Belfield

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

Based on ABS population updates and AreaSearch validation, the Belfield statistical area's population is estimated at around 6,990 as of Nov 2025. This reflects an increase of 435 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 6,555. The change was inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of 6,851 residents following examination of ABS's latest ERP data release (June 2024) and validation of 610 new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 3,927 persons per square kilometer, placing Belfield in the top 10% nationally according to AreaSearch. Belfield's growth of 6.6% since the 2021 census exceeded its SA3 area's growth rate of 5.7%. Overseas migration contributed approximately 74.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

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 for areas not covered by this data, 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. Future population trends indicate an increase just below the median statistical area nationally, with Belfield expected to grow by 864 persons to 2041, reflecting a gain of 8.7% over the 17-year period.

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

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers allocated from statistical area data 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. Between FY-21 and FY-25, an average of 0.7 new residents per year was associated with each dwelling constructed. This suggests that new supply has kept pace with or exceeded demand, providing ample buyer choice and creating 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. Compared to Greater Sydney, Belfield records 74.0% more building activity per person, offering buyers greater choice, although construction activity has eased recently. New building activity comprises 46.0% standalone homes and 54.0% attached dwellings, marking a significant departure from existing housing patterns (currently 67.0% houses). This shift may be due to diminishing developable land availability and evolving lifestyle preferences and housing affordability needs. With around 274 people per dwelling approval, Belfield shows a developing market.

According to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate, Belfield is projected to add 609 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. Key projects include Belmore Sydney Metro Station Upgrade, The Balfour, Belfield, Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs Centre of Excellence, and 8-14 Bale Street, Belfield (Meriton). Details about these projects can be found in the following list.

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. Its unemployment rate was 3.1% in the past year.

Employment grew by 4.5%. As of September 2025, 3,441 residents were employed, with an unemployment rate of 1.1% below Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%. Workforce participation lagged at 50.8%, compared to Greater Sydney's 60.0%. Key industries included health care & social assistance, construction, and retail trade.

Construction was particularly strong, with an employment share 1.4 times the regional level. Professional & technical services were under-represented at 6.9%, compared to Greater Sydney's 11.5%. Employment opportunities locally appeared limited, as indicated by Census data. In the year ending September 2025, employment increased by 4.5% while labour force grew by 4.7%, raising unemployment by 0.2 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Sydney had employment growth of 2.1% and labour force growth of 2.4%. State-level data to November 25 showed NSW employment contracted by 0.03%, with an unemployment rate of 3.9%. National forecasts from May-25 projected overall employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Belfield's industry mix suggested local employment should increase by 6.7% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, though this is a simple extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of ATO data released 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 of $60,817 and Greater Sydney's average of $83,003. By September 2025, based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86%, estimated median income would be approximately $51,484 and average income would be around $65,841. According to the 2021 Census, Belfield's household income ranks at the 48th percentile ($1,727 weekly) and personal income at the 23rd percentile. Income distribution shows that 30.0% of the population (2,097 individuals) fall within the $1,500 - $2,999 range, similar to 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 structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 66.9% houses and 33.1% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Sydney metro's 48.7% houses and 51.3% other dwellings. Belfield's home ownership rate was 32.9%, with mortgaged dwellings at 35.7% and rented ones at 31.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,500, higher than Sydney metro's average of $2,167. The median weekly rent figure in Belfield was $460, compared to Sydney metro's $390. Nationally, Belfield's mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $2,500 versus the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Belfield has a typical household mix, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households account for 76.2% of all households, consisting of couples with children (40%), couples without children (20.2%) and single parent families (14.2%). 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 matches the Greater Sydney average.

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 held by 29.8% of residents aged 15+, with advanced diplomas at 12.5% and certificates at 17.3%. Educational participation is high, with 30.3% of residents currently enrolled in formal education.

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

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 are serviced by 15 different routes that together facilitate 1,241 weekly passenger trips. The average distance from a resident's location to the nearest stop is 154 meters, indicating excellent transport accessibility.

On average, there are 177 trips per day across all routes, which equates to approximately 30 weekly trips per individual 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.

Prevalence of common health conditions is low among the general population but slightly higher among older, at-risk cohorts. Approximately 51% (~3,556 people) of the total population has private health cover. The most common medical conditions in the area are arthritis and diabetes, affecting 6.5% and 5.9% of residents respectively. 75.6% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments compared to 77.7% across Greater Sydney. Belfield has 17.7% (1,237 people) of its residents aged 65 and over, which is higher than the 15.8% in Greater Sydney. Health outcomes among seniors are above average but require more attention than those of 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, which is higher than the Greater Sydney average of 45.8%. The top three ancestry groups in Belfield are Lebanese (16.5%), Other (14.6%), and Australian (12.1%).

Notably, Korean ancestry is overrepresented in Belfield at 3.9%, compared to the regional average of 1.3%. Similarly, Italian ancestry is higher at 11.0% than the regional average of 3.9%. However, Greek ancestry is underrepresented at 6.2%, compared to the regional average of 8.7%.

Belfield's population is slightly older than the national pattern

Belfield has a median age of 40, which is slightly higher than Greater Sydney's figure of 37 and Australia's average of 38 years. Compared to the Greater Sydney average, Belfield has a notably higher proportion of individuals aged 55-64 (12.9%) and a lower proportion of those aged 25-34 (11.3%). Between 2021 and present, the population of individuals aged 15-24 increased from 12.3% to 13.4%, while the age group 45-54 decreased from 14.3% to 13.7%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests Belfield's age profile will change significantly. The 75-84 age cohort is projected to grow by 248 people (57%) from 433 to 682. Notably, the combined age groups of 65 and above are expected to account for 68% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. Meanwhile, the populations of individuals aged 25-34 and 5-14 are expected to decline.