Eastlakes
Statistical Area - sa2

Eastlakes has shown very soft population growth performance across periods assessed by AreaSearch

Eastlakes' population was around 8,941 people as of August 2021. By August 2025, it decreased to approximately 8,843 people, a drop of 98 individuals (1.1%) from the 2021 Census figure. This decrease is inferred from the estimated resident population of 8,808 in June 2024 and an additional 16 validated new addresses since the Census date. The population density was around 2,843 persons per square kilometer, placing Eastlakes in the upper quartile relative to other locations assessed by AreaSearch. Overseas migration contributed approximately 90.7% 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, and NSW State Government's SA2 level projections for areas not covered by this data, which were 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. Based on the latest population numbers and projected demographic shifts, Eastlakes is anticipated to grow by 309 persons to 2041, recording a gain of approximately 3.1% in total over these 17 years.

The level of residential development activity in Eastlakes is very low in comparison to the average area assessed nationally by AreaSearch

Eastlakes has granted approximately 9 residential approvals annually. The Australian Bureau of Statistics reports development data on a financial year basis, showing 46 homes approved between FY21 and FY25. As of FY26, 2 approvals have been recorded. Despite population decline, the area's development activity has been adequate relative to its size, benefiting buyers.

New dwellings are expected to cost around $558,000 on average. Commercial approvals this financial year total $1.9 million, indicating minimal commercial development. Compared to Greater Sydney, Eastlakes shows significantly reduced construction (89.0% below regional average per person), which typically strengthens demand and prices for existing properties. However, building activity has increased recently. This is also below national averages, reflecting the area's maturity and possible planning constraints. Recent construction comprises 33.0% detached houses and 67.0% medium to high-density housing, appealing to various buyer types.

The location has approximately 863 people per dwelling approval, indicating an established market. Looking ahead, Eastlakes is projected to grow by 274 residents by 2041. Current development levels appear aligned with future requirements, maintaining stable market conditions without significant price pressures.

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

Infrastructure changes significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 23 projects likely impacting the region. Notable projects include Rail Service Improvement Program - T4 Eastern Suburbs & Illawarra Line, Eastlakes City, 350 King Street Business Park Development, and Mascot Power Supply Project. The following list details those most relevant.

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

Employment drivers in Eastlakes are experiencing difficulties, placing it among the bottom 20% of areas assessed across Australia

Eastlakes has a well-educated workforce with professional services prominently represented. The unemployment rate was 9.1% in June 2025, which is 4.9% higher than Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%.

Workforce participation lags behind Greater Sydney at 54.7%, compared to the regional average of 60.0%. Employment is concentrated in health care & social assistance, retail trade, and transport, postal & warehousing sectors. Transport, postal & warehousing shows notable concentration with employment levels at 1.7 times the regional average. Conversely, professional & technical services have lower representation at 8.1% compared to the regional average of 11.5%.

Over the year ending June 2025, labour force levels increased by 0.6%, while employment decreased by 0.2%, causing unemployment to rise by 0.7 percentage points. In comparison, Greater Sydney saw employment grow by 2.6% and unemployment rise by 0.3%. State-level data from Sep-25 shows NSW employment contracted by 0.41% (losing 19,270 jobs), with an unemployment rate of 4.3%, compared to the national unemployment rate of 4.5% and national employment growth of 0.26%. National employment forecasts from May 2025 project growth rates differing significantly between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Eastlakes's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.7% over five years and 13.6% over ten years, assuming constant population projections for illustrative purposes.

The economic profile demonstrates above-average performance, with income metrics exceeding national benchmarks based on AreaSearch comparative assessment

AreaSearch aggregated latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year 2022. Eastlakes had a median income among taxpayers of $59,079 and an average of $74,031. These figures were above national averages ($56,994 and $80,856 respectively) in Greater Sydney. Considering Wage Price Index growth of 10.6% since financial year 2022, estimated incomes for March 2025 would be approximately $65,341 (median) and $81,878 (average). As per the 2021 Census, household, family, and personal incomes in Eastlakes ranked modestly between the 21st and 30th percentiles. Income analysis showed that 27.5% of the population, equating to 2,431 individuals, fell within the $1,500 - 2,999 income range, similar to the regional average of 30.9%. Housing affordability pressures were severe, with only 78.4% of income remaining, ranking at the 22nd percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking placed it in the 5th decile.

