North Balgowlah
Household income in North Balgowlah sits at the 99.6th percentile nationally, making it one of the highest-earning postcodes in Australia. The 3,816 residents are packed into just 1.12 km2 at a density of 3,402 per km2, yet 89.8% of dwellings are separate houses, a combination that signals strongly detached housing on compact lots rather than apartments. Weekly family income averages $4,569, and the median house price reached $3.08 million in 2024-2025. University qualifications at 57.5% run 27.4 points above the national figure, which aligns with professional and finance workers making up 35.7% of the local industry base.
Population
3,816
Median Age
39.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$4,212/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
34
Median House
$3.1M
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
At $3.08 million the median house price places North Balgowlah among Sydney's upper tier, and recent price history shows strong momentum: the median rose from $2.67 million in 2024 to $3.355 million in 2025, a 25.7% gain in one year. That pace sits well above the national average for capital growth. Separate houses dominate at 89.8% of the housing stock, and 58% of dwellings have four or more bedrooms, pointing to a family-oriented market rather than one driven by investor-scale small units. Monthly mortgage repayments average $4,005 and mortgage-to-income sits at 22%, below the 30% stress threshold despite the high purchase price, because household incomes are themselves extreme. Only 6.5% of dwellings are apartments, limiting entry-level product but keeping detached-house prices supported by genuine scarcity.
For Buyers
At $3.08 million the median house price places North Balgowlah among Sydney's upper tier, and recent price history shows strong momentum: the median rose from $2.67 million in 2024 to $3.355 million in 2025, a 25.7% gain in one year. That pace sits well above the national average for capital growth. Separate houses dominate at 89.8% of the housing stock, and 58% of dwellings have four or more bedrooms, pointing to a family-oriented market rather than one driven by investor-scale small units. Monthly mortgage repayments average $4,005 and mortgage-to-income sits at 22%, below the 30% stress threshold despite the high purchase price, because household incomes are themselves extreme. Only 6.5% of dwellings are apartments, limiting entry-level product but keeping detached-house prices supported by genuine scarcity.
For Investors
The investor case in North Balgowlah is primarily capital growth rather than yield. Renting accounts for just 13.9% of households, leaving a thin tenant pool, and weekly rent of $825 against a $3.08 million median implies a gross yield well below 2%. The 3.1% vacancy rate is moderate, not alarming, but the low renter share means rental demand can shift quickly. Development activity shows 33 applications in the past 12 months, with samples covering swimming pools, dwelling additions and new house construction, activity consistent with an owner-occupier market upgrading existing stock rather than adding rental supply. The 25.7% price gain over 2024-2025 is the stronger argument for holding, supported by incomes at the 99.6th percentile nationally and an 82.6% resident retention rate that signals low forced-sale pressure.
Development Activity
Total DAs
298
Last 12 Months
34
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-29.2%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in North Balgowlah iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Balgowlah North Public School
K-6 · 381 students
Farmhouse Montessori School
K-6 · 37 students
Demographics
The median age of 39 is 1 year below the national figure, which is unusual for a high-income suburb and reflects the large families: average household size is 3.3, which is 0.8 above the national average. Couples with children represent 2,175 of 3,506 families. Overseas-born residents at 30.2% sit 8.6 points above the national rate, yet the top languages are German (18), Italian (17) and Mandarin (15), small numbers in a suburb of 3,816 that indicate limited non-English-speaking concentration. Ancestry is predominantly Anglo-Celtic, led by English (1,795), Irish (507) and Scottish (443). University qualifications at 57.5% run 27.4 points above national, concentrated in Professionals (659) and Managers (467) who together form the dominant occupational group.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
89.8%
Houses
3.7%
Townhouse
6.5%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure is skewed toward owners: 33% hold outright and 53.1% carry a mortgage, leaving only 13.9% renting, far below the national renter share. The median house price moved from $2.67 million in 2024 to $3.355 million in 2025, a 25.7% annual gain. Stock composition reinforces the family character: 89.8% are separate houses, 58% have four or more bedrooms and only 3.7% are semi-detached, with apartments at 6.5%. The mortgage-to-income ratio of 22% stays below the 30% stress threshold because family incomes average $4,569 per week, placing households at the 99.6th percentile nationally. Rent-to-income at 19.6% is also comfortable for tenants, though the thin renter base of 13.9% means rental product is scarce relative to the overall market.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$4,005
