Richmond - Clarendon

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

Richmond - Clarendon's population is around 16,755 as of May 2026. This reflects an increase of 1,516 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 15,239 people. The change was inferred from the estimated resident population of 16,743 in June 2025 and an additional 349 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 224 persons per square kilometer. Richmond - Clarendon's growth rate of 9.9% since the 2021 census exceeded both the SA3 area (5.0%) and the SA4 region, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth was primarily driven by interstate migration contributing approximately 73.4% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilises NSW State Government's SA2 level projections released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Growth rates by age group are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Based on latest annual ERP population numbers, an above median population growth is projected, with Richmond - Clarendon expected to increase by 3,371 persons by 2041, reflecting a gain of 20.1% in total over the 16 years.

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

Richmond-Clarendon has seen approximately 147 dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling 735 homes. As of FY26, 81 approvals have been recorded. On average, each dwelling built between FY21 and FY25 attracted 2.1 new residents per year, indicating strong demand that supports property values. The average construction cost value for these dwellings was $330,000.

This financial year has seen $23.9 million in commercial approvals, reflecting moderate commercial development levels. Compared to Greater Sydney, Richmond-Clarendon records 110% more development activity per person, offering buyers greater choice while recent construction activity has eased. New developments consist of 79% detached houses and 21% townhouses or apartments, maintaining the area's traditional low-density character focused on family homes. With around 154 people per dwelling approval, Richmond-Clarendon is considered a growth area.

By 2041, it is projected to gain 3,359 residents based on the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate. At current development rates, new housing supply should meet demand comfortably, providing favourable conditions for buyers and potentially supporting population growth beyond current projections.

Richmond - Clarendon has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 50% nationally

Twenty-one projects identified by AreaSearch are expected to impact the area significantly, with changes to local infrastructure being a major influence on performance. Notable projects include New Richmond Bridge and Traffic Improvements, Redbank North Richmond Master-Planned Community, Redbank North Richmond - Masterplanned Community, and North Richmond Woolworths & Retail Expansion. The following list details those most relevant.

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

Denotes AI-based impression for illustrative purposes only, not to be taken as definitive under any circumstances. Please follow links and conduct other investigations from the project's source for actual imagery. Developers and project owners wishing us to use original imagery please Contact Us and we will do so.

Despite maintaining a low unemployment rate of 3.3%, Richmond - Clarendon has experienced recent job losses, resulting in a below average employment performance ranking when compared nationally

Richmond - Clarendon has a skilled workforce with an unemployment rate of 3.3% as of December 2025. The area has 8,267 residents in work and its unemployment rate is 0.9% lower than Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%. However, the workforce participation rate is significantly lower at 61.3%, compared to Greater Sydney's 68.8%.

According to Census responses, 27.6% of residents work from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. The dominant employment sectors are health care & social assistance, construction, and retail trade. Construction is particularly prominent with an employment share 1.5 times the regional level. Conversely, professional & technical services have a limited presence at 4.9%, compared to the regional average of 11.5%.

Many residents commute elsewhere for work, as indicated by the ratio of Census working population to local population. Between December 2024 and December 2025, the labour force decreased by 4.6% while employment declined by 4.5%, leading to a slight fall in unemployment. In contrast, Greater Sydney saw employment growth of 2.2%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project overall employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Richmond - Clarendon's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.2% over five years and 13.0% over ten years, though these are simple extrapolations for illustrative purposes only.

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

Richmond-Clarendon SA2 had a median taxpayer income of $57,739 and an average of $69,899 in the financial year 2023, according to postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch. This was slightly above the national average at the time. Greater Sydney's median income during this period was $60,817 with an average income of $83,030. Using Wage Price Index growth of 10.32% since financial year 2023, estimated incomes for March 2026 would be approximately $63,698 (median) and $77,113 (average). Census data from 2021 showed that Richmond-Clarendon's incomes ranked modestly, between the 40th and 47th percentiles. The income bracket of $1,500 - $2,999 dominated with 33.0% of residents (5,529 people). Housing affordability pressures were severe, with only 80.9% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 38th percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking placed it in the fifth decile.

