Ashfield - North

Ashfield - North is positioned among the lower quartile of areas assessed nationally for population growth based on AreaSearch's assessment of recent, and medium term trends

Ashfield - North's population is approximately 12,528 as of November 2025. This represents an increase of 1,072 people, a 9.4% rise from the 2021 Census figure of 11,456. The growth is inferred from ABS estimated resident population data of 12,420 in June 2024 and validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 8,030 persons per square kilometer, placing Ashfield - North among the top 10% of locations assessed by AreaSearch. The area's growth rate exceeded that of its SA4 region (6.4%) and the state, indicating it as a growth leader. Overseas migration contributed approximately 94.7% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data, NSW State Government's SA2 level projections released in 2022 with a base year of 2021 are utilized. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. By 2041, based on the latest population numbers, Ashfield - North is expected to increase by approximately 1,180 persons, reflecting an overall growth of 8.6% over the 17-year period.

The level of residential development activity in Ashfield - North is very low in comparison to the average area assessed nationally by AreaSearch

Ashfield - North has averaged approximately four new dwelling approvals per year. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, 20 homes were approved, with an additional two approved so far in FY26. The population has declined recently, suggesting that new supply has kept pace with demand, providing good options for buyers.

The average expected construction cost of new homes is $429,000, which is moderately higher than regional levels, indicating a focus on quality construction. In the current financial year, commercial development approvals totalling $26.6 million have been recorded, suggesting balanced commercial development activity in the area. Compared to Greater Sydney, Ashfield - North has significantly reduced construction activity, with 93.0% below the regional average per person. This constrained new construction typically reinforces demand and pricing for existing homes. Nationally, this activity is also below average, reflecting the area's maturity and possible planning constraints. Recent construction comprises 50.0% detached houses and 50.0% townhouses or apartments, focusing on higher-density living to create more affordable entry points for downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers.

Notably, developers are constructing more detached housing than the existing pattern implies (16.0% at Census), reflecting persistent strong demand for family homes despite densification trends. Ashfield - North has a highly mature market with around 3908 people per dwelling approval. Looking ahead, it is expected to grow by 1,072 residents through to 2041. If current development rates continue, housing supply may not keep pace with population growth, potentially increasing competition among buyers and supporting stronger price growth.

Ashfield - North has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 10% nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 28 projects that could impact the region. Notable ones include North Ashfield Urban Design Study and Master Plan, Sydney Metro Sydenham to Bankstown Conversion, NSW Health Infrastructure Program - Inner West, and Inner West Housing Investigation Areas. The following list details those most relevant.

Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.

Denotes AI-based impression for illustrative purposes only, not to be taken as definitive under any circumstances. Please follow links and conduct other investigations from the project's source for actual imagery. Developers and project owners wishing us to use original imagery please Contact Us and we will do so.

Employment conditions in Ashfield - North remain below the national average according to AreaSearch analysis

Ashfield - North has a highly educated workforce with significant representation in the technology sector. The unemployment rate was 5.0% as of June 2025, with an estimated employment growth of 3.9% over the past year.

In this period, 7,761 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 0.8% higher than Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%. The workforce participation rate was 65.9%, exceeding Greater Sydney's 60.0%. Dominant employment sectors include health care & social assistance, professional & technical services, and education & training. Ashfield - North specializes in health care & social assistance with an employment share 1.2 times the regional level, but construction shows lower representation at 4.6% compared to the regional average of 8.6%.

Limited local employment opportunities are indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. In the 12-month period ending June 2025, employment increased by 3.9% while labour force grew by 4.3%, raising the unemployment rate by 0.4 percentage points. Greater Sydney experienced employment growth of 2.6% and labour force growth of 2.9%, with a 0.3 percentage point rise in unemployment. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 project overall employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Ashfield - North's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 7.2% over five years and 14.6% over ten years, though these are simple weighted extrapolations for illustrative purposes only.

Income levels align closely with national averages, indicating typical economic conditions for Australian communities according to AreaSearch analysis

Ashfield - North has a median taxpayer income of $51,756 and an average income of $67,998 according to the latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2022. This is higher than the national average, which contrasts with Greater Sydney's median income of $56,994 and average income of $80,856. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% since financial year 2022, current estimates for Ashfield - North would be approximately $58,282 (median) and $76,573 (average) as of September 2025. According to the 2021 Census, household, family, and personal incomes in Ashfield - North are around the 64th percentile nationally. The largest income segment comprises 36.1% earning between $1,500 and $2,999 weekly (4,522 residents), aligning with the regional pattern where this cohort also represents 30.9%. High housing costs consume 18.5% of income in Ashfield - North, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 56th percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 7th decile.

