Dee Why, NSW: suburb profile

The population of Dee Why NSW is 23,354 according to the 2021 Census. The median personal income in Dee Why is $1,065 per week ($55,380 per year). Median rent in Dee Why is $550 per week ($2,383 per month). Dee Why has a median age of 36 years, younger than the national median of 38. Dee Why has a population density of 7,573 people per km².

The most common overseas birthplace in Dee Why is England. The most common religion is No religion (40.5% of residents). After English, the most spoken language is Portuguese. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Dee Why is $2,457.

There were 192 recorded offences in Dee Why in 2025-26, a rate of 8 offences per 1,000 people. The most common offence category was theft (52 offences).

Population
23,354
Census 2021
Median income
$1,065/wk
Personal, Census 2021
Median rent
$550/wk
Weekly, Census 2021
Median age
36years
Census 2021

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

Dee Why vs the typical NSW suburb

The median personal income in Dee Why is $1,065 a week, 39% above the typical NSW suburb ($765). That ranks 259th of 2,150 NSW suburbs with 200 or more residents. Median rent is $550 a week, $165 more than the typical NSW suburb. Rent takes 26.1% of the median household income here, against 22.6% in the typical NSW suburb. The median resident is 36, 7 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.
MeasureDee WhyTypical NSWDifferenceTypical Australia
Personal income$1,065/wk$765/wk +39%$766/wk
Household income$2,106/wk$1,704/wk +24%$1,637/wk
Rent$550/wk$385/wk +43%$330/wk
Mortgage repayment$2,457/mo$1,965/mo +25%$1,733/mo
Median age3643 −7 yrs42
Rent share of household income26.1%22.6% +3.5 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 Dee Why, the typical NSW suburb and the typical Australian suburb.

Dee Why Population

23,354 residents at the 2021 Census.

Dee Why Median Income & Rent

Median Income
$1,065/wk
$55,380 per year
Ranked 851 of 14,663
Median Rent
$550/wk
$2,383 per month
Ranked 360 of 14,663
Median Age
36years
2 years younger than the national median
Mortgage
$2,457/mo
Avg household size: 2.3 · 1.1 per bedroom

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

Dee Why Rent Prices & Affordability

26% of median household income goes on median rent

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

Household income $2,106/wk
Median rent $550/wk
Rent to income 26.1%

Rent is between 25% and 35% of household income: moderate housing costs.

Median rent in Dee Why against your income

About $9,126 a month
Median rent $550/wk
Left after rent $1,556/wk
Rent share 26.1%

Dee Why Schools

25
schools nearby
15
government
1105
avg ICSEA score
12,233
total students
Northern Beaches Secondary College Manly Campus Government
Secondary · 7-12 · 766 students
1217
ICSEA
St Luke's Grammar School Independent
Combined · K-12 · 1,481 students
1178
ICSEA
Pittwater House Schools Independent
Combined · K-12 · 1,002 students
1158
ICSEA
St Rose Catholic Primary School Catholic
Primary · K-6 · 227 students
1149
ICSEA
St Augustine's College Sydney Independent
Combined · 5-12 · 1,580 students
1141
ICSEA
Harbord Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 881 students
1137
ICSEA
St John the Baptist Catholic Primary School Catholic
Primary · K-6 · 163 students
1134
ICSEA
Curl Curl North Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 699 students
1116
ICSEA
Collaroy Plateau Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 452 students
1109
ICSEA
Beacon Hill Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 459 students
1099
ICSEA
Northern Beaches Secondary College Freshwater Senior Campus Government
Secondary · 11-12 · 647 students
1098
ICSEA
Cromer Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 468 students
1091
ICSEA
St John the Apostle Catholic Primary School Catholic
Primary · K-6 · 247 students
1091
ICSEA
Wheeler Heights Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 430 students
1086
ICSEA
St Kevin's Catholic Primary School Catholic
Primary · K-6 · 178 students
1085
ICSEA

Showing 15 of 25 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 Dee Why, with a map

Dee Why Map

Dee Why, New South Wales Map data: OpenStreetMap
Loading map…

People in Dee Why

Demographics

Gender Split

Male 49.2% (11,486) Female 50.8% (11,865)

Population Density

7,573
people per km²
23,354 people · 3.1 km²

Households

2.3
Avg household size
1.1
Persons per bedroom
$2,460
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
5.9%
Brazil
4.2%
China
3.6%
Nepal
3.2%
India
3.2%
New Zealand
2.6%
Philippines
2.3%

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

Most common languages at home other than English

Portuguese
4.6%
Nepali
3.1%
Mandarin
2.1%
Spanish
2.0%
Serbian
1.6%
Italian
1.5%
Punjabi
1.2%

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

Ancestry

English
30.1%
Australian
22.4%
Irish
9.1%
Scottish
7.7%
Italian
6.9%
Chinese
4.2%
German
3.7%
Filipino
3.1%
Indian
2.5%
Dutch
2.0%
Serbian
1.9%

