combined. The area's transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents located an average of 260 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward from Terrey Hills, which is predominantly residential. Cars are the dominant mode of transport in the area, used by 91% of residents. On average, there are 2.0 vehicles per dwelling, higher than the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, 46.0% of residents work from home, which may be due to COVID-19 conditions. Across all routes, an average of 292 trips are made daily, equating to approximately 53 weekly trips per individual 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 shows strong performance throughout Terrey Hills. Based on AreaSearch's assessment, mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence were low, particularly among younger cohorts who had a very low prevalence of common health conditions. Private health cover was found to be exceptionally high at approximately 80% of the total population (2,365 people), compared to 59.9% across Greater Sydney and 55.7% nationally.

The most common medical conditions in the area were arthritis and mental health issues, impacting 8.2 and 7.1% of residents respectively, while 69.0% declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments compared to 74.6% across Greater Sydney. Working-age residents had notably healthy outcomes with low chronic condition prevalence. The area has 27.4% of residents aged 65 and over (811 people), which is higher than the 15.5% in Greater Sydney. Health outcomes among seniors were above average, though they ranked 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, according to a study conducted on the 2nd of July, 2016, showed cultural diversity figures roughly in line with its wider region's averages. Of its population, 77.2% were born in Australia, 93.0% held citizenship, and 90.7% spoke English exclusively at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, comprising 54.5% of Terrey Hills' inhabitants as per data from the Australian Census on the 9th of August, 2016.

However, Judaism showed an overrepresentation with 0.7%, compared to Greater Sydney's 0.8%. In terms of ancestry, English was the most represented group at 31.4%, significantly higher than the regional average of 19.0%. Australian ancestry followed at 25.6%, surpassing the regional average of 17.8%. Irish ancestry constituted 8.7% of Terrey Hills' population. Notable divergences were observed in South Australian (1.4% vs regional 0.5%), Russian (0.7% vs regional 0.4%), and Hungarian (0.4% vs regional 0.3%) ethnic groups.

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

Terrey Hills has a median age of 47 years, which is notably higher than Greater Sydney's average of 37 years and also exceeds the national average of 38 years. The age group of 75-84 years constitutes 11.6% of Terrey Hills' population, significantly higher than both Greater Sydney's figure and the national average of 6.1%. Conversely, the 25-34 age group comprises only 6.3%, lower than Greater Sydney's percentage. Post-2021 Census data indicates that the 15 to 24 age group has increased from 12.1% to 15.0%, while the 75 to 84 cohort has risen from 8.7% to 11.6%. However, the 45 to 54 age group has decreased from 16.1% to 14.2%, and the 35 to 44 group has fallen from 9.7% to 8.0%. By 2041, demographic modeling projects significant changes in Terrey Hills' age profile, with the 75-84 cohort expected to grow by 34%, adding 117 residents to reach 461. This growth will be driven solely by senior residents aged 65 and above, reflecting broader demographic aging trends. Meanwhile, population declines are projected for both the 25-34 and 15-24 age groups.