Mount Druitt

An assessment of population growth drivers in Mount Druitt reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

As of Feb 2026, Mount Druitt's population is estimated at around 18,445. This reflects an increase of 1,459 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 16,986. The change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of 17,979 residents following examination of ABS ERP data release in June 2024 and an additional 269 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 2,946 persons per square kilometer, placing Mount Druitt in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Mount Druitt's population growth of 8.6% since the 2021 census exceeded both the SA3 area (5.2%) and the state average, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 70.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting 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. Future population trends indicate a growth of 2,105 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting an increase of 8.9% in total over the 17-year period.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Mount Druitt according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

Mount Druitt has seen approximately 42 new homes approved annually based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers. Over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, around 210 homes were approved, with an additional 36 approved so far in FY-26. Each year, an average of 1.3 new residents per dwelling has been recorded over the past five financial years, suggesting a balanced supply and demand creating stable market conditions. However, recent data shows this ratio has increased to 7.4 people per dwelling over the past two financial years, indicating growing popularity and potential supply constraints in the area.

New homes are being built at an average construction cost value of $312,000. This year alone, there have been $30.6 million in commercial approvals, reflecting robust local business investment. Comparing Mount Druitt's construction rates to Greater Sydney shows similar figures, preserving market equilibrium consistent with surrounding areas. However, these rates are lower than the national average, suggesting market maturity and potential development constraints.

In terms of dwelling types, 70.0% are standalone homes, while 30.0% are townhouses or apartments. This mix indicates an expanding range of medium-density options, creating opportunities across various price brackets. Interestingly, developers are building more traditional houses than the current residential mix suggests (47.0% at Census), suggesting continued strong demand for family homes despite density pressures. Mount Druitt has approximately 377 people per dwelling approval, reflecting its established nature. Future projections estimate an addition of 1,639 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 growth beyond current population projections.

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

Twenty projects identified by AreaSearch are expected to impact the area significantly. Key projects include Mount St Mount Druitt, Expanded Mount Druitt PCYC, Mount Druitt Place Plan & CBD Renewal, and Universal Property Group's 6-10 Mount Street Development. The following list details those likely to be most relevant.

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

Denotes AI-based impression for illustrative purposes only, not to be taken as definitive under any circumstances. Please follow links and conduct other investigations from the project's source for actual imagery. Developers and project owners wishing us to use original imagery please Contact Us and we will do so.

AreaSearch assessment indicates Mount Druitt faces employment challenges relative to the majority of Australian markets

Mount Druitt has an educated workforce with diverse sector representation. Its unemployment rate is 12.2%, with estimated employment growth of 4.5% over the past year (AreaSearch). As of December 2025, there are 7,632 employed residents, but the unemployment rate is high at 8.0%, significantly above Greater Sydney's 4.2%.

Workforce participation lags at 62.3%. A notable 25.5% work from home (Census). Key industries include health care & social assistance, retail trade, and transport, postal & warehousing. The area is particularly specialized in the latter, with an employment share of 2.1 times the regional level.

However, professional & technical services have limited presence at 5.7%. Employment opportunities locally appear limited as indicated by Census data. Over the year to December 2025, employment increased by 4.5%, while labour force grew by 2.8%, leading to a unemployment fall of 1.5 percentage points (AreaSearch). Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest Mount Druitt's employment should increase by 6.3% over five years and 13.3% over ten years, based on industry-specific projections.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

AreaSearch's aggregation of latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year ending June 2023 shows Mount Druitt had a median income among taxpayers of $50,053 and an average income of $55,160. This is lower than the national averages of $60,817 and $83,003 in Greater Sydney respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% from financial year ending June 2023 to September 2025, estimated median income would be approximately $54,488 and average income $60,047. Census data indicates individual incomes are at the 12th percentile ($608 weekly) and household incomes at the 34th percentile. Income distribution shows that 35.3% of residents (6,511 people) fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket, similar to regional levels at 30.9%. Housing affordability pressures are severe with only 79.2% of income remaining, ranking at the 28th percentile.

