Mayfield West

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

As of Feb 2026, the estimated population of Mayfield West is around 2,143, reflecting a 7.5% increase since the 2021 Census which reported 1,993 people. This growth was inferred from AreaSearch's resident population estimate of 2,110 based on latest ERP data release by ABS (June 2024) and additional validated new addresses since the Census date. The population density ratio is 927 persons per square kilometer. Mayfield West's population growth exceeded Rest of NSW's 5.9% and its SA3 area, making it a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration primarily drove this growth. 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 for areas not covered by this data, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021.

Growth rates by age group are applied to all areas from 2032 to 2041. Based on these projections, Mayfield West is expected to increase by just below the median of Australia's non-metropolitan areas, growing by 279 persons to 2041, reflecting an 11.5% total increase over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development drivers sees a low level of activity in Mayfield West, placing the area among the bottom 25% of areas assessed nationally

Between May 2017 and April 2022, Mayfield West received around 18 dwelling approvals per year on average, totalling approximately 91 homes over the past five financial years. As of May 2023, 9 approvals have been recorded in this current financial year. On average, about 0.5 new residents arrived annually for each new home built between FY-21 and FY-25. The average construction value of these dwellings was $400,000.

This financial year has seen around $9.5 million worth of commercial approvals. Compared to the rest of NSW, Mayfield West shows 63% more construction activity per capita. New building activity consists of equal parts detached dwellings and townhouses/apartments, a significant shift from the current housing pattern of 79% houses. The estimated population density is around 408 people per dwelling approval. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Mayfield West is projected to gain 246 residents by 2041.

Population forecasts indicate Mayfield West will gain 246 residents through to 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). With current construction levels, housing supply should adequately meet demand, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts.

Mayfield West 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 six projects likely to impact the area. Key projects are Newcastle Port Logistics Hub, Mayfield Concept Plan, Former Waratah Gasworks Redevelopment, and Waratah Park Masterplan. The following 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.

The labour market performance in Mayfield West lags significantly behind most other regions nationally

Mayfield West has a skilled workforce with essential services sectors well represented. Its unemployment rate is 6.8%, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data. As of December 2025, 1,093 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 2.9% higher than Regional NSW's rate of 3.9%.

Workforce participation in Mayfield West is 67.2%, compared to Regional NSW's 61.3%. Census responses indicate that 25.2% of residents work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered. The dominant employment sectors among residents include health care & social assistance, education & training, and retail trade. Notably, health care & social assistance employs 1.4 times the regional average.

Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing employs just 0.4% of local workers, below Regional NSW's 5.3%. There are 2.4 workers for every resident in Mayfield West, indicating it functions as an employment hub. Between December 2024 and December 2025, the labour force increased by 1.1%, while employment declined by 1.1%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 2.2 percentage points. In contrast, Regional NSW saw employment contract by 1.2%, with a labour force fall of 0.8% and an unemployment increase of 0.4 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that national employment should expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Mayfield West's employment mix indicates local employment growth of 7.0% over five years and 14.5% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for localised population projections.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023 indicates Mayfield West's median taxpayer income is $53,253 and average is $62,451. Nationally, the median is higher at $67,891 with an average of $85,277. Regionally in NSW, the median is $52,390 and average is $65,215. Using Wage Price Index growth of 8.86%, estimated incomes for September 2025 would be approximately $57,971 (median) and $67,984 (average). Census 2021 data shows Mayfield West's household, family, and personal incomes rank modestly between the 41st and 51st percentiles. The income bracket of $1,500 - 2,999 is dominant with 34.2% of residents (732 people), consistent with surrounding regions at 29.9%. Income remaining after housing costs ranks at the 38th percentile, indicating severe affordability pressures. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 4th decile.

