Guildford West - Merrylands West
Statistical Area - sa2

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 is approximately 24,584 as of November 2025. This figure represents an increase of 1,655 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 22,929. The change is inferred from ABS data showing an estimated resident population of 24,554 in June 2024 and an additional 84 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 4,494 persons per square kilometer, placing Guildford West - Merrylands West in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The area's 7.2% growth since the 2021 census exceeds both the SA3 area (6.5%) and the state average. Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration, contributing 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, 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 the years 2032 to 2041. Based on projected demographic shifts, Guildford West - Merrylands West is expected to grow by approximately 3,075 persons to 2041, representing a total increase of 12.4% 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 so far, 41 approvals have been recorded. This area has seen an average of 2.4 new residents per year for each dwelling over the past five financial years (FY-21 to FY-25), indicating strong demand that supports property values. New homes are being built at an average expected construction cost value of $297,000, aligning with broader regional development trends.

In FY-26, there have been $2.8 million in commercial approvals, reflecting the area's primarily 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 against other areas assessed. New development consists of 35.0% detached houses and 65.0% attached dwellings, marking a significant shift from existing housing patterns (currently 58.0% houses), suggesting diminishing developable land availability and responding to evolving lifestyle preferences and housing affordability needs. The location has approximately 210 people per dwelling approval, indicating potential for growth. Future projections estimate Guildford West - Merrylands West will add 3,045 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.

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 likely to affect the region. Notable initiatives include Merrylands RSL Club Redevelopment Stage 2, Guildford Swim Centre Modernisation Project, Merrylands West Public School Upgrade, and Sydney Metro West - Westmead to The Bays. Relevant projects are detailed below.

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

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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, an unemployment rate of 12.0% as of June 2025. There are 9,859 residents employed, which is 7.8% higher than Greater Sydney's unemployment rate of 4.2%.

Workforce participation in the area is lower at 45.1%, compared to Greater Sydney's 60.0%. The leading employment industries among residents include health care & social assistance, retail trade, and construction. Transport, postal & warehousing shows strong specialization with an employment share of 1.5 times the regional level. However, professional & technical services have lower representation at 5.8% compared to the regional average of 11.5%.

The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the difference between Census working population and resident population. Over the 12 months to June 2025, labour force levels increased by 3.1%, while employment decreased by 0.5%, causing a rise in unemployment rate of 3.2 percentage points. In comparison, Greater Sydney recorded employment growth of 2.6% and labour force growth of 2.9%, with an increase in unemployment of 0.3 percentage points. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia, May 2025, project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Guildford West - Merrylands West's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.4% over five years and 13.3% over ten years.

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

Guildford West - Merrylands West had a lower than average national income level in financial year 2022. Its median income among taxpayers was $40,837 and the average income was $51,015. This compares to Greater Sydney's figures of $56,994 and $80,856 respectively. As of September 2025, estimated incomes would be approximately $45,987 (median) and $57,448 (average), based on a 12.61% Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2022. Census 2021 income data showed individual incomes at the 10th percentile were $587 weekly, while household incomes were at the 33rd percentile. Income brackets indicated that 31.4% of the community (7,719 individuals) earned between $1,500 and $2,999, consistent with broader metropolitan trends. Housing affordability pressures were severe, with only 77.3% of income remaining, ranking at the 24th 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 data, consisted of 58.5% houses and 41.4% other dwellings such as semi-detached homes, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. This is compared to Sydney metropolitan areas which had 62.1% houses and 37.8% other dwellings. The home ownership level in Guildford West - Merrylands West was at 25.2%, with the remaining dwellings either mortgaged (32.4%) or rented (42.4%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in this area was $2,167, aligning with the Sydney metro average, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded at $400, matching the Sydney metro figures of $2,167 and $400 respectively. Nationally, Guildford West - Merrylands West's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, with rents exceeding 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 constitute 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 comprise the remaining 27.2%, with lone person households at 23.0% and group households making up 4.2%. The median household size is 3.0 people, 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 common 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% currently enrolled in formal education: 11.5% in primary, 9.7% in secondary, and 6.1% in tertiary education.

Seven schools operate within Guildford West - Merrylands West, educating approximately 3,400 students. The area has typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 981) with balanced educational opportunities. Four primary and three secondary schools serve distinct age groups. Note: where schools show 'n/a' for enrolments, please refer to the parent campus.

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

Guildford West-Merrrylands West has 151 active public transport stops offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by 47 different routes, facilitating 5,519 weekly passenger trips in total. Residents enjoy excellent transport accessibility, with an average distance of 119 meters to the nearest stop.

On average, there are 788 trips per day across all routes, translating to about 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 among 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, while 75.7% declared 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 has a high level of cultural diversity, 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 this area, making up 48.4% of the population. However, Islam is significantly overrepresented, comprising 32.0% compared to 29.1% across Greater Sydney.

The top three ancestry groups are Other (32.2%), Lebanese (16.8%), and Australian (13.3%). Some ethnic groups have notable divergences in representation: Samoan is at 0.9%, Maltese at 0.9%, and Filipino at 2.2%.

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 the present day, the proportion of residents aged 15 to 24 has increased from 13.6% to 15.2%, while the proportion of those aged 25 to 34 has decreased from 16.9% to 15.8%. By the year 2041, population forecasts indicate significant demographic shifts in Guildford West - Merrylands West. The 55-64 age group is projected to grow by 30%, adding 749 residents to reach a total of 3,215. Conversely, both the 25-34 and 0-4 age groups are expected to decrease in number.