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 estimated population of the suburb of Melrose Park (NSW) is around 2,139, reflecting an increase of 80 people since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 2,059. This increase is inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population at 2,123 following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 and an additional 494 validated new addresses since the Census date. The population density ratio is 1,671 persons per square kilometer, above the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Over the past decade, Melrose Park has demonstrated resilient growth patterns with a compound annual growth rate of 3.0%, outpacing Greater Sydney. Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration contributing approximately 79.0% of overall population gains during recent periods. AreaSearch is adopting 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 years 2032 to 2041. Based on aggregated SA2-level projections, the suburb is forecasted to experience significant population growth, increasing by 806 persons to 2041, reflecting a total increase of 36.9% over the 17-year period.

AreaSearch assessment of residential approval activity sees Melrose Park among the top 30% of areas assessed nationwide

Melrose Park has seen approximately 73 dwelling approvals per year based on AreaSearch analysis. From FY-21 to FY-25, around 365 homes were approved, with an additional 139 in FY-26. The average population growth per dwelling built over these years was 0.4 people.

This indicates that new supply is meeting or exceeding demand, providing ample buyer choices and capacity for future population growth. The average construction cost of new properties is $463,000. In FY-26, there have been $2.5 million in commercial approvals, reflecting the area's primarily residential nature. New development consists of 10% detached houses and 90% townhouses or apartments, shifting from the current 64% houses.

Melrose Park has a low-density characteristic with around 42 people per dwelling approval. Future projections estimate an addition of 790 residents by 2041, with current development patterns suggesting that new housing supply will meet demand and facilitate potential population growth beyond current projections.

Melrose Park 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 13 projects that may impact 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 likely to be 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 85% of local markets assessed across Australia

Melrose Park has a highly educated workforce with strong representation in professional services. Its unemployment rate was 2.2% as of December 2025. Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 5.3%.

Residents' employment rate is higher than Greater Sydney's, at 82.8% compared to 70.2%, with an unemployment rate of 2.0% below Greater Sydney's 4.2%. A significant portion, 46.9%, of residents work from home according to Census responses. Dominant employment sectors include health care & social assistance, professional & technical services, and education & training.

However, accommodation & food employs only 4.8% of local workers compared to Greater Sydney's 5.8%. The ratio of 0.9 workers per resident indicates substantial local employment opportunities. Between December 2024 and December 2025, employment increased by 5.3%, labour force grew by 5.0%, leading to a fall in unemployment by 0.2 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Sydney recorded employment growth of 2.2% with marginal unemployment rise during the same period. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project overall employment expansion by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Melrose Park's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.0% over five years and 14.1% over ten years, assuming constant population projections for illustrative purposes.

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

The suburb of Melrose Park has a higher than average national income level according to latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. The median income among taxpayers in Melrose Park is $57,734 and the average income stands at $74,292. This compares to figures for Greater Sydney of $60,817 and $83,003 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $62,849 (median) and $80,874 (average) as of September 2025. Census data reveals household, family and personal incomes all rank highly in Melrose Park, between the 76th and 76th percentiles nationally. Income brackets indicate that 34.1% of locals (729 people) fall into the $1,500 - $2,999 category, aligning with the metropolitan region where this cohort likewise represents 30.9%. Higher earners represent a substantial presence with 31.7% exceeding $3,000 weekly. High housing costs consume 17.7% of income, though strong earnings still place disposable income at the 74th percentile and 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, higher than Sydney metro's $2,427. Weekly rent median was $490, compared to Sydney metro's $470. Nationally, Melrose Park's mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $1,863 and rents substantially above the national average of $375.

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

Family households constitute 75.8% of all households, including 40.4% couples with children, 26.2% couples without children, and 7.7% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 24.2%, with lone person households at 21.1% and group households comprising 2.1%. 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 residents aged 15+ have a higher proportion with university qualifications (44.3%) compared to Australia-wide (30.4%) and New South Wales (32.2%). Bachelor degrees are the most common at 28.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (12.3%) and graduate diplomas (3.1%). Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 28.1% of residents holding such qualifications - advanced diplomas comprise 12.4% and certificates make up 15.7%. Educational participation is notably high in the area, 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, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 12 different routes that together facilitate 1,349 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents on average located just 139 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outwards daily due to its residential nature. Cars remain the primary mode of transportation for 80% of residents, while trains account for 9%, and buses for 6%. On average, there are 1.3 vehicles per dwelling in Melrose Park.

According to the 2021 Census, a significant 46.9% of residents work from home, which may be partly due to COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency across all routes averages 192 trips per day, equating to roughly 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 notable results based on AreaSearch's assessment. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are very low across all age groups.

Private health cover is high at approximately 56% of the total population (~1,203 people), compared to 59.9% in Greater Sydney. The most prevalent medical conditions are asthma (5.0%) and arthritis (4.8%). Around 78.6% of residents report no medical ailments, higher than Greater Sydney's 74.6%. The area has 15.4% residents aged 65 and over (329 people). Health outcomes among seniors align with national rankings, similar to 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. Christianity is the dominant religion in Melrose Park, comprising 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%) is overrepresented in Melrose Park compared to the regional average of 1.1%. Lebanese (2.5%) and Italian (5.5%) also show notable divergences from their respective regional averages of 2.6% and 3.4%.

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 remaining close to Australia's 38 years. The 45-54 age group is strongly represented at 13.5%, compared to Greater Sydney, while the 25-34 cohort is less prevalent at 14.1%. Between January 2021 and present day, the 15-24 age group has increased from 12.6% to 14.1%, and the 75-84 cohort has grown from 3.9% to 5.0%. Conversely, the 0-4 age group has decreased from 5.7% to 4.7%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Melrose Park's age structure, with the 25-34 group expected to grow by 66%, reaching 500 people from its current total of 301.