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 was around 13,182 as of August 2025. This showed an increase of 962 people, a 7.9% rise since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 12,220. The growth was inferred from ABS estimated resident population of 13,175 in June 2024 and additional validated new addresses since the Census date. This resulted in a density ratio of 6,307 persons per square kilometer, placing Canterbury - South in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The area's growth exceeded both SA3 (4.6%) and SA4 areas, marking it as a regional growth leader. Overseas migration contributed approximately 77.7% 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 uncovers areas, NSW State Government's SA2 level projections released in 2022 with a base year of 2021 are utilized. Future population trends project an above median growth, with Canterbury - South expected to increase by 2,531 persons to 2041 based on the latest numbers, reflecting a 19.1% total rise over the 17 years.

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

Canterbury - South has received approximately 192 dwelling development approvals annually. The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) produces this data on a financial year basis, totalling 961 approvals over the past five financial years from FY-20 to FY-25, with 13 recorded so far in FY-26. On average, each dwelling built over these five years has accommodated around 7.9 new residents annually. This demand significantly outpaces supply, exerting upward pressure on property prices and increasing buyer competition.

The average construction cost value of new dwellings is $451,000, aligning with regional trends. Additionally, commercial development approvals valued at $733,000 have been recorded in the current financial year, indicating a predominantly residential focus. Comparatively, Canterbury - South has slightly more development activity than Greater Sydney, being 48.0% above the regional average per person over the past five years. This maintains good buyer choice while supporting existing property values. However, development activity has moderated recently.

The new development composition consists of 24.0% detached dwellings and 76.0% townhouses or apartments, marking a significant shift from the current housing pattern of 39.0% houses. This skew towards compact living offers affordable entry pathways, attracting downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers. With around 933 people per dwelling approval, Canterbury - South reflects a highly mature market. Future projections indicate that Canterbury - South will add approximately 2,524 residents by 2041. Given current construction levels, housing supply is expected to adequately meet demand, creating favourable conditions for buyers and potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts.

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

A total of 54 projects have been identified by AreaSearch as potentially impacting the area. These include major initiatives such as Sydney Metro City & Southwest, Campsie Private Hospital, Sydney Metro City & Southwest - Sydenham to Bankstown Upgrade, and Campsie Private Hospital, with further details provided below on those most likely to be relevant.

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

AreaSearch analysis indicates Canterbury - South maintains employment conditions that align with national benchmarks

Canterbury - South has an educated workforce with professional services well-represented. Its unemployment rate is 3.4%, lower than Greater Sydney's 4.2%.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 2.4%. As of June 2025, 7,809 residents are employed while the participation rate is 55.4%, below Greater Sydney's 60.0%. Key employment sectors include health care & social assistance, retail trade, and professional & technical services. Transport, postal & warehousing has notably high employment levels at 1.3 times the regional average.

However, professional & technical services have limited presence with 9.1% employment compared to the regional average of 11.5%. The area offers limited local employment opportunities as indicated by Census data on working population versus resident population. From June 2024 to May 2025, employment increased by 2.4% while labour force grew by 2.6%, raising the unemployment rate by 0.3 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Sydney saw employment rise by 2.6%, labour force grow by 2.9%, and unemployment increase by 0.3 percentage points. State-level data to Sep-25 shows NSW employment contracted by 0.41% (losing 19,270 jobs), with the state unemployment rate at 4.3%. This compares favourably to the national unemployment rate of 4.5%, but lags behind national employment growth of 0.26%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 project a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Canterbury - South's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.8% over five years and 13.9% over ten years, though these are simple extrapolations for illustrative purposes and do not account for localised population projections.

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

Canterbury-South's median income among taxpayers was $48,617 and average income stood at $62,877 in financial year 2022. These figures compare to Greater Sydney's median of $56,994 and average of $80,856 respectively. By March 2025, estimated median income is approximately $53,770 and average income is $69,542, based on a 10.6% growth in the Wage Price Index since financial year 2022. Census data shows 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 4,771 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

In Canterbury-South, as per the latest Census, 39.4% of dwellings were houses while 60.6% were other types such as semi-detached homes, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. In Sydney metro, this was 48.7% houses and 51.3% other dwellings. Home ownership in Canterbury-South stood at 24.0%, with mortgaged dwellings at 32.0% and rented ones at 44.0%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,221, higher than Sydney metro's $2,167. Median weekly rent in Canterbury-South was $450, compared to Sydney metro's $390. Nationally, Canterbury-South's mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $2,221 versus the Australian 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 account for 69.7% of all households, consisting of couples with children (32.0%), couples without children (24.4%), and single parent families (11.7%). Non-family households constitute 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 regionally, with university qualification rates of 36.6% among residents aged 15+, surpassing the Australian average of 30.4% and the SA3 area rate of 31.0%. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 25.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (9.6%) and graduate diplomas (2.0%). Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 26.6% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications – advanced diplomas comprise 11.6% and certificates account for 15.0%.

Educational participation is high, with 30.7% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, including 7.7% in primary, 7.2% in tertiary, and 6.5% pursuing secondary education. Canterbury South Public School serves the local area, enrolling 258 students as of a certain date. The school provides typical Australian schooling conditions (ICSEA: 1033) with balanced educational opportunities, focusing exclusively on primary education while nearby areas offer secondary options. Local school capacity is limited, with only 2.0 places available 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

Canterbury - South has 33 operational public transport stops. These are served by a total of 46 bus routes, which combined offer 3,899 weekly passenger trips. The average distance to the nearest stop for residents is 142 meters.

On average, there are 557 daily trips across all routes, equating to around 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 cohorts experiencing very low prevalence of common health conditions.

Private health cover rate is approximately 51% of the total population (around 6,736 people), slightly lower than the average SA2 area. Mental health issues and asthma are the most prevalent medical conditions in the area, affecting 5.5% and 5.1% of residents respectively. About 78.1% of residents report being completely free from medical ailments, compared to 77.7% across Greater Sydney. The area has 14.1% of residents aged 65 and over (1,852 people), lower than the 15.8% in Greater Sydney. Health outcomes among seniors require more attention despite being strong overall.

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 has a diverse population with 52.7% born overseas and 63.8% speaking languages other than English at home. Christianity is the primary religion, accounting for 50.2%. Buddhism is more prevalent here at 7.5%, compared to Greater Sydney's 5.8%.

The top ancestry groups are Other (21.6%), Chinese (17.7%, higher than the regional average of 12.4%), and English (9.6%). Greek, Lebanese, and Vietnamese ethnicities show notable differences: Greeks comprise 9.6% here versus 8.7% regionally; Lebanese make up 5.5% compared to 10.6%; Vietnamese are at 3.9%, slightly above the regional average of 3.7%.

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

Canterbury - South's median age is 35 years, which is slightly younger than Greater Sydney's 37 years and somewhat younger than the national average of 38 years. The 25-34 age group makes up a strong 19.1% of Canterbury-South's population compared to Greater Sydney, while the 5-14 cohort is less prevalent at 9.9%. Between 2021 and the present day, the 15-24 age group has grown from 10.9% to 12.0% of the population. Conversely, the 25-34 age group has declined from 21.2% to 19.1%. Population forecasts for the year 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes in Canterbury-South. The 45-54 age cohort is projected to increase significantly, expanding by 504 people (a rise of 32%) from 1,571 to 2,076 people. Conversely, population declines are projected for the 0-4 and 25-34 age cohorts.