Menai

Menai has shown very soft population growth performance across periods assessed by AreaSearch

The Menai statistical area (Lv2) had an estimated population of 10,507 as of November 2025, reflecting a growth of 88 people since the 2021 Census. This increase represents a 0.8% rise from the previous population count of 10,419. The latest resident population estimate by AreaSearch, based on examination of ERP data released by the ABS in June 2024 and address validation since the Census date, is 10,483. This population density equates to approximately 812 persons per square kilometer, aligning with averages seen across other locations assessed by AreaSearch. Menai's growth rate since the census, at 0.8%, positions it within 2.1 percentage points of the SA3 area (2.9%), indicating competitive growth fundamentals. Overseas migration contributed around 59% of overall population gains during recent periods, driving primary growth for the area.

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 where data is not available, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021. Future population growth trends anticipate lower quartile growth for Australian statistical areas, with the Menai (SA2) expected to grow by 167 persons to reach a total population of 10,674 by 2041, reflecting a gain of approximately 0.0% over the 17-year period.

The level of residential development activity in Menai is very low in comparison to the average area assessed nationally by AreaSearch

Menai has averaged approximately 27 new dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated 135 homes. As of FY-26, 5 approvals have been recorded. The area's population decline during this period has maintained adequate housing supply relative to demand, resulting in a balanced market with good buyer choice. New properties are constructed at an average value of $847,000, indicating developers target the premium market segment with higher-end properties.

This financial year has seen $8.5 million in commercial approvals, reflecting Menai's primarily residential nature. Compared to Greater Sydney, Menai has 19.0% less new development per person and ranks among the 10th percentile nationally, leading to relatively constrained buyer choice and supporting interest in existing dwellings. This lower development rate suggests market maturity and possible development constraints. New development consists of 76.0% detached dwellings and 24.0% townhouses or apartments, preserving Menai's low density nature with an emphasis on detached housing attracting space-seeking buyers.

The area has an estimated 1726 people per dwelling approval, reflecting its quiet, low activity development environment. Future projections estimate Menai will add 3 residents by 2041 (based on the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting population growth beyond current projections.

Menai 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 two projects expected to impact the area. Key projects are Heathcote Road Upgrade from Infantry Parade to The Avenue, Blaxland Riverside Estate, Revesby Workers Club Redevelopment, and M6 Stage 2. Below is a list of those most relevant.

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

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Employment conditions in Menai demonstrate exceptional strength compared to most Australian markets

Menai has a highly educated workforce. Its unemployment rate is 2.6%, with an estimated employment growth of 1.5% over the past year.

As of September 2025, 6,005 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 1.6%, below Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%. Workforce participation is high at 68.9%, compared to Greater Sydney's 60.0%. Key employment industries include health care & social assistance, education & training, and construction. Notably, education & training has a strong presence with employment levels 1.4 times the regional average.

However, professional & technical services have limited representation at 8.4% compared to the regional average of 11.5%. In the past year, employment increased by 1.5%, while the labour force grew by 0.9%, leading to a decrease in unemployment rate by 0.6 percentage points. This contrasts with Greater Sydney where employment rose by 2.1% and unemployment increased slightly. State-level data from 25-Nov shows NSW employment contracted by 0.03%, with an unemployment rate of 3.9%. National forecasts project employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but local projections suggest Menai's employment should increase by 6.7% and 13.6% respectively, based on its current employment mix.

