Busby

Busby has seen population growth performance typically on par with national averages when looking at short and medium term trends

As of Feb 2026, the estimated population of the suburb of Busby is around 4,667. This figure reflects an increase of 5.0% since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 4,446 people. The latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 estimated the resident population at 4,622, with an additional 45 validated new addresses since the Census date contributing to this increase. This results in a population density ratio of 3,857 persons per square kilometer for Busby, placing it in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The suburb's growth rate of 5.0% since the census is within 2.8 percentage points of the state average of 7.8%, indicating competitive growth fundamentals. Overseas migration contributed approximately 52.0% of overall population gains in recent periods for Busby.

AreaSearch is using 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 the years 2032 to 2041. Based on aggregated SA2-level projections, the suburb is expected to grow by 875 persons to 2041, reflecting an increase of 17.8% in total over this period.

Residential development activity is slightly higher than average within Busby when compared nationally

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers allocated from statistical area data shows Busby has seen approximately 48 new homes approved per year over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated 241 homes. As of FY-26 so far, 26 approvals have been recorded. Over these five years (FY-21 to FY-25), there has been an average of zero new residents arriving per new home approved. This indicates that new construction is matching or outpacing demand in Busby, providing more options for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current expectations.

The average expected construction cost value of new properties in Busby over this period was $222,000, which is below regional norms, reflecting more affordable housing options. In FY-26, $2.9 million worth of commercial approvals have been registered in Busby, suggesting the area's residential character. Compared to Greater Sydney, Busby records roughly half the building activity per person while it places among the 85th percentile of areas assessed nationally when measured against other statistical areas. New development in Busby consists of approximately 66.0% detached houses and 34.0% townhouses or apartments, demonstrating an increasing blend of attached housing types offering choices across various price ranges, from spacious family homes to more compact options.

This marks a significant shift from the existing housing patterns in Busby, which currently consist of 88.0% houses. This change suggests diminishing developable land availability and responds to evolving lifestyle preferences and housing affordability needs. With around 110 people per approval, Busby reflects a low-density area. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Busby is projected to gain approximately 830 residents by the year 2041. Based on current development patterns, new housing supply should readily meet demand in Busby, offering good conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

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

No changes can significantly impact an area's performance like modifications to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has identified a total of 0 projects that are expected to affect the area. Notable projects include Avala Apartments Miller, Busby Social Housing for Seniors, M5 Motorway Westbound Upgrade, and Bonnyrigg Estate Renewal - Humphries Precinct (Canvas), with the following list providing details on those most likely to be relevant.

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The labour market performance in Busby lags significantly behind most other regions nationally

Busby's workforce is balanced across white and blue-collar jobs, with manufacturing and industrial sectors prominent. The unemployment rate was 12.3% in the past year, showing an estimated employment growth of 7.7%. As of December 2025, 1,536 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 8.1%, higher than Greater Sydney's 4.2%.

Workforce participation stands at 50.0%, significantly lower than Greater Sydney's 70.2%. Home-based work accounts for 19.1% of jobs, considering Covid-19 impacts. Key employment sectors include health care & social assistance, retail trade, and transport, postal & warehousing. The area has a strong specialization in transport, postal & warehousing (2.3 times the regional level) but lags in professional & technical services (3.0% vs Greater Sydney's 11.5%).

Over 12 months to December 2025, employment increased by 7.7%, outpacing labour force growth at 5.7%, reducing unemployment by 1.6 percentage points. National employment forecasts from May-25 project a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Busby's employment mix suggests local jobs should grow by 5.9% in five years and 12.6% in ten years, though these are simple extrapolations for illustrative purposes.

Income metrics place the area in the bottom 10% of locations nationally according to AreaSearch analysis

The latest postcode level ATO data for Busby, released on June 30, 2023, shows a median income among taxpayers of $39,884 and an average of $46,269. This is lower than the national average. In comparison, Greater Sydney has a median income of $60,817 and an average of $83,003. Based on Wage Price Index growth from June 2023 to September 2025, estimated median and average incomes for Busby would be approximately $43,418 and $50,368 respectively. Census data indicates that household, family, and personal incomes in Busby fall between the 2nd and 10th percentiles nationally. The predominant income cohort in Busby is 28.6% of locals earning between $800 and $1,499 per week, while in the region, the $1,500 to $2,999 category predominates at 30.9%. Housing affordability pressures are severe in Busby, with only 76.2% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 6th percentile nationally.

