Merrylands - Holroyd
Statistical Area - sa2

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

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, Merrylands - Holroyd's population is around 27,192 as of Nov 2025. This reflects an increase of 3,386 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 23,806 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 25,861 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 1,547 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 5,493 persons per square kilometer, which lies in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Merrylands - Holroyd's growth rate of 14.2% since the 2021 Census exceeded both the SA3 area (6.5%) and the state level. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration, contributing approximately 65.6% 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 by this data, AreaSearch utilises 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 years 2032 to 2041. By 2041, the area is forecasted to have a significant population increase, expanding by 8,358 persons and recording a total gain of 25.6% 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. Between FY21 and FY25, 2,019 homes were approved, with an additional 43 approved in FY26 as of the current date. The average number of new residents per year per new home over these five financial years was 0.9.

This indicates that new construction is keeping pace with or exceeding demand, providing more options for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections. The average expected construction cost value of new properties was $211,000, which is below the regional average, suggesting more affordable housing options. In FY26, commercial approvals totaled $17.7 million, indicating balanced commercial development activity in the area. 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. The dwelling mix shows 13.0% detached dwellings and 87.0% townhouses or apartments, indicating a shift towards compact living that offers affordable entry pathways and attracts downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers. This is 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 exhibits a growing market. Population forecasts project an increase of 6,973 residents by 2041. Based on current development patterns, new housing supply should readily meet demand, offering favorable 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 20% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 48 projects likely to affect the region. Notable initiatives include the 239 Merrylands Road Mixed-Use Development, The Gladstone Village - Amber (Stage 2), The Gladstone Village - Stage 3, and Central Quarter Merrylands. 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 conditions in Merrylands - Holroyd face significant challenges, ranking among the bottom 10% of areas assessed nationally

Merrylands - Holroyd has an educated workforce with professional services well-represented. As of June 2025, the unemployment rate is 11.2%.

This is 7.0% higher than Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%, indicating room for improvement. Workforce participation is lower at 46.3% compared to Greater Sydney's 60.0%. Leading employment industries are health care & social assistance, retail trade, and construction. Retail trade has a notable concentration with employment levels at 1.2 times the regional average.

Professional & technical services have limited presence at 7.5%, compared to the regional average of 11.5%. The area offers limited local employment opportunities as shown by the Census working population vs resident population count. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment levels increased by 0.1% while labour force grew by 3.2%, leading to an unemployment rise of 2.7 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Sydney saw employment rise by 2.6%, labour force grow by 2.9%, and unemployment increase by 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Merrylands - Holroyd's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.5% over five years and 13.5% over ten years.

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

Merrylands - Holroyd's median income among taxpayers was $42,697 and average income stood at $53,411 in the financial year 2022. These figures compared to Greater Sydney's 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 $48,081 for median income and $60,146 for average income as of September 2025. According to the 2021 Census, household income ranked at the 33rd percentile ($1,461 weekly) while personal income was at the 16th percentile. The predominant income cohort spanned 31.3% of locals (8,511 people) in the $1,500 - 2,999 category, reflecting patterns seen in the surrounding region where 30.9% similarly occupied this range. Housing affordability pressures were severe with only 77.4% of income remaining, 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, had 41.4% houses and 58.5% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Sydney metro had 62.1% houses and 37.8% 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 in the area was $2,000, lower than Sydney metro's average of $2,167. The median weekly rent figure was $400, matching Sydney metro's figure but higher than the national average of $375. Nationally, Merrylands - Holroyd's mortgage repayments were higher at $2,000 compared to the Australian average of $1,863.

Merrylands - Holroyd features high concentrations of group households, with a lower-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 make up 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, which is smaller than the Greater Sydney average of 3.1.

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

Educational qualifications in Merrylands-Holroyd show 29.8% of residents aged 15+ have 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% of residents aged 15+, with advanced diplomas at 11.6% and certificates at 15.5%. Current educational participation is high, at 34.6%, including 10.3% in primary education, 8.1% in secondary education, and 6.9% pursuing tertiary education.

Merrylands-Holroyd has a network of 6 schools educating approximately 2,461 students, with typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 969). The educational mix includes 4 primary and 2 K-12 schools. School places per 100 residents are 9.1, below the regional average of 13.2, suggesting some students may attend schools in nearby areas.

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

Merrylands-Holroyd has 117 active public transport stops offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by 54 different routes, facilitating 5,289 weekly passenger trips in total. Residents enjoy excellent transport accessibility, with an average proximity of 141 meters to the nearest stop.

The service frequency across all routes averages 755 trips per day, translating to about 45 weekly trips per individual stop.

Merrylands - Holroyd's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with younger cohorts in particular seeing very low prevalence of common health conditions

Health outcomes data shows excellent results across Merrylands - Holroyd, with younger cohorts experiencing a very low prevalence of common health conditions. The rate of private health cover is found to be quite low at approximately 47% of the total population (around 12,780 people), compared to the national average of 55.3%.

The most prevalent medical conditions in the area are arthritis and diabetes, affecting 5.3 and 5.0% of residents respectively, while 79.2% declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, higher than the 77.0% reported across Greater Sydney. The area has 12.7% of residents aged 65 and over (3,453 people), which is lower than the 13.9% in Greater Sydney. However, health outcomes among seniors require more attention than those seen in 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 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, but Islam is notably overrepresented at 29.6%, compared to 29.1% across Greater Sydney. In terms of ancestry, the top three groups are Other (36.3%), Lebanese (15.1%), and Australian (10.3%).

There are also notable divergences in the representation of Croatian (1.3% vs regional average of 0.9%), Serbian (0.6% vs 0.3%), and Samoan (0.7%) groups.

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 (8.3%) but fewer residents aged 45-54 (10.8%). Between the 2021 Census and the present day, the population of those aged 75-84 has grown from 3.6% to 4.2%, while the proportion of those aged 25-34 has decreased from 19.5% to 18.3%. By 2041, projections indicate significant demographic shifts in Merrylands - Holroyd. The 45-54 age group is expected to grow by 42%, adding 1,239 residents to reach a total of 4,190. Meanwhile, the 35-44 age group is projected to grow by just 3% (an increase of 122 people).