Balgowlah, NSW: suburb profile

The population of Balgowlah NSW is 8,068 according to the 2021 Census. The median personal income in Balgowlah is $1,264 per week ($65,728 per year). Median rent in Balgowlah is $640 per week ($2,773 per month). Balgowlah has a median age of 41 years, older than the national median of 38. Balgowlah has a population density of 4,118 people per km².

The most common overseas birthplace in Balgowlah is England. The most common religion is No religion (47.1% of residents). After English, the most spoken language is Spanish. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Balgowlah is $3,250.

There were 60 recorded offences in Balgowlah in 2025-26, a rate of 7 offences per 1,000 people. The most common offence category was theft (23 offences).

Population
8,068
Census 2021
Median income
$1,264/wk
Personal, Census 2021
Median rent
$640/wk
Weekly, Census 2021
Median age
41years
Census 2021

Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing 2021; offences from NSW BOCSAR (bocsar.nsw.gov.au), 2025-26.

Balgowlah vs the typical NSW suburb

The median personal income in Balgowlah is $1,264 a week, 65% above the typical NSW suburb ($765). That ranks 109th of 2,150 NSW suburbs with 200 or more residents. Median rent is $640 a week, $255 more than the typical NSW suburb. Rent takes 23.9% of the median household income here, against 22.6% in the typical NSW suburb. The median resident is 41, 2 years younger than in the typical NSW suburb (43).

The typical suburb is the median across suburbs with 200 or more residents. ABS Census 2021, calculated by GDP.com.au.
MeasureBalgowlahTypical NSWDifferenceTypical Australia
Personal income$1,264/wk$765/wk +65%$766/wk
Household income$2,681/wk$1,704/wk +57%$1,637/wk
Rent$640/wk$385/wk +66%$330/wk
Mortgage repayment$3,250/mo$1,965/mo +65%$1,733/mo
Median age4143 −2 yrs42
Rent share of household income23.9%22.6% +1.3 pts20.3%
Income, rent and mortgage against the typical suburb Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS, calculated by GDP.com.au
Bar chart of median income, rent and mortgage repayment in Balgowlah, the typical NSW suburb and the typical Australian suburb.

Balgowlah Population

8,068 residents at the 2021 Census.

Balgowlah Median Income & Rent

Median Income
$1,264/wk
$65,728 per year
Ranked 318 of 14,663
Median Rent
$640/wk
$2,773 per month
Ranked 157 of 14,663
Median Age
41years
3 years older than the national median
Mortgage
$3,250/mo
Avg household size: 2.5 · 0.9 per bedroom

Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing.

Balgowlah Rent Prices & Affordability

24% of median household income goes on median rent

Marks at 25% and 35%. Band: affordable.

Household income $2,681/wk
Median rent $640/wk
Rent to income 23.9%

Rent is under 25% of household income, generally considered affordable.

Median rent in Balgowlah against your income

About $11,618 a month
Median rent $640/wk
Left after rent $2,041/wk
Rent share 23.9%

Balgowlah Schools

24
schools nearby
16
government
1139
avg ICSEA score
11,416
total students
Balgowlah Heights Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 651 students
1177
ICSEA
Queenwood Independent
Combined · K-12 · 816 students
1172
ICSEA
Balgowlah North Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 381 students
1169
ICSEA
St Cecilia's Catholic Primary School Catholic
Primary · K-6 · 232 students
1168
ICSEA
Farmhouse Montessori School Independent
Primary · K-6 · 37 students
1165
ICSEA
Seaforth Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 394 students
1165
ICSEA
Middle Harbour Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 423 students
1162
ICSEA
St Mary's Catholic Primary School Catholic
Primary · K-6 · 330 students
1159
ICSEA
Beauty Point Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 205 students
1154
ICSEA
Manly Village Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 532 students
1151
ICSEA
Manly West Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 761 students
1147
ICSEA
Allambie Heights Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 406 students
1138
ICSEA
Harbord Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 881 students
1137
ICSEA
Stella Maris College Independent
Secondary · 7-12 · 1,006 students
1135
ICSEA
St John the Baptist Catholic Primary School Catholic
Primary · K-6 · 163 students
1134
ICSEA

Showing 15 of 24 schools.

Source: Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA), 2025. ICSEA is the Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage (national average 1000).

