Eastwood
Statistical Area - sa2

Population growth drivers in Eastwood are strong compared to national averages based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Eastwood's population is approximately 20,035 as of August 2025. This figure reflects an increase of 1,061 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 18,974. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 20,024 in June 2024 and an additional 117 validated new addresses since the Census date. Eastwood's population density is around 3,787 persons per square kilometer, placing it within the top 10% of locations assessed by AreaSearch. This high density indicates strong demand for land in the area. Eastwood's population growth rate of 5.6% since the Census is close to the state average of 6.4%, indicating competitive growth fundamentals.

Overseas migration contributed approximately 90.0% of overall population gains during recent periods, driving primary growth in the area. AreaSearch projects demographic shifts based on ABS/Geoscience Australia projections released in 2024 with a base year of 2022 for each SA2 area, and NSW State Government's SA2 level projections released in 2022 with a base year of 2021 for areas not covered by the former data. Growth rates by age group are applied to all areas from these aggregations for years 2032 to 2041. Considering these projections, Eastwood is expected to grow above median statistical area population growth nationally, with an anticipated increase of 3,040 persons by 2041, representing a total gain of 15.1% over the 17-year period.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Eastwood among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

Eastwood has granted approval annually for approximately 194 residential properties. The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) produces development approval data on a financial year basis, showing 970 homes over the past five financial years from FY20 to FY25, with 30 approved so far in FY26. On average, 0.7 new residents per year have been added per dwelling constructed over these five years, indicating supply is meeting or exceeding demand, offering greater buyer choice while potentially supporting population growth above projections. The average construction value of new dwellings is $551,000.

Commercial approvals this financial year total $2.1 million, suggesting minimal commercial development activity. Compared to Greater Sydney, Eastwood shows about 75% of the construction activity per person and ranks among the 81st percentile nationally in terms of assessed areas. New developments consist of 27.0% standalone homes and 73.0% attached dwellings, reflecting a trend towards denser development that appeals to downsizers, investors, and entry-level buyers. This shift contrasts with Eastwood's existing housing stock, which is currently 53.0% houses, indicating decreasing availability of developable sites and changing lifestyles requiring diverse, affordable housing options. With around 135 people per approval, Eastwood reflects a low-density area.

Population forecasts indicate Eastwood will gain approximately 3,029 residents by 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.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 27 projects likely affecting this region. Notable projects include Eastwood Shopping Centre Redevelopment, Eastwood Station Improvements, Eastwood Central Precinct Project, and Second Avenue Townhouse Estate. The following list details those most relevant.

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

The labour market in Eastwood demonstrates typical performance when compared to similar areas across Australia

Eastwood has a highly educated workforce, with the technology sector well represented. Its unemployment rate was 4.0% as of June 2025.

The area saw an estimated employment growth of 12.2% over the past year. As of June 2025, Eastwood had 11,388 residents employed, with an unemployment rate of 4.0%, which was 0.2% lower than Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%. Workforce participation in Eastwood was somewhat below standard at 57.2%, compared to Greater Sydney's 60.0%.

The dominant employment sectors among residents were health care & social assistance, professional & technical, and retail trade. However, construction was under-represented with only 6.4% of the workforce compared to Greater Sydney's 8.6%. Over the 12 months to June 2025, employment increased by 12.2%, while labour force increased by 11.2%, causing the unemployment rate to fall by 0.9 percentage points. In comparison, Greater Sydney recorded employment growth of 2.6%, with unemployment rising by 0.3 percentage points. State-level data for NSW to Sep-25 showed employment contracted by 0.41% (losing 19,270 jobs), with the state unemployment rate at 4.3%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 projected national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Eastwood's employment mix suggested local growth of approximately 7.1% over five years and 14.4% over ten years, though these are simple extrapolations for illustrative purposes only.

