Mona Vale
At 46 years, Mona Vale has a median age 6.0 years above the national figure, while 44.4% of residents work from home and only 2.0% commute by public transport. Household income ranks at the 87.9th percentile, and 45.6% of homes are owned outright, supporting an established-wealth profile. Compared with nearby Warriewood and Newport, Mona Vale reads as the more settled, older option within the local market. Its 10,877 residents are supported by a mix of professionals, managers, trades workers and health and education employees. The combination of high outright ownership, strong incomes and an aging trajectory matters because it can support stable demand while limiting the pace of wholesale neighbourhood change.
Population
10,877
Median Age
46.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,296/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
118
Mona Vale suits buyers who value established housing and a settled resident base, but affordability still needs careful testing. The typical mortgage benchmark is $3,033 per month, compared with weekly rent of $650, and the mortgage-to-income ratio is 30.5%, indicating meaningful repayment pressure despite household income at the 87.9th percentile. Housing choice is mixed: 53.7% of dwellings are separate houses, 29.2% are apartments and 16.0% are semi-detached. Larger homes are common, with 35.6% containing 4 or more bedrooms and 34.3% containing 3 bedrooms. Compared with a purely detached market, the apartment and semi-detached share creates more entry points, while the older age profile and 45.6% outright ownership support stability.
For Buyers
Mona Vale suits buyers who value established housing and a settled resident base, but affordability still needs careful testing. The typical mortgage benchmark is $3,033 per month, compared with weekly rent of $650, and the mortgage-to-income ratio is 30.5%, indicating meaningful repayment pressure despite household income at the 87.9th percentile. Housing choice is mixed: 53.7% of dwellings are separate houses, 29.2% are apartments and 16.0% are semi-detached. Larger homes are common, with 35.6% containing 4 or more bedrooms and 34.3% containing 3 bedrooms. Compared with a purely detached market, the apartment and semi-detached share creates more entry points, while the older age profile and 45.6% outright ownership support stability.
For Investors
Mona Vale offers an established rental market rather than a high-turnover growth play. Rent is $650 per week, 22.2% of occupied dwellings are rented and the vacancy rate is 6.4%. Compared with the 45.6% owned outright, the tenant pool is a substantial minority, so investors should assess the exact dwelling type and tenant appeal rather than assume uniform demand. Rent growth has reached 32.0%, while overseas migration is the primary forecast growth driver. Development activity is also material, with 117 applications recorded across 12 months, including dwelling alterations, subdivision and marina-related work. These factors may support rental choice and future amenity, but they can also create competition between renovated stock and older properties. Cash flow should be tested against the $3,033 monthly mortgage benchmark, insurance and maintenance costs.
Development Activity
Total DAs
614
Last 12 Months
118
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+6.3%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Mona Vale
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Demographics
Mona Vale has an older demographic profile, with a median age of 46, which is 6.0 years above the national figure. University attainment is 39.9%, or 9.8 percentage points above national levels, while 25.5% of residents were born overseas, 3.9 points above the national comparison. Average household size is 2.6, only 0.1 above the national figure, reflecting a mix of couples, families and smaller households. Compared with nearby Warriewood and Newport, Mona Vale is the more established, older choice within the local market. English ancestry is most common at 4,788 people, followed by Irish at 1,369 and Scottish at 1,226. Christianity accounts for 5,516 people and no religion for 4,333. Residential stability is high because 80.2% stayed at the same address, while turnover was 19.8%.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
53.7%
Houses
16.0%
Townhouse
29.2%
Apartment
Tenure
Mona Vale's tenure profile points to long-term ownership and moderate rental availability. Fully owned homes account for 45.6%, mortgages for 30.3% and renting for 22.2%, with 1.9% in other tenure types. The dwelling mix is more varied than a detached-only suburb: 53.7% are separate houses, 29.2% apartments and 16.0% semi-detached homes. Bedrooms are spread across 4 or more rooms at 35.6%, 3 bedrooms at 34.3%, 2 bedrooms at 22.6% and 0 or 1 bedroom at 7.6%. Mortgage costs are more stretched than rent costs, with mortgage repayments at 30.5% of income versus rent at 28.3%. Compared with the national income position, household income at the 87.9th percentile provides some buffer, but the higher mortgage burden means buyers still need a conservative budget.
Mortgage / mo
$3,033
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (April to June 2026), NSW Rental Bond Board (DCJ). Census 2021 median: $650.
