Earlwood

Earlwood is positioned among the lower quartile of areas assessed nationally for population growth based on AreaSearch's assessment of recent, and medium term trends

Earlwood's population was around 18,317 as of February 2026. This reflects an increase of 348 people since the Census in 2021, which reported a population of 17,969. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 18,113 as of June 2024 and an additional 38 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 3,276 persons per square kilometer, placing it in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration, contributing approximately 82.6% of overall population gains during recent periods.

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 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 years 2032 to 2041. Projections indicate a decline in overall population by 167 persons by 2041, but growth is anticipated across specific age cohorts, particularly the 65 to 74 age group, projected to increase by 747 people.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Earlwood according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

Earlwood has seen approximately 53 new homes approved annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, around 266 homes were approved, with an additional 16 approved so far in FY26. Despite population decline in the area, development activity has been adequate relative to other regions, potentially benefiting buyers.

The average expected construction cost of new dwellings is $484,000, indicating a focus on premium market segments with higher-end properties. This financial year has seen $6.1 million in commercial development approvals, suggesting limited commercial development activity compared to residential. Relative to Greater Sydney, Earlwood's development levels per person are similar, contributing to regional market stability. However, these levels are lower than national averages, possibly due to market maturity or development constraints. In terms of new building activity, 52.0% are standalone homes and 48.0% are medium and high-density housing, marking a shift from the current 80.0% houses dominance.

This change may reflect decreasing developable land availability and evolving lifestyle preferences. Earlwood has approximately 320 people per dwelling approval, indicating a low density market. With population expected to remain stable or decline, there may be reduced pressure on housing in the area, potentially presenting opportunities for buyers.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 78 projects that could influence the region. Notable initiatives include Sydney Metro City & Southwest, Botany Aquatic Centre Redevelopment, Bexley North Hotel Mixed-Use Development, and Sir Joseph Banks Carpark and Amenities. 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.

The labour market in Earlwood shows considerable strength compared to most other Australian regions

Earlwood's workforce is highly educated with significant representation in professional services. Its unemployment rate was 2.6% as of September 2025, below Greater Sydney's 4.2%. Employment grew by an estimated 3.6% over the past year.

As of September 2025, 10,517 residents were employed with a participation rate matching Greater Sydney's 70.0%, and an unemployment rate 1.6% lower than the regional average. Home-based work was prevalent at 56.5%. Dominant sectors include health care & social assistance, education & training, and professional & technical services. Notably, education & training employment is 1.3 times the regional average.

However, health care & social assistance is under-represented at 12.1% compared to Greater Sydney's 14.1%. Limited local employment opportunities are indicated by Census data. Between September 2024 and 2025, employment levels increased by 3.6%, labour force by 4.0%, raising the unemployment rate by 0.3 percentage points. In comparison, Greater Sydney recorded employment growth of 2.1% with a 0.2 percentage point rise in unemployment. Jobs and Skills Australia's May-25 forecasts project national employment to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Earlwood's employment mix suggests local growth of 6.8% over five years and 13.8% over ten years, though this is a simplified extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

Income metrics indicate excellent economic conditions, with the area achieving higher performance than 75% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023 indicates that income in Earlwood SA2 is among the highest in Australia. The median assessed income is $62,143, while the average income stands at $84,062. This contrasts with Greater Sydney's figures of a median income of $60,817 and an average income of $83,003. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $67,649 (median) and $91,510 (average) as of September 2025. Census data reveals that household income ranks at the 75th percentile ($2,163 weekly), while personal income sits at the 56th percentile. Distribution data shows that the predominant cohort spans 27.9% of locals (5,110 people) in the $1,500 - 2,999 category, mirroring the broader area where 30.9% occupy this bracket. Higher earners represent a substantial presence with 35.7% exceeding $3,000 weekly, indicating strong purchasing power within the community. High housing costs consume 15.5% of income, though strong earnings still place disposable income at the 76th percentile and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

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

Earlwood's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census data, consisted of 80.2% houses and 19.8% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Sydney metro had 55.9% houses and 44.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Earlwood stood at 45.7%, with mortgaged dwellings at 33.3% and rented ones at 21.1%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,809, higher than Sydney metro's average of $2,427. The median weekly rent figure in Earlwood was $570, compared to Sydney metro's $470. Nationally, Earlwood's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Earlwood features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households account for 78.1% of all households, including 41.4% couples with children, 23.7% couples without children, and 11.9% single parent families. Non-family households make up 21.9%, consisting of 19.3% lone person households and 2.6% group households. The median household size is 2.8 people, higher than the Greater Sydney average of 2.7.

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

In Earlwood, university qualification levels stand at 33.2%, slightly below Greater Sydney's average of 38.0%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 22.4%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (8.3%) and graduate diplomas (2.5%). Vocational credentials are held by 26.9% of residents aged 15 and above, with advanced diplomas at 10.6% and certificates at 16.3%.

Educational participation is high, with 28.1% currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 8.8% in primary, 8.7% in secondary, and 5.6% in tertiary education.

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

Earlwood has 120 active public transport stops, all serving buses. These are covered by 40 different routes, offering a total of 3,537 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents averaging just 148 metres from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outwards, primarily by car (80%), followed by train at 9%. On average, there are 1.3 vehicles per dwelling. According to the 2021 Census, 56.5% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions.

Daily service frequency averages 505 trips across all routes, equating to about 29 weekly trips per stop. The provided map displays the 100 nearest stops to the location's centrepoint.

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

Earlwood's health outcomes show excellent results according to AreaSearch's assessment. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are very low across all age groups.

Private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 62% of the total population (11,283 people), compared to the national average of 55.7%. The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis and asthma, affecting 7.3 and 5.6% of residents respectively. 73.2% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, slightly lower than Greater Sydney's 74.6%. Working-age residents have low chronic condition prevalence. Earlwood has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 22.0% (4,026 people) compared to Greater Sydney's 15.4%. Health outcomes among seniors are strong but rank lower nationally than the broader population.

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

Earlwood has a high level of cultural diversity, with 35.9% of its population born overseas and 48.1% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Earlwood, making up 66.5% of the population, compared to 49.2% across Greater Sydney. The top three ancestry groups in Earlwood are Greek (17.9%), Other (14.3%), and Australian (13.5%).

Notably, Lebanese (6.3%) and Vietnamese (2.9%) populations are higher than the regional averages of 2.6% and 1.8%, respectively. Italian ancestry also stands out at 7.2%, compared to the regional average of 3.4%.

Earlwood hosts a notably older demographic compared to the national average

Earlwood has a median age of 44, which is higher than Greater Sydney's figure of 37 and the national norm of 38. The age group of 55-64 is strongly represented at 13.5%, compared to Greater Sydney, while the 25-34 cohort is less prevalent at 10.1%. As per the 2021 Census, the 15 to 24 age group has increased from 11.5% to 13.6% of Earlwood's population. Conversely, the 5 to 14 age group has decreased from 11.8% to 10.0%, and the 45 to 54 age group has dropped from 15.8% to 14.0%. Demographic modeling indicates that Earlwood's age profile will significantly change by 2041. Leading this shift, the 65 to 74 age group is projected to grow by 33%, reaching 2,382 people from 1,796. The aging population trend is evident, with those aged 65 and above comprising all of the projected growth. Meanwhile, the 45 to 54 and 25 to 34 age groups are expected to experience population declines.