Narrabeen
With 64.8% of dwellings in apartments, Narrabeen stands out as a compact, older coastal market rather than a detached-house suburb. Its 8,255 residents have a median age of 48, which is 8.0 years above the national benchmark, while 38.1% of dwellings are rented and vacancy is 8.5%. Compared with nearby Collaroy and Warriewood, the apartment share points to a more compact housing profile. The mix suits downsizers, singles and couples because average household size is 2.0, but the 33.7% mortgage-to-income ratio and 31.7% rent-to-income ratio make budgeting important. Higher social advantage, reflected in an IRSAD decile of 9, supports amenity demand without indicating a rapid gentrification cycle, with the current gentrification score at 7.
Population
8,255
Median Age
48.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,780/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
34
Homebuyers are choosing a high-density format, with apartments accounting for 64.8% of dwellings compared with 15.9% separate houses and 18.7% semi-detached homes. This makes apartment condition, strata costs, parking and outlook more important than land size. Two-bedroom dwellings represent 55.2% of stock, higher than the 15.7% share of three-bedroom homes and the 9.9% share of four-plus-bedroom homes, which suits couples and downsizers more than large families. Average household size is 2.0, reinforcing that pattern. Monthly mortgage commitments are 2,600, while mortgage stress reaches 33.7% of income, so buyers should test repayments against their own budget rather than rely on the suburb average.
For Buyers
Homebuyers are choosing a high-density format, with apartments accounting for 64.8% of dwellings compared with 15.9% separate houses and 18.7% semi-detached homes. This makes apartment condition, strata costs, parking and outlook more important than land size. Two-bedroom dwellings represent 55.2% of stock, higher than the 15.7% share of three-bedroom homes and the 9.9% share of four-plus-bedroom homes, which suits couples and downsizers more than large families. Average household size is 2.0, reinforcing that pattern. Monthly mortgage commitments are 2,600, while mortgage stress reaches 33.7% of income, so buyers should test repayments against their own budget rather than rely on the suburb average.
For Investors
Rental demand has a substantial base because 38.1% of dwellings are rented, a higher share than the 28.9% owned outright. Weekly rent is 565 and vacancy is 8.5%, creating a useful starting point for an investment assessment but also a reason to test achievable rent carefully by apartment size and condition. There were 31 development applications in the past 12 months, which may add local competition or improve existing stock depending on the projects. Overseas migration is the primary growth driver and the annual trend is 1.19%, while forecast rent growth is 36.5%. Investors should compare returns with purchase costs, strata expenses, maintenance and vacancy exposure.
Development Activity
Total DAs
219
Last 12 Months
34
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-12.8%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Narrabeen
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Demographics
Narrabeen has an older demographic profile, with a median age of 48, or 8.0 years above the national comparison. University-qualified residents account for 38.0%, 7.9 percentage points above the national figure, and 25.7% of residents were born overseas, 4.1 points above the national comparison. Average household size is 2.0, which is 0.5 below the national level, because couples without children represent 49.9% of families compared with 32.8% for couples with children. English ancestry counts 3,559 people, followed by Irish at 1,099 and Scottish at 979. Christianity accounts for 4,284 responses and no religion for 3,224, showing a population shaped by both older established households and professional residents.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
15.9%
Houses
18.7%
Townhouse
64.8%
Apartment
Tenure
Narrabeen's housing is apartment-led: 64.8% of dwellings are apartments, higher than the 15.9% separate-house share and the 18.7% semi-detached share. The bedroom mix is similarly compact, with 55.2% of homes containing 2 bedrooms, compared with 15.7% with 3 bedrooms and 9.9% with 4 or more. Tenure is split between 28.9% owned outright, 22.3% with a mortgage and 38.1% rented, so the suburb has a larger rental base than outright ownership base. Housing stress is material because rent consumes 31.7% of income and mortgage costs consume 33.7%. Compared with detached-house markets, this profile makes building condition, strata fees, parking and common-property maintenance central to value.
Mortgage / mo
$2,600
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (April to June 2026), NSW Rental Bond Board (DCJ). Census 2021 median: $565.
