Smithfield - Wetherill Park
Statistical Area - sa2

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

Smithfield - Wetherill Park's population was approximately 20,422 as of Aug 2025. This figure represents an increase of 912 people since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 19,510. The growth is inferred from ABS data showing an estimated resident population of 20,224 in June 2024 and an additional 72 validated new addresses post-Census. This results in a population density ratio of 3,089 persons per square kilometer, placing the area in the upper quartile nationally according to AreaSearch's assessments. The area's growth rate of 4.7% since the 2021 Census surpassed that of its SA3 region (2.0%), indicating it as a growth leader. Overseas migration accounted for approximately 76.6% of overall population gains recently.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections released in 2024 with a base year of 2022 for each SA2 area, and NSW State Government's SA2 level projections released in 2022 with a base year of 2021 for areas not covered by ABS data. Growth rates by age group are applied to all areas from these aggregations for years 2032 to 2041. According to demographic trends, the area is expected to expand by 753 persons to 2041 based on the latest population numbers, with an increase of approximately 2.2% in total over the 17-year period.

AreaSearch assessment of residential approval activity sees Smithfield - Wetherill Park among the top 30% of areas assessed nationwide

Smithfield - Wetherill Park has granted around 103 residential property approvals annually. The ABS records development approvals on a financial year basis, totalling 518 approvals from FY20 to FY25, with 18 approved in FY26 so far. Over the past five years, an average of 0.8 new residents per dwelling was recorded, indicating supply meeting or exceeding demand. The average construction cost value for new homes is $337,000, below regional norms, offering more affordable housing options.

In FY26, $5.6 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded. Compared to Greater Sydney, Smithfield - Wetherill Park shows moderately higher new home approvals (32.0% above the regional average per person over five years), maintaining reasonable buyer choices while sustaining existing property demand. New building activity comprises 57.0% detached houses and 43.0% townhouses or apartments, marking a shift from the current 81.0% houses, suggesting diminishing developable land availability and evolving lifestyle preferences. With around 163 people per approval, it reflects a low-density area.

Population forecasts indicate Smithfield - Wetherill Park will gain 459 residents by 2041. Current construction levels should adequately meet demand, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts.

Smithfield - Wetherill Park has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 10% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 23 projects likely to affect this region. Notable initiatives include ALS Sydney Smithfield Refurbishment, Woolworths Warehouse Distribution Centre Wetherill Park, Stage 3 Redevelopment at 106-128 Woodpark Road Smithfield, and Residential Development at 45 Chifley Street Smithfield. The following list details projects likely to be most relevant.

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

The labour market performance in Smithfield - Wetherill Park lags significantly behind most other regions nationally

Smithfield - Wetherill Park had an unemployment rate of 7.7% as of June 2025, with estimated employment growth of 6.0% over the past year. The area had 7,784 residents in work while its unemployment rate was 3.5% higher than Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%.

Workforce participation lagged significantly at 40.4%, compared to Greater Sydney's 60.0%. Employment among residents was concentrated in health care & social assistance, retail trade, and manufacturing. Manufacturing showed strong specialization, with an employment share 1.8 times the regional level. Conversely, professional & technical services had lower representation at 5.2% versus the regional average of 11.5%.

Over the 12 months to June 2025, employment increased by 6.0% while labour force increased by 4.9%, resulting in a decrease in unemployment by 0.9 percentage points. State-level data for NSW as of Sep-25 showed employment had contracted by 0.41%, with the state unemployment rate at 4.3%. National employment forecasts from May 2025 projected national growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but local growth patterns differed significantly between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Smithfield - Wetherill Park's employment mix suggested local growth of approximately 6.1% over five years and 12.8% over ten years.

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

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of the latest postcode level ATO data released on June 30, 2022, Smithfield - Wetherill Park had a median income among taxpayers of $45,476 with the average level standing at $58,439. This is below 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 $50,296 (median) and $64,634 (average) as of March 2025. From the 2021 Census, individual incomes lag at the 3rd percentile ($491 weekly), while household income performs better at the 25th percentile. Looking at income distribution, the predominant cohort spans 28.6% of locals (5,840 people) in the $1,500 - 2,999 category, consistent with broader trends across the region showing 30.9% in the same category. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 77.9% of income remaining, ranking at the 19th percentile.

