Willoughby (NSW)

Population growth drivers in Willoughby are above average based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Willoughby's population is estimated at around 7,510 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 386 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 7,124 people. The change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population at 7,421 following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 and an additional 306 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 4,607 persons per square kilometer, placing Willoughby in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Over the past decade, the suburb of Willoughby (NSW) has demonstrated resilient growth patterns with a compound annual growth rate of 1.1%, outpacing its SA4 region. Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration, contributing approximately 94.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilises NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, as released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Anticipating future population dynamics, a population increase just below the median of statistical areas analysed is expected in Willoughby, with an estimated increase of 459 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting a gain of 4.9% in total over the 17 years.

Residential development activity is slightly higher than average within Willoughby when compared nationally

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers shows Willoughby had around 132 dwelling approvals per year over the past 5 financial years, totalling approximately 663 homes. As of FY-26, 12 approvals have been recorded. The average population increase per dwelling built in Willoughby between FY-21 and FY-25 was 0.2 people per year. New construction has kept pace with or exceeded demand, offering more housing options while potentially driving population growth beyond current projections.

The average development value is $1,028,000, indicating a focus on premium properties. This financial year saw $24.9 million in commercial approvals, reflecting moderate commercial development levels compared to Greater Sydney. Willoughby records 192.0% more development activity per capita than the rest of Greater Sydney, suggesting strong developer confidence in the area. New developments consist of 9.0% detached houses and 91.0% townhouses or apartments, promoting higher-density living and creating affordable entry points for downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers. This shift contrasts with Willoughby's current housing composition, which is 56.0% houses. With around 268 people per dwelling approval, Willoughby exhibits characteristics of a low-density area. AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate projects Willoughby will gain 370 residents by 2041.

Current construction levels should meet housing demand adequately, creating favourable conditions for buyers and potentially enabling population growth beyond current forecasts.

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

Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified nine projects likely impacting the region. Notable initiatives are Aurora Willoughby, Heart Of Willoughby, Willoughby Grounds, and Flo Northbridge, all by WINIM. The following list details those most relevant.

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

Denotes AI-based impression for illustrative purposes only, not to be taken as definitive under any circumstances. Please follow links and conduct other investigations from the project's source for actual imagery. Developers and project owners wishing us to use original imagery please Contact Us and we will do so.

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

Willoughby has a highly educated workforce, with the technology sector prominent. Its unemployment rate was 4.7% in December 2025, slightly higher than Greater Sydney's 4.2%. Workforce participation was lower at 67.6%, compared to Greater Sydney's 70.2%.

Home workership was high at 62.7%. Dominant sectors include professional & technical, finance & insurance, and health care & social assistance. Finance & insurance is particularly specialized with an employment share of 1.9 times the regional level, while construction has limited presence at 5.6% compared to 8.6% regionally. The area offers limited local employment opportunities.

From December 2024 to December 2025, the labour force increased by 1.0%, but employment decreased by 0.4%, raising unemployment by 1.4 percentage points. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia (May-25) project national growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with local extrapolations suggesting Willoughby's employment should increase by 7.4% over five years and 14.7% over ten years.

The economic profile demonstrates exceptional strength, placing the area among the top 10% nationally based on comprehensive AreaSearch income analysis

The suburb of Willoughby has one of the highest income levels nationally, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of latest ATO data for financial year 2023. The median income among taxpayers in Willoughby is $79,919, with an average income of $164,640. These figures compare to Greater Sydney's median and average incomes of $60,817 and $83,003 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since financial year 2023, estimated current incomes are approximately $87,000 (median) and $179,227 (average) as of September 2025. Census data from 2021 shows that household, family, and personal incomes in Willoughby rank between the 93rd and 96th percentiles nationally. Income distribution indicates that 39.3% of residents earn $4,000 or more weekly (2,951 individuals), differing from regional patterns where earnings between $1,500 and $2,999 dominate at 30.9%. Notably, 49.6% earn above $3,000 weekly, reflecting areas of prosperity that contribute to robust local economic activity. High housing costs consume 15.5% of income in Willoughby, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 96th percentile nationally. The suburb's SEIFA income ranking places it within the 10th decile.

