Fairfield West

Population growth drivers in Fairfield West are above average based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

As of Feb 2026, the estimated population of Fairfield West is around 13,605. This figure reflects an increase of 624 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 12,981. The change was inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of the resident population at 13,291 following their examination of ABS' latest ERP data release in June 2024 and an additional 28 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 4,212 persons per square kilometer, placing Fairfield West in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The suburb's growth rate of 4.8% since the 2021 Census exceeded that of its SA3 area at 4.4%. Overseas migration contributed approximately 79.0% of overall population gains during recent periods in Fairfield West.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data, NSW State Government's SA2 level projections are used, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021. These projections anticipate lower quartile growth nationally, with Fairfield West expected to expand by 647 persons to 2041, reflecting an increase of 3.6% over the 17 years.

Recent residential development output has been above average within Fairfield West when compared nationally

Fairfield West has seen around 56 dwelling approvals annually based on AreaSearch's analysis of ABS building approval numbers. Over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, approximately 282 homes were approved, with an additional 27 approved in FY-26. Each year, about 1.6 people move to the area for each dwelling built during these five years.

This balance between supply and demand supports stable market conditions. The average construction value of new properties is $321,000. In FY-26, there have been $246,000 in commercial approvals, reflecting Fairfield West's residential nature. Compared to Greater Sydney, the area maintains similar construction rates per person, preserving market equilibrium consistent with surrounding areas.

Recent construction comprises 53.0% standalone homes and 47.0% townhouses or apartments, indicating a shift from the existing housing composition of 88.0% houses. This change suggests decreasing developable sites and reflects evolving lifestyles and demand for diverse, affordable housing options. The area has approximately 237 people per dwelling approval, indicating low density. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Fairfield West is expected to grow by 489 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.

Fairfield West 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 21 projects that could affect the area. Notable ones include EVO Fairfield, The Vale - Fairfield Heights (Stage 3), Fairfield Heights Town Centre Public Domain Upgrades, and 368 Hamilton Road Mixed-Use Development. The following list details those most likely to be relevant.

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

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

Fairfield West has a diverse workforce with strong representation in manufacturing and industrial sectors. The unemployment rate was 8.3% as of the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 6.8%. As of September 2025, 5,026 residents are employed, but the unemployment rate is higher than Greater Sydney's at 4.1%.

Workforce participation in Fairfield West is lower at 50.5% compared to Greater Sydney's 70.0%. A significant portion of residents work from home, with 27.4% doing so according to Census responses. Manufacturing, retail trade, and health care & social assistance are the leading employment industries among residents. Notably, manufacturing employs 2.2 times the regional average.

However, professional & technical services employ only 5.3% of local workers, below Greater Sydney's 11.5%. The area offers limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the Census working population vs resident population count. Over a 12-month period ending in May-25, employment increased by 6.8% and labour force grew by 4.5%, reducing the unemployment rate by 2.0 percentage points. National employment forecasts project growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Fairfield West's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 5.8% over five years and 12.4% over ten years, though this is a simplified extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

Income figures position the area below 75% of locations analysed nationally by AreaSearch

The suburb of Fairfield West had a median taxpayer income of $41,860 and an average income of $50,754 in the financial year 2023. This was lower than national averages, with Greater Sydney's median income being $60,817 and average income $83,003 during the same period. By September 2025, estimates suggest the median income would be approximately $45,569 and average income $55,251, based on an 8.86% growth in wages since financial year 2023. According to the 2021 Census, individual incomes were at the 2nd percentile with a weekly income of $476, while household incomes performed better at the 30th percentile. The income bracket of $1,500 - 2,999 dominated Fairfield West, with 31.3% of residents (4,258 people) falling into this category, similar to regional levels where 30.9% occupied this bracket. Housing affordability pressures were severe, with only 79.4% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 24th percentile.

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

As of the latest Census, dwelling structures in Fairfield West consisted of 88.4% houses and 11.6% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Sydney metro had 55.9% houses and 44.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Fairfield West was at 34.7%, with mortgaged dwellings at 29.0% and rented ones at 36.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,000, below Sydney metro's average of $2,427. The median weekly rent figure was recorded at $440, compared to Sydney metro's $470. Nationally, Fairfield West's mortgage repayments were higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households comprise 85.0% of all households, including 47.6% couples with children, 17.7% couples without children, and 18.0% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 15.0%, consisting of 13.2% lone person households and 1.9% group households. The median household size is 3.4 people, which is larger than the Greater Sydney average of 2.7.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 14.2%, significantly lower than Greater Sydney's average of 38.0%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 11.6%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.0%) and graduate diplomas (0.6%). Vocational pathways account for 24.9% of qualifications among those aged 15+, with advanced diplomas at 8.8% and certificates at 16.1%. Educational participation is high, with 34.0% of residents currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes 10.6% in primary education, 10.5% in secondary education, and 5.5% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Fairfield West has 61 active public transport stops, all serving buses. These stops are covered by 42 different routes, offering a total of 1,465 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents typically living 171 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward due to its residential nature. Cars remain the primary mode at 88%, while trains account for 7%. Vehicle ownership averages 1.5 per dwelling, higher than the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, a high 27.4% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency across all routes averages 209 trips per day, equating to about 24 weekly trips per stop.

Fairfield West's residents are healthier than average in comparison to broader Australia with prevalence of common health conditions quite low across both younger and older age cohorts

Fairfield West residents have relatively positive health outcomes, according to health data analysed by AreaSearch. Mortality rates and health conditions in the area are largely in line with national benchmarks. The prevalence of common health conditions is low across both younger and older age groups.

Private health cover is found to be very low at approximately 47% of the total population (~6,403 people), compared to 59.9% across Greater Sydney and a national average of 55.7%. The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (7.3%) and diabetes (6.0%), while 75.5% of residents report being completely free from medical ailments, compared to 74.6% in Greater Sydney. Under-65 residents demonstrate better than average health outcomes. The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 16.8%, with 2,285 people, compared to Greater Sydney's 15.4%. Health outcomes among seniors are above average, ranking in line with the general population nationally.

Fairfield West is among the most culturally diverse areas in the country based on AreaSearch assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Fairfield West has a high level of cultural diversity, with 59.5% of its population born overseas and 75.1% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Fairfield West, making up 63.0% of the population. However, Buddhism is significantly overrepresented, comprising 15.7% compared to the Greater Sydney average of 4.1%.

The top three ancestry groups are Other (39.5%), Vietnamese (16.4%), and Australian (8.8%). Notably, Croatian (1.6%) and Serbian (1.1%) ethnicities are overrepresented in Fairfield West compared to regional averages of 0.7% and 0.5%, respectively. Spanish ethnicity is also notably higher at 1.0%.

Fairfield West's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

Fairfield West's median age is 36 years, nearly matching Greater Sydney's average of 37 years, which is modestly under the Australian median of 38 years. Compared to Greater Sydney, Fairfield West has a higher concentration of residents aged 15-24 (17.1%) but fewer residents aged 35-44 (11.6%). Between the 2021 Census and present, the percentage of residents aged 15-24 has grown from 14.7% to 17.1%. Conversely, the percentage of residents aged 45-54 has declined from 12.8% to 11.6%, and the percentage of residents aged 5-14 has dropped from 14.3% to 13.2%. Demographic modeling suggests that Fairfield West's age profile will evolve significantly by 2041. The cohort aged 75-84 is projected to grow by 47%, adding 393 residents to reach a total of 1,237. Residents aged 65 and above will drive 79% of population growth, highlighting demographic aging trends. Meanwhile, the cohorts aged 0-4 and 5-14 are expected to experience population declines.