Willoughby, NSW: suburb profile

The population of Willoughby NSW is 7,124 according to the 2021 Census. The median personal income in Willoughby is $1,264 per week ($65,728 per year). Median rent in Willoughby is $583 per week ($2,526 per month). Willoughby has a median age of 40 years, older than the national median of 38. Willoughby has a population density of 4,377 people per km².

The most common overseas birthplace in Willoughby is China. The most common religion is No religion (39.8% of residents). After English, the most spoken language is Mandarin. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Willoughby is $3,500.

There were 24 recorded offences in Willoughby in 2025-26, a rate of 3 offences per 1,000 people. The most common offence category was theft (11 offences).

Population
7,124
Census 2021
Median income
$1,264/wk
Personal, Census 2021
Median rent
$583/wk
Weekly, Census 2021
Median age
40years
Census 2021

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

Willoughby vs the typical NSW suburb

The median personal income in Willoughby 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 $583 a week, $198 more than the typical NSW suburb. Rent takes 19.5% of the median household income here, against 22.6% in the typical NSW suburb. The median resident is 40, 3 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.
MeasureWilloughbyTypical NSWDifferenceTypical Australia
Personal income$1,264/wk$765/wk +65%$766/wk
Household income$2,995/wk$1,704/wk +76%$1,637/wk
Rent$583/wk$385/wk +51%$330/wk
Mortgage repayment$3,500/mo$1,965/mo +78%$1,733/mo
Median age4043 −3 yrs42
Rent share of household income19.5%22.6% −3.1 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 Willoughby, the typical NSW suburb and the typical Australian suburb.

Willoughby Population

7,124 residents at the 2021 Census.

Willoughby Median Income & Rent

Median Income
$1,264/wk
$65,728 per year
Ranked 318 of 14,663
Median Rent
$583/wk
$2,526 per month
Ranked 276 of 14,663
Median Age
40years
2 years older than the national median
Mortgage
$3,500/mo
Avg household size: 2.7 · 1 per bedroom

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

Willoughby Rent Prices & Affordability

19% of median household income goes on median rent

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

Household income $2,995/wk
Median rent $583/wk
Rent to income 19.5%

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

Median rent in Willoughby against your income

About $12,978 a month
Median rent $583/wk
Left after rent $2,412/wk
Rent share 19.5%

Willoughby Schools

37
schools nearby
19
government
1160
avg ICSEA score
23,729
total students
North Sydney Girls High School Government
Secondary · 7-12 · 916 students
1203
ICSEA
North Sydney Boys High School Government
Secondary · 7-12 · 933 students
1195
ICSEA
Roseville College Independent
Combined · K-12 · 1,060 students
1191
ICSEA
SCECGS Redlands Independent
Combined · K-12 · 1,680 students
1190
ICSEA
Wenona School Independent
Combined · K-12 · 1,385 students
1187
ICSEA
Northbridge Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 364 students
1181
ICSEA
Cameragal Montessori School Independent
Primary · K-6 · 40 students
1179
ICSEA
Monte Sant' Angelo Mercy College Independent
Secondary · 7-12 · 1,186 students
1179
ICSEA
Greenwich Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 367 students
1175
ICSEA
Roseville Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 520 students
1172
ICSEA
International Chinese School Independent
Primary · K-6 · 116 students
1172
ICSEA
St Philip Neri Catholic Primary School Catholic
Primary · K-6 · 102 students
1170
ICSEA
Neutral Bay Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 641 students
1169
ICSEA
Cammeray Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 622 students
1168
ICSEA
Castle Cove Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 273 students
1167
ICSEA

Showing 15 of 37 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 Willoughby, with a map

Willoughby Map

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

People in Willoughby

Demographics

Gender Split

Male 46.9% (3,345) Female 53.1% (3,782)

Population Density

4,377
people per km²
7,124 people · 1.6 km²

Households

2.7
Avg household size
1
Persons per bedroom
$3,830
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

China
4.6%
England
4.4%
Hong Kong
2.5%
New Zealand
2.0%
South Africa
1.3%
India
1.2%
Japan
1.2%

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

Most common languages at home other than English

Mandarin
5.9%
Cantonese
4.6%
Japanese
1.8%
Croatian
1.1%
Italian
1.1%
Greek
1.1%
Spanish
0.7%

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

Ancestry

English
29.3%
Australian
26.5%
Chinese
15.3%
Irish
11.0%
Scottish
9.2%
Italian
4.3%
German
2.7%
Greek
2.6%
Indian
2.3%
Croatian
1.8%
Filipino
1.4%

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
39.8%
Catholic
25.5%
Anglican
11.4%
Not stated
5.1%
Eastern Orthodox
3.0%
Buddhism
2.5%
Christian (other)
1.8%
Hinduism
1.7%

