Macquarie Fields
Statistical Area - sa2

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

Macquarie Fields' population is around 14,485 as of Aug 2025. This reflects an increase of 287 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 14,198 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 14,477 in June 2024 and an additional 66 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 1,605 persons per square kilometer, above the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration contributing approximately 59.2% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered, AreaSearch utilises NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021. Growth rates by age group are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Future population trends anticipate lower quartile growth, with the area expected to grow by 632 persons to 2041 based on latest population numbers, an increase of 4.3% in total over the 17 years.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Macquarie Fields according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

Macquarie Fields has received approximately 42 dwelling approvals per year over the past five financial years, totalling 211 homes. As of FY-26, 10 approvals have been recorded. On average, around 0.1 person moves to the area annually for each dwelling built between FY-21 and FY-25, indicating that supply is meeting or exceeding demand. New properties are constructed at an average expected cost of $326,000, which is below regional norms, offering more affordable housing options.

In FY-26, $69,000 in commercial development approvals have been recorded, reflecting the area's residential nature. Compared to Greater Sydney, Macquarie Fields has significantly less development activity, with 55.0% fewer approvals per person. This constrained new construction typically reinforces demand and pricing for existing dwellings. Nationally, Macquarie Fields also reflects lower development activity, suggesting market maturity and potential development constraints. New developments consist of 71.0% detached houses and 29.0% townhouses or apartments, maintaining the area's suburban identity with a focus on family homes.

With around 397 people per dwelling approval, Macquarie Fields indicates a developed market. By 2041, it is projected to grow by approximately 624 residents. Based on current development patterns, new housing supply should readily meet demand, providing favourable conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

Macquarie Fields has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 10% nationally

Sixteen projects have been identified by AreaSearch as potentially impacting the area. Key projects include: Macquarie Fields Station Upgrade, Macquarie Fields Indoor Sports Centre Floor Replacement, Macquarie Fields Precinct, and Atchison, Saywell and Parliament Roads Traffic Light Upgrade. The following list details those likely to be most relevant.

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

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AreaSearch assessment indicates Macquarie Fields faces employment challenges relative to the majority of Australian markets

Macquarie Fields has a skilled workforce with well-represented essential services sectors. The unemployment rate in June 2025 was 9.2%, showing an estimated employment growth of 5.7% over the past year.

As of that date, 6,242 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 5.0% higher than Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%. Workforce participation in Macquarie Fields was significantly lower at 49.7%, compared to Greater Sydney's 60.0%. Employment among residents is concentrated in health care & social assistance, retail trade, and manufacturing. The area has a high specialization in manufacturing, with an employment share of 1.8 times the regional level.

Conversely, professional & technical services show lower representation at 6.3% compared to the regional average of 11.5%. Employment opportunities locally appear limited as indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment levels increased by 5.7%, while the labour force grew by 4.8%, causing the unemployment rate to fall by 0.8 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Sydney experienced employment growth of 2.6% and labour force growth of 2.9%, with a rise in unemployment rate by 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 project national employment to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with varying growth rates between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Macquarie Fields' employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.3% over five years and 13.4% over ten years.

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

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 shows Macquarie Fields had a median taxpayer income of $46,459 and an average of $52,507. Both figures are below the national averages. Greater Sydney's median was $56,994 with an average of $80,856. Based on Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2022, current estimates for Macquarie Fields would be approximately $52,317 (median) and $59,128 (average) as of September 2025. Census data indicates household income ranks at the 27th percentile with a weekly income of $1,378, while personal income is at the 11th percentile. Distribution data shows that 33.3% of individuals earn between $1,500 and $2,999 per week (4,823 individuals), similar to regional levels where 30.9% fall within this bracket. Housing affordability pressures are severe with only 78.9% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 21st percentile.

