Ashfield - South

Population growth drivers in Ashfield - South are above average based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Ashfield - South's population is approximately 13,043 as of November 2025. This figure represents an increase of 797 people, a 6.5% rise from the 2021 Census which recorded a population of 12,246. The growth is inferred from the estimated resident population of 12,873 in June 2024 and an additional 156 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 6,181 persons per square kilometer, placing Ashfield - South in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch, indicating high demand for land in the area. Ashfield - South's growth rate exceeded that of its SA4 region (6.3%), making it a growth leader within the region. Overseas migration was the primary driver of population growth 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 used. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Future population trends project an above median growth, with Ashfield - South expected to expand by 2,202 persons to reach a total of 15,248 by 2041, reflecting a 15.6% increase over the 17-year period.

AreaSearch assessment of residential approval activity sees Ashfield - South among the top 30% of areas assessed nationwide

Ashfield - South has received approximately 101 dwelling approvals per year over the past five financial years, totalling 507 homes. As of FY-26, three approvals have been recorded. On average, one new resident arrives annually for each new home built between FY-21 and FY-25, indicating that supply meets or exceeds demand. The average construction value of these new homes is $401,000.

In the current financial year, there have been $6.8 million in commercial approvals, reflecting the area's predominantly residential nature. Compared to Greater Sydney, Ashfield - South has 65.0% more construction activity per person. The dwelling approvals are composed of 4.0% detached houses and 96.0% attached dwellings, demonstrating a trend towards denser development that caters to downsizers, investors, and entry-level buyers. This shift contrasts with the area's current housing composition, which is 30.0% houses. The location has approximately 135 people per dwelling approval, suggesting a low-density market. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Ashfield - South is projected to gain 2,032 residents by 2041.

Given the current construction levels, housing supply should adequately meet demand, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling population growth that exceeds current forecasts.

Ashfield - South 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 26 projects that could affect this region. Notable ones are Cardinal Freeman Final Release Development - Wattle Building, NSW School Infrastructure Program - Inner West, Our Fairer Future Plan (Housing Investigation Areas), and 379-381 Liverpool Road Residential Development. 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 drivers in Ashfield - South are experiencing difficulties, placing it among the bottom 20% of areas assessed across Australia

Ashfield - South has an educated workforce with a notable technology sector presence and an unemployment rate of 6.0%. As of September 2025, 7,065 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 1.8% higher than Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%. Workforce participation in Ashfield - South is lower at 66.0%, compared to Greater Sydney's 70.0%.

According to Census responses, 50.0% of residents work from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. Major employment industries include health care & social assistance, professional & technical services, and education & training. The area has a significant concentration in accommodation & food services, with employment levels at 1.3 times the regional average. Conversely, construction employs only 5.9% of local workers, below Greater Sydney's 8.6%.

Many residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census data comparing working population to local population. Between September 2024 and September 2025, labour force levels in Ashfield - South increased by 0.3%, while employment declined by 0.6%, leading to a rise in unemployment rate of 0.9 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Sydney saw employment grow by 2.1% and the labour force increase by 2.4%, with unemployment rising by only 0.2 percentage points. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia (May-25) project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Ashfield - South's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.1% over five years and 14.5% over ten years, though this is a simple extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for localized population projections.

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

AreaSearch's data for financial year 2023 shows Ashfield - South SA2 had a median income of $58,101 and an average income of $72,760. This is higher than the national averages of $60,817 (median) and $83,003 (average) for Greater Sydney. By September 2025, with an 8.86% increase based on Wage Price Index growth, median income is estimated at $63,249 and average income at $79,207. The 2021 Census indicates incomes in Ashfield - South cluster around the 61st percentile nationally. The $1,500-$2,999 income bracket captures 31.8% of residents (4,147 individuals), similar to the broader area's 30.9%. Housing costs consume 18.9% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 57th percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

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

Dwelling structure in Ashfield - South, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 30.0% houses and 70.0% other dwellings. In comparison, Sydney metro had 55.9% houses and 44.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Ashfield - South was 26.9%, with mortgaged dwellings at 25.2% and rented at 48.0%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,352, compared to Sydney metro's $2,427. Median weekly rent in Ashfield - South was $470, matching Sydney metro's figure. Nationally, Ashfield - South's mortgage repayments were higher at $2,352 versus Australia's average of $1,863, while rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 61.6% of all households, including 24.2% couples with children, 27.2% couples without children, and 8.7% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 38.4%, with lone person households at 30.3% and group households comprising 8.0%. The median household size is 2.4 people, which is smaller than the Greater Sydney average of 2.7.

