Canley Vale

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

As of November 2025, Canley Vale's population is estimated at around 10,426. This reflects an increase of 126 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 10,300. The latest ABS ERP data release (June 2024) and AreaSearch validation of new addresses indicate a resident population estimate of 10,324 for Canley Vale. This level of population results in a density ratio of 3,582 persons per square kilometer, placing the suburb in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Overseas migration contributed approximately 94.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area as 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 are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Future population trends project an above median growth for the suburb, with an expected increase of 1,480 persons by 2041, reflecting a gain of 15.2% over the 17-year period.

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

AreaSearch analysis shows Canley Vale averaged approximately 47 new dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years ending June 2021. This totals an estimated 236 homes. As of July 2021, nine approvals have been recorded in FY-26. Despite population decline during this period, housing supply has remained adequate relative to demand, indicating a balanced market with diverse buyer choices.

The average construction cost for new properties is $349,000, below the regional average, suggesting more affordable housing options. Commercial approvals totalled $62.4 million in FY-26, reflecting high local commercial activity. Building activity comprises 42.0% detached houses and 58.0% medium to high-density housing, catering to downsizers, investors, and entry-level buyers.

With around 428 people per dwelling approval, Canley Vale exhibits a developed market. Population forecasts indicate an increase of 1,590 residents by 2041, with current development rates expected to comfortably meet demand, supporting favourable conditions for buyers and potential growth beyond projections.

Canley Vale 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 19 projects likely affecting the region. Notable ones are Western Sydney Freight Line and Intermodal Terminal, Cabramatta East Town Centre, Cabravale Club Resort - Stage 2 Redevelopment (Novotel Sydney Cabramatta), and Bathla Group Cabramatta Mixed-Use 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.

Employment drivers in Canley Vale are experiencing difficulties, placing it among the bottom 20% of areas assessed across Australia

Canley Vale has a skilled workforce with strong representation in manufacturing and industrial sectors. The unemployment rate was 6.6% as of the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 5.8%.

As of June 2025, 4,625 residents were employed, with an unemployment rate of 2.4% higher than Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%. Workforce participation was significantly lower at 42.3%, compared to Greater Sydney's 60.0%. Leading employment industries among residents included manufacturing, retail trade, and health care & social assistance. Manufacturing showed particularly strong specialization with an employment share of 2.6 times the regional level.

Conversely, professional & technical services had a lower representation at 6.1% versus the regional average of 11.5%. The area appeared to offer limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the count of Census working population vs resident population. Over the 12 months to June 2025, employment increased by 5.8% while labour force increased by 4.9%, resulting in a decrease in unemployment by 0.8 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Sydney experienced employment growth of 2.6% and labour force growth of 2.9%, with an increase in unemployment by 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 provided insight into potential future demand within Canley Vale. These projections estimated that national employment would expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with growth rates differing significantly between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to Canley Vale's employment mix suggested local employment should increase by 5.7% over five years and 12.3% over ten years.

The area's income levels rank in the lower 15% nationally based on AreaSearch comparative data

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 shows Canley Vale had a median income among taxpayers of $40,569 and an average of $48,399. This is below the national average. Greater Sydney had a median income of $56,994 and an average of $80,856 during this period. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% since financial year 2022, current estimates for Canley Vale would be approximately $45,685 (median) and $54,502 (average) as of September 2025. According to the 2021 Census figures, household income ranks at the 22nd percentile ($1,330 weekly), while personal income sits at the 2nd percentile. The predominant income cohort spans 29.2% of locals (3,044 people) in the $1,500 - $2,999 category, mirroring regional levels where 30.9% occupy this bracket. Housing affordability pressures are severe with only 81.7% of income remaining, ranking at the 20th percentile.

Canley Vale displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

In Canley Vale, as per the latest Census assessment, 53.4% of dwellings were houses while 46.6% comprised semi-detached homes, apartments, and other types. This contrasts with Sydney metro areas which had no recorded houses or other dwellings in the Census data. Home ownership in Canley Vale stood at 31.2%, with mortgaged properties at 26.1% and rented dwellings at 42.7%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,694, aligning with Sydney metro's average. The median weekly rent was $330, whereas Sydney metro had no recorded rent figures in the Census data. Nationally, Canley Vale's median monthly mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and its median weekly rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

Canley Vale has a typical household mix, with a median household size of 3.1 people

Family households account for 74.6% of all households, including 37.7% couples with children, 14.4% couples without children, and 20.0% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 25.4%, with lone person households at 21.8% and group households comprising 3.6%. The median household size is 3.1 people.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 19.4%, significantly lower than Greater Sydney's average of 38.0%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 15.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.7%) and graduate diplomas (0.9%). Vocational pathways account for 21.4% of qualifications among those aged 15 and above, with advanced diplomas at 8.3% and certificates at 13.1%. Educational participation is high, with 31.8% of residents currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes 9.6% in secondary education, 9.4% in primary education, and 6.5% pursuing tertiary education. Canley Vale has four schools with a combined enrollment of 3,116 students, operating under typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 979) with balanced educational opportunities. The educational mix includes two primary schools, one secondary school, and one K-12 school. There are 29.9 school places per 100 residents, indicating strong educational infrastructure serving both local and surrounding communities.

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

The analysis of public transport in Canley Vale shows that there are currently 43 active transport stops operating. These stops offer a mix of train and bus services. There are 19 individual routes servicing these stops, collectively providing 3,642 weekly passenger trips.

The accessibility to transport is rated as excellent, with residents typically located approximately 190 meters from the nearest transport stop. On average, there are 520 trips per day across all routes, which equates to about 84 weekly trips per individual stop.

Canley Vale's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Health outcomes data shows Canley Vale has very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups. Private health cover rate is approximately 46% (~4,811 people), lower than the national average of 55.3%.

Diabetes and arthritis are the most common medical conditions, affecting 5.9% and 5.2% of residents respectively. 77.5% of residents declare no medical ailments, higher than Greater Sydney's 0%. The area has 18.0% (1,876 people) aged 65 and over, with seniors' health outcomes broadly in line with the general population's profile.

Canley Vale 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 Vale has one of the highest levels of cultural diversity in Australia, with 64.0% of its population born overseas and 82.9% speaking a language other than English at home. Buddhism is the predominant religion in Canley Vale, making up 38.6% of the population, compared to None% across Greater Sydney. The top three ancestry groups based on country of birth of parents are Vietnamese (32.4%), Chinese (24.2%), and Other (18.8%).

Notably, certain ethnic groups have higher representation in Canley Vale than regionally: Serbian at 1.1%, Russian at 0.8%, and Samoan at 0.8%.

Canley Vale's population is slightly older than the national pattern

The median age in Canley Vale is 39 years, which is slightly higher than Greater Sydney's average of 37 years and close to the national average of 38 years. Compared to Greater Sydney, the cohort aged 55-64 is notably over-represented in Canley Vale at 13.3%, while those aged 25-34 are under-represented at 13.0%. Post-2021 Census data shows that the age group 65 to 74 has grown from 8.8% to 10.6% of the population, while the cohort aged 5 to 14 has declined from 12.2% to 11.1%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate significant demographic changes in Canley Vale. The age group 75 to 84 is expected to grow by 94%, reaching 971 people from 500. This growth is led by residents aged 65 and older, who are anticipated to represent 67% of the population increase. Conversely, the cohorts aged 0 to 4 and 5 to 14 are expected to experience population declines.