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

As of Nov 2025, Guildford's population is estimated at around 25,266, reflecting an increase of 1,175 people since the 2021 Census. This growth represents a 4.9% rise from the previous population count of 24,091. The increase is inferred from AreaSearch's validation of new addresses and examination of the latest ERP data release by ABS (June 2024), which estimated the resident population at 25,196. This level of population results in a density ratio of 4,296 persons per square kilometer, placing Guildford in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Over the past decade, Guildford has shown resilient growth patterns with a compound annual growth rate of 1.4%, outpacing the SA3 area. Overseas migration contributed approximately 56% of overall population gains during recent periods.

For projections, AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia's SA2-level projections released in 2024 (base year: 2022) and NSW State Government's SA2 level projections released in 2022 (base year: 2021). Considering these projections, Guildford is expected to experience above median population growth by 2041, with an increase of 3,521 persons projected over the 17-year period, reflecting a total rise of 15%.

Recent residential development output has been above average within Guildford when compared nationally

Based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers, allocated from statistical area data, Guildford averaged around 100 new dwelling approvals each year. Approximately 500 homes were approved over the past five financial years, between FY-21 and FY-25, with an additional 40 approved so far in FY-26. On average, each dwelling built resulted in 2.1 new residents per year over these five years, indicating healthy demand that supports property values.

The average expected construction cost value for new homes was $371,000, which is under regional levels, suggesting more accessible housing choices for buyers. In FY-26, Guildford has recorded $26.0 million in commercial development approvals, demonstrating moderate levels of commercial development compared to Greater Sydney, where it shows approximately 58% of the construction activity per person. Nationally, Guildford places among the 45th percentile of areas assessed, indicating more limited choices for buyers and supporting demand for existing properties. New development consists of 50.0% detached houses and 50.0% attached dwellings, focusing on higher-density living to create more affordable entry points suitable for downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers.

Guildford indicates a mature market with around 376 people per approval. Looking ahead, Guildford is expected to grow by 3,779 residents through to 2041, based on the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

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

The performance of a region is significantly influenced by changes in local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has identified 23 projects that are expected to impact the area. Notable projects include Guildford Swim Centre Modernisation Project (commenced July 2019), Cumberland LED Street Lighting Program (started Aug 2020), Guildford Town Centre Public Domain Plan (approved Dec 2021), and Sydney Metro West - Westmead to The Bays (expected completion 2035). Below is a list of projects considered most relevant.

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

Guildford has a skilled workforce with diverse sector representation and an unemployment rate of 16.2%, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data. As of June 2025, 8,694 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 12.0% higher than Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%.

Workforce participation in Guildford lags at 40.5%, compared to Greater Sydney's 60.0%. Key industries for employment among residents include health care & social assistance, retail trade, and construction. Guildford specializes in construction employment, with a share 1.3 times the regional level. Conversely, professional & technical services employ only 6.2% of local workers, below Greater Sydney's 11.5%.

The area appears to have limited local employment opportunities, indicated by the difference between Census working population and resident population. Over a 12-month period ending June 2025, Guildford's labour force increased by 3.0%, while employment decreased by 1.6%, causing unemployment to rise by 3.9 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Sydney saw employment rise by 2.6% and the labour force grow by 2.9%, with unemployment increasing by only 0.3 percentage points. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia, released in Sep-22, 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, although this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for localized population projections.

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

Guildford's median income among taxpayers was $40,998 in financial year 2022. The average income stood at $50,630 during the same period. These figures compare to Greater Sydney's median income of $56,994 and average income of $80,856. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% since financial year 2022, current estimates for Guildford would be approximately $46,168 (median) and $57,014 (average) as of September 2025. According to Census 2021 income data, household income ranks at the 21st percentile ($1,314 weekly), while personal income sits at the 4th percentile. The data shows that 29.7% of Guildford residents (7,504 people) fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 income bracket. Housing affordability pressures are severe in Guildford, with only 75.7% of income remaining, 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 structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 55.0% houses and 45.0% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Sydney metro's 62.1% houses and 37.8% other dwellings. Home ownership in Guildford stood at 22.0%, with mortgaged dwellings at 29.0% and rented ones at 49.0%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,015, below Sydney metro's average of $2,167. Median weekly rent in Guildford 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 constitute 71.9% of all households, including 38.9% couples with children, 16.3% couples without children, and 14.8% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 28.1%, with lone person households at 23.8% and group households comprising 4.3%. The median household size is 3.1 people, which aligns with the Greater Sydney average.

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

Guildford's university qualification rate of 22.9% is significantly lower than the SA4 region average of 39.1%. Bachelor degrees are the 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 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 primary (11.8%), secondary (9.7%), and tertiary (6.4%) education. Guildford's five schools have a combined enrollment of 2,009 students, serving varied educational conditions (ICSEA: 943). There are four primary and one secondary school, with some students possibly attending schools in neighboring areas due to lower school places per 100 residents (8.0) compared to the regional average (13.2).

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

Guildford's public transport system operates 139 active stops, offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by 47 individual routes, facilitating 6,068 weekly passenger trips in total. The accessibility of transport is rated as excellent, with residents on average located 124 meters from the nearest stop.

Service frequency averages 866 trips per day across all routes, resulting in approximately 43 weekly trips per 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 seeing very low prevalence of common health conditions. The rate of private health cover was found to be very low at approximately 47% of the total population (~11,880 people), compared to the national average of 55.3%.

The most common medical conditions in the area were diabetes and arthritis, impacting 5.7% and 5.5% of residents respectively. 77.8% of residents declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 77.0% across Greater Sydney. As of 2021, 12.1% of residents were aged 65 and over (3,057 people), which is lower than 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, accounting for 43.7% of residents, compared to 29.1% across Greater Sydney. The top three ancestry groups are Other (33.3%), Lebanese (22.9%, higher than the regional average of 16.2%), and Australian (12.1%).

Notably, Vietnamese (1.7%) is overrepresented in Guildford compared to the regional figure of 4.0%. Samoan representation stands at 0.6% in Guildford versus 0.7% regionally, while Filipino representation is at 1.9%, slightly lower than the regional average of 2.1%.

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

Guildford's median age at 31 years is notably lower than Greater Sydney's average of 37 and significantly below Australia's median of 38. Compared to Greater Sydney, Guildford has a higher proportion of residents aged 15-24 (15.8%) but fewer residents aged 35-44 (13.3%). Between 2021 and the present, the 15-24 age group has increased from 14.4% to 15.8% of Guildford's population, while the 25-34 cohort has decreased from 17.8% to 16.9%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests significant changes in Guildford's age profile. The 45-54 age group is projected to grow steadily, increasing by 755 people (29%) from 2,627 to 3,383. Conversely, the 0-4 and 35-44 cohorts are expected to experience population declines.