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

Canley Vale - Canley Heights' population, as of Aug 2025, is approximately 22,626. This figure represents an increase of 365 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 22,261. The increase is inferred from ABS data 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 ratio of 4,174 persons per square kilometer, placing Canley Vale - Canley Heights in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Over the past decade, from 2015 to 2025, the area has shown resilient growth patterns with a compound annual growth rate of 0.6%, outperforming its SA3 area. Overseas migration contributed approximately 93.5% of overall population gains during this period.

AreaSearch's projections for Canley Vale - Canley Heights are based on ABS/Geoscience Australia data released in 2024, using 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered by this data, NSW State Government SA2 level projections released in 2022 with a 2021 base year are used. These projections indicate an above median population growth for Australian statistical areas, with Canley Vale - Canley Heights expected to grow by 3,016 persons by 2041, recording a total gain of 12.6% over the 17-year period from 2025 to 2041.

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 averaged approximately 113 new dwelling approvals annually. The Australian Bureau of Statistics produces development approval data on a financial year basis, totalling 567 approvals across the past five financial years from FY-21 to FY-25, with 18 approvals recorded so far in FY-26. Despite population decline, development activity has been adequate relative to other areas, benefiting buyers due to new homes averaging $349,000, below regional norms. Commercial approvals registered this financial year amount to $140.3 million, indicating robust local business investment.

Compared to Greater Sydney, Canley Vale - Canley Heights maintains similar development levels per capita, preserving market equilibrium with surrounding areas, although construction activity has recently eased. New building activity comprises 46.0% detached houses and 54.0% attached dwellings, offering affordable entry pathways for downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers, marking a shift from the current housing mix of 66.0% houses due to reduced development site availability and changing lifestyle demands. The area has approximately 303 people per dwelling approval, indicating a low-density market. By 2041, Canley Vale - Canley Heights is expected to grow by 2,855 residents. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, creating favourable conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

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

Canley Vale - Canley Heights has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 10% nationally

A total of 41 projects have been identified by AreaSearch as potentially impacting the area. Key projects include Cabravale Club Resort - Stage 2 Redevelopment (Novotel Sydney Cabramatta), FLAIR - 27-33 Ascot Street, Canley Heights and Canley Vale Special Entertainment Precincts, and 20-24 Peel Street Apartments Canley Heights. The following list details those likely to be most relevant.

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 strong representation in manufacturing and industrial sectors. The unemployment rate was 6.0% as of June 2025, compared to Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 5.9%. There were 9,869 residents in work while workforce participation stood at 42.7%, significantly lower than Greater Sydney's 60.0%. Leading employment industries among residents include manufacturing, retail trade, and health care & social assistance. Manufacturing has a notable concentration with employment levels at 2.8 times the regional average.

However, professional & technical services have limited presence with only 5.7% of employment compared to the regional average of 11.5%. The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities as indicated by Census data on working population versus resident population. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment increased by 5.9% while labour force grew by 4.9%, causing the unemployment rate to fall by 0.9 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Sydney saw employment rise by 2.6%, labour force grow by 2.9%, but unemployment rose by 0.3 percentage points during the same period. State-level data from Sep-25 shows NSW employment contracted by 0.41% (losing 19,270 jobs) with an unemployment rate of 4.3%. Nationally, the unemployment rate was 4.5%, and employment growth was 0.26%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 suggest that while overall employment is forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, growth rates differ significantly between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Canley Vale - Canley Heights' employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 5.6%% over five years and 12.2% over ten years.

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

Canley Vale - Canley Heights's median income among taxpayers in financial year 2022 was $40,807. The average income stood at $48,675 during the same period. For Greater Sydney, the median income was $56,994 and the average income was $80,856. As of March 2025, current estimates suggest that Canley Vale - Canley Heights's median income is approximately $45,133 and the average income is around $53,835, considering a 10.6% increase since financial year 2022. According to Census 2021 income data, individual incomes in Canley Vale - Canley Heights lag at the 3rd percentile ($478 weekly), while household income performs better at the 30th percentile. In terms of income distribution, 6,878 people, representing 30.4% of locals, fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 income category. This is similar to the broader area where 30.9% of individuals occupy this range. Housing affordability pressures are severe in Canley Vale - Canley Heights, 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

In Canley Vale - Canley Heights, as per the latest Census, 66.0% of dwellings were houses, with 34.1% being semi-detached, apartments, or other types. This compares to Sydney metro's figures of 73.3% houses and 26.7% other dwellings. Home ownership in Canley Vale - Canley Heights was at 30.6%, with mortgaged dwellings at 27.8% and rented ones at 41.6%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,815, lower than Sydney metro's average of $2,000. The median weekly rent was $360, compared to Sydney metro's $400. Nationally, Canley Vale - Canley Heights had lower mortgage repayments at $1,815 versus the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were also less at $360 against 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, including 40.3% couples with children, 14.5% couples without children, and 21.4% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 21.2%, with 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 has university qualification rates of 17.6%, significantly lower than the Greater Sydney average of 38.0%. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 14.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 2.2% and graduate diplomas at 0.7%. Vocational pathways account for 21.3% of qualifications among those aged 15 and above, 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. This includes 10.0% in secondary education, 9.4% in primary education, and 6.7% pursuing tertiary education. Canley Vale - Canley Heights's five schools have a combined enrollment of 3,644 students as of the latest data. The area demonstrates typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 971) with balanced educational opportunities. The educational mix includes three primary schools, one secondary school, and one K-12 school.

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

Canley Vale - Canley Heights has 72 active public transport stops. These include a mix of train and bus services. There are 29 individual routes operating in total.

Collectively, these routes provide 3,969 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as good with residents typically located 203 meters from the nearest stop. On average, there are 567 trips per day across all routes, which equates to approximately 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 notable results across Canley Vale - Canley Heights, with a low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups. The rate of private health cover is extremely low at approximately 46% of the total population (~10,385 people), compared to the national average of 55.3%.

Diabetes and arthritis are the most common medical conditions in the area, affecting 5.8 and 5.1% of residents respectively. 78.5% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, higher than the 75.6% across Greater Sydney. The area has 17.0% of residents aged 65 and over (3,846 people), lower than the 19.0% in Greater Sydney. Health outcomes among seniors are strong, largely aligning with the general 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 among the most culturally diverse areas in Australia, with 62.2% of its population born overseas as of the 2016 Census. In this area, 81.7% spoke a language other than English at home. The main religion was Buddhism, comprising 39.6% of people, compared to the Greater Sydney average of 21.7%.

The top three ancestry groups were Vietnamese (33.8%, vs regional average of 17.8%), Chinese (21.5%, vs 12.0%), and Other (19.8%, vs 32.7%). Notably, Serbian (1.1% vs 1.8%), Samoan (1.1% vs 1.0%), and Russian (0.5% vs 0.4%) were overrepresented in Canley Vale-Canley Heights compared to the regional averages.

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

The median age in Canley Vale - Canley Heights is close to Greater Sydney's average of 37 years and equivalent to Australia's median of 38 years. Compared to Greater Sydney, Canley Vale - Canley Heights has a higher proportion of residents aged 55-64 (13.2%) but fewer residents aged 35-44 (12.0%). Between the 2016 and 2021 censuses, the population aged 65 to 74 grew from 8.3% to 10.2%, while the proportion of those 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 1,074. This growth is primarily driven by the aging population dynamic, with those aged 65 and above comprising 69% of projected growth. Conversely, population declines are projected for the 0 to 4 and 5 to 14 age groups.