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

As of February 2026, the estimated population of the suburb of Leonay is around 2,696 people. This figure reflects an increase of 114 individuals since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 2,582 people in the area. The latest resident population estimate by AreaSearch, based on examination of the ABS's ERP data release from June 2024 and validation of new addresses, is 2,635 people. This results in a population density ratio of approximately 1,091 persons per square kilometer, comparable to averages seen across other locations assessed by AreaSearch. The suburb's population growth rate of 4.4% since the Census places it within 2.1 percentage points of the SA4 region's growth rate of 6.5%. Overseas migration contributed approximately 54.0% of overall population gains in recent periods for Leonay.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022, to anticipate future population trends. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch employs the 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 the years 2032 to 2041. Based on aggregated SA2-level projections, the suburb of Leonay is expected to grow by 10 persons by the year 2041, reflecting a decline of 4.1% in total over the 17-year period.

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

Based on AreaSearch analysis using ABS building approval numbers from statistical area data, Leonay has seen approximately 10 new homes approved annually over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated 53 homes. So far in FY26, 29 approvals have been recorded. Despite population decline, housing supply has remained adequate 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, demonstrating moderate levels of commercial development. Compared to Greater Sydney, Leonay shows around 66% of construction activity per person and ranks among the 19th percentile nationally, suggesting relatively constrained buyer choice and supporting interest in existing homes. New development consists of 40.0% detached houses and 60.0% attached dwellings, offering affordable entry pathways and attracting downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers. This shift from the area's existing housing composition (currently 98.0% houses) indicates decreasing availability of developable sites and reflects changing lifestyles and demand for diverse, affordable housing options. With around 857 people per approval, Leonay shows a mature, established area with expected stable or declining population, potentially reducing pressure on housing and creating opportunities for buyers.

With population expected to remain stable or decline, Leonay should see reduced pressure on housing, potentially creating opportunities for buyers.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified zero projects likely to affect this region. Notable projects are 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). The most relevant projects are listed below.

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.

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

Leonay has a skilled workforce with essential services sectors well represented. Its unemployment rate is 1.8%, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data. As of September 2025, 1,441 residents are employed, while the unemployment rate is 2.3% lower than Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%.

Workforce participation is similar to Greater Sydney's 70.0%. Census responses show that 43.9% of residents work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered. Key industries of employment among 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%. The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. Over the 12 months to September 2025, labour force levels decreased by 4.1%, alongside a 3.7% employment decline, causing unemployment to fall by 0.4 percentage points. This contrasts with Greater Sydney, where employment grew by 2.1%, labour force expanded by 2.4%, and unemployment rose by 0.2 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 offer insights into potential future demand within Leonay. These projections suggest that national employment should increase by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with growth rates varying significantly between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to Leonay's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.5% over five years and 13.3% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for localised population projections.

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 the 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 the financial year 2023, current estimates for Leonay 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 all 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, reflecting 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

In Leonay, as per the latest Census, 98.1% of dwellings were houses with the remaining 1.9% being semi-detached, apartments or other types. This contrasts with Sydney metro's dwelling structure which was 55.9% houses and 44.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Leonay stood at 42.7%, with mortgaged dwellings making up 47.3% and rented dwellings accounting for 10.0%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Leonay was $2,339, lower than Sydney metro's average of $2,427. The median weekly rent in Leonay was $530 compared to Sydney metro's $470. Nationally, Leonay's mortgage repayments were higher at $2,339 compared to the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially higher at $530 versus 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 constitute the remaining 15.3%, with lone person households at 14.2% and group households comprising 0.8% of the total. The median household size is 2.9 people, which is larger than the Greater Sydney average of 2.7.

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 prevalent, with 38.6% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (12.7%) and certificates (25.9%). Educational participation is high, with 29.8% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, including primary (11.1%), secondary (9.4%), and tertiary (4.3%) levels.

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

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

Leonay has 22 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 15 different routes that together provide 196 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of transport in Leonay is rated as good, with residents typically living 207 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward from this primarily residential area. Cars remain the dominant mode of transport, used by 93% of residents. On average, there are 2.0 vehicles per dwelling, which is above the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, a high proportion of residents, 43.9%, work from home, which may be due to COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency averages 28 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 8 weekly trips per individual stop.

Leonay's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with younger cohorts in particular seeing very low prevalence of common health conditions

Leonay's health outcomes show notable results based on AreaSearch's assessment.

Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence were low, particularly among younger cohorts. Approximately 59% of Leonay's total population (1,583 people) had private health cover, which is exceptionally high. The most prevalent medical conditions in the area were arthritis and asthma, affecting 7.4 and 7.2% of residents respectively. A majority, 71.8%, reported being completely free from medical ailments, compared to 74.6% across Greater Sydney. Leonay has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 20.5% (552 people), compared to Greater Sydney's 15.4%. While health outcomes among seniors in Leonay are above average, they rank lower nationally than those of the broader population.

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 was found to be predominantly born in Australia, with 82.8%. The majority of residents were citizens, at 93.5%, and English was spoken exclusively at home by 92.2%. Christianity was the primary religion, practiced by 60.1% of people, compared to 49.2% across Greater Sydney.

Ancestry-wise, Australian heritage led with 27.4%, significantly higher than the regional average of 17.8%. English ancestry followed at 26.6%, again above the regional average of 19.0%. Irish ancestry was present at 10.1%. Notably, Maltese (1.9% vs regional 1.0%), Polish (1.1% vs regional 0.6%), and French (0.8% vs regional 0.5%) were overrepresented in Leonay compared to the Greater Sydney region.

Leonay's median age exceeds the national pattern

Leonay's median age is 41 years, significantly higher than Greater Sydney's average of 37 and slightly above Australia's median of 38. Compared to Greater Sydney, Leonay has a notably higher percentage of residents aged 75-84 (8.7% vs. 6.9%) but fewer residents aged 25-34 (8.6% vs. 10.5%). Post-2021 Census, the 75-84 age group grew from 6.7% to 8.7%, while the 15-24 cohort increased from 12.6% to 13.8%. Conversely, the 35-44 cohort decreased from 13.7% to 12.4%. By 2041, Leonay's age profile is projected to change significantly. The 85+ cohort is expected to grow by 95%, adding 51 residents to reach 105. Residents aged 65 and older are anticipated to represent 86% of the population growth. Conversely, populations in the 25-34 and 0-4 age groups are projected to decline.