Guildford West

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

The population of the Guildford West statistical area (Lv2) was estimated at around 6,397 as of Nov 2025. This figure reflects an increase of 635 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 5,762. The change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of the resident population at 6,206 following examination of ABS's latest ERP data release (June 2024) and an additional 34 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population corresponds to a density ratio of 3,973 persons per square kilometer, placing Guildford West in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The area's growth rate of 11.0% since the 2021 census exceeded both the state (7.6%) and metropolitan area averages. Overseas migration contributed approximately 62.0% of overall population gains during recent periods, driving this growth.

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. Looking ahead, population projections suggest an increase just below the median of national statistical areas. The Guildford West (SA2) is expected to grow by 711 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting a total increase of 7.5% over the 17 years.

Residential development activity is slightly higher than average within Guildford West when compared nationally

Guildford West has averaged approximately 33 new dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated 165 homes. As of FY-26, 13 approvals have been recorded. On average, each new dwelling accommodates around 2.2 residents per year based on data from FY-21 to FY-25. The average construction cost value of these dwellings is approximately $398,000.

In the current financial year, there have also been commercial approvals totalling $860,000, indicating a predominantly residential focus. Compared to Greater Sydney, Guildford West has around three-quarters the rate of new dwelling approvals per person. Nationally, it ranks in the 57th percentile among assessed areas. The composition of new development consists of approximately 36.0% detached houses and 64.0% attached dwellings, marking a significant shift from the current housing pattern of 78.0% houses. The location has approximately 270 people per dwelling approval, indicating potential for growth.

According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Guildford West is projected to add around 480 residents by 2041. With current construction levels, housing supply should meet demand adequately, creating favourable conditions for buyers and potentially enabling population growth that exceeds current forecasts.

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

The performance of an area can significantly be influenced by changes in local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. A single project has been identified by AreaSearch that is likely to impact this particular area. Key projects include Merrylands RSL Club Redevelopment Stage 2, Merrylands West Public School Upgrade, Centenary Park Sports Field Upgrade, and the 246 Woodville Road Mixed-Use Development. The following list details those projects most relevant to the area.

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.

AreaSearch assessment indicates Guildford West faces employment challenges relative to the majority of Australian markets

Guildford West has a skilled workforce with notable representation in the construction sector. Its unemployment rate was 11.0% in the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 1.0%.

As of September 2025, 2,396 residents are employed, but the unemployment rate is higher than Greater Sydney's at 6.8% compared to 4.2%, indicating room for improvement. Workforce participation in Guildford West is lower at 43.7% versus Greater Sydney's 60.0%. The leading employment industries among residents are health care & social assistance, construction, and retail trade. Construction shows particularly high concentration with levels at 1.5 times the regional average.

Conversely, professional & technical services have lower representation at 5.0% compared to the regional average of 11.5%. Employment opportunities locally appear limited as indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment levels increased by 1.0%, labour force grew by 3.7%, leading to a rise in unemployment rate by 2.4 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Sydney recorded employment growth of 2.1% with a smaller increase in unemployment rate at 0.2 percentage points. State-level data from NSW as of 25-Nov-25 shows employment contracted by 0.03%, with an unemployment rate of 3.9%. Nationally, the unemployment rate is 4.3%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Guildford West's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.4% over five years and 13.3% over ten years, though this is a simple extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

Income figures position the area below 75% of locations analysed nationally by AreaSearch

Guildford West's median income among taxpayers in financial year 2023 was $39,584. The average income stood at $49,450 during the same period. These figures are below Greater Sydney's median and average incomes of $60,817 and $83,003 respectively. By September 2025, estimated median and average incomes in Guildford West would be approximately $43,091 and $53,831, based on an 8.86% Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2023. According to the 2021 Census, individual incomes in Guildford West are at the 8th percentile ($569 weekly), while household incomes are at the 40th percentile. The largest income segment comprises 31.5% earning $1,500 - 2,999 weekly (2,015 residents), similar to the metropolitan region where this cohort represents 30.9%. Housing affordability pressures are severe in Guildford West, with only 77.2% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 33rd percentile.

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

The dwelling structure in Guildford West, as per the latest Census, consisted of 77.6% houses and 22.4% other dwellings such as semi-detached homes, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. This compares to Sydney metro's figures of 62.1% houses and 37.8% other dwellings. Home ownership in Guildford West was at 27.1%, similar to Sydney metro's level. The remaining dwellings were either mortgaged (38.9%) or rented (34.0%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,286, higher than Sydney metro's average of $2,167. The median weekly rent figure for Guildford West was recorded at $460, compared to Sydney metro's $400. Nationally, Guildford West's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 81.0% of all households, including 47.1% couples with children, 16.5% couples without children, and 16.2% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 19.0%, with lone person households at 15.8% and group households comprising 3.0%. The median household size is 3.4 people, which is larger than the Greater Sydney average of 3.1.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 18.5%, considerably lower than the SA4 region average of 39.1%. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are most common at 13.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.9%) and graduate diplomas (0.7%). Vocational credentials are prominent, with 31.4% of residents aged 15+ holding them - advanced diplomas at 11.6% and certificates at 19.8%.

Educational participation is high, with 36.0% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 13.4% in primary education, 10.5% in secondary education, and 5.2% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Guildford West has 37 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 13 different routes that together facilitate 1,838 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents on average located just 145 meters from the nearest stop.

On average, there are 262 daily trips across all routes, which equates to approximately 49 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Analysis shows strong health performance in Guildford West, particularly among younger cohorts with low prevalence of common conditions. Private health cover rate is approximately 47%, compared to the national average of 55.7%.

Common medical conditions include asthma (6.7%) and arthritis (5.9%). About 76.2% of residents report no medical ailments, similar to Greater Sydney's 77.0%. The area has 11.6% seniors (742 people), lower than Greater Sydney's 13.9%. Health outcomes among seniors require more attention compared to the broader population.

Guildford West 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 West has a high level of cultural diversity, with 39.7% of its population born overseas and 59.3% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Guildford West, making up 48.0% of people. Islam is overrepresented compared to Greater Sydney's average, comprising 34.8% of Guildford West's population.

The top three represented ancestry groups are Other (28.1%), Lebanese (20.2%), and Australian (16.2%). Notably, Samoan, Vietnamese, and Maltese ethnicities have different representations compared to regional averages: Samoan is 1.0% in Guildford West versus 0.7% regionally, Vietnamese is 1.3% versus 4.0%, and Maltese is 0.7% versus 1.4%.

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

Guildford West's median age is 31 years, which is lower than Greater Sydney's average of 37 years and Australia's median of 38 years. Guildford West has a higher percentage of residents aged 5-14 (16.4%) compared to Greater Sydney but fewer residents aged 35-44 (12.8%). Between 2021 and present, the population aged 15-24 grew from 13.8% to 15.3%, while the 25-34 age group decreased from 16.0% to 14.9%. By 2041, Guildford West's age profile is projected to change significantly. The 55-64 age cohort is expected to grow by 174 people (27%), increasing from 639 to 814. Conversely, the 25-34 and 0-4 age groups are predicted to experience population declines.