Dee Why
No other Sydney beach suburb pushes apartment share to 82.0% the way Dee Why does. The Northern Beaches LGA postcode (2099) packs 23,354 residents into 3.08 sqkm at a density of 7,573/sqkm, roughly 46% denser than Maroubra and well above typical eastern beaches stock. Tenure runs 48.5% renting, 30.0% mortgaged and just 21.5% owned outright, a renter-skewed mix tied to the dominance of 2-bedroom apartments (57.4% of all dwellings). The $1.05M house median sits more than 40% below Maroubra's $1.78M despite the comparable beach amenity, a discount tied to the apartment-heavy stock and the absence of heavy rail. Household income reaches the 79.7th national percentile and 46.2% of residents were born overseas, 24.6pp above the national figure, with Portuguese the leading non-English home language at 510 speakers reflecting the Brazilian overlay distinct to this stretch of coast.
Population
23,354
Median Age
36.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,106/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
114
Median House
$3.1M
12m to Jun 2026 (PSI)
Dee Why's $1,050,000 house median rose 16.3% from $965,000 in 2024 to $1,122,500 peak in 2025 before settling, a one-year jump that puts current buyers near the cycle high. The structural catch is supply: only 15.3% of dwellings are separate houses, so the 9.2% four-bedroom slice is genuinely scarce, and most owner-occupier activity concentrates in the 57.4% 2-bed apartment band. Semi-detached and townhouse stock sits at just 2.4%, far thinner than Maroubra's 20.9%, so the middle-density step between unit and freestanding house barely exists. Mortgage-to-income runs 26.9%, below the 30% stress threshold and notably gentler than Maroubra's 32.4%, which reflects the lower entry price for apartments. The trade-off is typology: buyers get a Northern Beaches beach postcode and IRSAD decile 9 amenity, but freestanding houses are rationed and most transactions are strata title.
For Buyers
Dee Why's $1,050,000 house median rose 16.3% from $965,000 in 2024 to $1,122,500 peak in 2025 before settling, a one-year jump that puts current buyers near the cycle high. The structural catch is supply: only 15.3% of dwellings are separate houses, so the 9.2% four-bedroom slice is genuinely scarce, and most owner-occupier activity concentrates in the 57.4% 2-bed apartment band. Semi-detached and townhouse stock sits at just 2.4%, far thinner than Maroubra's 20.9%, so the middle-density step between unit and freestanding house barely exists. Mortgage-to-income runs 26.9%, below the 30% stress threshold and notably gentler than Maroubra's 32.4%, which reflects the lower entry price for apartments. The trade-off is typology: buyers get a Northern Beaches beach postcode and IRSAD decile 9 amenity, but freestanding houses are rationed and most transactions are strata title.
For Investors
The 48.5% renter share is high even by Sydney coastal standards and well above the metro average, driven by the apartment-heavy stock and the absence of train access (the B-Line bus is the only rapid transit). At $550 weekly rent against the $1.05M house median, gross yield pencils to roughly 2.7%, materially better than Maroubra's 1.6% because of the lower entry price. Vacancy runs 7.6%, slightly below Maroubra's 8.2% but still elevated, signalling real friction in the apartment segment. Demand drivers split: net overseas migration averages +491/year while net internal migration runs -356/year, so the 1.46% annual forecast growth (~283 persons) is migration-fed. The 108 DAs lodged in 12 months show a continuing apartment pipeline that caps rent inflation, and rent growth ran 34.1% over the last decade against 13.2% real income growth.
