Blacktown - West
Statistical Area - sa2

Population growth drivers in Blacktown - West are strong compared to national averages based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Blacktown - West's population is approximately 17,993 as of August 2025. From the 2021 Census, this represents a growth of 852 people, an increase of 5.0%. The ABS estimated resident population in June 2024 was 17,786, with an additional 243 validated new addresses since the Census date contributing to this growth. This results in a population density ratio of 3,844 persons per square kilometer, placing Blacktown - West in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The area's 5.0% growth since the 2021 census exceeds the SA3 area's 3.9%, indicating it as a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration drove this population growth, contributing approximately 80.5% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch adopts 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 uses 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 project an above median growth for national areas, with Blacktown - West expected to increase by 2,694 persons to 2041 based on the latest population numbers, reflecting a total increase of 13.8% over these 17 years.

Recent residential development output has been above average within Blacktown - West when compared nationally

Blacktown - West has received approximately 158 dwelling approvals annually. The Australian Bureau of Statistics produces this data on a financial year basis, totalling 794 approvals from FY-21 to FY-25, with 14 recorded so far in FY-26. Over the past five financial years, an average of 0.5 new residents per dwelling has been observed. This suggests that new supply is meeting or exceeding demand, providing ample buyer choice and capacity for population growth beyond current forecasts.

The average construction cost value of new dwellings is $314,000, which is below the regional average, indicating more affordable housing options. In FY-26, $3.6 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded, reflecting the area's residential character. Compared to Greater Sydney, Blacktown - West has 56.0% more building activity per person, offering buyers ample choice, although recent periods have seen a moderation in development activity. The new developments consist of 65.0% detached dwellings and 35.0% townhouses or apartments, expanding medium-density options and creating a mix of housing opportunities across price brackets.

The location has approximately 276 people per dwelling approval, indicating a low density market. Future projections estimate Blacktown - West to add 2,487 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.

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

Changes in local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 12 projects that may impact the area. Notable ones include Blacktown and Mount Druitt Hospitals Upgrade, Blacktown Quarter, St Maurice Village, and Dara Blacktown. The following list details those likely to be most relevant.

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

Blacktown - West has seen below average employment performance when compared to national benchmarks

Blacktown - West has an educated workforce with diverse sector representation. The unemployment rate was 5.3% in June 2024, with estimated employment growth of 6.0%.

As of June 2025, the unemployment rate is 5.7%, 1.1% higher than Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%. Workforce participation is lower at 56.1% compared to Greater Sydney's 60.0%. Key employment sectors are health care & social assistance, transport, postal & warehousing, and retail trade. Transport, postal & warehousing has particularly high concentration with levels at 2.1 times the regional average.

Professional & technical services have limited presence at 6.0%, compared to the regional average of 11.5%. Over the year to June 2025, employment increased by 6.0% while labour force grew by 6.5%, raising unemployment by 0.4 percentage points. Statewide in NSW, employment contracted by 0.41% (losing 19,270 jobs) between Sep-24 and Sep-25, with an unemployment rate of 4.3%. Nationally, the unemployment rate was 4.5%, with employment growth of 0.26%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 suggest Blacktown - West's employment could grow by approximately 6.4% over five years and 13.4% over ten years.

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

Blacktown - West's median income among taxpayers was $49,856 and average income stood at $57,054 in the financial year 2022. This compares to Greater Sydney's figures of $56,994 and $80,856 respectively. By March 2025, estimates based on a 10.6% Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2022 suggest median income would be approximately $55,141 and average income $63,102. Census data shows household income ranks at the 56th percentile ($1,857 weekly) and personal income at the 39th percentile. The largest income segment comprises 38.8% earning $1,500 - 2,999 weekly (6,981 residents), consistent with broader trends across the broader area showing 30.9% in the same category. High housing costs consume 17.8% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 55th percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 4th decile.

