Merrylands - Holroyd

Merrylands - Holroyd lies within the top quartile of areas nationally for population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Merrylands - Holroyd's population is approximately 27,012 as of May 2026. This represents an increase of 3,206 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 23,806. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 27,004 in June 2025 and an additional 1,545 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 5,457 persons per square kilometer, placing Merrylands - Holroyd in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The area's growth rate of 13.5% since the 2021 census exceeds both the state average (7.1%) and the SA3 area average, indicating it is a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 66.1% 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 employs 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. Future population trends forecast a significant increase in Merrylands - Holroyd's top quartile statistical area, with an expected expansion of 7,766 persons by 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting a total gain of 28.7% over the 16-year period.

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

Merrylands-Holroyd averaged approximately 403 new dwelling approvals annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, 2,019 homes were approved, with an additional 84 approved in FY26 as of the current date. On average, 0.9 new residents per year arrived for each new home constructed between FY21 and FY25, indicating that new construction has been matching or exceeding demand.

The average construction value of these properties was $211,000, which is below the regional average, suggesting more affordable housing options. In FY26, commercial approvals totaled $17.7 million, signifying balanced commercial development activity. Compared to Greater Sydney, Merrylands-Holroyd had 135.0% more new home approvals per person as of the latest measurement. However, building activity has slowed in recent years. Nationally, this activity is above average, reflecting strong developer confidence in the area. The majority of new developments consist of townhouses or apartments (87.0%), with detached dwellings making up 13.0% of the total. This shift towards compact living offers affordable entry pathways and attracts downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers.

With approximately 241 people per dwelling approval, Merrylands-Holroyd exhibits a developing market. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, the area is projected to gain 7,756 residents by 2041. Given current development patterns, new housing supply should readily meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

Merrylands - Holroyd has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 10% nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 46 projects likely to affect the region. Notable ones include The Gladstone Village - Stage 3, Central Quarter Merrylands, Evolve Housing Merrylands Social and Affordable Housing, and Cardinal Gilroy Village Redevelopment - 45 Barcom Street. Below is a list of those most relevant.

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

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Employment drivers in Merrylands - Holroyd are experiencing difficulties, placing it among the bottom 20% of areas assessed across Australia

Merrylands-Holroyd has a well-educated workforce with professional services being strongly represented. The unemployment rate was 10.3% in the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 4.1%. As of December 2025, 11,428 residents were employed, but the unemployment rate was higher at 6.2%, compared to Greater Sydney's 4.2%.

Workforce participation was lower at 58.9% compared to Greater Sydney's 68.8%. A significant proportion of residents, 34.3%, worked from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. The leading employment industries were health care & social assistance, retail trade, and construction, with retail trade notably concentrated at 1.2 times the regional average. However, professional & technical services had limited presence with only 7.5% of employment compared to the regional average of 11.5%.

Despite being predominantly residential, the area offered some local employment opportunities as indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. Between December 2024 and December 2025, employment levels increased by 4.1%, while labour force grew by 4.3%, leading to a slight rise in unemployment (0.2 percentage points). In contrast, Greater Sydney saw employment grow by 2.2% and the labour force by 2.3%. According to Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25, national employment is projected to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Merrylands-Holroyd's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.5% over five years and 13.5% over ten years, though this is a simple extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for localised population projections.

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

The Merrylands - Holroyd SA2's median income among taxpayers in financial year 2023 was $46,722. The average income stood at $55,771 during the same period. In comparison, Greater Sydney had a median income of $60,817 and an average income of $83,003. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.32% since financial year 2023, current estimates suggest the median income would be approximately $51,544 by March 2026, with the average being around $61,527. According to the 2021 Census figures, household income in Merrylands - Holroyd ranked at the 33rd percentile ($1,461 weekly), while personal income was at the 15th percentile. The predominant income cohort spans 31.3% of locals (8,454 people) with incomes between $1,500 and $2,999 per week. This pattern is similar to the surrounding region where 30.9% of residents also fall within this income range. Housing affordability pressures are severe in Merrylands - Holroyd, with only 77.4% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 24th percentile.

