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

As of November 2025, Canley Vale - Canley Heights' population is approximately 22,696. This figure represents an increase of 435 people since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 22,261. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 22,469 in June 2024 and an additional 65 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 4,187 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 with a compound annual growth rate of 0.6%, outperforming its SA3 region. Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration, contributing approximately 93.5% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch uses 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 the years 2032 to 2041. Future population trends project an above median growth for Australian statistical areas, with Canley Vale - Canley Heights expected to grow by 3,016 persons by 2041, representing a total gain of 12.3% 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 113 new dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling 567 homes. As of FY26, 27 approvals have been recorded. Despite a decrease in population during this period, housing supply has remained adequate relative to demand, resulting in a balanced market with good buyer choice. The average construction cost value for new properties is $278,000, which is below the regional average, suggesting more affordable housing options.

This financial year has seen $140.3 million in commercial approvals, indicating high levels of local commercial activity. Compared to Greater Sydney, Canley Vale - Canley Heights has similar development levels per person, maintaining market equilibrium with surrounding areas, although development activity has decreased recently. New developments consist of 46.0% detached houses and 54.0% medium and high-density housing, marking a shift from the current housing pattern of 66.0% houses. This change may be due to diminishing developable land availability and evolving lifestyle preferences and housing affordability needs. With approximately 303 people per approval, Canley Vale - Canley Heights reflects a low density area.

Population forecasts indicate an increase of 2,785 residents by 2041. Given current construction levels, housing supply is expected to meet demand adequately, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling population growth that exceeds current forecasts.

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, scheduled for completion in November 2023 and set to become Novotel Sydney Cabramatta, FLAIR at 27-33 Ascot Street, Canley Heights, planned for completion in June 2024, Canley Vale Special Entertainment Precincts, with no specified completion date, and 20-24 Peel Street Apartments Canley Heights, expected to be completed by December 2025. The following list details those projects likely to have the most relevance.

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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.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 5.9%. In June 2025, 9,869 residents were employed 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%. Employment is concentrated in manufacturing, retail trade, and health care & social assistance.

Manufacturing has particularly notable concentration with employment levels at 2.8 times the regional average. Professional & technical services have limited presence with only 5.7% of employment compared to the regional average of 11.5%. The area offers limited local employment opportunities as indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment levels increased by 5.9%, labour force grew by 4.9%, causing a fall in unemployment rate by 0.9 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Sydney saw employment rise by 2.6% with the labour force growing by 2.9% and unemployment rising by 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with varying rates 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 was $40,807 in financial year 2022. The average income stood at $48,675 during the same period. This compares to figures for Greater Sydney of $56,994 and $80,856 respectively. By September 2025, current estimates suggest median income will be approximately $45,953 and average income around $54,813, based on a Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% since financial year 2022. Census data shows individual incomes at the 3rd percentile were $478 weekly, while household incomes performed better at the 30th percentile. In income distribution, 30.4% of the population (6,899 individuals) fell within the $1,500 - 2,999 income range, consistent with broader trends across the surrounding region showing 30.9% in the same category. Housing affordability pressures were severe, with only 81.1% of income remaining, 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 evaluation, 66.0% of dwellings were houses while 34.1% were other types such as semi-detached homes, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. This contrasts with Sydney metropolitan areas which had a higher proportion of houses at 73.3%. The home ownership rate in Canley Vale - Canley Heights was slightly lower than that of Sydney metro, standing at 30.6%. The remaining dwellings were either mortgaged (27.8%) or rented (41.6%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,815, which is below the Sydney metro average of $2,000 and also lower than the national average of $1,863. The median weekly rent figure for Canley Vale - Canley Heights was recorded at $360, compared to Sydney metro's $400 and the national average 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 constitute 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 faces educational challenges, with university qualification rates at 17.6%, significantly lower than the Greater Sydney average of 38.0%. This situation 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 - advanced diplomas make up 8.1% and certificates 13.2%.

Educational participation is notably 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 has 5 schools combined enrolling 3,644 students, operating under typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 971) with balanced educational opportunities. The educational mix includes 3 primary, 1 secondary, and 1 K-12 school.

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

Transport analysis indicates 72 active transport stops operating within Canley Vale - Canley Heights area. These comprise a mix of train and bus services. A total of 29 individual routes service these stops, collectively facilitating 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 roughly 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. The rate of private health cover is extremely low at approximately 46% of the total population (~10,417 people), compared to the national average of 55.3%.

The most prevalent medical conditions in the area are diabetes and arthritis, affecting 5.8 and 5.1% of residents respectively, while 78.5% report being completely clear of medical ailments, higher than the Greater Sydney average of 75.6%. The area has 17.0% of residents aged 65 and over (3,858 people), which is lower than the Greater Sydney average of 19.0%. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, broadly in line 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 and 81.7% speaking a language other than English at home. The dominant religion in Canley Vale-Canley Heights is Buddhism, which accounts for 39.6% of people, compared to 21.7% across Greater Sydney. Regarding ancestry, the top three groups are Vietnamese (33.8%, regional average: 17.8%), Chinese (21.5%, regional average: 12.0%), and Other (19.8%, regional average: 32.7%).

Notably, Serbian (1.1% vs regional 1.8%), Samoan (1.1% vs 1.0%), and Russian (0.5% vs 0.4%) are overrepresented in Canley Vale-Canley Heights compared to the Greater Sydney region.

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 age 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 proportion of residents aged 65 to 74 increased 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 75 to 84 age group is expected to grow by 90%, reaching 2,048 people from 1,078. The population aged 65 and above is projected to comprise 69% of the total growth. Conversely, population declines are projected for residents aged 0 to 4 and 5 to 14 years.