Chester Hill - Sefton
Statistical Area - sa2

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

Chester Hill - Sefton's population is approximately 21,719 as of November 2025. This figure represents an increase of 877 people since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 20,842. The change is inferred from ABS data showing an estimated resident population of 21,744 in June 2024 and an additional 120 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 2,987 persons per square kilometer, placing it in the upper quartile nationally according to AreaSearch's assessments. Over the past decade, Chester Hill - Sefton has shown resilient growth patterns with a compound annual growth rate of 1.7%, outperforming its SA3 area. Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration, contributing approximately 63.2% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is using 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 suggest an increase just below the national median, with the area expected to expand by 2,465 persons to 2041 based on the latest population numbers. This reflects a total increase of 11.2% over the 17-year period.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Chester Hill - Sefton among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

Chester Hill - Sefton has averaged approximately 116 new dwelling approvals per year. Over the past five financial years, from FY2021 to FY2025, a total of 583 homes were approved, with an additional 45 approved so far in FY2026. This indicates healthy demand, supporting property values.

The average construction cost value for new dwellings is around $279,000, which is lower than regional levels, offering more accessible housing choices for buyers. In terms of commercial development, $64.1 million worth of approvals have been recorded in the current financial year, suggesting robust local business investment. Compared to Greater Sydney, Chester Hill - Sefton shows approximately 75% of the construction activity per person and ranks among the 71st percentile nationally. Recent construction comprises 38.0% detached houses and 62.0% townhouses or apartments, marking a significant shift from existing housing patterns which are currently 72.0% houses. This trend suggests diminishing developable land availability and responds to evolving lifestyle preferences and housing affordability needs.

With around 202 people per dwelling approval, Chester Hill - Sefton shows characteristics of a low density area. Looking ahead, the area is expected to grow by approximately 2,440 residents through to 2041. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

Chester Hill - Sefton has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 20% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 28 projects likely impacting the area. Notable projects include Villawood Town Centre Redevelopment (Kinara Place), Condell Park High School Upgrade, Chester Hill Station Upgrade, and Chester Square Redevelopment. Below is a list of those most relevant.

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

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Employment conditions in Chester Hill - Sefton face significant challenges, ranking among the bottom 10% of areas assessed nationally

Chester Hill - Sefton has a skilled labour force with diverse sector representation as of June 2025. The area's unemployment rate is 11.2%, which is 7.0% higher than Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%.

Workforce participation in Chester Hill - Sefton lags significantly at 40.4% compared to Greater Sydney's 60.0%. The dominant employment sectors among residents are health care & social assistance, retail trade, and manufacturing. Manufacturing is particularly specialized with an employment share 1.8 times the regional level. Conversely, professional & technical services show lower representation at 5.8% versus the regional average of 11.5%.

The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities based on Census data comparison. Over a 12-month period ending June 2025, employment increased by 0.5% while labour force grew by 3.2%, leading to a rise in unemployment rate by 2.4 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Sydney experienced employment growth of 2.6% and labour force growth of 2.9%, with an unemployment rate rise of 0.3 percentage points. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia (May 2025) project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with varying growth rates between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Chester Hill - Sefton's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.1%% over five years and 13.0% over ten years.

Income figures position the area below 75% of locations analysed nationally by AreaSearch

Chester Hill - Sefton had a median taxpayer income of $39,917 and an average of $49,664 in the financial year 2022, according to postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch. This is lower than national averages, with Greater Sydney's median being $56,994 and average income $80,856. By September 2025, estimates suggest median income will be approximately $44,951 and average income $55,927, based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% since financial year 2022. The 2021 Census showed individual incomes at the 5th percentile were $517 weekly, while household incomes were at the 30th percentile. Most residents (30.3%) earned between $1,500 and $2,999 weekly, aligning with regional trends where this cohort also represents 30.9%. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 77.7% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 22nd percentile.

