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, as of February 2026 the suburb of Russell Lea's population is estimated at around 4,999. This reflects an increase of 79 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 4,920 people. The change was inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of 4,994 residents 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, placing Russell Lea in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration, contributing approximately 77.0% 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. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilises NSW State Government's SA2 level projections released in 2022 with a base year of 2021. Growth rates by age group are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Projections indicate a decline in overall population over this period, with the suburb's population expected to reduce by 2 persons by 2041. However, growth across specific age cohorts is anticipated, led by the 85 and over age group, which is projected to increase by 198 people.

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 from statistical area data, Russell Lea has averaged around 7 new dwelling approvals each year over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated 35 homes. So far in FY26, 3 approvals have been recorded. Over these five years, an average of approximately 0.6 new residents per year per dwelling constructed was observed between FY21 and FY25. This suggests that new construction is matching or outpacing demand, offering buyers more options while enabling population growth.

The average value of new dwellings developed is around $720,000, indicating a focus on the premium market with high-end developments. In this financial year, there have been approximately $2.6 million in commercial approvals, demonstrating Russell Lea's primarily residential nature. Compared to Greater Sydney, Russell Lea shows substantially reduced construction levels, at 78.0% below the regional average per person. This limited new supply generally supports stronger demand and values for established homes, although building activity has accelerated in recent years. This is similarly under the national average, indicating the area's established nature and suggesting potential planning limitations. New development consists of approximately 33.0% detached houses and 67.0% attached dwellings, representing a notable shift from the area's existing housing composition (currently 68.0% houses). This trend toward denser development provides accessible entry options for downsizers, investors, and entry-level buyers.

With around 480 people per dwelling approval, Russell Lea shows a developed market. Looking ahead, Russell Lea is expected to grow by approximately 97 residents through to 2041, according to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate. With current construction levels, housing supply should adequately meet demand, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified six projects expected to influence the area. Notable projects 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. 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.

Employment conditions in Russell Lea demonstrate exceptional strength compared to most Australian markets

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 72.3%, similar to Greater Sydney's 70.0%.

Many residents work from home (54.8%), possibly due to Covid-19 lockdowns. Key employment industries are professional & technical, health care & social assistance, and education & training. Finance & insurance has notable concentration with levels at 1.4 times the regional average. Retail trade employs fewer locals (7.0%) than Greater Sydney's 9.3%.

The area offers limited local jobs, indicated by Census data comparing working population to residents. Between September 2024 and September 2025, Russell Lea's labour force increased by 0.6%, while employment remained stable (0.0%), causing unemployment to rise slightly (0.7 percentage points). Greater Sydney saw employment growth of 2.1% during the same period. Jobs and Skills Australia forecasts national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with varying rates across industries. Applying these projections to Russell Lea's industry mix suggests local employment could increase by 7.2% in five years and 14.3% in ten years, though this is a simplified extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

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 for financial year 2023, Russell Lea had a median income among taxpayers of $65,137. The average income was $100,908. Nationally, these figures place Russell Lea in the top percentile. In Greater Sydney, the median and average incomes were $60,817 and $83,003 respectively. As of September 2025, estimated median and average incomes are approximately $70,908 and $109,848, based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since financial year 2023. According to the 2021 Census, household, family, and personal incomes in Russell Lea rank between the 87th and 93rd percentiles nationally. The largest income bracket comprises 32.6% earning $4000+ weekly (1,629 residents), differing from regional levels where the $1,500 - $2,999 category predominates at 30.9%. Notably, 45.4% of residents earn more than $3,000 weekly, indicating strong purchasing power. 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

Dwelling structure in Russell Lea, as per the latest Census, consisted of 68.2% houses and 31.7% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Sydney metro had 55.9% houses and 44.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Russell Lea was at 38.1%, with mortgaged dwellings at 35.9% and rented dwellings at 26.0%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $3,290, higher than Sydney metro's average of $2,427. Median weekly rent in Russell Lea was $520, compared to Sydney metro's $470. Nationally, Russell Lea's median monthly mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $3,290 versus the Australian average of $1,863, and median weekly rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 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 constitute the remaining 25.4%, with lone person households at 22.7% and group households comprising 2.7%. The median household size is 2.6 people, which is smaller than the Greater Sydney average of 2.7.

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

Russell Lea's educational attainment exceeds national averages. Among residents aged 15+, 41.9% have university qualifications, compared to Australia's 30.4% and NSW's 32.2%. University graduates comprise 28.2%, followed by postgraduates (10.1%) and graduate diplomas (3.6%). Vocational credentials are held by 25.3%, with advanced diplomas at 10.2% and certificates at 15.1%.

Educational participation is high, with 29.2% currently enrolled in formal education: primary (10.0%), secondary (9.0%), and tertiary (5.5%).

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

Russell Lea has 19 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 23 different routes that together facilitate 1,703 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents located an average of 144 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward from this primarily residential area. Car remains the dominant mode of transport, used by 83% of residents, while only 6% use buses. On average, there are 1.4 vehicles per dwelling in Russell Lea, which is higher than the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, 54.8% of residents work from home, a figure that may reflect COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency averages 243 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 89 weekly trips per stop.

Russell Lea's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Russell Lea shows impressive health outcomes according to AreaSearch's assessment. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are low across both young and old age cohorts. Private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 67% of the total population (3,334 people), compared to 59.9% in Greater Sydney and a national average of 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions are arthritis and mental health issues, affecting 7.3 and 6.1% of residents respectively. A significant portion, 73.4%, declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 74.6% in Greater Sydney. Working-age residents have low chronic condition prevalence. Russell Lea has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 20.1% (1,004 people), compared to 15.4% in Greater Sydney. Health outcomes among seniors are strong, broadly in line with national rankings for the general population.

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 markets, 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 the population, compared to 49.2% across Greater Sydney. The top three ancestry groups were English (18.1%), Australian (17.6%), and Italian (17.6%), which is significantly higher than the regional average of 3.4%.

Notably, Greek (4.8%) was overrepresented in Russell Lea compared to the regional average of 1.9%, as were Croatian (1.3% vs 0.7%) and Lebanese (1.8% vs 2.6%).

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

The median age in Russell Lea is 43 years, considerably higher than Greater Sydney's average of 37 years and substantially exceeding the national average of 38 years. The age profile shows that individuals aged 45-54 years are particularly prominent, comprising 15.8% of the population, while those aged 25-34 years make up only 9.2%. Since 2021, the proportion of individuals aged 15-24 has grown from 10.3% to 12.3%, and the 75-84 age group has increased from 5.5% to 6.7%. Conversely, the 25-34 age group has declined from 10.5% to 9.2%, and the 35-44 age group has dropped from 12.9% to 11.8%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Russell Lea's age structure. The 85+ age cohort is projected to rise substantially, increasing by 175 people (92%) from 189 to 365. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups are expected to account for 92% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. Conversely, the 45-54 and 25-34 age cohorts are projected to experience population declines.