Haberfield - Summer Hill

Haberfield - Summer Hill has shown very soft population growth performance across periods assessed by AreaSearch

Haberfield-Summer Hill's population is approximately 14,097 as of May 2026. This figure represents an increase of 577 people since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 13,520. The growth was inferred from ABS data showing an estimated resident population of 14,061 in June 2025 and an additional 56 validated new addresses post-census. This results in a population density of 4,062 persons per square kilometer, placing Haberfield-Summer Hill among the top 10% of locations nationally assessed by AreaSearch. The area's 4.3% growth since the Census is comparable to its SA4 region's growth rate of 6.6%. Overseas migration was the primary driver of this population increase.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022, and NSW State Government's SA2 level projections where applicable, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021. These projections indicate a decline in overall population by 309 persons by 2041, but specific age cohorts are expected to grow, notably the 75-84 age group projected to expand by 345 people.

The level of residential development activity in Haberfield - Summer Hill is very low in comparison to the average area assessed nationally by AreaSearch

Haberfield-Summer Hill has seen approximately 13 new homes approved annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, around 66 homes were approved, with an additional 5 approved so far in FY26. On average, over these five years, about 0.1 new residents arrived per year for each new home approved.

This indicates that new supply is meeting or exceeding demand, providing ample buyer choice and creating capacity for population growth beyond current forecasts. The average construction value of new dwellings is $389,000. In FY26, $43.6 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded, indicating high levels of local commercial activity. Compared to Greater Sydney, Haberfield-Summer Hill shows significantly reduced construction rates, with 81.0% below the regional average per person. This scarcity typically strengthens demand and prices for existing properties. Nationally, this activity is also below average, suggesting possible planning constraints. New building activity comprises approximately 20.0% detached houses and 80.0% medium to high-density housing.

This focus on higher-density living creates more affordable entry points, benefiting downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers. This shift reflects the current housing mix of 45.0% houses, indicating reduced availability of development sites and addressing changing lifestyle demands and affordability requirements. The area has approximately 4472 people per dwelling approval, suggesting an established market. Given population projections showing stability or decline, Haberfield-Summer Hill is expected to experience reduced housing demand pressures, benefiting potential buyers.

Haberfield - Summer Hill has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 20% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 53 projects that could affect the area. Notable ones include Sydney Metro Sydenham to Bankstown Conversion, 845-847 New Canterbury Road Development, Dulwich Hill Station Precinct Public Domain Improvements, and Inner West GreenWay (Cooks to Cove). 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 performance in Haberfield - Summer Hill has been broadly consistent with national averages

Haberfield-Summer Hill has a highly educated workforce with notable representation in the technology sector. The unemployment rate stands at 3.6%. As of December 2025, 8,373 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 0.5% lower than Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%.

Workforce participation is similar to Greater Sydney's at 71.1%. According to Census responses, 60.4% of residents work from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. Key employment industries include professional & technical services, health care & social assistance, and education & training. The area shows strong specialization in professional & technical services with an employment share of 1.4 times the regional level, but lower representation in construction at 5.6% compared to the regional average of 8.6%.

Limited local employment opportunities are suggested by the resident population versus working population count. Between December 2024 and November 2025, labour force decreased by 1.8% while employment also declined by 1.8%, with unemployment remaining stable. In contrast, Greater Sydney saw employment growth of 2.2% and labour force growth of 2.3%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Haberfield-Summer Hill's employment mix suggests local employment could grow by 7.2% in five years and 14.5% in ten years, though these are simple extrapolations for illustrative purposes only.

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

AreaSearch reports that based on its aggregation of postcode level ATO data released for financial year ending June 2023, Haberfield - Summer Hill SA2 had a median income among taxpayers of $70,920 and an average income of $107,047. These figures are notably higher than the national averages of $60,817 and $83,003 for Greater Sydney respectively. By March 2026, estimated median and average incomes would be approximately $78,239 and $118,094 based on a 10.32% increase since financial year ending June 2023, as per the Wage Price Index growth. According to Australian Bureau of Statistics data from the 2021 Census, incomes in Haberfield - Summer Hill rank highly nationally, between the 87th and 90th percentiles for household, family, and personal incomes. Income analysis shows that the $4,000+ bracket dominates with 28.9% of residents (4,074 people), differing from regional patterns where the $1,500 - $2,999 bracket is dominant at 30.9%. Economic strength is evident with 40.8% of households earning high weekly incomes exceeding $3,000, supporting elevated consumer spending. High housing costs consume 15.9% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 85th percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

