Canley Heights

Population growth drivers in Canley Heights are strong compared to national averages based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

As of Feb 2026, the estimated population of the suburb of Canley Heights is around 13,274. This figure reflects an increase of 954 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 12,320. The change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of the resident population at 12,792 following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024, along with an additional 50 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 5,125 persons per square kilometer, placing Canley Heights in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The suburb's 7.7% growth since the 2021 census exceeds the SA3 area's 4.4%, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 94.0% of overall population gains during recent periods, driving primary population growth for the area.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilises NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, 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. Based on aggregated SA2-level projections, the suburb of Canley Heights is expected to increase by 1,576 persons to 2041, reflecting an overall increase of 5.4% over the 17-year period.

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

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers shows Canley Heights recorded approximately 69 residential properties approved annually. Between FY-21 and FY-25, around 349 homes were approved, with another 29 approved in FY-26 so far. The population has declined recently, suggesting new supply is meeting demand, offering buyers good choice.

New properties are constructed at an average value of $349,000. This financial year, $94.4 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded, indicating robust local business investment. Compared to Greater Sydney, Canley Heights has slightly more development, balancing buyer choice with property values support, though recent construction activity has eased. New building activity comprises 46% detached houses and 54% townhouses or apartments, offering affordable entry pathways for downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers. This shift reflects decreasing developable sites availability and changing lifestyles needs for diverse housing options.

The area has approximately 301 people per dwelling approval, indicating room for growth. AreaSearch quarterly estimate projects Canley Heights to grow by 716 residents through to 2041. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting population growth beyond projections.

Canley Heights 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 identified 17 projects likely affecting the region. Notable initiatives include Canley Heights and Canley Vale Special Entertainment Precincts, Canley Vale High School Upgrade, 37-45 Arbutus Street Development, and 19-25 Ascot Street Development. The following list details those 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.

Canley Heights shows employment indicators that trail behind approximately 70% of regions assessed across Australia

Canley Heights has a skilled workforce with manufacturing and industrial sectors strongly represented. The unemployment rate was 5.5% in the past year. Employment growth was estimated at 5.7%.

As of September 2025, 5,429 residents were employed with an unemployment rate of 6.5%, 1.3% higher than Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%. Workforce participation lagged significantly at 53.6% compared to Greater Sydney's 70.0%. According to Census responses, 24.3% of residents worked from home. Employment is concentrated in manufacturing, retail trade, and health care & social assistance.

The area shows strong specialization in manufacturing with an employment share of 2.9 times the regional level. Professional & technical services have limited presence at 5.2%, compared to the regional average of 11.5%. The predominantly residential area offers limited local employment opportunities. Over a 12-month period ending September 2025, employment increased by 5.7% while labour force grew by 4.2%, reducing the unemployment rate by 1.3 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Sydney saw employment grow by 2.1%, labour force expand by 2.4%, and unemployment rise by 0.2 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Canley Heights' employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 5.5% over five years and 12.1% over ten years, based on simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

Income figures position the area below 75% of locations analysed nationally by AreaSearch

In AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year 2023, Canley Heights' median income among taxpayers is $41,063 with an average of $48,980. This is lower than the national average and compares to Greater Sydney's median of $60,817 and average of $83,003. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $44,701 (median) and $53,320 (average) as of September 2025. According to Census 2021 income data, individual incomes lag at the 2nd percentile ($481 weekly), while household income performs better at the 34th percentile. In terms of income distribution, the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket dominates with 31.7% of residents (4,207 people), aligning with regional levels where this cohort likewise represents 30.9%. Housing affordability pressures are severe in Canley Heights, with only 80.1% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 30th percentile.