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
53.0% 2,981
Separated
2.3% 131
Divorced
8.0% 450
Widowed
5.0% 282
Never married
31.7% 1,782

Source: ABS Census 2021, G05 Marital Status by SAL

Family Structure

Couple: children under 15
50.6%
Couple: no children
20.2%
Couple: no children under 15
17.8%
One parent: no children under 15
6.7%
One parent: children under 15
4.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G29 Family Composition by SAL

Household Size

1 person
21.8%
2 persons
29.9%
3 persons
16.8%
4 persons
21.7%
5 persons
7.7%
6+ persons
2.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G35 Household Size by SAL

Homes in Willoughby

Housing Tenure

Of the 2,489 occupied private dwellings in Willoughby at the 2021 Census, 31.0% were rented, 33.3% owned outright and 34.2% owned with a mortgage.

Other tenure type
1.1% 27 dwellings
Owned outright
33.3% 830 dwellings
Owned with mortgage
34.2% 851 dwellings
Rented
31.0% 771 dwellings
Tenure type not stated
0.7% 18 dwellings

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

Dwelling Types

Separate house
84.0%
Semi-detached (1 storey)
9.6%
Semi-detached (2+ storey)
6.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G36 Dwelling Structure by SAL

Number of Bedrooms

1 bedroom
8.6%
2 bedrooms
27.0%
3 bedrooms
32.8%
4 bedrooms
24.2%
5 bedrooms
6.4%
6+ bedrooms
0.9%

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

Monthly Mortgage Repayments

$0-$299/mo
12.0%
$300-$449/mo
1.8%
$450-$599/mo
1.8%
$600-$799/mo
3.0%
$800-$999/mo
2.5%
$1,000-$1,399/mo
7.4%
$1,400-$1,799/mo
7.2%
$1,800-$2,399/mo
17.1%
$2,400-$2,999/mo
16.4%
$3,000-$3,999/mo
30.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G38 Mortgage Repayment by SAL

Car Ownership

0 vehicles
7.0%
1 vehicle
48.4%
2 vehicles
34.7%
3 vehicles
7.5%
4+ vehicles
2.4%

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

Work, income and education in Willoughby

Employment

Employed full-time
44.6% 2,268 people
Employed part-time
19.1% 968 people
Unemployed
2.5% 126 people
Not in labour force
33.8% 1,719 people

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

Occupation

Professionals
44.9%
Managers
25.1%
Clerical & Administrative
10.9%
Technicians & Trade Workers
5.5%
Sales Workers
5.4%
Community & Personal Service
5.3%
Labourers
1.6%
Machinery Operators & Drivers
1.4%

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

Weekly Household Income

Nil/Negative/wk
1.7%
$1-$149/wk
0.5%
$150-$299/wk
1.3%
$300-$399/wk
1.0%
$400-$499/wk
3.3%
$500-$649/wk
2.6%
$650-$799/wk
3.2%
$800-$999/wk
3.9%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
4.8%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
5.3%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
4.0%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
4.2%
$2,000-$2,499/wk
8.8%
$2,500-$2,999/wk
5.7%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
6.1%
$3,500-$3,999/wk
4.2%
$4,000+/wk
39.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G33 Household Income by SAL

Personal Weekly Income Distribution

$0 or less/wk
11.2%
$1-$149/wk
4.0%
$150-$299/wk
4.7%
$300-$399/wk
1.8%
$400-$499/wk
2.1%
$500-$649/wk
2.2%
$650-$799/wk
4.9%
$800-$999/wk
6.2%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
7.2%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
6.0%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
6.3%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
6.0%
$2,000-$2,999/wk
14.4%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
5.1%
$3,500+/wk
18.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G17 Personal Income by SAL

How People Get to Work

Car (driver)
50.4%
Did not go to work
27.4%
Bus
7.3%
Walked only
5.6%
Car (passenger)
4.0%
Motorbike/Scooter
1.3%
Train
1.1%
Other
1.1%
Truck
0.7%
Bicycle
0.6%
Taxi/Rideshare
0.4%

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

Education Level

Year 12 or equivalent
86.9%
Year 10 or equivalent
8.7%
Year 11 or equivalent
2.8%
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
48.0%
Postgraduate Degree
22.1%
Advanced Diploma/Diploma
13.7%
Certificate III/IV
10.1%
Graduate Diploma/Certificate
5.0%
Certificate I/II
1.1%

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

Field of Study

Management & Commerce
36.1%
Society & Culture
17.6%
Engineering
9.2%
Health
8.8%
Creative Arts
6.7%
Education
4.9%
Information Technology
4.9%
Architecture & Building
4.6%
Natural & Physical Sciences
4.3%
Food, Hospitality & Personal Services
1.9%
Agriculture & Environment
1.0%

