Canterbury - South

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, or 8.0%, since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 12,220. The change is inferred from the 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 national locations assessed by AreaSearch, indicating high demand for land in the area. Canterbury - South's growth 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 contributed approximately 77.7% of overall population gains during recent periods in this area.

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 employs 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 indicate above median growth for national areas, with Canterbury - South projected to increase by 2,531 persons to 2041 based on the latest annual ERP 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 seen approximately 44 dwellings receiving development approval each year over the past five financial years, totalling 221 homes. As of FY-26, 23 approvals have been recorded. On average, 7.9 new residents per year have been added for every home built between FY-21 and FY-25, indicating demand significantly exceeds supply. New homes are being constructed at an average cost of $250,000, reflecting more affordable housing options compared to regional norms.

This financial year has seen $733,000 in commercial approvals registered, suggesting minimal commercial development activity. Compared to Greater Sydney, Canterbury - South has experienced slightly higher development levels, with 33.0% above the regional average per person over the past five years. This maintains good buyer choice while supporting existing property values. However, recent periods have shown a moderation in development activity. New building activity is predominantly townhouses or apartments (76.0%), with detached houses making up 24.0%.

This shift towards compact living offers affordable entry pathways and attracts downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers. This represents a notable change from the area's existing housing composition of 39.0% houses. Canterbury - South shows a mature, established area with approximately 933 people per approval. Looking ahead, it is projected to grow by 2,514 residents by 2041, according to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate. If current construction levels persist, housing supply may lag population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and underpinning price growth.

Canterbury - South has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 10% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified a total of 51 projects likely to impact the area. Major projects include Sydney Metro City & Southwest, Campsie Private Hospital, Canterbury Leisure & Aquatic Centre, and 186-206 Canterbury Road Mixed-Use Development. The following list details those most 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. Its unemployment rate is 3.5%.

Over the past year, there was an estimated employment growth of 3.8%. As of September 2025, 7,852 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 0.7% lower than Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%. Workforce participation in Canterbury - South is somewhat below 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, with employment levels at 1.3 times the regional average. However, professional & technical services have limited presence with 9.1% employment compared to 11.5% regionally. The predominantly residential area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. Over a 12-month period ending in September 2025, employment increased by 3.8% while labour force grew by 4.2%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 0.3 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Sydney saw employment rise by 2.1%, labour force grow by 2.4%, and unemployment increase by 0.2 percentage points. State-level data from NSW as of 25-Nov shows employment contracted by 0.03% (losing 2,260 jobs), with the state unemployment rate at 3.9%. This compares favourably to the national unemployment rate of 4.3%. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia for Canterbury - South suggest local employment should increase by 6.8% over five years and 13.9% over ten years, based on industry-specific projections applied to the local employment mix.

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

Canterbury-South SA2's median income among taxpayers was $48,617 and average income was $62,877 in financial year 2022. These figures are lower than Greater Sydney's respective median of $56,994 and average of $80,856. By September 2025, estimated median income would be approximately $54,748 and average income around $70,806, accounting for a 12.61% increase since financial year 2022. According to census data, incomes in Canterbury-South cluster around the 52nd percentile nationally. The largest income bracket consists of 36.2% earning between $1,500 and $2,999 weekly, with a total of 4,775 residents. This aligns with broader area trends where 30.9% fall into the same category. Housing affordability pressures are severe in Canterbury-South, with only 79.9% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 48th 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

Dwelling structure in Canterbury - South, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 39.4% houses and 60.6% other dwellings. In comparison, 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 dwellings at 44.0%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,221, compared to Sydney metro's $2,167. The median weekly rent figure was $450, compared to Sydney metro's $390. Nationally, Canterbury - South's mortgage repayments were higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while 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, including 32.0% couples with children, 24.4% couples without children, and 11.7% single parent families. 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 at 36.6% of residents aged 15+, surpassing the Australian average of 30.4%, as well as the SA3 area rate of 31.0%. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 25.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 9.6% and graduate diplomas at 2.0%. Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 26.6% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications - advanced diplomas at 11.6% and certificates at 15.0%.

Educational participation is high, with 30.7% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, including 7.7% in primary education, 7.2% in tertiary education, and 6.5% pursuing secondary education.

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

Canterbury - South has 33 active public transport stops operating within its boundaries. These stops are served by a total of 46 individual bus routes. The combined weekly passenger trips across all these routes amount to 3,899.

Residents' accessibility to public transport is rated excellent, with an average distance of 142 meters to the nearest stop. On average, there are 557 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 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 for Canterbury-South shows excellent results, with younger age groups having a very low prevalence of common health conditions.

Private health cover rate is approximately 51%, slightly lower than the average SA2 area (~6,741 people). The most prevalent medical conditions are mental health issues (5.5% of residents) and asthma (5.1%). A total of 78.1% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 77.7% in 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 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, as of June 2016 Census data, had a population with 52.7% born overseas and 63.8% speaking languages other than English at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Canterbury-South, accounting for 50.2%. Buddhism's representation stood at 7.5%, higher than Greater Sydney's average of 5.8%.

Ancestry-wise, 'Other' was the largest group (21.6%), followed by Chinese (17.7%), which exceeded the regional average of 12.4%. English ancestry constituted 9.6% of Canterbury-South's population. Notable differences existed for Greek (9.6% vs regional 8.7%), Lebanese (5.5% vs 10.6%), and Vietnamese (3.9% vs 3.7%) ethnic groups.

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

Canterbury-South's median age of 35 years is slightly younger than Greater Sydney's 37 and the national average of 38. The age group of 25-34 has a strong representation at 19.1%, compared to Greater Sydney, while the 5-14 cohort is less prevalent at 9.9%. Between 2021 and present, the 15-24 age group has grown from 10.9% to 12.0% of the population. Conversely, the 25-34 cohort has declined from 21.2% to 19.1%. By 2041, Canterbury-South's population is projected to see significant demographic changes. The 45-54 age group is expected to increase by 503 people (32%), from 1,572 to 2,076. Conversely, declines are projected for the 0-4 and 25-34 cohorts.