Chatswood - East

Population growth drivers in Chatswood - East are slightly above average based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium term trends

Chatswood - East's population is around 21,606 as of Nov 2025. This reflects an increase of 2,005 people since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 19,601. The change was inferred from ABS estimated resident population of 21,456 in June 2024 and additional 172 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 6,336 persons per square kilometer, placing it in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Chatswood - East's growth of 10.2% since the 2021 census exceeded both SA4 region (5.7%) and SA3 area. Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration contributing approximately 98.0%.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 with a base year of 2022, and NSW State Government's SA2 level projections where data is not available, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021. Growth rates by age group are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Demographic trends project an above median population growth, with the area expected to grow by 4,010 persons to 2041 based on latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting a gain of 17.9% over the 17 years.

Recent residential development output has been above average within Chatswood - East when compared nationally

Chatswood - East has seen approximately 73 new homes approved annually over the past five financial years, totalling 367 homes. As of FY26, four approvals have been recorded. On average, each dwelling has accommodated around 2.4 new residents per year between FY21 and FY25, indicating solid demand that supports property values. New homes are being constructed at an average cost of $549,000, reflecting a developer focus on the premium segment with upmarket properties.

This financial year has seen $29.8 million in commercial development approvals, suggesting robust local business investment. Compared to Greater Sydney, Chatswood - East shows around 57% of the construction activity per person and ranks among the 42nd percentile nationally, offering limited buyer options while strengthening demand for established properties. Recent construction comprises about 17.0% standalone homes and 83.0% townhouses or apartments, attracting downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers with affordable entry pathways. With around 638 people per dwelling approval, Chatswood - East reflects a highly mature market. According to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate, the area is forecasted to gain approximately 3,860 residents by 2041.

If current construction levels persist, housing supply may lag population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and underpinning price growth.

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

Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 35 projects that could impact this region. Notable ones include Chatswood Chase Redevelopment, Coronation Property Mixed-Use Development, Chatswood Grand Residences, and 10 Gordon Avenue Development. The following list details those expected to be 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 drivers in Chatswood - East are experiencing difficulties, placing it among the bottom 20% of areas assessed across Australia

Chatswood - East has a highly educated workforce with significant representation in the technology sector. The unemployment rate here is 6.1%. As of September 2025, 10,923 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 1.9% higher than Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%.

Workforce participation stands at 63.9%, lower than Greater Sydney's 70.0%. According to Census responses, 56.3% of residents work from home. The dominant employment sectors are professional & technical, finance & insurance, and health care & social assistance. Finance & insurance is particularly strong with an employment share nearly twice the regional level (1.9 times).

Construction has limited presence here with 4.3% employment compared to 8.6% regionally. There are 1.2 workers per resident in Chatswood - East, indicating it functions as an employment hub attracting workers from surrounding areas. Over the year to September 2025, labour force levels increased by 0.9% while employment declined by 1.1%, leading to a rise in unemployment rate of 1.8 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Sydney saw employment growth of 2.1% and labour force growth of 2.4%, with unemployment rising by only 0.2 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project an increase of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years nationally. Applying these projections to Chatswood - East's employment mix suggests local employment should grow by 7.4% over five years and 14.7% over ten years, assuming no changes in population projections.

Income analysis reveals strong economic positioning, with the area outperforming 60% of locations assessed nationally by AreaSearch

AreaSearch reports that postcode-level ATO data for financial year 2023 shows Chatswood - East SA2 had a median taxpayer income of $57,015 and an average income of $92,022. These figures are among the highest in Australia, compared to Greater Sydney's median of $60,817 and average of $83,023. Estimates for September 2025, adjusted by Wage Price Index growth of 8.86%, would be approximately $62,067 (median) and $100,175 (average). Census data indicates household, family, and personal incomes in Chatswood - East cluster around the 71st percentile nationally. The dominant earnings bracket is $1,500 - 2,999, with 29.8% of residents earning within this range (6,438 people), similar to the metropolitan region at 30.9%. A substantial proportion, 34.3%, earn above $3,000 per week, indicating strong economic capacity in the suburb. High housing costs consume 21.2% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 65th percentile nationally, with the area's SEIFA income ranking placing it in the 9th decile.

