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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
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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 population of The Entrance is estimated at around 4,226 as of May 2026, reflecting a decrease of 18 people since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 4,244. This estimate is based on AreaSearch's analysis of ABS population updates and new addresses validated by them since the Census date. The latest ERP data release by the ABS (June 2025) and an additional 25 validated new addresses contributed to this estimation. The suburb's population density ratio is 2,561 persons per square kilometer, placing it in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Overseas migration primarily drove recent population growth, contributing approximately 76.0% of overall population gains.
AreaSearch adopts 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. These projections indicate an overall population decline of 192 persons by 2041, but growth across specific age cohorts is anticipated, notably the 75 to 84 age group which is projected to grow by 184 people over this period.
Frequently Asked Questions - Population
Development
AreaSearch assessment of residential development drivers sees a low level of activity in The Entrance, placing the area among the bottom 25% of areas assessed nationally
AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers indicates The Entrance has seen approximately 9 new homes approved annually. Between FY-21 and FY-25, around 49 homes were approved, with an additional 11 approved in FY-26 so far. Despite population decline, housing supply has remained adequate relative to demand, resulting in a balanced market with diverse buyer choices.
The average construction value of new properties is $503,000, suggesting developers focus on the premium market. This financial year, $236,000 in commercial development approvals were recorded, indicating a predominantly residential focus. Compared to Greater Sydney, The Entrance shows roughly half the construction activity per person and ranks at the 52nd percentile nationally. However, recent periods have seen increased development activity. New building activity comprises 27.0% detached dwellings and 73.0% townhouses or apartments, reflecting denser development trends catering to downsizers, investors, and entry-level buyers.
With around 312 people per dwelling approval, The Entrance exhibits low-density characteristics. Population projections indicating stability or decline suggest reduced housing demand pressures, benefiting potential buyers in the area.
Frequently Asked Questions - Development
Development applications around The Entrance
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| Lodged | Address | Description | Type | Distance | Status |
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SOURCE: Planning portals and council registers, compiled by AreaSearch. Distance & bearing measured from the suburb midpoint.
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 identified six projects likely impacting the area. Key projects are Vera's Water Garden Upgrade, The Grant McBride Baths Upgrade, Lakeside Shopping Centre Redevelopment, and El Lago Site Redevelopment.
Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.
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 future-proof water security for over 210,000 residents. The project introduces Dissolved Air Flotation (DAF) technology and new flocculation tanks to handle poor raw water conditions such as algal blooms and high turbidity. Key works include new chemical dosing systems, a new access road, and electrical switch rooms to ensure a reliable supply of up to 160 million litres of water per day.
Toukley Desalination Water Treatment Plant
A proposed seawater desalination water treatment plant adjacent to the existing Toukley Sewage Treatment Plant, being developed as a 'plan ready' drought response project under the Central Coast Water Security Plan. The current concept is a reverse osmosis facility with an initial capacity of 30 ML/day, with provision in the EIS for staged expansion up to 40 ML/day to support normal water supply if needed. The preferred design uses a direct ocean intake located around one kilometre offshore from Jenny Dixon Reserve, with the transfer pump station relocated to the desalination plant site (replacing the earlier Lakes Beach underground well concept under Budgewoi Beach) and connected by a deep tunnel bored about 25 metres below ground. Brine would be discharged via the existing Norah Head ocean outfall. Council is preparing an Environmental Impact Statement, with a community drop-in session held in August 2025 and another planned for the second quarter of 2026. The plant would only be constructed if dam storage falls below the 45 percent trigger at Mangrove Creek Dam, with construction estimated to take 3 to 4 years once activated. GHD has been appointed as the specialist consultant supporting concept design and statutory approvals.
High Speed Rail - Newcastle to Sydney (Line 1)
High Speed Rail Line 1 will connect Newcastle to Sydney on a new dedicated 194km rail line with trains capable of speeds up to 320 km/h on surface sections and 200 km/h in tunnels. Around 115km of the route will run through tunnels. The line will reduce travel time between Newcastle and Sydney to around one hour, with Central Coast trips of about 30 minutes. Six stations are proposed at central Newcastle (Broadmeadow), Lake Macquarie, the Central Coast (Gosford), Sydney Central, Parramatta and Western Sydney International Airport. Following release of the business case in early 2026, the project moved into a two-year Development Phase, with the Australian Government investing a further $230 million for design refinement, environmental and planning approvals, and corridor preservation. The first two major contract packages went to tender in 2026: Area Package 1 (around 35km of twin TBM tunnels, an underground station and associated civil works) and Trains, Systems and Systems Integration (supply of trains, design of all systems, rail depot and operations control centre). The Newcastle to Sydney section is estimated to cost around $61.2 billion by 2039, with a further $32 billion to extend to Western Sydney International Airport by 2042. The project is forecast to support up to 15,000 construction jobs annually at peak and add around $250 billion to the Australian economy over a 50-year appraisal period.
Low and Mid-Rise Housing Policy
Comprehensive NSW state planning reforms designed to increase housing density in well-located areas. The policy mandates mid-rise apartment buildings (3-6 storeys) and low-rise multi-dwelling housing (terraces, townhouses, and dual occupancies) within 800m of 171 high-frequency transport hubs and town centres. As of May 2026, the policy is fully operational following the phased rollout of dual occupancy provisions in July 2024 and mid-rise apartment provisions in early 2025. Recent updates include refined floor space ratios (FSR) and non-refusal standards to streamline local council assessments.
