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 November 2025, the estimated population of the Earlwood statistical area (Lv2) is around 18,404. This figure reflects an increase of 351 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 18,053. The change was inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population at 18,202 in June 2024, using the latest ERP data release by the ABS, and an additional 35 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of approximately 3,280 persons per square kilometer, placing it in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The primary driver for this growth was overseas migration, contributing about 83.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch's projections for the Earlwood (SA2) are based on ABS/Geoscience Australia projections released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilises NSW State Government's SA2 level projections from 2022 using 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, there will be an overall population decline in the Earlwood (SA2) over this period, with the population expected to shrink by 140 persons by 2041. However, growth across specific age cohorts is anticipated, notably a projected increase of 754 people in the 65 to 74 age group.

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 approved annually over the past five financial years ending FY26, totalling around 266 homes. By FY26, 16 approvals had been recorded. The population has decreased during this period, yet housing supply remained adequate relative to demand, maintaining a balanced market with varied buyer choices. New properties are constructed at an average cost of $662,000, indicating developers target the premium market segment.

In FY26, around $6.1 million in commercial approvals were registered, suggesting limited commercial development focus. Compared to Greater Sydney, Earlwood has similar development levels per capita, supporting regional market stability. However, this activity is below the national average, implying an established area with potential planning limitations. New developments consist of 52.0% detached houses and 48.0% townhouses or apartments, marking a shift from existing housing patterns (currently 80.0% houses), likely due to diminishing developable land availability and evolving lifestyle preferences. Earlwood has around 316 people per approval, reflecting low-density development.

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, with key ones being 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 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 3.6%.

As of September 2025, 10,564 residents were employed, and the unemployment rate was 1.6% lower than Greater Sydney's 4.2%. Workforce participation was 55.7%, compared to Greater Sydney's 60.0%. Key industries for Earlwood residents are health care & social assistance, education & training, and professional & technical services. Education & training is particularly specialized, with an employment share 1.3 times the regional level.

However, health care & social assistance is under-represented at 12.1% of Earlwood's workforce compared to Greater Sydney's 14.1%. Employment opportunities locally may be limited, as indicated by Census data comparing working population and resident population. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment increased by 3.6%, while labour force grew by 4.0%, raising the unemployment rate by 0.3 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Sydney had employment growth of 2.1% and labour force growth of 2.4%, with a 0.2 percentage point rise in unemployment. State-level data to November 25 shows NSW employment contracted by 0.03%, losing 2,260 jobs, with an unemployment rate of 3.9%. Nationally, the unemployment rate was 4.3%. 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 employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.8% over five years and 13.8% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for localized population projections.

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

Earlwood's median taxpayer income was $58,793 with an average of $81,772 in financial year 2023. These figures were among the highest in Australia, compared to Greater Sydney's median income of $60,817 and average income of $83,003. By September 2025, estimated incomes would be approximately $64,002 (median) and $89,017 (average), based on an 8.86% Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2023. According to the 2021 Census, household income ranked at the 75th percentile ($2,164 weekly) while personal income was at the 56th percentile. Distribution data showed that 28.0% of locals (5,153 people) fell into the $1,500 - 2,999 category, consistent with broader trends across the surrounding region showing 30.9% in the same category. Economic strength was evident through 35.7% of households achieving high weekly earnings exceeding $3,000, supporting elevated consumer spending. High housing costs consumed 15.6% of income, yet strong earnings placed disposable income at the 76th percentile with the area's SEIFA income ranking placing it in the 8th decile.

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

Earlwood's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 80.2% houses and 19.9% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Sydney metro's 48.7% houses and 51.3% other dwellings. 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, higher than Sydney metro's average of $2,167. Median weekly rent in Earlwood was $570, compared to Sydney metro's $390. Nationally, Earlwood's mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $2,817 versus 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 lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 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 constitute 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 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, held by 22.4% of residents, 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; advanced diplomas account for 10.6%, while certificates make up 16.3%.

Educational participation is high, with 28.1% currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 8.8% in primary, 8.7% in secondary, and 5.6% pursuing tertiary education.

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

The analysis of public transport in Earlwood indicates 121 active transport stops operating within the area. These stops are served by a mix of buses, with a total of 41 individual routes providing service. Collectively, these routes facilitate 3,542 weekly passenger trips.

The report rates transport accessibility as excellent, with residents typically located an average of 148 meters from the nearest transport stop. Across all routes, service frequency averages at 506 trips per day, which equates to approximately 29 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 age groups experiencing low rates of common health issues. Approximately 59% of Earlwood's total population of 10,897 has private health cover, higher than Greater Sydney's 50.0%.

The most prevalent medical conditions in the area are arthritis (affecting 7.3% of residents) and asthma (5.6%), while 73.2% report no medical ailments, compared to 77.7% across Greater Sydney. Earlwood has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over, at 21.4% or 3,938 people, than Greater Sydney's 15.8%. Health outcomes among seniors in Earlwood are notably good, largely mirroring the general population's health 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's population comprises 36.0% born overseas, with 48.1% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Earlwood, accounting for 66.5%, compared to Greater Sydney's 45.8%. The top three ancestry groups are Greek (17.8%), Other (14.3%), and Australian (13.5%).

Notably, Lebanese representation stands at 6.2% in Earlwood versus 10.6% regionally, Vietnamese at 2.9% versus 3.7%, and Hungarian at 0.4% versus 0.2%.

Earlwood hosts a notably older demographic compared to the national average

Earlwood's median age is 44, surpassing Greater Sydney's figure of 37 and the national norm of 38. The 55-64 age group constitutes 13.3% of Earlwood's population, higher than Greater Sydney's percentage. Meanwhile, the 25-34 cohort makes up 10.4%, lower compared to Greater Sydney. Post the 2021 Census, the 15-24 age group grew from 11.5% to 13.3%, while the 5-14 cohort declined from 11.8% to 10.2%. The 45-54 group also decreased from 15.7% to 14.5%. By 2041, demographic modeling projects significant changes in Earlwood's age profile. Notably, the 65-74 group is expected to grow by 37%, reaching 2,399 people from 1,748. This growth will be entirely driven by those aged 65 and above. Conversely, the 25-34 and 45-54 cohorts are projected to experience population declines.