Chifley (NSW)

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

As of Feb 2026, AreaSearch estimates the population of the suburb of Chifley (NSW) at around 3,670, reflecting a 5.2% increase from the 2021 Census figure of 3,490 people. This growth is inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of 3,585 residents based on the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 and an additional 21 validated new addresses since the Census date. The population density ratio stands at 3,462 persons per square kilometer, placing Chifley in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Over the past decade, ending Feb 2026, Chifley has shown resilient growth patterns with a compound annual growth rate of 0.6%, outpacing its SA3 area. Overseas migration contributed approximately 83.0% of overall population gains during recent periods. For projections until 2041, AreaSearch adopts 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 released in 2022 with a base year of 2021 for areas not covered by the former data.

Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Based on aggregated SA2-level projections, Chifley is expected to increase by 161 persons to 2041, reflecting a total increase of 3.9% over the 17-year period.

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

Based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers allocated from statistical area data, Chifley has experienced around 11 dwellings receiving development approval each year over the past five financial years. This totals an estimated 56 homes between FY-21 and FY-25. So far in FY-26, 6 approvals have been recorded. On average, 1.7 new residents arrive per new home annually over these five years, indicating balanced supply and demand conditions with stable market conditions. However, this figure has increased to 5.8 people per dwelling over the past two financial years, suggesting increasing demand and tightening supply.

New properties are constructed at an average value of $639,000, reflecting a developer focus on the premium segment with upmarket properties. In FY-26, $72,000 in commercial approvals have been registered, demonstrating the area's residential nature. Compared to Greater Sydney, Chifley has slightly more development, at 19.0% above the regional average per person over the five-year period, balancing buyer choice while supporting current property values. This activity is also under the national average, indicating the area's established nature and suggesting potential planning limitations. Recent construction comprises 17.0% standalone homes and 83.0% townhouses or apartments, showing a trend toward denser development that appeals to downsizers, investors, and entry-level buyers. This represents a notable shift from the area's existing housing composition of 59.0% houses, indicating decreasing availability of developable sites and reflecting changing lifestyles and demand for diverse, affordable housing options.

With around 302 people per dwelling approval, Chifley shows characteristics of a low density area. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, the area is projected to add 144 residents by 2041 based on current development patterns, suggesting that new housing supply should readily meet demand and potentially facilitate population growth beyond current projections.

Chifley has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 20% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified four projects expected to affect this region: Prince Henry at Little Bay, Illume Apartments, Malabar Ocean Pool Accessible Amenities Building, and Seniors Housing - Combles Parade & Hamel Road. Details on these key projects are provided below.

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

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Employment performance in Chifley has been below expectations when compared to most other areas nationally

Chifley has a well-educated workforce. Professional services have strong representation. The unemployment rate is 7.8%.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 3.6%, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data. As of September 2025, there are 1,808 residents in work. The unemployment rate is 3.6% higher than Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%. Workforce participation is similar to Greater Sydney's 70.0%.

According to Census responses, 41.6% of residents work from home. Leading employment industries are construction, health care & social assistance, and education & training. Chifley specializes in construction, with an employment share 1.5 times the regional level. Professional & technical employs only 8.3% of local workers, below Greater Sydney's 11.5%. Employment opportunities locally appear limited, as indicated by Census data comparing working population to resident population. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment levels increased by 3.6%, and labour force increased by 3.4% in Chifley. This resulted in a fall of 0.2 percentage points in the unemployment rate. In contrast, Greater Sydney experienced employment growth of 2.1% and labour force growth of 2.4%, with a 0.2 percentage point rise in unemployment rate. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 offer insight into potential future demand within Chifley. These projections suggest national employment will expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Chifley's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.8% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

Income analysis reveals strong economic positioning, with the area outperforming 60% of locations assessed nationally by AreaSearch

AreaSearch's data for financial year 2023 shows median income in Chifley suburb was $53,357 and average income was $74,752. This compares to Greater Sydney's median of $60,817 and average of $83,003. By September 2025, adjusted for Wage Price Index growth of 8.86%, estimated median income is approximately $58,084 and average income is $81,375. Census data from 2021 ranks household incomes at the 83rd percentile ($2,311 weekly) and personal incomes at the 57th percentile. Income profile shows 25% of residents earn over $4000 per week. High earnings result in strong disposable income at the 82nd percentile despite high housing costs consuming 16.5%. SEIFA income ranking places Chifley suburb in the 8th decile.