Sydney Metro Program
Australia's largest public transport program, comprising multiple metro lines across Greater Sydney. The M1 City and Southwest line is operating to Sydenham, while the Sydenham to Bankstown conversion is in final testing with weekend closures scheduled from May to July 2026 as the project moves toward trial running and a second-half 2026 opening. Sydney Metro West is a 24 kilometre underground line between Westmead and Hunter Street targeting a 2032 opening, with confirmed stations at Westmead, Parramatta, Sydney Olympic Park, North Strathfield, Burwood North, Five Dock, The Bays, Pyrmont and Hunter Street. Sydney Metro Western Sydney Airport is under construction between St Marys, the new Western Sydney International Airport and Bradfield, with the objective of opening when the airport starts passenger services.
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 workforce spanning white and blue collar jobs. Key sectors include health care & social assistance, retail trade, and construction. As of December 2025, the unemployment rate is 8.1%, with an estimated employment growth of 2.5% over the past year.
There are 1,720 residents in work, but the unemployment rate is 3.9% higher than Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%. Workforce participation lags at 49.0% compared to Greater Sydney's 68.8%. Moderately, 22.5% of residents work from home. The area has a notable concentration in health care & social assistance, with employment levels at 1.4 times the regional average.
Conversely, professional & technical services show lower representation at 3.3% versus the regional average of 11.5%. Limited local employment opportunities are indicated by the count of Census working population vs resident population. Over a 12-month period, employment increased by 2.5%, while labour force grew by 2.3%, resulting in unemployment falling by 0.2 percentage points. By comparison, Greater Sydney recorded employment growth of 2.2%, with unemployment rising marginally. National employment forecasts from May-25 suggest potential future demand within The Entrance. Over five years, national employment is forecast to expand by 6.6%, and over ten years by 13.7%. 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.
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 for financial year 2023 shows The Entrance had a median income among taxpayers of $42,612 and an average of $52,983. These figures are lower than the national averages of $60,817 and $83,003 respectively in Greater Sydney. Using Wage Price Index growth of 10.32% since financial year 2023, estimated incomes as of March 2026 would be approximately $47,010 (median) and $58,451 (average). Census 2021 income data indicates 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 30.9% in the region earning $1,500 - $2,999 weekly. Notably, 40.8% of households earn below $800 weekly, suggesting affordability pressures. Housing affordability is 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 above-average rates of outright home ownership
The Entrance dwelling structure, as recorded in the latest Census, consisted of 26.2% houses and 73.8% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Sydney metro had 55.9% houses and 44.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in The Entrance was 29.1%, with mortgaged dwellings at 11.4% and rented ones at 59.5%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,733, lower than Sydney metro's average of $2,427. The median weekly rent in the area was $360, compared to Sydney metro's $470. Nationally, The Entrance's mortgage repayments were below the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were less than 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 make up 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, smaller than Greater Sydney's average of 2.7.
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 prevalent, with 39.2% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (11.1%) and certificates (28.1%). A total of 23.6% of the population is actively engaged in formal education, comprising 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
The Entrance has 15 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 36 different routes that collectively facilitate 1,410 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents typically located 224 meters from the nearest stop. As a predominantly residential area, most commuting is outward-bound. Car remains the primary mode of transportation at 84%, while bus accounts for 6% and walking for another 6%. On average, there are 0.7 vehicles per dwelling, which is below the regional average.
According to the 2021 Census, 22.5% of residents work from home, a figure that may reflect COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency averages 201 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 94 weekly trips per individual 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
The Entrance faces significant health challenges, as indicated by AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. A variety of health conditions affect both younger and older age groups, with a notably low private health cover rate of approximately 48% (around 2,026 people), compared to Greater Sydney's 59.9% and the national average of 55.7%. The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis and mental health issues, affecting 12.2% and 12.1% of residents respectively, while 54.6% report being free from medical ailments, compared to Greater Sydney's 74.6%.
Working-age individuals in the area face substantial health challenges due to elevated chronic condition rates. The region has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 33.8% (1,428 people), compared to Greater Sydney's 15.5%. Health outcomes among seniors present additional challenges, with national rankings even worse than those of the general population.
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 demonstrated 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 as of 2016, comprising 57.2% of the population. However, the most notable overrepresentation was in the 'Other' category, which accounted for 1.8% of the population compared to Greater Sydney's 1.4%.
In terms of ancestry, the top three groups were English at 30.3%, Australian at 25.5%, and Irish at 9.4%. These percentages were substantially higher than their respective regional averages of 19.0%, 17.8%, and not specified. Notably, Maltese (1.2%), French (0.6%), and Australian Aboriginal (4.4%) groups were overrepresented in The Entrance compared to regional averages of 1.0%, 0.5%, and 1.3% respectively.
Frequently Asked Questions - Diversity
Age
The Entrance ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide
The Entrance's median age is 50 years, 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 (16.8%) but fewer residents aged 25-34 (10.6%). This 65-74 concentration is well above the national figure of 9.4%. Between the 2021 Census and now, the 75 to 84 age group has increased from 9.6% to 12.6%, while the 85+ cohort has risen from 3.2% to 4.4%. Conversely, the 45 to 54 age group has decreased from 12.8% to 11.5%, and the 5 to 14 age group has dropped from 8.1% to 7.0%. By 2041, The Entrance's age composition is expected to shift notably. Leading this demographic change, the 75 to 84 age group is projected to grow by 29%, reaching 689 people from 532. This demographic aging trend continues as residents aged 65 and older represent 100% of anticipated growth. Conversely, both the 65-74 and 45-54 age groups are expected to decrease in numbers.