Garden Suburb

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

As of November 2025, the estimated population of Garden Suburb is around 1,987 people. This figure reflects a growth of 28 individuals since the 2021 Census, which reported a total population of 1,959. The increase was inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population at 1,979 following their examination of the latest ERP data release by ABS in June 2024 and the validation of four new addresses since the Census date. This population density equates to approximately 1,045 persons per square kilometer, which is comparable to averages seen across other locations assessed by AreaSearch. Garden Suburb's 1.4% growth since the census places it within 1.5 percentage points of the SA3 area (2.9%), indicating competitive growth fundamentals. Natural growth contributed about 52.0% of overall population gains during recent periods, with all drivers including overseas migration and interstate migration being positive factors.

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. Based on projected demographic shifts, an above median population growth is expected for national non-metropolitan areas like Garden Suburb. According to aggregated SA2-level projections, the suburb's population is anticipated to increase by 325 persons to 2041, reflecting a total gain of 17.8% over the 17-year period.

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

Garden Suburb had nine new dwelling approvals over the period from 2016 to 2020 inclusive. This results in an average of one new dwelling approved annually during this timeframe. Such low development levels are typical in rural areas where housing demand is modest and construction activity is limited by local demand and infrastructure capacity.

It should be noted that the small sample size means individual projects can significantly influence annual growth statistics. Garden Suburb's construction activity is notably lower than that of Rest of NSW, and it falls below national averages as well. All recent building activity in Garden Suburb consists of detached houses, aligning with rural living preferences for space and privacy. With approximately 1340 people per approval, Garden Suburb indicates a mature, established area.

According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Garden Suburb is projected to add 353 residents by the year 2041. At current development rates, housing supply may struggle to keep pace with population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and supporting price increases.

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

Two projects identified by AreaSearch are expected to impact the area significantly: Vida at 2 Turrug Street in Whitebridge and Uniting Charlestown. Other notable projects include Kotara Transport Oriented Development Precinct and Westfield Kotara Mixed-Use Redevelopment. The following list details those 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 strength in Garden Suburb positions it well ahead of most Australian regions

Garden Suburb has a highly educated workforce with key services sectors well represented. The unemployment rate was 1.9% in the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 2.7%.

As of June 2025, 1,118 residents are employed, and the unemployment rate is 1.7% lower than Rest of NSW's rate of 3.7%. Workforce participation stands at 64.7%, compared to Rest of NSW's 56.4%. Leading employment industries include health care & social assistance, education & training, and retail trade. The area has a strong specialization in health care & social assistance, with an employment share 1.3 times the regional level.

Agriculture, forestry & fishing, however, has limited presence at 0.7% compared to the regional average of 5.3%. Employment opportunities locally appear limited, as indicated by the Census working population count versus resident population. In the 12-month period ending Jun-25, employment increased by 2.7%, while labour force grew by 2.5%, keeping unemployment relatively stable at 1.7%. By comparison, Rest of NSW saw a slight employment decline of 0.1% and an unemployment rate increase of 0.4 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Garden Suburb's employment mix suggests local employment should grow by 7.1% over five years and 14.7% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

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

Garden Suburb had a median taxpayer income of $63,372 and an average income of $75,388 in the financial year 2022, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of postcode-level ATO data. This was higher than the national averages of $49,459 (median) and $62,998 (average), as reported by Rest of NSW. By September 2025, based on a 12.61% growth in wages since financial year 2022, estimated incomes would be approximately $71,363 (median) and $84,894 (average). In Garden Suburb, household, family, and personal incomes ranked between the 72nd and 86th percentiles nationally, as per Census 2021 income data. Income distribution showed that 32.0% of the population fell within the $1,500 - $2,999 range, consistent with regional trends at 29.9%. A significant proportion, 35.7%, earned above $3,000 per week, indicating strong economic capacity in the area. After housing costs, residents retained 89.0% of their income, reflecting robust purchasing power. The area's SEIFA income ranking placed it in the 8th decile.