Busby is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

In Busby, as per the latest Census evaluation, 88.4% of dwellings were houses while 11.6% comprised semi-detached properties, apartments, and other dwelling types. This differed from Sydney metro's figures of 55.9% houses and 44.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Busby stood at 22.5%, with mortgaged dwellings at 24.7% and rented ones at 52.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,800, lower than Sydney metro's average of $2,427. Median weekly rent in Busby was recorded at $330, compared to Sydney metro's $470. Nationally, Busby's mortgage repayments were below the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially lower than the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 76.9% of all households, including 36.0% couples with children, 12.7% couples without children, and 25.4% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 23.1%, with lone person households at 21.1% and group households making up 1.9%. The median household size is 3.2 people, larger than the Greater Sydney average of 2.7.

Busby faces educational challenges, with performance metrics placing it in the bottom quartile of areas assessed nationally

The area's university qualification rate is 11.0%, significantly lower than Greater Sydney's average of 38.0%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 7.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.1%) and graduate diplomas (1.0%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 30.8% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (8.2%) and certificates (22.6%). Educational participation is high, with 37.6% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, comprising 14.7% in primary, 11.9% in secondary, and 4.7% in tertiary education.

Educational participation is notably high, with 37.6% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 14.7% in primary education, 11.9% in secondary education, and 4.7% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Public transport analysis shows 21 active stops operating within Busby, served by buses. These stops are covered by 22 routes, offering 1,176 weekly passenger trips in total. Transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents typically located 154 meters from the nearest stop. In this primarily residential area, most commutes are outward-bound. Car remains the dominant mode at 86%, followed by bus at 7% and train at 5%. Vehicle ownership averages 1.2 per dwelling.

According to the 2021 Census, 19.1% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 168 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 56 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Busby is well below average with a range of health conditions having marked impacts on both younger and older age cohorts

Health data indicates significant issues in Busby, as assessed by AreaSearch. Mortality rates and prevalence of chronic conditions are substantial, affecting both younger and older age groups. Private health cover is low, at approximately 45% (around 2,115 people), compared to Greater Sydney's 59.9% and the national average of 55.7%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are asthma (8.4%) and arthritis (7.8%). However, 69.1% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 74.6% in Greater Sydney. Working-age residents have a higher-than-average prevalence of chronic health conditions. Busby has 14.5% of residents aged 65 and over (676 people). Health outcomes among seniors are challenging but align with national rankings for the general population.

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

Busby has a high level of cultural diversity, with 39.3% of its population born overseas and 57.4% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the main religion in Busby, comprising 41.3% of people. However, Islam is overrepresented, making up 26.3% of the population compared to Greater Sydney's average of 6.8%.

The top three ancestry groups are Other (21.7%), Australian (16.6%), and English (15.0%). Notably, Lebanese (11.3%) Samoan (3.9%) and Serbian (1.3%) ethnicities are overrepresented compared to regional averages of 2.6%, 0.5% and 0.5% respectively.

Busby hosts a very young demographic, ranking in the bottom 10% of areas nationwide

At age 32 years, Busby's median age is notably younger than Greater Sydney's average of 37 years and significantly lower than Australia's national average of 38 years. Compared to Greater Sydney, Busby has a higher proportion of residents aged 5-14 years (17.6%) but fewer residents aged 25-34 years (11.8%). This concentration of 5-14 year-olds is well above the national average of 12.1%. Post-2021 Census data shows that the proportion of Busby's population aged 15 to 24 years has grown from 14.8% to 16.8%, while the proportion of those aged 65 to 74 years increased from 6.9% to 8.2%. Conversely, the proportion of residents aged 55 to 64 years declined from 12.3% to 11.1%, and the proportion of those aged 25 to 34 years dropped from 13.0% to 11.8%. Demographic modeling suggests that Busby's age profile will undergo significant changes by the year 2041. The 75 to 84 cohort is projected to grow strongly at a rate of 90%, adding 181 residents to reach a total of 382. Conversely, population declines are projected for the 0 to 4 and 35 to 44 age cohorts.