Pendle Hill - Girraween
Statistical Area - sa2

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

Pendle Hill - Girraween's population was around 14,491 as of Aug 2025, according to AreaSearch's analysis. This reflects a growth from the 2021 Census figure of 13,939 people, an increase of 552 people (4.0%). The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 14,448 in June 2024 and an additional 94 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 3,249 persons per square kilometer, placing it in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Pendle Hill - Girraween's growth rate of 4.0% since the census is within 2.4 percentage points of the state's growth rate of 6.4%, indicating competitive growth fundamentals. Overseas migration contributed approximately 89.6% of overall population gains during recent periods, driving primary population growth in the area.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022, and NSW State Government's SA2 level projections for areas not covered by this data, 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. Based on projected demographic shifts, the area is expected to increase by just below the median of Australian statistical areas, with an expected population increase of 1,348 persons to 2041, representing an overall increase of 8.2% over the 17-year period.

Recent residential development output has been above average within Pendle Hill - Girraween when compared nationally

Pendle Hill - Girraween granted approximately 92 residential property approvals annually. The Australian Bureau of Statistics reports 461 approvals across the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, with 8 approved in FY-26 so far. On average, 0.5 people moved to the area per dwelling built over these years. New supply has kept pace with or exceeded demand, offering ample buyer choice and capacity for population growth beyond current forecasts.

Average construction cost value of new homes is $545,000. This financial year saw $19.0 million in commercial approvals, indicating moderate levels of commercial development. Compared to Greater Sydney, Pendle Hill - Girraween records 11.0% less building activity per person and ranks among the 71st percentile nationally. New building activity comprises 27.0% standalone homes and 73.0% townhouses or apartments, promoting higher-density living suitable for downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers. This shift reflects reduced development site availability and changing lifestyle demands.

Currently, there are approximately 205 people per dwelling approval, indicating a low density market. By 2041, Pendle Hill - Girraween is projected to grow by 1,185 residents. 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.

Pendle Hill - Girraween has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 20% nationally

Eleven projects have been identified by AreaSearch as potentially impacting the area. These include Westmead Health Precinct Redevelopment, M4 Smart Motorway, Toongabbie Bridge and Wentworth Avenue Upgrade, 515-519 Great Western Highway Mixed Use Development, among others detailed below.

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

The employment landscape in Pendle Hill - Girraween shows performance that lags behind national averages across key labour market indicators

Pendle Hill - Girraween has a highly educated workforce with professional services well represented. The unemployment rate was 4.3% as of June 2025, with an estimated employment growth of 1.9% over the past year.

There were 8,183 residents in work by June 2025, with an unemployment rate of 4.4%, slightly higher than Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%. Workforce participation was similar to Greater Sydney's 60.0%. Key industries of employment among residents include health care & social assistance, professional & technical services, and finance & insurance. The area has a notable concentration in manufacturing, with employment levels at 1.6 times the regional average.

Conversely, construction shows lower representation at 4.8% compared to the regional average of 8.6%. Many residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census data. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment levels increased by 1.9%, labour force increased by 3.1%, resulting in an unemployment rise of 1.2 percentage points. In comparison, Greater Sydney recorded employment growth of 2.6% over the same period. As of Sep-25, NSW's employment contracted by 0.41%, losing 19,270 jobs, with a state unemployment rate of 4.3%. This compares favourably to the national unemployment rate of 4.5%, which had a lagging national employment growth of 0.26%. 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 Pendle Hill - Girraween's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.8% over five years and 14.0% over ten years, though these are simple extrapolations for illustrative purposes only.

Income analysis reveals strong economic positioning, with the area outperforming 60% of locations assessed nationally by AreaSearch

AreaSearch's aggregation of latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year 2022 shows Pendle Hill - Girraween had a median income among taxpayers of $55,141 and an average level of $66,877. This is slightly above the national average and compares to levels of $56,994 and $80,856 across Greater Sydney respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.6% since financial year 2022, current estimates would be approximately $60,986 for median income and $73,966 for average as of March 2025. According to 2021 Census figures, household, family and personal incomes in Pendle Hill - Girraween cluster around the 62nd percentile nationally. Distribution data shows 32.9% of the population (4,767 individuals) fall within the $1,500 - $2,999 income range, reflecting patterns seen at regional levels where 30.9% similarly occupy this range. High housing costs consume 17.9% of income, though strong earnings still place disposable income at the 67th percentile and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 6th decile.