All schools near Balgowlah, with a map

Balgowlah Map

Balgowlah, New South Wales Map data: OpenStreetMap
Loading map…

Balgowlah, New South Wales: 33.7945°S, 151.2612°E

Balgowlah Circle size: offences per 1,000 residents Schools (24)

People in Balgowlah

Demographics

Gender Split

Male 47.7% (3,847) Female 52.3% (4,222)

Population Density

4,118
people per km²
8,068 people · 2.0 km²

Households

2.5
Avg household size
0.9
Persons per bedroom
$3,462
Family income/wk

Age Distribution

0-4
5-9
10-14
15-19
20-24
25-29
30-34
35-39
40-44
45-49
50-54
55-59
60-64
65-69
70-74
75-79
80-84
85+
Male Female

Source: ABS Census 2021, Suburb and Locality (SAL)

Most common overseas birthplaces

England
9.6%
New Zealand
2.7%
South Africa
1.9%
United States of America
1.5%
Scotland
1.0%
China
1.0%
Brazil
0.9%

Shares are of all residents. Source: ABS Census 2021, G09 Country of Birth by SAL

Most common languages at home other than English

Spanish
1.4%
French
1.4%
Mandarin
1.2%
Portuguese
1.1%
Italian
1.0%
German
0.8%
Greek
0.7%

Shares are of all residents. Source: ABS Census 2021, G13 Language Used at Home by SAL

Ancestry

English
44.3%
Australian
30.6%
Irish
14.7%
Scottish
13.0%
Italian
4.5%
German
3.8%
Chinese
3.0%
Dutch
2.1%
French
2.0%
South African
1.7%
New Zealander
1.6%

Shares are of the suburb population. People can report up to two ancestries, so shares add to more than 100%. Source: ABS Census 2021, G08 Ancestry by SAL

Religion

No religion
47.1%
Catholic
23.0%
Anglican
14.3%
Not stated
4.0%
Presbyterian and Reformed
1.9%
Christian (other)
1.6%
Eastern Orthodox
1.3%
Uniting Church
1.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G14 Religion by SAL

Indigenous Population

0.4%
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander

Source: ABS Census 2021, G07 Indigenous Status by SAL

Marital Status

Married
49.0% 3,155
Separated
2.5% 162
Divorced
9.4% 606
Widowed
3.9% 250
Never married
35.2% 2,269

Source: ABS Census 2021, G05 Marital Status by SAL

Family Structure

Couple: children under 15
48.4%
Couple: no children
25.3%
Couple: no children under 15
14.9%
One parent: no children under 15
5.8%
One parent: children under 15
5.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G29 Family Composition by SAL

Household Size

1 person
24.8%
2 persons
32.8%
3 persons
17.5%
4 persons
17.9%
5 persons
6.0%
6+ persons
0.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G35 Household Size by SAL

Homes in Balgowlah

Housing Tenure

Of the 3,151 occupied private dwellings in Balgowlah at the 2021 Census, 31.2% were rented, 34.1% owned outright and 32.8% owned with a mortgage.

Other tenure type
1.0% 32 dwellings
Owned outright
34.1% 1,076 dwellings
Owned with mortgage
32.8% 1,035 dwellings
Rented
31.2% 984 dwellings
Tenure type not stated
0.7% 21 dwellings

Source: ABS Census 2021, Suburb and Locality (SAL)

Dwelling Types

Separate house
59.8%
Semi-detached (2+ storey)
34.2%
Semi-detached (1 storey)
6.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G36 Dwelling Structure by SAL

Number of Bedrooms

1 bedroom
6.9%
2 bedrooms
35.0%
3 bedrooms
36.6%
4 bedrooms
16.2%
5 bedrooms
4.6%
6+ bedrooms
0.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G41 Number of Bedrooms by SAL

Monthly Mortgage Repayments

$0-$299/mo
9.4%
$300-$449/mo
2.7%
$450-$599/mo
0.9%
$600-$799/mo
3.1%
$800-$999/mo
4.1%
$1,000-$1,399/mo
7.4%
$1,400-$1,799/mo
7.2%
$1,800-$2,399/mo
17.6%
$2,400-$2,999/mo
19.5%
$3,000-$3,999/mo
28.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G38 Mortgage Repayment by SAL

Car Ownership

0 vehicles
7.7%
1 vehicle
49.8%
2 vehicles
33.5%
3 vehicles
6.3%
4+ vehicles
2.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G34 Motor Vehicles per Dwelling by SAL

Work, income and education in Balgowlah

Employment

Employed full-time
43.6% 2,570 people
Employed part-time
22.0% 1,296 people
Unemployed
2.4% 139 people
Not in labour force
32.0% 1,885 people

