Ashbury

Ashbury is positioned among the lower quartile of areas assessed nationally for population growth based on AreaSearch's assessment of recent, and medium term trends

As of May 2026, the estimated population of the suburb of Ashbury is around 3,563, reflecting a growth of 210 people since the 2021 Census. This increase represents a 6.3% rise from the previous population count of 3,353. The resident population estimate of 3,550, provided by AreaSearch following examination of ABS's latest ERP data release in June 2025, and an additional 66 validated new addresses since the Census date, contribute to this growth. This results in a population density ratio of 3,459 persons per square kilometer, placing Ashbury in the upper quartile relative to other national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The suburb's 6.3% growth rate since the census is within 0.3 percentage points of the SA4 region's 6.6%, indicating competitive growth fundamentals. Overseas migration contributed approximately 78.0% of overall population gains during recent periods, driving this growth.

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 where applicable, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021. Based on these aggregations, the suburb is expected to increase by 370 persons to 2041, reflecting an overall increase of 10.0% over the 16-year period.

The level of residential development activity in Ashbury is very low in comparison to the average area assessed nationally by AreaSearch

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers shows Ashbury recorded around 11 residential property approvals per year over the past five financial years ending FY26. This totals an estimated 56 homes. In FY26, one approval has been recorded so far. The population decline in recent years has resulted in adequate housing supply relative to demand, creating a balanced market with good buyer choice for new homes averaging $389,000 in construction cost value.

Commercial approvals this financial year amount to $152,000, indicating the area's residential nature. Compared to Greater Sydney, Ashbury has about two-thirds the rate of new dwelling approvals per person and ranks among the 8th percentile nationally, suggesting constrained buyer choice and interest in existing dwellings. This level is below average nationally, reflecting the area's maturity and possible planning constraints. Recent construction comprises 8.0% detached dwellings and 92.0% medium to high-density housing, appealing to downsizers, investors, and entry-level buyers. This shift from the current housing mix of 91.0% houses indicates reduced development site availability and changing lifestyle demands. The area has approximately 2297 people per dwelling approval, indicating an established market.

By 2041, Ashbury is projected to grow by 357 residents (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 projections.

Ashbury has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 10% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified three projects that may impact the area: Cardinal Freeman Final Release Development - Wattle Building, NSW School Infrastructure Program - Inner West, Sydney Metro City and Southwest, Earlwood Town Centre Speed Limit Reduction. The following list details those likely 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.

AreaSearch assessment positions Ashbury ahead of most Australian regions for employment performance

Ashbury's workforce is highly educated, with the technology sector being particularly well-represented. The unemployment rate in Ashbury was 2.9% as of an AreaSearch aggregation of statistical area data. As of December 2025, 1,851 residents were employed, with an unemployment rate of 1.3% lower than Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%.

Workforce participation in Ashbury was at 63.2%, compared to Greater Sydney's 68.8%. According to Census responses, 63.1% of residents worked from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered. The leading employment industries among residents were education & training, health care & social assistance, and professional & technical services. Ashbury had a particular specialization in education & training, with an employment share 1.6 times the regional level.

However, retail trade was under-represented, with only 5.9% of Ashbury's workforce compared to Greater Sydney's 9.3%. The predominantly residential area appeared to offer limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. In the 12-month period ending in December 2025, labour force decreased by 1.4% and employment declined by 1.9%, leading to a rise in unemployment rate by 0.5 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Sydney experienced employment growth of 2.2% and labour force growth of 2.3%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 projected national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Ashbury's employment mix suggested local employment should increase by 7.1% over five years and 14.3% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