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

The dwelling structure in Chifley, as per the latest Census, consisted of 58.6% houses and 41.4% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Sydney metro's 55.9% houses and 44.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Chifley stood at 34.3%, with mortgaged dwellings at 34.7% and rented ones at 31.0%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $3,210, higher than Sydney metro's average of $2,427. The median weekly rent in Chifley was $400, compared to Sydney metro's $475. Nationally, Chifley's mortgage repayments exceeded the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 77.9% of all households, including 45.6% couples with children, 18.3% couples without children, and 13.0% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 22.1%, with lone person households at 20.5% and group households making up 1.6%. The median household size is 2.9 people, larger than the Greater Sydney average of 2.7.

Chifley shows below-average educational performance compared to national benchmarks, though pockets of achievement exist

The area's university qualification rate is 28.0%, significantly lower than the SA4 region average of 54.6%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 18.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (8.2%) and graduate diplomas (1.8%). Vocational credentials are held by 34.3% of residents aged 15 and above, with advanced diplomas at 12.8% and certificates at 21.5%. Educational participation is high, with 32.5% of residents currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes 11.1% in primary education, 9.8% in secondary education, and 5.3% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Chifley has 38 active public transport stops, all serving buses. These stops are covered by 19 different routes, offering a total of 2,480 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is excellent, with residents located an average of 119 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward due to Chifley's residential nature. Cars remain the primary mode of transport at 87%, while buses account for 6%. Vehicle ownership averages 1.5 per dwelling, higher than the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, 41.6% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency across all routes is 354 trips per day, equating to approximately 65 weekly trips per individual stop.

Chifley's residents are extremely healthy with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Analysis of health metrics indicates strong performance throughout Chifley. AreaSearch's assessment shows very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups.

The rate of private health cover is found to be very high at approximately 56% of the total population, which amounts to around 2,072 people. This compares to a rate of 59.9% across Greater Sydney. The most prevalent medical conditions in the area are arthritis and asthma, impacting 6.9% and 6.4% of residents respectively. A significant majority, 74.1%, declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 74.6% across Greater Sydney. Working-age residents show low chronic condition prevalence. The area has 16.7% of residents aged 65 and over, which totals 612 people, a figure higher than the 15.4% in Greater Sydney. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

The level of cultural diversity witnessed in Chifley was found to be above average when compared nationally for a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Chifley's population shows high cultural diversity, with 29.6% born overseas and 24.5% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the dominant religion in Chifley, practiced by 66.3%. Notably, Judaism is overrepresented compared to Greater Sydney, making up 2.8% of Chifley's population.

The top three ancestry groups are Australian (20.3%), English (20.1%), and Other (11.9%). Some ethnic groups show notable differences: French (2.0%) and Hungarian (0.6%) are overrepresented, while Spanish (1.0%) is slightly higher than the regional average.

Chifley's median age exceeds the national pattern

The median age in Chifley is 42 years, which is significantly higher than Greater Sydney's average of 37 years and Australia's median age of 38 years. The 45-54 age group comprises 15.6% of the population in Chifley, compared to a lower percentage in Greater Sydney. Meanwhile, the 25-34 age group makes up only 6.3% of Chifley's population. According to post-2021 Census data, the 15-24 age group has increased from 13.1% to 16.2%, while the 25-34 cohort has decreased from 7.9% to 6.3%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate substantial demographic shifts in Chifley. The 45-54 age group is expected to grow by 13%, adding 76 people and reaching a total of 649 from the current 572. Conversely, the 65-74 and 0-4 age groups are projected to experience population declines.