Earlwood

Earlwood is positioned among the lower quartile of areas assessed nationally for population growth based on AreaSearch's assessment of recent, and medium term trends

The population of Earlwood as of November 2025 is estimated at around 18,216 people. This figure reflects an increase of 163 individuals since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 18,053 people. The change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population at 18,200 following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024, along with an additional 35 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population results in a density ratio of 3,247 persons per square kilometer, placing Earlwood in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The primary driver for this population growth was overseas migration, contributing approximately 83.0% 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. According to these projections, Earlwood's population is expected to decline overall by 141 persons by the year 2041. However, growth across specific age cohorts is anticipated, notably led by the 65 to 74 age group, which is projected to increase by 754 people over this period.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Earlwood 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, Earlwood has recorded around 53 residential properties granted approval per year over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated 266 homes. So far in FY-2025/26, 10 approvals have been recorded. The population has fallen during this period, yet housing supply has remained adequate relative to demand, creating a balanced market with good buyer choice. New properties are constructed at an average value of $662,000, slightly above the regional average, suggesting focus on quality developments.

In FY-2025/26, $6.1 million in commercial approvals have been registered, indicating limited commercial development focus compared to residential. When measured against Greater Sydney, Earlwood has similar development levels per person, supporting market stability inline with regional patterns. This activity is also under the national average, suggesting the area's established nature and potential planning limitations. New development consists of 52.0% detached houses and 48.0% townhouses or apartments, marking a significant shift from existing housing patterns (currently 80.0% houses), indicating diminishing developable land availability and responding to evolving lifestyle preferences and housing affordability needs. Earlwood reflects a low density area with around 316 people per approval.

Given stable or declining population forecasts, the area may experience less housing pressure, creating favourable conditions for buyers.

Earlwood 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 78 projects likely affecting the region. Notable initiatives include Sydney Metro City & Southwest, Botany Aquatic Centre Redevelopment, Canterbury Leisure & Aquatic Centre, and 186-206 Canterbury Road Mixed-Use Development. The following list details projects most relevant to the area.

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 conditions in Earlwood demonstrate strong performance, ranking among the top 35% of areas assessed nationally

Earlwood has an educated workforce with professional services well represented. The unemployment rate was 2.4% in the past year, with estimated employment growth of 2.5%.

As of June 2025, 10,647 residents were employed, with a 1.8% lower unemployment rate compared to Greater Sydney's 4.2%. Workforce participation was 55.7%, below Greater Sydney's 60.0%. Key industries include health care & social assistance, education & training, and professional & technical services. Education & training is particularly strong, with an employment share 1.3 times the regional level.

However, health care & social assistance is under-represented at 12.1% compared to Greater Sydney's 14.1%. Employment opportunities locally may be limited, as indicated by Census data. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment increased by 2.5%, while labour force grew by 2.7%, raising the unemployment rate by 0.2 percentage points. National employment forecasts from Sep-22 suggest total employment could expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Earlwood's employment mix, local employment is estimated to increase by 6.8% over five years and 13.8% over ten years.

Income metrics indicate excellent economic conditions, with the area achieving higher performance than 75% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch

Earlwood had a median taxpayer income of $58,794 and an average of $81,774 in financial year 2022. These figures are among the highest in Australia, contrasting with Greater Sydney's median income of $56,994 and average income of $80,856 during the same period. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% since financial year 2022, current estimates would be approximately $66,208 (median) and $92,086 (average) as of September 2025. According to the 2021 Census, household income ranks at the 75th percentile ($2,164 weekly), while personal income sits at the 56th percentile. Income distribution shows that 28.0% of locals fall into the $1,500 - 2,999 category, consistent with broader trends across the surrounding region showing 30.9% in the same category. Economic strength is evident through 35.7% of households achieving high weekly earnings exceeding $3,000, supporting elevated consumer spending. High housing costs consume 15.6% of income, though strong earnings still place disposable income at the 76th percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

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

In Earlwood, as per the latest Census evaluation, 80.2% of dwellings were houses, with the remaining 19.9% being semi-detached, apartments, or other types. This contrasts with Sydney metropolitan areas, where 45.6% of dwellings are houses and 51.3% are other types. Home ownership in Earlwood stood at 45.6%, with mortgaged dwellings at 33.3% and rented ones at 21.1%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,817, exceeding the Sydney metro average of $2,167. The median weekly rent in Earlwood was $570, higher than Sydney's $390. Nationally, Earlwood's mortgage repayments and rents were significantly higher at $1,863 and $375 respectively.

