Emu Plains - Leonay

Emu Plains - Leonay has shown very soft population growth performance across periods assessed by AreaSearch

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, Emu Plains - Leonay's population is around 14,127 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 213 people (1.5%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 13,914 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 13,828 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 276 validated new addresses since the Census date. This population level equates to a density ratio of 1,024 persons per square kilometer, which is relatively in line with averages seen across locations assessed by AreaSearch. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration, which contributed approximately 54.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For any SA2 areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch is utilising the NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, as released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are also applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Considering the projected demographic shifts, lower quartile growth of national areas is anticipated, with the area expected to increase by 177 persons by 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting a reduction of 0.9% in total over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development drivers sees a low level of activity in Emu Plains - Leonay, placing the area among the bottom 25% of areas assessed nationally

Emu Plains - Leonay has recorded around 35 residential properties granted approval annually, with 175 homes approved over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25) and 156 so far in FY-26. Given the population has fallen over this period, development activity has been adequate in relative terms, which is a positive for buyers, while new dwellings are developed at an average construction cost of $516,000, revealing that developers are targeting the premium market segment with higher-end properties. Additionally, $44.1 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded this financial year, suggesting robust local business investment.

Relative to Greater Sydney, Emu Plains - Leonay shows substantially reduced construction (59.0% below regional average per person). This constrained new construction usually reinforces demand and pricing for existing properties. This level is also below average nationally, reflecting the area's maturity and pointing to possible planning constraints. New development consists of 60.0% detached houses and 40.0% attached dwellings, featuring an increasing blend of attached housing types offering choices across price ranges, from spacious family homes to more accessible compact options. This represents a notable shift from the area's existing housing (currently 88.0% houses), indicating decreasing availability of developable sites and reflecting changing lifestyles and the need for more diverse, affordable housing options. The location has approximately 489 people per dwelling approval, reflecting an established area.

Given stable or declining population forecasts, Emu Plains - Leonay may experience less housing pressure, creating favourable conditions for buyers.

Emu Plains - Leonay has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 42ndth percentile nationally

Nothing can influence an area's performance as much as changes to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. In total 23 projects have been identified by AreaSearch that are likely to have an impact on the area. Key projects include Emu Plains Industrial Precinct - Akura Development, Uniting Edinglassie Village Redevelopment, Winter Sports World, and Emu Plains Rail Station Upgrades, with the list below detailing those likely to be of most relevance.

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.

Emu Plains - Leonay ranks among the top 25% of areas assessed nationally for overall employment performance

Emu Plains - Leonay possesses a skilled workforce, with essential services sectors well represented, and an unemployment rate of just 1.9%. As of December 2025, 7,517 residents are in work while the unemployment rate is 2.2% below Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%, and workforce participation is somewhat below standard (67.5% compared to Greater Sydney's 70.2%). Based on Census responses, a high 38.1% of residents were found to work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered.

Leading employment industries among residents comprise construction, health care & social assistance, and education & training. The area has a particular employment specialization in construction, with an employment share of 1.6 times the regional level. Meanwhile, professional & technical services have a limited presence with 5.4% employment compared to 11.5% regionally. The predominantly residential area appears to offer limited employment opportunities locally, as indicated by the count of the Census working population versus the resident population.

Based on AreaSearch analysis of SALM and ABS data, over the 12 months to December 2025, labour force levels decreased by 4.8% alongside a 4.7% employment decline, with unemployment remaining essentially unchanged. By comparison, Greater Sydney recorded employment growth of 2.2%, labour force growth of 2.3%, with unemployment rising marginally. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 can offer further insight into potential future demand within Emu Plains - Leonay. These projections, covering five and ten-year periods, have been mapped against the local employment profile to estimate growth patterns. While national employment is forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, growth rates differ significantly between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to Emu Plains - Leonay's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.4% over five years and 13.3% over ten years (please note this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections).

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

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of the latest postcode level ATO data released for FY-23, the Emu Plains - Leonay SA2 had a median income among taxpayers of $66,511 with the average level standing at $77,744. This is well above average nationally and compares to levels of $60,817 and $83,003 across Greater Sydney respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since FY-23, current estimates would be approximately $72,404 (median) and $84,632 (average) as of September 2025. According to 2021 Census figures, household, family and personal incomes in Emu Plains - Leonay cluster around the 72nd percentile nationally. Income brackets indicate the predominant cohort spans 31.4% of locals (4,435 people) in the $1,500 - 2,999 category, aligning with regional levels where this cohort likewise represents 30.9%. Higher earners represent a substantial presence with 32.1% exceeding $3,000 weekly, indicating strong purchasing power within the community. Housing accounts for 14.0% of income while strong earnings rank residents within the 76th percentile for disposable income and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 7th decile.

