Chester Hill

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

As of November 2025, Chester Hill's population is estimated at around 14,618 people. This reflects an increase of 611 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 14,007 people. The change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of 14,632 residents following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 and an additional 94 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 3,672 persons per square kilometer, placing it in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Over the past decade, Chester Hill has demonstrated resilient growth patterns with a compound annual growth rate of 1.7%, outpacing the SA3 area. Population growth for the suburb was primarily driven by overseas migration that contributed approximately 62.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For any SA2 areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch is utilising the NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, as released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are also applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Anticipating future population dynamics, a population increase just below the median of statistical areas analysed by AreaSearch is expected, with Chester Hill expected to grow by 1,777 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting an increase of 12.3% in total over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Chester Hill among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

Chester Hill recorded approximately 76 residential properties approved annually based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers. Around 384 homes were granted approval over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, with an additional 30 approved in FY26 so far. Each dwelling accommodated an average of 2 new residents per year during these years, indicating strong demand supporting property values.

The average construction cost value for new homes was $399,000, lower than regional levels, suggesting more affordable housing options. Commercial approvals reached $44.6 million in FY26, reflecting robust commercial development momentum. Compared to Greater Sydney, Chester Hill had about three-quarters the rate of new dwelling approvals per person and ranked among the 70th percentile nationally based on AreaSearch assessments. Recent construction comprised 39.0% detached dwellings and 61.0% medium and high-density housing, marking a shift from existing patterns where houses accounted for 74.0%. This trend suggests decreasing developable land availability and responds to evolving lifestyle preferences and housing affordability needs.

Chester Hill had approximately 190 people per dwelling approval, indicating a low-density market. By 2041, the population is projected to increase by 1,798 residents according to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate. Given current construction levels, housing supply should meet demand adequately, creating favorable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling growth beyond current forecasts.

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

The performance of an area can significantly be influenced by changes in local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has identified a total of 24 projects that are expected to impact the area. Notable projects include Villawood Town Centre Redevelopment (Kinara Place), Chester Square Redevelopment, Condell Park High School Upgrade, and Chester Hill Station Upgrade. The following list details those projects likely to be most relevant.

Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.

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Employment conditions in Chester Hill face significant challenges, ranking among the bottom 10% of areas assessed nationally

Chester Hill's workforce is skilled with diverse sector representation. Its unemployment rate was 12.2% as of June 2025.

This rate is 8.0% higher than Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%. Workforce participation in Chester Hill lags at 40.0%, compared to Greater Sydney's 60.0%. Key industries for employment among residents are health care & social assistance, retail trade, and manufacturing. Manufacturing stands out with employment levels at 1.8 times the regional average.

Conversely, professional & technical services show lower representation at 5.3% versus the regional average of 11.5%. The area offers limited local employment opportunities, indicated by the count of Census working population vs resident population. Over a 12-month period ending June 2025, employment in Chester Hill increased by 0.0%, while labour force grew by 3.0%, leading to an unemployment rise of 2.6 percentage points. In comparison, Greater Sydney saw employment grow by 2.6%, labour force expand by 2.9%, and unemployment rise by 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 project a 6.6% increase in employment over five years and 13.7% over ten years nationally. Applying these projections to Chester Hill's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.1% over five years and 12.9% over ten years, based on simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

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

Chester Hill's median income among taxpayers was $38,452 in financial year 2022. The average income stood at $47,804 during the same period. In comparison, Greater Sydney's median and average incomes were $56,994 and $80,856 respectively. By September 2025, estimates suggest Chester Hill's median income would be approximately $43,301 and the average would be around $53,832, based on a 12.61% growth in wages since financial year 2022. According to the 2021 Census, individual incomes were at the 3rd percentile ($495 weekly), while household incomes performed better at the 24th percentile. The largest income segment comprised 29.8% earning $1,500 - 2,999 weekly (4,356 residents). This mirrors regional levels where 30.9% occupy this bracket. Housing affordability pressures were severe, with only 77.0% of income remaining, ranking at the 17th percentile.

