Stickybeak

Freshwater 2096 suburb insights

Postcode 2096 covers Freshwater, a residential suburb within the Northern Beaches local government area of New South Wales. Stickybeak analyses Freshwater across four dimensions that matter to buyers: affordability (median sale prices, rental yield, and first home buyer eligibility), lifestyle quality (school catchments, childcare, walkability, and CBD commute times), risk factors (flood zone mapping, bushfire prone land, air quality, and traffic volume), and suburb momentum (development pipeline, price trajectory over time, and ABS demographic data). The section navigation at the top of the page lets you jump directly to any part of the analysis. All figures are sourced from NSW government and federal datasets and refreshed as new data is published.

Last refreshed April 2026 (most cards). Per-card sources show exact dates.

All data has limits. See our data caveats.

Affordability

Can I afford Freshwater?

Can I afford Freshwater?

Serviceability check

What would a typical mortgage look like in Freshwater? Based on the suburb median of $1,160,000 (units) and the local median household income.

Monthly repayment
$5,726/mo

6.3% variable · Apr 2026

Repayment-to-income
48.5%

Tight

Loan assumptions
$928,000 loan
20% deposit ($232,000)
30-year P&I

Repayments here would take 48% of the typical local household's gross income. Possible, but tight.

Repayment burden vs Sydney median income
Freshwater48.5%
Sydney median income63.8%
30% stress line

Assumes a 20% deposit and a 30-year P&I owner-occupier loan at the current Sydney variable rate. Your actual rate, deposit, and income will differ.

Sources: RBA Table F6 (rate), ABS Census 2021 G02 (income), suburb median sale.
Can I afford Freshwater?

Rental market in Freshwater

Median weekly rent from lodged bonds. Sep 2025. Based on 104 new bond lodgements this quarter.

Rents here are at the higher end for Sydney. Higher holding costs for investors; higher savings pressure for renters.

Median weekly rent · Unit · 2 bed
$900per week
Sep 2025 · 104 bonds lodged
Quarterly trend · last 12 quarters
Dec 22: $750 per week (61 bonds)Mar 23: $700 per week (88 bonds)Jun 23: $733 per week (92 bonds)Sep 23: $750 per week (96 bonds)Dec 23: $800 per week (67 bonds)Mar 24: $845 per week (86 bonds)Jun 24: $815 per week (99 bonds)Sep 24: $825 per week (123 bonds)Dec 24: $850 per week (88 bonds)Mar 25: $850 per week (86 bonds)Jun 25: $880 per week (102 bonds)Sep 25: $900 per week (104 bonds)Dec 22Jun 24Sep 25

Nearby suburbs · same combination

Fairlight2094
$975▲$75
2.4 km away
Brookvale2100
$838▼$62
2.9 km away
Manly2095
$1,050▲$150
3.2 km away
Balgowlah2093
$800▼$100
3.5 km away
NSW DCJ Rental Bond Board · Sep 2025 · CC BY. Cells with 10 or fewer bond lodgements are suppressed; cells with 30 or fewer have the bond count suppressed but rent published. Figures are transacted rents, not asking rents.

Lifestyle

Freshwater Lifestyle

Source: ABS Census 2021, Postal Areas (CC BY 4.0).

Dealbreakers

Any dealbreakers?

Any dealbreakers?

Air quality in Freshwater

33
GoodAQI · NSW DCCEEW
05:24 AEST
Cammeray station · 8.7 km from centroid
12-month median: AQI 28 · Good

Air quality is generally safe for outdoor activity.

Pollutants
nearest station
PM2.5i
5.2µg/m³
24-hr avg
PM10i
16.7µg/m³
24-hr avg
NO₂i
0.4pphm
1hr reading
AQI · last 12 months · daily mean
Cammeray station · 365 daily points
Source: NSW DCCEEW Air Quality API (CC BY 4.0). Historical data updated weekly; live readings cached 60 minutes.
View dealbreakers as a standalone report →

Change

How might Freshwater change?

DEVELOPMENT PIPELINE · NSW PLANNING PORTAL · 2096

What’s in the pipeline

NSW Planning Portal feed paused at the source for postcode 2096. Expected back by Q3 2026.

NSW PLANNING PORTAL
How might Freshwater change?

Investor activity in Freshwater

2096 · ATO Taxation Statistics · ~18-month lag
Source: ATO Taxation Statistics (CC BY 2.5 AU).

What to do next

Three steps to move from research to action.

1
Get pre-approved

Know your budget before you inspect. A pre-approval letter strengthens your offer.

Read our guides
2
Set a listings alert

See new listings in Freshwater under the median ($1,160,000).

Search on Domain
3
Join the contract-review waitlist

Have your Section 66W reviewed before you sign.

Join the waitlist

Track Freshwater.

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Compare Freshwater with another suburb

Also in Northern Beaches

Comparing suburbs in the same area can sharpen your decision. Browse suburb insights for other Northern Beaches postcodes, or explore the full Northern Beaches suburb index.

Avalon Beach 2107Balgowlah 2093Bayview 2104Brookvale 2100

Frequently asked questions

What suburb is postcode 2096?
Freshwater is the primary suburb with postcode 2096 in New South Wales. In some cases multiple suburbs share the same postcode — Freshwater is the main locality.
Which local government area is Freshwater in?
Freshwater (2096) is located in the Northern Beaches local government area in New South Wales.
What data does Stickybeak show for Freshwater?
Stickybeak shows 16 data cards for Freshwater (2096) covering affordability (median sale prices, rental yield, first home buyer eligibility), lifestyle (schools, childcare, walkability, commute times), risk factors (flood zones, bushfire prone land, air quality, traffic volume), and suburb growth signals (development pipeline, price trajectory, demographics).
Is Freshwater flood prone?
Flood risk varies street by street in Freshwater. Check the Dealbreakers section on this page for the latest NSW flood zone mapping sourced from official state government data. Always verify at the property level with a Section 10.7 certificate before purchasing.
What are the best schools near Freshwater?
The Schools card on this page lists primary and secondary schools within the catchment area for Freshwater (2096), including their NAPLAN performance data and distance from the suburb centre.
Is Freshwater (2096) eligible for the First Home Buyer scheme?
The First Home Buyer eligibility card on this page shows which NSW and federal government schemes — including the First Home Guarantee, stamp duty exemptions, and the First Home Super Saver scheme — apply to purchases in Freshwater (2096). Eligibility depends on the purchase price and your individual circumstances.
How is Freshwater changing?
The Change section on this page covers new housing supply from the development pipeline, historical price trajectory, and demographic shifts for Freshwater (2096) using data from NSW Planning, the ATO, and the ABS.

Explore Freshwater in depth

Dig deeper into specific topics for Freshwater 2096: see flood risk, schools, walkability, and rental market as standalone pages. Or browse the full Northern Beaches suburb index to compare nearby options.