Freshwater - Brookvale is well-off — but expensive to rent
Freshwater - Brookvale 2096 · Warringah, Greater Sydney, NSW
Freshwater - Brookvale is among the more advantaged parts of Australia (SEIFA decile 10 of 10); a young, family-heavy area (median age 37). The trade-offs: renting is expensive, a median of $923 a week (DCJ, 2026-Q1); the nearest train station is a fair way off (Roseville, about 9.4 km).
Mostly apartments, with a median age of 37 and households on a median $2,724 a week at the 2021 Census.
Compiled from ABS regional population (SA2), the 2021 Census, SEIFA 2021, NSW DCJ median rents, NSW DCJ median sale prices, NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research reported offences, OpenStreetMap and ACARA Schools NSW / NSW Dept of Education · figures current to September 2026.
What it costs to buy
NSW DCJ Rent and Sales Report · 2025-Q4Median sale price from the NSW Department of Communities and Justice's recorded property sales. Compare year-on-year — quarter-to-quarter moves are mostly seasonal noise.
By dwelling type — 2025-Q4 quarter
| Type | Median sale price |
|---|---|
| House | $3,925,000low sample |
| Unit / flat | $1,255,000n=55 |
The median sale price across all dwellings in Freshwater - Brookvale was $1,408,000, based on sales in postcode 2096, for the 2025-Q4 quarter. That is $208,000 above the Greater Sydney median. By type: a house $3,925,000 and a unit / flat $1,255,000.
This is the median price of properties recorded as sold this quarter — settlement can lag a purchase decision by weeks, so the most recent quarter can revise slightly as more sales are recorded.
Show every quarter, with the year-on-year change
| Quarter | Median price | Year on year | Greater Sydney |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-Q4 | $1,408,000 | — | $1,200,000 |
Sale price data © NSW Department of Communities and Justice, Rent and Sales Report, based on sales in postcode 2096, December 2025 release. Figures are the median for properties sold in the quarter. DCJ suppresses a median where too few properties sold.
What it costs to rent
NSW DCJ Rent and Sales Report · 2026-Q1Median weekly rent for new tenancies, from the NSW Department of Communities and Justice's bond lodgements. Compare year-on-year — quarter-to-quarter moves are mostly seasonal noise.
By dwelling type — 2026-Q1 quarter
| Type | Studio | 1 bed | 2 bed | 3 bed | 4+ bed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| House | — | — | — | $1,500low sample | $2,700low sample |
| Unit / flat | — | $760n=41 | $905n=86 | — | — |
n is the number of new bonds behind each median — treat a figure marked low sample as indicative only.
The median weekly rent across all dwellings in Freshwater - Brookvale was $923, based on new bonds lodged in postcode 2096, for the 2026-Q1 quarter. That is $143 a week above the Greater Sydney median. By type: a 3-bedroom house $1,500 and a 2-bedroom unit $905.
This is the median rent on new leases signed this quarter, not what existing tenants pay. It usually runs higher than the Census figure.
Show every quarter, with the year-on-year change
| Quarter | Median rent | Year on year | Greater Sydney |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-Q1 | $923 | — | $930 |
Rent data © NSW Department of Communities and Justice, Rent and Sales Report, based on new bonds in postcode 2096, March 2026 release. Figures are the median for new bonds lodged in the quarter, not all tenancies. DCJ suppresses a median where too few bonds were lodged.
Freshwater - Brookvale on the map
The Australian Bureau of Statistics Statistical Area 2 outline for Freshwater - Brookvale, NSW.
Map tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors. Boundary: ABS SA2 (ASGS 2021), simplified — an SA2 can differ from the gazetted suburb, and detached parts such as islands may not all be shown.
How the population has changed
Freshwater - Brookvale against the New South Wales average, both set to 100 in the first year shown so the growth rates compare.
Freshwater - Brookvale population grew from 22,169 in 2016 to 23,383 in 2025, a change of 5.5% over the period, against the New South Wales average.
Show the data table
| Year | Freshwater - Brookvale | New South Wales average |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 22,169 | 7,732,858 |
| 2017 | 22,387 | 7,855,316 |
| 2018 | 22,537 | 7,954,476 |
| 2019 | 22,581 | 8,046,748 |
| 2020 | 22,439 | 8,110,610 |
| 2021 | 22,014 | 8,097,062 |
| 2022 | 22,060 | 8,182,098 |
| 2023 | 22,726 | 8,356,387 |
| 2024 | 23,291 | 8,492,050 |
| 2025 | 23,383 | 8,592,524 |
Where the growth is coming from
Freshwater - Brookvale gained 1,523 residents from internal migration and 677 from overseas in the year to June 2025, while 2,330 people moved away — a net addition of -130 before natural increase.
