Glenbrook

Glenbrook has shown very soft population growth performance across periods assessed by AreaSearch

Glenbrook's population is estimated at around 5057 as of May 2026, reflecting a decrease of 21 people since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 5078. This change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population at 5053 following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2025, and an additional 1 validated new address since the Census date. The suburb's population density is 719 persons per square kilometer, relatively in line with averages seen across locations assessed by AreaSearch. While Glenbrook experienced a 0.4% decline since census, the SA3 area achieved 1.6% growth, highlighting divergent population trends. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration contributing approximately 53.0% of overall population gains during recent periods. AreaSearch is adopting 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 released in 2022 with a base year of 2021 for areas not covered by this data.

Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Population projections anticipate lower quartile growth, with the area expected to expand by 142 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting an increase of 2.7% in total over the 16 years.

The level of residential development activity in Glenbrook is very low in comparison to the average area assessed nationally by AreaSearch

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers from statistical area data shows Glenbrook has averaged around 3 dwelling approvals per year. Between FY-21 and FY-25, approximately 18 homes were approved, with 1 more in FY-26 so far. This new supply likely kept pace with demand despite population decline.

The average construction cost of new properties was $501,000, indicating a focus on the premium segment. In FY-26, $4.8 million in commercial development approvals were recorded. Compared to Greater Sydney, Glenbrook's building activity is 65.0% below the regional average per person. This constrained new construction typically reinforces demand and pricing for existing dwellings, which is also under the national average, suggesting an established area with potential planning limitations. Recent development has been exclusively standalone homes, preserving Glenbrook's low density nature and attracting space-seeking buyers.

The estimated population per dwelling approval is 1704 people. Future projections estimate Glenbrook will add 138 residents by 2041. If current development rates continue, housing supply may not keep pace with population growth, potentially increasing buyer competition and supporting stronger price growth.

Glenbrook has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 20% nationally

Local infrastructure changes significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified five projects that could impact this region. Notable projects include Rail Infrastructure Upgrades at Blaxland Stations, Blaxland Town Centre Upgrade, Old Bathurst Road Safety Upgrades in Blaxland, and Thomas Park Upgrade. The following details those most relevant.

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

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Employment conditions in Glenbrook rank among the top 10% of areas assessed nationally

Glenbrook has an educated workforce with significant representation in essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate is 1.0%, according to AreaSearch's statistical area data aggregation as of December 2025. The area employs 2,753 residents with an unemployment rate of 3.2% below Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%.

Workforce participation in Glenbrook is 66.5%, slightly lower than Greater Sydney's 68.8%. Census responses indicate that 50.0% of residents work from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. Employment is concentrated in education & training (1.9 times the regional average), health care & social assistance, and public administration & safety. The area has a lower proportion of professional & technical employment compared to Greater Sydney (7.5% vs 11.5%).

Labour force levels decreased by 5.3% over the year ending December 2025 alongside a 5.3% employment decline, maintaining a stable unemployment rate. In contrast, Greater Sydney experienced employment growth of 2.2%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project overall employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Glenbrook's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.8% over five years and 13.9% over ten years, though these are simple extrapolations for illustrative purposes only.

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 Glenbrook had a median taxpayer income of $65,630 and an average of $85,374. Nationally, these figures are very high compared to Greater Sydney's median of $60,817 and average of $83,030. Based on Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2023, current estimates for Glenbrook would be approximately $72,403 (median) and $94,185 (average) as of March 2026. Census 2021 income data ranks Glenbrook's household, family, and personal incomes highly nationally, between the 81st and 90th percentiles. The predominant income cohort in Glenbrook is 28.9% of locals earning over $4,000 weekly, contrasting with the broader area where the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket leads at 30.9%. A substantial proportion of high earners (43.4%) indicates strong economic capacity throughout the district. After housing costs, residents retain 88.2% of income, reflecting strong purchasing power and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

