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This analysis uses Suburbs and Localities (SAL) boundaries, which can materially differ from Statistical Areas (SA2) even when sharing the same name.
SAL boundaries are defined by Australia Post and the Australian Bureau of Statistics to represent commonly-known suburb names used in postal addresses.
Statistical Areas (SA2) are designed for census data collection and may combine multiple suburbs or use different geographic boundaries. For comprehensive analysis, consider reviewing both boundary types if available.
est. as @ -- *
2021 Census | -- people
Sales Activity
Curious about local property values? Filter the chart to assess the volume and appreciation (including resales) trends and regional comparisons, or scroll to the map below view this information at an individual property level.
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Sales Detail
Population
An assessment of population growth drivers in The Entrance reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends
The Entrance's population is estimated at 4,252 as of Nov 2025, reflecting an increase from 4,244 in the 2021 Census. This growth, inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of 4,221 residents and 26 new addresses since the Census date, represents a 0.2% rise. The population density is 2,577 persons per square kilometer, placing it in the upper quartile nationally. Over the past decade, The Entrance has had a compound annual growth rate of 0.9%, outpacing its SA4 region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 76.0% of overall population gains recently. AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in Jun 2024 with 2022 as the base year.
For areas not covered by this data, NSW State Government's SA2 level projections from 2022 with a 2021 base year are used. Growth rates by age group are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. By 2041, projections indicate an overall population decline of 186 persons in The Entrance (SA2). However, specific age cohorts are expected to grow, notably the 75 to 84 age group by 199 people.
Frequently Asked Questions - Population
Development
Residential development activity is lower than average in The Entrance according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets
AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers, derived from statistical area data, indicates The Entrance has approved around 12 new homes per year. Over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, approximately 63 homes were approved, with a further 9 approved so far in FY-26. This results in an average of 1.5 people moving to the area for each dwelling built over these five years, suggesting balanced supply and demand dynamics.
The average construction value of new properties is $503,000, indicating a focus on premium developments. In contrast, commercial development approvals this financial year totalled $236,000, reflecting a predominantly residential focus. Compared to Greater Sydney, The Entrance shows approximately 69% of the construction activity per person, placing it in the 64th percentile nationally. However, recent periods have seen increased development activity, though it remains below the national average, suggesting an established area with potential planning limitations. New building activity comprises 29.0% detached dwellings and 71.0% townhouses or apartments, indicating a trend towards denser development to cater to downsizers, investors, and entry-level buyers.
With around 221 people per dwelling approval, The Entrance exhibits characteristics of a low-density area. Population projections suggesting stability or decline may reduce housing demand pressures, benefiting potential buyers in the area.
Frequently Asked Questions - Development
Infrastructure
The Entrance has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 50% nationally
Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified six projects likely impacting the area. Key projects include Vera's Water Garden Upgrade, The Grant McBride Baths Upgrade, Lakeside Shopping Centre Redevelopment, and El Lago Site Redevelopment. Below are details of those most relevant.
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INFRASTRUCTURE SEARCH
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Frequently Asked Questions - Infrastructure
Mardi Water Treatment Plant Upgrade
An $82.5 million major upgrade to the Mardi Water Treatment Plant to enhance drinking water quality and security for over 210,000 residents. Key works include the construction of a new Dissolved Air Flotation (DAF) clarifier, flocculation tanks, and upgraded chemical dosing facilities to handle poor raw water conditions such as algal blooms and high turbidity. The project will ensure a reliable supply of up to 160 million litres of water per day.
Toukley Desalination Water Treatment Plant
A proposed 30 ML/day reverse osmosis desalination plant to be built adjacent to the existing Toukley Sewage Treatment Plant. The project is a key drought response initiative under the Central Coast Water Security Plan, designed to be 'plan ready' with approvals in place for rapid construction if dam levels fall below critical triggers (currently 45% storage). It features a direct ocean intake structure located offshore between Noraville and Magenta to minimize beach impact and will provide a climate-independent water supply for up to 250,000 residents.
High Speed Rail - Newcastle to Sydney (Stage 1)
The first stage of Australia's High Speed Rail network involves a 194km dedicated rail line connecting Newcastle to Sydney. The project features trains reaching speeds of 320 km/h on surface sections and 200 km/h in tunnels, aiming to reduce travel time to approximately one hour. Following the 2025 business case evaluation, the project has moved into a two-year Development Phase focusing on design refinement (to 40% maturity), securing planning approvals, and corridor preservation. The route includes approximately 115km of tunneling and six planned stations: Broadmeadow, Lake Macquarie, Gosford, Sydney Central, Parramatta, and Western Sydney International Airport.