Earlwood features high concentrations of family households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 78.1 percent of all households, including 41.5 percent couples with children, 23.6 percent couples without children, and 11.9 percent single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 21.9 percent, with lone person households at 19.2 percent and group households comprising 2.6 percent of the total. The median household size is 2.8 people, which is smaller than the Greater Sydney average of 2.9.

The educational profile of Earlwood exceeds national averages, with above-average qualification levels and academic performance metrics

University qualification levels in Earlwood stand at 33.1%, slightly below Greater Sydney's average of 38.0%. Bachelor degrees are the most common (22.4%), followed by postgraduate qualifications (8.2%) and graduate diplomas (2.5%). Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 26.9% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (10.6%) and certificates (16.3%).

Educational participation is high, at 28.1%, comprising primary education (8.8%), secondary education (8.7%), and tertiary education (5.6%). Earlwood's three schools have a combined enrollment of 1,142 students. The area has above-average socio-educational conditions (ICSEA: 1099). All three schools focus on primary education; secondary options are available in nearby areas. School places per 100 residents (6.3) fall short of the regional average (9.6), indicating some students may attend schools outside Earlwood.

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

Earlwood has 92 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 40 different routes that together facilitate 3,522 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents on average being located 148 meters from the nearest stop.

Across all routes, service frequency averages 503 trips per day, which equates to approximately 38 weekly trips per individual stop.

The level of general health in Earlwood is notably higher than the national average with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Earlwood shows better-than-average health results, with both younger and older residents having low rates of common health issues. The area has a high private health insurance rate, at approximately 59% (10,785 people), compared to Greater Sydney's 49.6%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (7.3%) and asthma (5.6%). A total of 73.2% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 77.7% in Greater Sydney. As of 2016, 21.4% of Earlwood's population is aged 65 or over (3,898 people), higher than Greater Sydney's 15.8%. Senior health outcomes align with the general population's profile.

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

Earlwood has a high level of cultural diversity, with 36.0% of its population born overseas and 48.1% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Earlwood, accounting for 66.5% of the population, which is higher than Greater Sydney's average of 45.8%. The top three ancestry groups in Earlwood are Greek (17.8%), Other (14.3%), and Australian (13.5%).

Notably, Lebanese people make up 6.2% of Earlwood's population, Vietnamese 2.9%, and Hungarian 0.4%, differing from Greater Sydney's averages of 10.6%, 3.7%, and 0.2% respectively.

Earlwood hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

Earlwood has a median age of 44, which exceeds Greater Sydney's figure of 37 and is significantly higher than the national average of 38. The age group of 55-64 is strongly represented in Earlwood at 13.3%, compared to Greater Sydney, while the 25-34 cohort is less prevalent at 10.4%. According to the 2021 Census, the 15 to 24 age group has increased from 11.5% to 13.3% of Earlwood's population. Conversely, the 5 to 14 cohort has decreased from 11.8% to 10.2%, and the 45 to 54 group has fallen from 15.7% to 14.5%. Demographic modeling indicates that Earlwood's age profile will change significantly by 2041. Leading this shift, the 65 to 74 age group is projected to grow by 39%, reaching 2,399 people from 1,730. This growth is due solely to an aging population dynamic, with those aged 65 and above comprising all of Earlwood's projected population growth. Meanwhile, the 25 to 34 and 45 to 54 age cohorts are expected to experience population declines.