Fairlight, NSW: suburb profile

The population of Fairlight NSW is 6,141 according to the 2021 Census. The median personal income in Fairlight is $1,491 per week ($77,532 per year). Median rent in Fairlight is $720 per week ($3,120 per month). Fairlight has a median age of 39 years, older than the national median of 38. Fairlight has a population density of 5,256 people per km².

The most common overseas birthplace in Fairlight is England. The most common religion is No religion (51.0% of residents). After English, the most spoken language is French. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Fairlight is $3,467.

There were 22 recorded offences in Fairlight in 2025-26, a rate of 4 offences per 1,000 people. The most common offence category was theft (10 offences).

Population
6,141
Census 2021
Median income
$1,491/wk
Personal, Census 2021
Median rent
$720/wk
Weekly, Census 2021
Median age
39years
Census 2021

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

Fairlight vs the typical NSW suburb

The median personal income in Fairlight is $1,491 a week, 95% above the typical NSW suburb ($765). That ranks 49th of 2,150 NSW suburbs with 200 or more residents. Median rent is $720 a week, $335 more than the typical NSW suburb. Rent takes 22.1% of the median household income here, against 22.6% in the typical NSW suburb. The median resident is 39, 4 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.
MeasureFairlightTypical NSWDifferenceTypical Australia
Personal income$1,491/wk$765/wk +95%$766/wk
Household income$3,251/wk$1,704/wk +91%$1,637/wk
Rent$720/wk$385/wk +87%$330/wk
Mortgage repayment$3,467/mo$1,965/mo +76%$1,733/mo
Median age3943 −4 yrs42
Rent share of household income22.1%22.6% −0.4 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 Fairlight, the typical NSW suburb and the typical Australian suburb.

Fairlight Population

6,141 residents at the 2021 Census.

Fairlight Median Income & Rent

Median Income
$1,491/wk
$77,532 per year
Ranked 127 of 14,663
Median Rent
$720/wk
$3,120 per month
Ranked 80 of 14,663
Median Age
39years
1 years older than the national median
Mortgage
$3,467/mo
Avg household size: 2.4 · 0.9 per bedroom

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

Fairlight Rent Prices & Affordability

22% of median household income goes on median rent

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

Household income $3,251/wk
Median rent $720/wk
Rent to income 22.1%

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

Median rent in Fairlight against your income

About $14,088 a month
Median rent $720/wk
Left after rent $2,531/wk
Rent share 22.1%

Fairlight Schools

26
schools nearby
15
government
1135
avg ICSEA score
11,256
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
Seaforth Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 394 students
1165
ICSEA
Farmhouse Montessori School Independent
Primary · K-6 · 37 students
1165
ICSEA
St Mary's Catholic Primary School Catholic
Primary · K-6 · 330 students
1159
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
Manly Vale Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 553 students
1129
ICSEA
St Kieran's Catholic Primary School Catholic
Primary · K-6 · 141 students
1122
ICSEA

Showing 15 of 26 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 Fairlight, with a map

Fairlight Map

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

Fairlight, New South Wales: 33.7941°S, 151.2743°E

Fairlight Circle size: offences per 1,000 residents Schools (26)

People in Fairlight

Demographics

Gender Split

Male 46.8% (2,873) Female 53.2% (3,269)

Population Density

5,256
people per km²
6,141 people · 1.2 km²

Households

2.4
Avg household size
0.9
Persons per bedroom
$4,187
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
11.5%
New Zealand
2.3%
United States of America
2.3%
South Africa
2.1%
Ireland
1.0%
Brazil
1.0%
Scotland
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

French
1.4%
Spanish
1.3%
German
1.1%
Portuguese
1.1%
Italian
0.7%
Mandarin
0.4%
Japanese
0.3%

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

Ancestry

English
46.4%
Australian
29.8%
Irish
15.4%
Scottish
12.9%
German
4.5%
Italian
4.1%
Dutch
2.0%
French
1.9%
Chinese
1.9%
Welsh
1.5%
New Zealander
1.2%

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
51.0%
Catholic
19.9%
Anglican
14.4%
Not stated
5.1%
Presbyterian and Reformed
1.7%
Uniting Church
1.4%
Christian (other)
1.2%
Eastern Orthodox
0.8%

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
47.3% 2,403
Separated
2.2% 113
Divorced
8.6% 439
Widowed
3.3% 166
Never married
38.5% 1,957

Source: ABS Census 2021, G05 Marital Status by SAL

Family Structure

Couple: children under 15
44.5%
Couple: no children
30.7%
Couple: no children under 15
16.2%
One parent: no children under 15
4.7%
One parent: children under 15
3.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G29 Family Composition by SAL

Household Size

1 person
23.7%
2 persons
36.5%
3 persons
17.8%
4 persons
16.0%
5 persons
4.9%
6+ persons
1.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G35 Household Size by SAL

Homes in Fairlight

Housing Tenure

Of the 2,407 occupied private dwellings in Fairlight at the 2021 Census, 35.1% were rented, 33.4% owned outright and 29.6% owned with a mortgage.