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

The dwelling structure in Glenbrook, as per the latest Census data, consisted of 94.2% houses and 5.8% other dwellings such as semi-detached homes, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. This is compared to Sydney metropolitan area's 55.9% houses and 44.1% other dwellings. The home ownership rate in Glenbrook was 46.9%, with the remaining dwellings either mortgaged (39.9%) or rented (13.2%). In terms of housing finance, the median monthly mortgage repayment in Glenbrook was $2,500, higher than Sydney metro's average of $2,427. The median weekly rent figure for Glenbrook stood at $490, compared to Sydney metro's $470. Nationally, Glenbrook's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 80.1% of all households, including 41.9% couples with children, 29.3% couples without children, and 8.3% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 19.9%, with lone person households at 18.4% and group households comprising 1.7%. The median household size is 2.8 people, larger than the Greater Sydney average of 2.7.

Educational achievement in Glenbrook places it within the top 10% nationally, reflecting strong academic performance and high qualification levels across the community

Glenbrook's educational attainment is notably higher than broader benchmarks. Among residents aged 15 and above, 41.5% possess university qualifications, compared to 23.9% in the SA4 region and 30.4% nationally. The most common university qualification is a bachelor degree (25.9%), followed by postgraduate qualifications (10.6%) and graduate diplomas (5.0%). Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 30.5% of residents holding such qualifications.

Advanced diplomas account for 11.1%, while certificates make up 19.4%. Educational participation is high in Glenbrook, with 29.5% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.6% in primary education, 9.0% in secondary education, and 5.6% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Glenbrook has 60 active public transport stops offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by 44 individual routes, collectively facilitating 1,312 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents typically located 177 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward due to Glenbrook's primarily residential nature. Car remains the dominant mode of transport at 91%, with an average vehicle ownership of 1.7 per dwelling, above the regional average. According to the 2021 Census, a high 50% of residents work from home, potentially reflecting COVID-19 conditions.

Service frequency averages 187 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 21 weekly trips per individual stop.

Glenbrook's residents are extremely healthy with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Analysis of health metrics indicates strong performance across Glenbrook, based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence.

Both young and old age cohorts show low prevalence of common health conditions. Private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 61% of the total population (3065 people). The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis and mental health issues, affecting 8.0% and 8.0% of residents respectively. 69.1% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 74.6% across Greater Sydney. The under-65 population demonstrates better than average health outcomes. Glenbrook has 23.2% of residents aged 65 and over (1173 people), which is higher than the 15.5% in Greater Sydney. Health outcomes among seniors are above average, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

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

Glenbrook was found to have a population where 85.2% were born in Australia, 95.4% were citizens, and 94.9% spoke English only at home. The dominant religion was Christianity, practiced by 55.1% of Glenbrook's population, compared to 49.2% across Greater Sydney. In terms of ancestry, the top three groups in Glenbrook were English (30.9%), Australian (27.8%), and Irish (11.1%), all substantially higher than their respective regional averages of 19.0%, 17.8%, and 6.1%.

Notably, Hungarian (0.4% vs 0.3%), Dutch (1.9% vs 0.7%), and Maltese (1.1% vs 1.0%) groups were overrepresented in Glenbrook compared to regional averages.

Glenbrook hosts a notably older demographic compared to the national average

Glenbrook has a median age of 44, which is higher than Greater Sydney's figure of 37 and significantly exceeds the national norm of 38. The 65-74 age group comprises 12.2% of Glenbrook's population, notably higher than Greater Sydney's percentage. Conversely, the 25-34 cohort makes up only 6.0%. According to the 2021 Census, the 75 to 84 age group has grown from 5.8% to 8.0%, while the 15 to 24 cohort increased from 12.5% to 13.7%. However, the 25 to 34 cohort has decreased from 7.5% to 6.0%, and the 55 to 64 group has dropped from 14.8% to 13.4%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests significant changes in Glenbrook's age profile. The 85+ group is projected to grow by 171%, reaching 411 people from the current 151. This growth will be entirely driven by those aged 65 and above, with no projected population increase for the 55-64 or 65-74 cohorts.