Income levels align closely with national averages, indicating typical economic conditions for Australian communities according to AreaSearch analysis

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 shows that Eastwood has a high national median income of $47,235 and an average income of $72,452. This contrasts with Greater Sydney's median income of $56,994 and average income of $80,856. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.6% from financial year 2022 to March 2025, current estimates would be approximately $52,242 for median income and $80,132 for average income as of March 2025. According to the 2021 Census, Eastwood's household income ranks at the 63rd percentile ($1,953 weekly) while personal income is at the 41st percentile. The largest income segment in Eastwood comprises 30.6% earning $1,500 - $2,999 weekly (6,130 residents), aligning with the broader area where this cohort also represents 30.9%. High housing costs consume 18.6% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 59th percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

Eastwood displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Eastwood's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 53.2% houses and 46.8% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Sydney metro's 42.9% houses and 57.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Eastwood stood at 31.1%, with mortgaged dwellings at 29.2% and rented ones at 39.7%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,750, above Sydney metro's $2,600. Median weekly rent in Eastwood was $450, compared to Sydney metro's $460. Nationally, Eastwood's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Eastwood features high concentrations of group households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households account for 75.3% of all households, including 38.8% couples with children, 25.5% couples without children, and 9.7% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 24.7%, with lone person households at 19.8% and group households comprising 4.9%. The median household size is 2.8 people, which is larger than the Greater Sydney average of 2.5.

Eastwood shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

Eastwood's residents aged 15+ have a higher educational attainment than national and state averages. 50.9% hold university qualifications, compared to Australia's 30.4% and NSW's 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 31.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (17.3%) and graduate diplomas (2.6%). Vocational pathways account for 19.9%, with advanced diplomas at 10.3% and certificates at 9.6%.

Educational participation is high, with 30.7% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 8.7% in primary, 8.4% in tertiary, and 6.2% in secondary education. Eastwood's 5 schools have a combined enrollment of 2,550 students. The area shows significant socio-educational advantages and academic achievement, with an ICSEA score of 1118. Educational provision is balanced, with 4 primary and 1 secondary school serving distinct age groups.

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

Eastwood has 117 active public transport stops. These include both train and bus services. There are 33 different routes operating across these stops, collectively serving 4,862 weekly passenger trips.

The average distance residents live from the nearest stop is 149 meters, indicating excellent transport accessibility. Service frequency averages 694 trips per day across all routes, which equates to approximately 41 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Eastwood shows excellent health outcomes across all age groups, with very low prevalence of common health conditions. Approximately 55% (~11,079 people) have private health cover, compared to Greater Sydney's 62.1%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are diabetes (4.7%) and arthritis (4.6%), while 79.9% report no medical ailments, compared to 77.6% in Greater Sydney. Eastwood has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 18.9% (3,796 people), compared to Greater Sydney's 16.3%. Despite this, health outcomes among seniors are strong and align with the general population's health profile.

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

Eastwood's population is culturally diverse, with 68.8% speaking a language other than English at home and 60.9% born overseas as of the latest data available. Christianity is the predominant religion in Eastwood, making up 38.7% of its population. Buddhism is notably overrepresented, comprising 7.0% compared to the regional average of 4.3%.

The top three ancestry groups are Chinese at 42.8%, English at 10.1%, and Other also at 10.1%. Korean (7.7%) and Lebanese (0.9%) are overrepresented, while Sri Lankan representation is relatively similar (0.5%).

Eastwood's population is slightly older than the national pattern

The median age in Eastwood is 39 years, which is higher than Greater Sydney's average of 37 years and close to the national average of 38 years. Compared to Greater Sydney, Eastwood has a notably higher proportion of residents aged 65-74 (10.4%) and a lower proportion of residents aged 5-14 (10.2%). According to post-2021 Census data, the population of residents aged 15-24 has increased from 11.0% to 12.9%, while the proportion of those aged 55-64 has decreased from 12.7% to 11.4%. By 2041, Eastwood's population is forecasted to experience significant demographic changes. The largest demographic shift will be among residents aged 75-84, with a projected growth of 82%, reaching 2,141 from 1,174. This trend reflects an overall aging population, as residents aged 65 and older are expected to represent 59% of the total population growth. Conversely, the populations of those aged 0-4 and 25-34 are anticipated to decline.