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 28,173 as of February 2026. This figure represents an increase of 4,367 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 23,806. The growth can be inferred from the estimated resident population of 25,810 in June 2024 and an additional 1,545 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 5,691 persons per square kilometer, placing Merrylands-Holroyd among the top 10% of locations assessed by AreaSearch. The area's 18.3% growth rate since 2021 exceeds both the state (7.8%) and Greater Sydney averages, indicating its status as a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 65.6% 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 from 2022 using the 2021 Census as the base year. Growth rates by age group are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Future population trends forecast a significant increase in Merrylands-Holroyd, with an expected expansion of 8,358 persons by 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting a total gain of 21.3% over the 17-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. In FY26, up until now, 62 dwellings have been approved.

On average, around 0.9 new residents arrive per new home constructed each year over these five years. This suggests that new construction is meeting or exceeding demand, providing more options for buyers and enabling population growth. The average expected construction cost value of new properties is $211,000, which is below the regional average, indicating more affordable housing options. This financial year has seen $17.7 million in commercial approvals registered, suggesting balanced commercial development activity. Compared to Greater Sydney, Merrylands-Holroyd has 136.0% more new home approvals per person, offering ample choice for buyers despite a recent slowdown in building activity. This high level of activity reflects strong developer confidence in the area. New building activity shows 13.0% detached dwellings and 87.0% townhouses or apartments.

This shift towards compact living offers affordable entry pathways, attracting downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers. This marks a significant change from the current housing mix of 41.0% houses, reflecting reduced availability of development sites and shifting lifestyle demands and affordability requirements. With around 241 people per dwelling approval, Merrylands-Holroyd indicates a developing market. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, the area is forecasted to gain 5,992 residents by 2041. Based on current development patterns, new housing supply should readily meet demand, offering 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

Infrastructure changes significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 48 projects that could impact this region. Notable projects include The Gladstone Village - Stage 3, Central Quarter Merrylands, Evolve Housing Merrylands Social and Affordable Housing, and Cardinal Gilroy Village Redevelopment - 45 Barcom Street. Relevant projects are listed below.

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

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Employment conditions in Merrylands - Holroyd face significant challenges, ranking among the bottom 10% of areas assessed nationally

Merrylands - Holroyd has a well-educated workforce with professional services showing strong representation. The unemployment rate was 10.9% as of September 2025. Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 1.6%.

There were 11,297 residents in work, while the unemployment rate was 6.7%, higher than Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%. Workforce participation lagged significantly at 61.3% compared to Greater Sydney's 70.0%. A high proportion of residents, 34.3%, worked from home based on Census responses. Leading employment industries were health care & social assistance, retail trade, and construction.

Retail trade had notable concentration with employment levels at 1.2 times the regional average. Professional & technical services had limited presence with 7.5% employment compared to 11.5% regionally. The area appeared to offer limited local employment opportunities based on Census data. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment levels increased by 1.6%, labour force grew by 3.6%, leading to an unemployment rise of 1.8 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Sydney saw employment rise by 2.1% with a labour force growth of 2.4% and an unemployment increase of 0.2 percentage points. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia (May-25) projected national employment expansion at 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Merrylands - Holroyd's employment mix suggested local employment should increase by 6.5% over five years and 13.5% over ten years, assuming constant population projections for illustrative purposes.

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. These figures are below Greater Sydney's median and average incomes of $60,817 and $83,003 respectively. By September 2025, estimates suggest the median income will be approximately $50,862 and the average income $60,712, accounting for an 8.86% increase since financial year 2023. According to the 2021 Census, Merrylands - Holroyd's household income ranks at the 33rd percentile ($1,461 weekly), and personal income at the 15th percentile. The predominant income cohort spans 31.3% of locals (8,818 people) in the $1,500 - $2,999 category. This is similar to surrounding regions where 30.9% occupy this range. Housing affordability pressures are severe, 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

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

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

Family households account for 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 constitute the remaining 30.0%, with lone person households at 24.2% and group households comprising 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 has a university degree holder rate of 29.8% among residents aged 15+, compared to the SA4 region's 39.1%. This indicates potential for educational development and skill enhancement. Bachelor degrees are most common at 20.1%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (8.1%) and graduate diplomas (1.6%). Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 27.1% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (11.6%) and certificates (15.5%).

Educational participation is high at 34.6%, with 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. As a primarily residential area, most commutes are outward-bound. Car remains the dominant mode at 71%, followed by train at 18% and bus at 6%. Vehicle ownership averages 1.1 per dwelling.

According to the 2021 Census, 34.3% of residents work from home, potentially reflecting 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 (~13,354 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 showed low chronic condition prevalence. The area has 13.2% of residents aged 65 and over (3,707 people), which is lower than the 15.4% in Greater Sydney but still ranks lower nationally than the broader population.

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 one of Australia's most culturally diverse areas, with 56.3% of its population born overseas and 70.1% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Merrylands-Holroyd, comprising 44.4% of the population. However, Islam is significantly overrepresented, making up 29.6%, compared to 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 higher percentages than the regional averages for Other (16.0%) and Lebanese (2.6%), but a lower percentage for Australian (17.8%). Additionally, Croatian (1.3% vs 0.7%), Serbian (0.6% vs 0.5%), and Samoan (0.7% vs 0.5%) ethnic groups are notably overrepresented in Merrylands-Holroyd compared to regional averages.

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 0-4 (8.2%) but fewer residents aged 45-54 (10.9%). Between the 2021 Census and the present day, the population share of those aged 75-84 has increased from 3.6% to 4.5%. Conversely, the proportion of residents aged 25-34 has decreased from 19.5% to 17.6%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate significant demographic shifts in Merrylands-Holroyd. The 45-54 age group is projected to grow by 36%, adding 1,119 residents to reach a total of 4,190. Meanwhile, the 35-44 age group is expected to decrease by 64 residents.