Fairfield - East

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

Fairfield - East's population was approximately 16,563 as of February 2026. This figure represents an increase of 821 people, a 5.2% rise since the 2021 Census which recorded a population of 15,742. This growth is inferred from the estimated resident population of 16,206 in June 2024 and the addition of 209 validated new addresses since the Census date. The population density was around 2,900 persons per square kilometer, placing Fairfield - East in the upper quartile compared to other locations assessed by AreaSearch. With a growth rate of 5.2% since the census, it is within 2.6 percentage points of the state's growth rate of 7.8%. Overseas migration contributed approximately 94.9% of Fairfield - East's population gains in recent periods.

AreaSearch uses 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. By 2041, Fairfield - East is forecast to have a significant population increase in the top quartile of national statistical areas, with an expected expansion of 5,772 persons, reflecting a total increase of 32.7% over the 17 years.

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

Fairfield - East has received approximately 59 dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling 297 homes. In FY-26 so far, 154 approvals have been recorded. During this period, the population has decreased, but development activity has remained relatively adequate, benefiting buyers seeking more affordable housing options with new homes averaging $201,000 in construction cost value. This financial year, $19.1 million in commercial approvals have been registered, indicating moderate levels of commercial development.

Compared to Greater Sydney, Fairfield - East has about half the rate of new dwelling approvals per person and ranks among the 46th percentile nationally, resulting in relatively constrained buyer choice and supporting interest in existing homes. New building activity consists of approximately 75% detached houses and 25% attached dwellings, preserving the area's suburban nature and attracting space-seeking buyers. With around 373 people per dwelling approval, Fairfield - East indicates a developed market.

According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, the population is forecasted to grow by 5,415 residents by 2041. If current construction levels persist, housing supply may lag behind population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and supporting price growth.

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

The performance of an area can significantly influenced by changes in local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has identified a total of 29 such projects that are expected to impact the area. Notable among these are the Villawood East Masterplan Precinct (Lansvale & Lansdowne), Villawood Town Centre Redevelopment (Kinara Place), Fairfield Central Transformation (Former Fairfield Chase), and Chester Square Redevelopment. The following list details those projects considered 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.

Employment conditions in Fairfield - East face significant challenges, ranking among the bottom 10% of areas assessed nationally

Fairfield - East has a skilled workforce with strong representation in manufacturing and industrial sectors. Its unemployment rate was 16.3% as of September 2025. Employment stability over the past year is relative.

There are 5,536 employed residents currently, with an unemployment rate of 12.1%, which is higher than Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%. Workforce participation is lower at 50.2% compared to Greater Sydney's 70.0%. A high proportion of residents work from home, with 26.7% doing so according to Census responses. Leading employment industries include health care & social assistance, manufacturing, and retail trade.

Manufacturing has a notable concentration with employment levels at 2.1 times the regional average. However, professional & technical services have limited presence with only 5.8% of employment compared to the regional average of 11.5%. The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities based on Census data comparing working population to resident population. Over the year to September 2025, labour force levels increased by 3.2%, while employment declined by 0.1%, leading to a rise in unemployment rate by 2.8 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Sydney saw employment grow by 2.1% and labour force expand by 2.4%, with a smaller increase in unemployment of 0.2 percentage points. National employment forecasts from May-25 project national employment growth at 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Fairfield - East's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.1% over five years and 13.0% over ten years, though this is a simple extrapolation for illustrative purposes only and does not account for localized population projections.

Income metrics place the area in the bottom 10% of locations nationally according to AreaSearch analysis

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023 shows that Fairfield - East SA2 had an income below the national average. The median income was $43,488 and the average income stood at $50,985. In comparison, Greater Sydney's median income was $60,817 with an average of $83,003. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since financial year 2023, current estimates for Fairfield - East as of September 2025 would be approximately $47,341 (median) and $55,502 (average). According to the 2021 Census, incomes in Fairfield - East fell between the 2nd and 12th percentiles nationally. The largest earnings segment comprised 27.6% earning $1,500-$2,999 weekly, with 4,571 residents in this category. This is consistent with broader regional trends where 30.9% fell into the same income bracket. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 78.2% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 9th percentile nationally.

