Freshwater, NSW: suburb profile

The population of Freshwater NSW is 9,186 according to the 2021 Census. The median personal income in Freshwater is $1,355 per week ($70,460 per year). Median rent in Freshwater is $600 per week ($2,600 per month). Freshwater has a median age of 37 years, younger than the national median of 38. Freshwater has a population density of 5,236 people per km².

The most common overseas birthplace in Freshwater is England. The most common religion is No religion (50.3% of residents). After English, the most spoken language is Spanish. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Freshwater is $3,055.

There were 47 recorded offences in Freshwater in 2025-26, a rate of 5 offences per 1,000 people. The most common offence category was theft (21 offences).

Population
9,186
Census 2021
Median income
$1,355/wk
Personal, Census 2021
Median rent
$600/wk
Weekly, Census 2021
Median age
37years
Census 2021

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

Freshwater vs the typical NSW suburb

The median personal income in Freshwater is $1,355 a week, 77% above the typical NSW suburb ($765). That ranks 82nd of 2,150 NSW suburbs with 200 or more residents. Median rent is $600 a week, $215 more than the typical NSW suburb. Rent takes 22.0% of the median household income here, against 22.6% in the typical NSW suburb. The median resident is 37, 6 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.
MeasureFreshwaterTypical NSWDifferenceTypical Australia
Personal income$1,355/wk$765/wk +77%$766/wk
Household income$2,726/wk$1,704/wk +60%$1,637/wk
Rent$600/wk$385/wk +56%$330/wk
Mortgage repayment$3,055/mo$1,965/mo +55%$1,733/mo
Median age3743 −6 yrs42
Rent share of household income22.0%22.6% −0.6 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 Freshwater, the typical NSW suburb and the typical Australian suburb.

Freshwater Population

9,186 residents at the 2021 Census.

Freshwater Median Income & Rent

Median Income
$1,355/wk
$70,460 per year
Ranked 218 of 14,663
Median Rent
$600/wk
$2,600 per month
Ranked 202 of 14,663
Median Age
37years
1 years younger than the national median
Mortgage
$3,055/mo
Avg household size: 2.5 · 1 per bedroom

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

Freshwater Rent Prices & Affordability

22% of median household income goes on median rent

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

Household income $2,726/wk
Median rent $600/wk
Rent to income 22.0%

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

Median rent in Freshwater against your income

About $11,813 a month
Median rent $600/wk
Left after rent $2,126/wk
Rent share 22.0%

Freshwater Schools

31
schools nearby
17
government
1118
avg ICSEA score
14,194
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
Balgowlah Heights Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 651 students
1177
ICSEA
St Cecilia's Catholic Primary School Catholic
Primary · K-6 · 232 students
1168
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
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
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
Curl Curl North Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 699 students
1116
ICSEA
Northern Beaches Secondary College Mackellar Girls Campus Government
Secondary · 7-12 · 1,023 students
1115
ICSEA

Showing 15 of 31 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 Freshwater, with a map

Freshwater Map

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

Freshwater, New South Wales: 33.7760°S, 151.2848°E

Freshwater Circle size: offences per 1,000 residents Schools (31)

People in Freshwater

Demographics

Gender Split

Male 49.1% (4,509) Female 50.9% (4,675)

Population Density

5,236
people per km²
9,186 people · 1.8 km²

Households

2.5
Avg household size
1
Persons per bedroom
$3,390
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
9.1%
New Zealand
2.2%
United States of America
1.7%
Brazil
1.4%
South Africa
1.2%
Ireland
0.8%
Scotland
0.8%

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

Most common languages at home other than English

Spanish
1.8%
Portuguese
1.6%
Italian
1.1%
French
1.0%
German
1.0%
Mandarin
0.5%
Russian
0.4%

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

Ancestry

English
43.8%
Australian
33.3%
Irish
13.9%
Scottish
12.0%
Italian
5.0%
German
4.6%
Dutch
1.9%
French
1.6%
Chinese
1.6%
New Zealander
1.3%
Welsh
1.3%

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
50.3%
Catholic
22.8%
Anglican
12.5%
Not stated
4.5%
Uniting Church
1.7%
Christian (other)
1.2%
Presbyterian and Reformed
1.1%
Buddhism
0.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G14 Religion by SAL

Indigenous Population

0.5%
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander

Source: ABS Census 2021, G07 Indigenous Status by SAL

Marital Status

Married
45.1% 3,360
Separated
2.2% 167
Divorced
7.9% 592
Widowed
2.8% 212
Never married
41.9% 3,122

Source: ABS Census 2021, G05 Marital Status by SAL

Family Structure

Couple: children under 15
47.1%
Couple: no children
28.9%
Couple: no children under 15
14.9%
One parent: children under 15
4.8%
One parent: no children under 15
4.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G29 Family Composition by SAL

Household Size

1 person
24.9%
2 persons
36.6%
3 persons
14.6%
4 persons
16.7%
5 persons
5.6%
6+ persons
1.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G35 Household Size by SAL

Homes in Freshwater

Housing Tenure

Of the 3,577 occupied private dwellings in Freshwater at the 2021 Census, 36.6% were rented, 27.6% owned outright and 33.1% owned with a mortgage.

