Melrose Park (NSW)

Melrose Park lies within the top quartile of areas nationally for population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of recent, and medium to long-term trends

As of Feb 2026, the population of the suburb of Melrose Park (NSW) is estimated at around 2,139. This figure reflects an increase of 80 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 2,059. The change was inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population at 2,123 following examination of ABS data releases up to June 2024, and validation of an additional 494 new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 1,671 persons per square kilometer, higher than the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Over the past decade, Melrose Park has shown resilient growth patterns with a compound annual growth rate of 1.8%, outpacing Greater Sydney's growth during this period. Overseas migration contributed approximately 79.0% of overall population gains in recent periods.

AreaSearch adopts 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 from these aggregations are applied to all areas for the years 2032 to 2041. Future population dynamics anticipate a significant increase in the top quartile of statistical areas across the nation, with Melrose Park expected to increase by 886 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting a gain of 46.0% in total over this period.

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

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers allocated from statistical area data shows Melrose Park has received approximately 62 dwelling approvals per year over the past five financial years, totalling around 310 homes. As of FY-26, 53 approvals have been recorded. Between FY-21 and FY-25, an average of 0.4 people moved to the area for each dwelling built. New construction is meeting or exceeding demand, offering buyers more options while enabling population growth that could surpass current projections.

The average value of new dwellings is $467,000, reflecting quality-focused development. In FY-26, there have been $2.5 million in commercial approvals, indicating the area's primarily residential nature. Building activity shows 8.0% detached dwellings and 92.0% townhouses or apartments, providing accessible entry options for downsizers, investors, and first-time buyers. This shift reflects reduced development site availability and changing lifestyle demands and affordability requirements, differing from the current housing mix of 64.0% houses.

Melrose Park has a population density of around 63 people per approval. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, the area is expected to grow by 983 residents by 2041. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing favourable conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

Melrose Park 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 13 projects likely to affect the area. Key projects include Melrose Central, West Ryde Multi-Sports Facility, Melrose Park Urban Renewal Precinct (North), and Dawn Melrose Park. The following list details those most relevant.

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

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AreaSearch analysis of employment trends sees Melrose Park performing better than 90% of local markets assessed across Australia

Melrose Park has a highly educated workforce with strong representation in professional services. Its unemployment rate is 2.1%, lower than Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%. In the year up to September 2025, employment grew by 8.6% while the labour force increased by 8.2%, reducing the unemployment rate by 0.2 percentage points.

As of September 2025, 1,447 residents are employed with an unemployment rate of 2.1%. Workforce participation in Melrose Park is high at 84.3% compared to Greater Sydney's 70.0%. A significant number, 46.9%, of residents work from home, though this may be influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns.

Major employment sectors include health care & social assistance, professional & technical services, and education & training. Conversely, accommodation & food services show lower representation at 4.8% compared to the regional average of 5.8%. The worker-to-resident ratio is substantial at 0.9. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that national employment will expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Melrose Park's employment mix, local employment is estimated to increase by 7.0% over five years and 14.1% over ten years.

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

Melrose Park's median taxpayer income is $57,734 and average is $74,292 based on latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. This is higher than national averages of $60,817 (median) and $83,003 (average). As of September 2025, estimated median income is approximately $62,849 and average is $80,874, accounting for Wage Price Index growth of 8.86%. According to the 2021 Census, Melrose Park's incomes rank high nationally, between the 76th and 76th percentiles for households, families, and individuals. The largest income segment comprises 34.1% earning $1,500-$2,999 weekly (729 residents), similar to regional patterns where 30.9% fall within this range. Notably, 31.7% earn above $3,000 weekly, indicating prosperity and robust local economic activity. Housing costs consume 17.7% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 74th percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

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

Melrose Park's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 64.4% houses and 35.6% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Sydney metro's 55.9% houses and 44.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Melrose Park stood at 30.6%, with mortgaged dwellings at 42.2% and rented ones at 27.2%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,600, surpassing Sydney metro's average of $2,427. Median weekly rent in Melrose Park was $490, compared to Sydney metro's $470. Nationally, Melrose Park's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Melrose Park has a typical household mix, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households constitute 75.8 percent of all households, including 40.4 percent couples with children, 26.2 percent couples without children, and 7.7 percent single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 24.2 percent, with lone person households at 21.1 percent and group households at 2.1 percent of the total. The median household size is 2.7 people, which aligns with the Greater Sydney average.

Melrose Park demonstrates exceptional educational outcomes, ranking among the top 5% of areas nationally based on AreaSearch's comprehensive analysis of qualification and performance metrics

Melrose Park's educational attainment significantly exceeds broader benchmarks. Among residents aged 15+, 44.3% possess university qualifications, compared to Australia's 30.4% and NSW's 32.2%. This high level of educational attainment positions the area favourably for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 28.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (12.3%) and graduate diplomas (3.1%).

Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 28.1% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications – advanced diplomas account for 12.4% and certificates for 15.7%. Educational participation is notably high in Melrose Park, with 31.6% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.7% in primary education, 8.6% in secondary education, and 6.4% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Melrose Park has 22 active public transport stops, serving mixed bus routes. These stops are covered by 12 different routes, offering a total of 1,349 weekly passenger trips. Residents enjoy excellent transport accessibility, with an average distance of 139 meters to the nearest stop. Predominantly residential, most residents commute outwards. Cars remain the primary mode at 80%, followed by trains at 9% and buses at 6%. On average, there are 1.3 vehicles per dwelling.

According to the 2021 Census, 46.9% of residents work from home, possibly due to COVID-19 conditions. Across all routes, service frequency averages 192 trips daily, equating to around 61 weekly trips per individual stop.

Melrose Park's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Melrose Park's health outcomes show excellent results based on AreaSearch's assessment. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are very low across all age groups.

Private health cover is found to be very high at approximately 56% of the total population (~1,203 people), compared to 59.9% across Greater Sydney. The most common medical conditions in the area are asthma (5.0%) and arthritis (4.8%). A majority of residents, 78.6%, report being completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 74.6% across Greater Sydney. Melrose Park has 14.9% of its population aged 65 and over (318 people). Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

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

Melrose Park has a high level of cultural diversity, with 41.6% of its population born overseas and 43.6% speaking a language other than English at home. The predominant religion in Melrose Park is Christianity, accounting for 57.7% of the population, compared to 49.2% across Greater Sydney. The top three ancestry groups are Chinese (17.2%), English (15.4%), and Australian (14.9%).

Notably, Korean (6.4%) and Italian (5.5%) populations in Melrose Park exceed their regional averages of 1.1% and 3.4%, respectively, while Lebanese representation is slightly lower at 2.5%.

Melrose Park's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

Melrose Park has a median age of 37, matching Greater Sydney's figure and closely resembling Australia's 38 years. The 15-24 age group comprises 14.1%, higher than Greater Sydney, while the 25-34 cohort stands at 14.3%. Between 2021 and present, the 15-24 age group has increased from 12.6% to 14.1%. Conversely, the 0-4 cohort has decreased from 5.7% to 4.5%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant changes in Melrose Park's age structure, with the 25-34 group expected to grow by 80%, reaching 551 people from its current 305.