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

Ashbury suburb has a median taxpayer income of $52,420 and an average of $68,498 based on latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. This is slightly above national average, contrasting with Greater Sydney's median income of $60,817 and average income of $83,003. By March 2026, estimates suggest median income to be approximately $57,830 and average income to be around $75,567, considering a 10.32% Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2023. According to Census figures from 2021, household incomes rank at the 91st percentile ($2,571 weekly), while personal income ranks lower at the 65th percentile. The earnings profile shows that 29.6% of locals (1,054 people) fall into the $4000+ category, differing from regional patterns where $1,500 - 2,999 dominates with 30.9%. Economic strength is evident through 43.3% of households achieving high weekly earnings exceeding $3,000, supporting elevated consumer spending. After housing costs, residents retain 87.7% of income, reflecting strong purchasing power and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

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

In Ashbury, as recorded in the latest Census, 90.8% of dwellings were houses, with the remaining 9.2% being semi-detached, apartments, or other types. This is compared to Sydney metro's figures of 55.9% houses and 44.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Ashbury stood at 50.6%, with mortgaged dwellings at 37.3% and rented ones at 12.1%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,817, higher than Sydney metro's average of $2,427. Median weekly rent in Ashbury was $600, compared to Sydney metro's $470. Nationally, Ashbury's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 83.0% of all households, including 46.1% couples with children, 23.1% couples without children, and 12.6% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 17.0%, with lone person households at 15.3% and group households comprising 1.7% of the total. The median household size is 2.9 people, which is larger than the Greater Sydney average of 2.7.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 36.4%, significantly lower than the SA4 region average of 49.5%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 23.1%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (10.3%) and graduate diplomas (3.0%). Vocational credentials are held by 27.3% of residents aged 15+, with advanced diplomas at 11.1% and certificates at 16.2%. Educational participation is high, with 30.0% of residents currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes 9.9% in secondary education, 9.4% in primary education, and 6.4% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Ashbury has 19 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 14 different routes that together facilitate 672 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of these stops is rated as excellent, with residents being an average of 181 meters away from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward due to Ashbury's predominantly residential nature. Cars remain the primary mode of transport for commuting at 81%, while trains account for 8%. On average, there are 1.5 vehicles per dwelling in the area, which is higher than the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, a significant proportion of residents, specifically 63.1%, work from home, potentially due to COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency across all routes averages 96 trips per day, equating to approximately 35 weekly trips per stop.

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

AreaSearch's assessment shows exceptional health outcomes across Ashbury, with younger cohorts having a very low prevalence of common health conditions. The area has a high rate of private health cover at approximately 54% (~1,924 people), compared to Greater Sydney's 59.9%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (7.1%) and asthma (6.6%). A total of 72.0% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 74.6% in Greater Sydney. Ashbury has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 20.6% (~733 people), compared to Greater Sydney's 15.5%. Health outcomes among seniors are above average but rank lower nationally than the broader population.

Ashbury was found to be more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets in Australia, upon assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Ashbury has a high level of cultural diversity, with 31.6% of its population born overseas and 36.2% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Ashbury, accounting for 67.3% of the population, compared to 49.2% across Greater Sydney. The top three ancestral groups are Australian (17.1%), English (15.5%), and Italian (12.9%), with Italians being significantly more represented than the regional average of 3.4%.

Notably, Greeks make up 8.0% of Ashbury's population compared to 1.9% regionally, Spanish comprise 1.3% versus 0.6%, and Lebanese account for 5.7% compared to 2.6%.

Ashbury hosts a notably older demographic compared to the national average

Ashbury's median age is 44, surpassing Greater Sydney's figure of 37 and significantly exceeding the national norm of 38. The 55-64 age group comprises 14.6%, higher than Greater Sydney's representation, while the 25-34 cohort stands at 7.6%. Post the 2021 Census, the 85+ age group has increased from 2.0% to 3.1%. Conversely, the 5-14 cohort has decreased from 13.3% to 11.9%. By 2041, demographic modeling indicates significant shifts in Ashbury's age profile. Leading this change, the 75-84 group is projected to grow by 42%, reaching 354 from 249. The aging population trend is evident, with those aged 65 and above accounting for 67% of projected growth. Meanwhile, the 0-4 and 15-24 cohorts are expected to experience population declines.