Matraville

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

As of November 2025, the estimated population of Matraville is around 10,569, reflecting a 6.5% increase since the 2021 Census which reported 9,925 people. This growth is inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of 10,404 residents following examination of ABS ERP data released in June 2024 and an additional 140 validated new addresses since the Census date. The population density is approximately 2,689 persons per square kilometer, placing Matraville in the upper quartile nationally according to AreaSearch assessments. Matraville's growth rate of 6.5% since census is within 0.2 percentage points of the state average of 6.7%. Overseas migration contributed around 83.0% of overall population gains during recent periods, driving primary growth in the suburb. AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area 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 the former data.

Applying growth rates from these aggregations to all areas, Matraville is expected to increase by approximately 517 persons to reach 2041, reflecting an overall increase of around 2.5% over the 17-year period.

Recent residential development output has been above average within Matraville when compared nationally

Based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers from statistical area data, Matraville averaged approximately 63 new dwelling approvals per year. Over the past five financial years, between FY21 and FY25, an estimated 319 homes were approved, with a further 15 approved so far in FY26. The average number of people moving to the area for each dwelling built over these five years was around 0.7, indicating that supply is meeting or exceeding demand, offering more buyer choices and potentially supporting population growth above projections.

New dwellings are developed at an average expected construction cost value of $639,000, slightly above the regional average, suggesting a focus on quality developments. This financial year has seen approximately $5.5 million in commercial approvals, indicating limited commercial development focus. The new development consists of 17.0% standalone homes and 83.0% townhouses or apartments, reflecting a trend towards denser development to provide accessible entry options for downsizers, investors, and entry-level buyers. This represents a significant shift from the current housing mix, which is currently 48.0% houses, likely due to reduced availability of development sites and changing lifestyle demands and affordability requirements.

With around 174 people per dwelling approval, Matraville exhibits characteristics of a growth area. According to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate, Matraville is projected to gain approximately 266 residents by 2041. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting population growth beyond current projections.

Matraville 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 has identified 14 projects that could affect this region. Notable ones include Botany Cogeneration Plant in Matraville, Finucane Reserve Upgrade, Yorktown Parade and Fitzgerald Avenue Affordable Housing Redevelopment, and MOD 6 Chlorine Liquefaction Plant. The following list details those most likely to be 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.

Matraville shows employment indicators that trail behind approximately 70% of regions assessed across Australia

Matraville has a well-educated workforce with professional services showing strong representation. The unemployment rate in Matraville was 8.8% as of June 2025.

There was an estimated employment growth of 3.4% over the past year based on AreaSearch aggregation of statistical area data. As of June 2025, 5,245 residents were in work while the unemployment rate was 4.6%, which is above Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%. Workforce participation in Matraville was broadly similar to Greater Sydney's 60.0%. The key industries of employment among residents were health care & social assistance, education & training, and construction.

Education & training showed particularly strong specialization with an employment share of 1.3 times the regional level. Conversely, professional & technical services had lower representation at 8.9% compared to the regional average of 11.5%. Many residents appeared to commute elsewhere for work based on the count of Census working population to local population. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment in Matraville increased by 3.4% while labour force increased by 2.2%, causing the unemployment rate to fall by 1.0 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Sydney saw employment rise by 2.6%, labour force grow by 2.9%, and unemployment rise by 0.3 percentage points over the same period. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 suggest potential future demand within Matraville. These projections estimate that national employment should increase by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these industry-specific projections to Matraville's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.8% over five years and 13.8% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections.

Income analysis reveals strong economic positioning, with the area outperforming 60% of locations assessed nationally by AreaSearch

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 shows Matraville has a high national median income of $54,879 and an average income of $76,885. In comparison, Greater Sydney's median income is $56,994 with an average of $80,856. By September 2025, estimated incomes would be approximately $61,799 (median) and $86,580 (average), based on a 12.61% Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2022. Census data indicates household, family and personal incomes in Matraville are at the 65th percentile nationally. Income analysis reveals that 25.5% of locals (2,695 people) earn between $1,500 - 2,999 weekly, consistent with broader trends across regional levels showing 30.9% in the same category. Notably, 34.4% earn above $3,000 weekly. High housing costs consume 18.2% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 67th percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 7th decile.

