South Hurstville

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

The population of South Hurstville was estimated at 5,715 as of February 2026. This figure reflects an increase of 494 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 5,221. The change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population at 5,581 following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024, and an additional 121 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 5,602 persons per square kilometer, placing South Hurstville in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The suburb's population growth rate of 9.5% since the 2021 census exceeded both the SA4 region (7.6%) and the state average during this period. Overseas migration contributed approximately 95.0% of overall population gains in South Hurstville recently.

For projections, AreaSearch is using ABS/Geoscience Australia data released in 2024 with a base year of 2022 for covered SA2 areas, and NSW State Government's SA2 level projections released in 2022 with a base year of 2021 for uncovered areas. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Based on aggregated SA2-level projections, South Hurstville is expected to increase by 1,068 persons to 2041, reflecting an overall increase of 14.4% over the 17-year period.

Residential development activity is lower than average in South Hurstville according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

Based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers, South Hurstville has seen around 37 dwellings receiving development approval each year. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, approximately 187 homes were approved, with a further seven approved so far in FY26. On average, this translates to about 1.2 new residents per dwelling constructed annually over these years. However, recent figures show an acceleration to 8.4 people per dwelling over the past two financial years, indicating increasing demand and tightening supply.

Development projects in South Hurstville have an average construction value of $644,000, suggesting a focus on the premium market segment with higher-end properties. This year, there has been $124,000 in commercial development approvals, reinforcing the predominantly residential nature of development activity in the area. Compared to Greater Sydney, South Hurstville has 87.0% more building activity per person, offering buyers ample choice. However, development activity has moderated in recent periods. New development consists of 29.0% standalone homes and 71.0% townhouses or apartments, reflecting a trend towards denser development that caters to downsizers, investors, and entry-level buyers. This shift is notable considering the current housing mix is 50.0% houses.

South Hurstville has around 374 people per dwelling approval, indicating a developed market. AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate projects South Hurstville to grow by 821 residents through to 2041. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

South Hurstville 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 12 projects that may impact the area. Notable projects include Horizon Hurstville, Lotus Residence Hurstville, Allen & George South Hurstville, and Sydney Metro City and Southwest - Future Hurstville Extension. 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.

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

South Hurstville has an educated workforce with professional services well represented. Its unemployment rate was 2.9% in the past year, with estimated employment growth of 3.8%. As of September 2025, 3,168 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 1.3% below Greater Sydney's 4.2%, and workforce participation similar at 70.0%.

A high 40.9% of residents work from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. Dominant employment sectors include health care & social assistance, retail trade, and professional & technical services. Notably, transport, postal & warehousing is strongly specialized with an employment share 1.6 times the regional level, while professional & technical services are under-represented at 9.4% compared to Greater Sydney's 11.5%. The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities based on Census data.

Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment levels increased by 3.8%, labour force grew by 4.4%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 0.6 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Sydney experienced employment growth of 2.1% and labour force growth of 2.4%, with a smaller unemployment rate increase of 0.2 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project national employment expansion by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but growth rates vary significantly between sectors. Applying these projections to South Hurstville's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.8% over five years and 13.8% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

South Hurstville suburb has a median taxpayer income of $46,976 and an average of $69,374 based on latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. This is slightly above national averages, contrasting with Greater Sydney's median income of $60,817 and average income of $83,003. By September 2025, estimated incomes would be approximately $51,138 (median) and $75,521 (average), accounting for Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since financial year 2023. According to the 2021 Census, household income ranks at the 57th percentile ($1,867 weekly), while personal income is at the 32nd percentile. The predominant earnings cohort in South Hurstville spans 33.2% of locals (1,897 people) with incomes between $1,500 and $2,999 per week. High housing costs consume 18.2% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 55th percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 6th decile.

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

South Hurstville's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, comprised 49.5% houses and 50.4% other dwellings. In comparison, Sydney metro had 55.9% houses and 44.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in South Hurstville was 35.6%, with mortgaged dwellings at 34.3% and rented ones at 30.1%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,383, below Sydney metro's average of $2,427. Median weekly rent in South Hurstville was $500, compared to Sydney metro's $470. Nationally, South Hurstville's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

South Hurstville has a typical household mix, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households account for 74.6% of all households, including 39.2% couples with children, 19.7% couples without children, and 13.8% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 25.4%, with lone person households at 22.5% and group households making up 3.1%. The median household size is 2.8 people, which is larger than the Greater Sydney average of 2.7.

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

University qualification levels in South Hurstville stand at 34.0%, slightly below the Greater Sydney average of 38.0%. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 22.5%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (9.9%) and graduate diplomas (1.6%). Vocational credentials are held by 26.8% of residents aged 15+, with advanced diplomas (11.9%) and certificates (14.9%) being prominent.

Educational participation is high, with 29.0% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, including 9.0% in primary, 8.0% in secondary, and 6.1% in tertiary education.

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

South Hurstville has 31 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 13 different routes that together facilitate 1,116 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents on average located just 109 meters from the nearest stop. As a predominantly residential area, most commuters travel outward. Cars remain the primary mode of transportation, used by 76% of residents, while trains are used by 14% and walking by 5%. On average, there are 1.2 vehicles per dwelling.

According to the 2021 Census, a high proportion of residents, 40.9%, work from home, which may be partly due to COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency across all routes averages 159 trips per day, equating to approximately 36 weekly trips per stop.

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

Analysis of health metrics indicates strong performance throughout South Hurstville. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence were found to be low across both young and old age cohorts, according to AreaSearch's assessment.

Private health cover was discovered to be fairly high at approximately 54% of the total population (~3,106 people), compared to 59.9% across Greater Sydney. The most prevalent medical conditions in the area were arthritis and diabetes, affecting 5.7 and 4.7% of residents respectively. Conversely, 77.3% of residents declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 74.6% across Greater Sydney. South Hurstville has 19.4% of its population aged 65 and over (1,108 people), which is higher than the 15.4% in Greater Sydney. Health outcomes among seniors are above average, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

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

South Hurstville has a population that is culturally diverse, with 48.9% born overseas and 61.9% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the main religion in South Hurstville, comprising 47.0% of its population. Buddhism is overrepresented compared to Greater Sydney, making up 5.5% versus 4.1%.

The top three ancestry groups are Chinese (29.9%), Other (11.2%), and English (11.0%). Notably, Greek (6.9%) and Lebanese (5.7%) populations are overrepresented compared to regional averages of 1.9% and 2.6%, respectively. Croatian representation is also higher at 1.7% versus the regional average of 0.7%.

South Hurstville's population is slightly older than the national pattern

South Hurstville has a median age of 40, which is slightly higher than Greater Sydney's figure of 37 and Australia's figure of 38. The 55-64 age group is notably over-represented in South Hurstville at 12.4%, compared to the Greater Sydney average, while the 25-34 age group is under-represented at 13.6%. Between 2021 and present, the 15-24 age group has increased from 11.5% to 12.9% of the population, while the 5-14 age group has declined from 12.2% to 11.1%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests significant changes in South Hurstville's age profile. The 75-84 age cohort is projected to grow by 66%, from 360 to 598 people. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups will account for 67% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic trend. Meanwhile, the 35-44 age group is projected to decline by 7 people.