Belfield

An assessment of population growth drivers in Belfield reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

As of Feb 2026, the estimated population of the suburb of Belfield is around 6,991, reflecting a growth of 436 people since the 2021 Census. This increase represents a 6.7% rise from the previously reported population of 6,555. The change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimated resident population of 6,851 in Jun 2024, along with an additional 610 validated new addresses since the Census date. This population density translates to approximately 3,927 persons per square kilometer, placing Belfield within the top 10% of locations assessed by AreaSearch. The suburb's growth rate of 6.7% exceeds that of its SA3 area at 5.7%, indicating it as a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 74.0% to Belfield's population gains during recent periods.

For future projections, AreaSearch is using ABS/Geoscience Australia data for each SA2 area released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. By 2041, the suburb is expected to grow by approximately 865 persons, reflecting an increase of 8.8% over the 17-year period, based on aggregated SA2-level projections.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Belfield according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

AreaSearch analysis indicates Belfield averaged approximately 32 new dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated 161 homes. As of FY-26, 39 approvals have been recorded. The average annual increase in residents per dwelling constructed between FY-21 and FY-25 was 0.7. This suggests that new supply is meeting or exceeding demand, providing ample buyer choice and capacity for population growth beyond current forecasts.

The average construction value of new homes is $572,000, indicating a focus on the premium segment with upmarket properties. In FY-26, $1.8 million in commercial approvals have been registered, suggesting minimal commercial development activity. Comparatively, Belfield records 74.0% more building activity per person than Greater Sydney, offering buyers greater choice. However, construction activity has eased recently. New building activity comprises 46.0% standalone homes and 54.0% attached dwellings, marking a significant shift from the current housing pattern of 67.0% houses. This trend suggests diminishing developable land availability and responds to evolving lifestyle preferences and housing affordability needs.

Belfield has approximately 274 people per dwelling approval, indicating characteristics of a low density area. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Belfield is projected to add 613 residents by 2041. Based on current development patterns, new housing supply should readily meet demand, offering good conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

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

Ten projects have been identified by AreaSearch as potentially impacting the area's performance. These include Belmore Sydney Metro Station Upgrade, The Balfour, Belfield, Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs Centre of Excellence, and 8-14 Bale Street, Belfield (Meriton). Details on those likely to be most relevant are provided below.

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 Belfield ahead of most Australian regions for employment performance

Belfield's workforce is skilled with diverse sector representation. The unemployment rate was 3.1% as of the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 4.5%. As of September 2025, 3,437 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 1.1% lower than Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%.

Workforce participation in Belfield was 63.7%, compared to Greater Sydney's 70.0%. According to Census responses, 42.9% of residents worked from home. Key industries for employment among residents were health care & social assistance, construction, and retail trade. Belfield showed strong specialization in construction with an employment share 1.4 times the regional level.

However, professional & technical services were under-represented at 6.9%, compared to Greater Sydney's 11.5%. The area appeared to offer limited local employment opportunities based on Census data. In the 12-month period ending May-25, employment increased by 4.5% and labour force by 4.6%, causing unemployment rate to rise by 0.1 percentage points. 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, with differing growth rates between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Belfield's employment mix suggested local employment should increase by 6.7% over five years and 13.7% over ten years.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of ATO data released on 30 June 2023 for financial year 2023, Belfield had a median income among taxpayers of $47,294 and an average level of $60,482. This is below the national average, which stood at $65,108 in 2023. In Greater Sydney, the median was $60,817 and the average was $83,003. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $51,484 (median) and $65,841 (average) as of September 2025. According to the 2021 Census, household income ranks at the 48th percentile ($1,727 weekly), while personal income sits at the 23rd percentile. Distribution data shows 30.0% of the population falls within the $1,500 - $2,999 income range, mirroring regional levels where 30.9% occupy this bracket. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 79.7% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 44th percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 6th decile.

Belfield displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Belfield's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 66.9% houses and 33.1% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Sydney metro had 55.9% houses and 44.1% other dwellings. Belfield's home ownership rate was 32.9%, with the rest being mortgaged (35.7%) or rented (31.3%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in Belfield was $2,500, higher than Sydney metro's average of $2,427. The median weekly rent in Belfield was $460, compared to Sydney metro's $470. Nationally, Belfield's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Belfield has a typical household mix, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households account for 76.2% of all households, consisting of 40.0% couples with children, 20.2% couples without children, and 14.2% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 23.8%, with lone person households at 21.9% and group households comprising 2.2%. The median household size is 2.9 people, which is larger than the Greater Sydney average of 2.7.

Belfield performs slightly above the national average for education, showing competitive qualification levels and steady academic outcomes

The area's university qualification rate is 26.2%, significantly lower than Greater Sydney's average of 38.0%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 18.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (5.6%) and graduate diplomas (1.7%). Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 29.8% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (12.5%) and certificates (17.3%). Educational participation is high, with 30.3% of residents currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes primary education (10.1%), secondary education (9.0%), and tertiary education (5.7%).

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

Belfield has 41 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 15 different routes that together facilitate 1,241 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of these transport services is rated as excellent, with residents typically living just 154 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents in this predominantly residential area commute outwards. Car remains the most popular mode of transport, used by 83% of residents, while train use stands at 10%. On average, there are 1.3 vehicles per dwelling.

According to the 2021 Census, a high proportion of residents work from home (42.9%), which may be partly due to COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency averages 177 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 30 weekly trips per stop.

Belfield's residents are extremely healthy with prevalence of common health conditions low among the general population though slightly higher across older, at risk cohorts

Analysis of health metrics shows strong performance throughout Belfield. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence were assessed by AreaSearch, with prevalence of common health conditions low among the general population at approximately 6.5% for arthritis and 5.9% for diabetes.

Around 75.6% of residents declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments. This compares to 74.6% across Greater Sydney. Private health cover was found to be relatively low at approximately 51% of the total population (~3,557 people), compared to 59.9% across Greater Sydney. Working-age residents were notably healthy with low chronic condition prevalence. The area has 18.1% of residents aged 65 and over (1,265 people), which is higher than the 15.4% in Greater Sydney. Health outcomes among seniors are above average, though ranking lower nationally than the broader population.

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

Belfield has a high level of cultural diversity, with 40.0% of its population born overseas and 55.0% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Belfield, making up 68.1% of the population, compared to 49.2% across Greater Sydney. The top three ancestry groups in Belfield are Lebanese (16.5%), Other (14.6%), and Australian (12.1%).

Notably, Korean is overrepresented at 3.9%, Italian at 11.0%, and Greek at 6.2%.

Belfield's population is slightly older than the national pattern

Belfield has a median age of 40, which is somewhat higher than Greater Sydney's figure of 37 and Australia's median age of 38 years. Compared to the Greater Sydney average, Belfield has an over-representation of the 55-64 cohort at 12.8% locally, while the 25-34 year-olds are under-represented at 11.1%. Between 2021 and present, the 15 to 24 age group has increased from 12.3% to 13.7%, while the 45 to 54 cohort has declined from 14.3% to 13.3%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests significant changes in Belfield's age profile. The 75 to 84 age cohort is projected to grow by 245 people (56%), from 440 to 686. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups will account for 66% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic trend. Meanwhile, the 25-34 and 5-14 cohorts are expected to experience population declines.