Five Dock - Abbotsford
Statistical Area - sa2

An assessment of population growth drivers in Five Dock - Abbotsford reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

Five Dock - Abbotsford's population was around 21,497 as of Aug 2025. This showed an increase of 564 people (2.7%) since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 20,933. The change was inferred from ABS's estimated resident population of 21,389 in June 2024 and an additional 101 validated new addresses since the Census date. This resulted in a population density ratio of 4,653 persons per square kilometer, placing it in the top 10% of locations assessed by AreaSearch. Overseas migration contributed approximately 74.9% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch adopted ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered, NSW State Government's SA2 level projections were used, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations were applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Based on projected demographic shifts, lower quartile growth was anticipated, with the area expected to grow by 709 persons to 2041, recording a gain of 2.8% in total over the 17 years.

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

Five Dock - Abbotsford has around 66 residential properties granted approval annually. Development approval data is produced by the ABS on a financial year basis, showing 331 homes over the past five financial years from FY-21 to FY-25, and 12 so far in FY-26. Despite population decline, development activity has been adequate relative to other areas, benefiting buyers while new dwellings are developed at an average expected construction cost of $913,000, indicating a focus on premium properties. Additionally, $28.0 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded this financial year, suggesting strong local business investment.

Compared to Greater Sydney, Five Dock - Abbotsford has significantly less development activity, at 51.0% below the regional average per person, which typically reinforces demand and pricing for existing properties. This is also below average nationally, reflecting the area's maturity and potential planning constraints. Recent construction comprises 34.0% detached houses and 66.0% medium and high-density housing, providing accessible entry options for downsizers, investors, and entry-level buyers. The location has approximately 300 people per dwelling approval, indicating a low density market. Looking ahead, Five Dock - Abbotsford is expected to grow by 601 residents through to 2041. With current construction levels, housing supply should adequately meet demand, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts.

Looking ahead, Five Dock - Abbotsford is expected to grow by 601 residents through to 2041. With current construction levels, housing supply should adequately meet demand, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts.

Five Dock - Abbotsford has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 10% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 17 projects that could affect this region. Notable ones include Kings Bay Village, Parramatta Road Corridor Urban Transformation Strategy (PRCUTS) - Stage 2, Ava Five Dock Residential Development, and Five Dock Town Centre Revitalisation. The following list details those most relevant.

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

Employment conditions in Five Dock - Abbotsford demonstrate strong performance, ranking among the top 35% of areas assessed nationally

Five Dock - Abbotsford has an educated workforce with a notable presence in the technology sector. Its unemployment rate is 2.8%, lower than Greater Sydney's 4.2%.

Over the year ending June 2025, employment grew by 3.9%. As of June 2025, 12,584 residents are employed with an unemployment rate of 1.3% below Greater Sydney's rate. Workforce participation is standard at 63.3%. Employment concentrations include professional & technical, health care & social assistance, and education & training.

Finance & insurance has notable concentration, with employment levels at 1.3 times the regional average. Retail trade shows lower representation at 7.5% versus the regional average of 9.3%. Over the year to June 2025, employment increased by 3.9% while labour force increased by 4.2%, raising unemployment by 0.3 percentage points. In comparison, Greater Sydney saw employment grow by 2.6%, labour force expand by 2.9%, and unemployment rise by 0.3 percentage points. State-level data to Sep-25 shows NSW employment contracted by 0.41% with an unemployment rate of 4.3%. National projections forecast total employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Five Dock - Abbotsford's industry mix suggests local growth of approximately 7.1%% over five years and 14.3% over ten years.

The economic profile demonstrates exceptional strength, placing the area among the top 10% nationally based on comprehensive AreaSearch income analysis

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year ended June 2022, Five Dock - Abbotsford had median income among taxpayers of $70,935 with average level at $106,430. This ranks in the top percentile nationally and compares to Sydney's median income of $56,994 and average income of $80,856 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.6% from July 2022 to March 2025, current estimates would be approximately $78,454 (median) and $117,712 (average). From the 2021 Census conducted on August 10, household, family and personal incomes rank highly in Five Dock - Abbotsford, between 85th and 88th percentiles nationally. Income analysis shows that 27.1% of community earns $1,500 to $2,999 weekly (5,825 individuals), mirroring regional trend where 30.9% occupy this bracket. The district exhibits considerable affluence with 39.8% earning over $3,000 per week, supporting premium retail and service offerings. High housing costs consume 17.8% of income, yet strong earnings place disposable income at the 81st percentile nationally. Area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