Matraville displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Matraville's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 47.7% houses and 52.3% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In contrast, Sydney metro had 0.0% houses and 0.0% other dwellings. Home ownership in Matraville stood at 32.6%, with mortgaged dwellings at 31.9% and rented ones at 35.5%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,817, aligning with Sydney metro's average, while the median weekly rent was $480, compared to Sydney metro's figures of $0 for both. Nationally, Matraville's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Matraville has a typical household mix, with a median household size of 2.7 people

Family households account for 74.0% of all households, including 38.5% couples with children, 19.9% couples without children, and 13.9% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 26.0%, with lone person households at 23.0% and group households making up 3.2%. The median household size is 2.7 people.

Educational attainment in Matraville aligns closely with national averages, showing typical qualification patterns and performance metrics

Educational qualifications in Matraville show that 30.9% of residents aged 15 and above hold university degrees, compared to the Greater Sydney average of 38.0%. The most common qualification is a bachelor degree, held by 20.8% of residents, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 8.1%, and graduate diplomas at 2.0%. Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 31.3% of residents aged 15 and above holding such qualifications, including advanced diplomas (10.9%) and certificates (20.4%). Educational participation is high, with 30.4% of residents currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes 9.7% in primary education, 8.6% in secondary education, and 5.8% pursuing tertiary education. Matraville has two primary schools: Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School Matraville and Matraville Soldiers Settlement Public School, serving a total of 458 students. These schools cater to typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA score: 1016) and provide balanced educational opportunities. Both schools focus on primary education only, with secondary education options available in nearby areas. The area has a low school place ratio of 4.3 places per 100 residents, indicating that many local students attend schools outside Matraville.

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

The analysis of public transport in Matraville shows that there are currently 49 active transport stops operating within the area. These stops serve a mix of bus routes. In total, these stops are serviced by 28 individual routes which collectively provide 4,701 weekly passenger trips.

The accessibility to public transport is rated as excellent with residents typically located approximately 163 meters from the nearest transport stop. On average, service frequency across all routes amounts to 671 trips per day, equating to around 95 weekly trips per individual stop.

The level of general health in Matraville is notably higher than the national average with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Matraville shows higher-than-average health outcomes for both younger and older age groups, with low prevalence rates for common conditions.

Approximately 57% of its total population (~6,056 people) has private health cover. The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (7.3%) and asthma (6.5%), while 71.9% report no medical ailments, compared to Sydney's average of 0%. There are 18.7% seniors aged 65 and over (1,976 people), with health outcomes broadly in line with the general population.

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

Matraville has a high level of cultural diversity, with 36.6% of its population born overseas and 30.6% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Matraville, accounting for 62.5% of the population. Judaism is notably overrepresented in Matraville, comprising 3.8% of the population compared to None% across Greater Sydney.

The top three ancestral groups based on country of birth of parents are English at 18.0%, Australian at 17.7%, and Other at 13.7%. There are notable divergences in the representation of certain ethnic groups, with Russian overrepresented at 1.1% compared to None% regionally, Hungarian at 0.6% (None%), and French at 1.0% (None%).

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

The median age in Matraville is 42 years, significantly higher than Greater Sydney's average of 37 years, and considerably older than Australia's median age of 38 years. The 45-54 age group makes up 14.4% of the population in Matraville, compared to Greater Sydney. Meanwhile, the 25-34 age cohort comprises 9.4%. According to post-2021 Census data, the 15-24 age group has increased from 11.6% to 14.9%, while the 25-34 cohort has decreased from 10.6% to 9.4%, and the 55-64 group has fallen from 13.0% to 11.8%. Population forecasts for Matraville in 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes, with the 85+ age group expected to grow by 88% (224 people), reaching 478 from 253. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups will account for 56% of total population growth, reflecting Matraville's aging demographic profile. In contrast, the 25-34 and 65-74 cohorts are expected to experience population declines.