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, the population of the suburb of Chifley (NSW) is estimated at around 3,670, reflecting an increase of 180 people since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 3,490. This change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population at 3,585 as of June 2024 and validation of 21 new addresses since the Census date. The population density ratio is 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 demonstrated resilient growth patterns with a compound annual growth rate of 0.7%, outpacing the SA3 area. Overseas migration contributed approximately 83.0% of overall population gains during recent periods. For projections until 2041, AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area as released in 2024 with a base year of 2022.

For areas not covered by this data, NSW State Government's SA2 level projections released in 2022 with a base year of 2021 are used. 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 is expected to increase by 157 persons to 2041, reflecting an overall increase of 2.0% 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 55 homes. So far in FY-26, 8 approvals have been recorded. Over these five years (FY-21 to FY-25), there has been an average of 1.6 new residents per year arriving for each new home. However, recent figures show this has increased to 5.7 people per dwelling over the past two financial years.

New properties are constructed at an average value of $639,000, indicating a focus on the premium segment with upmarket properties. In FY-26, there have been $72,000 in commercial approvals registered, demonstrating the area's residential nature. Compared to Greater Sydney, Chifley has slightly more development, 18.0% above the regional average per person over the five-year period. However, this activity is under the national average, suggesting the area's established nature and potential planning limitations. Recent construction comprises 23.0% standalone homes and 77.0% townhouses or apartments, indicating a trend toward denser development to provide accessible entry options for downsizers, investors, and entry-level buyers. This represents a shift from the area's existing housing, which is currently 59.0% houses.

With around 302 people per dwelling approval, Chifley shows characteristics of a low density area. Future projections show Chifley adding 72 residents by 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). 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 a region is significantly influenced by changes in local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has identified four projects that could potentially impact this area. Among these key projects are 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 drivers in Chifley are experiencing difficulties, placing it among the bottom 20% of areas assessed across Australia

Chifley has a well-educated workforce with professional services strongly represented. The unemployment rate was 7.3% in the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 4.0%. As of December 2025, 1,823 residents were employed, while the unemployment rate was 3.2% higher than Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%.

Workforce participation was 68.2%, lower than Greater Sydney's 70.2%. A high proportion of residents, 41.6%, worked from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. Major employment industries include construction, health care & social assistance, and education & training. Construction is particularly specialized with an employment share of 1.5 times the regional level.

However, professional & technical services employed only 8.3% of local workers, below Greater Sydney's 11.5%. The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities due to its predominantly residential nature. Between December 2024 and December 2025, employment levels increased by 4.0%, while the labour force grew by 3.8%, reducing the unemployment rate by 0.2 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Sydney experienced employment growth of 2.2% with a marginal rise in its unemployment rate during this period. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 indicate that national employment is expected to 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, although this extrapolation does not account for localized population projections.

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 and average income is $74,752. Greater Sydney's median income is $60,817 and average income is $83,003. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% between July 1, 2023 and June 30, 2023, estimated current incomes are approximately $58,084 (median) and $81,375 (average) as of September 2025. According to the Census conducted on August 9, 2021, household income ranks at the 83rd percentile ($2,311 weekly), while personal income ranks at the 57th percentile. Income distribution shows 25.0% of population (917 individuals) earn $4000+ annually, differing from broader area where $1,500 - 2,999 category is predominant at 30.9%. High earners above $3,000/week comprise 39.0%, indicating strong economic capacity. Housing costs consume 16.5% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income 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, comprised 58.6% houses and 41.4% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Sydney metro had 55.9% houses and 44.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Chifley was at 34.3%, with mortgaged dwellings at 34.7% and rented ones at 31.0%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $3,210, higher than Sydney metro's average of $2,427. Weekly rent in Chifley was $400, compared to Sydney metro's $470. Nationally, Chifley's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while 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 comprise the remaining 22.1%, with lone person households at 20.5% and group households making up 1.6% of the total. 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 has university qualification rates of 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 prevalent, with 34.3% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (12.8%) and certificates (21.5%). Educational participation is high at 32.5%, with 11.1% in primary education, 9.8% in secondary education, and 5.3% pursuing 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 serving buses. These are covered by 19 different routes, offering a total of 2,480 weekly passenger trips. Residents enjoy excellent transport accessibility, with an average distance of 119 meters to the nearest stop. Most commutes are outward-bound due to Chifley's residential nature. Cars remain the primary mode of transport at 87%, while buses account for 6%. The area has an average vehicle ownership of 1.5 per dwelling, higher than the regional norm.

According to the 2021 Census, 41.6% of residents work from home, possibly due to COVID-19 conditions. On average, there are 354 trips daily across all routes, equating to around 65 weekly trips per 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 across Chifley. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence were very low across all age groups.

Private health cover was found to be high at approximately 56% of the total population (around 2,072 people), compared to 59.9% in Greater Sydney. The most common medical conditions were arthritis and asthma, affecting 6.9 and 6.4% of residents respectively. A total of 74.1% of residents reported being 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 (620 people), higher than the 15.4% in Greater Sydney. Health outcomes among seniors were particularly strong, broadly in line with national rankings for 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 was found to be more culturally diverse than most local markets, with 29.6% born overseas and 24.5% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Chifley, accounting for 66.3%. However, Judaism is notably overrepresented, comprising 2.8% of Chifley's population compared to 0.8% across Greater Sydney.

In terms of ancestry, the top three groups are Australian (20.3%), English (20.1%), and Other (11.9%). Notably, French (2.0%) Hungarian (0.6%), and Spanish (1.0%) ethnicities are overrepresented compared to regional averages of 0.5%, 0.3%, and 0.6% respectively.

Chifley's median age exceeds the national pattern

The median age in Chifley is 42 years, significantly higher than Greater Sydney's average of 37 years and Australia's national median age of 38 years. The age group of 15-24 years has a strong representation at 16.4% compared to Greater Sydney, while the 25-34 cohort is less prevalent at 6.3%. Post-2021 Census data shows that the 15-24 age group grew from 13.1% to 16.4%, and the 75-84 age group increased from 4.7% to 5.8%. Conversely, the 25-34 cohort declined from 7.9% to 6.3%. Population forecasts for the year 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes in Chifley. Leading this shift is the 85+ age group, expected to grow by 84%, reaching 135 people from a previous total of 73. Notably, combined age groups of 65 and above will account for 52% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. In contrast, the 5-14 and 0-4 age cohorts are expected to experience population declines.