Canley Vale - Canley Heights
Statistical Area - sa2

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

The population of Canley Vale - Canley Heights is approximately 22,626 as of August 2025. This figure represents an increase of 365 people since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 22,261. The growth is inferred from ABS estimates showing an estimated resident population of 22,471 in June 2024 and an additional 43 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density of 4,174 persons per square kilometer, placing Canley Vale - Canley Heights among the top 10% of locations assessed by AreaSearch. Over the past decade, ending in June 2024, the area has shown resilient growth with an average annual increase of 0.6%. This growth was primarily driven by overseas migration, contributing approximately 93.5% of overall population gains during recent periods.

For future projections until 2041, AreaSearch is utilising ABS/Geoscience Australia projections released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. The area is projected to grow by an above median rate, adding 3,016 persons by 2041, resulting in a total growth of 12.6% over the 17-year period.

AreaSearch analysis of residential development drivers sees Canley Vale - Canley Heights recording a relatively average level of approval activity when compared to local markets analysed countrywide

Canley Vale - Canley Heights has averaged approximately 115 new dwelling approvals annually. Development approval data is provided by the ABS on a financial year basis, totalling 577 approvals across the past five financial years from FY20 to FY25, with 18 approvals recorded so far in FY26. Despite population decline, development activity has been adequate relative to demand, ensuring a well-balanced housing market with good buyer choice. New homes are being constructed at an average expected cost of $349,000, below regional norms, offering more affordable housing options for purchasers.

This financial year has seen $140.3 million in commercial approvals, indicating robust local business investment. Compared to Greater Sydney, Canley Vale - Canley Heights has slightly higher development activity, with 11.0% more dwelling approvals per person over the five-year period, balancing buyer choice while supporting current property values. However, construction activity has recently eased. New building activity comprises 46.0% detached houses and 54.0% attached dwellings, reflecting a shift towards compact living to attract downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers, marking a significant change from the current housing mix of 66.0% houses. The location has approximately 303 people per dwelling approval, indicating a low density market.

By 2041, Canley Vale - Canley Heights is projected to grow by 2,855 residents. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing favourable conditions for buyers and potentially supporting population growth beyond current projections.

Canley Vale - Canley Heights 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 41 projects likely to affect the region. Notable initiatives include Cabravale Club Resort - Stage 2 Redevelopment (Novotel Sydney Cabramatta), FLAIR at 27-33 Ascot Street, Canley Heights and Canley Vale Special Entertainment Precincts, and 20-24 Peel Street Apartments in Canley Heights. The following details projects of highest relevance.

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

Canley Vale - Canley Heights shows employment indicators that trail behind approximately 70% of regions assessed across Australia

Canley Vale - Canley Heights has a skilled workforce with manufacturing and industrial sectors strongly represented. The unemployment rate was 6.0% as of June 2025.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 5.9%. There were 9,869 residents in work while the unemployment rate was 1.8% higher than Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%. Workforce participation lagged significantly at 42.7%, compared to Greater Sydney's 60.0%. Leading employment industries among residents comprised manufacturing, retail trade, and health care & social assistance.

Manufacturing had particularly notable concentration with employment levels at 2.8 times the regional average. Professional & technical services had limited presence with 5.7% employment compared to 11.5% regionally. The predominantly residential area appeared to offer limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the count of Census working population vs resident population. In the 12-month period ending June 2025, employment increased by 5.9% while labour force increased by 4.9%, causing the unemployment rate to fall by 0.9 percentage points. This contrasted with Greater Sydney where employment rose by 2.6%, the labour force grew by 2.9%, and unemployment rose by 0.3 percentage points. State-level data from Sep-25 showed NSW employment contracted by 0.41% (losing 19,270 jobs), with the state unemployment rate at 4.3%. This compared favourably to the national unemployment rate of 4.5%, but lagged behind national employment growth of 0.26%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 projected national employment expansion by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Canley Vale - Canley Heights' employment mix suggested local growth of approximately 5.6%% over five years and 12.2% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and not accounting for localised population projections.

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

Canley Vale - Canley Heights's median income among taxpayers was $40,807 in financial year 2022. The average income stood at $48,675 during the same period. These figures are lower than Greater Sydney's median and average incomes of $56,994 and $80,856 respectively. Based on a Wage Price Index growth of 10.6% since financial year 2022, estimated median income is approximately $45,133 as of March 2025, with the average income estimated at around $53,835 during this period. According to Census 2021 data, individual incomes were at the 3rd percentile ($478 weekly), while household incomes performed better at the 30th percentile. The predominant income cohort in Canley Vale - Canley Heights is 30.4% of locals (6,878 people) earning between $1,500 and $2,999 per week, similar to the broader area where 30.9% occupy this range. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 81.1% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 25th percentile.