Willoughby displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Willoughby's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 56.5% houses and 43.5% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compared to Sydney metro's 56.5% houses and 43.5% other dwellings. Home ownership in Willoughby stood at 33.9%, with mortgaged dwellings at 34.8% and rented ones at 31.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $3,500, higher than Sydney metro's average of $2,427. Median weekly rent in Willoughby was $583, compared to Sydney metro's $470. Nationally, Willoughby's mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $3,500 versus the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Willoughby has a typical household mix, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households account for 75.6% of all households, including 41.0% couples with children, 22.5% couples without children, and 10.8% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 24.4%, with lone person households at 21.8% and group households comprising 2.7%. The median household size is 2.7 people, which aligns with the Greater Sydney average.

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

Willoughby's educational attainment is notably higher than national averages. 53.3% of residents aged 15 and above hold university qualifications, compared to 30.4% in Australia and 32.2% in NSW. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 34.1%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 15.6% and graduate diplomas at 3.6%. Vocational pathways account for 20.0% of qualifications, with advanced diplomas making up 9.8% and certificates 10.2%.

Educational participation is high, with 32.6% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 11.7% in primary education, 9.0% in secondary education, and 6.3% pursuing tertiary education.

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

The analysis of public transportation in Willoughby shows that there are currently 36 operational transport stops serving the area. These stops provide a variety of bus services, with a total of 55 different routes operating weekly. Together, these routes facilitate approximately 2,963 passenger trips each week. The accessibility of transport in Willoughby is considered excellent, with residents living an average of 138 meters from the nearest transport stop. As a predominantly residential area, most commuters travel outward for work or other purposes. The car remains the primary mode of transportation, used by 70% of residents, followed by bus at 13%, and walking at 7%.

On average, each dwelling owns one vehicle, which is lower than the regional average. According to the 2021 Census, a significant portion of Willoughby residents work from home, with this figure standing at 62.7% - a statistic that may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency across all routes averages 423 trips per day, translating to approximately 82 weekly trips per individual stop.

Willoughby's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Willoughby's health outcomes show excellent results based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. The area has a very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups. Approximately 92% of Willoughby's total population (6,881 people) have private health cover, compared to 59.9% in Greater Sydney and the national average of 55.7%.

Asthma and arthritis are the most prevalent medical conditions, affecting 6.8% and 5.9% of residents respectively. Notably, 75.8% of Willoughby's residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 74.6% in Greater Sydney. Working-age residents have low chronic condition prevalence. The area has 16.7% of residents aged 65 and over (1,254 people), higher than the 15.4% in Greater Sydney. Health outcomes among seniors are strong, broadly aligning with national rankings for the general population.

Willoughby 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

Willoughby's cultural diversity is notable, with 28.9% of its residents speaking a language other than English at home and 35.9% born overseas. Christianity is the predominant religion in Willoughby, making up 51.4% of the population. However, Judaism is overrepresented compared to Greater Sydney, comprising 0.6% versus 0.8%.

The top three ancestry groups are English (21.7%), Australian (19.6%), and Other (11.5%). Some ethnic groups show significant differences: Croatian at 1.3% in Willoughby compared to 0.7% regionally, French at 0.8% versus 0.5%, and Hungarian at 0.4% versus 0.3%.

Willoughby's population is slightly older than the national pattern

Willoughby has a median age of 40, which is slightly higher than Greater Sydney's figure of 37 and Australia's median age of 38. The 45-54 age cohort is notably over-represented in Willoughby at 16.2%, while the 25-34 age group is under-represented at 7.9%. Between 2021 and present, the 15 to 24 age group has increased from 10.7% to 14.0% of the population. Conversely, the 35 to 44 cohort has decreased from 16.4% to 14.9%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests Willoughby's age profile will change significantly. The 65 to 74 age group is projected to expand by 183 people (31%), growing from 593 to 777. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups are expected to account for 51% of total population growth, reflecting Willoughby's aging demographic profile. Meanwhile, the 0 to 4 and 5 to 14 cohorts are anticipated to experience population declines.