Matraville - Chifley
Statistical Area - sa2

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

Matraville - Chifley's population is around 14,198 as of Aug 2025. This reflects an increase of 786 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 13,412 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 13,966 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 80 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 4,163 persons per square kilometer, which places Matraville - Chifley in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Over the past decade, Matraville - Chifley has demonstrated resilient growth patterns with a compound annual growth rate of 0.6%, outpacing the SA3 area. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration, contributing approximately 82.9% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilises NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Based on demographic trends and latest population numbers, Matraville - Chifley is expected to expand by 667 persons to 2041, with an increase of 3.1% in total over the 17 years.

Recent residential development output has been above average within Matraville - Chifley when compared nationally

Matraville - Chifley has granted approximately 76 residential property approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling 382 homes. In FY-26, up to this point, 20 approvals have been recorded. On average, about 0.8 people per year have moved to the area for each dwelling built between FY-21 and FY-25. New construction has kept pace with or exceeded demand, providing more options for buyers and potentially enabling population growth beyond current expectations.

The average expected construction cost of new properties is $639,000, slightly above the regional average, indicating a focus on quality developments. This financial year has seen $675,000 in commercial approvals, suggesting minimal commercial development activity compared to Greater Sydney. Matraville - Chifley shows 113.0% higher new home approvals per person than Greater Sydney, offering greater choice for buyers. New building activity consists of approximately 18.0% detached houses and 82.0% townhouses or apartments, marking a significant shift from the current housing pattern of 50.0% houses. This focus on higher-density living creates more affordable entry points for downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers. Matraville - Chifley reflects a low density area with around 200 people per approval.

Population forecasts indicate that the area will gain approximately 435 residents by 2041. With current construction levels, housing supply should meet demand adequately, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling growth beyond current forecasts.

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

Changes in local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 16 projects that could affect the region. Notable ones include Finucane Reserve Upgrade, Seniors Housing - Combles Parade & Hamel Road, Yorktown Parade, and Fitzgerald Avenue Affordable Housing Redevelopment, along with Prince Henry at Little Bay. 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.

Matraville - Chifley shows employment indicators that trail behind approximately 70% of regions assessed across Australia

Matraville-Chifley has a well-educated workforce with professional services being strongly represented. The unemployment rate in the area is 8.5%, with an estimated employment growth of 3.5% over the past year.

As of June 2025, there are 7,102 residents employed while the unemployment rate stands at 4.3%, which is above Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%. Workforce participation in Matraville-Chifley is broadly similar to Greater Sydney's figure of 60.0%. Employment among residents is concentrated in health care & social assistance, construction, and education & training sectors. The area shows strong specialization in construction with an employment share of 1.3 times the regional level.

Conversely, professional & technical services show lower representation at 8.8% compared to the regional average of 11.5%. The predominantly residential area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities as indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment in Matraville-Chifley increased by 3.5% while labour force increased by 2.4%, resulting in a decrease in unemployment by 1.0 percentage points. In comparison, Greater Sydney recorded employment growth of 2.6%, labour force growth of 2.9%, and an increase in unemployment of 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 offer insight into potential future demand within Matraville-Chifley. National employment is forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with growth rates differing significantly between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Matraville-Chifley's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.8% over five years and 13.8% over ten years.

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

Matraville-Chifley has a high national income level according to latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2022. The median income among taxpayers is $54,499 and the average income stands at $76,352. Comparing with 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 would be approximately $61,371 (median) and $85,980 (average) as of September 2025. According to the 2021 Census, incomes in Matraville-Chifley cluster around the 67th percentile nationally. Income analysis reveals 25.3% of the population falls within the $1,500-$2,999 income range. Economic strength is evident with 35.6% of households achieving high weekly earnings exceeding $3,000, supporting elevated consumer spending. High housing costs consume 18.3% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 71st percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 7th decile.