Macquarie Fields is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Macquarie Fields' housing structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 70.6% houses and 29.3% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Sydney metro's 78.5% houses and 21.5% other dwellings. Home ownership in Macquarie Fields was at 22.1%, with mortgaged dwellings at 34.4% and rented ones at 43.6%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,800, lower than Sydney metro's $2,100, and the median weekly rent was $340, compared to Sydney metro's $380. Nationally, Macquarie Fields' mortgage repayments were below the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were less than the national figure of $375.

Macquarie Fields has a typical household mix, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households constitute 75.9% of all households, including 38.3% couples with children, 16.6% couples without children, and 19.6% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 24.1%, with lone person households at 21.8% and group households comprising 2.2%. The median household size is 2.9 people, which aligns with the Greater Sydney average.

Educational outcomes in Macquarie Fields fall within the lower quartile nationally, indicating opportunities for improvement in qualification attainment

The area's university qualification rate is 25.7%, significantly lower than Greater Sydney's average of 38.0%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 16.5%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (7.7%) and graduate diplomas (1.5%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 30.1% of residents aged 15 and above holding them - advanced diplomas (9.3%) and certificates (20.8%). Educational participation is high at 34.2%, including 12.6% in primary, 10.0% in secondary, and 5.1% in tertiary education.

Seven schools operate within Macquarie Fields, educating approximately 3,595 students, with typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 955) and balanced educational opportunities. The mix includes three primary, three secondary, and one K-12 school. School capacity exceeds residential needs at 24.8 places per 100 residents versus the regional average of 17.3, indicating the area serves as an educational center for the broader region.

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

Transport analysis indicates 106 active public transport stops in Macquarie Fields. These stops offer bus services only, with a total of 33 routes providing 828 weekly passenger trips combined. The average distance to the nearest stop for residents is 139 meters, indicating excellent accessibility.

Service frequency averages 118 trips per day across all routes, resulting in approximately 7 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health outcomes in Macquarie Fields are marginally below the national average with the level of common health conditions among the general population somewhat typical, though higher than the nation's average among older cohorts

Macquarie Fields shows below-average health indicators with common conditions' prevalence being somewhat typical but higher than national averages among older cohorts. Approximately 47% of its total population (~6,764 people) has private health cover, compared to Greater Sydney's 49.3% and the national average of 55.3%. The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (8.0%) and asthma (7.7%), with 69.9% of residents reporting no medical ailments, slightly lower than Greater Sydney's 70.3%.

About 15.4% of residents are aged 65 and over (2,224 people), requiring more health attention due to the challenges presented by senior health outcomes.

Macquarie Fields is among the most culturally diverse areas in the country based on AreaSearch assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Macquarie Fields has a high level of cultural diversity, with 43.3% of its population born overseas and 47.1% speaking a language other than English at home. The dominant religion in Macquarie Fields is Christianity, accounting for 43.9% of the population. Islam is notably overrepresented, comprising 17.9% compared to the Greater Sydney average of 12.5%.

In terms of ancestry, the top three groups are Other (26.9%), Australian (18.0%), and English (15.8%). Samoan, Indian, and Lebanese ethnicities are also notably represented at 3.3%, 6.7%, and 1.9% respectively, differing from regional averages.

Macquarie Fields's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

Macquarie Fields's median age is 36 years, nearly matching Greater Sydney's average of 37 years, which is modestly under the Australian median of 38 years. Compared to Greater Sydney, Macquarie Fields has a higher concentration of residents aged 5-14 (15.8%) but fewer residents aged 25-34 (11.8%). Between the 2021 Census and now, the population aged 15-24 has grown from 12.8% to 14.1%, while the population aged 75-84 has increased from 4.3% to 5.3%. Conversely, the population aged 25-34 has declined from 12.8% to 11.8%. Demographic modeling suggests that Macquarie Fields's age profile will significantly evolve by 2041. The population aged 45-54 is projected to grow by 26%, adding 459 residents to reach 2,214. Senior residents (65+) are expected to drive 63% of population growth, highlighting demographic aging trends. Meanwhile, the populations aged 25-34 and 35-44 are anticipated to experience declines.