Canley Vale - Canley Heights displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

The latest Census in Canley Vale - Canley Heights showed that 66.0% of dwellings were houses while the remaining 34.1% consisted of semi-detached homes, apartments, and other dwelling types. In comparison, Sydney metro had a higher percentage of houses at 73.3%. Home ownership in Canley Vale - Canley Heights stood at 30.6%, with mortgaged dwellings at 27.8% and rented ones at 41.6%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,815, lower than Sydney metro's average of $2,000. The median weekly rent in the area was $360, compared to Sydney metro's figure of $400. Nationally, Canley Vale - Canley Heights had lower mortgage repayments at $1,815 compared to Australia's average of $1,863, and rents were also lower at $360 than the national figure of $375.

Canley Vale - Canley Heights features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households account for 78.8% of all households, consisting of couples with children (40.3%), couples without children (14.5%), and single parent families (21.4%). Non-family households make up the remaining 21.2%, including lone person households at 18.2% and group households comprising 3.0%. The median household size is 3.3 people, which is larger than the Greater Sydney average of 3.2.

Canley Vale - Canley Heights faces educational challenges, with performance metrics placing it in the bottom quartile of areas assessed nationally

The area's university qualification rate is 17.6%, significantly lower than Greater Sydney's average of 38.0%. Bachelor degrees are the most common (14.7%), followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.2%) and graduate diplomas (0.7%). Vocational pathways account for 21.3% of qualifications among those aged 15+, with advanced diplomas at 8.1% and certificates at 13.2%. Educational participation is high, with 32.3% of residents currently enrolled in formal education: 10.0% in secondary, 9.4% in primary, and 6.7% in tertiary education.

The area's five schools have a combined enrollment of 3,644 students and demonstrate typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 971), offering balanced educational opportunities. The educational mix includes three primary, one secondary, and one K-12 school.

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

Public transport analysis shows that as of 2021 there are 72 active transport stops operating within Canley Vale - Canley Heights. These stops offer a mix of train and bus services. They are serviced by 29 individual routes, collectively providing 3,969 weekly passenger trips.

Transport accessibility is rated as good with residents typically located approximately 203 meters from the nearest transport stop. Service frequency averages 567 trips per day across all routes, equating to about 55 weekly trips per individual stop.

Canley Vale - Canley Heights's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Health outcomes data shows excellent results across Canley Vale - Canley Heights, with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups. Approximately 46% of the total population (~10,385 people) has private health cover, which is lower than the national average of 55.3%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are diabetes and arthritis, affecting 5.8 and 5.1% of residents respectively. A total of 78.5% of residents report being completely free from medical ailments, compared to 75.6% across Greater Sydney. In this area, 17.0% of residents are aged 65 and over (3,846 people), which is lower than the 19.0% in Greater Sydney. The health outcomes among seniors are notably strong, generally aligning with the overall population's health profile.

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

Canley Vale-Canley Heights is one of Australia's most culturally diverse areas, with 62.2% of its population born overseas and 81.7% speaking a language other than English at home. The dominant religion in Canley Vale-Canley Heights is Buddhism, making up 39.6% of the area's population, compared to 21.7% across Greater Sydney. In terms of ancestry, the top three represented groups are Vietnamese (33.8%, regional average: 17.8%), Chinese (21.5%, regional average: 12.0%), and Other (19.8%, regional average: 32.7%).

There are notable differences in the representation of Serbian (1.1% vs regional 1.8%), Samoan (1.1% vs 1.0%), and Russian (0.5% vs 0.4%) ethnic groups.

Canley Vale - Canley Heights's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

The median age in Canley Vale - Canley Heights was close to Greater Sydney's average of 37 years at the time of the census, and equivalent to Australia's median age of 38 years. Compared to Greater Sydney, Canley Vale - Canley Heights had a higher percentage of residents aged 55-64 (13.2%) but fewer residents aged 35-44 (12.0%). Between the censuses held on 9 August 2016 and 10 August 2021, the population aged 65 to 74 grew from 8.3% to 10.2%, while the proportion of residents aged 5 to 14 decreased from 12.5% to 11.5%. By 2041, Canley Vale - Canley Heights is projected to experience significant changes in its age composition. The number of residents aged 75 to 84 is expected to grow by 91%, reaching 2,048 from the previous count of 1,074. This growth reflects an aging population trend, with those aged 65 and above comprising 69% of projected population growth. Conversely, declines are projected for the populations aged 0 to 4 and 5 to 14 years by 2041.