Bankstown

Bankstown lies within the top quartile of areas nationally for population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of recent, and medium to long-term trends

As of November 2025, the estimated population of Bankstown is around 36,710, reflecting an increase of 1,777 people from the 2021 Census figure of 34,933. This growth was inferred from AreaSearch's validation of new addresses and examination of ABS ERP data released in June 2024, indicating a resident population of 36,918. This results in a density ratio of 5,781 persons per square kilometer, placing Bankstown in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Over the past decade, Bankstown has demonstrated resilient growth patterns with a compound annual growth rate of 1.2%, outpacing its SA4 region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 72.0% to overall population gains during recent periods. AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024, using 2022 as the base year, and NSW State Government's SA2 level projections released in 2022 with a 2021 base year for areas not covered by this data.

Growth rates by age group are applied to all areas from these aggregations for years 2032 to 2041. By 2041, Bankstown is forecasted to increase its population by 13,190 persons, reflecting a gain of 36.7% in total over the 17-year period.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Bankstown among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

Bankstown has seen approximately 98 dwellings granted development approval annually, with a total of 490 homes approved over the past five financial years from FY-21 to FY-25, and an additional 16 approved so far in FY-26. Each dwelling built attracted an average of 4.4 people per year over these five years, indicating that supply has struggled to keep pace with demand, which typically results in increased buyer competition and pricing pressures. The average expected construction cost for new properties is $384,000, lower than the regional average, suggesting more affordable housing options.

This financial year has seen commercial approvals totaling $276.2 million, reflecting strong local business investment. Building activity shows a mix of 35% detached dwellings and 65% medium to high-density housing, which offers affordable entry points and attracts downsizers, investors, and first-time buyers. Bankstown's population growth is projected to add 13,480 residents by 2041, based on the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate.

If current construction levels continue, housing supply may lag behind population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and supporting price increases.

Bankstown 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 a total of 44 projects likely to impact the area. Key projects include Bankstown Exchange (Stage 1 - Bankstown Central Masterplan), Bankstown CBD Transformation, New Bankstown Hospital, and Compass Centre Redevelopment. 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.

AreaSearch assessment indicates Bankstown faces employment challenges relative to the majority of Australian markets

Bankstown has a well-educated workforce with diverse sector representation. The unemployment rate was 9.3% in the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 1.7%.

As of June 2025, there were 16,192 residents employed, and the unemployment rate was 5.1%, which is higher than Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%. Workforce participation in Bankstown is lower at 46.0% compared to Greater Sydney's 60.0%. The leading employment industries among residents are health care & social assistance, retail trade, and manufacturing. Bankstown has a particular specialization in manufacturing, with an employment share that is 1.6 times the regional level.

However, professional & technical services employ only 7.5% of local workers, which is below Greater Sydney's rate of 11.5%. The area appears to offer limited employment opportunities locally, as indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. In the 12-month period ending Sep-22, employment increased by 1.7%, while labour force increased by 2.5%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 0.7 percentage points. By comparison, Greater Sydney recorded employment growth of 2.6% and labour force growth of 2.9%, with unemployment rising by 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 project that national employment will expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these industry-specific projections to Bankstown's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.3% over five years and 13.2% over ten years, although this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections.

The area's income levels rank in the lower 15% nationally based on AreaSearch comparative data

AreaSearch's aggregation of ATO data released for financial year 2022 shows Bankstown had a median taxpayer income of $39,888 and an average income of $50,063. These figures are below the national averages of $56,994 and $80,856 in Greater Sydney respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth from financial year 2022 to September 2025 (12.61%), estimated incomes would be approximately $44,918 (median) and $56,376 (average). According to the 2021 Census, Bankstown's household income ranks at the 22nd percentile ($1,331 weekly), while personal income is at the 6th percentile. Income distribution data indicates that 30.9% of locals (11,343 people) fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 category, consistent with broader regional trends. Housing affordability pressures are severe in Bankstown, with only 76.4% of income remaining, ranking at the 15th percentile.

