Eastwood

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

Eastwood's population, as of February 2026, is approximately 20,208. This figure represents an increase of 1,234 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 18,974. The change is inferred from ABS estimated resident population data of 20,024 in June 2024 and an additional 121 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 3,820 persons per square kilometer, placing Eastwood in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Eastwood's growth rate of 6.5% since the census is within 1.3 percentage points of the state's growth rate of 7.8%, indicating competitive growth fundamentals. Overseas migration contributed approximately 90.0% of overall population gains during recent periods in Eastwood.

AreaSearch adopts 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 uses 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. Based on projected demographic shifts, Eastwood is expected to have an above median population growth. By 2041, the area is projected to grow by 3,040 persons based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting a total gain of 14.1% over the 17-year period.

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

Eastwood has recorded approximately 171 residential properties granted approval annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25855 homes have been approved, with a further 68 approved in FY-26 as of now. The average number of new residents per year per dwelling constructed over these five years has been around 0.7.

This suggests that new construction is keeping pace with or even exceeding demand, providing more options for buyers and potentially supporting population growth beyond current projections. The average construction value of new properties is $370,000. In FY-26, there have been $2.1 million in commercial approvals, indicating a predominantly residential focus. Comparatively, Eastwood shows 17.0% lower construction activity per person relative to Greater Sydney, while it ranks among the 81st percentile of areas assessed nationally. The new development consists of approximately 27.0% standalone homes and 73.0% attached dwellings, reflecting a trend towards denser development that caters to downsizers, investors, and entry-level buyers.

This shift is notable given the current housing composition in Eastwood, which is predominantly houses at 53.0%. The low density of Eastwood, with around 135 people per approval, is expected to gain approximately 2,856 residents by 2041 according to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate. At the current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, creating favorable conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified a total of 24 projects likely to impact the area. Notable projects include Eastwood Shopping Centre Redevelopment, Eastwood Central Precinct Project, 173 Shaftsbury Road Development, and Eastwood Station Improvements. 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 employment environment in Eastwood shows above-average strength when compared nationally

Eastwood has a highly educated workforce with notable representation in the technology sector. Its unemployment rate was 3.6% as of September 2025. Over the past year, there was an estimated employment growth of 10.6%.

As of September 2025, 11,385 residents were employed, with an unemployment rate of 0.6% lower than Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%. Workforce participation was broadly similar to Greater Sydney's 70.0%. According to Census responses, 48.9% of residents worked from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered.

The dominant employment sectors among residents were health care & social assistance, professional & technical, and retail trade. Construction, however, was under-represented at 6.4%, compared to Greater Sydney's 8.6%. Over the 12 months to September 2025, Eastwood's employment increased by 10.6% while labour force increased by 9.4%, causing the unemployment rate to fall by 1.0 percentage points. By comparison, Greater Sydney recorded employment growth of 2.1%, labour force growth of 2.4%, with unemployment rising 0.2 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project that national employment will expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Eastwood's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.1% over five years and 14.4% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

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 ending June 2023 indicates that median income in Eastwood SA2 is $50,302 and average income is $72,896. This contrasts with Greater Sydney's median income of $60,817 and average income of $83,003 for the same period. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since June 2023, estimated median income as of September 2025 is approximately $54,759 and estimated average income is $79,355. According to Australian Bureau of Statistics Census data from August 2021, Eastwood SA2's household income ranks at the 62nd percentile ($1,953 weekly) and personal income ranks at the 40th percentile. The largest income segment comprises 30.6% earning $1,500 - $2,999 weekly (6,183 residents). Housing costs consume 18.6% of income, resulting in disposable income ranking at the 59th percentile. Eastwood SA2'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 structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 53.2% houses and 46.8% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Sydney metro had 55.9% houses and 44.1% 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, higher than Sydney metro's average of $2,427. Median weekly rent in Eastwood was $450, compared to Sydney metro's $470. Nationally, Eastwood's mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $2,750 versus the Australian average of $1,863, and 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, larger than the Greater Sydney average of 2.7.

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

Eastwood's educational attainment is notably higher than national averages. Among residents aged 15 and above, 50.9% hold university qualifications, compared to Australia's 30.4% and NSW's 32.2%. This high level of educational attainment positions the area favourably for knowledge-based opportunities. 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% of qualifications, with advanced diplomas making up 10.3% and certificates 9.6%. Educational participation is high, with 30.7% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 8.7% in primary education, 8.4% in tertiary education, and 6.2% pursuing secondary education.

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

Eastwood has 126 active public transport stops offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by 34 routes, collectively facilitating 6,226 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated excellent with residents located an average of 149 meters from the nearest stop. As a primarily residential area, most commutes are outward-bound. Car remains the dominant mode at 69%, followed by train at 17% and bus at 6%. Vehicle ownership averages 1.0 per dwelling, below the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, 48.9% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 889 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 49 weekly trips per stop. The accompanying map displays the 100 nearest stops to the location's centrepoint.

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

Eastwood's health outcomes show exceptional results based on AreaSearch's assessment. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence were very low across all age groups.

Private health cover was found to be high at approximately 55% of Eastwood's total population (~11,195 people), compared to 59.9% in Greater Sydney. The most prevalent medical conditions were diabetes (4.7%) and arthritis (4.6%). A majority, 79.9%, reported being completely free from medical ailments, compared to 74.6% across Greater Sydney. Eastwood has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 19.7% (3,985 people), compared to 15.4% in Greater Sydney. Health outcomes among seniors align with national rankings, mirroring the general population's trends.

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 has a population where 68.8% speak a language other than English at home, and 60.9% were born overseas. Christianity is the predominant religion in Eastwood, with 38.7%. Buddhism is more prevalent here than in Greater Sydney, making up 7.0% compared to 4.1%.

The top three ancestry groups are Chinese (42.8%), English (10.1%), and Other (10.1%). Chinese representation is substantially higher than the regional average of 8.4%, while English and Other are notably lower than their respective averages of 19.0% and 16.0%. Korean, Lebanese, and Sri Lankan ethnic groups show notable overrepresentation in Eastwood compared to regional averages.

Eastwood's population aligns closely with national norms in age terms

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 (10.7% locally) but fewer residents aged 5-14 (10.1%). Post-2021 Census data shows that the 15 to 24 age group grew from 11.0% to 12.9%, while the 75 to 84 cohort increased from 5.0% to 6.3%. Conversely, the 55 to 64 cohort declined from 12.7% to 11.5%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate substantial demographic changes for Eastwood. The 75 to 84 age group is projected to grow by 69%, reaching 2,141 people from 1,265. Residents aged 65 and older are expected to represent 57% of the total growth. Meanwhile, the 25 to 34 and 0 to 4 age cohorts are anticipated to experience population declines.