Income metrics indicate excellent economic conditions, with the area achieving higher performance than 75% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch

AreaSearch released postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023. Menai's median income among taxpayers was $61,623, with an average of $81,191. Nationally, this is high compared to Greater Sydney's median of $60,817 and average of $83,003. Based on Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2023, current estimates for Menai are approximately $67,083 (median) and $88,385 (average) as of September 2025. Census 2021 income data shows Menai's household, family, and personal incomes rank highly nationally, between the 78th and 92nd percentiles. Income distribution shows 30.2% of Menai's population falls within the $1,500 - 2,999 range, similar to the broader area at 30.9%. Economic strength is evident with 42.4% of households earning over $3,000 weekly, supporting high consumer spending. Housing accounts for 14.5% of income, and residents rank in the 91st percentile for disposable income. Menai's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

Menai is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with ownership patterns similar to the broader region

In Menai, as per the latest Census evaluation, 75.3% of dwellings were houses while 24.6% consisted of other types such as semi-detached homes, apartments and 'other' dwellings. This compares to Sydney metropolitan areas where 70.4% of dwellings are houses and 29.6% are other dwellings. Home ownership in Menai stood at 36.6%, similar to Sydney metro's level, with the remaining dwellings either mortgaged (48.5%) or rented (14.9%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in Menai was $2,600, aligning with Sydney metro's average, while the median weekly rent figure was $560 compared to Sydney metro's $2,600 and $483 respectively. Nationally, Menai's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Menai features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 85.5% of all households, including 48.3% couples with children, 24.2% couples without children, and 12.4% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 14.5%, with lone person households at 13.6% and group households comprising 0.9%. The median household size is 3.0 people, larger than the Greater Sydney average of 2.8.

Menai shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

Menai trail's educational qualifications lag behind Greater Sydney's regional benchmarks. As of 2021, 28.7% of Menai trail residents aged 15 and above hold university degrees, compared to 38.0% in Greater Sydney. This disparity indicates potential for educational development and skills enhancement. Bachelor degrees are the most common, with 20.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (6.0%) and graduate diplomas (2.5%).

Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 36.4% of residents aged 15 and above holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas (13.0%) and certificates (23.4%). Educational participation is notably high, with 29.9% of residents currently enrolled in formal education as of the 2021 census. This includes 9.8% in primary education, 8.5% in secondary education, and 5.3% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Menai has 73 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 35 different routes that together facilitate 1,629 weekly passenger trips. The average distance residents live from the nearest transport stop is 172 meters, indicating excellent accessibility.

On average, there are 232 trips per day across all routes, which equates to approximately 22 weekly trips per individual stop.

Menai's residents are extremely healthy with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Analysis of health metrics shows strong performance throughout Menai. Both young and old age cohorts see low prevalence of common health conditions.

The rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 59% of the total population (6,197 people), compared to 61.6% across Greater Sydney. The most common medical conditions in the area are asthma and arthritis, impacting 7.7 and 7.3% of residents respectively. Seventy-two point three percent of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 70.6% across Greater Sydney. Fifteen point six percent of residents are aged 65 and over (1,639 people), which is lower than the 18.8% in Greater Sydney. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, broadly in line with the general population's health profile.

The level of cultural diversity witnessed in Menai was found to be slightly above average when compared nationally for a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Menai's population shows above-average cultural diversity, with 19.9% born overseas and 17.8% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Menai, accounting for 70.3%, compared to 61.9% across Greater Sydney. The top three ancestral groups are Australian (25.6%), English (24.0%), and Other (8.8%).

Notably, Macedonian (2.0%) and Greek (3.7%) populations in Menai exceed regional averages of 0.8% and 2.2%, respectively. Similarly, the Lebanese population is higher at 1.6% compared to the regional average of 1.1%.

Menai's population aligns closely with national norms in age terms

The median age in Menai is 39 years, which is slightly higher than Greater Sydney's average of 37 years and close to the national average of 38 years. Compared to Greater Sydney, the 55-64 age group is notably more prevalent in Menai at 13.1%, while the 25-34 age group is less common at 10.4%. Post-Census data from 2021 shows that the 75-84 age group has increased from 4.0% to 5.4% of Menai's population, while the 55-64 cohort has decreased from 14.8% to 13.1%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate significant demographic changes in Menai. The 75-84 age group is expected to grow by 70%, reaching 963 people from 567, leading the demographic shift. Residents aged 65 and older are projected to represent 77% of the anticipated population growth. Conversely, the 15-24 and 65-74 age groups are expected to experience population declines.