Guildford (NSW)

Population growth drivers in Guildford are strong compared to national averages based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Based on analysis of ABS population updates for the broader area, and new addresses validated by AreaSearch, the suburb of Guildford (NSW) has an estimated population of around 26,372 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 2,281 people (9.5%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 24,091 people. The change is inferred from the resident population of 25,351, estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 and an additional 100 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 4,485 persons per square kilometer, which lies in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch, making land in the area a highly-sought resource. Guildford's 9.5% growth since the 2021 census exceeded the state (7.8%), along with the Greater Sydney, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration that contributed approximately 56.00000000000001% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For any SA2 areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch is utilising the NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, as released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are also applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Considering the projected demographic shifts, an above median population growth of national statistical areas is projected, with the suburb expected to expand by 3,571 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting a total increase of 9.7% over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential approval activity sees Guildford among the top 30% of areas assessed nationwide

Guildford averaged 105 new dwelling approvals annually based on AreaSearch analysis. Between FY-21 and FY-25528 homes were approved, with 73 more in FY-26. Each year, approximately 2 new residents are gained per dwelling built over the past five financial years.

The average construction cost of new homes is $374,000. In FY-26, Guildford recorded $56.0 million in commercial development approvals. Compared to Greater Sydney, Guildford has around 61% of the construction activity per person and ranks at the 57th percentile nationally. New developments consist of 49.0% detached houses and 51.0% attached dwellings.

Guildford reflects a transitioning market with approximately 268 people per approval. By 2041, Guildford is projected to grow by 2,550 residents. At current development rates, new housing supply should meet demand comfortably, benefiting buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current projections.

Guildford 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 identified 22 projects likely affecting the area. Notable projects include the Guildford Swim Centre Modernisation Project, Cumberland LED Street Lighting Program, Guildford Town Centre Public Domain Plan, and Guildford Station Platform 2 Reconstruction. The following list details those most 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 Guildford lags significantly behind most other regions nationally

Guildford has a skilled workforce with diverse sector representation. The unemployment rate was 15.2% in the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 3.7%. As of December 2025, 8,904 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 11.1% higher than Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%.

Workforce participation lagged at 52.9%, compared to Greater Sydney's 70.2%. Census responses showed that 30.0% of residents worked from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. Key industries included health care & social assistance, retail trade, and construction, with a particular specialization in construction at 1.3 times the regional level. However, professional & technical services employed only 6.2% of local workers, lower than Greater Sydney's 11.5%.

The area appeared to offer limited local employment opportunities based on Census data. In the 12-month period ending December 2025, employment increased by 3.7%, while the labour force grew by 4.2%, causing unemployment to rise by 0.4 percentage points. This contrasted with Greater Sydney's employment growth of 2.2% and labour force growth of 2.3%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 projected a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with varying growth rates between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Guildford's employment mix suggested local employment should increase by 6.5% over five years and 13.5% over ten years, though this was a simple extrapolation for illustrative purposes and did not account for localised population projections.

The area's income levels rank in the lower 15% nationally based on AreaSearch comparative data

The suburb of Guildford's median income among taxpayers was $40,969 and average income stood at $50,597 in the financial year 2023. This compares to Greater Sydney's figures of $60,817 and $83,003 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $44,599 (median) and $55,080 (average) as of September 2025. According to Census 2021 income data, household income ranks at the 21st percentile with a weekly income of $1,314, while personal income sits at the 4th percentile. The $1,500 - 2,999 income bracket dominates in Guildford with 29.7% of residents (7,832 people), similar to the region where 30.9% occupy this bracket. Housing affordability pressures are severe in Guildford, with only 75.7% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 13th percentile.

Guildford displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Guildford's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 55.0% houses and 45.0% other dwellings. In comparison, Sydney metro had 55.9% houses and 44.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Guildford was at 22.0%, with mortgaged dwellings at 29.0% and rented ones at 49.0%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Guildford was $2,015, lower than Sydney metro's average of $2,427. The median weekly rent in Guildford was $378, compared to Sydney metro's $470. Nationally, Guildford's mortgage repayments exceeded the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were higher than the national figure of $375.

