Fairfield West

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

Based on analysis of ABS population updates for the broader area, as of November 2025, Fairfield West's population is estimated at around 13,605. This reflects an increase of 624 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 12,981. The change was inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population at 13,291 following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024, along with an additional 28 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 4,212 persons per square kilometer, placing Fairfield West in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The area's growth of 4.8% since the 2021 census exceeded the SA3 area's growth of 4.3%, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 79.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilises NSW State Government's SA2 level projections released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Based on aggregated SA2-level projections, Fairfield West is expected to expand by 651 persons to 2041, reflecting an increase of 3.6% in total over the 17 years.

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

Fairfield West has seen approximately 56 dwelling approvals annually based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, around 282 homes were approved, with an additional 27 approved in FY26 so far. The area's population has grown by about 1.6 people per dwelling built annually over these years.

This balance between supply and demand supports stable market conditions. New properties are constructed at an average expected cost of $321,000. In FY26, there have been $246,000 in commercial approvals, reflecting the area's residential nature. Compared to Greater Sydney, Fairfield West maintains similar construction rates per person, preserving market equilibrium.

Recent construction consists of 53.0% standalone homes and 47.0% townhouses or apartments, indicating a shift from the current 88.0% houses. This change may reflect decreasing developable sites and evolving lifestyles seeking more affordable housing options. The area has approximately 237 people per dwelling approval, suggesting a low density market. By 2041, Fairfield West is projected to grow by 496 residents. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting population growth beyond current projections.

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

Changes in local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 21 projects that may affect the region. 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. Below is a list of those most likely to be 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.

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

Fairfield West has a balanced workforce with white and blue collar jobs. Manufacturing and industrial sectors are prominent, with an unemployment rate of 8.3% as of the past year.

Employment growth was estimated at 6.8%. As of September 2025, 5,020 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 4.1%, higher than Greater Sydney's 4.2%. Workforce participation lags at 38.9% compared to Greater Sydney's 60.0%. Leading industries include manufacturing, retail trade, and health care & social assistance.

Manufacturing employment is notably high, at 2.2 times the regional average. Professional & technical services employ just 5.3% of local workers, below Greater Sydney's 11.5%. The area may offer limited local employment opportunities. Over a year, employment increased by 6.8%, labour force by 4.4%, reducing unemployment by 2.0 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Sydney saw employment growth of 2.1% and unemployment rose slightly. State-level data to 25-Nov shows NSW employment contracted by 0.03%, with an unemployment rate of 3.9%. National forecasts suggest total employment should increase by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but growth rates vary between sectors. Applying these projections to Fairfield West's employment mix indicates local employment could increase by 5.8% over five years and 12.4% over ten years, though this is a simple extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

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

The median taxpayer income in Fairfield West is $41,860 according to postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. The average income in the suburb is $50,754. Nationally, the median income is higher at $60,817 and the average is $83,003. By September 2025, estimates suggest the median income will be approximately $45,569 and the average will be around $55,251, based on an 8.86% growth in wages since financial year 2023. In 2021 Census figures, individual incomes ranked at the 2nd percentile with a weekly income of $476. Household incomes performed better, ranking at the 30th percentile. The majority of residents (31.3%, or 4,258 people) fall into the $1,500 - 2,999 income bracket, similar to regional levels where 30.9% occupy this bracket. Housing affordability pressures are severe in Fairfield West, 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

In Fairfield West, as per the latest Census evaluation, 88.4% of dwellings were houses with the remaining 11.6% comprising semi-detached homes, apartments, and other types of dwellings. This is compared to Sydney metropolitan area's figures of 73.3% houses and 26.7% other dwellings. Home ownership in Fairfield West stood at 34.7%, similar to the Sydney metro level, with mortgaged properties at 29.0% and rented dwellings at 36.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Fairfield West was $2,000, aligning with the Sydney metro average, while the median weekly rent was $440 compared to Sydney metro's figures of $2,000 and $400 respectively. Nationally, Fairfield West's median monthly mortgage repayments exceeded the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially higher than the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 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 3.2.

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 63 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 42 different routes that together facilitate 1,465 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of transport in the area is rated as excellent, with residents on average located 171 meters from their nearest transport stop.

On average, there are 209 trips per day across all routes, which equates to approximately 23 weekly trips per individual stop.

The level of general health in Fairfield West is notably higher than the national average with prevalence of common health conditions low among the general population and nearer the nation's average across older, at risk cohorts

Fairfield West shows superior health outcomes with fewer common health conditions among its general population compared to national averages for both younger and at-risk cohorts. Only approximately 47% (~6,403 people) of Fairfield West's residents have private health cover, lower than the national average of 55.7%.

The most prevalent medical conditions in the area are arthritis (affecting 7.3% of residents) and diabetes (6.0%). A total of 75.5% of residents claim to be completely free from medical ailments, similar to Greater Sydney's 75.6%. As of 2016, Fairfield West has a lower proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 16.3% (2,217 people), compared to Greater Sydney's 19.0%. However, health outcomes among seniors in Fairfield West require more attention than those of the broader population.

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, one of Australia's most culturally diverse areas, has a population where 59.5% were born overseas and 75.1% speak a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Fairfield West, comprising 63.0% of its population, which is lower than the Greater Sydney average of 21.7%. Buddhism makes up 15.7%, lower than the regional average.

The top three ancestry groups are Other (39.5%), Vietnamese (16.4%), and Australian (8.8%). Notably, Croatian (1.6%) and Serbian (1.1%) are overrepresented compared to regional averages of 1.7% and 1.8%, respectively.

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

Fairfield West's median age is 36 years, close to Greater Sydney's average of 37, which is slightly below Australia's median age of 38. Compared to Greater Sydney, Fairfield West has a higher proportion of residents aged 15-24 (16.8%) but fewer residents aged 25-34 (12.6%). Between the 2021 Census and now, the percentage of residents aged 15-24 has increased from 14.7% to 16.8%, while the percentage of those aged 45-54 has decreased from 12.8% to 11.6%. By 2041, Fairfield West's age profile is projected to change significantly. The 75-84 cohort is expected to grow by 52%, adding 420 residents to reach a total of 1,237. Residents aged 65 and above will drive 79% of population growth. Conversely, the 25-34 and 0-4 age groups are projected to experience population declines.