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 Feb 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 change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of the resident population at 18,202 in June 2024 and the validation of 38 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 other locations assessed by AreaSearch. Overseas migration contributed approximately 83.0% of overall population gains during recent periods. AreaSearch's projections for Earlwood are based on ABS/Geoscience Australia data released in 2024 with a 2022 base year, and NSW State Government SA2 level projections released in 2022 with a 2021 base year for areas not covered by the former.

By 2041, projections indicate an overall population decline of 140 persons, but growth is anticipated in specific age cohorts, notably the 65 to 74 age group which is projected to increase by 753 people.

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

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers in Earlwood shows approximately 53 residential properties granted approval per year over the past five financial years ending June 2021, totalling an estimated 266 homes. As of April 2021, 16 approvals have been recorded for the current financial year, FY-2021/22. The population has fallen during this period, yet housing supply has remained adequate relative to demand, indicating a balanced market with good buyer choice. New properties are constructed at an average expected cost of $662,000, suggesting developers target the premium market segment with higher-end properties.

In FY-2021/22, $6.1 million in commercial approvals have been registered, indicating limited focus on commercial development. Compared to Greater Sydney, Earlwood has similar development levels per person, supporting market stability aligned with regional patterns. However, this activity is below the national average, suggesting the area's established nature and potential planning limitations. New development consists of 52% detached houses and 48% townhouses or apartments, marking a shift from existing housing patterns (currently 80% houses), possibly due to diminishing developable land availability and evolving lifestyle preferences. 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 to affect the area. Notable ones 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 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. The 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 equal to Greater Sydney's 70.0%. According to Census responses, 56.5% of residents worked from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. Key industries for employment were 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 was under-represented in health care & social assistance (12.1% vs Greater Sydney's 14.1%).

Employment opportunities locally appeared limited based on resident population versus working population counts. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment increased by 3.6%, labour force 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. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia (May-25) suggest total employment could expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Earlwood's industry mix, local employment might increase by 6.8% over five years and 13.8% over ten years, though this is a simple extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

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

Earlwood suburb has a median taxpayer income of $58,793 and an average income of $81,772 based on the latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. These figures are among the highest in Australia, compared to Greater Sydney's median income of $60,817 and average income of $83,003. By September 2025, estimates suggest the median income will be approximately $64,002 and the average income will be around $89,017, factoring in an 8.86% growth rate since financial year 2023. According to the 2021 Census, Earlwood's household income ranks at the 75th percentile ($2,164 weekly), with personal income at the 56th percentile. Income distribution shows that 28.0% of locals (5,153 people) fall into the $1,500 - 2,999 category, similar to the surrounding region's 30.9%. High household earnings, with 35.7% exceeding $3,000 weekly, contribute to strong consumer spending. However, high housing costs consume 15.6% of income, though disposable income remains 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% comprising semi-detached properties, apartments, and other types of dwellings. This contrasts with Sydney metropolitan areas where 55.9% of dwellings are houses, and 44.1% are other dwelling types. Home ownership in Earlwood stood at 45.6%, with mortgaged dwellings accounting for 33.3% and rented ones making up 21.1%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,817, surpassing Sydney metropolitan average of $2,427. The median weekly rent figure in Earlwood was recorded at $570, compared to Sydney metro's $470. Nationally, Earlwood's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while 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 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, 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

University qualification levels in Earlwood are 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, including advanced diplomas (10.6%) and certificates (16.3%).

Educational participation is high, with 28.1% of residents currently enrolled in formal education: 8.8% in primary, 8.7% in secondary, and 5.6% in 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, conducted in 2021, found that there are 121 active transport stops operating within the area. These stops serve a mix of bus routes, with a total of 41 individual routes providing service to the area. Collectively, these routes facilitate 3,542 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of public transport in Earlwood is rated as excellent, with residents typically located approximately 148 meters from the nearest transport stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward for work or other purposes. The dominant mode of transport among residents is car, used by 80% of them, while train usage stands at 10%.

On average, there are 1.3 vehicles per dwelling in Earlwood. According to the 2021 Census, a high percentage of residents, specifically 56.5%, work from home, which may be reflective of COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency across all routes averages 506 trips per day, equating to approximately 29 weekly trips per individual stop. A map accompanies the analysis, illustrating the 100 nearest stops to the location's centrepoint.

Earlwood's residents are extremely healthy with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Analysis shows Earlwood performed well health-wise, based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence, with very low prevalence across all age groups.

The area had approximately 59% private health cover (10,898 people). Arthritis was most common at 7.3%, followed by asthma at 5.6%. A total of 73.2% reported no medical ailments, compared to Greater Sydney's 74.6%. Working-age residents had low chronic condition prevalence. The area had a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over, at 22.0% (4,049 people), than Greater Sydney's 15.4%. Senior health outcomes were strong, aligning with national rankings.

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 cultural diversity is notable, 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, compared to 49.2% across Greater Sydney. The top three ancestry groups are Greek (17.8%), Other (14.3%), and Australian (13.5%).

Notably, Lebanese (6.2%) and Vietnamese (2.9%) populations in Earlwood exceed regional averages of 2.6% and 1.8%, respectively, while Hungarian representation is slightly higher at 0.4%.

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 comprises 13.5%, higher than Greater Sydney, while the 25-34 cohort stands at 10.1%. Post-2021 Census, the 15 to 24 age group increased from 11.5% to 13.6%. Conversely, the 5 to 14 cohort decreased from 11.8% to 10.0%, and the 45 to 54 group dropped from 15.7% to 14.0%. By 2041, demographic modeling projects significant shifts in Earlwood's age profile. Leading this change, the 65 to 74 group is expected to grow by 33%, reaching 2,398 from 1,803. The aging population trend is evident, with those aged 65 and above accounting for all projected growth. Meanwhile, the 45 to 54 and 25 to 34 age groups are anticipated to experience population declines.