Development Activity
Total DAs
542
Last 12 Months
114
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+28.1%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Dee Why iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
St Luke's Grammar School
K-12 · 1481 students
St Kevin's Catholic Primary School
K-6 · 178 students
Dee Why Public School
K-6 · 478 students
Demographics
Dee Why skews younger and more migration-shaped than national norms. Median age of 36 sits 4.0 years below the national figure, university-qualified share hits 46.8% (16.7pp above national), and 46.2% of residents were born overseas (24.6pp above). Ancestry leans Anglo-Celtic: 7,028 English, 2,134 Irish, 1,805 Scottish, 1,604 Italian, with 5,606 in the Other category capturing the diverse migrant overlay. Top home languages run Portuguese (510), Nepali (423), Mandarin (209), Serbian (173), Italian (171), and the Portuguese lead is distinctive among Sydney beach suburbs and tied to the Brazilian community that has anchored the strip for two decades. Couples-with-children households number 7,065 vs 5,806 couples-no-kids (33.2% of families), a more child-skewed mix than typical inner-city apartment areas despite the unit-heavy stock. Average household size is 2.3, below the national 2.5.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
15.3%
Houses
2.4%
Townhouse
82.0%
Apartment
Tenure
The dwelling split is among the most extreme apartment concentrations in Sydney's beach belt: 82.0% apartments, 15.3% separate houses, 2.4% semi-detached. Tenure runs 21.5% owned outright, 30.0% mortgaged, 48.5% renting, more renter-heavy than the Sydney metropolitan average and closer to inner-city Pyrmont or Zetland than to neighbouring Collaroy or Curl Curl. Bedrooms cluster hard at 2-bed (57.4%) and 0-1 bed (20.2%), with only 9.2% at 4-bed-plus and 13.3% at 3-bed, reflecting decades of high-rise infill since the 1970s. The $1.05M house median against a $2,106 weekly household income works out to a price-to-income ratio of roughly 9.6x, well above the 8x national benchmark but materially better than Maroubra's 16x. The 2024-2025 jump from $965k to $1.12M (peak) means recent buyers are paying near the cycle top before reverting to the $1.05M median.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General (12m to Jun 2026 (PSI))
Mortgage / mo
$2,457
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (January to March 2026), NSW Rental Bond Board (DCJ). Census 2021 median: $550.
$850
Bond data Mar 2026 · houses $1,200 · units $800
HH Size
2.3
Personal Income / wk
$1,065
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
7.6%
Unoccupied
812
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
26.1%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
26.9%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
33.2%
Couples, no children
17,497
Total families
Economy & Employment
Dee Why's workforce concentrates in Healthcare (17.5%, 1,787 jobs), Professional/Tech (12.7%, 1,294), Construction (9.0%, 913), Retail (8.9%, 906) and Education (8.6%, 878), a white-collar lean with stronger healthcare share than Maroubra's 15.0% and a smaller Finance footprint reflecting the further commute to CBD financial precincts. Occupations skew Professionals (3,527) and Managers (2,091), together about 45% of all employed residents, with Community/Personal services (1,681) higher than typical eastern beach suburbs and tied to the local aged care and disability workforce. Full-time employment rate runs 66.0% with unemployment at 4.1%, lower than Maroubra's 5.1%. SEIFA places Dee Why in IRSAD decile 9, IRSD decile 8, IEO decile 8, IER decile 6, and the IER lag to decile 6 is the anomaly: high education and occupation status, but income/resources held back by the renter-heavy apartment cohort with younger, single-occupant households.
Unemployment
3.9%
Labour Force
5,908
Unemployed
233
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
66.0%
Part-time
29.9%
Participation
65.0%
Employed
12,386
Occupations
Top Industries
University
46.8%
Postgraduate
12.2%
Born Overseas
46.2%
Dwellings
9,851
Transport to Work
Schools are thinner than competitor eastern beach suburbs: three schools, led by St Luke's Grammar (ICSEA 1178, 1,481 enrolled), St Kevin's Catholic Primary (1085, 178), and Dee Why Public (1028, 478). All three sit above the ICSEA 1000 baseline, but families seeking a wider public secondary choice often look to Cromer or Pittwater. Transport reflects the LGA's defining constraint: 70.1% drive, only 15.5% take public transport, and 9.0% walk or cycle, higher car dependence than Maroubra's 74.9% drivers because the B-Line bus rapid transit on Pittwater Road absorbs some of the commute to CBD but no train exists on the Northern Beaches. IRSAD decile 9 and IEO decile 8 confirm the amenity premium, and the 7,573/sqkm density delivers walkable beach access plus a genuine apartment-village high street along The Strand. Volunteering runs 11.2%.
