Wahroonga

An assessment of population growth drivers in Wahroonga reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

The population of Wahroonga is estimated at around 18,058 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 205 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 17,853. The change was inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population at 17,991 following examination of ABS data released in June 2024 and an additional 56 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 1,855 persons per square kilometer, above the national average assessed by AreaSearch. Overseas migration primarily drove population growth in the suburb during recent periods.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilises NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021. Growth rates by age group are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. By 2041, the suburb is projected to grow by 2,492 persons, reflecting an increase of 13.4% over the 17-year period.

Recent residential development output has been above average within Wahroonga when compared nationally

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers shows Wahroonga had approximately 66 new homes approved annually over the past five financial years, totalling around 332 homes. By FY26176 approvals have been recorded. On average, each dwelling constructed between FY21 and FY25 accommodated about 0.8 new residents per year. This suggests that new construction is meeting or exceeding demand, offering buyers more options and potentially supporting population growth beyond current expectations.

The average expected construction cost of new properties is around $963,000, indicating a focus on the premium segment. In FY26, commercial approvals totalled $137.0 million, reflecting high levels of local commercial activity. New development consists of 52.0% detached houses and 48.0% attached dwellings, marking a shift from existing housing patterns (currently 75.0% houses), possibly due to diminishing developable land availability and evolving lifestyle preferences.

With around 177 people per dwelling approval, Wahroonga exhibits characteristics of a low density area. According to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate, Wahroonga is projected to add approximately 2,425 residents by 2041. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing favourable conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

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

Infrastructure changes significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 35 potential impact projects. Key ones are The Residences at Wahroonga Estate, Twin Towers Hornsby, Eastwood Gardens (Waitara), and Braeside Street Road Upgrade. Relevant projects are listed below.

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

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Employment conditions in Wahroonga remain below the national average according to AreaSearch analysis

Wahroonga has a highly educated workforce. The technology sector is particularly prominent. Unemployment rate was 4.4% as of December 2025.

Employment stability remained relatively consistent over the past year based on AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data. As of December 2025, 8,882 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 0.2% higher than Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%. Workforce participation lagged significantly at 62.0%, compared to Greater Sydney's 70.2%. Census responses indicated that 59.8% of residents worked from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered.

Dominant employment sectors among residents include health care & social assistance, professional & technical, and finance & insurance. Wahroonga shows strong specialization in professional & technical services with an employment share of 1.5 times the regional level. Conversely, construction has lower representation at 4.9% compared to the regional average of 8.6%. Employment opportunities locally appear limited as indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. During the year to December 2025, employment levels remained stable at 0.0%, while labour force increased by 1.1%, causing unemployment rate to rise by 1.0 percentage points. Greater Sydney recorded employment growth of 2.2% and labour force growth of 2.3%, with marginal increase in unemployment. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 offer further insight into potential future demand within Wahroonga. These projections suggest national employment should expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but growth rates differ significantly between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to Wahroonga's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.7% over five years and 15.4% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections.

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

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of ATO data released on 30 June 2023 for financial year 2022-23, Wahroonga had a median taxpayer income of $61,112 and an average income of $103,753. These figures place Wahroonga in the top percentile nationally. Compared to Greater Sydney's median income of $60,817 and average income of $83,003, Wahroonga's incomes are higher. Based on Wage Price Index growth from June 2022 to September 2025 (an increase of 8.86%), current estimates for Wahroonga would be approximately $66,527 (median) and $112,946 (average). The 2021 Census data shows that incomes in Wahroonga rank highly nationally, between the 82nd and 96th percentiles. Income analysis reveals that 38.2% of Wahroonga's population earns more than $4,000 weekly, contrasting with the metropolitan region where the majority earn between $1,500 and $2,999 weekly. Higher earners are prevalent in Wahroonga, with 49.9% earning over $3,000 weekly, indicating strong purchasing power. Housing costs account for 14.8% of income, while strong earnings place residents in the 96th percentile for disposable income. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 10th decile.