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

Educational attainment in Ashfield South significantly exceeds broader benchmarks. As of the latest data, 48.3% of residents aged 15 and above hold university qualifications, compared to 30.4% nationally and 32.2% in NSW. This educational advantage is reflected in the types of qualifications held: bachelor degrees lead at 31.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (14.1%) and graduate diplomas (3.2%). Vocational pathways account for 21.8% of qualifications among those aged 15 and above, with advanced diplomas making up 10.6% and certificates 11.2%.

Educational participation is notably high in the area, with 28.0% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.2% in tertiary education, 6.1% in primary education, and 4.9% pursuing secondary education.

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

Ashfield - South has 101 active public transport stops offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by 45 individual routes, facilitating 9,817 weekly passenger trips in total. The area's transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents typically located 118 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward daily. Car remains the dominant mode of travel at 53%, followed by train at 29% and bus at 8%. Vehicle ownership averages 0.6 per dwelling, below the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, a high 50.0% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 1,402 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 97 weekly trips per individual stop. The accompanying map illustrates the 100 nearest stops to the location's centrepoint.

Ashfield - South's residents are relatively healthy in comparison to broader Australia with the level of common health conditions among the general population somewhat typical, though higher than the nation's average among older cohorts

Ashfield South's health metrics are close to national benchmarks. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are typical of the general population, but higher among older cohorts.

Private health cover is very high at approximately 55% (7,225 people), compared to Greater Sydney's 59.9%. The most common conditions are mental health issues (8.5%) and arthritis (6.4%). 71.8% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 74.6% in Greater Sydney. Working-age residents have low chronic condition prevalence. 18.3% of residents are aged 65 and over (2,388 people), higher than Greater Sydney's 15.3%. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges but rank lower nationally than the broader population.

Ashfield - South 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-South is among the most culturally diverse areas in Australia, with 51.2% of its population speaking a language other than English at home as of 2016 Census data. Born overseas, 50.9% of Ashfield-South residents were recorded in this date range. Christianity was found to be the main religion in Ashfield-South, comprising 40.0%.

However, Buddhism showed an overrepresentation with 7.1%, compared to Greater Sydney's average of 4.1%. Regarding ancestry, Chinese comprised 19.5% of the population, substantially higher than Greater Sydney's regional average of 8.4%. English ancestry was recorded at 15.5%, and Other at 14.5%. Notably, Lebanese ethnicity had a higher representation in Ashfield-South at 2.2%, compared to the regional average of 2.6%. Spanish and Korean ethnicities also showed notable divergences with representations of 0.8% and 1.1% respectively, differing from their respective regional averages of 0.6% and 1.1%.

Ashfield - South's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

The median age in Ashfield - South is 38 years, close to Greater Sydney's average of 37 and equivalent to Australia's median of 38. Compared to Greater Sydney, Ashfield - South has a higher proportion of residents aged 25-34 (21.5%) but fewer residents aged 5-14 (7.4%). This proportion is significantly higher than the national average of 14.5%. According to the 2021 Census, the population aged 15-24 has increased from 11.5% to 12.5%, while the age group of 55-64 has decreased from 10.9% to 10.1%. By 2041, Ashfield - South's demographic is expected to shift notably. The population aged 75-84 is projected to grow by 78%, reaching 1,417 people from the current figure of 798. This growth will be led by an aging population dynamic, with those aged 65 and above comprising 64% of the projected growth. Conversely, the number of residents in the age range of 25-34 is expected to decrease by 170 people.