Woollahra

Woollahra is positioned among the lower quartile of areas assessed nationally for population growth based on AreaSearch's assessment of recent, and medium term trends

As of Feb 2026, Woollahra's population is estimated at around 7,684, reflecting a 6.9% increase since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 7,189. This change is inferred from AreaSearch's resident population estimate of 7,503 as of June 2024 and an additional 84 validated new addresses since the Census date. Woollahra's population density ratio is 6,247 persons per square kilometer, placing it in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The suburb's growth rate exceeded that of its SA3 area (6.0%) between the 2021 Census and Feb 2026. Overseas migration contributed approximately 90.0% of overall population gains during this period. AreaSearch uses 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 where applicable, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021.

Based on these projections, Woollahra is expected to grow by 194 persons by 2041, reflecting a gain of 0.2% over the 17 years.

The level of residential development activity in Woollahra is very low in comparison to the average area assessed nationally by AreaSearch

Woollahra has seen approximately 8 new homes approved annually based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers. Over the past five financial years from FY-21 to FY-25, around 43 homes were approved, with one more approved in FY-26 so far. Despite a population decline during this period, new supply has likely kept pace with demand, providing good options for buyers.

The average expected construction cost value of new homes is $3,179,000, indicating developers target the premium market segment. In FY-26, $2.4 million in commercial approvals have been registered, reflecting Woollahra's primarily residential nature. Compared to Greater Sydney, Woollahra has significantly less development activity, 60.0% below the regional average per person. This limited new supply generally supports stronger demand and values for established dwellings, though building activity has accelerated recently. Nationally, Woollahra also reflects lower development levels due to market maturity and possible constraints. Recent construction comprises 33.0% detached houses and 67.0% attached dwellings, promoting higher-density living suitable for downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers.

Notably, developers are building more traditional houses than the current mix suggests (18.0% at Census), suggesting continued strong demand for family homes despite density pressures. With around 676 people per dwelling approval, Woollahra indicates a highly mature market. Future projections estimate Woollahra adding 13 residents by 2041 based on AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate. Given current construction levels, housing supply should adequately meet demand, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 37 projects likely affecting this region. Notable ones include Westfield Bondi Junction, Woollahra Station Completion and Rezoning, Woollahra Public School Redevelopment (Stage 2), and Woollahra Station Activation (Eastern Suburbs Railway). 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.

The labour market in Woollahra shows considerable strength compared to most other Australian regions

Woollahra has a highly educated workforce with significant representation in the technology sector. Its unemployment rate is 2.9%, lower than Greater Sydney's 4.2%. Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 2.8%.

As of December 2025, 4,457 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 1.3% below Greater Sydney's rate. Workforce participation is 72.6%, slightly higher than Greater Sydney's 70.2%. According to Census responses, 66.3% of residents work from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. The key industries for employment are professional & technical (2 times the regional average), finance & insurance, and health care & social assistance.

Construction employs only 4.0% of local workers, lower than Greater Sydney's 8.6%. Many residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census data. Between December 2024 and December 2025, employment increased by 2.8%, while the labour force grew by 3.3%, leading to a rise in unemployment rate of 0.5 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Sydney saw employment rise by 2.2% with a marginal increase in unemployment. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project overall growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Woollahra's industry mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.8% over five years and 15.3% over ten years, though this is a simplified extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

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

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023 shows that Woollahra suburb has one of the highest incomes nationally. The median assessed income is $86,294 and the average income stands at $217,455. This contrasts with Greater Sydney's figures: a median income of $60,817 and an average income of $83,003. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $93,940 (median) and $236,722 (average) as of September 2025. The 2021 Census data shows that household, family and personal incomes in Woollahra rank highly nationally, between the 97th and 98th percentiles. Income distribution indicates that 40.2% of locals (3,088 people) fall into the $4000+ category, unlike regional trends where 30.9% are within the $1,500 - 2,999 range. A substantial proportion of high earners (50.3% above $3,000/week) suggests strong economic capacity throughout the suburb. High housing costs consume 16.1% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 96th percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 10th decile.

