Norwest

Norwest lies within the top 10% of areas nationally in terms of population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of short and medium-term trends

As of Nov 2025, AreaSearch estimates the population of the Norwest statistical area (Lv2) at around 6,368 people. This represents an increase of 1,680 individuals since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 4,688 people. The growth is inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of 5,753 residents following examination of ABS's latest ERP data release (June 2024), along with an additional 765 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of approximately 2,250 persons per square kilometer. The Norwest (SA2) experienced a growth rate of 35.8% between the 2021 Census and Nov 2025, surpassing the SA3 area's growth of 5.9% and the state's growth rate. Overseas migration contributed approximately 50% to overall population gains during this period, with other factors such as interstate migration also playing a positive role.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data, NSW State Government's SA2 level projections from 2022 with a base year of 2021 are utilized. These projections indicate that the Norwest (SA2) is expected to experience exceptional growth, placing it in the top 10 percent of Australian statistical areas over the period from Nov 2025 to 2041. According to aggregated SA2-level projections, the area is predicted to expand by 2,656 persons by 2041, reflecting a total gain of 26.0% over the 17-year period.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Norwest among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

Based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers, allocated from statistical area data, Norwest has experienced around 227 dwellings receiving development approval annually over the past five financial years. This totals an estimated 1,139 homes. So far in FY-26, 23 approvals have been recorded. Over these five years, on average, only 0.8 people moved to the area for each dwelling built.

This indicates that new supply is keeping pace with or exceeding demand, offering ample buyer choice and creating capacity for population growth beyond current forecasts. The average expected construction cost value of new dwellings is $745,000, demonstrating a focus on the premium segment with upmarket properties. Additionally, $33.7 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded this financial year, indicating high levels of local commercial activity. Compared to Greater Sydney, Norwest records 395.0% more construction activity per person, which suggests strong developer confidence in the location and ample buyer choice. New building activity shows 13.0% detached dwellings and 87.0% townhouses or apartments, indicating a shift towards higher-density living to create more affordable entry points for downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers. This represents a notable shift from the area's existing housing composition of 38.0% houses. With around 18 people per dwelling approval, Norwest shows characteristics of a growth area.

Future projections show Norwest adding 1,658 residents by 2041, based on the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate. Given current development patterns, new housing supply should readily meet demand, offering good conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

Norwest 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 26 projects likely to impact this area. Notable ones are Norwest City, Hills Showground Station Precinct, Norwest Quarter, and The Orchards Norwest. Below is a list of projects expected to have the greatest relevance.

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.

The labour market in Norwest shows considerable strength compared to most other Australian regions

Norwest's workforce is highly educated, with the technology sector prominently represented. The unemployment rate in Norwest was 2.6% over the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 1.1%.

As of September 2025, there are 3,241 residents employed, with an unemployment rate of 1.6%, below Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%. Workforce participation in Norwest is similar to Greater Sydney's at 60.0%. The leading employment industries among residents include professional & technical, health care & social assistance, and finance & insurance. Notably, the area has a strong specialization in professional & technical services, with an employment share of 1.3 times the regional level.

Conversely, transport, postal & warehousing is under-represented, with only 3.3% of Norwest's workforce compared to Greater Sydney's 5.3%. There are 1.8 workers for every resident in Norwest, indicating that it functions as an employment hub attracting workers from surrounding areas. Over the past year, employment increased by 1.1%, while labour force grew by 0.6%, causing the unemployment rate to fall by 0.5 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Sydney experienced employment growth of 2.1% and labour force growth of 2.4%, with a slight rise in unemployment rate by 0.2 percentage points. State-level data from NSW as of 25-Nov shows that employment contracted by 0.03%, losing 2,260 jobs, with the state unemployment rate at 3.9%. Nationally, the unemployment rate was 4.3% during this period. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project a 6.6% increase in employment over five years and a 13.7% increase over ten years. Applying these projections to Norwest's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.0% over five years and 14.2% over ten years, based on simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