Five Dock - Abbotsford features a more urban dwelling mix with significant apartment living, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

In Five Dock - Abbotsford, as per the latest Census, houses constituted 38.0% of dwellings, with the remaining 62.0% being semi-detached, apartments, or 'other' dwellings. This is similar to Sydney metro's composition of 37.8% houses and 62.2% other dwellings. Home ownership in Five Dock - Abbotsford stood at 33.7%, with mortgaged dwellings at 28.7% and rented ones at 37.6%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $3,000, aligning with the Sydney metro average, while the median weekly rent was $576, compared to Sydney metro's $3,000 and $560 respectively. Nationally, Five Dock - Abbotsford's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Five Dock - Abbotsford has a typical household mix, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 69.3% of all households, including 31.7% couples with children, 26.6% couples without children, and 9.9% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 30.7%, with lone person households at 27.8% and group households making up 2.8%. The median household size is 2.4 people, which is smaller than the Greater Sydney average of 2.5.

Five Dock - Abbotsford shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

Educational attainment in Five Dock - Abbotsford exceeds broader benchmarks with 42.5% of residents aged 15+ holding university qualifications compared to 30.4% nationally and 32.2% in NSW. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 27.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (11.9%) and graduate diplomas (2.9%). Vocational credentials are also prominent with 27.8% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications, including advanced diplomas (12.1%) and certificates (15.7%). Educational participation is high with 26.8% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, comprising 8.8% in primary, 7.2% in secondary, and 5.4% in tertiary education.

There are six schools operating within Five Dock - Abbotsford educating approximately 3,517 students. The area has above-average socio-educational conditions with an ICSEA score of 1094. Educational mix includes three primary, two secondary, and one K-12 school. The area functions as an education hub with 16.4 school places per 100 residents, significantly higher than the regional average of 10.5, attracting students from surrounding communities.

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

Transport analysis shows 99 active stops operating in Five Dock-Abbotsford area, offering a mix of ferry and bus services. These stops are served by 74 routes, together making 7,389 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents located an average of 138 meters from the nearest stop.

Service frequency averages 1,055 trips per day across all routes, equating to about 74 weekly trips per individual stop.

Five Dock - Abbotsford's residents are extremely healthy with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Analysis shows Five Dock - Abbotsford had low prevalence of common health conditions across both young and old age groups. Private health cover was high at approximately 75%, compared to Greater Sydney's 68.8% and the national average of 55.3%. The most prevalent conditions were arthritis (7.3%) and asthma (6.2%), with 73.3% reporting no medical ailments, slightly lower than Greater Sydney's 76.3%.

The area had 21.0% residents aged 65 and over (4,512 people), higher than Greater Sydney's 18.4%. Health outcomes among seniors were strong, aligning with the general population's health profile.

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

Five Dock-Abbotsford has a high level of cultural diversity, with 33.6% of its population born overseas and 31.8% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the main religion in Five Dock-Abbotsford, accounting for 62.6% of people, compared to 57.1% across Greater Sydney. The top three ancestral groups are Italian (17.0%), English (16.7%), and Australian (15.9%).

Some ethnic groups have notable differences in representation: Spanish is overrepresented at 0.9%, Lebanese is lower at 1.7% compared to the regional average of 2.2%, and Greek is slightly higher at 3.0%.

Five Dock - Abbotsford hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

The median age in Five Dock - Abbotsford is 42 years, significantly higher than Greater Sydney's average of 37 years and Australia's median age of 38 years. The age group of 65-74 years comprises 10.4% of the population, compared to Greater Sydney, while the 25-34 cohort makes up 10.7%. According to data from the post-2021 Census, the 15 to 24 age group has increased from 8.6% to 10.4%, and the 25 to 34 cohort has decreased from 12.1% to 10.7%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate substantial demographic changes for Five Dock - Abbotsford. The 75 to 84 age group is projected to grow by 59%, reaching 2,482 people from 1,562. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups will account for 92% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. In contrast, the 15 to 24 and 45 to 54 cohorts are expected to experience population declines.