Northmead

Northmead has seen population growth performance typically on par with national averages when looking at short and medium term trends

As of November 2025, Northmead's population is estimated at around 11,791 people. This reflects an increase since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 11,261 people. The growth of 530 people (4.7%) is inferred from AreaSearch's validation of new addresses and examination of ABS ERP data released in June 2024. Northmead's population density ratio is 2,761 persons per square kilometer, placing it in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The suburb's growth rate since census (4.7%) is within 2.0 percentage points of the state's growth rate (6.7%). Overseas migration contributed approximately 82.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilises NSW State Government's SA2 level projections released in 2022 with a base year of 2021. Growth rates by age group are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Based on aggregated SA2-level projections, Northmead is expected to experience above median population growth. By 2041, the suburb's population is projected to expand by 2,777 persons, reflecting a gain of 26.0% in total over the 17 years.

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

Northmead has seen approximately 54 dwelling approvals annually based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS data. Between FY-21 and FY-25, around 272 homes were approved, with an additional 7 approved in FY-26 to date. This results in an average of about 0.4 new residents per year per dwelling constructed over the past five financial years.

The average construction cost value for new dwellings is approximately $586,000. In the current financial year, commercial approvals total $86.1 million, indicating strong local business investment. Compared to Greater Sydney, Northmead has about two-thirds the rate of new dwelling approvals per person and ranks in the 50th percentile nationally. The area's building activity is predominantly townhouses or apartments (68%), with standalone homes making up the remaining 32%. This shift from the current housing composition of 49% houses suggests decreasing developable sites and increasing demand for diverse, affordable housing options.

Northmead has a low density population, with around 323 people per approval. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, the area is projected to add approximately 3,069 residents by 2041. If current development rates continue, housing supply may struggle to keep pace with population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and supporting price increases.

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

The performance of an area is significantly influenced by changes in local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has identified 28 such projects that are expected to impact the area. Notable among these are The Children's Hospital at Westmead Redevelopment, Integrated Mental Health Complex Westmead, Westmead Health and Innovation District, and Stream Northmead. The following list provides details of those considered 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.

Employment conditions in Northmead rank among the top 10% of areas assessed nationally

Northmead has an educated workforce with strong professional services representation. The unemployment rate was 1.4% in the past year, with estimated employment growth of 3.4%.

As of June 2025, 7,549 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 2.8%, below Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%. Workforce participation is similar to Greater Sydney's 60.0%. Major industries include health care & social assistance, education & training, and professional & technical services. Health care & social assistance has a strong presence, with an employment share 1.2 times the regional level.

Professional & technical services have limited presence at 9.4% compared to the regional 11.5%. The worker-to-resident ratio is 0.8, indicating ample local employment opportunities. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment levels increased by 3.4%, labour force by 3.6%, and unemployment rose by 0.2 percentage points. Greater Sydney recorded employment growth of 2.6% during the same period. National employment forecasts from Sep-22 project a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Northmead's industry mix suggests local employment could grow by 7.0% in five years and 14.3% in ten years, though this is a simplified extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

Income analysis reveals strong economic positioning, with the area outperforming 60% of locations assessed nationally by AreaSearch

Northmead has a median taxpayer income of $56,012 and an average income of $68,470 based on the latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2022. This is higher than the national average, contrasting with Greater Sydney's median income of $56,994 and average income of $80,856. As of September 2025, current estimates based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% would be approximately $63,075 (median) and $77,104 (average). Census data indicates that household, family, and personal incomes in Northmead cluster around the 66th percentile nationally. The earnings profile shows 31.3% of the population, equating to 3,690 individuals, fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 income range, aligning with regional levels where this cohort represents 30.9%. High housing costs consume 18.0% of income. Despite this, strong earnings place disposable income at the 58th percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 7th decile.

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

Northmead's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 49.1% houses and 50.9% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This contrasts with Sydney metro's figures of 36.4% houses and 63.6% other dwellings. Home ownership in Northmead stood at 27.7%, with mortgaged dwellings at 37.9% and rented ones at 34.4%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,300, higher than Sydney metro's average of $2,167. The median weekly rent in Northmead was $420, matching Sydney metro's figure. Nationally, Northmead's mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $2,300 compared to the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially above the national figure of $375 at $420.

Northmead has a typical household mix, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 69.5% of all households, including 33.5% couples with children, 24.2% couples without children, and 10.7% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 30.5%, with lone person households at 27.5% and group households comprising 3.0% of the total. The median household size is 2.5 people, which is smaller than the Greater Sydney average of 2.6.

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

The area faces educational challenges with university qualification rates at 39.1%, substantially below the SA3 area average of 50.2%. Bachelor degrees lead at 25.6%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 10.7% and graduate diplomas at 2.8%. Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 29.9% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas at 11.6% and certificates at 18.3%. Educational participation is high, with 29.4% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, including 10.3% in primary, 7.2% in secondary, and 5.6% pursuing tertiary education.

Northmead's three schools have a combined enrollment reaching 1,931 students as of the latest data available. The area demonstrates above-average socio-educational conditions with an ICSEA score of 1063. The educational mix includes one primary school, one secondary school, and one K-12 school.

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

Northmead has 40 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 62 different routes that together facilitate 3,898 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of public transport in Northmead is rated as excellent, with residents on average located just 175 meters from the nearest stop.

On a daily basis, there are an average of 556 trips across all routes, which amounts to approximately 97 weekly trips per individual stop.

The level of general health in Northmead is notably higher than the national average with prevalence of common health conditions low among the general population though higher than the nation's average across older, at risk cohorts

Northmead shows better-than-average health outcomes with lower prevalence of common conditions among its general population compared to national averages.

However, older and at-risk cohorts have a higher prevalence. Approximately 54% (~6,367 people) of the population has private health cover. The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (affecting 7.6% of residents) and asthma (7.1%), with 72.0% reporting no medical ailments compared to Greater Sydney's 79.0%. Residents aged 65 and over make up 18.8% (2,216 people), higher than Greater Sydney's 12.5%.

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

Northmead has a high level of cultural diversity, with 36.0% of its population born overseas and 34.5% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the main religion in Northmead, comprising 57.7% of people. However, Hinduism is underrepresented compared to Greater Sydney, making up only 5.7%.

The top three ancestry groups in Northmead are Australian (19.0%), English (18.5%), and Other (15.5%). Notably, Korean (2.1%) and Lebanese (3.4%) ethnicities are overrepresented compared to regional averages, while Russian is slightly overrepresented at 0.5%.

Northmead's population is slightly older than the national pattern

The median age in Northmead is 39 years, slightly higher than Greater Sydney's average of 37 years and close to the national average of 38 years. Compared to Greater Sydney, Northmead has a notably higher proportion of individuals aged 75-84 (7.3% locally) and a lower proportion of those aged 25-34 (13.3%). According to post-2021 Census data, the population aged 15-24 has grown from 9.9% to 10.7%, while the 35-44 age group has declined from 16.3% to 15.2%. Population forecasts for Northmead in 2041 indicate significant demographic changes, with the 75-84 age group expected to grow by 71% (adding 611 people), reaching a total of 1,472 from 860. This growth is led by residents aged 65 and older, who represent 51% of anticipated population growth. The 0-4 age group shows more modest growth, adding only 25 residents at a rate of 4%.