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 was approximately 12,978 as of November 2025. This figure represents an increase of 732 people, a 6.0% rise from the 2021 Census which recorded a population of 12,246. The change is inferred from ABS's 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 6,150 persons per square kilometer, placing Ashfield - South in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Over the past decade, from 2015 to 2025, Ashfield - South has shown resilient growth patterns with a compound annual growth rate of 0.9%, outperforming its SA4 region. Overseas migration was the primary driver of population growth in recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilises NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021. 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 for the area, with an expected expansion of 2,202 persons by 2041 based on latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting a total increase of 16.2% 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 annually over the past five financial years, totalling 507 homes. As of FY-26, three dwellings have been approved so far. On average, one new resident per year settles in each newly built home within the last five financial years (FY-21 to FY-25), indicating that supply is meeting or exceeding demand. The average construction cost of these homes is $401,000.

In FY-26, commercial approvals have amounted to $6.8 million, reflecting the area's predominantly residential character. Compared to Greater Sydney, Ashfield - South has 65.0% more construction activity per capita. The current building trend shows 4.0% detached houses and 96.0% attached dwellings, suggesting a shift towards denser development to cater to downsizers, investors, and entry-level buyers. This change contrasts with the existing housing stock, which is currently 30.0% houses. The location has an approximate density of 135 people per dwelling approval, indicating a low-density market. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Ashfield - South is projected to gain 2,097 residents by 2041.

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

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

Twenty-seven infrastructure projects have been identified by AreaSearch as potentially impacting the area. Key projects include NSW Health Infrastructure Program - Inner West, Cardinal Freeman Final Release Development - Wattle Building, NSW School Infrastructure Program - Inner West, and 379-381 Liverpool Road Residential Development. The following list details those likely to be most relevant.

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

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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 notable representation in the technology sector. As of September 2025, its unemployment rate is 6.0%.

By this date, 7,065 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is higher than Greater Sydney's by 1.8 percentage points (4.2%). Workforce participation matches Greater Sydney's 60.0%. Key employment industries include health care & social assistance, professional & technical services, and education & training. The area has a notable concentration in accommodation & food services with employment levels at 1.3 times the regional average.

Conversely, construction employs only 5.9% of local workers compared to Greater Sydney's 8.6%. Many residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census data. Over the year to September 2025, labour force levels increased by 0.3%, but employment declined by 0.6%, leading to an unemployment rate rise of 0.9 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Sydney saw employment growth of 2.1% and a smaller increase in unemployment (0.2 percentage points). State-level data from 25-Nov-25 shows NSW employment contracted slightly (-0.03%), with the state unemployment rate at 3.9%. Nationally, the unemployment rate is 4.3%. Jobs and Skills Australia's forecasts project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Ashfield - South's industry mix suggests local employment could increase by 7.1% in five years and 14.5% in ten years, though these are simple extrapolations for illustrative purposes only.

The economic profile demonstrates above-average performance, with income metrics exceeding national benchmarks based on AreaSearch comparative assessment

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 shows that Ashfield - South SA2 had a median income of $52,222 and an average income of $68,614. This is higher than the national averages of $56,994 (median) and $80,856 (average). In Greater Sydney, the median income was $56,994 with an average of $80,856. Based on a 12.61% Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2022, current estimates for Ashfield - South would be approximately $58,807 (median) and $77,266 (average) as of September 2025. The 2021 Census indicates that incomes in Ashfield - South cluster around the 61st percentile nationally. Income brackets show that 31.8% of individuals earn between $1,500 and $2,999, consistent with broader trends across the area at 30.9%. High 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 above-average rates of outright home ownership

In Ashfield - South, as per the latest Census evaluation, 30.0% of dwellings were houses, with the remaining 70.0% comprising semi-detached homes, apartments, and other types of dwellings. This is compared to Sydney metropolitan area's figures of 33.5% houses and 66.5% other dwellings. Home ownership in Ashfield - South stood at 26.9%, mirroring the Sydney metro average, with mortgaged dwellings at 25.2% and rented dwellings at 48.0%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,352, lower than the Sydney metro average of $2,436. The median weekly rent figure for Ashfield - South was $470, slightly higher than the Sydney metro's $465. Nationally, Ashfield - South's monthly mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $2,352 compared to the Australian average of $1,863, and 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 comprise 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 2.5.

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 surpasses broader benchmarks. As of 2016, 48.3% of residents aged 15 years and above held university qualifications, compared to the national average of 30.4% and the NSW average of 32.2%. This indicates a substantial educational advantage for the area, positioning it strongly for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees were the most common at 31.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (14.1%) and graduate diplomas (3.2%).

Vocational pathways accounted for 21.8% of qualifications among those aged 15 years and above – advanced diplomas made up 10.6% while certificates constituted 11.2%. Educational participation was notably high, with 28.0% of residents currently enrolled in formal education as of 2017. This included 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

The public transport analysis indicates that there are 66 active transport stops operating within the Ashfield-South area. These stops offer a mix of train and bus services. The total number of weekly passenger trips facilitated by these stops is 8,929.

The report highlights excellent transport accessibility for residents in this region, with an average distance of 119 meters to the nearest transport stop. On average, service frequency across all routes amounts to 1,275 trips per day, which translates to approximately 135 weekly trips per individual stop.

Ashfield - South's residents are healthier than average in comparison to broader Australia with prevalence of common health conditions quite low among the general population though higher than the nation's average across older, at risk cohorts

Ashfield - South residents show relatively positive health outcomes, with low prevalence of common conditions among the general population, but higher than national averages among older, at-risk cohorts. Approximately 54% (~6,969 people) have private health cover, compared to Greater Sydney's 57.3%.

Mental health issues and arthritis are most prevalent, affecting 8.5% and 6.4% respectively, while 71.8% report no medical ailments, compared to Greater Sydney's 77.0%. The area has 18.3% (2,376 people) aged 65 and over, higher than Greater Sydney's 14.5%. Health outcomes among seniors require more attention 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 has one of the highest cultural diversities in the country, with 51.2% speaking a language other than English at home and 50.9% born overseas. Christianity is the predominant religion, comprising 40.0%. However, Buddhism is notably higher at 7.1%, compared to Greater Sydney's 6.2%.

The top three ancestry groups are Chinese (19.5%), English (15.5%), and Other (14.5%). Some ethnic groups show notable differences: Lebanese are overrepresented at 2.2% (vs regional 3.1%), Spanish at 0.8% (vs 0.7%), and Korean at 1.1% (vs 2.8%).

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

The median age in Ashfield - South is 38 years, closely matching Greater Sydney's average of 37 and 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%). The concentration of 25-34 year-olds is significantly above the national average of 14.5%. Between the 2021 Census and now, the proportion of residents aged 15-24 has increased from 11.5% to 12.5%, while the proportion of those aged 55-64 has decreased from 10.9% to 10.1%. By 2041, Ashfield - South's age composition is expected to change significantly. The number of residents aged 75-84 is projected to grow by 78%, reaching 1,417 from 794. This growth will be led by the aging population dynamic, with those aged 65 and above comprising 63% of the projected growth. Conversely, the number of residents aged 25-34 is expected to decrease by 156.