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 around 12,426 as of Nov 2025. This reflects an increase of 970 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 11,456 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 12,420 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 101 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 7,965 persons per square kilometer, which lies in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Ashfield - North's growth rate of 8.5% since the 2021 census exceeded both the SA4 region (6.3%) and the state, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration that contributed approximately 94.7% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilises NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Future population trends indicate a population increase just below the median of national areas, with an expected expansion of 1,180 persons to 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting an overall increase of 9.4% over the 17 years.

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

Ashfield - North averaged approximately four new dwelling approvals per year over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, with a total of 20 homes approved. In FY26, two dwellings have been approved so far. The average construction cost value for these new homes is $429,000, which is moderately higher than regional levels, indicating an emphasis on quality construction.

This year has seen $26.6 million in commercial development approvals, suggesting balanced commercial development activity. Compared to Greater Sydney, Ashfield - North shows significantly reduced construction activity, with 93.0% below the regional average per person. Recent construction comprises 50.0% detached houses and 50.0% townhouses or apartments, reflecting a focus on higher-density living options. This market is highly mature, with around 3908 people per dwelling approval. By 2041, Ashfield - North is projected to grow by 1,174 residents. If current development rates continue, housing supply may not keep pace with population growth, potentially impacting buyer competition and price trends.

Looking ahead, Ashfield - North is expected to grow by 1,174 residents through to 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). 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 to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 27 projects that could affect the region. Notable ones are North Ashfield Urban Design Study and Master Plan, Sydney Metro Sydenham to Bankstown Conversion, Cardinal Freeman Final Release Development - Wattle Building, and NSW School Infrastructure Program - Inner West. The following list details those most likely to be 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 notable representation in the technology sector. Its unemployment rate was 4.9% as of September 2025. The area's employment stability over the past year is relative.

There are 7,647 residents employed currently, with an unemployment rate at 0.7% above Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%. Workforce participation stands at 72.8%, slightly higher than Greater Sydney's 70.0%. According to Census responses, 47.1% of residents work from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. The dominant employment sectors are health care & social assistance, professional & technical, 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 suggested by Census data comparing working population against resident population. Over a 12-month period ending September 2025, labour force increased by 0.4%, while employment declined by 0.5%, leading to an unemployment rise of 0.8 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Sydney experienced employment growth of 2.1% and labour force growth of 2.4%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years for national employment. Applying these projections to Ashfield - North's employment mix suggests local employment should grow by 7.2% over five years and 14.6% over ten years, based on simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

Income analysis reveals strong economic positioning, with the area outperforming 60% of locations assessed nationally by AreaSearch

The median taxpayer income in Ashfield - North SA2 is $57,773 according to latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. The average income is $72,161. This is above the national average of $60,817 and $83,003 respectively for Greater Sydney. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $62,892 (median) and $78,554 (average) as of September 2025. According to 2021 Census figures, incomes in Ashfield - North cluster around the 63rd percentile nationally. The largest income segment comprises 36.1% earning between $1,500 and $2,999 weekly, with 4,485 residents falling into this category. This aligns with the regional trend where this cohort represents 30.9%. High housing costs consume 18.5% of income in the area. Despite this, disposable income is at the 55th 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

Ashfield - North's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 16.5% houses and 83.5% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Sydney metro's 55.9% houses and 44.1% 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 was $2,167, below Sydney metro's average of $2,427. Median weekly rent in Ashfield - North was $420, compared to Sydney metro's $470. Nationally, Ashfield - North's mortgage repayments were higher at $2,167 versus Australia's average of $1,863, and 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 constitute 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 comprise 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 2.7.

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. As of 2016, 51.2% of residents aged 15 years and above held university qualifications, compared to the Australian average of 30.4% and the NSW average of 32.2%. This educational advantage positions the area favourably for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 32.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (15.8%) and graduate diplomas (3.2%).

Vocational pathways account for 23.4% of qualifications among those aged 15 years and above, with advanced diplomas at 12.2% and certificates at 11.2%. Educational participation is significantly high, with 29.8% of residents currently enrolled in formal education as of 2016. This includes 10.8% in tertiary education, 5.8% in primary education, and 4.3% pursuing secondary education.

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

Public transport analysis shows 57 active transport stops operating within Ashfield - North. These are a mix of bus stops serviced by 19 individual routes. They collectively provide 1,524 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated excellent with residents typically located 127 meters from the nearest stop. As a primarily residential area, most commuting is outward bound. Car remains the dominant mode at 48%, followed by train at 32% and bus at 9%.

Vehicle ownership averages 0.5 per dwelling, below the regional average. According to the 2021 Census, 47.1% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 217 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 26 weekly trips per individual stop.

Ashfield - North's residents are relatively healthy in comparison to broader Australia with a fairly standard level of common health conditions seen across both young and old age cohorts

Ashfield North's health metrics closely align with national benchmarks, as assessed by AreaSearch using mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Common health conditions are seen at a standard level across both young and older age cohorts.

Private health cover is found to be high, with approximately 55% of the total population (~6,821 people), compared to 59.9% in Greater Sydney. The most prevalent medical conditions are mental health issues (affecting 8.3% of residents) and asthma (6.2%), while 74.9% claim to be completely free from medical ailments, similar to the 74.6% across Greater Sydney. Working-age residents display low chronic condition prevalence. The area has a lower proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 14.0% (1,737 people), compared to 15.3% in Greater Sydney. Health outcomes among seniors are above average, with national rankings higher than the general 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, as per the Australian Bureau of Statistics Census Data from June 2016, has a high level of cultural diversity with 51.4% of its population speaking a language other than English at home and 53.5% being born overseas. Christianity is the predominant religion in Ashfield-North, comprising 35.2% of the population. Notably, Hinduism is overrepresented in Ashfield-North compared to Greater Sydney, with 13.5% of the population identifying as Hindu, compared to the regional average of 5.2%.

In terms of ancestry, the top three represented groups are 'Other' at 21.4%, Chinese at 15.1%, and English at 14.7%, all higher than their respective regional averages. Additionally, there are notable divergences in the representation of Filipino (3.3% vs 2.0%), Korean (1.2% vs 1.1%), and Polish (1.1% vs 0.6%) ethnic groups compared to regional averages.

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 national 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 25-34 age group concentration is well above the national average of 14.5%. Between the 2021 Census and the latest data, the 25 to 34 age group has increased from 24.0% to 26.6%, while the 15 to 24 cohort has risen from 12.0% to 14.1%. Conversely, the 55 to 64 cohort has decreased from 10.1% to 8.5%, and the 35 to 44 group has dropped from 16.1% to 15.0%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate significant demographic shifts in Ashfield - North. The 75 to 84 age group is projected to grow by 76%, adding 413 residents to reach a total of 955. Residents aged 65 and above will drive 62% of population growth, highlighting the trend towards an aging demographic. Conversely, populations in the 0 to 4 and 35 to 44 age groups are projected to decline.