Oatlands - Dundas Valley
Statistical Area - sa2

Population growth drivers in Oatlands - Dundas Valley are strong compared to national averages based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

As of Aug 2025, Oatlands - Dundas Valley's population is around 19,385. This reflects an increase of 877 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 18,508. The change was inferred from ABS' estimated resident population of 19,285 as of June 2024 and an additional 72 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 3,188 persons per square kilometer, placing it in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The area's 4.7% growth since census positions it within 1.7 percentage points of the state (6.4%), demonstrating competitive growth fundamentals. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration that contributed approximately 81.6% 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 any SA2 areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilises NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, as 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 latest population numbers, a significant population increase is forecasted by 2041, with the area expected to grow by 5,265 persons, reflecting an increase of 26.6% in total over the 17 years.

Recent residential development output has been above average within Oatlands - Dundas Valley when compared nationally

Oatlands - Dundas Valley has seen approximately 124 new homes approved annually. The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) produces development approval data on a financial year basis, with 623 homes approved over the past five financial years from FY-21 to FY-25 and 36 approvals recorded so far in FY-26. On average, around 0.1 person per year has moved to the area for each dwelling built 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 $639,000, slightly above the regional average. In FY-26, commercial development approvals totalled $7.2 million, indicating limited focus on commercial development compared to residential. When compared to Greater Sydney, Oatlands - Dundas Valley records approximately 64% of building activity per person and ranks in the 72nd percentile nationally among assessed areas. New building activity consists of around 28.0% detached houses and 72.0% medium and high-density housing. This shift towards denser development offers accessible entry options, appealing to downsizers, investors, and entry-level buyers.

This trend differs from the area's existing housing composition, which is currently 52.0% houses, indicating decreasing availability of developable sites and reflecting changing lifestyles and demand for more diverse, affordable housing options. With around 182 people per dwelling approval, Oatlands - Dundas Valley exhibits characteristics of a low-density area. Population forecasts project that the area will gain approximately 5,150 residents by 2041. Development is keeping pace with projected growth, but increasing competition among buyers can be expected as the population expands.

Oatlands - Dundas Valley has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 10% nationally

Local infrastructure changes significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 22 projects likely influencing the region. Notable ones include 25 Station Street Childcare Facility, 47-71 Stewart Street Development, 18-22 Sophie Street Telopea, and Telopea Urban Renewal. The following list details those most relevant.

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

The employment landscape in Oatlands - Dundas Valley shows performance that lags behind national averages across key labour market indicators

Oatlands - Dundas Valley has a highly educated workforce with strong representation in professional services. The unemployment rate was 4.0% as of June 2025, which is below Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 2.5%. There are 10,650 residents currently employed, with a workforce participation rate of 56.2%, lower than Greater Sydney's 60.0%. Leading employment industries among residents include health care & social assistance, professional & technical services, and education & training.

However, finance & insurance shows lower representation at 5.7% compared to the regional average of 7.3%. Employment opportunities locally may be limited as indicated by the Census working population vs resident population count. During the year to June 2025, employment levels increased by 2.5% and labour force increased by 3.1%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 0.6 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Sydney experienced employment growth of 2.6% and labour force growth of 2.9%, with a 0.3 percentage point rise in unemployment. State-level data for NSW as of Sep-25 shows employment contracted by 0.41% (losing 19,270 jobs), with the state unemployment rate at 4.3%. This compares favourably to the national unemployment rate of 4.5%, which had a national employment growth of 0.26%. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia for May 2025 project national employment expansion by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these industry-specific projections to Oatlands - Dundas Valley's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.9%% over five years and 14.1% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

Income levels align closely with national averages, indicating typical economic conditions for Australian communities according to AreaSearch analysis

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 shows that income in Oatlands - Dundas Valley is above the national average. The median assessed income is $49,318 and the average income stands at $67,815. This contrasts with Greater Sydney's figures of a median income of $56,994 and an average income of $80,856. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.6% since financial year 2022, current estimates would be approximately $54,546 (median) and $75,003 (average) as of March 2025. According to the 2021 Census figures, household, family, and personal incomes all rank modestly in Oatlands - Dundas Valley, between the 40th and 55th percentiles. Distribution data shows that the predominant cohort spans 30.1% of locals (5,834 people) with income ranging from $1,500 to $2,999, reflecting patterns seen in the broader area where 30.9% similarly occupy this range. High housing costs consume 20.2% of income. Despite this, strong earnings place disposable income at the 51st percentile and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 7th decile.

