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. This figure reflects an increase of 436 people since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 6,555. The change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population at 6,851 following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 and an additional 610 validated 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% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The suburb's growth rate of 6.7% since the 2021 census exceeded that of its SA3 area at 5.7%, indicating it as a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 74.0% of overall population gains during recent periods, driving primary population growth for the suburb.

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 for areas not covered by this data, released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Future population trends indicate a growth of 880 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting a gain of 10.6% in total 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 for Belfield shows an average of approximately 32 new dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling around 161 homes. As of FY-26, 41 approvals have been recorded. This averages out to about 0.7 new residents per year per dwelling constructed between FY-21 and FY-25, indicating that supply is keeping pace with or exceeding demand. The average construction value of these dwellings is around $572,000, suggesting a focus on the premium segment.

This financial year has seen $1.8 million in commercial approvals, implying minimal commercial development activity. Compared to Greater Sydney, Belfield records 72.0% more building activity per person, offering buyers greater choice, although recent construction activity has eased. The new building activity shows a split of 46.0% standalone homes and 54.0% attached dwellings, marking a significant shift from the current housing pattern of 67.0% houses. This could be due to diminishing developable land availability and evolving lifestyle preferences. Belfield has around 274 people per dwelling approval, indicating characteristics of a low density area. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Belfield is projected to add approximately 740 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). The following list details those likely to be 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 positions Belfield ahead of most Australian regions for employment performance

Belfield has a skilled workforce with diverse sector representation. Its unemployment rate was 3.0% in the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 6.2%. As of December 2025, 3470 residents were employed, and the unemployment rate was 1.2% lower than Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%.

Workforce participation was at 63.6%, compared to Greater Sydney's 70.2%. According to Census responses, 42.9% of residents worked from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered. Key industries for employment among residents were health care & social assistance, construction, and retail trade. Belfield had a particularly 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 predominantly residential area appeared to offer limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. In the 12-month period ending in May-25, employment increased by 6.2% while labour force grew by 6.0%, causing the unemployment rate to fall by 0.3 percentage points. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia projected a growth of 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, though these are simple extrapolations for illustrative purposes only.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year ending June 2023, Belfield had a median income among taxpayers of $47,294. The average income stood at $60,482. Both figures are below the national averages of $60,817 and $83,003 respectively for Greater Sydney. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% from financial year ending June 2023 to September 2025, current estimates would be approximately $51,484 (median) and $65,841 (average). 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, 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 figures of 55.9% houses and 44.1% 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, above Sydney metro's average of $2,427. Median weekly rent in Belfield was $460, compared to Sydney metro's figure of $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, 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 making up 2.2% of the total. 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 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, comprising 10.1% in primary, 9.0% in secondary, and 5.7% in tertiary education.

Educational participation is notably high, with 30.3% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.1% in primary education, 9.0% in secondary education, and 5.7% pursuing 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 serving buses. These stops are covered by 15 different routes, offering a total of 1,241 weekly passenger trips. The average distance to the nearest stop is 154 meters. Most residents commute outwards daily. Cars are the primary mode of transportation, used by 83% of residents, while 10% use trains. On average, there are 1.3 vehicles per dwelling.

According to the 2021 Census, 42.9% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by 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

AreaSearch's analysis shows strong health performance across Belfield. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence were low among the general population, although slightly higher among older, at-risk cohorts.

Approximately 51% of Belfield residents have private health cover, compared to 59.9% in Greater Sydney (as of 2021). The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (6.5%) and diabetes (5.9%). About 75.6% of residents claim to be completely free from medical ailments, compared to 74.6% across Greater Sydney. Working-age residents in Belfield report low chronic condition prevalence. As of 2021, 18.5% of Belfield's population is aged 65 and over (1,293 people), higher than the 15.4% in Greater Sydney. Despite this, health outcomes among seniors in Belfield are above average but rank lower nationally compared to 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, accounting for 68.1% of the population, compared to 49.2% 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%) ethnicities are overrepresented in Belfield compared to regional averages of 1.1% and 3.4%, respectively, while Greek ethnicity is also higher at 6.2% versus the regional average of 1.9%.

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 median age of 38. The 55-64 age cohort is notably over-represented in Belfield at 12.9%, compared to the Greater Sydney average, while the 25-34 year-olds are under-represented at 11.1%. Between 2021 and present, the 15-24 age group has increased from 12.3% to 13.8% of the population. Conversely, the 45-54 cohort has decreased from 14.3% to 13.4%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests Belfield's age profile will significantly change. The 75-84 age cohort is projected to grow by 244 people (54%), from 454 to 699. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups are expected to account for 62% of total population growth, reflecting Belfield's aging demographic profile. Meanwhile, the 5-14 and 0-4 age cohorts are projected to experience population declines.