Eastlakes features a more urban dwelling mix with significant apartment living, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Eastlakes' dwellings, as per the latest Census evaluation, consisted of 38.6% houses and 61.5% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other'). This contrasts with Sydney metro's 26.0% houses and 74.0% other dwellings. Home ownership in Eastlakes stood at 29.6%, with mortgaged dwellings at 23.7% and rented ones at 46.7%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,297, lower than Sydney metro's average of $2,600. The median weekly rent figure was $385, compared to Sydney metro's $550. Nationally, Eastlakes' mortgage repayments were higher at $1,863 and rents exceeded the Australian average of $375.

Eastlakes features high concentrations of group households, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households compose 66.2% of all households, including 31.5% couples with children, 20.9% couples without children, and 11.9% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 33.8%, with lone person households at 29.0% and group households comprising 4.7%. The median household size is 2.5 people, which aligns with the Greater Sydney average.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 33.5%, considerably lower than the SA4 region average of 55.2%. This gap presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are the most prevalent at 22.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (9.6%) and graduate diplomas (1.7%). Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 26.4% of residents aged 15+ holding them - advanced diplomas comprise 10.4% and certificates make up 16.0%.

Educational participation is high, with 29.5% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 8.5% in primary, 7.1% in secondary, and 6.7% pursuing tertiary education. The area has two schools serving 776 students: St Therese Catholic Primary School and Eastlakes Public School. Eastlakes has above-average socio-educational conditions (ICSEA: 1058). Both schools focus on primary education, with secondary options available nearby. The area functions as an educational hub, offering 8.8 school places per 100 residents - significantly more than the regional average of 5.3 - and attracts students from surrounding communities.

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

Eastlakes has 35 active public transport stops operating within its boundaries. These stops are served by a mix of buses along 22 individual routes. The total weekly passenger trips facilitated by these routes is 3,677.

Eastlakes' residents enjoy excellent transport accessibility, with an average distance to the nearest stop being 128 meters. Service frequency across all routes averages 525 trips per day, amounting to approximately 105 weekly trips per individual stop.

The level of general health in Eastlakes is notably higher than the national average with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Eastlakes shows superior health outcomes for both young and elderly residents, with low prevalence of common health conditions.

Private health cover is high at approximately 56%, covering about 4,996 people. The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (7.3%) and asthma (6.1%). A majority, 72.6%, report being free from medical ailments, compared to Greater Sydney's 78.7%. The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over, at 20% (1,768 people), than Greater Sydney's 12.6%. Health outcomes among seniors align with the general population's health profile.

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

Eastlakes has a high level of cultural diversity, with 56.3% of its population speaking a language other than English at home and 52.6% born overseas. Christianity is the predominant religion in Eastlakes, accounting for 56.6% of the population. Islam is significantly overrepresented compared to Greater Sydney's average, comprising 14.4% of Eastlakes' population.

The top three ancestry groups are Other (29.0%), English (11.3%), and Australian (11.2%). Notably, Spanish (1.5%), Greek (8.6%), and Russian (1.2%) ethnic groups have higher representation in Eastlakes compared to regional averages.

Eastlakes's median age exceeds the national pattern

Eastlakes's median age is 41 years, which is significantly higher than Greater Sydney's average of 37 and slightly older than Australia's median of 38. The 75-84 age cohort is notably over-represented in Eastlakes at 7.4%, compared to the Greater Sydney average, while the 5-14 year-olds are under-represented at 8.7%. According to the 2021 Census, the 15 to 24 age group has increased from 11.3% to 14.3% of the population, while the 5 to 14 cohort has decreased from 10.5% to 8.7%. By 2041, Eastlakes's age profile is projected to change significantly. The 35 to 44 cohort is expected to grow by 46%, adding 540 residents to reach 1,705. Conversely, both the 0 to 4 and 55 to 64 age groups are projected to decrease in numbers.