Bilgola Plateau
The standout feature of Bilgola Plateau is its affluent, detached housing profile: household income sits at the 96.4th percentile, while the median age of 46 is 6 years above the national average. On a compact 1.39 square kilometre footprint, 3,650 residents live at a density of 2,621.7 people per square kilometre. Separate houses account for 97.8% of dwellings, and 54.7% of residents work from home. Compared with nearby Newport and Avalon Beach, the suburb has a particularly settled, family-oriented feel, supported by high owner occupancy and a large proportion of four-bedroom-plus homes.
Population
3,650
Median Age
46.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,856/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
31
Bilgola Plateau suits buyers seeking established family housing rather than compact or apartment living. Separate houses make up 97.8% of dwellings, while 61.3% have four or more bedrooms, creating space for families, home offices and long-term ownership. The tenure mix is split between 42.1% owned outright and 47.5% with a mortgage, so many households are still carrying substantial debt. A monthly mortgage cost of $3,315 represents 26.8% of household income, below the 31.3% rent-to-income measure. Compared with smaller-home markets, the detached format supports privacy but limits lower-cost entry options.
For Buyers
Bilgola Plateau suits buyers seeking established family housing rather than compact or apartment living. Separate houses make up 97.8% of dwellings, while 61.3% have four or more bedrooms, creating space for families, home offices and long-term ownership. The tenure mix is split between 42.1% owned outright and 47.5% with a mortgage, so many households are still carrying substantial debt. A monthly mortgage cost of $3,315 represents 26.8% of household income, below the 31.3% rent-to-income measure. Compared with smaller-home markets, the detached format supports privacy but limits lower-cost entry options.
For Investors
The investment case is shaped by scarcity, high rents and a small rental pool. Weekly rent is $895, while only 9.9% of households rent and the vacancy rate is 3.6%, indicating that rental demand should be assessed carefully against the limited tenant base. Household income at the 96.4th percentile is higher than the national benchmark, which can support premium housing demand, although the same affluence may reduce the depth of the mainstream rental market. There were 32 development applications over 12 months, so additions and alterations may gradually improve existing dwellings rather than create a large volume of new stock.
Development Activity
Total DAs
191
Last 12 Months
31
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-6.1%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Bilgola Plateau
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Demographics
Bilgola Plateau has an older resident profile, with a median age of 46, which is 6 years above the national average. University attainment is 47.2%, or 17.1 percentage points above the national comparison, while the overseas-born share is 27.8%, 6.2 points below the national level. English, Irish and Scottish ancestry are prominent, with counts of 1,823, 505 and 473 respectively. No religion is recorded for 1,789 residents compared with 1,580 identifying with Christianity. The average household size of 2.9 is 0.4 above national average, and 84.1% stayed at the same address, supporting a more settled pattern than the 15.9% turnover rate.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
97.8%
Houses
0.0%
Townhouse
2.2%
Apartment
Tenure
Housing is overwhelmingly detached and family-sized. Separate houses account for 97.8% of dwellings, apartments represent 2.2%, and homes with four or more bedrooms account for 61.3%, compared with 32.4% for three-bedroom properties. Ownership is divided between 42.1% outright ownership and 47.5% mortgage ownership, while just 9.9% of households rent. The $3,315 monthly mortgage measure is higher than the $895 weekly rent measure when viewed as a cash commitment, but mortgage stress is not flagged at 26.8% of income. Rent stress is flagged at 31.3%, showing greater pressure for tenants than mortgagors.
Mortgage / mo
$3,315
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (April to June 2026), NSW Rental Bond Board (DCJ). Census 2021 median: $895.
$1,250
Bond data Jun 2026 · houses $1,458 · units $765
HH Size
2.9
Personal Income / wk
$1,062
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
3.6%
Unoccupied
46
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
31.3% stressed
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
26.8%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
49.4%
Couples with children
40.4%
Couples, no children
9.9%
Single parent
1,098
Total families
Economy & Employment
Bilgola Plateau's economy is professional and service-oriented, led by Professional/Tech at 16.9% or 228 workers, followed by Healthcare at 13.6% or 184 and Education at 11.1% or 149. Construction contributes 10.2% or 138 workers, while Retail accounts for 6.5% or 87, lower than Professional/Tech by 10.4 percentage points. The occupation profile reinforces this pattern, with 596 Professionals and 404 Managers compared with 203 Clerical/Admin workers and 197 Trades workers. Unemployment is 3.4%, participation is 64.9%, and 52.4% work full time, consistent with a skilled, higher-income labour market.
Unemployment
3.4%
Labour Force
1,892
Unemployed
64
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
52.4%
Part-time
37.9%
Participation
64.9%
Employed
1,828
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
47.2%
Postgraduate
12.7%
Born Overseas
27.8%
Dwellings
1,229
Transport to Work
Daily life is strongly car-oriented, with 41.0% of residents driving to work compared with only 0.7% using public transport and 1.4% walking or cycling. However, 54.7% work from home, above the car-driver share, which reduces commuting pressure for many households. Bilgola Plateau Public School provides one local government primary option; families should confirm enrolment zones and secondary-school access against the exact address. The suburb has 3,650 residents, an average household size of 2.9 and a need-assistance rate of 2.4%. No local crime rate is available, so current NSW Police information should be checked before making a safety comparison.
Drive
41.0%
Public Transport
0.7%
Walk / Cycle
1.4%
Work from Home
54.7%
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Bilgola Plateau compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Bilgola Plateau a good suburb to live in?
Bilgola Plateau suits households wanting detached homes, larger floorplans and a settled environment. The median age is 46, 97.8% of dwellings are separate houses and 54.7% of residents work from home. Public transport use is only 0.7%, so car access remains important.
What is the median house price in Bilgola Plateau?
A current median house price should be confirmed from recent comparable sales. The housing profile is strongly detached, with 97.8% of dwellings being separate houses, while weekly rent is $895. Buyers should compare recent sales by land size, views, condition and bedroom count.
What schools are in Bilgola Plateau?
Bilgola Plateau Public School is the local government primary school. Families should confirm enrolment boundaries and transport arrangements for each address, particularly when comparing the 2107 postcode with nearby school options. Secondary access should also be checked before purchasing.
Is Bilgola Plateau safe?
Safety should be checked using current NSW Police information because a local crime rate is not available here. Bilgola Plateau has 3,650 residents and a relatively settled mobility pattern, with 84.1% staying at the same address, but those figures do not replace incident-level checks.
Is Bilgola Plateau good for property investment?
Bilgola Plateau may suit investors targeting premium detached rentals, with weekly rent at $895 and vacancy at 3.6%. The rental share is only 9.9%, so tenant depth needs attention. There were 32 development applications in 12 months, mainly involving existing homes and alterations.
How is Bilgola Plateau's population changing?
Bilgola Plateau has 3,650 residents, with 84.1% staying at the same address and 15.9% turnover. That indicates a settled population, while 32 development applications may support gradual change through renovations and dwelling modifications rather than rapid redevelopment.
How to read these comparisons
Phrases like "above the national average" reference the unweighted median across Australian suburbs with more than 1,000 residents, not population-weighted national figures. Suburb-level medians are more useful for ranking suburbs against each other; ABS census headlines are population-weighted (so dominated by Sydney and Melbourne) and can read very differently.
Current baseline (refreshed 2026-05-10): median age 40, university-educated 30.1%, born overseas 21.6%, average household size 2.5 people.
Data sources: ABS 2021 Census (demographics, income, tenure), state education open registers (school locations), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications). Population forecasts use a Hamilton-Perry cohort model calibrated to ABS ERP.
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