Chester Hill - Sefton is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Dwelling structure in Chester Hill-Sefton, as per the latest Census, comprised 72.5% houses and 27.5% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Sydney metro's 62.1% houses and 37.8% other dwellings. Home ownership in Chester Hill-Sefton was at 29.0%, with mortgaged dwellings at 31.2% and rented ones at 39.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,167, aligning with Sydney metro's average. Weekly rent median was $400, also matching Sydney metro figures. Nationally, Chester Hill-Sefton's mortgage repayments were higher at $2,167 compared to the Australian average of $1,863. Rents were also higher at $400 against the national figure of $375.

Chester Hill - Sefton has a typical household mix, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households account for 76.4% of all households, including 42.3% couples with children, 15.5% couples without children, and 16.8% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 23.6%, with lone person households at 21.1% and group households comprising 2.5%. The median household size is 3.2 people, larger than the Greater Sydney average of 3.1.

Educational outcomes in Chester Hill - Sefton fall within the lower quartile nationally, indicating opportunities for improvement in qualification attainment

The area's university qualification rate is 22.4%, substantially below the SA4 region average of 39.1%. Bachelor degrees lead at 16.4%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (4.8%) and graduate diplomas (1.2%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 28.3% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas (10.6%) and certificates (17.7%). Educational participation is high, with 38.3% of residents currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes 12.4% in primary, 11.6% in secondary, and 6.9% pursuing tertiary education. There are 8 schools operating within Chester Hill - Sefton, educating approximately 5046 students. The area demonstrates typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 977) with balanced educational opportunities. The educational mix includes 4 primary, 2 secondary, and 2 K-12 schools. The area functions as an education hub with 23.2 school places per 100 residents – significantly above the regional average of 13.2 – attracting students from surrounding communities.

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

Chester Hill - Sefton has 147 active public transport stops offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by 34 individual routes that facilitate 3,164 weekly passenger trips in total. The area's transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents on average being located 128 meters from the nearest transport stop.

Across all routes, service frequency averages 452 trips per day, which equates to approximately 21 weekly trips per individual stop.

Chester Hill - Sefton's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with younger cohorts in particular seeing very low prevalence of common health conditions

Chester Hill - Sefton's health outcomes show excellent results, particularly for younger age groups with low prevalence of common conditions. Private health cover stands at approximately 46% (~10,012 people), lower than the national average of 55.3%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (6.1%) and diabetes (5.8%). A total of 77.1% report no medical ailments, comparable to Greater Sydney's 77.0%. The area has 14.4% residents aged 65 and over (3,127 people). Health outcomes for seniors are above average but require more attention than the broader population.

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

Chester Hill-Sefton is one of Australia's most culturally diverse areas, with 49.2% of its population born overseas and 70.3% speaking a language other than English at home. The dominant religion in Chester Hill-Sefton is Islam, comprising 38.2% of the population, compared to 29.1% across Greater Sydney. In terms of ancestry, the top three groups are Other (22.1%), Lebanese (16.7%), and Chinese (12.8%).

Notably, Vietnamese representation is higher at 11.6%, Korean is at 0.8%, and Samoan remains similar at 0.7%.

Chester Hill - Sefton hosts a young demographic, positioning it in the bottom quartile nationwide

Chester Hill - Sefton's median age is 34 years, which is lower than Greater Sydney's average of 37 years and Australia's average of 38 years. Compared to Greater Sydney, Chester Hill - Sefton has a higher proportion of residents aged 15-24 (16.3%), but fewer residents aged 25-34 (13.4%). Between the 2021 Census and present, the proportion of residents aged 15-24 increased from 14.7% to 16.3%, while the proportion of residents aged 25-34 decreased from 14.1% to 13.4%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate significant demographic changes for Chester Hill - Sefton. The 75-84 age group is projected to grow by 90%, adding 746 residents to reach a total of 1,578. Residents aged 65 and above are expected to drive 55% of population growth, highlighting trends towards an aging demographic. Conversely, population declines are projected for the 0-4 and 5-14 age groups.