Drive
70.1%
Public Transport
15.5%
Walk / Cycle
9.0%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+1.46%/yr
(+283 people/yr)
EstablishedForecast population growth runs 1.46% annually (~283 persons/year), more than 2.5x Maroubra's 0.56% pace and quick for an established Sydney suburb. Medium-trend forecast lifts the SA2 from 19,596 (2026) to 21,010 by 2031, a 7.2% gain over six years. The driver mix is migration-led: net overseas migration averages +491/year while net internal migration runs -356/year, so Dee Why is internationalising even as net Australian-born flows leave for cheaper coastal alternatives. Gentrification scores 18-31 across the two indicators (Not gentrifying to Early signs), with population up 22.2% since 2011 and rent growth of 34.1% but affordability holding stable at 52-54%. Compared with high-growth Western Sydney corridor suburbs like Liverpool, Dee Why is established-stable but unusually migration-active, which sustains rental absorption despite the 108 DA pipeline.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+491
Net Internal / yr
-356
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Population +25% since 2011, Net internal outflow -356/yr, Strong overseas inflow +491/yr
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Dee Why compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Dee Why a good suburb to live in?
For renters and apartment buyers prioritising beach access plus a Northern Beaches lifestyle without a CBD mortgage budget, yes. Dee Why ranks IRSAD decile 9 and IEO decile 8, with household income in the 79.7th national percentile. The trade-off is 82.0% apartment stock and no train, so the B-Line bus and car carry 85.6% of commuters.
What is the median house price in Dee Why?
$1,050,000 (2024-2025 PSI-derived). The market rose 16.3% from $965,000 in 2024 to a $1,122,500 peak in 2025 before settling. Mortgage-to-income runs 26.9%, below the 30% stress threshold and gentler than most eastern beaches alternatives.
What schools are in Dee Why?
Three schools: St Luke's Grammar (ICSEA 1178, 1,481 enrolled, Combined Independent), St Kevin's Catholic Primary (1085, 178), Dee Why Public (1028, 478 Government). All three sit above the ICSEA 1000 baseline, but the catchment leans on Cromer and Pittwater for wider public secondary choice.
Is Dee Why safe?
Specific BOCSAR crime-rate data is not currently in our brief, but SEIFA proxies suggest low risk: IRSAD decile 9 (top 10% nationally) and IRSD decile 8. The 1-decile gap between IRSAD and IRSD points to some pockets of disadvantage within an overall advantaged area, typical of apartment-heavy beach strips.
Is Dee Why good for property investment?
Yield-friendlier than most Sydney beach suburbs. Renter share runs 48.5% and overseas migration adds +491/year, with $550/week rent against the $1.05M house median pencilling to roughly 2.7% gross yield, better than Maroubra's 1.6%. Vacancy is 7.6% and 108 DAs in 12 months show continued apartment supply.
How is Dee Why's population changing?
Forecast growth runs 1.46% annually (~283 persons/year), lifting the SA2 from 19,596 in 2026 to 21,010 by 2031. Internal migration is -356/year but overseas migration adds +491/year, so the suburb is internationalising even as net Australian-born flows leave for cheaper Northern Beaches alternatives.
What languages are spoken in Dee Why?
46.2% of residents were born overseas (24.6pp above national). Top home languages: Portuguese (510), Nepali (423), Mandarin (209), Serbian (173), Italian (171). The Portuguese lead is distinctive and tied to the Brazilian community anchored along The Strand for over two decades.
How much development is happening in Dee Why?
108 development applications lodged in the past 12 months across the 3.08 sqkm footprint. Recent samples include Complying Development Certificates for dwelling houses and retail premises, dominated by the CDC pathway rather than full DA approvals, consistent with the suburb's mature apartment infill phase.
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 Valuer-General (house prices), Department of Jobs SALM (unemployment), ACARA (school ICSEA), 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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