Auburn (NSW)

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

As of November 2025, Auburn's population is estimated at around 43,272 people, reflecting a 10.0% increase since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 39,333. This growth is inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population as 43,104 following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 and an additional 589 validated new addresses since the Census date. The suburb's population density of 5,055 persons per square kilometer places it in the top 10% nationally, indicating high demand for land in the area. Auburn's growth rate exceeded both the state (6.7%) and metropolitan area, making it a regional growth leader. Overseas migration contributed approximately 82.0% 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, and NSW State Government's SA2 level projections where applicable.

Considering these projections, a significant population increase is forecasted for Auburn by 2041, with an expected expansion of 11,677 persons, reflecting a total gain of 26.5% over the 17 years.

AreaSearch analysis of residential development drivers sees Auburn recording a relatively average level of approval activity when compared to local markets analysed countrywide

Based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers allocated from statistical area data, Auburn has experienced around 227 dwellings receiving development approval annually. Over the past five financial years, between FY-21 and FY-25, approximately 1,135 homes were approved, with a further 26 approved in FY-26 so far. On average, each dwelling constructed over these years has resulted in one new resident per year.

This suggests that new supply is keeping pace with or exceeding demand, providing ample buyer choice and creating capacity for population growth beyond current forecasts. The average construction value of these properties is $369,000, which is below the regional average, indicating more affordable housing options for buyers. In FY-26, there have been $108.6 million in commercial approvals, reflecting strong commercial development momentum. Comparatively, Auburn records about 58% of the building activity per person when compared to Greater Sydney.

Nationally, it places among the 32nd percentile of areas assessed, suggesting more limited choices for buyers and supporting demand for existing homes. The new development in Auburn consists of approximately 41.0% detached dwellings and 59.0% townhouses or apartments, indicating a skew towards compact living that offers affordable entry pathways and attracts downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers. With around 521 people per approval, Auburn indicates a mature market. According to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate, Auburn is forecasted to gain approximately 11,480 residents by 2041. Building activity appears to be keeping pace with these growth projections, although buyers may experience heightened competition as the population grows.

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

Changes in local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified a total of 59 projects that could affect the region. Notable initiatives include The Concourse at Lidcombe - DOOLEYS Regeneration Project, Central Lidcombe Multi-Storey Warehouse, North Village Auburn Square Stage 2, and Parramatta Road Urban Amenity Improvement Program Auburn. The following list provides details on those most likely to be 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.

Employment drivers in Auburn are experiencing difficulties, placing it among the bottom 20% of areas assessed across Australia

Auburn's workforce is well-educated with diverse sector representation. The unemployment rate was 6.9% in the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 1.4%.

As of June 2025, 20,250 residents were employed, while the unemployment rate was 2.7% higher than Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%. Workforce participation lagged significantly at 46.3%, compared to Greater Sydney's 60.0%. Key industries for employment among residents were health care & social assistance, retail trade, and accommodation & food. The area showed strong specialization in accommodation & food with an employment share of 1.8 times the regional level.

Conversely, professional & technical services had lower representation at 5.7%, compared to the regional average of 11.5%. Employment opportunities appeared limited locally, as indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. During the year to June 2025, employment levels increased by 1.4% and labour force by 3.2%, resulting in a rise in unemployment of 1.7 percentage points. In comparison, Greater Sydney saw employment growth of 2.6%, labour force expansion of 2.9%, and an unemployment increase of 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 suggest that Auburn's employment should increase by 6.5% over five years and 13.6% over ten years, based on industry-specific projections applied to Auburn's employment mix.

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 for financial year ended June 2022, Auburn had a median income among taxpayers of $35,865 with the average level standing at $44,274. This is lower than national averages which were $56,994 and $80,856 across Greater Sydney respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% from financial year ended June 2022 to September 2025, current estimates would be approximately $40,388 for median income and $49,857 for average income as of September 2025. From the Census conducted in August 2021, individual incomes lag at the 9th percentile with weekly earnings of $580, while household income performs better at the 37th percentile. The data shows that 32.6% of locals (14,106 people) fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 income category, reflecting patterns seen in the region where 30.9% similarly occupy this range. Housing affordability pressures are severe with only 78.6% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 31st percentile.