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

Dwelling structure in Garden Suburb, as evaluated at the latest Census on 28 August 2016, comprised 99.5% houses and 0.5% other dwellings. Home ownership stood at 45.2%, with mortgaged dwellings at 43.3% and rented ones at 11.4%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,066, while the median weekly rent figure was $465. Nationally, Garden Suburb's mortgage repayments were higher than the Australian average of $1,863 as of 2016, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 81.7% of all households, including 44.5% couples with children, 27.0% couples without children, and 9.0% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 18.3%, with lone person households at 16.1% and group households comprising 1.6%. The median household size is 2.9 people, larger than the Rest of NSW average of 2.5.

The educational profile of Garden Suburb exceeds national averages, with above-average qualification levels and academic performance metrics

Garden Suburb's educational attainment is notably higher than broader averages. Among residents aged 15+, 31.8% have university qualifications, compared to 21.3% in Rest of NSW and 23.5% in the SA3 area. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 22.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (6.6%) and graduate diplomas (2.3%). Vocational credentials are also common, with 34.7% of residents aged 15+ holding them - advanced diplomas (10.8%) and certificates (23.9%).

Educational participation is high, with 29.9% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.0% in primary education, 8.6% in secondary education, and 5.3% pursuing tertiary education. Garden Suburb Public School serves the area, with an enrollment of 223 students as of a recent report. The school's ICSEA score is 1047, indicating typical Australian school conditions with balanced educational opportunities. It offers primary education exclusively, while secondary options are available in nearby areas. As of the latest data, there are 11.2 school places per 100 residents in Garden Suburb, below the regional average of 14.6, suggesting some students may attend schools in adjacent areas.

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

The analysis shows 14 active public transport stops in Garden Suburb. These stops serve a mix of bus routes, totaling 10 individual routes. The combined weekly passenger trips across these routes amount to 554.

Residents' accessibility to transport is rated excellent, with an average distance of 179 meters to the nearest stop. Service frequency averages 79 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 39 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Garden Suburb is well below average with considerably higher than average prevalence of common health conditions and to an even higher degree among older age cohorts

Garden Suburb faces significant health challenges with a notably higher prevalence of common health conditions compared to average, particularly among older age groups. Approximately 57% (~1,126 people) have private health cover, slightly higher than Rest of NSW's 54.2%.

Mental health issues and arthritis are the most prevalent conditions, affecting 10.2% and 9.9% of residents respectively. However, 64.1% report no medical ailments, compared to 62.6% across Rest of NSW. The area has a lower proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 16.6% (329 people), compared to 21.4% in Rest of NSW. Health outcomes among seniors require more attention than the broader population.

Garden Suburb ranks below the Australian average when compared to other local markets across a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Garden Suburb's population showed low cultural diversity, with 87.2% born in Australia, 94.6% being citizens, and 91.0% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the dominant religion, comprising 53.1%, slightly higher than the regional average of 52.5%. The top three ancestral groups were English (30.6%), Australian (27.5%), and Scottish (10.5%).

Notable differences existed in French (0.7% vs regional 0.4%), Macedonian (0.6% vs 0.4%), and Polish (0.7% vs 0.7%) representation.

Garden Suburb hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

The median age in Garden Suburb is 40 years, which is slightly below Rest of NSW's average of 43 but above Australia's median of 38. The 35-44 age cohort is notably higher at 14.7% locally compared to the Rest of NSW average, while the 65-74 year-olds are under-represented at 8.3%. From the 2021 Census to present, Garden Suburb has become younger with its median age dropping from 41 to 40 years. The 25 to 34 age group has grown from 9.2% to 12.6%, and the 35 to 44 cohort increased from 13.1% to 14.7%. Conversely, the 85+ cohort has declined from 4.2% to 2.2%, and the 65 to 74 group dropped from 10.2% to 8.3%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate significant demographic changes in Garden Suburb. The 25 to 34 age cohort is projected to grow steadily by 102 people (41%) from 250 to 353. Meanwhile, the 65 to 74 group is expected to contract by 0 residents.