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
40.5%
Catholic
22.1%
Anglican
8.2%
Not stated
5.5%
Buddhism
4.7%
Hinduism
4.4%
Christian (other)
2.4%
Eastern Orthodox
2.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G14 Religion by SAL

Indigenous Population

0.7%
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander

Source: ABS Census 2021, G07 Indigenous Status by SAL

Marital Status

Married
40.7% 8,082
Separated
2.9% 583
Divorced
11.2% 2,225
Widowed
3.4% 682
Never married
41.7% 8,278

Source: ABS Census 2021, G05 Marital Status by SAL

Family Structure

Couple: children under 15
41.0%
Couple: no children
33.6%
Couple: no children under 15
12.4%
One parent: no children under 15
7.4%
One parent: children under 15
5.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G29 Family Composition by SAL

Household Size

1 person
29.5%
2 persons
36.5%
3 persons
17.0%
4 persons
12.4%
5 persons
3.0%
6+ persons
1.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G35 Household Size by SAL

Homes in Dee Why

Housing Tenure

Of the 9,863 occupied private dwellings in Dee Why at the 2021 Census, 47.3% were rented, 20.9% owned outright and 29.3% owned with a mortgage.

Other tenure type
1.3% 126 dwellings
Owned outright
20.9% 2,064 dwellings
Owned with mortgage
29.3% 2,886 dwellings
Rented
47.3% 4,670 dwellings
Tenure type not stated
1.2% 121 dwellings

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

Dwelling Types

Separate house
86.4%
Semi-detached (2+ storey)
12.5%
Semi-detached (1 storey)
1.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G36 Dwelling Structure by SAL

Number of Bedrooms

1 bedroom
19.4%
2 bedrooms
57.9%
3 bedrooms
13.4%
4 bedrooms
6.0%
5 bedrooms
2.4%
6+ bedrooms
0.9%

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

Monthly Mortgage Repayments

$0-$299/mo
5.1%
$300-$449/mo
1.3%
$450-$599/mo
1.0%
$600-$799/mo
2.2%
$800-$999/mo
4.0%
$1,000-$1,399/mo
8.5%
$1,400-$1,799/mo
11.9%
$1,800-$2,399/mo
23.9%
$2,400-$2,999/mo
20.7%
$3,000-$3,999/mo
21.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G38 Mortgage Repayment by SAL

Car Ownership

0 vehicles
11.3%
1 vehicle
52.1%
2 vehicles
28.1%
3 vehicles
5.7%
4+ vehicles
2.8%

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

Work, income and education in Dee Why

Employment

Employed full-time
46.4% 8,165 people
Employed part-time
23.9% 4,205 people
Unemployed
3.0% 523 people
Not in labour force
26.8% 4,709 people

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

Occupation

Professionals
31.1%
Managers
16.7%
Technicians & Trade Workers
13.2%
Community & Personal Service
12.2%
Clerical & Administrative
10.6%
Sales Workers
6.7%
Labourers
5.8%
Machinery Operators & Drivers
3.6%

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

Weekly Household Income

Nil/Negative/wk
1.6%
$1-$149/wk
0.4%
$150-$299/wk
0.9%
$300-$399/wk
1.6%
$400-$499/wk
3.8%
$500-$649/wk
3.5%
$650-$799/wk
4.2%
$800-$999/wk
4.7%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
5.7%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
6.9%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
6.7%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
6.6%
$2,000-$2,499/wk
15.7%
$2,500-$2,999/wk
8.5%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
8.1%
$3,500-$3,999/wk
4.7%
$4,000+/wk
16.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G33 Household Income by SAL

Personal Weekly Income Distribution

$0 or less/wk
7.6%
$1-$149/wk
2.6%
$150-$299/wk
3.3%
$300-$399/wk
2.0%
$400-$499/wk
2.1%
$500-$649/wk
3.0%
$650-$799/wk
8.6%
$800-$999/wk
11.4%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
13.6%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
10.2%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
8.8%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
6.9%
$2,000-$2,999/wk
11.9%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
2.8%
$3,500+/wk
5.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G17 Personal Income by SAL

How People Get to Work

Car (driver)
54.8%
Did not go to work
18.3%
Bus
12.0%
Walked only
6.1%
Car (passenger)
4.2%
Motorbike/Scooter
1.9%
Bicycle
1.0%
Other
0.7%
Truck
0.6%
Taxi/Rideshare
0.2%
Train
0.2%
Ferry
0.0%

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

Education Level

Year 12 or equivalent
79.9%
Year 10 or equivalent
13.8%
Year 11 or equivalent
4.0%
Year 9 or equivalent
2.3%

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
39.6%
Certificate III/IV
21.4%
Advanced Diploma/Diploma
19.6%
Postgraduate Degree
14.0%
Graduate Diploma/Certificate
3.9%
Certificate I/II
1.4%

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

Field of Study

Management & Commerce
29.6%
Society & Culture
13.9%
Engineering
11.0%
Health
10.2%
Education
7.3%
Creative Arts
6.3%
Architecture & Building
6.3%
Information Technology
5.6%
Food, Hospitality & Personal Services
4.9%
Natural & Physical Sciences
3.6%
Agriculture & Environment
1.5%