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

Dwelling structure in Blacktown - West, as evaluated at the Census conducted in 2016, comprised 77.6% houses and 22.4% other dwellings such as semi-detached homes, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. This compares to Sydney metropolitan area's figure of 76.8% houses and 23.3% other dwellings. Home ownership in Blacktown - West stood at 25.9%, similar to the Sydney metro average, with the rest of dwellings either mortgaged (35.7%) or rented (38.4%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,100 as of 2016, lower than the Sydney metro average of $2,167. The median weekly rent figure was recorded at $410, compared to Sydney metro's $400. Nationally, Blacktown - West's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents exceeded the national figure of $375.

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

Family households comprise 77.7% of all households, including 41.2% couples with children, 21.8% couples without children, and 12.8% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 22.3%, with lone person households at 18.1% and group households comprising 4.3%. The median household size is 3.0 people, which is larger than the Greater Sydney average of 2.9.

Educational attainment in Blacktown - West aligns closely with national averages, showing typical qualification patterns and performance metrics

In Blacktown West, as of recent data, 29.9% of residents aged 15 and above hold university degrees, compared to Greater Sydney's 38.0%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 20.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (8.5%) and graduate diplomas (1.4%). Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 29.5% of residents aged 15 and above holding such qualifications - advanced diplomas at 10.9% and certificates at 18.6%. Educational participation is high, with 32.2% of residents currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes 9.6% in primary education, 7.6% in secondary education, and 6.4% pursuing tertiary education. There are six schools operating within Blacktown West, educating approximately 2,955 students as of the latest data available. The educational mix includes four primary schools, one secondary school, and one K-12 school. All schools demonstrate typical Australian school conditions with balanced educational opportunities (ICSEA: 1008). Note that where schools show 'n/a' for enrolments, please refer to the parent campus.

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

Blacktown - West has 90 active public transport stops operating. These are a mix of bus stops serviced by 28 routes. The total weekly passenger trips provided is 1,729.

Residents' accessibility to transport is excellent, with an average distance of 144 meters to the nearest stop. Service frequency across all routes averages 247 trips per day, equating to approximately 19 weekly trips per individual stop.

The level of general health in Blacktown - West is notably higher than the national average with prevalence of common health conditions low among the general population though higher than the nation's average across older, at risk cohorts

Blacktown West demonstrates above-average health outcomes with a low prevalence of common health conditions among its general population compared to national averages. However, older, at-risk cohorts show higher rates of these conditions.

Private health cover is found to be very low in the area, with approximately 48% of the total population (~8,690 people) having it, while the national average stands at 55.3%. The most common medical conditions are arthritis and diabetes, affecting 6.6 and 6.2% of residents respectively. A significant portion, 73.4%, of residents declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, similar to Greater Sydney's figure of 73.6%. The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over, with 14.6% (2,625 people) falling into this age group. Health outcomes among seniors require more attention than the broader population due to presenting some challenges.

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

Blacktown-West has a population where 53.9% speak a language other than English at home, with 50.0% born overseas. Christianity is the predominant religion, accounting for 51.3%. The 'Other' religious category comprises 7.6%, slightly higher than Greater Sydney's 6.6%.

In terms of ancestry, the top groups are Other (24.7%), Australian (15.1%), and English (13.7%). Some ethnic groups show notable variations: Filipino is 7.1% in Blacktown-West compared to 6.4% regionally, Indian is 10.2% versus 10.8%, and Maltese is 2.1% versus 1.9%.

Blacktown - West's population is younger than the national pattern

Blacktown - West has a median age of 35 years, which is slightly younger than Greater Sydney's 37 years and somewhat younger than the national average of 38 years. The 0-4 age group comprises 6.8% of its population compared to Greater Sydney, while the 35-44 cohort makes up 14.4%. Between 2021 and now (the exact date is not specified), the 65-74 age group has grown from 6.9% to 7.6% of the population. By 2041, significant demographic changes are forecast for Blacktown - West. The 75-84 age cohort is projected to rise substantially by 582 people (a 70% increase) from 825 to 1,408. Notably, combined age groups of 65 and above will account for 52% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. Conversely, both the 0-4 and 35-44 age groups are projected to decrease in numbers.