- Internal migration in+1,523
- Internal migration out+2,010
- Overseas migration in+677
- Natural increase+222
Components of population change over the sample year. Natural increase is shown apart from migration so the two are not read as one figure.
How it has changed
Census · five-yearlyThe 2016 Census against 2021. Older figures are mapped onto today's boundaries via the ABS Time Series Profile, so comparisons are approximate where borders moved.
| Measure | 2016 | 2021 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 20,978 | 21,828 | +4.1% |
| Median age | 36 | 37 | +1 yr |
| Median household income | $2,251/wk | $2,724/wk | +21% |
| Median weekly rent | $553/wk | $600/wk | +8.5% |
| Born overseas | 32.5% | 33.3% | +0.8 pts |
Who lives here
Census · five-yearlyFrom the 2021 Census — the most recent available; 2026 Census data isn't expected until mid-2027. Each figure carries its definition, so you know what is being counted.
People
Income
Housing
Work
Household
Country of birth
Language at home
How homes are held
- Owned outright 27.0%
- Mortgaged 34.6%
- Rented 36.2%
- Other / not stated 2.2%
How well-off the area is
Census · five-yearlyThe ABS SEIFA indexes rank every area by relative advantage and disadvantage. Decile 1 is the lowest tenth of Australia; decile 10 is the highest.
- Relative disadvantage (IRSD)Lower decile means more relative disadvantageDecile 10score 1,097
- Advantage & disadvantage (IRSAD)Higher decile means more relative advantageDecile 10score 1,141
- Economic resources (IER)Income and housing capacityDecile 9score 1,065
- Education & occupation (IEO)Education and occupational skill levelsDecile 9score 1,126
Safety context
NSW BOCSAR · June 2026How much crime is reported in Freshwater - Brookvale, from the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSAR).
Most-reported offences · Freshwater - Brookvale, last 12 months
- Malicious damage to property274 /100k−5% vs Greater Sydney↓ 18%
- Intimidation, stalking and harassment201 /100k−36% vs Greater Sydney↑ 2%
- Theft175 /100k+356% vs Greater Sydney↓ 0%
- Assault150 /100k+184% vs Greater Sydney↑ 75%
- Drug offences64 /100k+292% vs Greater Sydney↑ 7%
- Robbery13 /100k+352% vs Greater Sydney↓ 0%
Rate per 100,000 people in Freshwater - Brookvale; the arrow compares the last 12 months with the 12 before.
Of these categories, malicious damage to property is reported most in Freshwater - Brookvale over the last 12 months, running 5% below the Greater Sydney rate and down on the year before.
Show the data table
| Offence category | Suburb | Greater Sydney | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Malicious damage to property | 274 per 100k | 287 per 100k | ↓ 18% vs prior year |
| Intimidation, stalking and harassment | 201 per 100k | 312 per 100k | ↑ 2% vs prior year |
| Theft | 175 per 100k | 38 per 100k | ↑ 0% vs prior year |
| Assault | 150 per 100k | 53 per 100k | ↑ 75% vs prior year |
| Drug offences | 64 per 100k | 16 per 100k | ↑ 7% vs prior year |
| Robbery | 13 per 100k | 3 per 100k | ↑ 0% vs prior year |
Crime statistics © State of New South Wales (NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research), used under CC BY 4.0, updated June 2026. Matched to this suburb from BOCSAR’s own locality-level data — see the safest/highest-crime rankings’ methodology for the locality-to-suburb matching used. Monthly counts are volatile — the 12-month figures above smooth that noise.
Getting around, and what's nearby
OpenStreetMap · quarterlyWhat OpenStreetMap records inside the suburb boundary. Counts reflect what is tagged in OSM and can undercount a real but less-mapped area. The park count here is OpenStreetMap green space of any kind, including privately held land — it is a different measure from the council parks below.
Within the Freshwater - Brookvale SA2, OpenStreetMap records 6 schools, 11 childcare and kindergarten centres, 1 hospital, 8 GP or clinic locations, 4 supermarkets and 23 green spaces. For families: 2 libraries and 16 playgrounds. Eating out and socialising: 27 cafés, 14 restaurants and 4 pubs and bars. Staying active: 7 gyms, 3 public pools and 142 sports fields. Also 1 cinema and 6 shopping centres. The nearest train station, Roseville, is about 9,450 m from the suburb centre. OpenStreetMap also maps 146 bus stops here.
