Council (LGA) · Area profile
Northern Beaches
254 km²
A typical weekly household income of $2,592 puts Northern Beaches among the highest in the country. This is a wealthy, highly educated community where professional roles are common and home ownership is strong. The area is notably family-oriented, with more children and larger households than most other regions. Its coastal setting and high amenity levels contribute to a high quality of life, marked by excellent health outcomes and a very safe environment.
Northern Beaches's schools draw a community as advantaged as its high household incomes suggest.
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The population grew by 4.2% to reach 263,554 people. Residents are noticeably older than the national average, with a typical age of 41, and the proportion of seniors has risen to 18.2%.
People born overseas make up 30.2% of the community, which is much higher than most areas. English and Australian ancestries are the most common, though the overseas-born population has risen since 2016.
English is the main language for 81% of the population. While more people use another language at home than in most similar areas, the 15.6% figure is still far below the New South Wales average.
A high number of residents report no religion, at 43.7%, which is well above the national figure. This sentiment has grown significantly, rising 9.4 percentage points since 2016.
Education levels are far above the national average, with 37.7% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. High school completion is also among the highest in the country at 73.1%.
Wealth is a defining feature here, with 41.8% of households earning $3,000 or more a week. This is far above the national figure, and the typical weekly family income of $3,131 is among the highest at this level.
Residents enjoy very good health, with a much lower rate of long-term health conditions and mental health issues than most other areas. Only 3.9% of people need help with daily activities.
Unpaid care for children is much more common here than in most areas, at 28.6%. Volunteering is also higher than the state average, though it has fallen since 2016.
First Nations residents in this area are notably older and have far higher incomes and Year 12 completion rates than those in the rest of the state.
Homes tend to be larger than average, with 2.7 people per household. This is consistent with a high proportion of couples with children, who make up 64.6% of families.
Housing is expensive, with typical weekly rents of $625 and monthly mortgage payments of $3,124, both among the highest in the country. Detached houses are less common than in other areas, at 57.3%.
Working from home is very common at 44%, a massive increase from 7.1% in 2016. Despite this, 33% of people still commute by car.
The area is relatively mobile, with 38% of people having moved in the last five years. Recent arrivals from overseas make up 12.2% of the population.
Employment is strong, with a very low unemployment rate of 3.2%. Professionals and managers make up over half of all occupations.
The area is ranked at the highest possible level for overall advantage, with top scores for access to money, resources, and job skills.
The climate is wetter and milder than the state average, with annual rainfall of 1,408mm, which is far above the New South Wales figure.
The area is very safe, with recorded offences and rates of theft, burglary, and assault among the lowest in the country.
The neighborhood is very walkable, with 88.4% of homes within a 15-minute walk of key amenities. Almost every home is within a short walk of a park or public transport.