Rent / wk
$825
HH Size
3.3
Personal Income / wk
$1,254
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
3.1%
Unoccupied
37
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.6%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.0%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
13.3%
Couples, no children
3,506
Total families
Economy & Employment
Professional and technical services lead local employment at 21.6% of workers (310 people), with Finance at 14.1% (202) and Healthcare at 11.2% (161) close behind. Education contributes 10.3% (148) and Construction 8.1% (116), giving the suburb a mix of high-income knowledge work and trade employment that is uncommon at this income level. By occupation, Professionals number 659 and Managers 467, together accounting for the majority of employed residents. The unemployment rate is 3.3% and the full-time employment rate is 65.1%, with 593 part-time workers reflecting some flexibility in a workforce that can afford it. Personal weekly income averages $1,254, which is high compared to state and national benchmarks. Volunteering at 22% is above average nationally.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
65.1%
Part-time
31.6%
Participation
64.1%
Employed
1,697
Occupations
Top Industries
University
57.5%
Postgraduate
15.0%
Born Overseas
30.2%
Dwellings
1,142
Transport to Work
Transport in North Balgowlah is car-dependent: 83.4% drive to work, while public transport use and walking or cycling each account for 5.3%, below national averages for both. No schools are recorded inside the suburb boundary, so families depend on institutions in neighbouring suburbs. The suburb has no recorded crime data in this dataset, but as a proxy, household incomes at the 99.6th percentile nationally and a mortgage-to-income ratio of 22% indicate a low-financial-stress environment. Only 2% of residents (73 people) need daily assistance, consistent with the younger-than-typical-luxury-suburb median age of 39. The housing stock at 89.8% separate houses on a 1.12 km2 footprint gives the suburb a low-density character relative to the inner-city, despite sitting within the Northern Beaches corridor.
Drive
83.4%
Public Transport
5.3%
Walk / Cycle
5.3%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How North Balgowlah compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is North Balgowlah a good suburb to live in?
North Balgowlah ranks at the 99.6th percentile for household income nationally, with family income averaging $4,569 per week. University qualifications at 57.5% are 27.4 points above the national figure. Separate houses make up 89.8% of dwellings and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 22% is below the stress threshold, making it financially comfortable for established owners.
What is the median house price in North Balgowlah?
The median house price is approximately $3.08 million as at 2024-2025. Prices rose from $2.67 million in 2024 to $3.355 million in 2025, a 25.7% gain in one year. Monthly mortgage repayments average $4,005 and weekly rent averages $825.
What schools are in North Balgowlah?
No schools are recorded inside the North Balgowlah boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. Despite this, the local population is highly educated, with 57.5% holding university qualifications, which is 27.4 points above the national average.
Is North Balgowlah safe?
Crime statistics are not available for North Balgowlah in this dataset. As indirect indicators, household income sits at the 99.6th percentile nationally, the mortgage-to-income ratio is a comfortable 22%, and only 2% of residents (73 people) need daily assistance, all consistent with a low-disadvantage, low-stress environment.
Is North Balgowlah good for property investment?
The 25.7% price gain from $2.67 million in 2024 to $3.355 million in 2025 is the primary investment argument. Gross yield is low, as $825 weekly rent against a $3.08 million median implies under 2%. The renter share is only 13.9%, so rental demand is thin. The investment case rests on capital growth and the stability of a suburb where 82.6% of residents stayed put in the reference year.
How is North Balgowlah's population changing?
The current population is 3,816 across 1.12 km2. The mobility data shows 82.6% of residents remained in place in the reference year, giving a turnover rate of 17.4%, which is low and consistent with a stable, owner-occupier-dominated suburb. Development of 33 applications in 12 months suggests measured infill rather than rapid expansion.
What languages are spoken in North Balgowlah?
About 30.2% of residents were born overseas, which is 8.6 points above the national rate. English dominates, and among non-English languages, German (18 speakers), Italian (17), Mandarin (15) and French (14) are the most common, each representing a small share of the 3,816 residents.
How much development is happening in North Balgowlah?
There were 33 development applications lodged in the past 12 months across the 1.12 km2 suburb. Recent samples include a new dwelling house, alterations and additions to existing homes, and a swimming pool installation, reflecting owner-occupier reinvestment rather than large-scale new supply.
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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