Prairiewood

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

As of November 2025, the estimated population for the Prairiewood statistical area (Lv2) is around 3,464 people. This reflects an increase of 7 individuals since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 3,457 people. The change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population at 3,410 following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024, along with an additional validated new address since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 1,626 persons per square kilometer, which is higher than the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Over the past decade, Prairiewood has demonstrated resilient growth patterns with a compound annual growth rate of 0.7%, outpacing the SA3 area. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration, contributing approximately 76.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022, and NSW State Government's SA2 level projections for areas not covered by this data, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Based on aggregated SA2-level projections, the Prairiewood (SA2) is expected to increase by 174 persons to reach a total of 3,638 people by 2041, reflecting an overall increase of approximately 5.2% over the 17-year period.

The level of residential development activity in Prairiewood is very low in comparison to the average area assessed nationally by AreaSearch

Prairiewood has averaged approximately five new dwelling approvals annually. Between financial years 2021 and 2025, around 27 homes were approved, with four more approved in the current financial year 2026. The average construction cost of these dwellings is $254,000, which is lower than regional levels.

This suggests more affordable housing options for buyers in Prairiewood. In the 2026 financial year, there have been $3.9 million in commercial approvals, indicating a primarily residential area. Compared to Greater Sydney, Prairiewood has substantially reduced construction activity, with 67.0% fewer approvals per person than the regional average. This constrained new construction may reinforce demand and pricing for existing homes. The area's new construction is entirely comprised of standalone homes, maintaining its traditional suburban character focused on family homes.

Interestingly, developers are building more traditional houses than the current mix suggests, indicating strong demand for family homes despite density pressures. Prairiewood has approximately 1155 people per dwelling approval, demonstrating an established market. Population forecasts suggest Prairiewood will gain 182 residents by 2041. Based on current development patterns, new housing supply should readily meet demand, offering favourable conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

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

Area infrastructure significantly impacts local performance. AreaSearch identified six projects potentially affecting the area. Key initiatives include Fairfield Hospital Redevelopment, Fairfield Showground Community and Events Centre, Villawood Town Centre Redevelopment Stage 2, and EVO Fairfield. The following details projects likely most relevant.

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

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Employment conditions in Prairiewood remain below the national average according to AreaSearch analysis

Prairiewood has a skilled workforce with diverse sector representation. Its unemployment rate was 4.4% in the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 5.8%.

As of September 2025, 1,438 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 4.4%, which is 0.2% higher than Greater Sydney's rate. Workforce participation in Prairiewood lags at 40.6%, compared to Greater Sydney's 60.0%. Employment is concentrated in health care & social assistance, retail trade, and manufacturing, with a strong specialization in manufacturing (1.7 times the regional level). Professional & technical services show lower representation at 6.2% versus the regional average of 11.5%.

The worker-to-resident ratio is 0.7, indicating above-normal local employment opportunities. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment increased by 5.8%, while labour force grew by 4.7%, leading to a 1.0 percentage point decrease in unemployment. In contrast, Greater Sydney saw employment growth of 2.1% and labour force growth of 2.4%, with a slight rise in unemployment (0.2 percentage points). State-level data from 25-Nov-25 shows NSW employment contracted by 0.03%, with an unemployment rate of 3.9%. National employment forecasts from May-25 project national growth rates of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but these vary significantly between sectors. Applying these projections to Prairiewood's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.3% over five years and 13.3% over ten years.

Income figures position the area below 75% of locations analysed nationally by AreaSearch

Prairiewood's median taxpayer income was $42,880 and average was $54,911 in financial year 2023. This is lower than Greater Sydney's median of $60,817 and average of $83,003. By September 2025, estimated incomes are approximately $46,679 (median) and $59,776 (average), based on an 8.86% wage growth since financial year 2023. In the 2021 Census, individual incomes were at the 3rd percentile ($496 weekly), while household incomes were at the 34th percentile. Income distribution shows 29.1% of residents (1,008 people) earning between $1,500 and $2,999 per week. The community has economic stratification, with 30.3% in modest circumstances and 20.2% in high-earning categories. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 81.1% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 30th percentile.

