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North Sydney vs Northern Beaches
Council (LGA) comparison ≈ 16 km apart · North Sydney profile · Northern Beaches profile
North Sydney Northern Beaches
Northern Beaches and North Sydney are two nearby areas with very different living patterns. North Sydney is a high-density hub where 75.7% of homes are flats or apartments, and 51.9% of households rent. It has a highly qualified population, with 59.5% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher and 36.1% earning $2,000 or more a week. In contrast, Northern Beaches is more suburban, with 57.3% of homes being separate houses and a much higher share of four-bedroom properties. It is also more family-oriented, with a higher proportion of children under 15 and a larger share of couples with children.
Both areas share a very similar typical weekly household income, with Northern Beaches at $2,592 and North Sydney at $2,524. This financial common ground exists alongside widening gaps in other areas of life. Since 2016, more people in North Sydney have started working from home and moving into the area. The gap in people living alone has also grown, with 38.6% in North Sydney compared to 22.3% in Northern Beaches.
Where they differ most
Demographics & Identity
- First area, 2011: 62,289
- First area, 2016: 67,658
- First area, 2021: 68,950
- Second area, 2016: 252,878
- Second area, 2021: 263,554
- First area, 2011: 36 yrs
- First area, 2016: 37 yrs
- First area, 2021: 38 yrs
- Second area, 2016: 40 yrs
- Second area, 2021: 41 yrs
Age structure
Marital status
Age & sex structure
Bars show the share of each area's own population, so differently sized areas stay comparable.
- 85+ in North Sydney: 0.7% males, 1.1% females; 85+ in Northern Beaches: 1.0% males, 1.7% females
- 80–84 in North Sydney: 0.9% males, 1.2% females; 80–84 in Northern Beaches: 1.2% males, 1.4% females
- 75–79 in North Sydney: 1.6% males, 1.9% females; 75–79 in Northern Beaches: 1.7% males, 2.0% females
- 70–74 in North Sydney: 2.1% males, 2.5% females; 70–74 in Northern Beaches: 2.1% males, 2.3% females
- 65–69 in North Sydney: 2.1% males, 2.6% females; 65–69 in Northern Beaches: 2.3% males, 2.5% females
- 60–64 in North Sydney: 2.4% males, 2.9% females; 60–64 in Northern Beaches: 2.8% males, 2.9% females
- 55–59 in North Sydney: 2.6% males, 2.9% females; 55–59 in Northern Beaches: 3.3% males, 3.4% females
- 50–54 in North Sydney: 2.8% males, 3.4% females; 50–54 in Northern Beaches: 3.6% males, 3.8% females
- 45–49 in North Sydney: 3.2% males, 3.4% females; 45–49 in Northern Beaches: 3.8% males, 4.0% females
- 40–44 in North Sydney: 3.8% males, 4.1% females; 40–44 in Northern Beaches: 3.4% males, 3.6% females
- 35–39 in North Sydney: 4.8% males, 5.2% females; 35–39 in Northern Beaches: 3.0% males, 3.4% females
- 30–34 in North Sydney: 5.4% males, 6.2% females; 30–34 in Northern Beaches: 2.8% males, 3.1% females
- 25–29 in North Sydney: 4.4% males, 5.3% females; 25–29 in Northern Beaches: 2.5% males, 2.6% females
- 20–24 in North Sydney: 2.3% males, 2.6% females; 20–24 in Northern Beaches: 2.7% males, 2.5% females
- 15–19 in North Sydney: 1.6% males, 1.5% females; 15–19 in Northern Beaches: 3.2% males, 3.0% females
- 10–14 in North Sydney: 1.8% males, 1.8% females; 10–14 in Northern Beaches: 3.6% males, 3.4% females
- 5–9 in North Sydney: 2.1% males, 2.1% females; 5–9 in Northern Beaches: 3.2% males, 3.0% females
- 0–4 in North Sydney: 2.5% males, 2.4% females; 0–4 in Northern Beaches: 2.7% males, 2.6% females
Ancestry & Birthplace
Country of birth
Ancestry
Language
Language used at home
Religion
Religious affiliation
Education & Qualifications
Highest year of school
Highest qualification level
Field of qualification
Income
- First area, 2011: $1,216
- First area, 2016: $1,386
- First area, 2021: $1,593
- Second area, 2016: $916
- Second area, 2021: $1,109
- First area, 2011: $2,205
- First area, 2016: $2,360
- First area, 2021: $2,524
- Second area, 2016: $2,178
- Second area, 2021: $2,592
- First area, 2011: $2,768
- First area, 2016: $3,210
- First area, 2021: $3,743
- Second area, 2016: $2,528
- Second area, 2021: $3,131
Household income distribution
Personal income distribution
Health & Disability
Long-term health conditions reported
Number of long-term health conditions
Community Participation
First Nations
Family & Households
- First area, 2011: 2.0
- First area, 2016: 2.0
- First area, 2021: 2.0
- Second area, 2016: 2.7
- Second area, 2021: 2.7
Family composition
Household size
Housing & Dwellings
- First area, 2011: $480
- First area, 2016: $575
- First area, 2021: $580
- Second area, 2016: $565
- Second area, 2021: $625
- First area, 2011: $2,700
- First area, 2016: $2,600
- First area, 2021: $3,000
- Second area, 2016: $2,800
- Second area, 2021: $3,124
- First area, 2011: 1.20
- First area, 2016: 1.00
- First area, 2021: 1.00
- Second area, 2016: 0.90
- Second area, 2021: 0.90
How homes are owned or rented
Types of homes
Bedrooms per home
Weekly rent distribution
Monthly mortgage distribution
Transport & Vehicles
How people get to work
Motor vehicles per home
Migration & Movement
Jobs & Industry
Industries people work in
Occupations people work in
Economy & Advantage
Environment & Climate
Crime & Safety
Walkability
Compare North Sydney with nearby areas
Compare Northern Beaches with nearby areas
Cite this page
Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). North Sydney vs Northern Beaches [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/compare/lga/LGA15950/north-sydney/vs/LGA15990/northern-beaches