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

The dwelling structure in Chatswood - East, as per the latest Census, consisted of 25.8% houses and 74.2% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Sydney metro's 55.9% houses and 44.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Chatswood - East stood at 26.6%, with mortgaged dwellings at 18.2% and rented ones at 55.1%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $3,000, higher than Sydney metro's average of $2,427. Weekly rent in Chatswood - East was recorded at $590, compared to Sydney metro's $470. Nationally, Chatswood - East's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 70.3% of all households, including 32.9% couples with children, 25.3% couples without children, and 10.4% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 29.7%, with lone person households at 24.6% and group households making up 5.0%. The median household size is 2.5 people, smaller than the Greater Sydney average of 2.7.

Chatswood - East demonstrates exceptional educational outcomes, ranking among the top 5% of areas nationally based on AreaSearch's comprehensive analysis of qualification and performance metrics

Educational attainment in Chatswood - East shows a significant advantage with 57.3% of residents aged 15+ holding university qualifications, compared to 30.4% nationally and 32.2% statewide as of the latest available data (Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census 2016). Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 35.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 18.9% and graduate diplomas at 2.6%. Vocational pathways account for 17.2% of qualifications among those aged 15+, with advanced diplomas at 10.2% and certificates at 7.0%. Educational participation is notably high, with 31.9% of residents currently enrolled in formal education as of the reported period (Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census 2016).

This includes 8.9% in primary education, 8.3% in tertiary education, and 7.1% pursuing secondary education.

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

Chatswood - East has 92 active public transport stops offering a mix of train, light rail, and bus services. These are served by 99 routes, providing 21,593 weekly passenger trips in total. Residents have excellent transport accessibility, with an average distance of 132 meters to the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward from this primarily residential area. Cars remain the dominant mode of transport at 48%, followed by train at 22% and walking at 18%. Vehicle ownership averages 0.5 per dwelling, below the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, 56.3% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency across all routes averages 3,084 trips per day, equating to approximately 234 weekly trips per individual stop.

Chatswood - East's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Chatswood - East shows excellent health outcomes based on AreaSearch's assessment. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are very low across all age groups. Private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 67% of the total population (14,432 people), compared to 59.9% in Greater Sydney and a national average of 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions are asthma and mental health issues, affecting 4.4% and 4.2% of residents respectively. 81.5% of residents report being completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 74.6% in Greater Sydney. The area has 14.6% of residents aged 65 and over (3,160 people). Health outcomes among seniors are strong, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

Chatswood - East is among the most culturally diverse areas in the country based on AreaSearch assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Chatswood-East is among the most culturally diverse areas in Australia, with 64.6% of its population speaking a language other than English at home and 65.1% born overseas. Christianity is the main religion in Chatswood-East, comprising 35.5% of people. Buddhism is overrepresented in Chatswood-East at 7.7%, compared to 4.1% across Greater Sydney.

The top three ancestry groups are Chinese (37.6%), Other (14.5%), and English (11.2%). Korean (5.2%) and Filipino (2.1%) are notably overrepresented, while Indian is slightly higher at 3.8%.

Chatswood - East's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

The median age of Chatswood - East is 37 years, matching Greater Sydney's figure and closely resembling Australia's median age of 38 years. The 35-44 age group comprises 17.1% of the population in Chatswood - East, higher than Greater Sydney's percentage. Conversely, the 55-64 age group makes up 8.0%, which is less prevalent compared to Greater Sydney. Between 2021 and present, the 15-24 age group has increased from 11.1% to 14.7%. The 25-34 cohort has also risen from 16.7% to 17.7%, while the 35-44 group has decreased from 18.5% to 17.1%. During this period, the 0-4 age group has dropped from 5.1% to 3.9%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Chatswood - East's age structure. The 45-54 group is expected to grow by 33%, adding 905 people and reaching a total of 3,652 from the previous figure of 2,746. Meanwhile, the 35-44 age group is projected to decrease by 259 residents.