Galston - Laughtondale
Statistical Area - sa2

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

Galston-Laughtondale's population, as per AreaSearch's analysis, is approximately 5,485 as of August 2025. This figure represents an increase of 49 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 5,436. The change is inferred from ABS's estimated resident population of 5,483 in June 2024 and an additional 50 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 28 persons per square kilometer. Galston-Laughtondale's growth rate of 0.9% since the census places it within 2.1 percentage points of the SA3 area (3.0%). Overseas migration was the primary driver of population gains during 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. According to demographic trends, the area is expected to expand by 106 persons to 2041 based on the latest population numbers, with an increase of approximately 1.9% in total over the 17-year period.

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

Galston - Laughtondale has recorded approximately 13 residential properties granted approval each year over the past five financial years, totalling 68 homes. In FY-26 so far, 2 approvals have been recorded. The average number of people moving to the area per dwelling built over these five years is 0.1. New construction has matched or outpaced demand, offering buyers more options and enabling population growth that could exceed current expectations.

The average value of new properties constructed is $1,045,000, indicating developers are targeting the premium market segment with higher-end properties. In FY-26, there have been $4.2 million in commercial approvals, suggesting limited focus on commercial development. Compared to Greater Sydney, Galston - Laughtondale shows approximately 69% of construction activity per person and ranks among the 28th percentile nationally, indicating somewhat limited buyer options while strengthening demand for established properties. This activity is under the national average, suggesting the area's established nature and potential planning limitations.

New development consists of 91.0% detached houses and 9.0% attached dwellings, preserving the area's low density nature with an emphasis on detached housing attracting space-seeking buyers. The estimated count of people per dwelling approval is 618, reflecting its quiet, low activity development environment. Population forecasts indicate Galston - Laughtondale will gain 103 residents by 2041. With current construction levels, housing supply should adequately meet demand, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts.

Galston - Laughtondale has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 20% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 11 projects likely impacting the area. Notable ones are Arlington Heights Estate, Hornsby Park - from quarry to parklands, Berowra Valley National Park Northern Extension, and Mount Colah Station Upgrade. 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.

Employment performance in Galston - Laughtondale exceeds national averages across key labour market indicators

Galston - Laughtondale has an educated workforce with strong professional services representation. Its unemployment rate was 2.9% as of June 2025, below Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 2.2%. 2,973 residents were employed in June 2025, with a workforce participation rate similar to Greater Sydney's 60.0%. Major industries for local employment are construction, health care & social assistance, and professional & technical services. Construction is particularly prominent, employing 1.8 times the regional level.

Finance & insurance employs just 3.6% of local workers, below Greater Sydney's 7.3%. Over the year to June 2025, employment increased by 2.2%, while labour force grew by 3.1%, resulting in a rise in unemployment rate by 0.9 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Sydney saw employment rise by 2.6%, labour force grow by 2.9%, and unemployment increase by 0.3 percentage points. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia (May 2025) project national growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Galston - Laughtondale's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.6%% over five years and 13.4% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

The area exhibits notably strong income performance, ranking higher than 70% of areas assessed nationally through AreaSearch analysis

Galston - Laughtondale's income level is among the top percentile nationally according to ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2022. Galston - Laughtondale's median income among taxpayers is $55,261 and average income stands at $97,424, compared to Greater Sydney's figures of $56,994 and $80,856 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% since financial year 2022, current estimates for median income are approximately $62,229 and average income is around $109,709 as of September 2025. Census data reveals household incomes rank exceptionally at the 87th percentile ($2,364 weekly). The earnings profile shows 28.1% of the population (1,541 individuals) fall within the $4000+ income range, contrasting with the region where the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket leads at 30.9%. A substantial proportion of high earners (39.3% above $3,000/week) indicates strong economic capacity throughout Galston - Laughtondale. After housing costs, residents retain 86.8% of income, reflecting strong purchasing power and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

Galston - Laughtondale is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

The dwelling structure in Galston - Laughtondale, as per the latest Census, consisted of 90.0% houses and 10.0% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Sydney metro's 91.0% houses and 9.0% other dwellings. Home ownership in Galston - Laughtondale stood at 47.9%, similar to Sydney metro, with the rest being mortgaged (38.9%) or rented (13.3%). The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,784, lower than Sydney metro's average of $3,000. The median weekly rent figure was $460, compared to Sydney metro's $520. Nationally, Galston - Laughtondale's mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $1,863, and rents substantially above the national average of $375.

