Macquarie Fields

An assessment of population growth drivers in Macquarie Fields reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

As of November 2025, the estimated population of the Macquarie Fields statistical area (Lv2) is around 14,380. This reflects an increase of 357 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 14,023. The change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of the resident population at 14,302 in June 2024 and an additional 71 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 2,051 persons per square kilometer, higher than the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Overseas migration contributed approximately 59.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

Population projections for the area are based on ABS/Geoscience Australia projections released in 2024 with a base year of 2022, and NSW State Government's SA2 level projections released in 2022 with a base year of 2021 for areas not covered by ABS data. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for the years 2032 to 2041. According to population projections, the area is expected to expand by 614 persons to 2041, reflecting an increase of 3.7% in total over the 17-year period.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Macquarie Fields according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

Macquarie Fields has seen around 42 dwelling approvals per year based on AreaSearch analysis. Over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, approximately 210 homes were approved, with an additional 24 approved in FY-26 so far. On average, 0.1 new residents arrived per new home over these five years.

The average construction value of new dwellings was $326,000. In FY-26, $69,000 worth of commercial approvals have been registered. Compared to Greater Sydney, Macquarie Fields has 55.0% lower construction per person. Recent construction comprises 71.0% standalone homes and 29.0% townhouses or apartments. The area has approximately 386 people per dwelling approval.

By 2041, Macquarie Fields is expected to grow by 530 residents according to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate. Current construction levels should meet demand adequately, creating favourable conditions for buyers and potentially enabling growth exceeding current forecasts.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 15 projects that could affect this region. Notable projects include Macquarie Fields Station Upgrade, Macquarie Fields Precinct, Macquarie Fields Indoor Sports Centre Floor Replacement, and Atchison, Saywell and Parliament Roads Traffic Light Upgrade. The following list details those most likely to be relevant.

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

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Employment drivers in Macquarie Fields are experiencing difficulties, placing it among the bottom 20% of areas assessed across Australia

Macquarie Fields has a skilled workforce with essential services sectors well represented. The unemployment rate was 9.7% in the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 5.3%.

As of September 2025, 6,123 residents were employed while the unemployment rate stood at 5.5%, compared to Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%. Workforce participation was lower at 49.6% versus Greater Sydney's 60.0%. Dominant employment sectors included health care & social assistance, retail trade, and manufacturing, with a particular specialization in manufacturing at 1.8 times the regional level. However, professional & technical services were under-represented at 6.4%, compared to 11.5% in Greater Sydney.

Employment opportunities appeared limited locally based on Census data. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment increased by 5.3% while labour force grew by 5.1%, reducing unemployment by 0.1 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Sydney saw employment growth of 2.1% and labour force growth of 2.4%, with a rise in unemployment of 0.2 percentage points. State-level data for NSW to November 25 showed employment contracted by 0.03%, with an unemployment rate of 3.9%. National forecasts from May-25 projected national employment growth at 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but growth rates varied significantly between sectors. Applying these projections to Macquarie Fields's employment mix suggested local employment should increase by 6.3% over five years and 13.4% over ten years.

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

AreaSearch's aggregation of ATO data released on June 30, 2023, shows Macquarie Fields had a median taxpayer income of $46,066 and an average income of $52,063. Both figures are lower than the national averages of $60,817 and $83,003 in Greater Sydney respectively. By September 2025, considering an 8.86% Wage Price Index growth since June 2023, estimated median income would be approximately $50,147 and average income $56,676. According to Census 2021 data, Macquarie Fields' household income ranks at the 26th percentile ($1,374 weekly), with personal income at the 10th percentile. The largest income bracket comprises 33.4% earning $1,500 - $2,999 weekly (4,802 residents). Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 78.7% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 20th percentile.

Macquarie Fields is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Dwelling structure in Macquarie Fields, as evaluated at the latest Census held on 9 August 2016, comprised 70.2% houses and 29.8% other dwellings such as semi-detached, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. This is compared to Sydney metropolitan area's 78.5% houses and 21.5% other dwellings. Home ownership in Macquarie Fields was at 21.5%, with the rest of dwellings either mortgaged (34.4%) or rented (44.1%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,800, below Sydney metro's average of $2,100. Median weekly rent figure stood at $340, compared to Sydney metro's $380. Nationally, Macquarie Fields' mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were less than the national figure of $375.

Macquarie Fields has a typical household mix, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households constitute 76.0% of all households, including 38.3% couples with children, 16.3% couples without children, and 19.7% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 24.0%, with lone person households at 21.9% and group households comprising 2.2%. The median household size is 2.9 people, aligning with the Greater Sydney average.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 25.6%, significantly lower than Greater Sydney's average of 38.0%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 16.5%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (7.7%) and graduate diplomas (1.4%). Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 29.9% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (9.3%) and certificates (20.6%). Educational participation is high, with 34.4% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, including 12.7% in primary, 10.0% in secondary, and 5.1% in tertiary education.

Educational participation is notably high, with 34.4% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 12.7% in primary education, 10.0% in secondary education, and 5.1% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Macquarie Fields has 113 active public transport stops. These are all bus stops serviced by 32 different routes. Together, these provide 834 weekly passenger trips.

The average distance from residents to the nearest stop is 140 meters. On average, there are 119 trips per day across all routes, which equates to approximately 7 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health outcomes in Macquarie Fields are marginally below the national average with the level of common health conditions among the general population somewhat typical, though higher than the nation's average among older cohorts

Macquarie Fields shows below-average health indicators with common conditions somewhat typical but higher than national averages among older cohorts. Approximately 48% (~6,843 people) have private health cover, compared to Greater Sydney's 50.5% and Australia's average of 55.7%. The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (8.0%) and asthma (7.7%), with 69.9% reporting no medical ailments, slightly lower than Greater Sydney's 70.3%.

As of the latest data (2016), 15.2% (~2,185 people) are aged 65 and over, presenting specific health challenges requiring extra attention.

Macquarie Fields is among the most culturally diverse areas in the country based on AreaSearch assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Macquarie Fields has a high level of cultural diversity, with 43.5% of its population born overseas and 47.4% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Macquarie Fields, accounting for 43.5% of the population, which is higher than the Greater Sydney average. Islam is notably overrepresented in Macquarie Fields, comprising 18.1% of its population compared to the regional average of 12.5%.

In terms of ancestry, the top three groups are Other (27.1%), Australian (17.8%), and English (15.6%). Notably, Samoan (3.4%) is overrepresented in Macquarie Fields compared to the regional average of 2.4%, Spanish (0.8% vs 0.7%), and Indian (6.8% vs 4.8%).

Macquarie Fields's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

Macquarie Fields's median age is 36 years, nearly matching Greater Sydney's average of 37 years, which is slightly below Australia's median age of 38 years. Compared to Greater Sydney, Macquarie Fields has a higher proportion of residents aged 5-14 (15.8%) but fewer residents aged 25-34 (11.9%). According to the 2021 Census data, the proportion of residents aged 15-24 increased from 12.9% to 14.1%, while the proportion of those aged 25-34 decreased from 12.8% to 11.9%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests that Macquarie Fields's age profile will change significantly. The 45-54 age group is projected to grow by 26%, adding 444 residents to reach a total of 2,184. Residents aged 65 and above are expected to drive 64% of population growth, highlighting demographic aging trends. Conversely, the 25-34 and 35-44 age groups are projected to experience population declines.