$1,000
Bond data Jun 2026 · houses $1,300 · units $850
HH Size
2.6
Personal Income / wk
$1,020
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
6.4%
Unoccupied
271
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
28.3%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
30.5% stressed
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
44.8%
Couples with children
42.2%
Couples, no children
12.3%
Single parent
3,034
Total families
Economy & Employment
Mona Vale's employment base is spread across construction at 13.9% and 528 workers, healthcare at 13.6% and 516, professional and technical services at 13.4% and 509, education at 12.1% and 460, and retail at 6.6% and 250. The occupation mix is similarly broad, led by 1,390 professionals and 1,014 managers, followed by 747 trades workers, 710 clerical and administrative workers and 489 community and personal service workers. Labour force participation is 60.9%, unemployment is 3.5% and the full-time employment rate is 53.9%. This mix supports household resilience because employment is not dependent on one industry, while household income ranks at the 87.9th percentile. SEIFA results are above national disadvantage levels: IEO is decile 8, while IER, IRSD and IRSAD are each decile 9. The one-step IEO gap suggests economic resources rank slightly higher than education and occupation conditions.
Unemployment
3.5%
Labour Force
5,529
Unemployed
194
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
53.9%
Part-time
36.0%
Participation
60.9%
Employed
5,335
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
39.9%
Postgraduate
9.1%
Born Overseas
25.5%
Dwellings
3,963
Transport to Work
Mona Vale's daily routine is strongly car-led, with 45.4% driving to work, compared with 2.0% using public transport and 5.4% walking or cycling. The 44.4% working-from-home share reduces commuting pressure for many households and helps explain why local convenience may matter more than rail access. There are 2 local government schools, comprising 1 primary school and 1 secondary school, providing a basic government sector pathway. Families should confirm enrolment zones against the exact address because boundaries can cross suburb lines. Socioeconomic conditions rank above the national baseline, with IRSAD, IRSD and IER each at decile 9 and IEO at decile 8. The 17.1% volunteering rate also supports local participation. For safety decisions, check current NSW Police incident records and compare categories by street and time, since a single suburb-level crime rate is not available.
Drive
45.4%
Public Transport
2.0%
Walk / Cycle
5.4%
Work from Home
44.4%
Population Forecast
+0.78%/yr
(+118 people/yr)
EstablishedMona Vale has an established growth outlook, with annual trend growth of 0.78% and overseas migration identified as the primary driver. Population change across the wider area runs at 12.6% over 10 years, so the longer-term direction is positive even though the annual pace is modest compared with that broader result. The trajectory is Aging: the senior share has increased by 5.9 percentage points, while the working share has declined by 5.0 points and the young share by 1.4 points. Gentrification signals are limited and mixed. One measure gives a score of 4 and the stage Not gentrifying, while the shift assessment records a score of 30 and Early signs. Together, these indicators point to gradual change rather than a sharp transformation, because established ownership and an older resident base temper the effect of overseas migration.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+162
Net Internal / yr
+22
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Population +11% since 2011
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Mona Vale compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Mona Vale a good suburb to live in?
Mona Vale suits households seeking an established coastal suburb with 10,877 residents, 44.4% working from home and 45.6% owning outright. Its median age is 46, or 6.0 years above national levels, so the local feel is older and settled rather than strongly youth-led.
What is the median house price in Mona Vale?
Check recent settled sales for the current median house price rather than relying on an assumed figure. Mona Vale has 53.7% separate houses, 35.6% homes with 4 or more bedrooms and weekly rent of $650, so dwelling type, condition and location can materially affect the result.
What schools are in Mona Vale?
Mona Vale includes 2 government schools, comprising 1 primary school and 1 secondary school. Confirm the catchment for the exact address because enrolment boundaries can differ from suburb boundaries. Families should also compare transport, extracurricular and out-of-area options before choosing.
Is Mona Vale safe?
Use the latest NSW Police incident records and inspect the immediate street at different times before making a safety decision. A current suburb-level crime rate is not available as a reliable comparison. Mona Vale has 10,877 residents, but population size alone cannot establish safety.
Is Mona Vale good for property investment?
Mona Vale may suit investors comfortable with established-market conditions: rent is $650 a week, vacancy is 6.4%, 22.2% of dwellings are rented and 117 development applications were recorded over 12 months. Compare cash flow with the $3,033 monthly mortgage benchmark, insurance and maintenance costs.
How is Mona Vale's population changing?
Mona Vale has 10,877 residents today. The wider-area trend is 0.78% annual growth and 12.6% population change over 10 years, with overseas migration the primary driver. The trajectory is Aging, with the senior share up 5.9 percentage points and the working share down 5.0 points.
What development is occurring in Mona Vale?
Development activity is substantial, with 117 applications recorded across 12 months. Recent examples include dwelling alterations, additions, subdivision and marina-related work. Buyers and investors should check individual approvals, timing and likely effects on traffic, privacy and nearby housing supply before committing.
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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