Income metrics indicate excellent economic conditions, with the area achieving higher performance than 75% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023 shows that Norwest suburb has extremely high incomes nationally. The median income is $62,955 and the average income stands at $81,725. This contrasts with Greater Sydney's figures of a median income of $60,817 and an average income of $83,003. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $68,533 (median) and $88,966 (average) as of September 2025. Census data reveals that household, family and personal incomes all rank highly in Norwest, between the 78th and 82nd percentiles nationally. Income brackets indicate that the predominant cohort spans 33.8% of locals (2,152 people) in the $1,500 - 2,999 category, consistent with broader trends across the broader area showing 30.9% in the same category. The substantial proportion of high earners (34.6% above $3,000/week) indicates strong economic capacity throughout Norwest. High housing costs consume 19.5% of income, though strong earnings still place disposable income at the 73rd percentile and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

Norwest features a more urban dwelling mix with significant apartment living, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Norwest's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 38.1% houses and 61.9% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Sydney metro's 78.2% houses and 21.8% other dwellings. Home ownership in Norwest stood at 29.4%, with mortgaged dwellings at 28.9% and rented dwellings at 41.7%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,823, below Sydney metro's average of $3,000. Median weekly rent in Norwest was $579, similar to Sydney metro's figure of $580. Nationally, Norwest's mortgage repayments were higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 72.8% of all households, including 29.6% couples with children, 33.7% couples without children, and 8.7% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 27.2%, with lone person households at 22.1% and group households making up 5.0%. The median household size is 2.5 people, which is smaller than the Greater Sydney average of 3.0.

Norwest demonstrates exceptional educational outcomes, ranking among the top 5% of areas nationally based on AreaSearch's comprehensive analysis of qualification and performance metrics

In Norwest, educational attainment is notably high, with 46.3% of residents aged 15 and above holding university qualifications, surpassing the national average of 30.4% and the NSW average of 32.2%. This indicates a significant educational advantage for the area, potentially opening doors to knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 28.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 14.6% and graduate diplomas at 2.9%. Vocational credentials are also prevalent among residents aged 15 and above, with 29.2% holding such qualifications.

Advanced diplomas account for 15.0% of this group, while certificates make up 14.2%. Educational participation is notably high in Norwest, with 30.2% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 8.6% in primary education, 5.7% in tertiary education, and 5.5% pursuing secondary education.

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

Norwest has 42 active public transport stops operating within its boundaries. These stops offer a mix of light rail and bus services. There are 45 individual routes serving these stops, collectively providing 7,387 weekly passenger trips.

Transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically located 172 meters from the nearest transport stop. Service frequency averages 1,055 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 175 weekly trips per individual stop.

Norwest's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Norwest shows excellent health outcomes with low prevalence of common conditions across all ages. Approximately 59% of Norwest's total population (3,769 people) has private health cover, compared to Greater Sydney's 64.4%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis and asthma, affecting 6.4% and 5.3% of residents respectively. About 76.5% of residents report no medical ailments, slightly higher than Greater Sydney's 75.9%. Norwest has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 21.2% (1,350 people), compared to Greater Sydney's 18.9%. Seniors' health outcomes align with the general population's profile.

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

Norwest has a high level of cultural diversity, with 42.3% of its population speaking a language other than English at home and 49.8% born overseas. Christianity is the main religion in Norwest, comprising 54.1% of people. Hinduism is overrepresented in Norwest compared to Greater Sydney, making up 9.9% versus 8.6%.

The top three ancestry groups are English (18.6%), Other (16.0%), and Australian (13.4%). Korean, Indian, and Chinese ethnicities show notable divergences: Korean is overrepresented at 2.0% in Norwest compared to 2.3% regionally; Indian is also overrepresented at 8.4% versus 7.5%; however, Chinese is underrepresented at 13.2% versus 15.0%.

Norwest's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

Norwest's median age in 2021 was 37 years, matching Greater Sydney's figure of 37 years and closely resembling Australia's median age of 38 years. The age group of 75-84 years had a strong representation at 7.3% compared to Greater Sydney, while the 45-54 cohort was less prevalent at 9.2%. Between January 2021 and present, the population aged 15 to 24 has grown from 11.6% to 13.8%. Conversely, the age group of 25 to 34 has decreased from 17.8% to 16.4%, and those aged 55 to 64 have dropped from 8.8% to 7.5%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Norwest's age structure. Notably, the population aged 85 years and above is expected to grow by 197%, reaching 776 individuals from a previous count of 261. This growth reflects an aging population trend, with those aged 65 years and older comprising 60% of projected growth. Meanwhile, the age groups of 0-4 years and 35-44 years are anticipated to experience population declines.