Low and Mid-Rise Housing Policy
State-wide NSW planning reforms to enable diverse low and mid-rise housing, including dual occupancies, terraces, townhouses, and apartment buildings up to 6 storeys. The policy applies to residential zones within 800m of 171 nominated transport hubs and town centres. Stage 1 (dual occupancies) commenced 1 July 2024, and Stage 2 (mid-rise apartments and terraces) commenced 28 February 2025. In June 2025, further amendments adjusted aircraft noise thresholds and clarified storey definitions to expand the policy's reach. The initiative is expected to facilitate approximately 112,000 additional homes by 2030.
Sydney Metro
Australia's largest public transport project, comprising four main lines. As of February 2026, the City & Southwest M1 line is operational to Sydenham, with the Sydenham-to-Bankstown conversion reaching 80% completion and intensive dynamic train testing underway for a late 2026 opening. Sydney Metro West has achieved major tunneling milestones at Westmead, with fit-out contracts worth $11.5 billion signed to target a 2032 opening. The Western Sydney Airport line remains under heavy construction with stations and viaducts progressing for an opening aligned with the airport in late 2026.
Newcastle-Sydney and Wollongong-Sydney Rail Line Upgrades
Program of upgrades to existing intercity rail corridors linking Newcastle-Central Coast-Sydney and Wollongong-Sydney to reduce travel times and improve reliability. Current scope includes timetable and service changes under the Rail Service Improvement Program, targeted network upgrades (signalling, power, station works) and the introduction of the Mariyung intercity fleet on the Central Coast & Newcastle Line, alongside Federal planning led by the High Speed Rail Authority for a dedicated Sydney-Newcastle high speed corridor.
Newcastle Offshore Wind Project
The Newcastle Offshore Wind project proposes a floating wind farm off Newcastle, NSW, with an expected capacity of up to 10 gigawatts, pending a Scoping Study's results.
Vera's Water Garden Upgrade
Upgrading Vera's Water Garden to a zero-depth design to improve safety, accessibility, and reduce ongoing maintenance.
Employment
The labour market performance in The Entrance lags significantly behind most other regions nationally
The Entrance has a balanced mix of white and blue collar jobs, with essential services well-represented. As of September 2025, the unemployment rate is 8.4%, showing an estimated employment growth of 1.7% over the past year.
There are 1,749 residents in work, but the unemployment rate is higher than Greater Sydney's at 4.2%. Workforce participation lags at 43.6%. Key industries include health care & social assistance, retail trade, and construction. Health care & social assistance has notable concentration, with employment levels at 1.4 times the regional average.
Conversely, professional & technical services show lower representation at 3.3% compared to the regional average of 11.5%. The area offers limited local employment opportunities. Over a 12-month period ending September 2025, employment increased by 1.7%, labour force by 2.6%, leading to an unemployment rise of 0.8 percentage points. In comparison, Greater Sydney recorded employment growth of 2.1% and unemployment rising by 0.2 percentage points. State-level data as of 25-Nov-25 shows NSW employment contracted by 0.03%, with the state unemployment rate at 3.9%. National forecasts from May-25 project national employment to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to The Entrance's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.6% over five years and 13.8% over ten years, though this is a simplified extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.
Frequently Asked Questions - Employment
Income
Income metrics place the area in the bottom 10% of locations nationally according to AreaSearch analysis
AreaSearch's aggregation of latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year 2023 shows The Entrance had a median taxpayer income of $42,612 and an average income of $52,983. These figures are lower than the national averages of $60,817 and $83,003 respectively across Greater Sydney. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since financial year 2023, estimated incomes as of September 2025 would be approximately $46,387 (median) and $57,677 (average). Census 2021 income data shows household, family, and personal incomes in The Entrance fall between the 2nd and 11th percentiles nationally. Income analysis reveals that 30.8% of residents earn $400 - $799 weekly, compared to regional trends where 30.9% fall within the $1,500 - $2,999 range. Lower income households are prevalent, with 40.8% earning below $800 weekly, indicating affordability pressures for many residents. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 73.2% of income remaining, ranking at the 3rd percentile nationally.