Source: ABS Census 2021, G46 Labour Force Status by SAL

Occupation

Professionals
41.7%
Managers
26.1%
Clerical & Administrative
10.5%
Technicians & Trade Workers
7.0%
Community & Personal Service
6.5%
Sales Workers
5.5%
Labourers
1.5%
Machinery Operators & Drivers
1.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G51 Industry of Employment by Occupation

Weekly Household Income

Nil/Negative/wk
1.3%
$1-$149/wk
1.0%
$150-$299/wk
0.8%
$300-$399/wk
0.9%
$400-$499/wk
3.3%
$500-$649/wk
2.9%
$650-$799/wk
3.4%
$800-$999/wk
4.7%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
4.8%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
5.3%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
4.2%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
4.7%
$2,000-$2,499/wk
10.5%
$2,500-$2,999/wk
6.1%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
7.5%
$3,500-$3,999/wk
4.4%
$4,000+/wk
34.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G33 Household Income by SAL

Personal Weekly Income Distribution

$0 or less/wk
8.5%
$1-$149/wk
4.2%
$150-$299/wk
3.6%
$300-$399/wk
1.8%
$400-$499/wk
1.5%
$500-$649/wk
2.2%
$650-$799/wk
6.7%
$800-$999/wk
7.5%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
8.7%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
7.6%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
6.9%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
6.5%
$2,000-$2,999/wk
13.6%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
4.8%
$3,500+/wk
15.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G17 Personal Income by SAL

How People Get to Work

Car (driver)
52.5%
Did not go to work
26.3%
Bus
6.9%
Walked only
6.2%
Car (passenger)
3.9%
Motorbike/Scooter
1.4%
Bicycle
1.4%
Truck
0.8%
Other
0.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G62 Method of Travel to Work by SAL

Education Level

Year 12 or equivalent
83.6%
Year 10 or equivalent
11.2%
Year 11 or equivalent
3.8%
Year 9 or equivalent
1.3%

Shares are of people whose highest year of school is Year 9 to 12 only. Source: ABS Census 2021, G16 Highest Year of School by SAL

Qualifications

Bachelor Degree
47.1%
Postgraduate Degree
17.9%
Advanced Diploma/Diploma
16.6%
Certificate III/IV
11.9%
Graduate Diploma/Certificate
5.2%
Certificate I/II
1.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G49 Non-School Qualification by SAL

Field of Study

Management & Commerce
33.9%
Society & Culture
16.3%
Health
9.2%
Engineering
8.2%
Creative Arts
7.6%
Education
6.5%
Architecture & Building
5.2%
Natural & Physical Sciences
4.8%
Information Technology
4.2%
Food, Hospitality & Personal Services
2.9%
Agriculture & Environment
1.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G51 Field of Study by SAL

School & University Attendance

Primary: Government
31.9%
Pre-school
16.0%
Secondary: Government
15.7%
Secondary: Catholic
10.3%
Secondary: Other Non-Govt
8.9%
Vocational Education
8.1%
Primary: Catholic
6.3%
Primary: Other Non-Govt
2.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G15 Type of Educational Institution by SAL

More from the 2021 Census

Need for Assistance

Does not have need for assistance
94.3%
Has need for assistance
2.9%
Need for assistance not stated
2.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G18 Core Activity Need for Assistance by SAL

Long-term Health Conditions

Mental health
477
Asthma
250
Heart disease
175
Arthritis
155
Diabetes
114
Cancer
113
Lung condition
87
Stroke
60
Kidney disease
42
Dementia
9

Source: ABS Census 2021, G19 Long-term Health Conditions by SAL

Unpaid Carers

Provided unpaid assistance
10.2% 635
Did not provide
89.8% 5,608

Source: ABS Census 2021, G25 Unpaid Assistance by SAL

Volunteering

Volunteer
19.0% 1,187
Not a volunteer
81.0% 5,074

Source: ABS Census 2021, G23 Voluntary Work by SAL

Military Service

Current ADF: Regular
0.2% 11
Current ADF: Reserves
0.1% 4
Previously served
1.6% 100
Never served
98.2% 6,154

Source: ABS Census 2021, G22 ADF Service by SAL

Children Ever Born

No children
37.3%
1 child
15.1%
2 children
32.1%
3 children
12.8%
4 children
2.4%
5+ children
0.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G28 Children Ever Born by SAL

