Leonay

Leonay is positioned among the lower quartile of areas assessed nationally for population growth based on AreaSearch's assessment of recent, and medium term trends

Based on analysis of ABS population updates for the broader area, as of Nov 2025, Leonay's population is estimated at around 2,697. This reflects an increase of 115 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 2,582 people. The change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of 2,635 residents following examination of ABS' latest ERP data release (June 2024) and an additional 9 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 1,091 persons per square kilometer. Leonay's growth rate of 4.5% since census positions it within 1.8 percentage points of the SA4 region (6.3%). Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration, contributing approximately 54.0% 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. Anticipating future population dynamics, the area is expected to grow by 18 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting a decline of 4.0% in total over the 17 years.

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

Leonay has seen around 10 new homes approved annually over the past five financial years ending June 2021. This totals an estimated 53 homes. As of September 2026, 29 approvals have been recorded in FY-26. The area's population decline has maintained adequate housing supply relative to demand, resulting in a balanced market with good buyer choice.

New properties are constructed at an average value of $625,000, indicating focus on the premium market with high-end developments. This financial year has seen $18.6 million in commercial approvals, suggesting moderate levels of commercial development. Compared to Greater Sydney, Leonay shows approximately 66% of construction activity per person and ranks among the 19th percentile nationally, leading to relatively constrained buyer choice and supporting interest in existing homes. New developments consist of 40.0% detached houses and 60.0% attached dwellings, offering affordable entry pathways for downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers, marking a shift from the area's existing housing composition of 98.0% houses. With around 857 people per approval, Leonay is considered a mature, established area.

Its stable or declining population is expected to reduce pressure on housing, potentially creating buying opportunities.

Leonay has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 20% nationally

No infrastructure projects have been identified by AreaSearch that will impact the area. Key projects include Nepean River Masterplan Precinct at Emu Plains Side, Mulgoa Road/Castlereagh Road Corridor Upgrade, Westfield Penrith Entertainment Expansion, and M12 Motorway - Western Package (M12 West).

Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.

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The labour market strength in Leonay positions it well ahead of most Australian regions

Leonay has a skilled workforce with an unemployment rate of 1.8% as of September 2025, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data. It has 1,434 residents in work, which is below Greater Sydney's unemployment rate of 4.2%.

Workforce participation in Leonay is higher at 66.9%, compared to Greater Sydney's 60.0%. The key industries of employment among Leonay's residents are construction, health care & social assistance, and education & training. Construction stands out with employment levels at 1.6 times the regional average. However, professional & technical services are under-represented, with only 6.3% of Leonay's workforce compared to Greater Sydney's 11.5%.

Over the 12 months to September 2025, labour force levels decreased by 4.3%, alongside a 4.0% employment decline, causing unemployment to fall by 0.4 percentage points in Leonay. This contrasts with Greater Sydney where employment grew by 2.1% and unemployment rose by 0.2 percentage points. As of 25-Nov-25, NSW employment contracted by 0.03%, with the state unemployment rate at 3.9%. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia project national employment to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Leonay's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.5% over five years and 13.3% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

The economic profile demonstrates exceptional strength, placing the area among the top 10% nationally based on comprehensive AreaSearch income analysis

The suburb of Leonay has a median taxpayer income of $69,266 and an average income of $80,570 according to the latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. Nationally, this is extremely high compared to Greater Sydney's median income of $60,817 and average income of $83,003. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $75,403 (median) and $87,709 (average) as of September 2025. Census data shows that household, family and personal incomes in Leonay rank highly nationally, between the 82nd and 90th percentiles. Income analysis reveals that 30.4% of the population (819 individuals) fall within the $1,500 - $2,999 income range, which is consistent with broader trends across the broader area showing 30.9% in the same category. Economic strength is evident through 41.2% of households achieving high weekly earnings exceeding $3,000, supporting elevated consumer spending. After housing costs, residents retain 87.5% of their income, indicating strong purchasing power. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

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

Leonay's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 98.1% houses and 1.9% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Sydney metro's figures of 77.4% houses and 22.6% other dwellings. Home ownership in Leonay stood at 42.7%, with the rest being mortgaged (47.3%) or rented (10.0%). The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,339, higher than Sydney metro's average of $2,167. The median weekly rent figure for Leonay was $530, compared to Sydney metro's $400. Nationally, Leonay's mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $2,339 against the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 84.7% of all households, including 44.6% couples with children, 29.7% couples without children, and 9.8% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 15.3%, with lone person households at 14.2% and group households making up 0.8%. The median household size is 2.9 people, larger than the Greater Sydney average of 2.8.

The educational profile of Leonay exceeds national averages, with above-average qualification levels and academic performance metrics

The area's university qualification rate is 26.5%, significantly lower than Greater Sydney's average of 38.0%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 17.6%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (6.2%) and graduate diplomas (2.7%). Vocational credentials are prominent, with 38.6% of residents aged 15+ holding them. This includes advanced diplomas (12.7%) and certificates (25.9%).

Educational participation is high, with 29.8% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This comprises 11.1% in primary, 9.4% in secondary, and 4.3% in tertiary education.

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

Transport analysis in Leonay indicates 22 operational public transport stops, all of which are bus services. These stops are covered by 15 unique routes, offering a total of 196 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility to these stops is considered good, with residents on average being located 207 meters from the nearest stop.

On average, there are 28 daily trips across all routes, which equates to roughly 8 weekly trips per individual stop.

The level of general health in Leonay is notably higher than the national average with prevalence of common health conditions quite low across both younger and older age cohorts

Leonay shows superior health outcomes, with low prevalence rates for common conditions across both younger and older age groups. Private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 59% of the total population (1,584 people), compared to 55.2% in Greater Sydney.

The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis and asthma, affecting 7.4% and 7.2% of residents respectively. A majority, 71.8%, report being completely free from medical ailments, slightly higher than the 69.5% rate in Greater Sydney. Leonay has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 19.9% (536 people), compared to 14.1% in Greater Sydney. Health outcomes among seniors are above average and align with the overall population's health profile.

Leonay ranks below the Australian average when compared to other local markets across a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Leonay's population showed low cultural diversity, with 82.8% born in Australia, 93.5% being citizens, and 92.2% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, practiced by 60.1%, compared to Greater Sydney's 57.9%. The top three ancestry groups were Australian (27.4%), English (26.6%), and Irish (10.1%).

Notably, Maltese (1.9%) were overrepresented in Leonay versus the regional average of 2.9%. Similarly, Polish (1.1%) and French (0.8%) groups had higher representations compared to their respective regional averages of 0.7% and 0.3%.

Leonay's median age exceeds the national pattern

Leonay's median age is 41 years, which is significantly higher than Greater Sydney's average of 37 years and slightly older than Australia's median age of 38 years. Compared to Greater Sydney, Leonay has an over-representation of the 75-84 age cohort (8.3% locally) and an under-representation of the 25-34 age group (8.8%). Post the 2021 Census, the 75 to 84 age group grew from 6.7% to 8.3%, while the 15 to 24 cohort increased from 12.6% to 13.8%. Conversely, the 5 to 14 cohort declined from 15.5% to 14.4%, and the 35 to 44 group dropped from 13.7% to 12.6%. By 2041, Leonay's age profile is projected to change significantly. The 85+ cohort is expected to grow by 122%, adding 59 residents to reach 108. Residents aged 65 and older are anticipated to represent 85% of the population growth. Conversely, population declines are projected for the 25 to 34 age group and the 0 to 4 cohort.