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

In Bankstown, as per the latest Census evaluation, 30.1% of dwellings were houses while 70.0% consisted of other types such as semi-detached, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. In contrast, Sydney metropolitan area had no houses or other dwellings recorded at that time. Bankstown's home ownership rate was higher than Sydney metro's, standing at 22.2%. The remaining dwellings were either mortgaged (25.5%) or rented (52.2%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in Bankstown was $1,800, aligning with the Sydney metro average. However, the median weekly rent figure in Bankstown was $400, while no such figures were recorded for Sydney metro at that time. Nationally, Bankstown's mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents exceeded the national figure of $375.

Bankstown features high concentrations of group households, with a median household size of 2.9 people

Family households constitute 73.8% of all households, including 37.7% couples with children, 18.1% couples without children, and 15.9% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 26.2%, with lone person households at 22.0% and group households making up 4.2% of the total. The median household size is 2.9 people.

Bankstown shows below-average educational performance compared to national benchmarks, though pockets of achievement exist

Bankstown Trail has 30.2% of residents aged 15 and above holding university degrees, compared to Greater Sydney's 38.0%. The most common qualification is a bachelor degree at 20.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (8.1%) and graduate diplomas (1.3%). Vocational pathways account for 24.3% of qualifications among those aged 15 and above, with advanced diplomas at 10.9% and certificates at 13.4%. Educational participation is high, with 34.9% of residents currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes 10.3% in primary education, 7.8% in secondary education, and 7.4% pursuing tertiary education. There are 13 schools serving 5,650 students in the area, with typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 978) offering balanced educational opportunities. The educational mix includes 8 primary, 3 secondary, and 2 K-12 schools. The area has a strong educational infrastructure with 15.4 school places per 100 residents, serving both local and surrounding communities. Note that where schools show 'n/a' for enrolments, please refer to the parent campus.

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

Bankstown has 153 active public transport stops. These include train stations and bus stops. There are 58 different routes serving these stops, which together facilitate 15,138 weekly passenger trips.

The average distance from a resident's location to the nearest transport stop is 135 meters. On average, there are 2,162 daily trips across all routes, equating to around 98 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Bankstown's health outcomes data shows exceptional results, with younger age groups having a very low prevalence of common health conditions. Private health cover is held by approximately 47% of Bankstown's total population (around 17,180 people), compared to the national average of 55.3%.

The most prevalent medical conditions in the area are diabetes and arthritis, affecting 5.2% and 5.0% of residents respectively. A significant majority, 79.7%, report being completely free from medical ailments, contrasting with the 0% reported across Greater Sydney. Bankstown has 13.7% of its population aged 65 and over (around 5,029 people), with health outcomes among seniors being above average but requiring more attention than the broader population.

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

Bankstown has a highly diverse population, with 61.1% born overseas and 80.3% speaking languages other than English at home. Islam is the predominant religion in Bankstown, accounting for 34.4%, compared to none across Greater Sydney. The top three ancestry groups are Other (28.8%), Vietnamese (18.0%), and Lebanese (11.4%).

Notably, Macedonian, Samoan, and Chinese ethnicities have higher representations than the regional average: Macedonian at 2.0% in Bankstown versus none regionally, Samoan at 0.7% versus none, and Chinese at 10.5% versus none.

Bankstown hosts a young demographic, positioning it in the bottom quartile nationwide

Bankstown's median age is 34 years, which is lower than Greater Sydney's average of 37 and Australia's average of 38. Compared to Greater Sydney, Bankstown has a higher percentage of residents aged 25-34 (18.3%) but fewer residents aged 75-84 (3.9%). Between the 2021 Census and the present day, the population of residents aged 65-74 has grown from 6.9% to 8.0%, while the percentage of residents aged 55-64 has declined from 10.8% to 10.1%. By 2041, demographic forecasts indicate significant changes in Bankstown's population, with the strongest projected growth occurring among the 45-54 age group, which is expected to grow by 49%, adding 2,010 residents and reaching a total of 6,085.