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

Dwelling structure in Chester Hill, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 73.8% houses and 26.2% other dwellings. In comparison, Sydney metro had 62.1% houses and 37.8% other dwellings. Home ownership in Chester Hill was 27.5%, similar to Sydney metro's level. The remaining dwellings were either mortgaged (30.5%) or rented (41.9%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,167, aligning with Sydney metro's average. The median weekly rent figure was recorded at $380, compared to Sydney metro's $400. Nationally, Chester Hill's mortgage repayments were higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents exceeded the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 75.8% of all households, including 41.1% couples with children, 15.4% couples without children, and 17.4% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 24.2%, with lone person households at 21.8% and group households comprising 2.4%. The median household size is 3.2 people, larger than the Greater Sydney average of 3.1.

Educational outcomes in Chester Hill fall within the lower quartile nationally, indicating opportunities for improvement in qualification attainment

The area's university qualification rate is 20.8%, substantially below the SA4 region average of 39.1%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 15.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (4.5%) and graduate diplomas (1.0%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 28.4% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas (10.4%) and certificates (18.0%). Educational participation is high at 36.6%, including 12.5% in primary education, 10.5% in secondary education, and 6.4% pursuing tertiary education.

Chester Hill's 5 schools have a combined enrollment of 3,512 students, with varied educational conditions (ICSEA: 947). The educational mix includes 2 primary, 1 secondary, and 2 K-12 schools. The area functions as an education hub with 24.0 school places per 100 residents, significantly above the regional average of 13.2, attracting students from surrounding communities.

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

Chester Hill has 107 operational public transport stops offering a blend of train and bus services. These stops are supported by 30 distinct routes, facilitating a total of 2,786 weekly passenger journeys. The area's transport accessibility is deemed excellent, with residents situated an average of 123 meters from the nearest stop.

Across all routes, service frequency stands at 398 trips daily, translating to roughly 26 weekly trips per individual stop.

Chester Hill's residents are extremely healthy with prevalence of common health conditions low among the general population and nearer the nation's average across older, at risk cohorts

Analysis shows Chester Hill's health metrics are strong. Common health conditions' prevalence is low among its general population, near national averages for older, at-risk groups.

Private health cover rate is extremely low, 46% (around 6,712 people), compared to the national average of 55.3%. Most common conditions are arthritis and diabetes, affecting 6.3% and 5.9% respectively. 76.3% report no medical ailments, close to Greater Sydney's 77.0%. The area has 15.0% seniors (2,192 people), higher than Greater Sydney's 13.9%. Health outcomes among seniors require more attention despite being above average.

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

Chester Hill, a culturally diverse area in Australia, has 46.6% of its population born overseas and 68.8% speaking a language other than English at home. Islam is the predominant religion in Chester Hill, with 39.2% of people identifying as such, compared to 29.1% across Greater Sydney. The top three ancestry groups in Chester Hill are Other (22.4%), Lebanese (17.5%), and Australian (12.4%).

Notably, Vietnamese people comprise 10.0%, Chinese 11.5%, and Korean 0.8% of the population, all higher than their respective regional averages of 4.0%, 8.0%, and 0.5%.

Chester Hill hosts a young demographic, positioning it in the bottom quartile nationwide

Chester Hill's median age is 34 years, which is lower than Greater Sydney's average of 37 years and Australia's average of 38 years. Compared to Greater Sydney, Chester Hill has a higher proportion of residents aged 15-24 (16.1%) but fewer residents aged 25-34 (12.7%). Between the 2021 Census and the present day, the proportion of residents aged 15-24 has increased from 14.5% to 16.1%, while the proportion of residents aged 25-34 has decreased from 13.4% to 12.7%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate significant demographic changes in Chester Hill. The 75-84 age group is projected to grow by 90%, adding 552 residents and reaching a total of 1,166 residents. Residents aged 65 and above will drive 56% of the population growth, reflecting aging trends. Conversely, population declines are projected for the 0-4 and 5-14 age groups.