Galston - Laughtondale features high concentrations of family households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 78.5% of all households, including 40.0% couples with children, 29.7% couples without children, and 8.1% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 21.5%, with lone person households at 19.2% and group households comprising 2.3% of the total. The median household size is 2.9 people, which is smaller than the Greater Sydney average of 3.1.

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

Educational qualifications in Galston - Laughtondale trail regional benchmarks. As of 2021, 31.5% of residents aged 15+ hold university degrees compared to the SA4 region's 40.4%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 21.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (7.7%) and graduate diplomas (2.6%). Vocational credentials are prominent, with 36.5% of residents aged 15+ holding them - advanced diplomas (12.8%) and certificates (23.7%).

Educational participation is high, with 28.9% of residents currently enrolled in formal education as of the 2021 census. This includes 9.3% in primary education, 9.1% in secondary education, and 4.8% pursuing tertiary education. Galston - Laughtondale's four schools had a combined enrollment of 1,387 students in 2021. The area demonstrates above-average socio-educational conditions with an ICSEA score of 1063. The educational mix includes two primary schools, one secondary school, and one K-12 school.

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

Galston-Laughtondale has 72 active public transport stops, operating from January 1st, 2023. These stops offer a mix of bus services, with 55 individual routes providing 526 weekly passenger trips combined. Transport accessibility is rated as limited, with residents typically located 889 meters away from the nearest stop.

Service frequency averages 75 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 7 weekly trips per individual stop.

Galston - Laughtondale's residents are healthier than average in comparison to broader Australia with a fairly standard level of common health conditions seen across both young and old age cohorts

Galston - Laughtondale residents show positive health outcomes with common conditions seen across age groups. Private health cover is high at approximately 70%, compared to 77.1% in Greater Sydney and a national average of 55.3%. The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (9.3%) and asthma (6.2%).

69.7% report being free from ailments, slightly lower than the Greater Sydney average of 72.3%. Residents aged 65 and over comprise 26.8%, higher than Greater Sydney's 22.4%. Health outcomes among seniors are notably strong, outperforming general population metrics.

In terms of cultural diversity, Galston - Laughtondale records figures broadly comparable to the national average, as found in AreaSearch's assessment of a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Galston-Laughtondale's cultural diversity aligns with its broader region, where 80.4% were Australian-born, 91.0% were citizens, and 90.0% spoke English only at home. Christianity dominated Galston-Laughtondale (62.6%), slightly lower than Greater Sydney's 65.5%. The top three ancestral groups were English (30.7%), Australian (25.1%), and Irish (8.3%).

Notably, Lebanese (2.2%) and Italian (5.1%) populations exceeded regional averages of 3.6% and 6.0%, respectively, while Maltese (0.8%) was lower than the region's 1.7%.

Galston - Laughtondale hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

Galston-Laughtondale's median age is 47 years, which is higher than Greater Sydney's average of 37 years and exceeds the national average of 38 years. The age group of 75-84 years has strong representation at 10.4%, compared to Greater Sydney, while the 25-34 cohort is less prevalent at 7.2%. According to post-2021 Census data, the 75 to 84 age group grew from 8.1% to 10.4% of the population, and the 15 to 24 cohort increased from 12.3% to 13.8%. Conversely, the 45 to 54 cohort declined from 14.6% to 13.2%, and the 55 to 64 group dropped from 14.8% to 13.5%. Demographic modeling suggests that Galston-Laughtondale's age profile will significantly evolve by 2041, with the 75 to 84 cohort projected to grow by 53%, adding 303 residents to reach 875. Senior residents aged 65 and above will drive all population growth, highlighting demographic aging trends. Meanwhile, population declines are projected for the 55 to 64 age group and the 0 to 4 cohort.