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

As of the latest Census, Wahroonga's dwelling structure consisted of 74.6% houses and 25.3% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Sydney metro's 55.9% houses and 44.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Wahroonga stood at 40.0%, with the rest being mortgaged (41.5%) or rented (18.5%). The median monthly mortgage repayment was $3,467, higher than Sydney metro's average of $2,427. The median weekly rent was recorded at $600, compared to Sydney metro's $470. Nationally, Wahroonga's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 81.6% of all households, including 47.0% couples with children, 25.0% couples without children, and 8.8% single parent families. Non-family households account for 18.4%, with lone person households at 17.1% and group households comprising 1.4%. The median household size is 2.9 people, which is larger than the Greater Sydney average of 2.7.

Wahroonga demonstrates exceptional educational outcomes, ranking among the top 5% of areas nationally based on AreaSearch's comprehensive analysis of qualification and performance metrics

Wahroonga's educational attainment is notably higher than national averages. Among residents aged 15 or above, 54.5% hold university qualifications compared to Australia's 30.4% and NSW's 32.2%. This high level of education positions the area favourably for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees are most common at 33.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (17.0%) and graduate diplomas (3.8%).

Vocational pathways account for 19.4% of qualifications among those aged 15 or above, with advanced diplomas making up 10.6% and certificates 8.8%. Educational participation is high in Wahroonga, with 32.8% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.3% in primary education, 10.3% in secondary education, and 7.6% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Wahroonga has 134 active public transport stops offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by 70 different routes, collectively facilitating 5,595 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated excellent with residents typically located 176 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward due to Wahroonga's residential nature. Cars remain the dominant mode of transport at 79%, followed by train at 11% and walking at 6%. Vehicle ownership averages 1.5 per dwelling, exceeding the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, 59.8% of residents work from home, potentially due to COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 799 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 41 weekly trips per stop. The accompanying map displays the 100 nearest stops to the location's centrepoint.

Wahroonga's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with younger cohorts in particular seeing very low prevalence of common health conditions

Wahroonga's health outcomes show remarkable results according to AreaSearch's analysis of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Younger cohorts particularly have a very low prevalence of common health conditions. The rate of private health cover in Wahroonga is exceptionally high at approximately 68% of its total population of 12,245 people, compared to 59.9% across Greater Sydney and the national average of 55.7%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis and asthma, affecting 6.7 and 6.2% of residents respectively. A total of 72.5% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 74.6% across Greater Sydney. Wahroonga has 24.2% of its population aged 65 and over (4,370 people), which is higher than the 15.4% in Greater Sydney. Health outcomes among seniors are above average but rank lower nationally compared to the broader population.

Wahroonga was found to be more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets in Australia, upon assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Wahroonga has notable cultural diversity, with 29.8% speaking a language other than English at home and 39.3% born overseas. Christianity is the predominant religion, with 52.8%. Judaism is slightly overrepresented compared to Greater Sydney, at 0.8%.

The top three ancestry groups are English (23.6%), Australian (19.1%), and Chinese (12.9%). South Australian (1.4%), Korean (1.6%), and Hungarian (0.4%) groups show notable divergences from regional percentages.

Wahroonga hosts a notably older demographic compared to the national average

Wahroonga's median age is 44, surpassing Greater Sydney's figure of 37 and significantly exceeding the national norm of 38. The 75-84 age group constitutes 9.3%, notably higher than Greater Sydney's percentage. Conversely, the 25-34 cohort makes up only 5.3%. Post-2021 Census, the 15 to 24 age group grew from 13.0% to 15.1%, while the 75 to 84 group increased from 7.6% to 9.3%. Meanwhile, the 35 to 44 cohort declined from 12.6% to 11.1% and the 25 to 34 group dropped from 6.6% to 5.3%. By 2041, demographic modeling predicts significant shifts in Wahroonga's age profile. The 85+ group is projected to grow by 115%, reaching 2,057 from 957. Those aged 65 and above will comprise 80% of the projected population growth. Conversely, the 0 to 4 and 5 to 14 age groups are expected to experience population declines.