Mona Vale
A 46 median age and 46.5% outright ownership make Mona Vale feel more settled than many coastal markets with faster turnover. The suburb combines a premium $2,205,000 house median with household income in the 87.9th percentile, so wealth is visible but affordability still bites. Compared with neighbouring Newport and Warriewood, Mona Vale reads more like a Northern Beaches service hub, with 29.2% apartments, 53.7% separate houses and a compact 4.62 sq km footprint.
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
115
Median House
$2.2M
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
Homebuyers face a high entry price, with the house median at $2,205,000 and the latest price series reaching $2,275,000 in 2025, up 5.8% from 2024 and 0.0% below the recorded peak. Choice is broader than a pure detached-house market: 53.7% are separate houses, 29.2% apartments and 16.0% semi-detached. The 30.5% mortgage-to-income load sits above the 28.3% rent-to-income figure, so buyers need strong buffers even though household income ranks in the 87.9th percentile.
For Buyers
Homebuyers face a high entry price, with the house median at $2,205,000 and the latest price series reaching $2,275,000 in 2025, up 5.8% from 2024 and 0.0% below the recorded peak. Choice is broader than a pure detached-house market: 53.7% are separate houses, 29.2% apartments and 16.0% semi-detached. The 30.5% mortgage-to-income load sits above the 28.3% rent-to-income figure, so buyers need strong buffers even though household income ranks in the 87.9th percentile.
For Investors
Mona Vale is not a high-churn rental suburb: renters are 22.6% of households compared with 46.5% owned outright and 30.9% mortgaged. Weekly rent is $650, while vacancy is 6.4%, so leasing risk is higher than in a very tight market and pricing discipline matters. Development activity is material, with 94 applications in 12 months, and demand is supported by forecast overseas migration averaging 162 people a year compared with 22 from internal migration.
Development Activity
Total DAs
581
Last 12 Months
115
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+5.5%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Mona Vale iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School
K-6 · 417 students
Mona Vale Public School
K-6 · 671 students
Pittwater High School
7-12 · 881 students
Demographics
Mona Vale's 10,877 residents skew older and highly educated. The median age is 46, which is 6.0 years above the national benchmark, while university attainment is 39.9%, or 9.8 percentage points higher than nationally. Overseas-born residents account for 25.5%, 3.9 points above the national comparison, but ancestry remains strongly Anglo-Celtic with 4,788 English, 1,369 Irish and 1,226 Scottish responses. This mix helps explain the high outright ownership and ageing trajectory.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
53.7%
Houses
16.0%
Townhouse
29.2%
Apartment
Tenure
Housing wealth is deep: 46.5% of homes are owned outright, above the 30.9% with mortgages and well above the 22.6% renting share. The median house price is $2,205,000, while the price series moved from $2,150,000 in 2024 to $2,275,000 in 2025, a 5.8% gain. Larger dwellings dominate, with 35.6% having 4 or more bedrooms and 34.3% having 3. Against weekly household income of $2,296, the price-to-income ratio is about 18.5, so equity rather than wages drives many purchases.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$3,033
Rent / wk
$650
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
29.3%
Couples, no children
8,781
Total families
Economy & Employment
The local workforce is broad but tilted to higher-skill roles. Construction employs 528 residents, ahead of healthcare at 516, professional and tech at 509, education at 460 and retail at 250. Occupations confirm that pattern, with 1,390 professionals and 1,014 managers above clerical and admin at 710. Unemployment is low at 3.9%, yet participation is 54.9% because 3,034 people are not in the labour force, consistent with an older base. SEIFA is strong across all 4 measures: IEO decile 8, IER 9, IRSD 9 and IRSAD 9.
Unemployment
2.9%
Labour Force
8,334
Unemployed
243
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
60.0%
Part-time
36.1%
Participation
54.9%
Employed
4,791
Occupations
Top Industries
University
39.9%
Postgraduate
9.1%
Born Overseas
25.5%
Dwellings
3,963
Transport to Work
Mona Vale is car-oriented, with 81.7% driving to work compared with 3.5% using public transport and 9.7% walking or cycling. That pattern suits local families who want coastal access and daily services close by, but commuters should price in road dependence. Education access is a strength: 3 local schools span ICSEA 1071 to 1104, led by Sacred Heart Catholic Primary at 1104 and Mona Vale Public at 1096, with a government secondary option also present. IRSAD decile 9 points to high area advantage.
Drive
81.7%
Public Transport
3.5%
Walk / Cycle
9.7%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.78%/yr
(+118 people/yr)
EstablishedGrowth is steady rather than explosive. The forecast trend is 0.78% a year, or about 118 people annually, taking the medium scenario from 15,306 in 2026 to 15,897 in 2031. Migration is the main engine, with overseas migration averaging 162 net people a year compared with 22 from internal migration. The shift profile is Aging: senior share is up 5.9 points and working-age share is down 5.0 points. A gentrification score of 4 is classed as Not gentrifying, so change is more demographic than speculative.
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?
Yes, for buyers who value a premium coastal setting, established services and schools. It has 3 local schools, IRSAD decile 9 advantage and a 46 median age, but car reliance is high at 81.7%.
What is the median house price in Mona Vale?
The median house price is $2,205,000. The recent price series shows $2,275,000 in 2025, up 5.8% from $2,150,000 in 2024 and sitting 0.0% below the recorded peak.
What schools are in Mona Vale?
There are 3 local schools: Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School with ICSEA 1104 and 417 enrolments, Mona Vale Public School with ICSEA 1096 and 671 enrolments, and Pittwater High School with ICSEA 1071 and 881 enrolments.
Is Mona Vale safe?
A suburb-level crime rate per 1,000 is not available here, so buyers should check current NSW crime maps. Local context is favourable, with IRSAD decile 9 and 46.5% outright ownership indicating stable, advantaged households.
Is Mona Vale good for property investment?
It suits investors focused on long-term premium-market exposure rather than deep rental yield. Rent is $650 a week, renters are 22.6% of households and vacancy is 6.4%, so tenant demand needs careful pricing.
How is Mona Vale's population changing?
Population growth is forecast at 0.78% a year, or 118 people annually. The medium scenario rises from 15,306 in 2026 to 15,897 in 2031, mainly from overseas migration averaging 162 net people a year.
How much development is happening in Mona Vale?
Development activity is notable, with 94 applications lodged over 12 months. Recent examples include alterations and additions to dwellings, new structures, earthworks, retaining walls and swimming pools.
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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