Auburn - South
Statistical Area - sa2

Auburn - South has seen population growth performance typically on par with national averages when looking at short and medium term trends

Auburn-South's population is 9,346 as of Aug 2025. This reflects a growth of 486 people since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 8,860. The increase was inferred from ABS' estimated resident population of 9,349 in June 2024 and additional validated addresses post-Census. This results in a population density ratio of 3,846 persons per square kilometer, placing Auburn-South among the top 10% nationally sought areas. The area's 5.5% growth since Census is close to the state average of 6.4%. Overseas migration contributed approximately 75.7% of recent population gains.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For uncovered areas, NSW State Government's SA2 level projections from 2022 with a base year of 2021 are used. Growth rates by age group are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Future population dynamics predict an increase just below the national median by 2041, with Auburn-South expected to grow by 952 persons, reflecting a total increase of 10.0% over 17 years.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Auburn - South according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

Auburn - South has seen approximately 39 new homes approved annually. Development approval data is produced by the ABS on a financial year basis, with 197 homes approved over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25. As of FY-26, there have been 10 approvals so far. On average, 0.2 people per year move to the area for each dwelling built over these five financial years.

This indicates that new supply is keeping pace with or exceeding demand, providing ample buyer choice and creating capacity for population growth beyond current forecasts. The average expected construction cost value of new dwellings is $361,000, which is below the regional average, suggesting more affordable housing options for buyers. There have also been $37.6 million in commercial approvals this financial year, indicating strong commercial development momentum. When compared to Greater Sydney, Auburn - South shows substantially reduced construction, at 54.0% below the regional average per person. This constrained new construction usually reinforces demand and pricing for existing dwellings.

Recent construction comprises 52.0% detached houses and 48.0% townhouses or apartments, featuring an increasing blend of attached housing types offering choices across price ranges, from spacious family homes to more accessible compact options. This shows a considerable change from the current housing mix, which is currently 73.0% houses. This shift reflects reduced availability of development sites and addresses shifting lifestyle demands and affordability requirements. The location has approximately 261 people per dwelling approval, indicating a low density market. Future projections show Auburn - South adding 936 residents by 2041. With current construction levels, housing supply should adequately meet demand, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts.

Auburn - South has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 20% nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified five projects that may impact this region. Notable ones are Sydney Metro West, Kerrs Road Upgrade, Lidcombe Wellbeing and Accommodation Precinct, and Regents Park Affordable Rental Housing. The following list provides details on those most relevant.

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

Employment conditions in Auburn - South face significant challenges, ranking among the bottom 10% of areas assessed nationally

Auburn South has a skilled workforce with diverse industry representation. Its unemployment rate is 9.6%, with an estimated employment growth of 0.5% over the past year.

As of June 2025, 3,645 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 5.4%. Workforce participation in Auburn South lags Greater Sydney's at 41.4% compared to 60.0%. Key employment sectors among residents include health care & social assistance, retail trade, and construction. The area has a notable concentration in transport, postal & warehousing with employment levels at 1.7 times the regional average.

Professional & technical services have limited presence, with only 7.1% of employment compared to the regional average of 11.5%. Over the year to June 2025, employment increased by 0.5%, while labour force grew by 3.2%, leading to a rise in unemployment by 2.4 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Sydney saw employment growth of 2.6% and an unemployment rate increase of only 0.3%. State-level data for NSW as of Sep-25 shows employment contracted by 0.41%, with the state unemployment rate at 4.3%. National forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia project overall employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Auburn South's current employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.5% over five years and 13.4% over ten years, though this is a simplified extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

Income figures position the area below 75% of locations analysed nationally by AreaSearch

Auburn-South's median income among taxpayers was $30,664 in financial year 2022, according to latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch. The average income stood at $37,842 during the same period. These figures compare to Greater Sydney's median income of $56,994 and average income of $80,856 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.6% since financial year 2022, estimated median income as of March 2025 would be approximately $33,914, with the average income being around $41,853. Census data indicates individual incomes are at the 3rd percentile ($496 weekly), while household income is at the 37th percentile. Income analysis reveals that 30.0% of residents (2,803 people) fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 income bracket, reflecting patterns seen at regional levels where 30.9% occupy this range. Housing affordability pressures are severe in Auburn-South, with only 78.8% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 31st percentile.

