Russell Lea

Russell Lea is positioned among the lower quartile of areas assessed nationally for population growth based on AreaSearch's assessment of recent, and medium term trends

Based on analysis of ABS population updates for the broader area, and new addresses validated by AreaSearch since the Census, Russell Lea's population is estimated at around 4,999 as of Nov 2025. This reflects an increase of 79 people (1.6%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 4,920 people. The change is inferred from the resident population of 4,994 estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 and an additional 6 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 4,999 persons per square kilometer, which lies in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch, making land in the area a highly-sought resource. Population growth for the Russell Lea statistical area (Lv2) was primarily driven by overseas migration that contributed approximately 77.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For any SA2 areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch is utilising the NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, as released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are also applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Anticipating future population dynamics, lower quartile growth of national areas is anticipated, with the Russell Lea (SA2) expected to expand by 8 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting an increase of 2.1% in total over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development drivers sees a low level of activity in Russell Lea, placing the area among the bottom 25% of areas assessed nationally

Based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers allocated from statistical area data, Russell Lea has experienced around 7 dwellings receiving development approval each year. Approximately 35 homes have been approved over the past five financial years, between FY21 and FY25, with an additional 3 approved so far in FY26. The average number of people moving to the area per dwelling built over these years is 0.6.

This indicates that supply meets or exceeds demand, offering greater buyer choice while supporting potential population growth above projections. New properties are constructed at an average value of $720,000, suggesting a focus on the premium segment with upmarket properties. In FY26, commercial approvals totaling $2.6 million have been registered, indicating limited commercial development focus compared to Greater Sydney. Russell Lea records markedly lower building activity, 78.0% below the regional average per person, which typically strengthens demand and prices for existing properties. However, development activity has picked up in recent periods, suggesting potential planning limitations as it is also under the national average. New development consists of 33.0% standalone homes and 67.0% townhouses or apartments, marking a significant departure from existing housing patterns (currently 68.0% houses). This trend indicates diminishing developable land availability and responds to evolving lifestyle preferences and housing affordability needs.

Russell Lea has around 480 people per approval, indicating a mature market. Future projections show Russell Lea adding 103 residents by 2041, with current development rates comfortably meeting demand and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

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

Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified six projects expected to impact the region. Notable initiatives include Canada Bay Council Infrastructure Program, Five Dock Station under Sydney Metro West, WestConnex M4-M5 Link, and Parramatta Road Corridor Urban Transformation Strategy (PRCUTS) - Stage 2. Relevant projects are listed below.

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

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Russell Lea ranks among the top 25% of areas assessed nationally for overall employment performance

Russell Lea has an educated workforce, with the technology sector prominent. Its unemployment rate was 2.2% in September 2025, below Greater Sydney's 4.2%.

Workforce participation was 64.3%, similar to Greater Sydney's 60.0%. Key employment sectors were professional & technical, health care & social assistance, and education & training. Finance & insurance had a strong presence, with an employment share of 1.4 times the regional level. Retail trade had limited representation, at 7.0% compared to 9.3% regionally.

Employment opportunities appeared limited locally based on Census data comparison. Between September 2024 and 2025, employment levels remained stable (0.0%), labour force increased by 0.6%, leading to a 0.6 percentage point rise in unemployment. In Greater Sydney, employment grew by 2.1%, labour force expanded by 2.4%, with unemployment rising by 0.2 percentage points. State-level data from 25-Nov-25 showed NSW employment contracted slightly (-0.03%), with an unemployment rate of 3.9%. National unemployment was 4.3%. Job and Skills Australia's forecasts indicated national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Russell Lea's employment mix suggested local employment could increase by 7.2% over five years and 14.3% over ten years, though these are illustrative extrapolations based on current industry mixes.