Pendle Hill - Girraween displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Pendle Hill - Girraween's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, had 44.6% houses and 55.3% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Sydney metro's 36.4% houses and 63.6% other dwellings. Home ownership in Pendle Hill - Girraween stood at 21.1%, with mortgaged dwellings at 36.6% and rented ones at 42.2%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,250, above Sydney metro's average of $2,167. Median weekly rent in the area was $420, matching Sydney metro's figure. Nationally, Pendle Hill - Girraween's mortgage repayments were higher at $2,250 compared to Australia's average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375 at $420.

Pendle Hill - Girraween features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 77.0% of all households, including 49.6% couples with children, 16.7% couples without children, and 9.0% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 23.0%, with lone person households at 19.4% and group households comprising 3.7% of the total. The median household size is 2.9 people, larger than the Greater Sydney average of 2.6.

Pendle Hill - Girraween shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

Pendle Hill - Girraween has a significantly higher rate of university qualifications among its residents aged 15 and above compared to broader benchmarks. Specifically, 46.8% of residents hold such qualifications, surpassing the national average of 30.4% and the New South Wales (NSW) average of 32.2%. This educational advantage is largely driven by bachelor degrees, which account for 27.4% of all qualifications held in the area. Postgraduate qualifications make up another 17.1%, while graduate diplomas represent a further 2.3%.

Vocational pathways are also well-represented among residents aged 15 and above, with advanced diplomas accounting for 9.4% and certificates representing 12.0% of all qualifications held. Educational participation in Pendle Hill - Girraween is notably high, with 35.4% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 14.4% enrolled in primary education, 7.8% in secondary education, and 6.0% pursuing tertiary education. The area's four schools have a combined enrollment reaching 2,625 students. Pendle Hill - Girraween demonstrates significant socio-educational advantages and academic achievement, with an Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage (ICSEA) score of 1119. Education provision in the area is balanced, with three primary schools and one secondary school serving distinct age groups.

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

Pendle Hill - Girraween has 68 active public transport stops offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by 44 unique routes, collectively facilitating 3,620 weekly passenger trips. Residential accessibility to transport is rated excellent, with residents on average located 137 meters from the nearest stop.

Service frequency across all routes averages 517 trips per day, equating to roughly 53 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Pendle Hill - Girraween shows excellent health outcomes, particularly for younger populations who have a low prevalence of common health conditions.

Private health cover is high at approximately 52% of the total population (~7,593 people), slightly higher than the average SA2 area. The most prevalent medical conditions are diabetes and arthritis, affecting 6.0% and 5.1% of residents respectively. A majority, 79.2%, report no medical ailments, comparable to Greater Sydney's 79.0%. The area has a senior population (aged 65 and over) of 13.2% (1,905 people), with health outcomes among seniors needing more attention than the broader population.

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

Pendle Hill-Girraween is one of Australia's most culturally diverse areas, with 72.4% speaking a language other than English at home and 62.9% born overseas. The predominant religion is Hinduism, making up 48.0%, compared to 28.8% across Greater Sydney. Top ancestry groups include Other (31.7%), Indian (26.6%), and English (9.5%).

Notably, Sri Lankan (2.6%) and Maltese (2.6%) populations are higher than the regional averages of 0.9%. Additionally, Lebanese representation is lower at 2.4%, compared to Greater Sydney's 3.5%.

Pendle Hill - Girraween's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

Pendle Hill - Girraween has a median age of 36 years, nearly matching Greater Sydney's average of 37 years. This is slightly below the Australian median age of 38 years. Compared to Greater Sydney, Pendle Hill - Girraween has a higher proportion of residents aged 35-44 (20.5%) but fewer residents aged 25-34 (13.0%). The 35-44 concentration is significantly higher than the national average of 14.2%. Between the 2021 Census and the present, the population aged 45 to 54 has increased from 11.1% to 12.2%, while the 15 to 24 cohort has risen from 9.8% to 10.8%. Conversely, the 25 to 34 age group has decreased from 14.0% to 13.0%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests significant changes in Pendle Hill - Girraween's age profile. The 55 to 64 cohort is projected to grow by 35%, adding 461 residents to reach a total of 1,782. Residents aged 65 and above are expected to drive 53% of population growth, indicating a trend towards demographic aging. Meanwhile, the 25 to 34 and 0 to 4 age groups are projected to experience population declines.