Metford

Metford is positioned among the lower quartile of areas assessed nationally for population growth based on AreaSearch's assessment of recent, and medium term trends

By Nov 2025, Metford's population is estimated at around 4,696, a decrease of 11 people from the 2021 Census figure of 4,707. This change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of 4,695 residents, based on ABS ERP data released in June 2024 and six validated new addresses since the Census date. The population density is 1,940 persons per square kilometer, above national averages assessed by AreaSearch. Natural growth contributed approximately 57% to overall population gains recently. For projections, AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia data for SA2 areas released in 2024 with a base year of 2022, and NSW State Government's SA2 level projections for uncovered areas, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021.

Growth rates by age group are applied to all areas from 2032 to 2041. By 2041, Metford's population is projected to increase by 595 persons, reflecting a 14.2% total increase over the 17 years.

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

Metford averaged two dwelling approvals per year between 2016 and 2020, totaling ten dwellings over the five-year period. This low level of development activity is characteristic of rural areas with modest housing needs and limited construction activity influenced by local demand and infrastructure capacity. The small sample size means individual projects can significantly impact annual growth statistics.

Metford has shown less construction activity than the Rest of NSW, with development levels well below national averages. Recent development in Metford has been entirely detached houses, maintaining its rural nature and emphasizing space, with developers constructing more detached housing than the existing pattern implies (84.0% at Census). Metford's population growth is forecasted to add 669 residents by 2041, according to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate. If current construction levels persist, housing supply may lag behind population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and supporting price growth.

Population forecasts indicate Metford will gain 669 residents through to 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). Should current construction levels persist, housing supply could lag population growth, likely intensifying buyer competition and underpinning price growth.

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

Area infrastructure changes significantly influence local performance. Three key projects identified by AreaSearch are likely to impact the area: Stony Pinch Urban Development, Sophia Waters Sportsground, Ashtonfield Public School Upgrade, and Sophia Waters Estate.

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Employment drivers in Metford are experiencing difficulties, placing it among the bottom 20% of areas assessed across Australia

Metford's workforce is balanced across white and blue-collar jobs, with manufacturing and industrial sectors prominent. The unemployment rate was 6.1% as of June 2025, according to AreaSearch data aggregation.

In June 2025, 2,194 residents were employed, with an unemployment rate 2.5% higher than Rest of NSW's rate of 3.7%. Workforce participation was 61.7%, above Rest of NSW's 56.4%. Key industries for Metford residents were health care & social assistance, retail trade, and manufacturing. Manufacturing employment was particularly high at 1.6 times the regional level, while agriculture, forestry & fishing showed lower representation at 1.1% compared to the regional average of 5.3%.

Over the year to June 2025, labour force levels decreased by 4.8%, and employment fell by 5.6%, leading to a 0.7 percentage point rise in unemployment rate. By comparison, Rest of NSW saw an employment decline of 0.1% and unemployment rise by 0.4 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 project overall growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Metford's employment mix suggests local employment could increase by 6.2% in five years and 13.3% in ten years, though these are simple extrapolations for illustrative purposes only.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

Metford's median taxpayer income in financial year 2022 was $50,329. The average income was $61,852. Both figures are below the national averages of $49,459 and $62,998 respectively for Rest of NSW. By September 2025, estimates suggest Metford's median income will be approximately $56,675 and average income around $69,652, based on a 12.61% growth in wages since financial year 2022. According to the 2021 Census, incomes in Metford rank modestly, between the 34th and 34th percentiles for households, families, and individuals. Income distribution shows that 37.4% of locals (1,756 people) fall into the $1,500 - $2,999 category, reflecting a broader area trend where 29.9% occupy this range. Housing affordability in Metford is severe, with only 81.6% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 32nd percentile.

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

Metford's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 84.2% houses and 15.7% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Non-Metro NSW had 87.1% houses and 13.0% other dwellings. Home ownership in Metford stood at 24.5%, with mortgaged dwellings at 37.3% and rented ones at 38.2%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,625, below Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,862. Median weekly rent in Metford was $350, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $375. Nationally, Metford's mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were less than the national figure of $375.

Metford features high concentrations of group households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 71.5% of all households, including 27.3% couples with children, 26.3% couples without children, and 16.4% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 28.5%, with lone person households at 24.3% and group households comprising 4.2% of the total. The median household size is 2.6 people, which is smaller than the Rest of NSW average of 2.7.

Metford faces educational challenges, with performance metrics placing it in the bottom quartile of areas assessed nationally

The area's university qualification rate is 11.5%, significantly lower than NSW's average of 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 8.4%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (1.8%) and graduate diplomas (1.3%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 43.5% of residents aged 15+ holding them - advanced diplomas (8.9%) and certificates (34.6%). Educational participation is high at 29.0%, including 11.2% in primary education, 7.2% in secondary education, and 3.6% pursuing tertiary education.

Metford's 4 schools have a combined enrollment of 1,150 students, with typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 965) and balanced educational opportunities. The area has an educational mix of 1 primary and 3 K-12 schools, with a higher school capacity than typical residential needs (24.5 places per 100 residents vs regional average of 17.6), indicating it serves as an educational center for the broader region.

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

Metford has 33 active public transport stops, offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by 56 individual routes, facilitating 4,636 weekly passenger trips in total. The average distance from residents to the nearest transport stop is 168 meters, indicating excellent transport accessibility.

On average, there are 662 trips per day across all routes, which amounts to approximately 140 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Metford faces significant health challenges, as indicated by health data.

Both younger and older age groups show high prevalence of common health conditions. Private health cover is held by approximately 51% of Metford's total population (~2,414 people), which is slightly lower than the average for SA2 areas. Mental health issues and asthma are the most prevalent medical conditions in the area, affecting 14.4% and 10.4% of residents respectively. Conversely, 58.2% of Metford residents report having no medical ailments, compared to 63.4% across Rest of NSW. The percentage of seniors aged 65 and over is 13.7%, with a total of 643 people in this age group, which is lower than the 15.4% recorded in Rest of NSW. Health outcomes among seniors in Metford are generally aligned with those of the wider population.

Metford is considerably less culturally diverse than average when assessed alongside AreaSearch's national rankings for language and cultural background related metrics

Metford's population showed low cultural diversity, with 89.9% born in Australia, 91.6% being citizens, and 92.6% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the dominant religion, comprising 54.7%, compared to 57.0% across Rest of NSW. The top three ancestral groups were Australian (30.8%), English (30.4%), and Australian Aboriginal (7.1%).

Notably, Polish (0.9%) and Samoan (0.5%) groups were overrepresented compared to regional averages of 0.7% and 0.1%, respectively. Maori population was also higher at 0.8% than the regional average of 0.4%.

Metford's population is younger than the national pattern

Metford's median age is 35 years, which is significantly below the Rest of NSW average of 43 years and somewhat younger than Australia's median age of 38 years. Compared to the Rest of NSW average, Metford has a notably higher proportion of 25-34 year-olds (17.2%) and a lower proportion of 75-84 year-olds (4%). According to the 2021 Census, Metford's 25-34 age group grew from 15.7% to 17.2%, while the 5-14 age group declined from 14.2% to 12.8%. Demographic projections suggest that by 2041, Metford's age profile will change significantly. The 25-34 age group is projected to grow by 32%, adding 258 residents to reach a total of 1,066. Conversely, the 55-64 and 15-24 age groups are expected to decrease in number.