Haberfield

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

Based on analysis of ABS population updates for the broader area, and new addresses validated by AreaSearch since Feb 2026, the suburb of Haberfield's population is estimated at around 6,677. This reflects an increase of 197 people (3.0%) since the Census in 2021, which reported a population of 6,480 people. The change is inferred from the resident population of 6,643, estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS on Jun 2024, and an additional 22 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 2,793 persons per square kilometer, placing it in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Population growth for the suburb was primarily driven by overseas migration 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. Examining future population trends, lower quartile growth of statistical areas across the nation is anticipated, with the suburb expected to increase by 32 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting a decrease of 0.0% in total over the 17 years.

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

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers, allocated from statistical area data, indicates Haberfield has averaged approximately 3 new dwelling approvals per year over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated 18 homes. As of FY-26, 1 approval has been recorded so far. The area has experienced population decline, with housing supply remaining adequate relative to demand, creating a balanced market with good buyer choice. New properties are constructed at an average expected construction cost value of $974,000, indicating a focus on the premium segment with upmarket properties.

This financial year, $3.4 million in commercial approvals have been registered, reflecting the area's primarily residential nature. Recent development has consisted entirely of medium and high-density housing, providing accessible entry options for downsizers, investors, and entry-level buyers. This marks a significant shift from existing housing patterns, which are currently 80.0% houses. This trend may be due to diminishing developable land availability and evolving lifestyle preferences and housing affordability needs.

The location has approximately 6620 people per dwelling approval, indicating an established market. Given stable or declining population forecasts, Haberfield may experience less housing pressure in the future, creating favourable conditions for buyers.

Haberfield 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 has identified 30 projects likely to impact the area. Key projects include Sydney Metro Sydenham to Bankstown Conversion, Kings Bay Village, TOGA Five Dock Mixed-Use Masterplan, and Five Dock Park Precinct Upgrade. 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.

AreaSearch assessment positions Haberfield ahead of most Australian regions for employment performance

Haberfield's workforce is highly educated, with the technology sector notably represented. Its unemployment rate was 2.9%, as aggregated by AreaSearch from statistical area data. As of December 2025, 3674 residents were employed, with an unemployment rate of 1.3% below Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%.

Workforce participation was lower at 66.2% compared to Greater Sydney's 70.2%. According to Census responses, 56.0% of residents worked from home, possibly influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. Dominant employment sectors were professional & technical, education & training, and health care & social assistance. The area showed strong specialization in professional & technical services with an employment share 1.4 times the regional level, while transport, postal & warehousing had lower representation at 2.8% versus the regional average of 5.3%.

Limited local employment opportunities were indicated by the working population count compared to resident population. Between December 2024 and December 2025, labour force decreased by 1.3%, with a 1.2% employment decline, keeping unemployment relatively stable at 2.9%. By comparison, Greater Sydney had employment growth of 2.2% and labour force growth of 2.3%, with marginal unemployment increase. 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 Haberfield's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.2% over five years and 14.4% over ten years, though this is a simplified extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for localized population projections.

The area exhibits notably strong income performance, ranking higher than 70% of areas assessed nationally through AreaSearch analysis

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of ATO data released for financial year 2023, Haberfield had a median taxpayer income of $57,093 and an average income of $89,618. These figures rank among the highest in Australia, compared to Greater Sydney's median of $60,817 and average of $83,003. Based on Wage Price Index growth from financial year 2023 to September 2025, estimated incomes are approximately $62,151 (median) and $97,558 (average). The 2021 Census ranks Haberfield's household incomes at the 94th percentile ($2,761 weekly). Income analysis shows that 36.8% of residents earn over $4000 weekly, contrasting with metropolitan Sydney where incomes between $1,500 and $2,999 are most common (30.9%). A substantial portion, 47.7%, exceeds $3,000 weekly. After housing costs, residents retain 86.9% of their income. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 10th decile.