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

School & University Attendance

Primary: Government
26.9%
Vocational Education
24.5%
Secondary: Government
17.6%
Pre-school
12.4%
Primary: Catholic
6.3%
Secondary: Catholic
5.9%
Secondary: Other Non-Govt
3.6%
Primary: Other Non-Govt
3.0%

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
92.9%
Has need for assistance
2.9%
Need for assistance not stated
4.2%

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

Long-term Health Conditions

Mental health
1,407
Asthma
661
Arthritis
422
Diabetes
373
Heart disease
372
Cancer
225
Lung condition
190
Kidney disease
136
Stroke
136
Dementia
44

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

Unpaid Carers

Provided unpaid assistance
9.1% 1,715
Did not provide
90.9% 17,186

Source: ABS Census 2021, G25 Unpaid Assistance by SAL

Volunteering

Volunteer
11.2% 2,134
Not a volunteer
88.8% 16,839

Source: ABS Census 2021, G23 Voluntary Work by SAL

Military Service

Current ADF: Regular
0.2% 42
Current ADF: Reserves
0.1% 16
Previously served
1.0% 198
Never served
98.7% 18,783

Source: ABS Census 2021, G22 ADF Service by SAL

Children Ever Born

No children
47.3%
1 child
18.7%
2 children
23.2%
3 children
8.0%
4 children
2.4%
5+ children
0.4%

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

When Migrants Arrived

Before 1951
43
1951: 1960
172
1961: 1970
395
1971: 1980
459
1981: 1990
856
1991: 2000
1,339
2001: 2010
2,281
2011: 2015
1,839
2016
538
2017
621
2018
725
2019
734
2020
217
2021
36

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

Population Mobility

20.6%
moved in the last year
55.5%
moved in the last 5 years
3.7%
unemployment rate (Census)
72.1%
labour force participation

Source: ABS Census 2021, G43 Summary by SAL

Where Residents Moved From

Same address
17,581
Moved from NSW
3,022
Moved: same area (SA2)
1,083
Moved from overseas
274
Moved from QLD
51
Moved from VIC
33
Moved from ACT
11
Moved from TAS
5
Moved from WA
5
Moved from NT
3
Moved from SA
3

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

Unpaid Domestic Work

Less than 5 hours
23.2%
5: 14 hours
31.4%
15: 29 hours
10.4%
30+ hours
6.1%
Did not do domestic work
29.0%

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

Family Blending

Intact family: no other children
90.3%
Step family: no other children
7.4%
Blended family: no other children
1.6%
Intact family: other children present
0.5%
Other couple: children only
0.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G31 Family Blending by SAL

Dee Why Crime Statistics

192 reported offences in 2025-26, by category.

Theft
52
Other Against Property
48
Assault
27
Other Against Person
22
Sexual Offences
13
Property Damage
13
Drug Offences
12
Weapons
3
Robbery
2

Total offences by year

2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025

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

Cheaper alternatives with similar incomes

Suburbs near Dee Why

The closest suburb to Dee Why is North Curl Curl, 1.3 km away.

North Curl Curl
1.3 km away · income $1,110/wk · rent $700/wk
Narraweena
1.7 km away · income $790/wk · rent $400/wk
Curl Curl
2.1 km away · income $1,260/wk · rent $705/wk
Collaroy (NSW)
2.1 km away · income $1,074/wk · rent $600/wk
Collaroy Plateau
2.2 km away · income $1,071/wk · rent $800/wk
Brookvale
2.3 km away · income $1,113/wk · rent $550/wk

Frequently Asked Questions About Dee Why

What is the population of Dee Why NSW?

The population of Dee Why NSW is 23,354 according to the ABS Census 2021. The suburb has a population density of 7,573 people per km². Dee Why is ranked #106 out of 14,663 suburbs by population.

What is the median income in Dee Why?

The median personal income in Dee Why NSW is $1,065 per week, or $55,380 per year. The median household income is $2,106 per week. Family income is $2,460 per week. Dee Why is ranked #851 by income out of 14,663 Australian suburbs.

How much is rent in Dee Why?

Median rent in Dee Why NSW is $550 per week ($2,383 per month). Rent represents 26.1% of household income, which is considered moderate. Dee Why ranks #360 out of 14,663 suburbs by rent.

What are mortgage repayments in Dee Why?

The median monthly mortgage repayment in Dee Why NSW is $2,457. This data comes from the ABS Census 2021 and reflects mortgage repayments for owner-occupied dwellings.

What is the median age in Dee Why?

The median age in Dee Why NSW is 36 years. This is younger than the national median age of 38 years.

Is Dee Why a good suburb to live in?

Dee Why is a suburb in New South Wales with a population of 23,354. The median income is $1,065/wk, which is above the typical NSW suburb ($765/wk). Rent affordability is rated as moderate (26.1% of household income). See the full suburb profile above for detailed statistics.

Data: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2021. SA2 area: 11229. All dollar figures in AUD.