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 20,467 as of November 2025, according to AreaSearch's analysis. This figure represents a growth of 957 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 19,510. The increase is inferred from an estimated resident population of 20,232 in June 2024 and the addition of 84 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 3,096 persons per square kilometer, placing Smithfield-Wetherill Park in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The area's growth rate of 4.9% since the 2021 census surpassed that of its SA3 region (2.2%), indicating it as a growth leader. Overseas migration contributed approximately 76.6% of overall population gains during recent periods, driving primary population growth in the area.

AreaSearch uses 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 utilizes 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. Based on demographic trends and the latest population numbers, Smithfield-Wetherill Park is expected to expand by 753 persons to reach a total of approximately 21,220 by 2041, marking an increase of 2.0% 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 recorded approximately 116 residential property approvals annually over the past five financial years ending FY25. This totals 582 homes. In FY26, up to July, 42 approvals have been granted. The average population increase per dwelling built in the area from FY21 to FY25 was 0.8 persons per year.

New construction is meeting or exceeding demand, providing more buying options and potentially accelerating population growth beyond current projections. The average expected construction cost of new properties is $248,000, which is below the regional average, suggesting affordable housing options. In FY26, commercial approvals reached $5.6 million, indicating limited commercial development focus compared to residential growth. Compared to Greater Sydney, Smithfield - Wetherill Park shows moderately higher new home approvals, with 28.0% above the regional average per person over the five-year period ending FY25.

This preserves reasonable buyer options while sustaining existing property demand. New building activity in the area consists of 57.0% detached houses and 43.0% townhouses or apartments. The growing mix of townhouse and apartment developments offers varied housing options across different price points, from family homes to more affordable compact living. This shift marks a significant departure from existing housing patterns, which are currently 81.0% houses. Smithfield - Wetherill Park has a population density of around 163 people per approval, reflecting a low-density area. Population forecasts indicate the area will gain approximately 414 residents by 2041. With current construction levels, housing supply should adequately meet demand, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling growth that exceeds current projections.

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 identified 22 projects likely affecting the region. Notable initiatives include ALS Sydney's Smithfield Refurbishment, Woolworths' Warehouse Distribution Centre in Wetherill Park, Stage 3 Redevelopment at 106-128 Woodpark Road Smithfield, and Residential Development at 45 Chifley Street Smithfield. The following list details projects most relevant to the area.

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

Smithfield - Wetherill Park has a balanced workforce consisting of both white and blue collar jobs. Manufacturing and industrial sectors are prominent.

As of June 2025, the unemployment rate is 7.7%. Over the past year, employment growth was estimated at 6.0%. There are 7,784 residents in work, but the unemployment rate is 3.5% higher than Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%, indicating room for improvement. Workforce participation lags behind Greater Sydney at 40.4% compared to its 60.0%.

Employment is concentrated in health care & social assistance, retail trade, and manufacturing. Manufacturing has a particularly strong representation with an employment share of 1.8 times the regional level. Conversely, professional & technical services show lower representation at 5.2%, compared to the regional average of 11.5%. Over the year ending June 2025, employment increased by 6.0% while labour force grew by 4.9%, leading to a decrease in unemployment by 0.9 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 Smithfield - Wetherill Park's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.1% over five years and 12.8% over ten years, though these are simple extrapolations for illustrative purposes and do not account for localized population projections.

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

AreaSearch's aggregation of ATO data for financial year 2022 shows Smithfield - Wetherill Park had a median taxpayer income of $45,476 and an average income of $58,439. These figures are below the national averages of $56,994 and $80,856 respectively for Greater Sydney. Based on a 12.61% Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2022, estimated incomes as of September 2025 would be approximately $51,211 (median) and $65,808 (average). The 2021 Census reports individual incomes at the 3rd percentile ($491 weekly), while household income is at the 25th percentile. Income distribution shows that 28.6% of locals (5,853 people) fall into the $1,500 - 2,999 category, similar to the broader regional trend of 30.9%. 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

Smithfield - Wetherill Park's dwellings were 81.2% houses and 18.7% other types at the latest Census, compared to Sydney metro's 73.3% houses and 26.7% others. Home ownership was 33.3%, similar to Sydney metro. Mortgages accounted for 28.3% and rentals were 38.4%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,167, above Sydney's $2,000 average. Median weekly rent was $420, higher than Sydney's $400. Nationally, Smithfield - Wetherill Park's mortgage repayments and rents were significantly higher at $1,863 and $375 respectively.

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

Family households comprise 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 constitute 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 most common at 12.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.7%) and graduate diplomas (0.9%). Vocational credentials are held by 28.0% of residents aged 15+, including advanced diplomas (9.5%) and certificates (18.5%). Educational participation is high, with 31.0% of residents currently enrolled in formal education: primary (10.1%), secondary (9.2%), and tertiary (4.5%).

Six schools operate in Smithfield - Wetherill Park, educating approximately 2,078 students, with typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 972) offering balanced educational opportunities. The mix includes five primary and one K-12 school. School places per 100 residents are 10.2, below the regional average of 17.4, indicating some students may attend schools in adjacent areas. Note: for schools showing 'n/a' for enrolments, refer to the parent campus.

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

The analysis of public transport in Smithfield - Wetherill Park shows that there are 121 active transport stops operating. These stops serve a mix of buses, with a total of 41 individual routes providing service. The collective weekly passenger trips number 2,741.

Residents have excellent accessibility to these services, with an average distance of 133 meters from their homes to the nearest stop. The service frequency across all routes averages 391 trips per day, which equates to approximately 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

Health data shows Smithfield - Wetherill Park residents have a relatively low prevalence of common health conditions compared to the general population, but higher than the national average among older, at-risk cohorts. Approximately 49% of the total population (~10,008 people) has private health cover, lower than the national average of 55.3%.

The most prevalent medical conditions in the area are arthritis and diabetes, affecting 8.2 and 6.6% of residents respectively. 72.4% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 75.6% across Greater Sydney. The area has 19.9% of residents aged 65 and over (4,081 people). Health outcomes among seniors require 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 is among the most culturally diverse areas in Australia, with 55.2% of its population born overseas and 66.3% speaking a language other than English at home. The predominant religion in Smithfield-Wetherill Park, as of recent data, is Christianity, comprising 70.6% of the population. This figure is higher compared to Greater Sydney's average of 55.7%.

In terms of ancestry, the top three represented groups are Other (39.1%), Australian (10.7%), and English (8.4%). The 'Other' category is substantially higher than the regional average of 32.7%. There are notable differences in the representation of certain ethnic groups: Spanish is overrepresented at 1.5% compared to the regional average of 1.0%, Vietnamese is underrepresented at 6.7% compared to 17.8%, and Croatian is similarly represented at 1.7%.

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

The median age in Smithfield - Wetherill Park is 39 years, which is higher than Greater Sydney's average of 37 years and close to the national average of 38 years. The 65-74 cohort makes up 10.7% of the local population, compared to 8.2% in Greater Sydney, indicating an over-representation. Conversely, the 25-34 age group is under-represented at 12.3%, compared to 15.6% in Greater Sydney. According to post-2021 Census data, the 15-24 cohort has grown from 12.8% to 14.2%. Meanwhile, the 55-64 group has decreased from 12.3% to 11.5%. By 2041, population forecasts show significant demographic changes. The 75-84 age group is expected to grow by 49%, reaching 2,074 people from 1,391. All growth in this period will be among residents aged 65 and older. However, the 45-54 and 15-24 cohorts are projected to experience population declines.