Emerton

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

Based on ABS population updates and AreaSearch validations, the suburb of Emerton's population is estimated at around 2,366 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 71 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 2,295. The change is inferred from AreaSearch estimating the resident population at 2,302 following examination of ABS's latest ERP data release in June 2024 and validating six new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 3,033 persons per square kilometer, placing Emerton in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Emerton's 3.1% growth since census positions it within 2.1 percentage points of its SA3 area (5.2%), demonstrating competitive growth fundamentals. Population growth was primarily driven by natural growth contributing approximately 55% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch adopts 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. Future population dynamics anticipate lower quartile growth across statistical areas nationwide, with Emerton expected to expand by 96 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting a gain of 1.4% in total over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development drivers sees a low level of activity in Emerton, placing the area among the bottom 25% of areas assessed nationally

Based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers, allocated from statistical area data, Emerton has seen around 6 new homes approved each year. Over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, approximately 32 homes were approved, with an additional 3 approved so far in FY-26. On average, about 0.4 new residents per year have been arriving for every new home constructed over these years.

This indicates that new construction is keeping pace with or exceeding demand, providing more housing options and potentially supporting population growth beyond current expectations. The average expected construction cost value of new dwellings in Emerton is $206,000, which is below regional levels, suggesting more affordable housing choices for buyers. In FY-26, there have been $4.1 million in commercial approvals, reflecting the area's primarily residential nature. Compared to Greater Sydney, Emerton shows comparable construction activity per person, maintaining market balance consistent with the broader area.

However, recent construction activity has eased slightly. This activity is also below the national average, which may indicate planning constraints or a mature and established area. The recent building activity in Emerton consists entirely of standalone homes, preserving the area's traditional suburban character with a focus on family homes that appeal to those seeking space. Interestingly, developers are constructing more traditional houses than the current mix suggests (78.0% at Census), indicating strong demand for family homes despite density pressures. With around 666 people per approval, Emerton is a mature and established area. According to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate, Emerton is projected to add approximately 32 residents by 2041. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

Emerton has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 10% nationally

The performance of an area can significantly influenced by changes in local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has identified a single project that is expected to impact this particular area. Notable projects include Richmond Road Upgrade from M7 to Townson Road, Tallawong to St Marys (T2SM) Passenger Rail Corridor, First Nations Cultural Hub Mount Druitt, and M12 Motorway (Western Sydney Airport Motorway). The following list provides details on those projects likely to have the most relevance.

Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.

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The labour market performance in Emerton lags significantly behind most other regions nationally

Emerton's workforce is balanced across white and blue-collar jobs with diverse sector representation. The unemployment rate was 20.4% as of December 2025. Employment grew by an estimated 6.8% over the past year.

In comparison to Greater Sydney's unemployment rate of 4.2%, Emerton's is 16.2% higher, indicating room for improvement. Workforce participation in Emerton lags at 55.6%, compared to Greater Sydney's 70.2%. Approximately 16.5% of residents work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered. Employment is concentrated in retail trade, health care & social assistance, and manufacturing.

Manufacturing employs 2.0 times the regional level, while professional & technical services employ only 2.3%, below Greater Sydney's 11.5%. Over a 12-month period ending December 2025, employment increased by 6.8% alongside labour force growth of 2.5%, reducing unemployment by 3.2 percentage points. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia project national employment growth at 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Emerton's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 5.6% over five years and 12.1% over ten years, though this is a simplified extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

Income metrics place the area in the bottom 10% of locations nationally according to AreaSearch analysis

Emerton's income level is lower than average nationally according to latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. The suburb's median income among taxpayers is $46,267 and the average income stands at $50,987, compared to Greater Sydney's figures of $60,817 and $83,003 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since financial year 2023, current estimates for Emerton would be approximately $50,366 (median) and $55,504 (average) as of September 2025. According to 2021 Census figures, household, family and personal incomes in Emerton all fall between the 7th and 16th percentiles nationally. Income analysis reveals that the largest segment comprises 30.6% earning $1,500 - $2,999 weekly (723 residents), consistent with broader trends across the metropolitan region showing 30.9% in the same category. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 78.4% of income remaining, ranking at the 12th percentile.