Matraville - Chifley displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Matraville - Chifley's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, had 50.5% houses and 49.5% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), contrasting with Sydney metro's 26.9% houses and 73.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Matraville - Chifley stood at 33.0%, with mortgaged dwellings at 32.6% and rented ones at 34.5%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $3,000, below Sydney metro's average of $3,033. The median weekly rent in Matraville - Chifley was $475, compared to Sydney metro's $550. Nationally, mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents substantially above the national figure of $375.

Matraville - Chifley has a typical household mix, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households comprise 75.0% of all households, including 40.4% couples with children, 19.6% couples without children, and 13.7% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 25.0%, with lone person households at 22.3% and group households comprising 2.7%. The median household size is 2.8 people, larger than the Greater Sydney average of 2.4.

Educational attainment in Matraville - Chifley aligns closely with national averages, showing typical qualification patterns and performance metrics

The area faces educational challenges, with university qualification rates at 30.4%, substantially below the SA4 region average of 54.6%. This represents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees lead at 20.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (8.2%) and graduate diplomas (2.0%). Trade and technical skills feature prominently, with 32.0% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas (11.3%) and certificates (20.7%).

Educational participation is notably high, with 30.8% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.1% in primary education, 8.8% in secondary education, and 5.6% pursuing tertiary education. Matraville - Chifley's 4 schools have combined enrollment reaching 1,148 students as of the latest data. The area demonstrates typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 989) with balanced educational opportunities. Education provision is balanced with 3 primary and 1 secondary schools serving distinct age groups. School places per 100 residents (8.1) fall below the regional average (11.1), indicating some students may attend schools in adjacent areas.

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

The analysis of public transport in Matraville - Chifley shows that there are 66 active transport stops currently operating. These stops serve a mix of bus routes, with a total of 31 individual routes providing service to the area. The combined weekly passenger trips across these routes amount to 4,690.

The accessibility of public transport in Matraville - Chifley is rated as excellent, with residents typically located just 151 meters from their nearest transport stop. The average service frequency across all routes is 670 trips per day, which translates to approximately 71 weekly trips per individual stop.

Matraville - Chifley's residents are extremely healthy with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Analysis of health metrics shows strong performance throughout Matraville-Chifley. Both young and old age cohorts have low prevalence of common health conditions.

The rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 58% of the total population (8,206 people), compared to 70.6% across Greater Sydney. The most common medical conditions are arthritis and asthma, impacting 7.2 and 6.5% of residents respectively. 72.6% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 76.0% across Greater Sydney. As of 31 December 2020, the area has 18.2% of residents aged 65 and over (2,579 people), which is higher than the 15.1% in Greater Sydney. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, broadly in line with the general population's health profile.

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

Matraville-Chifley has a high level of cultural diversity, with 34.8% of its population born overseas and 29.0% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Matraville-Chifley, comprising 63.5%. Judaism is overrepresented compared to Greater Sydney, making up 3.5% vs 4.4%.

The top three ancestry groups are English (18.5%), Australian (18.4%), and Other (13.2%). Notably, French (1.3%) and Russian (1.1%) ethnicities show no divergence from regional figures, while Hungarian is slightly overrepresented at 0.6% compared to the region's 0.6%.

Matraville - Chifley hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

The median age in Matraville - Chifley is 42 years, which is significantly higher than Greater Sydney's average of 37 years and Australia's median age of 38 years. The 45-54 age group comprises 14.7% of the population compared to Greater Sydney, while the 25-34 cohort makes up 8.7%. According to post-2021 Census data, the 15-24 age group has increased from 12.0% to 15.1%, but the 25-34 cohort has decreased from 9.8% to 8.7%, and the 55-64 group has dropped from 13.2% to 12.1%. Population forecasts for Matraville - Chifley in 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes, with the 85+ age group expected to grow by 86% (282 people), reaching a total of 609 from 326. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups will account for 52% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. Conversely, the 25-34 and 65-74 cohorts are expected to experience population declines.