Woollahra features a more urban dwelling mix with significant apartment living, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Woollahra's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 17.9% houses and 82.1% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This contrasts with Sydney metro's figures of 55.9% houses and 44.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Woollahra stood at 37.3%, with mortgaged properties at 25.8% and rented dwellings at 36.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $4,000, higher than Sydney metro's average of $2,427. Weekly rent in Woollahra was recorded at $670, compared to Sydney metro's $470. Nationally, Woollahra's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Woollahra features high concentrations of group households and lone person households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 59.9 percent of all households, including 23.1 percent couples with children, 27.4 percent couples without children, and 8.2 percent single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 40.1 percent, with lone person households at 33.6 percent and group households comprising 6.4 percent of the total. The median household size is 2.2 people, which is smaller than the Greater Sydney average of 2.7.

Educational achievement in Woollahra places it within the top 10% nationally, reflecting strong academic performance and high qualification levels across the community

In Woollahra, residents aged 15+ with university qualifications comprise 65.0%, exceeding national (30.4%) and NSW (32.2%) averages. University-level qualifications are prevalent, led by bachelor degrees at 42.4%. Postgraduate qualifications account for 19.1% and graduate diplomas for 3.5%. Vocational pathways, such as advanced diplomas (8.7%) and certificates (6.8%), constitute 15.5% of qualifications among residents aged 15+.

Educational participation is high, with 27.6% currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 8.7% in primary, 6.7% in secondary, and 6.6% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Public transport analysis shows 32 active transport stops operating within Woollahra, consisting of bus services. These stops are served by 32 individual routes, collectively providing 10,611 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents typically located 123 meters from the nearest stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward. The dominant mode of transport is car at 57%, with 15% walking and 14% by train. Vehicle ownership averages 0.7 per dwelling, below the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, 66.3% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 1,515 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 331 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Woollahra's health outcomes show exceptional results based on AreaSearch's assessment. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are very low across all age groups. Private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 112% of the total population (8,629 people), compared to 59.9% in Greater Sydney and a national average of 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions are arthritis and asthma, affecting 6.4% and 6.3% of residents respectively. 74.9% of residents report being completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 74.6% in Greater Sydney. Woollahra has 23.5% of residents aged 65 and over (1,805 people), higher than the 15.4% in Greater Sydney. Health outcomes among seniors are strong, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

The level of cultural diversity witnessed in Woollahra was found to be above average when compared nationally for a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Woollahra's population showed significant cultural diversity, with 15.8% speaking a language other than English at home and 34.4% born overseas. Christianity was the predominant religion, accounting for 43.6%. Notably, Judaism was overrepresented at 8.4%, compared to Greater Sydney's average of 0.8%.

In terms of ancestry, the top groups were English (26.6%), Australian (18.6%), and Other (10.8%). Hungarian, Polish, and French ethnicities were also notably higher than regional averages: 0.9% vs 0.3%, 1.5% vs 0.6%, and 1.1% vs 0.5% respectively.

Woollahra's median age exceeds the national pattern

The median age in Woollahra is 42 years, which is significantly higher than Greater Sydney's average of 37 years and Australia's average of 38 years. The 75-84 age group constitutes 9.6% of the population in Woollahra, compared to a lower prevalence of the 15-24 cohort at 10.3%. According to post-2021 Census data, the 75-84 age group has grown from 8.2% to 9.6%, while the 15-24 cohort has increased from 9.0% to 10.3%. Conversely, the 65-74 cohort has declined from 11.0% to 9.0%. Population forecasts for the year 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes in Woollahra. The 85+ age group is projected to grow by 67%, reaching 628 people from 376. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups are expected to account for 91% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. In contrast, the 55-64 and 0-4 cohorts are projected to experience population declines.