Other tenure type
1.2% 28 dwellings
Owned outright
33.4% 805 dwellings
Owned with mortgage
29.6% 713 dwellings
Rented
35.1% 844 dwellings
Tenure type not stated
0.6% 14 dwellings

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

Dwelling Types

Separate house
53.9%
Semi-detached (2+ storey)
30.5%
Semi-detached (1 storey)
15.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G36 Dwelling Structure by SAL

Number of Bedrooms

1 bedroom
9.5%
2 bedrooms
34.0%
3 bedrooms
38.2%
4 bedrooms
14.0%
5 bedrooms
3.7%
6+ bedrooms
0.6%

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

Monthly Mortgage Repayments

$0-$299/mo
8.9%
$300-$449/mo
1.6%
$450-$599/mo
1.3%
$600-$799/mo
2.9%
$800-$999/mo
1.6%
$1,000-$1,399/mo
7.3%
$1,400-$1,799/mo
8.6%
$1,800-$2,399/mo
18.0%
$2,400-$2,999/mo
17.2%
$3,000-$3,999/mo
32.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G38 Mortgage Repayment by SAL

Car Ownership

0 vehicles
6.8%
1 vehicle
50.1%
2 vehicles
33.4%
3 vehicles
6.7%
4+ vehicles
3.0%

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

Work, income and education in Fairlight

Employment

Employed full-time
46.8% 2,178 people
Employed part-time
21.8% 1,014 people
Unemployed
2.5% 116 people
Not in labour force
28.9% 1,343 people

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

Occupation

Professionals
44.9%
Managers
25.7%
Clerical & Administrative
9.6%
Technicians & Trade Workers
5.9%
Community & Personal Service
5.9%
Sales Workers
5.1%
Labourers
1.7%
Machinery Operators & Drivers
1.1%

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

Weekly Household Income

Nil/Negative/wk
1.3%
$1-$149/wk
0.4%
$150-$299/wk
0.5%
$300-$399/wk
0.9%
$400-$499/wk
2.1%
$500-$649/wk
1.4%
$650-$799/wk
3.2%
$800-$999/wk
2.9%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
4.7%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
4.8%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
3.9%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
5.1%
$2,000-$2,499/wk
10.6%
$2,500-$2,999/wk
4.7%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
7.4%
$3,500-$3,999/wk
5.0%
$4,000+/wk
41.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G33 Household Income by SAL

Personal Weekly Income Distribution

$0 or less/wk
7.1%
$1-$149/wk
3.2%
$150-$299/wk
2.6%
$300-$399/wk
1.3%
$400-$499/wk
1.0%
$500-$649/wk
1.8%
$650-$799/wk
5.7%
$800-$999/wk
6.8%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
8.9%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
8.0%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
7.5%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
6.7%
$2,000-$2,999/wk
16.1%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
5.5%
$3,500+/wk
17.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G17 Personal Income by SAL

How People Get to Work

Car (driver)
52.0%
Did not go to work
25.9%
Walked only
7.4%
Bus
4.7%
Motorbike/Scooter
2.4%
Car (passenger)
2.4%
Ferry
2.1%
Bicycle
1.5%
Truck
0.6%
Other
0.6%
Taxi/Rideshare
0.3%
Train
0.2%

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

Education Level

Year 12 or equivalent
86.2%
Year 10 or equivalent
9.1%
Year 11 or equivalent
3.1%
Year 9 or equivalent
1.6%

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
47.8%
Postgraduate Degree
20.5%
Advanced Diploma/Diploma
15.4%
Certificate III/IV
9.9%
Graduate Diploma/Certificate
5.4%
Certificate I/II
1.0%

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

Field of Study

Management & Commerce
32.0%
Society & Culture
18.2%
Health
9.8%
Creative Arts
9.6%
Engineering
7.7%
Architecture & Building
6.1%
Education
6.0%
Natural & Physical Sciences
3.7%
Information Technology
3.2%
Food, Hospitality & Personal Services
1.9%
Agriculture & Environment
1.6%

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

School & University Attendance

Primary: Government
29.9%
Pre-school
15.0%
Secondary: Government
13.0%
Vocational Education
11.4%
Secondary: Other Non-Govt
11.0%
Secondary: Catholic
10.4%
Primary: Catholic
5.8%
Primary: Other Non-Govt
3.6%

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
94.0%
Has need for assistance
2.0%
Need for assistance not stated
4.0%