Canley Heights is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Canley Heights' dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 77.5% houses and 22.5% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), contrasting with Sydney metro's 55.9% houses and 44.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Canley Heights stood at 30.5%, surpassing Sydney metro's level, with mortgaged dwellings at 28.8% and rented ones at 40.7%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,000, significantly lower than the Sydney metro average of $2,427. Meanwhile, median weekly rent in Canley Heights was recorded at $400, compared to Sydney metro's $470. Nationally, Canley Heights' mortgage repayments were higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents exceeded the national figure of $375.

Canley Heights features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households account for 82.8% of all households, including 42.8% couples with children, 14.7% couples without children, and 22.8% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 17.2%, with lone person households at 14.9% and group households making up 2.3% of the total. The median household size is 3.4 people, larger than the Greater Sydney average of 2.7.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 16.5%, significantly lower than Greater Sydney's average of 38.0%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 14.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (1.8%) and graduate diplomas (0.7%). Vocational pathways account for 21.1% of qualifications among those aged 15+, with advanced diplomas at 7.9% and certificates at 13.2%. Educational participation is high, with 32.6% of residents currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes 10.4% in secondary education, 9.3% in primary education, and 7.0% pursuing tertiary education.

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

The analysis of public transport in Canley Heights indicates that there are 38 active transport stops currently operating within the area. These stops serve a mix of bus routes, with a total of 18 individual routes providing service to these locations. Collectively, these routes facilitate 962 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of transport is rated as good in Canley Heights, with residents typically located approximately 209 meters away from the nearest transport stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward for work or other purposes. The dominant mode of transportation among residents is car, used by 85% of them, while train usage accounts for 8%.

The average vehicle ownership per dwelling in Canley Heights is 1.5, which is higher than the regional average. According to the 2021 Census, some 24.3% of residents work from home, a figure that may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency across all routes averages 137 trips per day, equating to approximately 25 weekly trips per individual stop.

Canley Heights's residents are extremely healthy with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Analysis of health metrics shows strong performance throughout Canley Heights. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence were low across both young and old age cohorts. Private health cover was found to be extremely low at approximately 46% of the total population (~6,156 people), compared to 59.9% across Greater Sydney and a national average of 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions were diabetes (5.7%) and arthritis (5.0%), while 79.4% of residents declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 74.6% across Greater Sydney. Working-age residents had low chronic condition prevalence. The area has 16.9% of residents aged 65 and over (2,243 people), higher than the 15.4% in Greater Sydney. Health outcomes among seniors were particularly strong, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

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

Canley Heights, one of Australia's most culturally diverse areas, has 60.7% of its population born overseas and 80.9% speaking a language other than English at home. The predominant religion in Canley Heights is Buddhism, accounting for 40.5% of the population, significantly higher than Greater Sydney's average of 4.1%. In terms of ancestry, Vietnamese people make up 34.9%, which is substantially higher than the regional average of 1.8%.

Other and Chinese groups comprise 20.4% and 19.6% respectively, also notably higher than their respective averages in Greater Sydney (Other: 3.7%, Chinese: 8.4%). Some ethnic groups are particularly notable due to their higher representation compared to regional averages: Serbian at 1.1% (regional average: 0.5%), Samoan at 1.4% (regional average: 0.5%), and Macedonian at 0.5% (regional average: 0.4%).

Canley Heights's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

Canley Heights has a median age of 37 years, which matches Greater Sydney's figure and is comparable to Australia's median age of 38 years. The age group of 15-24 years constitutes 16.2% of Canley Heights' population, higher than Greater Sydney's percentage. Conversely, the 35-44 age group makes up 11.2%, which is lower compared to Greater Sydney. Between 2021 and the present, the proportion of residents aged 65 to 74 has increased from 7.9% to 10.3%. Meanwhile, the 5 to 14 age group has decreased from 12.7% to 11.6%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Canley Heights' age structure. The 75-84 age group is expected to grow by 72%, reaching 1,116 people from the current figure of 650. This growth will be led by those aged 65 and above, who are projected to comprise 84% of Canley Heights' population growth. Conversely, the 55-64 and 0-4 age cohorts are expected to experience population declines.