When Migrants Arrived

Before 1951
23
1951: 1960
71
1961: 1970
180
1971: 1980
212
1981: 1990
267
1991: 2000
348
2001: 2010
692
2011: 2015
401
2016
84
2017
78
2018
81
2019
67
2020
42
2021
13

Source: ABS Census 2021, G10 Year of Arrival by SAL

Population Mobility

17.0%
moved in the last year
44.3%
moved in the last 5 years
3.3%
unemployment rate (Census)
68.1%
labour force participation

Source: ABS Census 2021, G43 Summary by SAL

Where Residents Moved From

Same address
6,430
Moved from NSW
911
Moved: same area (SA2)
260
Moved from overseas
96
Moved from QLD
29
Moved from VIC
12
Moved from WA
3

Source: ABS Census 2021, G44 Address 1 Year Ago by SAL

Unpaid Domestic Work

Less than 5 hours
24.0%
5: 14 hours
34.4%
15: 29 hours
15.4%
30+ hours
8.3%
Did not do domestic work
18.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G24 Unpaid Domestic Work by SAL

Family Blending

Intact family: no other children
91.5%
Step family: no other children
7.3%
Blended family: no other children
1.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G31 Family Blending by SAL

Balgowlah Crime Statistics

60 reported offences in 2025-26, by category.

Theft
23
Other Against Property
14
Assault
8
Sexual Offences
6
Property Damage
6
Other Against Person
2
Drug Offences
1

Total offences by year

2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025

Source: NSW BOCSAR (bocsar.nsw.gov.au).

Cheaper alternatives with similar incomes

Bar Beach
Income: $1,196/wk Rent: $393/wk $247/wk less rent
Springvale (NSW)
Income: $1,148/wk Rent: $420/wk $220/wk less rent
New Lambton Heights
Income: $1,087/wk Rent: $483/wk $157/wk less rent
Newcastle
Income: $1,251/wk Rent: $490/wk $150/wk less rent
Lilyfield
Income: $1,348/wk Rent: $520/wk $120/wk less rent
Leonay
Income: $1,051/wk Rent: $530/wk $110/wk less rent
Royalla
Income: $1,285/wk Rent: $530/wk $110/wk less rent
North Avoca
Income: $1,094/wk Rent: $545/wk $95/wk less rent

Suburbs near Balgowlah

The closest suburb to Balgowlah is Fairlight, 1.2 km away.

Fairlight
1.2 km away · income $1,491/wk · rent $720/wk
North Balgowlah
1.2 km away · income $1,254/wk · rent $825/wk
Manly Vale
1.4 km away · income $1,158/wk · rent $550/wk
Balgowlah Heights
1.5 km away · income $1,333/wk · rent $1,320/wk
Clontarf (NSW)
1.5 km away · income $1,385/wk · rent $1,250/wk
Seaforth (NSW)
1.7 km away · income $1,263/wk · rent $875/wk

Compare Balgowlah

Frequently Asked Questions About Balgowlah

What is the population of Balgowlah NSW?

The population of Balgowlah NSW is 8,068 according to the ABS Census 2021. The suburb has a population density of 4,118 people per km². Balgowlah is ranked #877 out of 14,663 suburbs by population.

What is the median income in Balgowlah?

The median personal income in Balgowlah NSW is $1,264 per week, or $65,728 per year. The median household income is $2,681 per week. Family income is $3,462 per week. Balgowlah is ranked #318 by income out of 14,663 Australian suburbs.

How much is rent in Balgowlah?

Median rent in Balgowlah NSW is $640 per week ($2,773 per month). Rent represents 23.9% of household income, which is considered affordable. Balgowlah ranks #157 out of 14,663 suburbs by rent.

What are mortgage repayments in Balgowlah?

The median monthly mortgage repayment in Balgowlah NSW is $3,250. This data comes from the ABS Census 2021 and reflects mortgage repayments for owner-occupied dwellings.

What is the median age in Balgowlah?

The median age in Balgowlah NSW is 41 years. This is older than the national median age of 38 years.

Is Balgowlah a good suburb to live in?

Balgowlah is a suburb in New South Wales with a population of 8,068. The median income is $1,264/wk, which is above the typical NSW suburb ($765/wk). Rent affordability is rated as affordable (23.9% of household income). See the full suburb profile above for detailed statistics.

Explore More

Australian Average Salary Australian House Prices Sydney Cost of Living

Data: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2021. SA2 area: 10154. All dollar figures in AUD.