Chifley (NSW)

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

As of November 2025, the estimated population for the Chifley (NSW) statistical area (Lv2) is around 3,671 people. This figure represents an increase of 181 individuals since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 3,490 people in the area. The recent growth is inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population at 3,585 following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 and an additional 21 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of approximately 3,463 persons per square kilometer for the Chifley (NSW) area, placing it in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Over the past decade, the Chifley (NSW) (SA2) has shown resilient growth patterns with a compound annual growth rate of 0.6%, outpacing the broader SA3 region. The primary driver for population growth was overseas migration, contributing approximately 83% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilises the NSW State Government's SA2 level projections released in 2022 with a base year of 2021. 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 Chifley (NSW) area is expected to increase by 147 persons to reach a total population of approximately 3,818 by the year 2041. This anticipated growth reflects an increase of around 3.6% over the course of 17 years.

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

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers shows Chifley had around 11 dwellings receiving development approval each year over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated 56 homes. As of FY26, six approvals have been recorded. On average, 1.7 new residents arrived per new home annually between FY21 and FY25, indicating balanced supply and demand with stable market conditions. However, this figure has increased to 5.8 people per dwelling over the past two financial years, suggesting rising demand and tightening supply. New properties are constructed at an average expected cost of $639,000, reflecting a focus on premium segment development.

Additionally, $72,000 in commercial approvals have been registered this year, highlighting the area's residential nature. Comparing Chifley to Greater Sydney, it has 19.0% more development per person over the past five years, balancing buyer choice while supporting current property values. However, this activity is below the national average, suggesting an established area with potential planning limitations. Recent construction comprises 17.0% standalone homes and 83.0% townhouses or apartments, indicating a shift towards denser development to cater to downsizers, investors, and entry-level buyers. This trend represents a notable change from the existing housing stock, which is currently 59.0% houses. With around 302 people per dwelling approval, Chifley shows characteristics of a low-density area.

According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Chifley is projected to add 133 residents by 2041. Based on current development patterns, new housing supply should readily meet demand, offering good conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

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

The performance of an area can be significantly influenced by changes in local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has identified a total of 4 projects that are expected to impact the area. Notable projects include Prince Henry at Little Bay, Illume Apartments, Malabar Ocean Pool Accessible Amenities Building, and Seniors Housing - Combles Parade & Hamel Road. The following list provides details on 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 performance in Chifley has been below expectations when compared to most other areas nationally

Chifley has an educated workforce with strong professional services representation. The unemployment rate was 7.8% in the past year, with estimated employment growth of 3.7%.

As of September 2025, 1,814 residents were employed, and the unemployment rate was 3.6%, higher than Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%. Workforce participation was similar to Greater Sydney's at 60.0%. Leading employment industries included construction, health care & social assistance, and education & training. Construction had an employment share 1.5 times the regional level, while professional & technical services employed only 8.3% of local workers, below Greater Sydney's 11.5%.

Employment opportunities appeared limited locally based on Census data. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment levels increased by 3.7%, labour force by 3.5%, reducing the unemployment rate by 0.2 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Sydney had employment growth of 2.1% and a rise in unemployment rate by 0.2 percentage points. State-level data to 25-Nov-25 showed NSW employment contracted by 0.03%, with an unemployment rate of 3.9%. National forecasts from May-25 projected national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but local projections suggested Chifley's employment should increase by 6.8% over five years and 13.7% over ten years based on industry-specific weighting extrapolations.

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

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year ending June 30, 2023 shows median income in Chifley suburb is $53,357, with average income at $74,752. Greater Sydney has a median income of $60,817 and an average income of $83,003. By September 2025, estimates suggest median income will be approximately $58,084 and average income $81,375, based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86%. According to the 2021 Census, household incomes rank at the 83rd percentile ($2,311 weekly), while personal incomes rank at the 57th percentile. In Chifley, 25.0% of individuals earn over $4,000 per week, contrasting with broader area where earnings between $1,500 and $2,999 dominate at 30.9%. High earners make up 39.0% of the population in Chifley, indicating strong economic capacity. Housing costs consume 16.5% of income, but disposable income ranks at the 82nd percentile. The suburb's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

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

Chifley's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 58.6% houses and 41.4% other dwellings. In comparison, Sydney metro had 26.9% houses and 73.1% 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 $3,033. Median weekly rent in Chifley was $400, compared to Sydney metro's $550. Nationally, Chifley's mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $3,210 versus the Australian average of $1,863, and rents exceeded 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 account for the remaining 22.1%, with lone person households at 20.5% and group households comprising 1.6%. The median household size is 2.9 people, larger than the Greater Sydney average of 2.4.

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 prominent, with 34.3% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (12.8%) and certificates (21.5%). Educational participation is high, with 32.5% currently enrolled in formal education, comprising 11.1% in primary, 9.8% in secondary, and 5.3% in tertiary education.

Educational participation is notably 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 of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 19 different routes that together facilitate 2,480 weekly passenger trips. The average distance from a resident's location to the nearest transport stop is 119 meters, indicating excellent accessibility.

On average, there are 354 trips per day across all routes, translating 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 shows strong performance throughout Chifley. The prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups is very low.

Approximately 56% of the total population (~2,072 people) has private health cover, compared to 70.1% across Greater Sydney. The most common medical conditions in the area are arthritis and asthma, impacting 6.9 and 6.4% of residents respectively. A total of 74.1% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 76.0% across Greater Sydney. As of June 2021, 16.5% of residents are aged 65 and over (605 people), which is higher than the 15.1% in Greater Sydney. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, broadly in line with the general population's health profile.

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 showed high cultural diversity, with 29.6% born overseas and 24.5% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, comprising 66.3%. Judaism was notably higher in Chifley at 2.8%, compared to Greater Sydney's 0.4%.

The top three ancestry groups were Australian (20.3%), English (20.1%), and Other (11.9%). French ancestry was overrepresented at 2.0% versus the regional 1.5%. Hungarian and Spanish ancestries also showed similar representation to the region, at 0.6% and 1.0%, respectively.

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 makes up a strong 15.4% of the population in Chifley, compared to Greater Sydney, while the 25-34 cohort is less prevalent at 6.6%. According to post-2021 Census data, the 15-24 age group has grown from 13.1% to 15.8%, but the 25-34 cohort has declined from 7.9% to 6.6%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate substantial demographic changes for Chifley. Notably, the 45-54 age group is expected to grow by 16%, adding 88 people and reaching a total of 654 from its current figure of 565. Conversely, the 65-74 and 0-4 age cohorts are projected to experience population declines.