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

As of February 2026, the estimated population of the suburb of Earlwood is around 18,407, reflecting an increase of 354 people since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 18,053. This increase was inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population at 18,202 in June 2024, based on the latest ERP data release by the ABS, and an additional 38 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 3,281 persons per square kilometer, placing Earlwood in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The primary driver for this 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 the years 2032 to 2041. According to these projections, over this period, the suburb of Earlwood's population is expected to decline by 141 persons by 2041. However, growth across specific age cohorts is anticipated, notably the 65 to 74 age group which is projected to increase by 749 people.

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

Earlwood recorded approximately 53 residential properties granted approval per year over the past five financial years ending FY26. This totals an estimated 266 homes. In FY26, up to July, 21 approvals have been recorded. The population fall during this period maintained adequate housing supply relative to demand, resulting in a balanced market with varied buyer choices.

New properties are constructed at an average expected cost of $662,000, indicating targeting of the premium market segment. Commercial development focus is limited, with $6.1 million in commercial approvals registered in FY26. Earlwood's development levels per person are similar to Greater Sydney's, supporting regional market stability. However, activity is below the national average, suggesting established area characteristics and potential planning limitations. New development consists of 52% detached houses and 48% townhouses or apartments, marking a shift from the existing 80% house dominance.

This may indicate diminishing developable land availability and response to evolving lifestyle preferences and housing affordability needs. Earlwood's population density is around 316 people per approval, reflecting a low-density area. With stable or declining population forecasts, Earlwood 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

AreaSearch has identified 78 projects that could impact the area, significantly influenced by changes in local infrastructure. Notable projects include Sydney Metro City & Southwest, Botany Aquatic Centre Redevelopment, Canterbury Leisure & Aquatic Centre, and Sydney Metro City & Southwest - Sydenham to Bankstown (T3 Bankstown Line Conversion). The following list details those most likely to be relevant.

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. Its unemployment rate was 2.6% in the past year, with estimated employment growth of 5.1%. As of December 2025, 10,634 residents were employed at a 1.6% lower unemployment rate than Greater Sydney's 4.2%, and workforce participation matched Greater Sydney's 70.2%.

Census data showed 56.5% worked from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. Key industries included health care & social assistance, education & training, and professional & technical services. Earlwood had a high specialization in education & training (1.3 times the regional level) but under-representation in health care & social assistance (12.1% vs Greater Sydney's 14.1%). Employment opportunities seemed limited locally based on working population vs resident population counts.

Between December 2024 and 2025, employment increased by 5.1% while labour force grew by 5.2%, raising the unemployment rate by 0.2 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Sydney saw employment growth of 2.2% and labour force growth of 2.3%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project overall growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Earlwood's industry mix suggests local employment could increase by 6.8% over five years and 13.8% over ten years, though this is a simplified extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

The area exhibits notably strong income performance, ranking higher than 70% of areas assessed nationally through AreaSearch analysis

The median taxpayer income in Earlwood was $58,793, with an average of $81,772 according to AreaSearch's aggregation of postcode level ATO data for the financial year 2023. This places Earlwood among Australia's highest income suburbs, compared to Greater Sydney's median income of $60,817 and average income of $83,003. Based on a 8.86% increase from the Wage Price Index since financial year 2023, estimated incomes as of September 2025 would be approximately $64,002 (median) and $89,017 (average). The 2021 Census shows Earlwood's household income at the 75th percentile ($2,164 weekly), with personal income at the 56th percentile. Income distribution indicates that 28.0% of locals (5,153 people) earn between $1,500 and $2,999, similar to the surrounding region's 30.9%. High earning households, exceeding $3,000 weekly, comprise 35.7%, suggesting robust consumer spending. High housing costs consume 15.6% of income, but strong earnings result in disposable income at the 76th percentile. Earlwood'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 area's figures of 55.9% houses and 44.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Earlwood stood at 45.6%, higher than Sydney metro's level. Mortgaged dwellings accounted for 33.3%, while rented ones were 21.1%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,817, surpassing the Sydney metro average of $2,427. Median weekly rent in Earlwood was $570, compared to Sydney metro's $470. Nationally, Earlwood's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 78.1% of all households, including 41.5% couples with children, 23.6% couples without children, and 11.9% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 21.9%, with lone person households at 19.2% and group households comprising 2.6%. The median household size is 2.8 people, which is larger than the Greater Sydney average of 2.7.

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

Earlwood's university qualification level is 33.1%, slightly below Greater Sydney's average of 38.0%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 22.4%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (8.2%) and graduate diplomas (2.5%). Vocational credentials are held by 26.9% of residents aged 15+, with advanced diplomas at 10.6% and certificates at 16.3%.

Educational participation is high, with 28.1% currently enrolled in formal education: primary (8.8%), secondary (8.7%), and tertiary (5.6%).

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

Earlwood has 121 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 41 different routes that together facilitate 3,542 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is excellent, with residents typically living just 148 meters from the nearest stop. Most Earlwood residents commute outward due to its residential nature. Cars remain the primary mode of transportation for 80% of residents, while 10% use trains. On average, there are 1.3 vehicles per dwelling.

According to the 2021 Census, a high percentage of residents, 56.5%, work from home, which may be partly due to COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency across all routes averages 506 trips per day, translating to approximately 29 weekly trips per individual stop. The accompanying map displays the 100 nearest stops to the location's centerpoint.

Earlwood'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 Earlwood.

Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence were very low across all age groups. Private health cover was found to be exceptionally high at approximately 59% of the total population, which numbered 10,898 people. The most common medical conditions in the area were arthritis and asthma, impacting 7.3 and 5.6% of residents respectively. 73.2% of residents declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 74.6% across Greater Sydney. Working-age residents had low chronic condition prevalence. The area has 22.2% of residents aged 65 and over, totaling 4,086 people, which is higher than the 15.4% in Greater Sydney. Health outcomes among seniors were particularly strong, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

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, making up 66.5% of the population, compared to 49.2% across Greater Sydney. The top three ancestry groups in Earlwood are Greek (17.8%), Other (14.3%), and Australian (13.5%).

Notably, Lebanese (6.2%) and Vietnamese (2.9%) populations are higher than the regional averages of 2.6% and 1.8%, respectively. Hungarian ancestry is also slightly overrepresented at 0.4%.

Earlwood hosts a notably older demographic compared to the national average

Earlwood has a median age of 44, which exceeds Greater Sydney's figure of 37 and is substantially higher than the national norm of 38. The age group of 55-64 shows strong representation in Earlwood at 13.6%, compared to Greater Sydney, while the 25-34 cohort is less prevalent at 10.2%. According to the 2021 Census, the population aged 15 to 24 has grown from 11.5% to 13.7%. Conversely, the age group of 5 to 14 has declined from 11.8% to 10.1%, and the 45 to 54 group has dropped from 15.7% to 14.1%. Demographic modeling suggests that Earlwood's age profile will evolve significantly by 2041. Leading this demographic shift, the 65 to 74 age group is projected to grow by 32%, reaching 2,409 people from 1,822. This growth is driven entirely by an aging population dynamic, with those aged 65 and above comprising all of the projected growth. Meanwhile, the 45 to 54 and 25 to 34 age cohorts are expected to experience population declines.