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

Haberfield's dwelling structure in its latest Census evaluation consisted of 80.0% houses and 20.0% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Sydney metro's 55.9% houses and 44.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Haberfield stood at 50.6%, with mortgaged dwellings at 31.8% and rented ones at 17.6%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $3,674, higher than Sydney metro's average of $2,427. The median weekly rent in Haberfield was $530, compared to Sydney metro's $470. Nationally, Haberfield's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 78.0% of all households, including 43.2% couples with children, 23.8% couples without children, and 10.2% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 22.0%, with lone person households at 19.8% and group households comprising 2.0%. The median household size is 2.8 people, which is larger than the Greater Sydney average of 2.7.

Haberfield shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

Haberfield's educational attainment is notably high with 41.6% of residents aged 15+ holding university qualifications, surpassing Australia's 30.4% and NSW's 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 26.4%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 12.1% and graduate diplomas at 3.1%. Vocational pathways account for 23.9%, with advanced diplomas at 10.3% and certificates at 13.6%. Educational participation is high, with 29.6% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, including 9.3% in primary, 9.1% in secondary, and 7.0% pursuing tertiary education.

Educational participation is notably high, with 29.6% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.3% in primary education, 9.1% in secondary education, and 7.0% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Public transport analysis indicates 60 active transport stops operating in Haberfield, comprising a mix of buses. These stops are serviced by 29 individual routes, collectively providing 2,995 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents typically located 152 meters from the nearest transport stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward. Car remains the dominant mode of transport at 77%, with 6% by bus and 6% walking. Vehicle ownership averages 1.4 per dwelling, above the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, a high 56.0% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 427 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 49 weekly trips per individual stop.

The level of general health in Haberfield is notably higher than the national average with prevalence of common health conditions low among the general population though higher than the nation's average across older, at risk cohorts

Haberfield shows better-than-average health outcomes based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. The prevalence of common health conditions is low among the general population but higher than the national average among older, at-risk cohorts. Approximately 62% of Haberfield's total population (4,158 people) has private health cover, compared to 59.9% in Greater Sydney and a national average of 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions are arthritis and mental health issues, affecting 8.4% and 7.7% of residents respectively. 69.4% of residents report being completely free from medical ailments, compared to 74.6% in Greater Sydney. Working-age residents have low chronic condition prevalence. Haberfield has 22.6% of residents aged 65 and over (1,509 people), higher than Greater Sydney's 15.4%. While health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, they rank lower nationally than the broader population.

The level of cultural diversity witnessed in Haberfield was found to be above average when compared nationally for a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Haberfield's population shows higher cultural diversity than most local areas, with 28.7% born overseas and 27.6% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the dominant religion in Haberfield, accounting for 62.6%, compared to 49.2% across Greater Sydney. The top three ancestry groups are Italian (22.5%), English (18.9%), and Australian (18.0%).

Notably, Spanish (0.8%) is overrepresented compared to the regional average of 0.6%. Similarly, Hungarian (0.4%) and Greek (3.4%) groups have higher representation than their respective regional averages of 0.3% and 1.9%.

Haberfield hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

The median age in Haberfield is 46 years, which is higher than Greater Sydney's average of 37 years and also above Australia's median age of 38 years. Compared to Greater Sydney, the 55-64 age cohort is notably over-represented in Haberfield at 14.5%, while the 25-34 age group is under-represented at 8.1%. Between the 2021 Census and the present day, the population of those aged 15 to 24 has grown from 12.9% to 14.5%, while the percentage of those aged 5 to 14 has declined from 12.7% to 11.5%. By 2041, significant demographic changes are projected for Haberfield. The 75-84 age cohort is expected to increase by 189 people, rising from 514 to 704, a growth of 37%. Those aged 65 and above are projected to comprise 93% of the population growth. Conversely, the 25-34 and 0-4 age cohorts are expected to experience population declines.