List every mapped place
Schools
- Northern Beaches Secondary College Freshwater Senior Campus
- St John the Baptist Catholic Primary School
- Harbord Public School
- Stewart House School
- Brookvale Public School
- St Augustine's College
Childcare & kindergartens
- Playhouse Learning Centre
- Steam ahead
- Little Zak's Academy
- Little Scribblers
- The Owl & The Pussycat Preschool Brookvale
- Brookvale Pre-school Centre
- Warringah Mall Child Care Centre
Libraries
- Harbord Community Library
- Warringah Mall Library
Gyms & fitness
- JUMPd
- Anytime Fitness
- Body Shape
- Snap Fitness
- G Fitness
- Code 5
Public pools
- South Curl Curl Rock Pool
- Freshwater Rock Pool
- Queenscliff Rock Pool
Cinemas
- Hoyts
Shopping centres
- Kmart
- TK Maxx
- Westfield Warringah Mall
- David Jones
- Myer
- Big W
Hospitals
- South Pacific Private Hospital
GPs & clinics
- Brookvale Child and Family Health Centre
- Vale Medical Practice
- Dee Why Medicare Urgent Care Clinic
- Body Sculpting Clinics
- Myhealth Medical Center
- Curl Curl Community Health Centre
- Australian Skin Clinics - Warringah Mall
Supermarkets
- IGA
- ALDI
- Coles
- Woolworths
Green spaces
- Quarry Reserve
- Harbord Park
- Ankali Place Reserve
- Jacka Park
- Corella Street Reserve
- Stirgess Reserve
- Nolan Reserve
- Cooksey Reserve
Schools
Every open NSW school whose campus sits inside the SA2 boundary, with the average ICSEA across them. Open a school for its own ICSEA, student background and a link to My School.
The Freshwater - Brookvale SA2 contains 6 schools — 3 primary schools, 1 secondary school, 1 combined school and 1 special school, of which 4 are government and 2 non-government. Its 5 schools with a published ICSEA average 1117 (1000 is the national average); each school's own figure and student background are on its page. NAPLAN results for each school are on its My School profile (ACARA). For area context, Freshwater - Brookvale sits in decile 9 of the ABS SEIFA index of education and occupation nationally and 81% of adults here completed Year 12 (Census 2021).
The centre of this SA2 is zoned for Harbord Public School (primary), Northern Beaches Secondary College Freshwater Senior Campus (secondary).
Parts of this SA2 also fall in the catchment of Brookvale Public School (primary), Allambie Heights Public School (primary), Curl Curl North Public School (primary), Manly Vale Public School (primary), Manly Village Public School (primary).
Catchments can divide a suburb — confirm your address on EdMap.
Want another suburb? Search the catchment finder.
Show school list
- Brookvale Public School · State
- Harbord Public School · State
- St John the Baptist Catholic Primary School · Non-Government
- St Augustine's College Sydney · Non-Government
- Stewart House School · State
School list: NSW Government open data — ACARA Schools NSW, via the NSW data portal, CC BY 4.0. Catchments: NSW Department of Education “School intake zones” dataset, CC BY 4.0. ICSEA: ACARA School Profile. NAPLAN: myschool.edu.au (ACARA).
Nearby, in Warringah
Others in the same ABS district, by population growth. If this one doesn't fit, one of these might.
- HereFreshwater - Brookvale+0.4%
- 01Dee Why - North+1.5%
- 02Cromer+1.3%
- 03Forestville - Killarney Heights+0.7%
- 04Beacon Hill - Narraweena+0.6%
- 05Frenchs Forest - Oxford Falls+0.6%
- 06Dee Why (South) - North Curl Curl+0.5%
- 07Narrabeen - Wheeler Heights+0.4%
- 08Collaroy - Collaroy Plateau+0.3%
- 09Manly Vale - Allambie Heights-0.1%
- 10Belrose-0.7%
- 11Terrey Hills - Duffys Forest-1.0%
Dots place each suburb's growth on the same scale, slowest at left.
Freshwater - Brookvale: common questions
Is Freshwater - Brookvale a good place to live?
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Is Freshwater - Brookvale a safe suburb?
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Are people moving to Freshwater - Brookvale?
Is Freshwater - Brookvale an advantaged area?
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