Guildford West - Merrylands West

Population growth drivers in Guildford West - Merrylands West are strong compared to national averages based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Guildford West - Merrylands West's population was around 24,584 as of November 2025. This figure reflects an increase of 1,655 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 22,929. The change is inferred from ABS estimates: 24,554 in June 2024 and an additional 84 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 4,494 persons per square kilometer, placing it in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The area's growth of 7.2% since the 2021 census exceeded both its SA3 area (6.5%) and the state level, indicating strong population growth. Overseas migration contributed approximately 61.8% of overall 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, NSW State Government's SA2 level projections are used, 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. Based on projected demographic shifts and latest annual ERP population numbers, the area is expected to grow by 3,075 persons to 2041, reflecting an increase of 12.4% in total over the 17-year period.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Guildford West - Merrylands West among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

Guildford West - Merrylands West has averaged approximately 127 new dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling 637 homes. As of FY-26, 51 approvals have been recorded. On average, each dwelling accommodates around 2.4 new residents per year based on data from FY-21 to FY-25. The average construction cost value for new homes is approximately $297,000.

This financial year has seen $2.8 million in commercial approvals, reflecting the area's predominantly residential nature. Compared to Greater Sydney, Guildford West - Merrylands West has around three-quarters the rate of new dwelling approvals per person and ranks among the 67th percentile nationally when measured by this metric. New development consists of approximately 35.0% detached houses and 65.0% attached dwellings, marking a shift from existing housing patterns (currently 58.0% houses). The location has an approximate population density of 210 people per dwelling approval, indicating a growing market. According to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate, Guildford West - Merrylands West is projected to add approximately 3,045 residents by 2041.

With current construction levels, housing supply should meet demand adequately, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts.

Guildford West - Merrylands West 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 has identified 34 projects that could affect this region. Notable ones are Merrylands RSL Club Redevelopment Stage 2, Guildford Swim Centre Modernisation Project, 246 Woodville Road Mixed-Use Development, and Merrylands West Public School Upgrade. The following list details those most likely to be 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 Guildford West - Merrylands West face significant challenges, ranking among the bottom 10% of areas assessed nationally

Guildford West - Merrylands West has a skilled workforce with diverse sector representation. Its unemployment rate was 11.9% in the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 0.6%.

As of September 2025, 9,953 residents are employed, but the unemployment rate is higher than Greater Sydney's at 7.7%, indicating room for improvement. Workforce participation is lower at 45.1% compared to Greater Sydney's 60.0%. Leading employment industries include health care & social assistance, retail trade, and construction. The area has a notable concentration in transport, postal & warehousing, with employment levels at 1.5 times the regional average.

However, professional & technical services show lower representation at 5.8% compared to the regional average of 11.5%. Over the year to September 2025, employment increased by 0.6%, but labour force grew by 3.5%, causing unemployment to rise by 2.5 percentage points. In comparison, Greater Sydney recorded employment growth of 2.1% and unemployment rose by 0.2 percentage points. State-level data from 25-Nov shows NSW employment contracted by 0.03%, with the state unemployment rate at 3.9%. National employment forecasts from May-25 suggest national employment will expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but growth rates differ significantly between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Guildford West - Merrylands West's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.4% over five years and 13.3% over ten years.

Income figures position the area below 75% of locations analysed nationally by AreaSearch

The Guildford West - Merrylands West SA2's median income among taxpayers was $40,837 in financial year 2022. The average income stood at $51,015 for the same period. These figures are below Greater Sydney's median and average incomes of $56,994 and $80,856 respectively. Based on a Wage Price Index growth rate of 12.61% since financial year 2022, estimated median income is approximately $45,987 and average income is around $57,448 as of September 2025. According to the 2021 Census, individual incomes at the 10th percentile were $587 weekly. Household income was at the 33rd percentile. The largest income segment comprised 31.4% earning $1,500 - $2,999 weekly, with 7,719 residents falling into this category. This aligns with metropolitan regions where this cohort represents 30.9%. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 77.3% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 23rd percentile.