Fairfield - East displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Fairfield - East's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 64.9% houses and 35.1% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Sydney metro had 55.9% houses and 44.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Fairfield - East was at 25.8%, with mortgaged dwellings at 28.2% and rented ones at 46.0%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,850, lower than Sydney metro's average of $2,427. The median weekly rent figure for Fairfield - East was $300, compared to Sydney metro's $470. Nationally, Fairfield - East's mortgage repayments were below the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially lower than the national figure of $375.

Fairfield - East has a typical household mix, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 70.8% of all households, including 36.4% couples with children, 16.2% couples without children, and 16.6% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 29.2%, with lone person households at 25.8% and group households comprising 3.3%. The median household size is 3.0 people, larger than the Greater Sydney average of 2.7.

Fairfield - East faces educational challenges, with performance metrics placing it in the bottom quartile of areas assessed nationally

The area's university qualification rate is 18.7%, significantly lower than the SA4 region average of 39.1%. Bachelor degrees are most common among qualifications, at 14.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.4%) and graduate diplomas (1.0%). Vocational credentials are held by 27.5% of residents aged 15 and over, with advanced diplomas at 10.0% and certificates at 17.5%. Educational participation is high, with 35.0% of residents currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes 11.3% in primary education, 10.1% in secondary education, and 6.4% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Fairfield - East has 135 active public transport stops operating within its boundaries. These include a mix of train and bus services. There are 45 individual routes serving these stops, collectively providing 6,302 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically located 139 meters from the nearest transport stop. As of the 2021 Census, most residents commute outward, with car being the dominant mode at 82%, while 11% use train for their commutes. Vehicle ownership averages 1.2 per dwelling in the area.

Notably, a high 26.7% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency across all routes averages 900 trips per day, equating to approximately 46 weekly trips per individual stop. The provided map shows the 100 nearest stops to the location's centrepoint.

Health performance in Fairfield - East is well below average with prevalence of common health conditions notable across both younger and older age cohorts

Health data indicates significant health challenges in Fairfield - East. AreaSearch's assessment found notable prevalence of common health conditions across both younger and older age cohorts. The rate of private health cover was extremely low at approximately 46% of the total population (~7,635 people), compared to 59.9% across Greater Sydney and a national average of 55.7%.

The most prevalent medical conditions were arthritis (6.7%) and diabetes (6.7%), while 73.4% of residents declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 74.6% in Greater Sydney. The under-65 population had better than average health outcomes. Fairfield - East has a higher proportion of residents aged 65 and over at 16.6% (2,742 people), compared to 15.4% in Greater Sydney. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

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

Fairfield-East has a population where 54.9% were born overseas and 74.3% speak a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Fairfield-East, with 38.8%. Buddhism is significantly higher here at 15.7%, compared to Greater Sydney's average of 4.1%.

The top three ancestry groups are Other (27.7%), Vietnamese (16.9%), and Lebanese (12.7%), each substantially higher than regional averages of 16.0%, 1.8%, and 2.6% respectively. Notably, Spanish (0.9%) Samoan (1.0%), and Chinese (9.9%) are also overrepresented compared to the region's 0.6%, 0.5%, and 8.4% averages.

Fairfield - East's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

Fairfield-East has a median age of 37, matching Greater Sydney's figure and closely resembling Australia's median age of 38. The 15-24 age group comprises 16.4% of Fairfield-East's population, higher than Greater Sydney's percentage. Conversely, the 35-44 cohort makes up 11.7%, lower than Greater Sydney's figure. Between 2021 and present, the 15-24 age group has increased from 14.0% to 16.4%. During this period, the 85+ age group has decreased from 3.0% to 2.0%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant changes in Fairfield-East's age structure. Notably, the 45-54 age group is projected to grow by 43%, adding 828 people and reaching a total of 2,775 from its current figure of 1,946.