Prairiewood is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

The dwelling structure in Prairiewood, as per the latest Census, consisted of 75.9% houses and 24.1% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Sydney metro's 73.3% houses and 26.7% other dwellings. The home ownership rate in Prairiewood was 39.5%, with mortgaged dwellings at 26.4% and rented ones at 34.1%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,167, higher than Sydney metro's average of $2,000. The median weekly rent figure for Prairiewood was $433, compared to Sydney metro's $400. Nationally, Prairiewood's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Prairiewood features high concentrations of family households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households comprise 81.8% of all households, including 41.7% couples with children, 22.7% couples without children, and 15.7% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 18.2%, with lone person households at 16.9% and group households comprising 1.5%. The median household size is 3.1 people, smaller than the Greater Sydney average of 3.2.

Prairiewood faces educational challenges, with performance metrics placing it in the bottom quartile of areas assessed nationally

The area's university qualification rate is 17.3%, significantly lower than Greater Sydney's average of 38.0%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 14.1%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.4%) and graduate diplomas (0.8%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 27.2% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (9.0%) and certificates (18.2%). Educational participation is high, with 28.3% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, comprising 9.4% in secondary, 8.7% in primary, and 4.3% in tertiary education.

Educational participation is notably high, with 28.3% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.4% in secondary education, 8.7% in primary education, and 4.3% pursuing tertiary education.

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

The analysis shows that Prairiewood has 25 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by a total of 31 different routes, offering 1,455 weekly passenger trips combined. The report rates the area's transport accessibility as excellent, with residents usually located within 150 meters of their nearest stop.

On average, there are 207 daily trips across all routes, which works out to about 58 weekly trips per individual stop.

Prairiewood's residents are healthier than average in comparison to broader Australia with prevalence of common health conditions quite low across both younger and older age cohorts

Health data shows Prairiewood residents have relatively positive health outcomes. The prevalence of common health conditions is low across both younger and older age groups.

Approximately 49% (~1,686 people) have private health cover, which is lower than the national average of 55.7%. The most common medical conditions are arthritis (affecting 8.0% of residents) and diabetes (7.1%). A total of 72.6% declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 75.6% across Greater Sydney. As of the latest data, 24.5% of Prairiewood's population is aged 65 and over (848 people), higher than Greater Sydney's 19.0%. Despite this, health outcomes among seniors are strong, performing better than the general population in health metrics.

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

Prairiewood, one of Australia's most culturally diverse areas, has a population where 54.5% were born overseas and 69.9% speak languages other than English at home. Christianity is the dominant religion in Prairiewood, with 72.2%, compared to 55.7% across Greater Sydney. The top three ancestry groups are Other (38.4%), Italian (9.1%), and Vietnamese (8.0%).

Notably, Croatian (4.1%) and Spanish (1.6%) are overrepresented in Prairiewood compared to regional averages of 1.7% and 1.0%, respectively. Serbian is slightly underrepresented at 1.4%.

Prairiewood hosts a notably older demographic compared to the national average

The median age in Prairiewood is 43 years, which is higher than Greater Sydney's average of 37 years and exceeds the national average of 38 years. The age profile shows that those aged 75-84 years make up 9.3% of the population, a significant proportion compared to other age groups. Meanwhile, the 35-44 age group comprises 10.2%, which is smaller than in Greater Sydney. Between 2021 and present, the 75-84 age group has increased from 7.7% to 9.3%, while the 15-24 age cohort has risen from 12.6% to 13.9%. Conversely, the 5-14 age group has decreased from 11.9% to 10.2%, and the 35-44 age group has dropped from 11.5% to 10.2%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate that Prairiewood's age structure will shift significantly. The 85+ age cohort is expected to grow exceptionally, increasing by 160 people (144%) from 110 to 271. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups are projected to account for 95% of total population growth, reflecting Prairiewood's aging demographic profile. Conversely, the 25-34 and 55-64 age cohorts are expected to experience population declines.