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 analysis of Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) population updates for the broader area, and new addresses validated by AreaSearch since the Census, the suburb of Belfield's population is estimated at around 7563 as of November 2025. This reflects an increase of 1008 people, a rise of 15.4%, since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 6555 people. The change was inferred from the resident population estimate of 7537 by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ABS Education and Workforce (ERP) data release in June 2024, along with an additional 610 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population results in a density ratio of 4248 persons per square kilometer, placing Belfield in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch, indicating high demand for land in the area. Belfield's growth of 15.4% since the 2021 Census exceeded that of both the SA3 area (4.8%) and the SA4 region, marking it as a growth leader. Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration contributing approximately 74.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting 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 released in 2022 with a base year of 2021 for areas not covered by this data. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Examining future population trends, the suburb is expected to grow by just below the median of statistical areas across the nation, with an increase of 780 persons projected by 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections. This reflects a reduction of 0.6% in total over the 17 years.

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 shows Belfield averaged around 29 new dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years. This totals an estimated 145 homes. So far in FY-26, 28 approvals have been recorded. Over these five years, there was an average of 0.7 new residents per year per dwelling constructed.

New supply has kept pace with or exceeded demand, offering ample buyer choice and capacity for population growth beyond current forecasts. The average construction value of new homes is $572,000. There have been $7.8 million in commercial approvals this financial year, indicating the area's primarily residential nature. Compared to Greater Sydney, Belfield records 56.0% more building activity per person.

Recent construction comprises 52.0% detached dwellings and 48.0% attached dwellings, providing a mix of medium-density options across price brackets. The location has approximately 224 people per dwelling approval, suggesting room for growth. Population projections indicate stability or decline, which should reduce housing demand pressures, benefiting potential buyers.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified six projects expected to influence this region. Notable projects include The Balfour, Belfield, Belmore Sydney Metro Station Upgrade, 8-14 Bale Street, Belfield (Meriton), and Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs Centre of Excellence. The following list details those most relevant.

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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 has a skilled workforce with diverse sector representation. Its unemployment rate was 2.9% in the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 3.2%.

As of June 2025, 3454 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 1.3% lower than Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%. Workforce participation in Belfield lagged at 50.8%, compared to Greater Sydney's 60.0%. Leading employment industries included health care & social assistance, construction, and retail trade. Construction had notably high concentration with levels at 1.4 times the regional average.

However, professional & technical services were under-represented, with only 6.9% of Belfield's workforce compared to Greater Sydney's 11.5%. Employment opportunities locally appeared limited as indicated by Census working population vs resident population count. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment increased by 3.2% while labour force rose by 3.3%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 0.2 percentage points in Belfield. In contrast, Greater Sydney experienced employment growth of 2.6% and labour force growth of 2.9%, with a 0.3 percentage point rise in unemployment rate. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia, issued in Sep-22, projected national employment to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. 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.

The area's income profile falls below national averages based on AreaSearch analysis

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year ending June 2022 indicates that median income in Belfield is $47,294 and average income stands at $60,482. This contrasts with Greater Sydney's median income of $56,994 and average income of $80,856 during the same period. Using Wage Price Index growth rate of 12.61% since financial year ending June 2022, estimated median income as of September 2025 is approximately $53,258 and estimated average income is $68,109. According to Census 2021 data, Belfield's household income ranks at the 48th percentile ($1,727 weekly) and personal income ranks at the 23rd percentile. Income distribution shows that 30.0% of locals (2,268 people) fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 category, similar to the broader area where 30.9% occupy this range. Housing affordability pressures are severe with only 79.7% of income remaining, 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 48.7% houses and 51.3% other dwellings. Home ownership in Belfield was at 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 than the Australian average of $1,863, while 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, including 40.0% couples with children, 20.2% couples without children, and 14.2% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 23.8%, with lone person households at 21.9% and group households comprising 2.2% of the total. The median household size is 2.9 people, which aligns with the Greater Sydney average.

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

The area has lower university qualification rates at 26.2% compared to Greater Sydney's average of 38.0%. Bachelor degrees are 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%. Current educational participation is high at 30.3%, including 10.1% in primary, 9.0% in secondary, and 5.7% in tertiary education.

St Michael's Catholic Primary School and Aspect South East Sydney School, Belfield, serve a total of 264 students. The area has balanced educational opportunities (ICSEA: 1041), with both schools offering primary education only. Secondary options are available nearby due to limited local school capacity (3.5 places per 100 residents vs regional average of 9.6). Some families travel for schooling as a result.

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

Public transport analysis conducted in Belfield indicates that there are currently 35 active transport stops in operation. These stops primarily serve buses, with a total of 15 individual routes providing service to the area. Collectively, these routes facilitate 1,157 weekly passenger trips.

The accessibility of public transport in Belfield is rated as excellent, with residents typically located approximately 138 meters from their nearest transport stop. Service frequency averages 165 trips per day across all routes, equating to roughly 33 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 indicates strong performance across Belfield.

Prevalence of common health conditions is low among the general population but slightly higher among older, at-risk cohorts. Approximately 51% (~3,848 people) have private health cover, which is relatively low. The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis and diabetes, affecting 6.5 and 5.9% of residents respectively. 75.6% declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 77.7% in Greater Sydney. Belfield has 17.8% (1,346 people) of residents aged 65 and over, 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's cultural diversity is notable, 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, practiced by 68.1%, compared to 45.8% across Greater Sydney. The top three ancestry groups are Lebanese (16.5%), Other (14.6%), and Australian (12.1%).

Notably, Korean (3.9%) and Italian (11.0%) populations in Belfield exceed regional averages of 1.3% and 3.9%, respectively, while Greek (6.2%) is slightly below the regional average of 8.7%.

Belfield's median age exceeds the national pattern

Belfield has a median age of 40, which is slightly higher than Greater Sydney's figure of 37 and Australia's median age of 38 years. Comparing it with the Greater Sydney average, Belfield has an over-representation of the 55-64 age cohort (12.8%) and an under-representation of the 25-34 year-olds (11.3%). Between 2021 and now, the percentage of the population aged 15 to 24 has increased from 12.3% to 13.5%, while the 45 to 54 age group has decreased from 14.3% to 13.7%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant changes in Belfield's age profile. The 75 to 84 age cohort is expected to grow by 204 people (44%), from 468 to 673. Notably, the combined age groups of 65 and above will account for 91% of total population growth, reflecting Belfield's aging demographic trend. Conversely, the 45 to 54 and 15 to 24 age cohorts are projected to experience population declines.