$900
Bond data Jun 2026 · houses $1,300 · units $850
HH Size
2.0
Personal Income / wk
$1,025
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
8.5%
Unoccupied
341
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
31.7% stressed
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
33.7% stressed
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
32.8%
Couples with children
49.9%
Couples, no children
16.2%
Single parent
2,182
Total families
Economy & Employment
The local economy combines professional work with essential services and construction. Professional and technology industries account for 14.1% of workers, healthcare 14.0%, construction 13.5%, education 11.6% and retail 6.2%. Occupations are led by Professionals at 1,131 people and Managers at 709, followed by Trades at 560, consistent with a mixed employment base rather than a single industry dependency. Unemployment is 3.2%, participation is 55.6% and the full-time rate is 58.2%, while household income sits at the 62.8th percentile. SEIFA results are relatively strong: IEO ranks in decile 8, IER in decile 7, IRSD in decile 8 and IRSAD in decile 9. IRSAD being higher than IER fits the suburb's professional and managerial employment mix.
Unemployment
3.2%
Labour Force
4,041
Unemployed
129
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
58.2%
Part-time
32.0%
Participation
55.6%
Employed
3,912
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
38.0%
Postgraduate
8.5%
Born Overseas
25.7%
Dwellings
3,668
Transport to Work
Narrabeen is compact and relatively dense, with 8,255 residents across 2.2 square kilometres and density of 3,757.9 people per square kilometre. Daily travel is more car-oriented than public-transport-oriented: 45.5% travel as car drivers compared with 3.7% using public transport, while 46.2% work from home and 2.5% walk or cycle. That pattern suits residents who value local access but commute selectively. One named local school, Narrabeen Lakes Public School, provides government primary education; families should confirm enrolment zones against the exact address and check nearby secondary options. Social advantage is high, with IRSAD in decile 9, higher than IER decile 7 and IRSD decile 8. Safety decisions should rely on current incident information and inspection at different times because conditions can vary between streets, parks, shops and apartment areas.
Drive
45.5%
Public Transport
3.7%
Walk / Cycle
2.5%
Work from Home
46.2%
Population Forecast
+1.19%/yr
(+133 people/yr)
EstablishedGrowth is steady rather than explosive, with the annual trend at 1.19% and overseas migration identified as the primary driver. The wider-area population change is 23.4% over 10 years, but the suburb's trajectory is Aging because the senior share rose 3.1 percentage points while the young share fell 1.0 point and the working share fell 3.1 points. Compared with a younger growth profile, this points to demand shaped more by established households, downsizers and accessible apartments. Gentrification signals remain restrained: the current score is 7 and the stage is Not gentrifying, although the shift measure records a score of 35 and Early signs. Forecast rent growth of 36.5% adds pressure for renters and supports continued investor attention.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+151
Net Internal / yr
-110
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Population +21% since 2011, Net internal outflow -110/yr
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Narrabeen compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Narrabeen a good suburb to live in?
Narrabeen can suit residents who prefer apartments, coastal access and an established setting. Its 8,255 residents have a median age of 48, while 64.8% of dwellings are apartments and 46.2% of residents work from home. It is less suited to buyers seeking large detached blocks or a low-density suburban layout.
What is the median house price in Narrabeen?
Use the latest house-only sales measure because Narrabeen's housing mix is 64.8% apartments and 15.9% separate houses. An all-dwelling median can blur the difference between apartment and detached pricing. Check recent comparable house sales, land size, renovation quality and parking before relying on a median for budgeting.
What schools are in Narrabeen?
Narrabeen Lakes Public School is the named local option, a government primary school. With 1 local government primary school identified, families should confirm the exact enrolment zone and compare nearby primary and secondary choices before signing a lease or contract, since school access can change across suburb boundaries.
Is Narrabeen safe?
Narrabeen should be assessed street by street rather than given a blanket safe or unsafe label. The suburb covers 2.2 square kilometres and has 8,255 residents, so roads, apartment areas, parks and shopping streets can feel different. Review current NSW Police incident information and visit the specific property at different times.
Is Narrabeen good for property investment?
It can suit investors seeking established rental demand: 38.1% of dwellings are rented, weekly rent is 565 and vacancy is 8.5%. Overseas migration is the primary growth driver, while 31 development applications in 12 months and 1.19% annual growth warrant checks on future competition. Compare returns with strata, maintenance and vacancy costs.
How is Narrabeen's population changing?
Narrabeen has 8,255 residents today. The wider-area trend is 1.19% annual growth, with overseas migration the primary driver, while population change over 10 years is 23.4%. The trajectory is Aging because the senior share rose 3.1 percentage points and the young share fell 1.0 point, shifting demand toward established and downsizer households.
What development is occurring in Narrabeen?
There were 31 development applications in the past 12 months. Recent examples include dwelling alterations, landscaping and a shed. Check each proposal's scale, approval status and likely effect on privacy, parking and construction traffic, particularly in a suburb where 64.8% of homes are apartments.
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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