Haberfield - Summer Hill displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

In Haberfield-Summer Hill, as per the latest Census data, 45.2% of dwellings were houses while 54.8% were other types such as semi-detached homes, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. This is compared to Sydney metropolitan area's figures of 55.9% houses and 44.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Haberfield-Summer Hill stood at 33.6%, with mortgaged dwellings at 30.0% and rented ones at 36.4%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $3,000, higher than Sydney metro's average of $2,427. Median weekly rent in Haberfield-Summer Hill was recorded at $470, matching Sydney metro's figure. Nationally, mortgage repayments were significantly higher compared to the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Haberfield - Summer Hill features high concentrations of group households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 67.2% of all households, including 31.5% couples with children, 25.5% couples without children, and 9.1% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 32.8%, with lone person households at 28.2% and group households comprising 4.6%. The median household size is 2.4 people, which is smaller than the Greater Sydney average of 2.7.

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

Educational attainment in Haberfield-Summer Hill is notably higher than national averages. Among residents aged 15 and above, 50.3% hold university qualifications, compared to 30.4% nationally and 32.2% in NSW. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 31.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (14.8%) and graduate diplomas (3.8%). Vocational pathways account for 21.7%, with advanced diplomas at 9.9% and certificates at 11.8%.

Educational participation is high, with 28.7% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 8.0% in primary education, 7.9% in tertiary education, and 7.2% pursuing secondary education.

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

Haberfield-Summer Hill has 89 active public transport stops offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by 43 individual routes, facilitating 6,497 weekly passenger trips in total. Transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents typically residing just 156 meters from the nearest stop. In this primarily residential area, most commuters travel outward daily. Cars remain the dominant mode of transport at 65%, followed by trains at 15% and walking at 6%. The average vehicle ownership per dwelling stands at 0.9, below the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, a high 60.4% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 928 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 73 weekly trips per individual stop.

Haberfield - Summer Hill'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

Health data shows positive outcomes for Haberfield - Summer Hill residents. Mortality rates and health conditions align with national benchmarks. Common health conditions are seen across all age groups.

Private health cover is exceptionally high at 74% of the total population (10,431 people), compared to 59.9% in Greater Sydney and 55.7% nationally. The most common medical conditions are mental health issues (9.4%) and arthritis (6.9%), with 69.9% of residents reporting no medical ailments, compared to 74.6% in Greater Sydney. Under-65 population has better than average health outcomes. The area has 17.3% of residents aged 65 and over (2,440 people), higher than the 15.5% in Greater Sydney. Health outcomes among seniors are above average, aligning with national rankings for the general population.

Haberfield - Summer Hill was found to be more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets in Australia, upon assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Haberfield-Summer Hill was found to be more culturally diverse than most local areas, with 31.2% of its population born overseas and 27.3% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Haberfield-Summer Hill, making up 48.3% of the population. However, Judaism is notably overrepresented, comprising 0.4% compared to 0.8% across Greater Sydney.

The top three ancestry groups are English (19.7%), Australian (17.3%), and Italian (12.9%), which is significantly higher than the regional average of 3.4%. Other ethnic groups with notable divergences include Hungarian at 0.5% (vs regional 0.3%), Korean at 0.9% (vs 1.1%), and Spanish at 0.7% (vs 0.6%).

Haberfield - Summer Hill's population is slightly older than the national pattern

The median age in Haberfield - Summer Hill is 39 years, higher than Greater Sydney's average of 37 years and close to the national average of 38 years. Compared to Greater Sydney, the 55-64 cohort is over-represented at 12.1% locally, while the 5-14 year-olds are under-represented at 9.4%. Post-2021 Census data shows the 15-24 age group grew from 11.3% to 12.6%, and the 25-34 cohort increased from 15.5% to 16.7%. Conversely, the 45-54 cohort declined from 14.8% to 13.2%, and the 5-14 group dropped from 10.6% to 9.4%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes in Haberfield - Summer Hill, with the 75-84 group expected to grow by 36% (292 people), reaching 1,110 from 817. Residents aged 65 and older will represent 95% of anticipated growth. Meanwhile, the 0-4 and 25-34 cohorts are expected to experience population declines.