Guildford West - Merrylands West displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

The dwelling structure in Guildford West - Merrylands West, as per the latest Census, consisted of 58.5% houses and 41.4% other dwellings. In comparison, Sydney metro had 62.1% houses and 37.8% other dwellings. Home ownership in Guildford West - Merrylands West stood at 25.2%, with the rest being mortgaged (32.4%) or rented (42.4%). The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,167, aligning with Sydney metro's average, while the median weekly rent was $400, also matching Sydney metro figures. Nationally, Guildford West - Merrylands West's mortgage repayments were higher at $2,167 compared to Australia's average of $1,863, and rents were higher too, at $400 versus the national figure of $375.

Guildford West - Merrylands West features high concentrations of group households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 72.8% of all households, including 38.7% couples with children, 17.1% couples without children, and 15.2% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 27.2%, with lone person households at 23.0% and group households comprising 4.2%. The median household size is 3.0 people, which is smaller than the Greater Sydney average of 3.1.

Guildford West - Merrylands West shows below-average educational performance compared to national benchmarks, though pockets of achievement exist

The area's university qualification rate is 22.6%, significantly lower than the SA4 region average of 39.1%. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 16.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (5.0%) and graduate diplomas (1.3%). Vocational credentials are held by 29.6% of residents aged 15+, with advanced diplomas at 11.5% and certificates at 18.1%. Educational participation is high, with 34.9% of residents currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes 11.5% in primary education, 9.7% in secondary education, and 6.1% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Guildford West - Merrylands West has 151 active public transport stops. These comprise a mix of train and bus services. There are 47 individual routes operating in the area, collectively providing 5,519 weekly passenger trips.

The average distance from residents to the nearest transport stop is 119 meters, indicating excellent accessibility. On average, there are 788 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 36 weekly trips per individual stop.

Guildford West - Merrylands West's residents are extremely healthy with prevalence of common health conditions low among the general population though higher than the nation's average across older, at risk cohorts

Analysis of health metrics shows strong performance throughout Guildford West - Merrylands West. Prevalence of common health conditions is low among the general population but higher than the national average across older, at-risk cohorts.

The rate of private health cover is extremely low at approximately 46% of the total population (~11,406 people), compared to the national average of 55.3%. The most common medical conditions in the area are arthritis and asthma, impacting 6.1 and 5.8% of residents respectively. 75.7% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 77.0% across Greater Sydney. The area has 12.7% of residents aged 65 and over (3,129 people), which is lower than the 13.9% in Greater Sydney. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, requiring more attention than the broader population.

Guildford West - Merrylands 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

Guildford West-Merrrylands West is one of Australia's most culturally diverse areas, with 47.0% of its population born overseas and 61.9% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Guildford West-Merrrylands West, comprising 48.4% of people. However, Islam has an overrepresentation here compared to Greater Sydney, with 32.0% versus 29.1%.

The top three ancestry groups are Other (32.2%), Lebanese (16.8%), and Australian (13.3%). Notably, Samoan (0.9%) is slightly overrepresented compared to the regional figure of 0.7%, while Filipino (2.2%) and Vietnamese (1.3%) have lower representation than their respective regional percentages of 2.1% and 4.0%.

Guildford West - Merrylands West's young demographic places it in the bottom 15% of areas nationwide

Guildford West - Merrylands West has a median age of 33, which is younger than Greater Sydney's figure of 37 and Australia's national average of 38 years. Compared to Greater Sydney, Guildford West - Merrylands West has a higher proportion of residents aged 15-24 (15.2%) but fewer residents aged 35-44 (13.4%). Between the 2021 Census and now, the population aged 15 to 24 has increased from 13.6% to 15.2%, while the 25 to 34 age group has decreased from 16.9% to 15.8%. By 2041, significant demographic changes are projected for Guildford West - Merrylands West. The 55-64 age cohort is expected to grow by 30%, adding 749 residents and reaching a total of 3,215. Conversely, both the 25-34 and 0-4 age groups are projected to decrease in number.