Ashfield - North features a more urban dwelling mix with significant apartment living, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

In Ashfield - North, as evaluated in the latest Census, 16.5% of dwellings were houses while 83.5% were other types such as semi-detached homes, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. In comparison, Sydney metro had 33.5% houses and 66.5% other dwellings. Home ownership in Ashfield - North was at 21.3%, with mortgaged dwellings at 22.9% and rented ones at 55.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,167, below Sydney metro's average of $2,436. The median weekly rent figure was $420 compared to Sydney metro's $465. Nationally, Ashfield - North's mortgage repayments were higher at $2,167 than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Ashfield - North features high concentrations of group households and lone person households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 58.1% of all households, including 22.1% couples with children, 25.1% couples without children, and 8.9% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 41.9%, with lone person households at 33.1% and group households comprising 8.7%. The median household size is 2.3 people, which is smaller than the Greater Sydney average of 2.5.

Ashfield - North shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

Educational attainment in Ashfield - North is notably higher than broader benchmarks. 51.2% of residents aged 15+ hold university qualifications, compared to 30.4% nationally and 32.2% in NSW. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 32.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (15.8%) and graduate diplomas (3.2%). Vocational pathways account for 23.4% of qualifications, with advanced diplomas at 12.2% and certificates at 11.2%.

Educational participation is high, with 29.8% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.8% in tertiary education, 5.8% in primary education, and 4.3% pursuing secondary education. Ashfield - North's 4 schools have a combined enrollment of 1,061 students as of the latest data. The area has typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 1045) with balanced educational opportunities. The educational mix includes 1 primary, 2 secondary, and 1 K-12 school. School places per 100 residents (8.5) are below the regional average (15.9), indicating some students may attend schools in adjacent areas. Note: for schools showing 'n/a' for enrolments, please refer to their parent campus.

Transport servicing is good compared to other areas nationally based on assessment of service frequency, route connectivity and accessibility

Analysis shows 36 active public transport stops in Ashfield - North. These are served by 19 bus routes offering 1,486 weekly passenger trips combined. Accessibility is rated excellent with residents typically 128 meters from the nearest stop.

Service frequency averages 212 trips daily across all routes, equating to about 41 weekly trips per individual stop.

Ashfield - North's residents are extremely healthy with younger cohorts in particular seeing very low prevalence of common health conditions

Analysis of health metrics shows strong performance throughout Ashfield - North, with younger cohorts in particular seeing very low prevalence of common health conditions. The rate of private health cover is fairly high at approximately 53% of the total population (6,689 people), compared to 57.3% across Greater Sydney.

The most common medical conditions in the area are mental health issues and asthma, impacting 8.3 and 6.2% of residents respectively. Seventy-four point nine percent declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 77.0% across Greater Sydney. Fourteen point zero percent of residents are aged 65 and over (1,751 people). Health outcomes among seniors require more attention than the broader population.

Ashfield - North is among the most culturally diverse areas in the country based on AreaSearch assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Ashfield-North is one of the most culturally diverse areas in Australia, with 51.4% of its population speaking a language other than English at home and 53.5% born overseas by 2016 Census data. Christianity was found to be the main religion in Ashfield-North, comprising 35.2% of people. However, Hinduism showed overrepresentation with 13.5%, compared to 11.2% across Greater Sydney.

In terms of ancestry, the top groups were Other at 21.4%, Chinese at 15.1%, and English at 14.7%. Notably, Filipino was overrepresented at 3.3% (vs regional 1.9%), Korean at 1.2% (vs 2.8%), and Polish at 1.1% (vs 0.6%).

Ashfield - North's population is younger than the national pattern

Ashfield - North's median age is 34 years, which is lower than Greater Sydney's average of 37 years and Australia's average of 38 years. Compared to Greater Sydney, Ashfield - North has a higher proportion of residents aged 25-34 (26.6%) but fewer residents aged 5-14 (6.6%). This concentration of 25-34 year-olds is significantly higher than the national average of 14.5%. Between the 2021 Census and the latest data, the proportion of residents aged 25 to 34 has increased from 24.0% to 26.6%, while those aged 15 to 24 have risen from 12.0% to 14.1%. Conversely, the proportions of residents aged 55 to 64 and 35 to 44 have decreased to 8.5% and 15.0% respectively, from 10.1% and 16.1%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate significant demographic changes in Ashfield - North. The 75-84 age group is projected to grow by 75%, adding 408 residents to reach a total of 955. Residents aged 65 and above will drive 64% of the population growth, reflecting broader trends of demographic aging. Conversely, populations in the 5-14 and 0-4 age groups are projected to decline.