Melrose Park (NSW)

Melrose Park lies within the top 10% of areas nationally in terms of population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of short and medium-term trends

As of May 2026, the population of the suburb of Melrose Park (NSW) is estimated at around 5,445. This reflects a significant increase since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 2,059 people. The growth can be inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population as 5,441 following their examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2025, along with an additional 494 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a high population density ratio of 4,253 persons per square kilometer, placing Melrose Park in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The suburb's growth rate of 164.4% since the 2021 census exceeded both the state (7.1%) and Greater Sydney, indicating a significant growth leader in the region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 79.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilises NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. According to aggregated SA2-level projections, the suburb of Melrose Park (NSW) is predicted to grow significantly over the period leading up to 2041. By this year, the area is expected to have a population of approximately 10,112 persons, reflecting an increase of 85.6% in total over the 16 years.

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 annually based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, around 365 homes were approved, with an additional 142 approved in FY26 as of now. The average population increase per dwelling over these years has been about 0.5 people annually.

This pace indicates that new supply is meeting or exceeding demand, providing ample buyer choices and capacity for further population growth beyond current projections. The average construction cost value of new properties is approximately $463,000, higher than regional norms but reflective of quality-focused development. In FY26, there have been around $2.5 million in commercial approvals, highlighting the area's predominantly residential nature. New developments consist of 10% detached houses and 90% townhouses or apartments, marking a shift from the current housing composition of 64% houses.

This change suggests decreasing availability of developable sites and reflects evolving lifestyles and demand for diverse, affordable housing options. With around 40 people moving in per dwelling approval, Melrose Park exhibits characteristics of a growth area. Future projections estimate an addition of 4,662 residents by 2041, potentially leading to increased buyer competition and price support if current development rates struggle to match population growth.

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

AreaSearch has identified a total of eleven projects that are expected to impact the area significantly. Notable among these are Melrose Central, Bennelong Sports Centre, Parramatta Light Rail Stage 2 Enabling Works from Melrose Park to Wentworth Point Bridge, and Rivea Rydalmere. The following list provides details on those projects likely to be most relevant.

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

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Melrose Park ranks among the top 25% of areas assessed nationally for overall employment performance

Melrose Park has a highly educated workforce with strong representation in professional services. Its unemployment rate was 3.1% as of December 2025. Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 22.8%.

Residents' unemployment rate is 1.1% below Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%, and their workforce participation is high at 93.8%. According to Census responses, 46.9% of residents worked from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. Dominant employment sectors include health care & social assistance, professional & technical services, and education & training.

The accommodation & food sector employs only 4.8% of local workers, below Greater Sydney's 5.8%. There are approximately 0.9 workers for each resident in Melrose Park, indicating substantial local employment opportunities. Between December 2024 and December 2025, employment increased by 22.8%, while labour force grew by 22.7%, with unemployment remaining largely unchanged. In comparison, Greater Sydney recorded employment growth of 2.2% during the same period. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia, released in 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 indicates potential local employment growth of 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

The suburb of Melrose Park has a higher than average national income level according to the latest Australian Taxation Office (ATO) data aggregated by AreaSearch for the financial year 2023. The median income among taxpayers in Melrose Park is $57,734, with an average income of $74,292. This compares to Greater Sydney's figures of $60,817 and $83,003 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.32% since the financial year 2023, current estimates for Melrose Park would be approximately $63,692 (median) and $81,959 (average) as of March 2026. Census data shows that household, family, and personal incomes in Melrose Park all rank highly nationally, between the 76th and 76th percentiles. The predominant income bracket spans 34.1% of locals (1,856 people), with incomes between $1,500 and $2,999 weekly. This aligns with the metropolitan region where this cohort likewise represents 30.9%. Higher earners represent a substantial presence in Melrose Park, with 31.7% exceeding $3,000 weekly. High housing costs consume 17.7% of income, but strong earnings still place disposable income at the 74th percentile nationally. The area's Socio-Economic Indexes for Advantage (SEIFA) income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

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

The latest Census evaluation found that 64.4% of dwellings in Melrose Park were houses, with the remaining 35.6% being semi-detached, apartments, or other dwellings. In comparison, Sydney metro had 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 average of $2,427. The median weekly rent in Melrose Park was $490, compared to Sydney metro's $470. Nationally, Melrose Park's median monthly mortgage repayment was significantly higher at $1,863, and 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 account for 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 constitute 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 and above have a higher proportion with university qualifications (44.3%) than Australia's average (30.4%) and New South Wales' average (32.2%). The area has a strong educational advantage, particularly in bachelor degrees (28.9%), postgraduate qualifications (12.3%), and graduate diplomas (3.1%). Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 28.1% of residents holding such qualifications, including advanced diplomas (12.4%) and certificates (15.7%). Educational participation is high in the area, with 31.6% of residents currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes primary education (9.7%), secondary education (8.6%), and tertiary education (6.4%).

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 typically living just 139 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outside Melrose Park. Cars are the dominant mode of transportation, used by 80% of residents, while trains and buses account for 9% and 6% respectively. On average, there are 1.3 vehicles per dwelling.

According to the 2021 Census, a high proportion of residents, 46.9%, work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency averages 192 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 61 weekly trips per 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, as per 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 (~3,064 people), compared to Greater Sydney's 59.9%. The most prevalent conditions are asthma (5.0%) and arthritis (4.8%). 78.6% of residents report no medical ailments, higher than Greater Sydney's 74.6%. Melrose Park has 7.8% of residents aged 65 and over (424 people), lower than Greater Sydney's 15.5%. Senior health outcomes are strong but rank lower nationally compared to the broader 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 in Melrose Park are Chinese (17.2%), English (15.4%), and Australian (14.9%).

Notably, Korean ancestry is overrepresented at 6.4%, compared to 1.1% regionally, while Lebanese stands at 2.5% (vs 2.6%) and Italian at 5.5% (vs 3.4%).

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

Melrose Park has a median age of 33, which is younger than Greater Sydney's figure of 37 and Australia's national average of 38 years. Compared to Greater Sydney, Melrose Park has a higher proportion of residents aged 25-34 (27.0%) but fewer residents aged 65-74 (4.7%). This concentration of 25-34 year-olds is significantly higher than the national average of 14.6%. Between the 2016 and 2021 Censuses, Melrose Park's median age decreased by 3.7 years to 33 from 37. Specifically, the proportion of residents aged 25-34 grew from 14.4% to 27.0%, while those aged 35-44 increased from 15.9% to 18.2%. Conversely, the proportion of residents aged 5-14 decreased from 13.4% to 10.0%, and those aged 45-54 dropped from 13.3% to 9.9%. By 2041, demographic modeling projects significant changes in Melrose Park's age profile, with the 25-34 age cohort projected to grow exceptionally by 1,500 people (102%), from 1,470 to 2,971 residents.