Auburn features a more urban dwelling mix with significant apartment living, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

In Auburn, as per the latest Census evaluation, 42.2% of dwellings were houses while 57.8% were other types such as semi-detached homes, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. This contrasts with Sydney metro's figures of 33.5% houses and 66.5% other dwellings. Home ownership in Auburn stood at 22.9%, with mortgaged dwellings at 24.7% and rented ones at 52.4%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Auburn was $2,000, lower than the Sydney metro average of $2,167. The median weekly rent figure for Auburn was recorded at $410, compared to Sydney metro's $470. Nationally, Auburn's median monthly mortgage repayments exceeded the Australian average of $1,863, while its median weekly rents surpassed the national figure of $375.

Auburn features high concentrations of group households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 72.0% of all households, including 37.5% couples with children, 21.4% couples without children, and 10.3% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 28.0%, with lone person households at 16.6% and group households comprising 11.4%. The median household size is 3.3 people, larger than the Greater Sydney average of 2.8.

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

In Auburn trails regional benchmarks in educational qualifications, with 31.3% of residents aged 15 and above holding university degrees compared to the SA3 area's 39.9%. This difference indicates potential for educational development and skill enhancement. Bachelor degrees are most common at 20.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 10.0% and graduate diplomas at 1.3%. Vocational pathways account for 21.7% of qualifications among those aged 15 and above, with advanced diplomas at 11.9% and certificates at 9.8%.

Educational participation is high, with 38.0% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, including 10.5% in tertiary education, 9.3% in primary education, and 6.7% pursuing secondary education. The area has 15 schools serving 7,844 students, with typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 1014) and balanced educational opportunities. There are 7 primary, 6 secondary, and 2 K-12 schools in the area. Auburn functions as an education hub with 18.1 school places per 100 residents, significantly above the regional average of 10.8, attracting students from surrounding communities. Note: where schools show 'n/a' for enrolments, please refer to the parent campus.

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

Auburn has 177 active public transport stops. These include both train and bus services. There are 33 different routes operating in total.

Each week, these routes facilitate 5,876 passenger trips. The city's transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically living just 124 meters from the nearest stop. On average, there are 839 trips per day across all routes, which amounts to approximately 33 weekly trips per individual stop.

Auburn's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Health outcomes data shows excellent results in Auburn with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups. Approximately 45% of Auburn's total population (~19,273 people) has private health cover, compared to 48.5% in Greater Sydney and a national average of 55.3%. Diabetes and arthritis are the most prevalent medical conditions, affecting 4.8% and 3.9% of residents respectively.

About 84.1% of Auburn residents report being completely free from medical ailments, compared to 83.5% in Greater Sydney. As of 2021, 10.8% of Auburn's population is aged 65 and over (4,673 people). Health outcomes among seniors require particular attention despite the overall strong results.

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

Auburn's population is predominantly diverse, with 69.7% born overseas and 86.5% speaking a language other than English at home. The majority religion in Auburn is Islam, accounting for 42.6%, compared to 23.4% across Greater Sydney. In terms of ancestry, the top groups are Other (45.2%), Chinese (21.7%), and Lebanese (6.2%).

Notably, Korean (1.5%) and Indian (6.1%) groups are overrepresented in Auburn compared to regional averages of 7.7% and 4.3%, respectively.

Auburn hosts a very young demographic, ranking in the bottom 10% of areas nationwide

Auburn's median age is 31 years, which is lower than the Greater Sydney average of 37 and significantly below the Australian median of 38. Compared to Greater Sydney, Auburn has a higher proportion of residents aged 25-34 (23.9%), but fewer residents aged 45-54 (9.1%). This concentration of 25-34 year-olds is notably higher than the national average of 14.5%. Between 2021 and present, the proportion of Auburn's population aged 25 to 34 has increased from 22.9% to 23.9%, while the proportion of residents aged 45 to 54 has decreased from 10.2% to 9.1%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests that Auburn's age profile will change significantly. The number of people in the 45-54 age group is projected to increase steadily, rising by 1,765 individuals (45%) from 3,937 to 5,702.