Oatlands - Dundas Valley displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

In Oatlands - Dundas Valley, as per the latest Census evaluation, 51.8% of dwellings were houses while 48.3% comprised semi-detached homes, apartments, and other types. This contrasts with Sydney's metropolitan area where 57.3% were houses and 42.7% other dwellings. Home ownership in Oatlands - Dundas Valley stood at 27.0%, mirroring Sydney metro's rate, with the remaining properties either mortgaged (35.3%) or rented (37.8%). The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,600, aligning with Sydney metro's average, while median weekly rent was $420 compared to Sydney's $460. Nationally, Oatlands - Dundas Valley's mortgage repayments were higher at $1,863 and rents substantially above the national figure of $375.

Oatlands - Dundas Valley has a typical household mix, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 74.1% of all households, including 40.2% couples with children, 20.7% couples without children, and 12.1% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 25.9%, with lone person households at 23.1% and group households comprising 2.8%. The median household size is 2.8 people, which is smaller than the Greater Sydney average of 2.9.

The educational profile of Oatlands - Dundas Valley exceeds national averages, with above-average qualification levels and academic performance metrics

Educational attainment in Oatlands-Dundas Valley is notably high, with 40.5% of residents aged 15 and above holding university qualifications, compared to 30.4% nationally and 32.2% in NSW. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 26.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 11.6% and graduate diplomas at 2.2%. Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 25.6% of residents holding such qualifications, including advanced diplomas (10.8%) and certificates (14.8%). Educational participation is high, with 31.9% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, including 10.3% in primary, 8.2% in secondary, and 6.6% pursuing tertiary education.

The area has five schools with a combined enrollment of 913 students, operating under typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 1024) with balanced educational opportunities, including four primary and one K-12 school. However, local school capacity is limited at 4.7 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 13.7, leading many families to travel for schooling.

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

Oatlands-Dundas Valley has 85 active public transport stops, serving a mix of light rail and bus routes. There are 34 individual routes operating in the area, collectively facilitating 3,141 weekly passenger trips. Residents enjoy excellent transport accessibility, with an average distance of 181 meters to the nearest stop.

The service frequency averages 448 trips per day across all routes, translating to approximately 36 weekly trips per individual stop.

Oatlands - Dundas Valley's residents are extremely healthy with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Analysis of health metrics indicates robust performance throughout Oatlands-Dundas Valley, with a very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups.

Approximately 53% (~10,351 people) have private health cover, which is relatively high. The most frequent medical conditions are arthritis and mental health issues, affecting 5.8% and 5.8% of residents respectively. A total of 75.6% declare no medical ailments, compared to 77.3% across Greater Sydney. In this area, 17.0% (3,303 people) are aged 65 and over. Health outcomes among seniors align with the general population's health profile.

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

Oatlands-Dundas Valley is among the most culturally diverse areas in Australia, with 48.2% of its population born overseas and 55.1% speaking a language other than English at home. The dominant religion in Oatlands-Dundas Valley is Christianity, comprising 53.9% of the population. However, Buddhism is notably overrepresented, making up 4.5% compared to the regional average of 4.8%.

In terms of ancestry, the top three groups are Chinese (22.0%), Australian (13.8%), and Other (13.2%). There are also notable differences in the representation of Korean (7.3%, vs regional 6.5%), Lebanese (6.7%, vs regional 3.8%), and Russian (0.4%, vs regional 0.3%) groups.

Oatlands - Dundas Valley's population is slightly older than the national pattern

Oatlands-Dundas Valley has a median age of 40, slightly higher than Greater Sydney's figure of 37 and Australia's average of 38 years. The 55-64 age group is notably over-represented in Oatlands-Dundas Valley at 12.7%, compared to the Greater Sydney average. Conversely, the 25-34 age group is under-represented at 11.1%. Between 2021 and present, the 15-24 age group has increased from 11.6% to 12.8% of the population, while the 0-4 cohort has declined from 5.5% to 4.8%. By 2041, demographic modeling projects significant growth in the 75-84 age cohort, with an increase of 859 people (90%) from 955 to 1,815.