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

Dwelling structure in Mayfield West, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 79.2% houses and 20.8% other dwellings. In Regional NSW, this was 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Mayfield West was 24.7%, with mortgaged dwellings at 35.8% and rented ones at 39.6%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,844, higher than Regional NSW's $1,733. Median weekly rent in Mayfield West was $370, compared to Regional NSW's $330. Nationally, Mayfield West's mortgage repayments were lower at $1,844 versus Australia's average of $1,863, and rents were also lower at $370 compared to the national figure of $375.

Mayfield West features high concentrations of group households and lone person households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 60.5% of all households, including 23.3% couples with children, 22.9% couples without children, and 13.1% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 39.5%, with lone person households at 33.1% and group households making up 5.9%. The median household size is 2.3 people, which is smaller than the Regional NSW average of 2.4.

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

Educational qualifications in Mayfield West trail regional benchmarks; as of 2021, 25.5% of residents aged 15+ held university degrees compared to the state average of 32.2%. The most common qualification was bachelor degrees at 17.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (5.4%) and graduate diplomas (3.1%). Vocational credentials were prominent, with 37.1% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications; advanced diplomas accounted for 9.8% and certificates for 27.3%. Educational participation was notably high in Mayfield West, with 32.0% of residents currently enrolled in formal education as of the same year.

This included 9.8% in primary education, 8.6% in tertiary education, and 6.6% pursuing secondary education.

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

Public transport analysis shows 36 active stops operating in Mayfield West. These are served by 45 routes, providing 1,217 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is excellent, with residents typically located 84 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward, with car being the dominant mode at 89%, and 4% walking. Vehicle ownership averages 1.2 per dwelling, below the regional average. In 2021 Census data, 25.2% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions.

Service frequency averages 173 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 33 weekly trips per stop.

Health performance in Mayfield West is well below average with prevalence of common health conditions notable across both younger and older age cohorts

Health data indicates significant health challenges in Mayfield West, as assessed by AreaSearch using mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence.

Notably, both younger and older age groups exhibit high prevalence of common health conditions. Approximately 52% (~1,106 people) have private health cover, which is relatively low compared to other areas. Mental health issues affect 13.4% of residents, while asthma impacts 9.7%. Conversely, 61.4% report no medical ailments, slightly lower than the 63.3% across Regional NSW. The working-age population faces substantial health challenges due to elevated chronic condition rates. As of 2021, 14.7% (315 people) are aged 65 and over, lower than the 23.4% in Regional NSW. Health outcomes among seniors present notable challenges, with national rankings higher than those of the general population.

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

Mayfield West had a cultural diversity below average, with 89.5% citizens, 88.4% born in Australia, and 92.7% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the main religion, comprising 46.8%. The most notable overrepresentation was in Other category, which was 0.8% compared to Regional NSW's 0.8%.

Top three ancestry groups were English (29.6%), Australian (27.6%), and Scottish (9.0%). Welsh, Polish, and French groups showed notable divergences: Welsh at 0.8% (vs regional 0.5%), Polish at 1.0% (vs regional 0.5%), French at 0.7% (vs regional 0.4%).

Mayfield West hosts a young demographic, positioning it in the bottom quartile nationwide

The median age in Mayfield West was 33 years as of May, which is significantly lower than Regional NSW's average of 43 years and also substantially below the national average of 38 years. Compared to the Regional NSW average, the 25-34 age cohort was notably over-represented at 22.4% in Mayfield West, while the 55-64 year-olds were under-represented at 7.8%. This concentration of the 25-34 age group is well above the national average of 14.4%. Post-2021 Census data shows that the area has become younger, with the median age dropping from 34 years to 33 years between censuses. Notably, the 25-34 age group grew from 19.3% to 22.4%, while the 35-44 cohort increased from 13.5% to 14.8%. Conversely, the 55-64 cohort declined from 9.8% to 7.8%, and the 45-54 group dropped from 12.0% to 10.2%. By 2041, Mayfield West is expected to see significant shifts in its age composition. Leading this demographic shift, the 25-34 age group is projected to grow by 23%, reaching 589 people from 480. In contrast, the 65-74 and 55-64 cohorts are expected to experience population declines.