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

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of ATO data released on June 2023 for financial year 2023, Russell Lea had a median income among taxpayers of $65,137 and an average level of $100,908. Nationally, these figures place Russell Lea in the top percentile. In Greater Sydney, the median was $60,817 and the average was $83,003. By September 2025, estimated incomes would be approximately $70,908 (median) and $109,848 (average), based on an 8.86% growth since financial year 2023. According to Census 2021 income data, Russell Lea's household, family, and personal incomes rank between the 87th and 93rd percentiles nationally. The $4000+ income bracket dominates in Russell Lea with 32.6% of residents (1,629 people), unlike metropolitan patterns where the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket dominates at 30.9%. Economic strength is evident with 45.4% of households earning high weekly incomes exceeding $3,000, supporting elevated consumer spending. High housing costs consume 15.3% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 93rd percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

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

Russell Lea's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 68.2% houses and 31.7% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In contrast, Sydney metro had 37.8% houses and 62.2% other dwellings. Home ownership in Russell Lea was at 38.1%, with mortgaged dwellings at 35.9% and rented ones at 26.0%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $3,290, higher than Sydney metro's average of $3,000. The median weekly rent figure was recorded at $520, compared to Sydney metro's $560. Nationally, Russell Lea's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Russell Lea has a typical household mix, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 74.6% of all households, including 38.9% couples with children, 25.1% couples without children, and 9.1% single parent families. Non-family households account for 25.4%, with lone person households at 22.7% and group households comprising 2.7%. The median household size is 2.6 people, larger than the Greater Sydney average of 2.5.

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

Russell Lea's residents aged 15+ have a higher proportion with university qualifications (41.9%) than Australia's average (30.4%) and NSW's average (32.2%). This educational advantage is driven by Bachelor degrees (28.2%), postgraduate qualifications (10.1%), and graduate diplomas (3.6%). Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 25.3% of residents holding such qualifications, including advanced diplomas (10.2%) and certificates (15.1%). Educational participation is high, with 29.2% currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes primary education (10.0%), secondary education (9.0%), and tertiary education (5.5%).

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

Analysis of public transport in Russell Lea shows 19 active transport stops operating within the area. These stops serve a mix of bus routes, with a total of 23 individual routes providing service. Collectively, these routes facilitate 1,703 weekly passenger trips.

Transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically located 144 meters from the nearest transport stop. Service frequency averages 243 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 89 weekly trips per individual stop.

Russell Lea's residents are extremely healthy with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Analysis of health metrics shows strong performance throughout Russell Lea. Both young and old age cohorts have low prevalence of common health conditions. The rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 67% of the total population (3,334 people), compared to 69.2% across Greater Sydney and a national average of 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions in the area are arthritis and mental health issues, impacting 7.3 and 6.1% of residents respectively. A total of 73.4% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 76.3% across Greater Sydney. As of March 2021, the area has 19.3% of residents aged 65 and over (964 people). Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, broadly in line with the general population's health profile.

The level of cultural diversity witnessed in Russell Lea was found to be above average when compared nationally for a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Russell Lea had a higher cultural diversity than most local areas, with 27.9% of its population born overseas and 26.7% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Russell Lea, accounting for 66.6% of residents, compared to 57.1% across Greater Sydney. The top three ancestry groups were English (18.1%), Australian (17.6%), and Italian (17.6%), which was higher than the regional average of 12.3%.

Notably, Greek (4.8%) and Croatian (1.3%) populations were overrepresented in Russell Lea compared to regional averages of 3.1% and 0.9%, respectively. However, Lebanese residents made up 1.8% of Russell Lea's population, slightly below the regional average of 2.2%.

Russell Lea hosts a notably older demographic compared to the national average

The median age in Russell Lea 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 individuals aged 45-54 make up a significant portion at 16.0%, while those aged 25-34 are relatively smaller at 9.7%. Between 2021 and present, the proportion of residents aged 15-24 has increased from 10.3% to 12.0%, while the percentage of individuals aged 35-44 has decreased from 12.9% to 12.0%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate substantial shifts in Russell Lea's age structure. The number of residents aged 85 and above is projected to grow exceptionally, increasing by 189 people (108%) from 174 to 364. Notably, the combined age groups of 65 and above will account for 89% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. Conversely, the populations aged 45-54 and 25-34 are expected to decline.