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

Dwelling structure within Emu Plains - Leonay, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 88.4% houses and 11.6% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), in comparison to Sydney metro's 55.9% houses and 44.1% other dwellings. Meanwhile, the level of home ownership within Emu Plains - Leonay was well beyond that of Sydney metro, at 38.7%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged (41.9%) or rented (19.3%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was below the Sydney metro average at $2,200, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded at $437, compared to Sydney metro's $2,427 and $470. Nationally, Emu Plains - Leonay's mortgage repayments are significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents are substantially above the national figure of $375.

Emu Plains - Leonay features high concentrations of family households, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households dominate at 77.6% of all households, comprising 38.2% couples with children, 26.7% couples without children, and 12.0% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 22.4%, with lone person households at 20.8% and group households comprising 1.4% of the total. The median household size of 2.7 people matches the Greater Sydney average.

Educational attainment in Emu Plains - Leonay aligns closely with national averages, showing typical qualification patterns and performance metrics

The area faces educational challenges, with university qualification rates (22.0%) substantially below the Greater Sydney average of 38.0%. This represents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees lead at 14.5%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (5.2%) and graduate diplomas (2.3%). Trade and technical skills feature prominently, with 39.4% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials, including advanced diplomas (11.2%) and certificates (28.2%).

Educational participation is notably high, with 28.7% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.0% in primary education, 8.5% in secondary education, and 4.0% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Public transport analysis reveals 150 active transport stops operating within Emu Plains - Leonay, comprising a mix of trains and buses. These stops are serviced by 56 individual routes, collectively providing 2,765 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically located 143 meters from the nearest transport stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward; the car remains the dominant mode at 90%. Vehicle ownership averages 1.6 per dwelling, which is above the regional average. A high 38.1% of residents work from home (2021 Census; may reflect COVID-19 conditions).

Service frequency averages 395 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 18 weekly trips per individual stop. The accompanying map shows the 100 nearest stops to the location centrepoint.

Health performance in Emu Plains - Leonay is lower than average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts

Emu Plains - Leonay faces significant health challenges, based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Common health conditions are somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts, and the rate of private health cover is very high at approximately 58% of the total population (~8,193 people).

The most common medical conditions in the area are arthritis and mental health issues, impacting 8.6 and 8.2% of residents, respectively, while 67.2% declared themselves as completely clear of medical ailments compared to 74.6% across Greater Sydney. Health outcomes among the working-age population are broadly typical. The area has 21.0% of residents aged 65 and over (2,966 people), which is higher than the 15.4% in Greater Sydney. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

Emu Plains - Leonay ranks below the Australian average when compared to other local markets across a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Emu Plains - Leonay was found to be below average in terms of cultural diversity, with 84.5% of its population born in Australia, 92.6% being citizens, and 93.2% speaking English only at home. The main religion in Emu Plains - Leonay is Christianity, which makes up 62.4% of the population. This compares to 49.2% across Greater Sydney.

In terms of ancestry (country of birth of parents), the top three represented groups in Emu Plains - Leonay are Australian, comprising 29.4% of the population, which is substantially higher than the regional average of 17.8%, English, comprising 27.9% of the population, which is substantially higher than the regional average of 19.0%, and Irish, comprising 9.8% of the population. Additionally, there are notable divergences in the representation of certain other ethnic groups: Maltese is notably overrepresented at 1.6% of Emu Plains - Leonay (vs 1.0% regionally), Polish at 0.9% (vs 0.6%) and Dutch at 1.6% (vs 0.7%).

Emu Plains - Leonay's population is slightly older than the national pattern

With a median age of 40, Emu Plains - Leonay is somewhat higher than the Greater Sydney figure of 37 and similarly marginally higher than Australia's 38 years. Compared to the Greater Sydney average, the 75 - 84 cohort is notably over-represented (8.3% locally), while 25 - 34 year-olds are under-represented (11.1%). In the period since 2021, the 75 to 84 age group has grown from 6.2% to 8.3% of the population, while the 15 to 24 cohort increased from 12.3% to 13.5%. Conversely, the 35 to 44 cohort has declined from 13.5% to 11.8% and the 5 to 14 group dropped from 13.8% to 12.6%. Demographic modeling suggests Emu Plains - Leonay's age profile will evolve significantly by 2041. The 85+ age cohort is projected to surge dramatically, expanding by 373 people (103%) from 363 to 737. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups will account for 82% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. Meanwhile, the 25 to 34 and 0 to 4 cohorts are expected to experience population declines.