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 Guildford (NSW) statistical area (Lv2), and new addresses validated by AreaSearch, the population is estimated at around 26,367 as of Nov 2025. This reflects an increase of 2,276 people (9.4%) 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 98 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 4,484 persons per square kilometer, which lies in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. In the Guildford (NSW) (SA2), population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration contributing approximately 56.00000000000001% 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.

For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilises NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, 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. Examining future population trends, an above median growth is projected for the area, expected to expand by 3,536 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting an increase of 10.2% in total over the 17 years.

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

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers shows Guildford had approximately 103 new homes approved annually over the past five financial years, totalling around 519 homes. In FY26 so far, 60 approvals have been recorded. On average, about two people moved to the area per new home constructed between FY21 and FY25, indicating strong demand which may support property values. New homes are being built at an estimated cost of $373,000 each.

This year, Guildford has seen $56.0 million in commercial development approvals, suggesting robust commercial growth. Compared to Greater Sydney, Guildford's new dwelling approvals rate per person is roughly two-thirds lower, while it ranks among the 57th percentile nationally. Housing construction shows a balance between detached houses (49%) and medium-high density housing (51%). This mix caters to affordability and suits downsizers, investors, and first-time buyers.

Guildford's population growth forecast indicates an increase of 2,693 residents by 2041, with current construction levels likely meeting demand and creating favourable market conditions for buyers.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 22 projects likely impacting 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.

Employment conditions in Guildford face significant challenges, ranking among the bottom 10% of areas assessed nationally

Guildford's workforce is skilled with diverse sector representation. The unemployment rate in September 2025 was 16.0%.

Employment stability has remained relatively consistent over the past year. AreaSearch data aggregation shows 8,792 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is higher than Greater Sydney's by 11.8%, indicating room for improvement. Workforce participation lags at 40.5% compared to Greater Sydney's 60.0%. Key industries include health care & social assistance, retail trade, and construction.

Construction employment share is high at 1.3 times the regional level. Professional & technical services have limited presence with 6.2% employment compared to 11.5% regionally. The area offers limited local employment opportunities as Census data shows. Over a 12-month period, labour force increased by 3.4%, while employment remained unchanged, leading to a 2.9 percentage point rise in unemployment rate. In comparison, Greater Sydney saw employment growth of 2.1% and labour force growth of 2.4%, with unemployment rising slightly by 0.2 percentage points. State-level data from NSW shows employment contracted by 0.03% (losing 2,260 jobs) as of 25-Nov, with the state unemployment rate at 3.9%. National unemployment rate is 4.3%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Guildford's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.5% over five years and 13.5% over ten years, based on simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

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

Guildford suburb has median taxpayer income $40,969 and average $50,597 in latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. This is lower than national average, contrasting with Greater Sydney's median income $60,817 and average $83,003. 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 2021 Census figures, household income ranks at 21st percentile ($1,314 weekly), while personal income sits at 4th percentile. Income brackets indicate dominance of $1,500 - 2,999 bracket with 29.7% of residents (7,830 people). Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 75.7% of income remaining, ranking at 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 (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Sydney metro had 62.1% houses and 37.8% 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 was $2,015, lower than Sydney metro's $2,167. Weekly rent median was $378, compared to Sydney metro's $400. 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 fairly typical median household size

Family households comprise 71.9% of all households, consisting of 38.9% couples with children, 16.3% couples without children, and 14.8% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 28.1%, with lone person households at 23.8% and group households comprising 4.3% of the total. The median household size is 3.1 people, which matches the Greater Sydney average.

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 most common at 16.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (5.5%) and graduate diplomas (1.2%). Vocational credentials are held by 28.1% of residents aged 15+, with advanced diplomas at 11.3% and certificates at 16.8%. Educational participation is high, with 36.4% 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 different routes that together facilitate 6,074 weekly passenger trips. Residents enjoy excellent transport accessibility, with an average distance of 124 meters to the nearest stop.

Service frequency across all routes averages 867 trips per day, translating to about 42 weekly trips per individual stop.

Guildford's residents are extremely healthy with younger cohorts in particular seeing very low prevalence of common health conditions

Analysis of health metrics shows strong performance throughout Guildford, with younger cohorts particularly experiencing very low prevalence of common health conditions. The rate of private health cover was found to be low at approximately 47% of the total population (12,395 people), compared to the national average of 55.7%.

The most prevalent medical conditions were diabetes and arthritis, affecting 5.7% and 5.5% of residents respectively. A majority, 77.8%, declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, slightly higher than the 77.0% across Greater Sydney. Guildford has a lower proportion of residents aged 65 and over at 12.1% (3,190 people), compared to the 13.9% in Greater Sydney.

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 has a culturally diverse population, with 50.1% born overseas and 71.6% speaking a language other than English at home. Islam is the predominant religion in Guildford, making up 43.7% of its population compared to 29.1% across Greater Sydney. The top three ancestry groups are Other (33.3%), Lebanese (22.9%, significantly higher than the regional average of 16.2%) and Australian (12.1%).

Notable differences exist in the representation of certain ethnic groups, such as Vietnamese at 1.7% compared to the regional average of 4.0%, Samoan at 0.6% versus 0.7%, and Filipino at 1.9% compared to 2.1%.

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

Guildford's median age is 31 years, which is lower than Greater Sydney's average of 37 years and Australia's median of 38 years. Compared to Greater Sydney, Guildford has a higher proportion of residents aged 15-24 (15.8%) but fewer residents aged 35-44 (13.2%). Between 2021 and present, the age group of 15-24 has increased from 14.4% to 15.8% of Guildford's population, while the age group of 25-34 has decreased from 17.8% to 16.9%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests significant changes in Guildford's age profile. The 75-84 age cohort is projected to expand by 692 people (71%), growing from 975 to 1,668. Conversely, the 5-14 and 0-4 age cohorts are expected to experience population declines.