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

Long-term Health Conditions

Mental health
317
Asthma
189
Arthritis
142
Heart disease
128
Cancer
80
Diabetes
64
Lung condition
56
Stroke
38
Kidney disease
24
Dementia
9

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

Unpaid Carers

Provided unpaid assistance
11.3% 555
Did not provide
88.7% 4,336

Source: ABS Census 2021, G25 Unpaid Assistance by SAL

Volunteering

Volunteer
20.5% 1,003
Not a volunteer
79.5% 3,887

Source: ABS Census 2021, G23 Voluntary Work by SAL

Military Service

Current ADF: Reserves
0.1% 5
Previously served
1.6% 78
Never served
98.3% 4,820

Source: ABS Census 2021, G22 ADF Service by SAL

Children Ever Born

No children
44.1%
1 child
13.2%
2 children
28.0%
3 children
12.0%
4 children
2.3%
5+ children
0.3%

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

When Migrants Arrived

Before 1951
13
1951: 1960
48
1961: 1970
131
1971: 1980
124
1981: 1990
208
1991: 2000
229
2001: 2010
475
2011: 2015
341
2016
79
2017
115
2018
78
2019
96
2020
51
2021
17

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

Population Mobility

19.0%
moved in the last year
49.2%
moved in the last 5 years
3.2%
unemployment rate (Census)
70.0%
labour force participation

Source: ABS Census 2021, G43 Summary by SAL

Where Residents Moved From

Same address
4,728
Moved from NSW
631
Moved: same area (SA2)
330
Moved from overseas
90
Moved from VIC
23
Moved from QLD
9
Moved from SA
6
Moved from ACT
5

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

Unpaid Domestic Work

Less than 5 hours
26.1%
5: 14 hours
37.1%
15: 29 hours
14.4%
30+ hours
6.2%
Did not do domestic work
16.2%

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

Family Blending

Intact family: no other children
88.8%
Step family: no other children
9.0%
Blended family: no other children
1.7%
Other couple: children only
0.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G31 Family Blending by SAL

Fairlight Crime Statistics

22 reported offences in 2025-26, by category.

Theft
10
Sexual Offences
3
Assault
2
Property Damage
2
Drug Offences
2
Other Against Property
2
Weapons
1

Total offences by year

2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025

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

Cheaper alternatives with similar incomes

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Income: $1,368/wk Rent: $500/wk $220/wk less rent
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Income: $1,510/wk Rent: $600/wk $120/wk less rent
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Income: $1,528/wk Rent: $600/wk $120/wk less rent
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Bellevue Hill
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Income: $1,480/wk Rent: $450/wk $270/wk less rent
Jerrabomberra
Income: $1,485/wk Rent: $490/wk $230/wk less rent
Bungendore
Income: $1,298/wk Rent: $510/wk $210/wk less rent

Suburbs near Fairlight

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

Balgowlah
1.2 km away · income $1,264/wk · rent $640/wk
Manly Vale
1.5 km away · income $1,158/wk · rent $550/wk
Queenscliff (NSW)
1.6 km away · income $1,532/wk · rent $650/wk
Balgowlah Heights
1.7 km away · income $1,333/wk · rent $1,320/wk
Manly (NSW)
1.9 km away · income $1,595/wk · rent $725/wk
North Manly
2.0 km away · income $1,141/wk · rent $675/wk

Compare Fairlight

Frequently Asked Questions About Fairlight

What is the population of Fairlight NSW?

The population of Fairlight NSW is 6,141 according to the ABS Census 2021. The suburb has a population density of 5,256 people per km². Fairlight is ranked #1,281 out of 14,663 suburbs by population.

What is the median income in Fairlight?

The median personal income in Fairlight NSW is $1,491 per week, or $77,532 per year. The median household income is $3,251 per week. Family income is $4,187 per week. Fairlight is ranked #127 by income out of 14,663 Australian suburbs.

How much is rent in Fairlight?

Median rent in Fairlight NSW is $720 per week ($3,120 per month). Rent represents 22.1% of household income, which is considered affordable. Fairlight ranks #80 out of 14,663 suburbs by rent.

What are mortgage repayments in Fairlight?

The median monthly mortgage repayment in Fairlight NSW is $3,467. This data comes from the ABS Census 2021 and reflects mortgage repayments for owner-occupied dwellings.

What is the median age in Fairlight?

The median age in Fairlight NSW is 39 years. This is older than the national median age of 38 years.

Is Fairlight a good suburb to live in?

Fairlight is a suburb in New South Wales with a population of 6,141. The median income is $1,491/wk, which is above the typical NSW suburb ($765/wk). Rent affordability is rated as affordable (22.1% 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: 11485. All dollar figures in AUD.