Fairfield - West

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

Fairfield-West's population is 22,069 as of November 2025. This reflects an increase of 820 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 21,249. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 22,025 in June 2024 and an additional 56 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 4,705 persons per square kilometer, placing Fairfield-West in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The area's growth rate of 3.9% since the 2021 census exceeded the SA3 area's growth rate of 2.2%. Overseas migration contributed approximately 78.7% of overall population gains during recent periods.

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 utilises the 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-West is expected to increase its population by just below the median of national statistical areas, with an anticipated expansion of 1,097 persons based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting a total gain of 4.8% over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential approval activity sees Fairfield - West among the top 30% of areas assessed nationwide

Fairfield - West has recorded approximately 133 residential properties granted approval annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25666 homes were approved, with an additional 48 approved so far in FY-26. This results in an average of 1.1 people moving to the area per dwelling built over these years, indicating balanced supply and demand dynamics.

The average construction cost value for new properties is $230,000, which is below regional norms, offering more affordable housing options. In FY-26, commercial development approvals totaled $914,000, reflecting the area's residential nature. Compared to Greater Sydney, Fairfield - West has seen slightly higher development activity, with a 34.0% increase in approvals per person over the five-year period. This maintains good buyer choice while supporting existing property values. New developments consist of an equal split between detached dwellings (50.0%) and medium to high-density housing (50.0%).

This shift from the current housing mix, predominantly houses at 76.0%, is due to reduced development site availability and changing lifestyle demands. The area has approximately 211 people per dwelling approval, indicating a low-density market. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Fairfield - West is projected to gain 1,053 residents by 2041. With current construction levels, housing supply should meet demand adequately, creating favorable conditions for buyers and potentially enabling population growth that exceeds current forecasts.

Fairfield - West has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 30% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 32 projects likely to affect the area. Notable projects include The Vale - Fairfield Heights (Stage 3), EVO Fairfield, Fairfield Heights Town Centre Public Domain Upgrades, and Fairfield Heights Residential Infill - 120-130 Stella Street. The following list details those most relevant.

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

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

Fairfield-West has a balanced workforce with white and blue-collar jobs, prominent manufacturing and industrial sectors, and an unemployment rate of 9.6%. Over the past year, there was an estimated employment growth of 7.1%.

As of September 2025, 7,511 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 5.5%, higher than Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%. Workforce participation in Fairfield-West is significantly lower at 36.1% compared to Greater Sydney's 60.0%. Leading employment industries among residents include health care & social assistance, manufacturing, and retail trade. The area specializes in manufacturing with an employment share of 2.2 times the regional level.

However, professional & technical services are under-represented at 5.7% compared to Greater Sydney's 11.5%. Limited local employment opportunities are indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment levels increased by 7.1%, and labour force increased by 4.3%, reducing the unemployment rate by 2.3 percentage points. In comparison, Greater Sydney recorded employment growth of 2.1% with a slight increase in unemployment. As of 25-November-2025, NSW employment contracted by 0.03% (losing 2,260 jobs), with the state unemployment rate at 3.9%, favourably comparing to the national unemployment rate of 4.3%. National employment forecasts from May-2025 estimate a growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Fairfield-West's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by approximately 5.9% over five years and 12.6% over ten years, based on simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

The area's income levels rank in the lower 15% nationally based on AreaSearch comparative data

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year ending June 2022 shows that Fairfield - West SA2 had incomes below the national average. The median income was $40,190 and the average income stood at $48,729. In contrast, Greater Sydney had a median income of $56,994 and an average income of $80,856. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% from July 2022 to September 2025, current estimates suggest the median income would be approximately $45,258 and the average income around $54,874 by that date. The 2021 Census data reveals individual incomes at the 1st percentile were $457 weekly, while household incomes performed better at the 25th percentile. Income distribution shows 30.3% of individuals (6,686) earning between $1,500 and $2,999 weekly, consistent with broader regional trends. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 77.0% of income remaining post-housing costs, ranking at the 18th percentile nationally.

Fairfield - West is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Fairfield - West's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 76.0% houses and 24.0% other dwellings. In comparison, Sydney metro had 73.3% houses and 26.7% other dwellings. Home ownership in Fairfield - West was at 31.4%, with mortgaged dwellings at 27.1% and rented dwellings at 41.6%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,057, higher than Sydney metro's average of $2,000. Weekly rent in Fairfield - West was $450, compared to Sydney metro's $400. Nationally, Fairfield - West's mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $1,863 and rents substantially above the national figure of $375.

Fairfield - West features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 83.3% of all households, including 47.4% couples with children, 16.5% couples without children, and 17.7% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 16.7%, with lone person households at 15.0% and group households comprising 1.6%. The median household size is 3.4 people, larger than the Greater Sydney average of 3.2.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 14.5%, significantly lower than Greater Sydney's average of 38.0%. This disparity presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are the most common qualification at 11.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.1%) and graduate diplomas (0.7%). Vocational pathways account for 23.9% of qualifications among those aged 15 and above, with advanced diplomas at 8.9% and certificates at 15.0%.

Educational participation is high, with 34.1% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.7% in secondary education, 10.6% in primary education, and 5.2% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Fairfield - West has 77 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 44 different routes that together facilitate 1,724 weekly passenger trips. The average distance from a resident's location to the nearest transport stop is 185 meters, indicating excellent accessibility.

On average, there are 246 trips per day across all routes, which equates to approximately 22 weekly trips per individual stop.

The level of general health in Fairfield - West is notably higher than the national average with prevalence of common health conditions low among the general population and nearer the nation's average across older, at risk cohorts

Fairfield-West shows better-than-average health outcomes with fewer common health conditions among its general population compared to national averages for older and at-risk groups. Private health insurance coverage is notably low here, with approximately 46% (~10,129 people) having it, compared to the national average of 55.3%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (7.0%) and diabetes (6.2%). A higher proportion, 76.0%, claim to be free from any medical ailments than in Greater Sydney (75.6%). There is a lower percentage of seniors aged 65 and over at 16.5% (~3,630 people) compared to Greater Sydney's 19.0%. However, health outcomes among these seniors require more attention due to being above average.

Fairfield - West 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-West is one of the most culturally diverse areas in Australia, with 63.2% of its population born overseas and 77.9% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the dominant religion in Fairfield-West, comprising 65.5% of the population. However, Buddhism is notably lower at 14.3%, compared to the Greater Sydney average of 21.7%.

The top three ancestry groups are Other (44.8%), Vietnamese (14.2%), and Chinese (8.3%). There are notable differences in the representation of certain ethnic groups: Serbian is overrepresented at 1.5% (vs regional 1.8%), Croatian at 1.4% (vs 1.7%), and Spanish at 0.9% (vs 1.0%).

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

Fairfield - West has a median age of 37, matching Greater Sydney's figure and remaining comparable to Australia's 38 years. The 15-24 age group is strongly represented at 16.6%, compared to Greater Sydney, while the 25-34 cohort is less prevalent at 12.3%. Between 2021 and now, the 15-24 age group has grown from 14.4% to 16.6% of the population. Conversely, the 45-54 cohort has declined from 12.8% to 11.7%. By 2041, demographic projections show significant shifts in Fairfield - West's age structure. The 75-84 group is projected to grow by 52%, reaching 1,942 people from 1,280. Those aged 65 and above will comprise 75% of the projected growth. Meanwhile, the 0-4 and 5-14 cohorts are expected to experience population declines.