Smithfield - Wetherill Park is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with ownership patterns similar to the broader region

Dwelling structure in Smithfield-Wetherill Park, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 81.2% houses and 18.7% other dwellings. In comparison, Sydney metro had 73.3% houses and 26.7% other dwellings. Home ownership in Smithfield-Wetherill Park was 33.3%, with the remainder mortgaged at 28.3% or rented at 38.4%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,167, higher than Sydney metro's average of $2,000. Median weekly rent in Smithfield-Wetherill Park was $420, compared to Sydney metro's $400. Nationally, mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $1,863, and rents substantially above the national figure of $375.

Smithfield - Wetherill Park features high concentrations of family households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 78.6% of all households, including 41.4% couples with children, 19.2% couples without children, and 16.5% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 21.4%, with lone person households at 19.8% and group households comprising 1.6%. The median household size is 3.1 people, which is smaller than the Greater Sydney average of 3.2.

Smithfield - Wetherill Park faces educational challenges, with performance metrics placing it in the bottom quartile of areas assessed nationally

The area's university qualification rate is 15.8%, significantly lower than Greater Sydney's average of 38.0%. Bachelor degrees are the most common, at 12.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.7%) and graduate diplomas (0.9%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 28.0% of residents aged 15+ holding them - advanced diplomas (9.5%) and certificates (18.5%). Educational participation is high at 31.0%, including 10.1% in primary, 9.2% in secondary, and 4.5% in tertiary education.

Six schools operate within Smithfield - Wetherill Park, educating approximately 2,078 students. The area has typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 972) with balanced educational opportunities, including five primary and one K-12 school. School places per 100 residents are lower than the regional average at 10.2, indicating some students may attend schools in adjacent areas.

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

Smithfield-Wetherill Park has 121 active public transport stops. These are served by a mix of buses along 41 different routes. Together, they facilitate 2,741 weekly passenger trips.

The area's transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents usually located just 133 meters from their nearest stop. On average, services run 391 times daily across all routes, which amounts to about 22 weekly trips per individual stop.

Smithfield - Wetherill Park's residents are healthier than average in comparison to broader Australia with prevalence of common health conditions quite low among the general population though higher than the nation's average across older, at risk cohorts

Smithfield-Wetherill Park residents showed relatively positive health outcomes, with low prevalence of common conditions among the general population, although higher than national averages in older, at-risk cohorts. Approximately 49% of the total population (~9,986 people) had private health cover, lower than the national average of 55.3%.

The most prevalent medical conditions were arthritis (8.2%) and diabetes (6.6%), while 72.4% reported no medical ailments, compared to 75.6% in Greater Sydney. The area has 19.9% residents aged 65 and over (4,072 people), with health outcomes among seniors requiring more attention than the broader population.

Smithfield - Wetherill Park is among the most culturally diverse areas in the country based on AreaSearch assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Smithfield-Wetherill Park has a high cultural diversity, with 55.2% of its population born overseas and 66.3% speaking a language other than English at home. The dominant religion is Christianity, practiced by 70.6% of the residents, compared to 55.7% in Greater Sydney. In terms of ancestry, the top groups are Other (39.1%), Australian (10.7%), and English (8.4%).

Notably, Spanish (1.5%) is overrepresented compared to the regional average of 1.0%, while Vietnamese (6.7%) and Croatian (1.7%) have lower representation than regionally.

Smithfield - Wetherill Park's population is slightly older than the national pattern

The median age in Smithfield - Wetherill Park is 39 years, higher than Greater Sydney's average of 37 years and close to Australia's national average of 38 years. The 65-74 cohort is over-represented at 10.7% compared to the Greater Sydney average, while the 25-34 age group is under-represented at 12.3%. Post-Census data from 2021 shows that the 15-24 age group has grown from 12.8% to 14.2%, and the 55-64 cohort has declined from 12.3% to 11.5%. By 2041, the population forecasts indicate significant demographic changes. The 75-84 age group is expected to grow by 49%, reaching 2,074 people from 1,388. Residents aged 65 and older will represent all of the anticipated growth. Conversely, the 45-54 and 15-24 cohorts are projected to experience population declines.