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

School & University Attendance

Primary: Government
31.2%
Secondary: Government
15.3%
Pre-school
12.4%
Secondary: Other Non-Govt
10.9%
Primary: Catholic
9.8%
Secondary: Catholic
9.2%
Vocational Education
6.2%
Primary: Other Non-Govt
4.9%

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
92.0%
Has need for assistance
4.1%
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
397
Asthma
236
Arthritis
150
Heart disease
135
Diabetes
113
Cancer
86
Lung condition
71
Stroke
60
Kidney disease
46
Dementia
16

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

Unpaid Carers

Provided unpaid assistance
11.7% 626
Did not provide
88.3% 4,737

Source: ABS Census 2021, G25 Unpaid Assistance by SAL

Volunteering

Volunteer
18.1% 974
Not a volunteer
81.9% 4,399

Source: ABS Census 2021, G23 Voluntary Work by SAL

Military Service

Current ADF: Regular
0.3% 14
Current ADF: Reserves
0.2% 9
Previously served
1.4% 77
Never served
98.1% 5,287

Source: ABS Census 2021, G22 ADF Service by SAL

Children Ever Born

No children
35.9%
1 child
15.0%
2 children
31.8%
3 children
13.5%
4 children
3.6%
5+ children
0.1%

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

When Migrants Arrived

Before 1951
29
1951: 1960
76
1961: 1970
221
1971: 1980
277
1981: 1990
363
1991: 2000
365
2001: 2010
544
2011: 2015
288
2016
41
2017
52
2018
61
2019
62
2020
40
2021
18

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

Population Mobility

15.7%
moved in the last year
41.3%
moved in the last 5 years
3.4%
unemployment rate (Census)
65.4%
labour force participation

Source: ABS Census 2021, G43 Summary by SAL

Where Residents Moved From

Same address
5,738
Moved from NSW
757
Moved: same area (SA2)
175
Moved from overseas
94
Moved from QLD
16
Moved from VIC
15
Moved from ACT
6
Moved from TAS
4
Moved from WA
3

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

Unpaid Domestic Work

Less than 5 hours
22.8%
5: 14 hours
34.2%
15: 29 hours
14.1%
30+ hours
8.4%
Did not do domestic work
20.5%

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

Family Blending

Intact family: no other children
93.0%
Step family: no other children
5.6%
Blended family: no other children
1.2%
Intact family: other children present
0.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G31 Family Blending by SAL

Willoughby Crime Statistics

24 reported offences in 2025-26, by category.

Theft
11
Assault
3
Other Against Person
3
Property Damage
2
Other Against Property
2
Sexual Offences
1
Weapons
1
Traffic
1

Total offences by year

2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025

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

Cheaper alternatives with similar incomes

Suburbs near Willoughby

The closest suburb to Willoughby is Willoughby East, 1.0 km away.

Willoughby East
1.0 km away · income $1,155/wk · rent $873/wk
Naremburn
1.2 km away · income $1,593/wk · rent $602/wk
North Willoughby
1.2 km away · income $1,067/wk · rent $590/wk
Northbridge (NSW)
1.6 km away · income $1,375/wk · rent $740/wk
Artarmon
1.6 km away · income $1,202/wk · rent $525/wk
Castlecrag
1.8 km away · income $1,446/wk · rent $1,010/wk

Frequently Asked Questions About Willoughby

What is the population of Willoughby NSW?

The population of Willoughby NSW is 7,124 according to the ABS Census 2021. The suburb has a population density of 4,377 people per km². Willoughby is ranked #1,029 out of 14,663 suburbs by population.

What is the median income in Willoughby?

The median personal income in Willoughby NSW is $1,264 per week, or $65,728 per year. The median household income is $2,995 per week. Family income is $3,830 per week. Willoughby is ranked #318 by income out of 14,663 Australian suburbs.

How much is rent in Willoughby?

Median rent in Willoughby NSW is $583 per week ($2,526 per month). Rent represents 19.5% of household income, which is considered affordable. Willoughby ranks #276 out of 14,663 suburbs by rent.

What are mortgage repayments in Willoughby?

The median monthly mortgage repayment in Willoughby NSW is $3,500. This data comes from the ABS Census 2021 and reflects mortgage repayments for owner-occupied dwellings.

What is the median age in Willoughby?

The median age in Willoughby NSW is 40 years. This is older than the national median age of 38 years.

Is Willoughby a good suburb to live in?

Willoughby is a suburb in New South Wales with a population of 7,124. The median income is $1,264/wk, which is above the typical NSW suburb ($765/wk). Rent affordability is rated as affordable (19.5% 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: 14320. All dollar figures in AUD.