Other tenure type
1.7% 60 dwellings
Owned outright
27.6% 986 dwellings
Owned with mortgage
33.1% 1,184 dwellings
Rented
36.6% 1,308 dwellings
Tenure type not stated
1.0% 35 dwellings

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

Dwelling Types

Separate house
89.9%
Semi-detached (2+ storey)
7.4%
Semi-detached (1 storey)
2.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G36 Dwelling Structure by SAL

Number of Bedrooms

1 bedroom
12.9%
2 bedrooms
42.9%
3 bedrooms
20.1%
4 bedrooms
16.0%
5 bedrooms
6.2%
6+ bedrooms
1.9%

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

Monthly Mortgage Repayments

$0-$299/mo
5.6%
$300-$449/mo
1.8%
$450-$599/mo
1.8%
$600-$799/mo
3.1%
$800-$999/mo
2.5%
$1,000-$1,399/mo
9.1%
$1,400-$1,799/mo
9.3%
$1,800-$2,399/mo
19.8%
$2,400-$2,999/mo
17.2%
$3,000-$3,999/mo
29.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G38 Mortgage Repayment by SAL

Car Ownership

0 vehicles
5.6%
1 vehicle
44.0%
2 vehicles
37.9%
3 vehicles
7.8%
4+ vehicles
4.8%

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

Work, income and education in Freshwater

Employment

Employed full-time
48.9% 3,300 people
Employed part-time
21.9% 1,479 people
Unemployed
2.1% 143 people
Not in labour force
27.0% 1,822 people

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

Occupation

Professionals
39.8%
Managers
23.7%
Technicians & Trade Workers
11.1%
Clerical & Administrative
9.5%
Community & Personal Service
7.3%
Sales Workers
5.1%
Labourers
2.3%
Machinery Operators & Drivers
1.3%

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

Weekly Household Income

Nil/Negative/wk
1.2%
$1-$149/wk
0.4%
$150-$299/wk
0.8%
$300-$399/wk
1.1%
$400-$499/wk
2.7%
$500-$649/wk
2.4%
$650-$799/wk
2.3%
$800-$999/wk
3.4%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
4.6%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
5.5%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
5.1%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
4.8%
$2,000-$2,499/wk
12.8%
$2,500-$2,999/wk
6.5%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
8.4%
$3,500-$3,999/wk
6.0%
$4,000+/wk
32.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G33 Household Income by SAL

Personal Weekly Income Distribution

$0 or less/wk
7.8%
$1-$149/wk
3.2%
$150-$299/wk
3.2%
$300-$399/wk
1.4%
$400-$499/wk
1.8%
$500-$649/wk
2.0%
$650-$799/wk
6.2%
$800-$999/wk
6.8%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
9.3%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
9.1%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
8.6%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
7.4%
$2,000-$2,999/wk
14.7%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
4.4%
$3,500+/wk
14.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G17 Personal Income by SAL

How People Get to Work

Car (driver)
60.0%
Did not go to work
23.1%
Walked only
4.3%
Bus
3.6%
Car (passenger)
3.0%
Motorbike/Scooter
1.7%
Bicycle
1.6%
Truck
1.2%
Other
0.7%
Ferry
0.6%
Taxi/Rideshare
0.2%

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

Education Level

Year 12 or equivalent
82.7%
Year 10 or equivalent
11.6%
Year 11 or equivalent
3.8%
Year 9 or equivalent
1.8%

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
45.8%
Certificate III/IV
16.9%
Advanced Diploma/Diploma
16.4%
Postgraduate Degree
14.9%
Graduate Diploma/Certificate
4.4%
Certificate I/II
1.6%

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

Field of Study

Management & Commerce
31.0%
Society & Culture
13.8%
Engineering
9.8%
Health
8.9%
Creative Arts
8.8%
Architecture & Building
8.2%
Education
7.2%
Natural & Physical Sciences
3.6%
Food, Hospitality & Personal Services
3.3%
Information Technology
3.3%
Agriculture & Environment
2.0%

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

School & University Attendance

Primary: Government
30.1%
Secondary: Government
16.6%
Vocational Education
12.7%
Pre-school
12.2%
Secondary: Catholic
9.0%
Secondary: Other Non-Govt
8.4%
Primary: Catholic
6.4%
Primary: Other Non-Govt
4.6%

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
94.7%
Has need for assistance
2.1%
Need for assistance not stated
3.2%

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

Long-term Health Conditions

Mental health
491
Asthma
277
Arthritis
223
Heart disease
165
Diabetes
109
Cancer
90
Lung condition
61
Stroke
52
Kidney disease
34
Dementia
11