Guildford features high concentrations of group households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 71.9 percent of all households, including 38.9 percent couples with children, 16.3 percent couples without children, and 14.8 percent single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 28.1 percent, with lone person households at 23.8 percent and group households making up 4.3 percent of the total. The median household size is 3.1 people, which is larger than the Greater Sydney average of 2.7.

Educational outcomes in Guildford fall within the lower quartile nationally, indicating opportunities for improvement in qualification attainment

The area's university qualification rate is 22.9%, significantly lower than the SA4 region average of 39.1%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 16.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 5.5% and graduate diplomas at 1.2%. Vocational credentials are held by 28.1% of residents aged 15 and above, with advanced diplomas at 11.3% and certificates at 16.8%. Educational participation is high, with 36.4% of residents currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes 11.8% in primary education, 9.7% in secondary education, and 6.4% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Guildford has 144 active public transport stops offering a mix of train and bus services. These are served by 46 individual routes, collectively facilitating 6,074 weekly passenger trips. Residents enjoy excellent transport accessibility, with an average distance of 124 meters to the nearest stop. Predominantly residential, most residents commute outward using cars as the primary mode (77%), followed by trains at 16%. On average, there are 1.2 vehicles per dwelling. According to the 2021 Census, a high 30% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions.

Service frequency averages 867 trips daily across all routes, equating to about 42 weekly trips per stop. The accompanying map displays the 100 nearest stops to the location's centrepoint.

Guildford's residents are healthier than average in comparison to broader Australia with a fairly standard level of common health conditions seen across both young and old age cohorts

Health data indicates relatively positive outcomes for Guildford residents. AreaSearch's analysis shows mortality rates and health conditions are largely in line with national benchmarks. Common health conditions are seen across both young and old age cohorts at a fairly standard level.

The rate of private health cover is very low, at approximately 47% of the total population (around 12,397 people), compared to 59.9% across Greater Sydney and a national average of 55.7%. The most common medical conditions are diabetes and arthritis, impacting 5.7% and 5.5% of residents respectively. 77.8% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 74.6% across Greater Sydney. Working-age residents have low chronic condition prevalence. As of 2021, the area has 12.7% of residents aged 65 and over (3,349 people), which is lower than Greater Sydney's 15.4%. National rankings for health indicators are broadly in line with the general population.

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

Guildford's population is highly diverse, with 50.1% born overseas and 71.6% speaking a language other than English at home. The predominant religion in Guildford is Islam, accounting for 43.7%, compared to the Greater Sydney average of 6.8%. In terms of ancestry, the top groups are Other (33.3%), Lebanese (22.9%), and Australian (12.1%).

These figures differ significantly from regional averages: Other is substantially higher in Guildford than regionally (33.3% vs 16.0%), while Lebanese is also notably higher (22.9% vs 2.6%) and Australian is lower (12.1% vs 17.8%). Some ethnic groups show notable divergences: Vietnamese are overrepresented in Guildford at 1.7%, compared to the regional average of 1.8%, Samoan is slightly higher at 0.6% versus 0.5%, and Filipino is also slightly higher at 1.9% compared to the regional average of 2.0%.

Guildford hosts a very young demographic, ranking in the bottom 10% of areas nationwide

Guildford's median age at 31 years is notably below Greater Sydney's average of 37 years and significantly lower than Australia's median of 38 years. Compared to Greater Sydney, Guildford has a higher proportion of residents aged 15-24 (16.0%) but fewer residents aged 35-44 (13.1%). Between 2021 and the present, the proportion of residents aged 15-24 has grown from 14.4% to 16.0%, while the proportion of those aged 25-34 has declined from 17.8% to 16.5%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests Guildford's age profile will change significantly. The 75-84 age cohort is projected to increase considerably, growing by 621 people (60%) from 1,028 to 1,650. Conversely, the 5-14 and 0-4 age cohorts are expected to experience population declines.