Merrylands - Holroyd features a more urban dwelling mix with significant apartment living, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Merrylands-Holroyd's dwellings, as per the latest Census, consisted of 41.4% houses and 58.5% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Sydney metropolitan area had 55.9% houses and 44.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Merrylands-Holroyd was at 21.4%, with the rest being mortgaged (26.1%) or rented (52.5%). The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,000, lower than Sydney metro's average of $2,427. Median weekly rent in Merrylands-Holroyd was $400, compared to Sydney metro's $470. Nationally, Merrylands-Holroyd's mortgage repayments exceeded the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were higher than the national figure of $375.

Merrylands - Holroyd features high concentrations of group households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households comprise 70.0% of all households, including 37.5% couples with children, 17.2% couples without children, and 13.2% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 30.0%, with lone person households at 24.2% and group households making up 5.8%. The median household size is 2.9 people, larger than the Greater Sydney average of 2.7.

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

Merrylands-Holroyd residents aged 15+, as of the latest data, have 29.8% with university degrees, compared to the SA4 region's 39.1%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 20.1%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (8.1%) and graduate diplomas (1.6%). Vocational credentials are held by 27.1%, including advanced diplomas (11.6%) and certificates (15.5%). Educational participation is high, with 34.6% currently enrolled in formal education: primary (10.3%), secondary (8.1%), and tertiary (6.9%).

Educational participation is notably high, with 34.6% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.3% in primary education, 8.1% in secondary education, and 6.9% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Merrylands - Holroyd has 124 active public transport stops offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by 53 individual routes, collectively facilitating 5,857 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents typically located 142 meters from the nearest stop. In this primarily residential area, most commuters travel outward. Car remains the dominant mode at 71%, followed by train at 18% and bus at 6%. On average, there are 1.1 vehicles per dwelling.

According to the 2021 Census, a high 34.3% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 836 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 47 weekly trips per stop. The accompanying map displays the 100 nearest stops to the location's centrepoint.

Merrylands - Holroyd's residents are extremely healthy with younger cohorts in particular seeing very low prevalence of common health conditions

Analysis of health metrics shows strong performance throughout Merrylands - Holroyd. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence were low, particularly among younger cohorts. Private health cover was found to be very low at approximately 47% of the total population (~12,803 people), compared to 59.9% across Greater Sydney and a national average of 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions in the area were arthritis and diabetes, impacting 5.3 and 5.0% of residents respectively. A total of 79.2% of residents declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 74.6% across Greater Sydney. Working-age residents had notably low chronic condition prevalence. The area has 12.8% of residents aged 65 and over (3,465 people), which is lower than the 15.5% in Greater Sydney.

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

Merrylands-Holroyd is among the most culturally diverse areas in Australia, with 56.3% of its population born overseas and 70.1% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the main religion in Merrylands-Holroyd, comprising 44.4% of people. However, Islam is overrepresented, making up 29.6%, substantially higher than Greater Sydney's average of 6.8%.

The top three ancestry groups are Other (36.3%), Lebanese (15.1%), and Australian (10.3%). Notably, Merrylands-Holroyd has a higher proportion of Other ancestry compared to the regional average of 16.0%, while Lebanese is substantially higher than the regional average of 2.6%. Conversely, Australian ancestry is notably lower than the regional average of 17.8%. Additionally, there are notable divergences in the representation of certain ethnic groups: Croatian (1.3% vs 0.7%), Serbian (0.6% vs 0.5%), and Samoan (0.7% vs 0.5%).

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

Merrylands - Holroyd 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, Merrylands - Holroyd has a higher proportion of residents aged 25-34 (18.6%) but fewer residents aged 45-54 (10.7%). Between the 2021 Census and present day, the 75-84 age group has increased from 3.6% to 4.4% of the population, while the 25-34 cohort has decreased from 19.5% to 18.6%. Population forecasts for 2041 suggest significant demographic shifts in Merrylands - Holroyd, with the 45-54 age group projected to grow by 45%, adding 1,306 residents to reach a total of 4,205. Meanwhile, the 35-44 age group is expected to grow by a modest 5% (an increase of 203 people).