Richmond - Clarendon is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

In Richmond-Clarendon, as per the latest Census evaluation, 74.7% of dwellings were houses, with the remaining 25.4% consisting of semi-detached homes, apartments, and other dwelling types. In comparison, Sydney metropolitan area had 55.9% houses and 44.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Richmond-Clarendon stood at 32.2%, with mortgaged properties at 31.8% and rented ones at 36.0%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,167, lower than Sydney metro's average of $2,427. Median weekly rent in Richmond-Clarendon was $400, compared to Sydney metro's $470. Nationally, mortgage repayments were higher at $2,167 against Australia's average of $1,863, while rents were also higher at $400 compared to the national figure of $375.

Richmond - Clarendon features high concentrations of lone person households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 66.8% of all households, consisting of 26.9% couples with children, 25.2% couples without children, and 13.8% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 33.2%, with lone person households at 30.5% and group households comprising 2.7% of the total. The median household size is 2.4 people, which is smaller than the Greater Sydney average of 2.7.

Educational attainment in Richmond - Clarendon aligns closely with national averages, showing typical qualification patterns and performance metrics

The area's university qualification rate is 19.9%, significantly lower than Greater Sydney's average of 38.0%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 12.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (5.2%) and graduate diplomas (2.0%). Trade and technical skills are prevalent, with 40.3% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials - advanced diplomas (11.9%) and certificates (28.4%). Educational participation is high, with 27.6% of residents currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes 8.9% in primary education, 6.9% in secondary education, and 4.6% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Richmond-Clarendon has 143 active public transport stops offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by 91 individual routes, collectively facilitating 3,696 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents typically located 229 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward due to the area's residential nature. Cars remain the dominant mode of transport at 89%, with an average vehicle ownership of 1.4 per dwelling, surpassing the regional average. According to the 2021 Census, a high 27.6% of residents work from home, potentially reflecting COVID-19 conditions.

Service frequency averages 528 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 25 weekly trips per stop. The accompanying map displays the 100 nearest stops to the location's centrepoint.

Health performance in Richmond - Clarendon is well below average with prevalence of common health conditions notable across both younger and older age cohorts

Richmond - Clarendon faces significant health challenges, as indicated by AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Both younger and older age groups exhibit notable prevalence of common health conditions.

The area has a private health cover rate of approximately 54% (~9,030 people), compared to the Greater Sydney average of 59.9%. Mental health issues and arthritis are the most prevalent medical conditions, affecting 10.3% and 9.5% of residents respectively. Conversely, 63.1% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 74.6% in Greater Sydney. Working-age residents show a higher-than-average prevalence of chronic health conditions. The area has a larger proportion of seniors (21.7%, or 3,635 people) compared to Greater Sydney (15.5%). While national rankings for senior health outcomes are broadly similar to the general population, some challenges exist in this age group.

Richmond - Clarendon ranks below the Australian average when compared to other local markets across a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Richmond-Clarendon's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with 87.2% of its population being citizens, 83.2% born in Australia, and 90.3% speaking English only at home. The dominant religion in Richmond-Clarendon is Christianity, comprising 59.7% of the population, compared to 49.2% across Greater Sydney. In terms of ancestry, the top three represented groups are English (29.1%), Australian (28.7%), and Irish (7.9%).

Notably, Maltese representation is higher at 2.7%, Macedonian at 1.1%, and Dutch at 1.7% compared to regional averages of 1.0%, 0.4%, and 0.7% respectively.

Richmond - Clarendon's population aligns closely with national norms in age terms

The median age in Richmond-Clarendon is 39 years, which is higher than Greater Sydney's average of 37 years and close to the national average of 38 years. Compared to Greater Sydney, the 75-84 age group is notably over-represented at 8.9% locally, while the 35-44 age group is under-represented at 12.5%. Post-2021 Census data shows that the 35-44 age group has grown from 11.4% to 12.5%, and the 65-74 age group has declined from 10.2% to 9.2%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate significant demographic changes in Richmond-Clarendon, with the 75-84 age group expected to grow by 60% (adding 886 people), reaching 2,376 from 1,489. Residents aged 65 and older are projected to represent 56% of the population growth, while the 0-4 age group is expected to grow by 4%, adding only 40 residents.