Northmead

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

As of Feb 2026, the estimated population of the suburb of Northmead is around 12,884 people. This figure reflects an increase since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 11,261 people. The growth of 1,623 people (14.4%) was inferred from AreaSearch's estimated resident population of 11,945 in June 2024 and additional validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 3,017 persons per square kilometer, placing Northmead in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The suburb's growth rate exceeded both the state (7.8%) and Greater Sydney figures, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 82.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch adopted 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 utilised NSW State Government's SA2 level projections released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations were applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Based on aggregated SA2-level projections, the suburb of Northmead is expected to expand by 2,790 persons to reach a total population of 15,674 by 2041. This reflects an increase of 15.3% over the 17-year period from 2024 to 2041.

AreaSearch analysis of residential development drivers sees Northmead recording a relatively average level of approval activity when compared to local markets analysed countrywide

Based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers from statistical area data, Northmead recorded approximately 64 residential property approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated 323 homes. As of FY-26 so far, 13 approvals have been recorded. The average population growth per dwelling built in Northmead over these five years was 0.4 people per year. This suggests that new construction is meeting or exceeding demand, providing more housing options and potentially driving population growth beyond current projections.

The average expected construction cost value of new properties in Northmead is $594,000, indicating a focus on the premium market segment. In FY-26 to date, there have been $111.8 million worth of commercial approvals in Northmead, demonstrating strong commercial development momentum. Compared to Greater Sydney, Northmead exhibits approximately 75% of the construction activity per capita while ranking among the 69th percentile of areas assessed nationally. The current building activity in Northmead is composed of 29.0% detached houses and 71.0% townhouses or apartments, marking a significant shift from existing housing patterns (currently 49.0% houses). This trend suggests diminishing developable land availability and responds to evolving lifestyle preferences and housing affordability needs.

Northmead reflects a developing area with approximately 193 people per approval. According to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate, Northmead is projected to gain 1,977 residents by 2041. Existing development levels appear aligned with future population requirements, maintaining stable market conditions without significant price pressures.

Northmead 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 29 projects likely impacting the area. Notable ones include The Children's Hospital at Westmead Redevelopment, Westmead Health and Innovation District, Integrated Mental Health Complex Westmead, and Stream Northmead.

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

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

Northmead has a highly educated workforce with strong representation in professional services. Its unemployment rate is 1.4%. Over the past year, there was an estimated employment growth of 3.5%, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data.

As of September 2025, 7,504 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 2.8% below Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%. Workforce participation in Northmead is 78.3%, compared to Greater Sydney's 70.0%. Census responses indicate that 51.7% of residents work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered. Employment among residents is concentrated in health care & social assistance, education & training, and professional & technical services.

Northmead shows strong specialization in health care & social assistance, with an employment share of 1.2 times the regional level. Conversely, professional & technical services show lower representation at 9.4% versus the regional average of 11.5%. The ratio of 0.8 workers for each resident indicates a level of local employment opportunities above the norm. Over the 12 months to September 2025, employment increased by 3.5%, while labour force increased by 3.6%, resulting in an unemployment rise of 0.1 percentage points. By comparison, Greater Sydney recorded employment growth of 2.1% and labour force growth of 2.4%, with unemployment rising 0.2 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that Northmead's employment should increase by 7.0% over five years and 14.3% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and not accounting for localised population projections.

The economic profile demonstrates above-average performance, with income metrics exceeding national benchmarks based on AreaSearch comparative assessment

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of the latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year 2023, Northmead had a median income among taxpayers of $55,965 and an average income of $68,420. These figures are in line with national averages, which were $60,817 and $83,003 respectively for Greater Sydney during the same period. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $60,923 (median) and $74,482 (average) as of September 2025. From the Census conducted in 2021, household, family, and personal incomes in Northmead cluster around the 66th percentile nationally. Looking at income distribution, 31.3% of locals (4,032 people) fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 category, which is consistent with broader trends across the region showing 30.9% in the same category. High housing costs consume 18.0% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 58th percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 7th decile.

Northmead displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with ownership patterns similar to the broader region

The dwelling structure in Northmead, as evaluated at the 2016 Census, consisted of 49.1% houses and 50.9% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Sydney metro's 55.9% houses and 44.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Northmead stood at 27.7%, with mortgaged dwellings at 37.9% and rented dwellings at 34.4%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,300, lower than Sydney metro's average of $2,427. The median weekly rent in Northmead was $420, compared to Sydney metro's $470. Nationally, Northmead's mortgage repayments were higher at $2,300 versus the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially higher at $420 compared to the national figure of $375.

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 comprise the remaining 30.5%, with lone person households at 27.5% and group households at 3.0%. The median household size is 2.5 people, which is smaller than the Greater Sydney average of 2.7.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 39.1%, significantly lower than the SA3 area average of 50.2%. This disparity presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 25.6%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (10.7%) and graduate diplomas (2.8%). Vocational credentials are also common, with 29.9% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (11.6%) and certificates (18.3%).

Educational participation is high, with 29.4% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.3% in primary education, 7.2% in secondary education, and 5.6% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Northmead has 60 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 63 different routes that collectively facilitate 6,037 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically living within 175 meters of the nearest transport stop. As a predominantly residential area, most residents commute outward from Northmead. Car remains the primary mode of transportation, used by 79% of residents, while bus and train are used by 8% and 6%, respectively. The average vehicle ownership per dwelling is 1.1.

According to the 2021 Census, a high proportion of residents, at 51.7%, work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. On average, there are 862 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 100 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 exhibits above-average health outcomes according to AreaSearch's assessment. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are low among the general population but higher than the national average among older, at-risk cohorts.

Approximately 54% of Northmead's total population (~6,956 people) has private health cover, compared to 59.9% across Greater Sydney. The most common medical conditions in the area are arthritis and asthma, affecting 7.6 and 7.1% of residents respectively. 72.0% of Northmead residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 74.6% across Greater Sydney. Working-age residents have low chronic condition prevalence. The area has 19.6% of residents aged 65 and over (2,525 people), which is higher than the 15.4% in Greater Sydney but ranks lower nationally than the broader population.

Northmead was found to be more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets in Australia, upon 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 predominant religion in Northmead, making up 57.7% of the population. Hinduism, however, is overrepresented compared to Greater Sydney, comprising 5.7% of Northmead's population versus 5.2%.

The top three ancestral groups are Australian (19.0%), English (18.5%), and Other (15.5%). Notably, Korean (2.1%) and Lebanese (3.4%) ethnicities are overrepresented in Northmead compared to the regional averages of 1.1% and 2.6%, respectively. Additionally, Russian ethnicity is slightly overrepresented at 0.5%.

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

Northmead has a median age of 40, which is slightly higher than Greater Sydney's figure of 37 and Australia's figure of 38 years. Compared to Greater Sydney's average, Northmead has an over-representation of the 75-84 cohort (7.7% locally) and an under-representation of the 25-34 age group (12.6%). Between 2021 and present, the 75-84 age group increased from 6.7% to 7.7%, while the 35-44 cohort decreased from 16.3% to 14.9% and the 5-14 group dropped from 13.0% to 11.7%. By 2041, Northmead's age profile is projected to change significantly. The 75-84 cohort is expected to grow by 467 people (47%), reaching 1,460 individuals. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups are projected to account for 60% of total population growth. Meanwhile, the 0-4 and 5-14 cohorts are expected to experience population declines.