Frequently Asked Questions - Income
Housing
The Entrance features a more urban dwelling mix with significant apartment living, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region
The Entrance's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, comprised 26.2% houses and 73.8% other dwellings. In comparison, Sydney metro had 83.2% houses and 16.7% other dwellings. Home ownership in The Entrance was at 29.1%, with mortgaged dwellings at 11.4% and rented ones at 59.5%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,733, below Sydney metro's $1,900, while the median weekly rent was $360, compared to Sydney metro's $385. Nationally, The Entrance's mortgage repayments were lower at $1,733 against Australia's average of $1,863, and rents were less at $360 compared to the national figure of $375.
Frequently Asked Questions - Housing
Household Composition
The Entrance features high concentrations of lone person households and group households, with a lower-than-average median household size
Family households account for 50.3% of all households, including 11.9% couples with children, 23.1% couples without children, and 13.9% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 49.7%, with lone person households at 45.4% and group households comprising 4.4%. The median household size is 1.9 people, which is smaller than the Greater Sydney average of 2.5.
Frequently Asked Questions - Households
Local Schools & Education
The Entrance faces educational challenges, with performance metrics placing it in the bottom quartile of areas assessed nationally
The area's university qualification rate is 16.6%, significantly lower than Greater Sydney's average of 38.0%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 11.4%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.6%) and graduate diplomas (1.6%). Vocational credentials are held by 39.2% of residents aged 15 and above, with advanced diplomas at 11.1% and certificates at 28.1%. A total of 23.6% of the population is actively engaged in formal education, including 7.7% in primary, 5.9% in secondary, and 2.7% in tertiary education.
A substantial 23.6% of the population actively pursues formal education. This includes 7.7% in primary education, 5.9% in secondary education, and 2.7% pursuing tertiary education.
Frequently Asked Questions - Education
Schools Detail
Nearby Services & Amenities
Transport
Transport servicing is good compared to other areas nationally based on assessment of service frequency, route connectivity and accessibility
Transport analysis shows 15 active stops operating within The Entrance, offering a mix of bus services. These stops are served by 36 individual routes, collectively providing 1,410 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated good, with residents typically located 224 meters from the nearest stop.
Service frequency averages 201 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 94 weekly trips per stop.
Frequently Asked Questions - Transport
Transport Stops Detail
Health
Health performance in The Entrance is a key challenge with a range of health conditions having marked impacts on both younger and older age cohorts
Health challenges are prominent across The Entrance, affecting various age groups. The rate of private health cover is low at approximately 48%, with around 2,038 people covered, compared to 50.4% in Greater Sydney and a national average of 55.7%. Common medical conditions include arthritis (12.2%) and mental health issues (12.1%).
About 54.6% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 61.5% in Greater Sydney. The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 31.9%, with around 1,356 people, compared to 22.3% in Greater Sydney. Health outcomes among seniors present challenges but are better than the general population metrics.
Frequently Asked Questions - Health
Cultural Diversity
In terms of cultural diversity, The Entrance records figures broadly comparable to the national average, as found in AreaSearch's assessment of a number of language and cultural background related metrics
The Entrance exhibited above-average cultural diversity, with 20.7% of its population born overseas and 12.7% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in The Entrance, accounting for 57.2% of its population. Notably, the category 'Other' comprised 1.8%, which was higher than Greater Sydney's average of 0.5%.
In terms of ancestry, the top three groups were English (30.3%), Australian (25.5%), and Irish (9.4%). The representation of Maltese (1.2%) and French (0.6%) was notably higher in The Entrance compared to regional averages of 1.0% and 0.4%, respectively. Additionally, the representation of Australian Aboriginal was 4.4%.
Frequently Asked Questions - Diversity
Age
The Entrance ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide
The median age in The Entrance is 50 years, which is significantly higher than Greater Sydney's 37 years and the national average of 38 years. Compared to Greater Sydney, The Entrance has a higher proportion of residents aged 65-74 (16.4%) but fewer residents aged 25-34 (10.3%). This concentration of 65-74 year-olds is well above the national average of 9.4%. Between the 2021 Census and now, the proportion of residents aged 75 to 84 has grown from 9.6% to 11.5%, while the proportion of those aged 5 to 14 has declined from 8.1% to 7.1%. By 2041, The Entrance is expected to see significant shifts in its age composition. Leading this shift, the number of residents aged 75 to 84 is projected to grow by 39%, reaching 680 from 488. This demographic aging continues as residents aged 65 and older represent all anticipated growth. Conversely, both the 45 to 54 age group and the 5 to 14 age group are expected to decrease in number.