Canterbury - South
Statistical Area - sa2

Canterbury - South lies within the top quartile of areas nationally for population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Canterbury - South's population is approximately 13,192 as of November 2025. This figure represents an increase of 972 people, equivalent to an 8.0% rise since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 12,220. The change is inferred from ABS's estimated resident population of 13,175 in June 2024 and an additional 141 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 6,312 persons per square kilometer, placing Canterbury - South among the top 10% of locations assessed by AreaSearch, indicating high demand for land in the area. Canterbury - South's growth rate of 8.0% since the 2021 Census exceeded both the SA3 area (4.8%) and the SA4 region, positioning it as a growth leader. Overseas migration accounted for approximately 77.7% of overall population gains during recent periods in this area.

AreaSearch is adopting 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 uses 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 national areas, with Canterbury - South expected to increase by 2,531 persons to 2041 based on the latest population numbers, reflecting a total increase of 19.1% over the 17-year period.

Residential development activity is slightly higher than average within Canterbury - South when compared nationally

Canterbury - South has received approximately 44 dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling 221 homes. As of FY-26, 21 approvals have been recorded. On average, each home built between FY-21 and FY-25 accommodates around 7.9 new residents per year, indicating a significant demand exceeding supply. New homes are constructed at an average cost of $250,000, reflecting more affordable housing options compared to regional norms.

In FY-26, commercial approvals totalled $733,000, suggesting minimal commercial development activity. Compared to Greater Sydney, Canterbury - South has shown slightly higher development activity, with 33.0% above the regional average per person over the past five years. This maintains good buyer choice while supporting existing property values, although recent periods have seen a moderation in development activity. New building activity consists of 24.0% detached houses and 76.0% townhouses or apartments, reflecting a shift from the area's current housing composition of 39.0% houses. This change indicates decreasing availability of developable sites and reflects evolving lifestyles requiring diverse and affordable housing options.

With approximately 933 people per approval, Canterbury - South demonstrates characteristics of a mature, established area. Projections suggest that by 2041, the population is expected to grow by 2,514 residents. If current construction levels persist, there may be a lag in housing supply relative to population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and driving price growth.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 51 projects that could affect this region. Notable ones include Sydney Metro City & Southwest, Campsie Private Hospital, Canterbury Leisure & Aquatic Centre, and the 186-206 Canterbury Road Mixed-Use Development. The following list details those most likely to be relevant.

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

Denotes AI-based impression for illustrative purposes only, not to be taken as definitive under any circumstances. Please follow links and conduct other investigations from the project's source for actual imagery. Developers and project owners wishing us to use original imagery please Contact Us and we will do so.

Employment performance in Canterbury - South has been broadly consistent with national averages

Canterbury - South has a well-educated workforce with professional services being strongly represented. The unemployment rate in the area is 3.4%.

Over the past year, there has been an estimated employment growth of 2.4%. As of June 2025, 7,809 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 0.7% lower than Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%. Workforce participation in Canterbury - South is somewhat below the standard at 55.4%, compared to Greater Sydney's 60.0%. Employment among residents is concentrated in health care & social assistance, retail trade, and professional & technical services.

The area has a particularly notable concentration in transport, postal & warehousing employment, with levels at 1.3 times the regional average. However, professional & technical employment has limited presence with 9.1%, compared to the regional average of 11.5%. The predominantly residential area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. Between June 2024 and July 2025, employment increased by 2.4% while labour force grew by 2.6%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 0.3 percentage points. In Greater Sydney, during the same period, employment rose by 2.6%, labour force grew by 2.9%, and unemployment rose by 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 suggest that Canterbury - South's employment may grow by approximately 6.8% over five years and 13.9% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation of industry-specific projections against the local employment mix.

The area's income profile falls below national averages based on AreaSearch analysis

Canterbury-South's median income among taxpayers was $48,617 in financial year 2022. The average income stood at $62,877 during the same period. In comparison, Greater Sydney had median and average incomes of $56,994 and $80,856 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% since financial year 2022, estimated current incomes as of September 2025 would be approximately $54,748 (median) and $70,806 (average). According to census data, incomes in Canterbury-South cluster around the 52nd percentile nationally. The largest income bracket comprises 36.2% earning between $1,500 and $2,999 weekly, with 4,775 residents falling into this category. This is consistent with broader trends across the area showing 30.9% in the same income bracket. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 79.9% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 49th percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 6th decile.