Auburn - South is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Auburn-South's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 72.8% houses and 27.1% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In contrast, Sydney metro had 33.5% houses and 66.5% other dwellings. Home ownership in Auburn-South stood at 30.7%, with mortgaged dwellings at 32.4% and rented ones at 36.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,167, aligning with Sydney metro's average, while the median weekly rent was $435 compared to Sydney metro's $470. Nationally, Auburn-South'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.

Auburn - South features high concentrations of family households and group households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households account for 80.2% of all households, including 48.9% couples with children, 16.9% couples without children, and 12.7% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 19.8%, with lone person households at 15.5% and group households comprising 4.4%. The median household size is 3.5 people, which is larger than the Greater Sydney average of 2.8.

Educational outcomes in Auburn - South fall within the lower quartile nationally, indicating opportunities for improvement in qualification attainment

The area has university qualification rates of 25.6%, significantly lower than the SA3 area average of 39.9%. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 18.1%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (6.3%) and graduate diplomas (1.2%). Vocational pathways account for 22.6% of qualifications among those aged 15+, with advanced diplomas at 10.0% and certificates at 12.6%.

Educational participation is high, with 35.9% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 12.2% in primary education, 9.0% in secondary education, and 7.5% pursuing tertiary education. The area has two schools: St Joseph the Worker Catholic Primary School and Auburn West Public School, serving a total of 672 students. These schools focus exclusively on primary education, with secondary options available in nearby areas. School places per 100 residents are 7.2, below the regional average of 10.8, indicating that some students may attend schools outside the area.

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

Transport analysis shows 49 active transport stops operating within Auburn-South, consisting of buses. These stops are served by 21 individual routes, collectively offering 594 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents typically located 119 meters from the nearest stop.

Service frequency averages 84 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 12 weekly trips per stop.

Auburn - South's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with younger cohorts in particular seeing very low prevalence of common health conditions

Health outcomes data shows excellent results in Auburn - South, with younger cohorts having a very low prevalence of common health conditions. Approximately 45% of the total population (~4205 people) has private health cover, compared to 48.5% across Greater Sydney and the national average of 55.3%. Diabetes and arthritis are the most common medical conditions in the area, affecting 5.6% and 5.2% of residents respectively.

79.3% of residents report being completely free of medical ailments, compared to 83.5% across Greater Sydney. The area has 13.0% of residents aged 65 and over (1210 people), higher than the 11.1% in Greater Sydney. Health outcomes among seniors require more attention than those of the broader population.

Auburn - 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

Auburn-South, one of the most culturally diverse areas in Australia, has a population where 55.5% were born overseas and 80.2% speak a language other than English at home. As per data from 2016, Islam is the predominant religion in Auburn-South, with 47.7%, compared to 23.4% across Greater Sydney. In terms of ancestry, the top three groups are Other (34.4%), Chinese (23.0%), and Lebanese (11.4%), which is significantly higher than the regional average of 4.1%.

There are notable differences in representation for certain ethnic groups: Korean at 1.4% (regional average 7.7%), Vietnamese at 2.7% (regional average 2.6%), and Sri Lankan at 0.5% (same as the regional average).

Auburn - South's young demographic places it in the bottom 15% of areas nationwide

Auburn - South has a median age of 33, which is younger than Greater Sydney's figure of 37 and Australia's figure of 38. Compared to Greater Sydney, Auburn - South has a higher concentration of residents aged 5-14 (14.4%) but fewer residents aged 45-54 (10.6%). Between the 2021 Census and now, the population aged 15-24 has grown from 14.0% to 15.3%, while the 35-44 cohort increased from 12.5% to 13.6%. Meanwhile, the 55-64 cohort has declined from 11.7% to 10.3%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate substantial demographic changes for Auburn - South. The 75-84 cohort is projected to grow by 99%, adding 332 residents to reach 670. Demographic aging continues as residents aged 65 and older represent 60% of anticipated growth. However, the 25-34 and 5-14 cohorts are expected to experience population declines.