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

Unpaid Carers

Provided unpaid assistance
9.2% 661
Did not provide
90.8% 6,532

Source: ABS Census 2021, G25 Unpaid Assistance by SAL

Volunteering

Volunteer
18.6% 1,340
Not a volunteer
81.4% 5,865

Source: ABS Census 2021, G23 Voluntary Work by SAL

Military Service

Current ADF: Regular
0.1% 8
Current ADF: Reserves
0.1% 9
Previously served
1.5% 106
Never served
98.3% 7,098

Source: ABS Census 2021, G22 ADF Service by SAL

Children Ever Born

No children
44.0%
1 child
13.7%
2 children
27.1%
3 children
11.3%
4 children
3.3%
5+ children
0.5%

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

When Migrants Arrived

Before 1951
11
1951: 1960
60
1961: 1970
161
1971: 1980
199
1981: 1990
266
1991: 2000
357
2001: 2010
639
2011: 2015
468
2016
128
2017
90
2018
116
2019
123
2020
43
2021
15

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

Population Mobility

18.1%
moved in the last year
47.1%
moved in the last 5 years
2.6%
unemployment rate (Census)
72.6%
labour force participation

Source: ABS Census 2021, G43 Summary by SAL

Where Residents Moved From

Same address
7,180
Moved from NSW
1,012
Moved: same area (SA2)
419
Moved from overseas
92
Moved from VIC
28
Moved from QLD
19
Moved from ACT
3

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

Unpaid Domestic Work

Less than 5 hours
25.9%
5: 14 hours
35.8%
15: 29 hours
12.5%
30+ hours
7.7%
Did not do domestic work
18.2%

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

Family Blending

Intact family: no other children
91.9%
Step family: no other children
5.3%
Blended family: no other children
2.0%
Intact family: other children present
0.4%
Other couple: children only
0.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G31 Family Blending by SAL

Freshwater Crime Statistics

47 reported offences in 2025-26, by category.

Theft
21
Property Damage
8
Sexual Offences
6
Assault
4
Other Against Person
4
Drug Offences
4

Total offences by year

2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025

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

Cheaper alternatives with similar incomes

Voyager Point
Income: $1,152/wk Rent: $325/wk $275/wk less rent
Sutherland (NSW)
Income: $1,109/wk Rent: $450/wk $150/wk less rent
Potts Point
Income: $1,534/wk Rent: $490/wk $110/wk less rent
Artarmon
Income: $1,202/wk Rent: $525/wk $75/wk less rent
Brookvale
Income: $1,113/wk Rent: $550/wk $50/wk less rent
Darlinghurst
Income: $1,535/wk Rent: $550/wk $50/wk less rent
Lane Cove West
Income: $1,293/wk Rent: $570/wk $30/wk less rent
Pemulwuy
Income: $1,098/wk Rent: $570/wk $30/wk less rent

Suburbs near Freshwater

The closest suburb to Freshwater is Queenscliff (NSW), 0.7 km away.

Queenscliff (NSW)
0.7 km away · income $1,532/wk · rent $650/wk
Curl Curl
0.8 km away · income $1,260/wk · rent $705/wk
North Manly
0.9 km away · income $1,141/wk · rent $675/wk
North Curl Curl
1.5 km away · income $1,110/wk · rent $700/wk
Manly Vale
1.9 km away · income $1,158/wk · rent $550/wk
Brookvale
2.1 km away · income $1,113/wk · rent $550/wk

Compare Freshwater (NSW)

Frequently Asked Questions About Freshwater

What is the population of Freshwater NSW?

The population of Freshwater NSW is 9,186 according to the ABS Census 2021. The suburb has a population density of 5,236 people per km². Freshwater is ranked #739 out of 14,663 suburbs by population.

What is the median income in Freshwater?

The median personal income in Freshwater NSW is $1,355 per week, or $70,460 per year. The median household income is $2,726 per week. Family income is $3,390 per week. Freshwater is ranked #218 by income out of 14,663 Australian suburbs.

How much is rent in Freshwater?

Median rent in Freshwater NSW is $600 per week ($2,600 per month). Rent represents 22.0% of household income, which is considered affordable. Freshwater ranks #202 out of 14,663 suburbs by rent.

What are mortgage repayments in Freshwater?

The median monthly mortgage repayment in Freshwater NSW is $3,055. This data comes from the ABS Census 2021 and reflects mortgage repayments for owner-occupied dwellings.

What is the median age in Freshwater?

The median age in Freshwater NSW is 37 years. This is younger than the national median age of 38 years.

Is Freshwater a good suburb to live in?

Freshwater is a suburb in New South Wales with a population of 9,186. The median income is $1,355/wk, which is above the typical NSW suburb ($765/wk). Rent affordability is rated as affordable (22.0% 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: 11572. All dollar figures in AUD.