Canterbury - South features a more urban dwelling mix with significant apartment living, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Canterbury-South's dwellings, as per the latest Census, consisted of 39.4% houses and 60.6% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). Sydney metro had 48.7% houses and 51.3% other dwellings. Home ownership in Canterbury-South was 24.0%, with mortgaged dwellings at 32.0% and rented ones at 44.0%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,221, exceeding Sydney metro's average of $2,167. The median weekly rent in Canterbury-South was $450, compared to Sydney metro's $390. Nationally, Canterbury-South's mortgage repayments were higher at $2,221 versus Australia's average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Canterbury - South features high concentrations of group households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 69.7% of all households, including 32.0% couples with children, 24.4% couples without children, and 11.7% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 30.3%, with lone person households at 25.2% and group households comprising 5.1%. The median household size is 2.5 people, which is smaller than the Greater Sydney average of 2.9.

The educational profile of Canterbury - South exceeds national averages, with above-average qualification levels and academic performance metrics

The area's educational profile is notable with university qualification rates of 36.6% among residents aged 15+, surpassing both the Australian average of 30.4% and the SA3 area's rate of 31.0%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 25.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (9.6%) and graduate diplomas (2.0%). Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 26.6% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications – advanced diplomas account for 11.6% while certificates make up 15.0%.

Educational participation is high at 30.7%, including 7.7% in primary education, 7.2% in tertiary education, and 6.5% pursuing secondary education. Canterbury South Public School serves the local community with an enrollment of 258 students, operating under typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 1033) offering balanced educational opportunities. The area has one primary-only school; secondary options are available in nearby regions. Local school capacity is limited at 2.0 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 9.6, leading many families to travel for schooling.

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

The analysis of public transport in Canterbury - South shows that there are currently 33 active transport stops operating. These stops serve a mix of bus routes, totalling 46 individual routes. Together, these routes facilitate approximately 3,899 weekly passenger trips.

The accessibility of transport in the area is rated as excellent, with residents typically located about 142 meters from their nearest transport stop. On average, service frequency across all routes amounts to around 557 trips per day, which equates to roughly 118 weekly trips per individual stop.

Canterbury - 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 across Canterbury-South, with younger age groups having a very low prevalence of common health conditions.

Private health cover stands at approximately 51% of the total population (~6,741 people), slightly lower than the average SA2 area. The most prevalent medical conditions in the area are mental health issues and asthma, affecting 5.5 and 5.1% of residents respectively. A total of 78.1% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 77.7% across Greater Sydney. As of 2021, 14.1% of residents are aged 65 and over (1,853 people), lower than the 15.8% in Greater Sydney. Health outcomes among seniors require more attention despite being generally strong.

Canterbury - 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

Canterbury-South, as per the 2016 Census, has a population where 52.7% were born overseas and 63.8% speak a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Canterbury-South, with 50.2%. Buddhism is notably higher here at 7.5%, compared to Greater Sydney's 5.8%.

The top three ancestry groups are Other (21.6%), Chinese (17.7%) - above the regional average of 12.4% - and English (9.6%). Greek (9.6%) and Lebanese (5.5%) are overrepresented compared to regional averages, while Vietnamese (3.9%) is slightly higher than the regional average of 3.7%.

Canterbury - South's population is younger than the national pattern

Canterbury-South's median age is 35 years, slightly younger than Greater Sydney's 37 and the national average of 38. The 25-34 age group comprises 19.1% of its population, higher than Greater Sydney's percentage. However, the 5-14 age group makes up only 9.9%. Between 2021 and present, the 15-24 age group has increased from 10.9% to 12.0%, while the 25-34 cohort has decreased from 21.2% to 19.1%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate significant demographic shifts. The 45-54 age group is projected to grow by 503 people (32%), from 1,572 to 2,076. Conversely, the 0-4 and 25-34 cohorts are projected to decline in population.