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 May 2026, the population of the suburb of Earlwood is estimated at around 18,310. This reflects an increase of 257 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 18,053. The change was inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of the resident population at 18,280 in June 2025, based on the latest ERP data release by the ABS, and an additional 39 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 3,263 persons per square kilometer, placing Earlwood in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration, contributing approximately 83.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is using ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022, and NSW State Government's SA2 level projections for areas not covered by this data, 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, the suburb's population is expected to decline by 132 persons by 2041. However, growth across specific age cohorts is anticipated, with the 65 to 74 age group projected to increase by 647 people over this period.

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 allocated from statistical area data shows Earlwood recorded around 53 residential properties granted approval per year over the past 5 financial years, totalling an estimated 266 homes. As of FY-26, 28 approvals have been recorded. Despite population fall, housing supply has remained adequate relative to demand, indicating a balanced market with good buyer choice. New properties are constructed at an average value of $662,000, targeting the premium market segment.

In FY-26, $6.1 million in commercial approvals have been registered, suggesting limited commercial development focus. Earlwood's development levels per person mirror Greater Sydney's, supporting regional market stability. However, activity is below the national average, reflecting 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 shift from existing housing patterns (currently 80.0% houses). This suggests diminishing developable land availability and responds to evolving lifestyle preferences and 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 73 projects likely to affect this area. Notable projects include Sydney Metro City and 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 5.0%. As of December 2025, 10,631 residents were employed, below Greater Sydney's unemployment rate of 4.2%, but similar workforce participation at 68.8%.

Home work was high at 56.5% due to Covid-19 impacts. Key industries include health care & social assistance, education & training, and professional & technical services. Education & training is specialized with an employment share 1.3 times the regional level, while health care & social assistance is under-represented at 12.1%. Limited local employment opportunities are indicated by resident-to-working population counts.

Over December 2024 to December 2025, employment increased by 5.0% and labour force by 5.2%, raising unemployment by 0.2 percentage points. Greater Sydney had lower growth rates of 2.2% for employment and 2.3% for labour force. Jobs and Skills Australia forecasts national employment growth at 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with varying sector-specific projections. Applying these to Earlwood's mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.8% over five years and 13.8% over ten years.

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 of $81,772 based on the latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. This is among the highest in Australia, with Greater Sydney's median income being $60,817 and average income being $83,003. By March 2026, current estimates suggest a median income of approximately $64,860 and an average income of $90,211, assuming a Wage Price Index growth of 10.32% since financial year 2023. According to the 2021 Census figures, Earlwood's household income ranks at the 75th percentile ($2,164 weekly) and personal income at the 56th percentile. Income distribution shows that 28.0% of locals (5,126 people) fall into the $1,500 - 2,999 category, which is consistent with broader trends in 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, but strong earnings 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

Earlwood's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 80.2% houses and 19.9% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), contrasting with Sydney metro's 55.9% houses and 44.1% 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, exceeding Sydney metro's average of $2,427. The median weekly rent in Earlwood was $570, higher than Sydney metro's $470. Nationally, Earlwood's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, with rents substantially above the national figure of $375.

Earlwood features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-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 make up 21.9%, consisting of 19.2% lone person households and 2.6% group households. 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

University qualification levels in Earlwood stand at 33.1%, slightly below Greater Sydney's average of 38.0%. Bachelor degrees are the 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. This includes 8.8% in primary education, 8.7% in secondary education, 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

Earlwood has 121 operational public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are serviced by 41 unique routes that collectively facilitate 3,542 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility to these stops is rated as excellent, with residents typically residing just 148 meters from the nearest stop. As a predominantly residential area, most commuters travel outward. Cars remain the primary mode of transport at 80%, while trains account for 10%. On average, there are 1.3 vehicles per dwelling.

According to the 2021 Census, 56.5% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency averages 506 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 29 weekly trips per stop. A map accompanies this analysis, displaying the 100 nearest stops relative to the location's centrepoint.

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

Analysis of health metrics indicates strong performance throughout Earlwood.

Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence were found to be very low across all age groups. Approximately 59% of the total population (10,841 people) had private health cover, which is exceptionally high. The most common medical conditions in the area were arthritis, impacting 7.3% of residents, and asthma, affecting 5.6%. A total of 73.2% of residents declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 74.6% across Greater Sydney. Working-age residents showed low chronic condition prevalence. The area has 22.1% of residents aged 65 and over (4,046 people), which is higher than the 15.5% 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 cultural diversity, with 36.0% of its population born overseas and 48.1% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the dominant religion in Earlwood, accounting for 66.5% of people, 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 are higher than regional averages of 2.6% and 1.8%, respectively, while Hungarian is slightly overrepresented at 0.4%.

Earlwood hosts a notably older demographic compared to the national average

Earlwood's median age stands at 44, surpassing Greater Sydney's figure of 37 and significantly exceeding the national norm of 38. The age group of 55-64 is strongly represented in Earlwood at 13.4%, compared to Greater Sydney, while the 25-34 cohort is less prevalent at 10.8%. According to the 2021 Census, the population aged 15 to 24 has grown from 11.5% to 13.5%. Conversely, the age group of 5 to 14 has declined from 11.8% to 10.0%, and those aged 45 to 54 have decreased from 15.7% to 14.1%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests Earlwood's age profile will undergo significant changes. Leading this shift, the 65-74 age group is projected to grow by 33%, reaching 2,368 people from the current figure of 1,776. The aging population trend is evident, with those aged 65 and above comprising all of the projected growth. Meanwhile, the 45-54 and 25-34 age cohorts are expected to experience population declines.