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

As of February 2026, the estimated population of the suburb of Metford is around 4,730. This figure reflects an increase of 23 people from the 2021 Census count of 4,707. The latest estimate by AreaSearch, based on examination of ERP data released by the ABS in June 2024 and validation of new addresses since the Census date, is 4,728 residents. This results in a population density ratio of 1,954 persons per square kilometer, higher than the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Natural growth contributed approximately 56.99999999999999% to overall population gains during recent periods.

Population projections for Metford are based on ABS/Geoscience Australia's SA2 area projections released in 2024 with a base year of 2022, and NSW State Government's SA2 level projections released in 2022 with a base year of 2021 for areas not covered by the former data. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. By 2041, Metford's population is projected to increase by 604 persons, reflecting a total increase of 13.4% over the 17-year period. This growth rate is just below the median expected for Australian non-metropolitan areas.

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

Metford has seen very limited development activity, with an average of 2 approvals per year over the five-year period from 2016 to 2020, resulting in a total of 11 dwellings. This low level of development is typical of rural areas where housing needs are modest and construction activity is constrained by local demand and infrastructure capacity. It is important to note that the small sample size can significantly influence annual growth and relativity statistics.

Metford's construction activity is notably lower than that of the Rest of NSW, and it falls well below national averages. The new development in Metford consists of 67% detached houses and 33% townhouses or apartments, marking a shift from the current housing pattern of 84% houses. This change suggests diminishing developable land availability and a response to evolving lifestyle preferences and housing affordability needs. As of 2021, Metford has approximately 1058 people per dwelling approval, indicating an established market. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Metford is projected to gain 633 residents by 2041.

If current construction levels persist, housing supply may lag behind population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and supporting price growth.

Metford 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 three projects likely impacting the area: Stony Pinch Urban Development, Sophia Waters Sportsground, Ashtonfield Public School Upgrade, and Sophia Waters Estate. The following details projects most relevant.

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

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

Metford has a balanced workforce with white and blue collar jobs. The unemployment rate is 6.0%, as per AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data. As of September 2025, there are 2,186 residents employed, with an unemployment rate at 2.2% above Rest of NSW's rate of 3.8%.

Workforce participation is similar to Rest of NSW's 61.5%. According to Census responses, 14.8% of residents work from home. Key industries are health care & social assistance, retail trade, and manufacturing. Manufacturing is particularly prominent, with an employment share 1.6 times the regional level.

Agriculture, forestry & fishing is under-represented at 1.1%. The area offers limited local employment opportunities. Between September 2024 and September 2025, labour force decreased by 3.3% while employment declined by the same percentage, leaving unemployment stable. In contrast, Rest of NSW saw employment decline of 0.5% and labour force decline of 0.1%, with a rise in unemployment of 0.4 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's forecasts from May-25 project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Metford's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.2% over five years and 13.3% over ten years, though this is a simple extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

Income figures position the area below 75% of locations analysed nationally by AreaSearch

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023 shows that in Metford, median income is $50,329 and average income is $61,852. This is lower than the national averages of $52,390 (median) and $65,215 (average) for Rest of NSW. By September 2025, estimated median income in Metford would be approximately $54,788, and average income would be around $67,332, based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since financial year 2023. According to the 2021 Census, incomes in Metford rank modestly, between the 34th and 34th percentiles for household, family, and personal incomes. The earnings profile indicates that 37.4% of locals (1,769 people) earn between $1,500 and $2,999 annually, which is similar to the surrounding region where 29.9% fall into this income bracket. Housing affordability pressures are severe in Metford, 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 structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 84.2% houses and 15.7% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Non-Metro NSW's 82.6% houses and 17.4% 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 $1,733. Median weekly rent in Metford was $350, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $330. 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 higher-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 constitute the remaining 28.5%, with lone person households at 24.3% and group households comprising 4.2%. The median household size is 2.6 people, higher than the Rest of NSW average of 2.4 people.

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 the NSW average of 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are the 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, including advanced diplomas (8.9%) and certificates (34.6%). Educational participation is high, with 29.0% currently enrolled in formal education, including 11.2% in primary, 7.2% in secondary, and 3.6% in tertiary education.

Educational participation is notably high, with 29.0% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 11.2% in primary education, 7.2% in secondary education, and 3.6% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Metford has 37 active public transport stops offering a mix of train and bus services. These are served by 56 routes, facilitating 4,459 weekly passenger trips in total. Residents enjoy excellent transport accessibility, with an average distance of 168 meters to the nearest stop. As a predominantly residential area, most commuters travel outward. Cars remain the primary mode of transport at 94%, with an average vehicle ownership of 1.5 per dwelling. According to the 2021 Census, 14.8% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions.

On average, there are 637 trips daily across all routes, translating to approximately 120 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Metford is a key challenge with a range of health conditions having marked impacts on both younger and older age cohorts

Metford faces significant health challenges, as highlighted by AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence.

A variety of health conditions affect both younger and older age groups, with approximately 51% (~2,432 people) having private health cover, lower than the national average. Mental health issues and asthma are the most common medical conditions in Metford, impacting 14.4 and 10.4% of residents respectively. Conversely, 58.2% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 63.3% across Rest of NSW. The working-age population faces notable health challenges due to elevated chronic condition rates. As of the assessment date (not specified), Metford has 13.9% of residents aged 65 and over (657 people), which is lower than the 23.4% in Rest of NSW. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, with national rankings broadly in line with the general 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 was found to be predominantly Australian-born, with 89.9% of residents born in Australia. Citizenship was also high, at 91.6%, and English was spoken exclusively at home by 92.6%. Christianity was the dominant religion, practiced by 54.7% of Metford's population, compared to 55.9% across the rest of NSW.

The top three ancestry groups were Australian (30.8%), English (30.4%), and Australian Aboriginal (7.1%). Notably, Polish, Samoan, and Maori ethnicities had higher representations in Metford than regionally: Polish at 0.9% vs 0.5%, Samoan at 0.5% vs 0.1%, and Maori at 0.8% vs 0.3%.

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 and somewhat younger than the Australian median of 38. Compared to the Rest of NSW average, Metford has an over-representation of the 25-34 cohort at 17.6%, while the 75-84 year-olds are under-represented at 4.0%. Following the Census in 2021, the 25 to 34 age group grew from 15.7% to 17.6%, and the 35 to 44 cohort increased from 12.7% to 13.8%. Conversely, the 5 to 14 cohort declined from 14.2% to 12.8%, and the 45 to 54 group dropped from 12.2% to 11.0%. Demographic modeling suggests Metford's age profile will change significantly by 2041. The 25 to 34 cohort is projected to grow strongly at 27%, adding 225 residents to reach 1,058. However, both the 55 to 64 and 15 to 24 age groups are expected to decrease in number.