Mount Druitt displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Mount Druitt's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, had 46.6% houses and 53.4% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Sydney metro's 55.9% houses and 44.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Mount Druitt was at 19.1%, with mortgaged dwellings at 30.2% and rented ones at 50.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,815, below Sydney metro's average of $2,427. The median weekly rent in Mount Druitt was $355, compared to Sydney metro's $470. Nationally, Mount Druitt's mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were less than the national figure of $375.

Mount Druitt has a typical household mix, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households account for 76.5% of all households, including 44.1% composed of couples with children, 16.1% consisting of couples without children, and 14.6% made up of single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 23.5%, with lone person households comprising 20.0% and group households making up 3.4%. The median household size is 3.1 people, which is larger than the Greater Sydney average of 2.7.

Mount Druitt shows below-average educational performance compared to national benchmarks, though pockets of achievement exist

Mount Druitt's residents aged 15 and above have a university degree attainment rate of 28.4%, compared to Greater Sydney's 38.0%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 19.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (7.3%) and graduate diplomas (1.2%). Vocational credentials are held by 26.9% of residents, with advanced diplomas at 9.9% and certificates at 17.0%. Educational participation is high, with 35.9% currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes 12.6% in primary education, 8.7% in secondary education, and 6.1% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Mount Druitt has 119 active public transport stops offering a mix of train and bus services. These are served by 60 routes, facilitating 13,616 weekly passenger trips. Residents enjoy excellent transport accessibility, with an average distance of 193 meters to the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward from this primarily residential area. Cars remain the dominant mode of transport at 78%, while 14% use trains. On average, there is 1.1 vehicle per dwelling.

According to the 2021 Census, a high 25.5% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 1,945 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 114 weekly trips per stop. The accompanying map displays the 100 nearest stops to the location's centrepoint.

Health performance in Mount Druitt is lower than average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts

Mount Druitt faces significant health challenges, as assessed by AreaSearch. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are high, with common health conditions prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts. Private health cover is very low, at approximately 49% of the total population (~9,011 people), compared to 59.9% in Greater Sydney and a national average of 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions are diabetes (6.8%) and asthma (6.2%). 76.2% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 74.6% across Greater Sydney. Under-65 population health outcomes are better than average. The area has 12.4% of residents aged 65 and over (2,287 people), lower than the 15.4% in Greater Sydney. Senior health outcomes present some challenges, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

Mount Druitt is among the most culturally diverse areas in the country based on AreaSearch assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Mount Druitt has a population where 64.6% speak a language other than English at home, with 56.7% born overseas. Christianity is the predominant religion in Mount Druitt, making up 51.8%. Islam's representation is significantly higher compared to Greater Sydney, comprising 25.9% of Mount Druitt's population.

For ancestry, 'Other' is most common at 38.7%, Australian follows at 11.7%, and Filipino at 11.3%. Samoan (2.6%), Spanish (0.8%), and Lebanese (1.9%) ethnic groups are notably overrepresented in Mount Druitt compared to regional averages of 0.5%, 0.6%, and 2.6% respectively.

Mount Druitt's young demographic places it in the bottom 15% of areas nationwide

Mount Druitt's median age is 34 years, which is lower than Greater Sydney's average of 37 years and considerably younger than Australia's median age of 38 years. Compared to Greater Sydney, Mount Druitt has a higher proportion of residents aged 5-14 years (14.8%) but fewer residents aged 25-34 years (13.9%). Between the 2021 Census and the latest data, the population share for those aged 15-24 years increased from 13.4% to 14.7%, while the proportion of residents aged 25-34 years decreased from 15.3% to 13.9%. The population share for those aged 35-44 years also dropped, from 16.0% to 14.9%. By 2041, Mount Druitt's demographic landscape is projected to change significantly. The 75-84 age cohort is expected to grow by 59%, adding 411 residents to reach a total of 1,112. Residents aged 65 and above will drive 51% of population growth, indicating a trend towards demographic aging. Conversely, population declines are projected for the 0-4 and 35-44 age cohorts.