Moving to Freshwater NSW 2096
What the official numbers say about living in Freshwater — before you pack a box.
At a glance
Housing: buy or rent
Renting? The census median is $600 a week, against a median household income of $2,726 a week.
Who you'll be living with
Freshwater grew 11% between the 2011 and 2021 censuses (8,245 → 9,186 people).
Largest overseas birthplaces: England, New Zealand, United States; most spoken languages besides English: Spanish, Portuguese, Italian.
On the ABS advantage scale (SEIFA), Freshwater sits in the country’s more advantaged bracket (decile 10 of 10).
The commute
The most common way to work is by car (37% of workers), while 57% work from home.
Nearest train station: St Leonards, 9.7 km south-west.
Nearest bus interchange: Cremorne Point Wharf, Milson Rd, 9.3 km south-west.
Nearest ferry wharf: Manly Wharf, 2.6 km south.
Nearest airport: Rose Bay Seaplane Base, 10.5 km south.
The Sydney CBD is roughly 12 km away in a straight line.
Daily life
Mapped locally so far: 38 schools · 173 cafes & restaurants · 17 supermarkets · 52 parks · 16 beaches — see them all on the Freshwater profile.
What's actually nearby
Schools: St John the Baptist Catholic Primary School 150 m · Harbord Public School 550 m · Stewart House School 750 m · Northern Beaches Secondary College Freshwater Senior Campus 1.1 km · Stella Maris College - Main Campus 1.1 km · Stella Maris College - Benedict Campus 1.1 km · Northern Beaches Secondary College Mackellar Girls Campus 1.2 km · Curl Curl North Public School 1.4 km
Groceries: IGA 250 m · Harris Farm Markets 1.2 km · Coles 1.9 km · ALDI 1.9 km · Woolworths 2 km · Woolworths 2.1 km · ALDI 2.4 km · Vicolo Market 2.4 km
Parks and reserves: Jacka Park 150 m · Evans Reserve 500 m · Palomar Reserve 550 m · Crown Road Reserve 550 m · Harbord Park 550 m · Cooksey Reserve 600 m · Corella Street Reserve 650 m · Freshwater Beach Reserve 700 m
What you'll see in the garden
Birds recorded around Freshwater, most often seen first: Rainbow Lorikeet · Noisy Miner · Australian Magpie · Silver Gull · Australian Brush-turkey · Australian Raven.
How the neighbours compare
The suburbs nearest to Freshwater, side by side.
| Suburb | People | Median house | Advantage | Canopy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Freshwater here | 9,186 | — | 10/10 | 12% |
| Queenscliff | 3,407 | — | 10/10 | 8% |
| Curl Curl | 2,364 | — | 10/10 | 12% |
| North Manly | 3,396 | — | 10/10 | 18% |
| North Curl Curl | 4,288 | — | 10/10 | 12% |
| Manly Vale | 6,389 | — | 10/10 | 24% |
| Brookvale | 3,389 | — | 10/10 | 14% |
Before you move — quick checklist
- Your council will be Northern Beaches — bins, rates, pets and permits live there.
- You'll vote in the federal electorate of Warringah — update your enrolment address.
- The postcode is 2096 — handy for utility sign-ups and quotes.
- Check street-level details on the full Freshwater profile (map, streets, amenities, wildlife).
In short
Renters pay a median $600 a week.
The population grew 11% between the 2011 and 2021 censuses, from 8,245 people to 9,186. It sits about 12 km from the Sydney CBD in a straight line, and North Sydney station is roughly 10.1 km away. Local government is Northern Beaches council, and the federal seat is Warringah.
Weighing up alternatives?
Side-by-side: Freshwater vs Queenscliff · Freshwater vs Manly Vale.
Nearby guides: Queenscliff · Curl Curl · North Manly · North Curl Curl · Manly Vale · Brookvale.
Keep an eye on Freshwater
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