Five Dock

An assessment of population growth drivers in Five Dock reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

Based on analysis of ABS population updates for the broader area and new addresses validated by AreaSearch, as of Feb 2026 the suburb of Five Dock's population is estimated at around 10,326. This reflects an increase of 503 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 9,823. The change was inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of the resident population at 10,275 following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 and an additional 80 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 4,197 persons per square kilometer, placing Five Dock within the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The suburb's 5.1% growth since census positions it within 0.5 percentage points of its SA3 area (5.6%), demonstrating competitive growth fundamentals. Population growth for Five Dock was primarily driven by overseas migration, contributing approximately 75.0% 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. Future population trends anticipate lower quartile growth, with Five Dock expected to increase by 192 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting a reduction of 1.0% in total over the 17 years.

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

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers in Five Dock shows approximately 38 residential properties granted approval annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, around 190 homes were approved, with a further 1,078 approved so far in FY26. Despite population decline during this period, housing supply has remained adequate relative to demand, indicating a balanced market with good buyer choice.

The average construction cost value of new homes is $909,000, suggesting developers are targeting the premium market segment. This year, commercial development approvals totalled $20.0 million, reflecting steady investment activity in the area. Compared to Greater Sydney, Five Dock has around two-thirds the rate of new dwelling approvals per person and ranks among the 59th percentile nationally for areas assessed. Building activity consists of 36.0% detached houses and 64.0% attached dwellings, promoting higher-density living which benefits downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers.

With approximately 256 people per approval, Five Dock reflects a low density area. Population projections indicating stability or decline suggest reduced housing demand pressures in the future, benefiting potential buyers.

Five Dock 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 thirteen projects that could affect this region. Notable ones include TOGA Five Dock Mixed-Use Masterplan, Kings Bay Village, Five Dock Station - Sydney Metro West, and Parramatta Road Corridor Urban Transformation Strategy (PRCUTS) - Stage 2. The following list details 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.

AreaSearch assessment positions Five Dock ahead of most Australian regions for employment performance

Five Dock has an educated workforce with high representation in the technology sector. Its unemployment rate was 3.0% as of September 2025, lower than Greater Sydney's 4.2%. Workforce participation is similar to Greater Sydney at 70.0%.

A significant 51.0% of residents work from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. Employment is concentrated in health care & social assistance, professional & technical services, and education & training. The area specializes in education & training with an employment share 1.2 times the regional level but has lower retail trade representation at 7.4% compared to the regional average of 9.3%. Over a 12-month period ending September 2025, Five Dock's labour force increased by 0.4%, while employment declined by 0.2%, leading to an unemployment rise of 0.6 percentage points.

In contrast, Greater Sydney saw employment grow by 2.1% and unemployment rise by 0.2 percentage points during the same period. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia, issued in May-25, project a 6.6% growth over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Five Dock's industry mix suggests local employment could increase by 7.1% over five years and 14.3% over ten years.

Income metrics indicate excellent economic conditions, with the area achieving higher performance than 75% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023 shows Five Dock's median income among taxpayers is $66,641, with an average of $100,007. Nationally, these figures are exceptionally high compared to Greater Sydney's median of $60,817 and average of $83,003. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since financial year 2023, current estimates for Five Dock would be approximately $72,545 (median) and $108,868 (average) as of September 2025. According to the 2021 Census, household, family, and personal incomes in Five Dock rank highly nationally, between the 84th and 84th percentiles. Income analysis reveals that 26.9% of individuals in Five Dock earn between $1,500 - $2,999 weekly (2,777 individuals), consistent with broader trends across the region showing 30.9% in the same category. A substantial proportion of high earners (39.4%) in Five Dock earn above $3,000 per week, indicating strong economic capacity throughout the suburb. High housing costs consume 18.2% of income, but strong earnings still place disposable income at the 80th percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

Five Dock displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

In Five Dock, as per the latest Census, 45.4% of dwellings were houses while 54.6% were other types such as semi-detached homes, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. This compares to Sydney metropolitan's figures of 55.9% houses and 44.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Five Dock stood at 32.2%, with mortgaged dwellings at 29.9% and rented ones at 37.9%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $3,000, higher than Sydney metro's average of $2,427. The median weekly rent in Five Dock was $570, compared to Sydney metro's $470. Nationally, Five Dock's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Five Dock has a typical household mix, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 70.5% of all households, including 34.0% couples with children, 25.3% couples without children, and 10.1% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 29.5%, with lone person households at 26.4% and group households comprising 3.0%. The median household size is 2.5 people, which is smaller than the Greater Sydney average of 2.7.

Five Dock shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

In Five Dock, educational attainment is notably higher than national averages. Among residents aged 15 and above, 40.6% have university qualifications, compared to Australia's 30.4%. This includes 26.9% with bachelor degrees, 11.0% with postgraduate qualifications, and 2.7% with graduate diplomas. Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 27.8% of residents holding such qualifications – 12.0% have advanced diplomas and 15.8% have certificates.

Educational participation is high, with 28.0% currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.1% in primary education, 7.6% in secondary education, and 5.6% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Five Dock has 91 active public transport stops, all for buses. These stops are served by 70 different routes, offering a total of 4,970 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is excellent, with residents living an average of 116 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outwards due to its residential nature. Cars are the primary mode of transport at 80%, followed by buses at 8% and walking at 5%. On average, there's one car per dwelling.

According to the 2021 Census, 51% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 710 trips daily across all routes, equating to about 54 weekly trips per individual stop.

Five Dock's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Five Dock's health outcomes show excellent results based on AreaSearch's assessment. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are low across both young and old age cohorts. Private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 66% of the total population (6,850 people), compared to Greater Sydney's 59.9% and the national average of 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions are arthritis and mental health issues, affecting 6.9 and 6.2% of residents respectively. 74.2% of residents report being completely clear of medical ailments, compared to Greater Sydney's 74.6%. Working-age residents have low chronic condition prevalence. Five Dock has 19.2% of residents aged 65 and over (1,982 people), higher than Greater Sydney's 15.4%. Health outcomes among seniors are strong, aligning with national rankings for the general population.

Five Dock 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

Five Dock has high cultural diversity, with 34.7% of its population born overseas and 33.5% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Five Dock, making up 62.0%, compared to 49.2% across Greater Sydney. The top three ancestry groups are Italian (17.9%), Australian (15.9%), and English (15.4%).

Notably, Spanish (0.9%) and Lebanese (1.9%) groups have higher representation in Five Dock than regionally (Spanish: 0.6%, Lebanese: 2.6%).

Five Dock's median age exceeds the national pattern

Five Dock's median age is 41 years, significantly higher than Greater Sydney's average of 37 and slightly above Australia's median of 38. The 55-64 cohort is notably over-represented in Five Dock at 12.9%, compared to the Greater Sydney average, while the 25-34 age group is under-represented at 11.0%. According to the 2021 Census, the 15-24 age group grew from 9.1% to 11.1% of Five Dock's population, and the 75-84 cohort increased from 5.6% to 7.0%, while the 25-34 cohort declined from 12.6% to 11.0%. Demographic modeling projects significant changes in Five Dock's age profile by 2041, with the 75-84 cohort showing the strongest growth at 45%, adding 322 residents to reach 1,045. Residents aged 65 and older are expected to contribute 96% of the population growth. Conversely, population declines are projected for the 45-54 and 25-34 cohorts.