Parramatta

Parramatta 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, Parramatta's population is estimated at around 34,811, reflecting an increase of 4,600 people since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 30,211. This growth was inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of the resident population at 33,986 following examination of ABS ERP data released in June 2024 and an additional 1,138 validated new addresses since the Census date. The suburb's population density is approximately 6,656 persons per square kilometer, placing it in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Parramatta's growth rate of 15.2% since the 2021 census exceeded both state (6.7%) and metropolitan area averages, marking it as a growth leader. Overseas migration contributed approximately 84.0% of overall population gains during recent periods. For projections, AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year and NSW State Government's SA2 level projections for areas not covered by this data, released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year.

Growth rates by age group are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. By 2041, Parramatta is projected to grow by 34,348 persons based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting an increase of 95.9% in total over the 17-year period.

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

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers indicates Parramatta recorded around 469 residential properties granted approval each year over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated 2345 homes. By FY26, 19 approvals have been recorded so far. Over these five years, an average of 0.9 new residents per year per dwelling constructed was observed. This suggests that new construction is matching or outpacing demand, offering buyers more options and enabling population growth.

The average expected construction cost value for new properties is $502,000. In FY26, $267.1 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded, indicating strong commercial development momentum. The majority of new building activity in Parramatta consists of townhouses or apartments at 98%, with standalone homes making up the remaining 2%.

This trend towards denser development provides accessible entry options and appeals to downsizers, investors, and entry-level buyers. The location has approximately 52 people per dwelling approval, indicating an expanding market. Future projections from AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate suggest Parramatta will add 33,375 residents by 2041. At current development rates, housing supply may struggle to match population growth, potentially heightening buyer competition and supporting price increases.

Parramatta 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 87 projects likely impacting the area. Key projects include Powerhouse Parramatta, Civic Link Parramatta, Cosmopolitan by Deicorp Parramatta, and Parramatta CBD Development Program. The following list details those 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 positions Parramatta ahead of most Australian regions for employment performance

Parramatta has a highly educated workforce with strong representation in professional services. Its unemployment rate is 3.3% based on AreaSearch data aggregation from statistical areas.

As of June 2025, there are 23,760 residents employed, with an unemployment rate of 0.9% below Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%. Workforce participation in Parramatta is 68.1%, higher than Greater Sydney's 60.0%. Dominant employment sectors include professional & technical, health care & social assistance, and finance & insurance. The area specializes particularly in professional & technical services, with an employment share of 1.9 times the regional level.

Conversely, construction is under-represented at 4.2% compared to Greater Sydney's 8.6%. There are 1.7 workers for every resident, indicating Parramatta functions as an employment hub hosting more jobs than residents and attracting workers from surrounding areas. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment levels increased by 2.2% and labour force grew by 3.1%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 0.8 percentage points in Parramatta. In contrast, Greater Sydney saw employment rise by 2.6%, labour force grow by 2.9%, and unemployment increase by 0.3 percentage points during the same period. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia, issued in Sep-22, project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Parramatta's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.4% over five years and 14.8% over ten years.

The area exhibits notably strong income performance, ranking higher than 70% of areas assessed nationally through AreaSearch analysis

Parramatta had a median taxpayer income of $55,880 and an average income of $67,800 in financial year 2022, according to the latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch. This is higher than the national average, which was $56,994 median and $80,856 average for Greater Sydney in the same period. By September 2025, estimates suggest Parramatta's median income could reach approximately $62,926 and average income around $76,350, based on a 12.61% Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2022. The 2021 Census data ranks Parramatta's household, family, and personal incomes between the 72nd and 80th percentiles nationally. In Parramatta, 39.0% of individuals (13,576) fall into the $1,500 - 2,999 earnings band, similar to regional levels where 30.9% occupy this range. High housing costs consume 19.3% of income in Parramatta, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 66th percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

Parramatta features a more urban dwelling mix with significant apartment living, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Parramatta's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 7.7% houses and 92.4% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Sydney metro had no houses or other dwellings recorded at that time. Home ownership in Parramatta stood at 9.8%, with mortgaged properties at 18.4% and rented dwellings at 71.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,080, aligning with the Sydney metro average, while the median weekly rent was $440. Nationally, Parramatta's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Parramatta features high concentrations of group households, with a median household size of 2.4 people

Family households constitute 63.7% of all households, including 29.5% couples with children, 25.2% couples without children, and 6.7% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 36.3%, with lone person households at 26.1% and group households comprising 10.2%. The median household size is 2.4 people.

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

Educational attainment in Parramatta is notably high, with 62.1% of residents aged 15 years and above holding university qualifications compared to the national average of 30.4% and the NSW average of 32.2%. This indicates a significant educational advantage for the area, positioning it well for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees are the most prevalent at 36.5%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (23.2%) and graduate diplomas (2.4%). Vocational pathways account for 16.9% of qualifications among those aged 15 years and above, with advanced diplomas making up 9.4% and certificates 7.5%.

Educational participation is high, with 31.9% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.1% in tertiary education, 8.2% in primary education, and 3.6% pursuing secondary education. As of a recent report, there are approximately 7,611 students educated within Parramatta's robust network of 10 schools. The area demonstrates above-average socio-educational conditions, with an ICSEA score of 1084. The educational mix includes four primary, four secondary, and two K-12 schools. With 21.9 school places per 100 residents, Parramatta shows strong educational infrastructure serving both local and surrounding communities. Note that where schools show 'n/a' for enrolments, please refer to the parent campus.

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

Parramatta has 104 active public transport stops. These include ferry, train, light rail, and bus services. There are 113 individual routes operating in total, providing 23,024 weekly passenger trips collectively.

Residents enjoy excellent transport accessibility, with an average distance of 136 meters to the nearest stop. On average, there are 3,289 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 221 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Parramatta's health outcomes show excellent results with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups.

Approximately 54% (~18,707 people) have private health cover. The most prevalent medical conditions are mental health issues (4.3%) and asthma (3.8%), while 85.5% report no medical ailments, compared to 0% in Greater Sydney. Parramatta has 7.6% (2,645 people) aged 65 and over, with strong health outcomes among seniors requiring more attention than the broader population.

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

Parramatta has one of the highest levels of cultural diversity in Australia, with 73.9% of its residents speaking a language other than English at home and 73.7% born overseas. Hinduism is the predominant religion in Parramatta, accounting for 36.7% of the population, compared to None% across Greater Sydney. The top three ancestry groups based on country of birth of parents are Other (27.8%), Indian (25.3%), and Chinese (14.2%).

Notably, Lebanese, Korean, and Filipino ethnic groups have higher representation in Parramatta than in the broader region: Lebanese at 2.3% vs None%, Korean at 1.4% vs None%, and Filipino at 3.1% vs None%.

Parramatta hosts a very young demographic, ranking in the bottom 10% of areas nationwide

Parramatta has a median age of 32 years, which is younger than Greater Sydney's average of 37 and significantly lower than Australia's national average of 38 years. Compared to Greater Sydney, Parramatta has a higher proportion of residents aged 25-34 (32.3%) but fewer residents aged 45-54 (7.6%). This concentration of 25-34 year-olds is notably higher than the national average of 14.5%. According to post-2021 Census data, the proportion of residents aged 25 to 34 has increased from 31.3% to 32.3%, while the proportion of those aged 5 to 14 has decreased from 9.0% to 8.1%. Demographic projections indicate that Parramatta's age profile will change significantly by 2041, with the strongest growth expected in the 25 to 34 age group, which is projected to increase by 91%, adding 10,204 residents and reaching a total of 21,448.