Emerton is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Emerton's residential structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 78.2% houses and 21.8% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Sydney metro's 55.9% houses and 44.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Emerton was at 20.3%, with mortgaged dwellings at 24.2% and rented ones at 55.4%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Emerton was $1,618, lower than Sydney metro's average of $2,427. Median weekly rent in Emerton was recorded at $320, compared to Sydney metro's $470. Nationally, Emerton's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

Emerton features high concentrations of group households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households account for 72.9% of all households, including 28.8% couples with children, 16.5% couples without children, and 25.2% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 27.1%, with lone person households at 23.7% and group households comprising 3.9%. The median household size is 2.9 people, larger than the Greater Sydney average of 2.7.

Emerton faces educational challenges, with performance metrics placing it in the bottom quartile of areas assessed nationally

The area's university qualification rate is 11.2%, significantly lower than Greater Sydney's average of 38.0%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 8.4%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.0%) and graduate diplomas (0.8%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 32.9% of residents aged 15 and above holding them, including advanced diplomas (7.5%) and certificates (25.4%). Educational participation is high, with 34.7% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, including 14.0% in primary, 11.2% in secondary, and 3.3% in tertiary education.

Educational participation is notably high, with 34.7% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 14.0% in primary education, 11.2% in secondary education, and 3.3% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Emerton has 13 operational public transport stops, all offering bus services. These stops are served by 18 different routes, collectively facilitating 1,716 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated highly, with residents typically located 180 meters from the nearest stop. As a predominantly residential area, most commuting is outward-bound. Cars remain the primary mode of transport at 83%, while train usage stands at 10%. The average vehicle ownership per dwelling is 1.0, below the regional norm.

According to the 2021 Census, 16.5% of residents work from home, a figure that may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 245 trips daily across all routes, translating to approximately 132 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Emerton is a key challenge with a range of health conditions having marked impacts on both younger and older age cohorts

Emerton faces significant health challenges, as identified by AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Several health conditions impact both younger and older age groups, with a low rate of private health cover at approximately 47% of the total population (around 1,115 people), compared to Greater Sydney's 59.9% and the national average of 55.7%. The most prevalent medical conditions are asthma and mental health issues, affecting 10.5 and 8.7% of residents respectively, while 63.9% report being completely clear of medical ailments, compared to Greater Sydney's 74.6%.

Working-age residents face notable health challenges with high chronic condition rates. The area has 15.7% of residents aged 65 and over (371 people), with senior health outcomes presenting some challenges, broadly in line with national rankings for the general population.

Emerton was found to be more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets in Australia, upon assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Emerton's population shows high cultural diversity, with 35.4% born overseas and 33.0% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Emerton, accounting for 62.7%, compared to 49.2% in Greater Sydney. The top three ancestry groups are Other (21.2%), English (20.4%), and Australian (17.9%).

Notably, Samoan ancestry is overrepresented at 6.2% in Emerton versus 0.5% regionally, Filipino at 5.6% versus 2.0%, and Maori at 1.7% versus 0.4%.

Emerton hosts a very young demographic, ranking in the bottom 10% of areas nationwide

Emerton's median age is 32 years, which is younger than Greater Sydney's average of 37 years and significantly lower than Australia's national average of 38 years. Compared to Greater Sydney, Emerton has a higher proportion of residents aged 5-14 (17.0%) but fewer residents aged 35-44 (10.4%). According to post-2021 Census data, the age group 15-24 has grown from 14.2% to 15.4%, while the 75-84 cohort increased from 5.1% to 6.3%. Conversely, the 25-34 cohort declined from 14.5% to 12.9%, and the 45-54 group dropped from 11.6% to 10.5%. Demographic modeling suggests Emerton's age profile will significantly change by 2041, with the strongest projected growth in the 85+ cohort (142%), adding 60 residents to reach 103. Residents aged 65 and older represent 99% of anticipated population growth, while declines are projected for the 55-64 and 15-24 cohorts.