South Hurstville

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

Based on analysis of ABS population updates, the estimated population of South Hurstville as of Nov 2025 is around 5,574. This reflects an increase of 353 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 5,221. The change was inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population at 5,549 following examination of the latest ERP data release by ABS in June 2024 and an additional 121 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population results in a density ratio of 5,464 persons per square kilometer, placing South Hurstville in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The suburb's growth rate of 6.8% since the 2021 census exceeded both the SA4 region (5.5%) and the SA3 area, marking it as a growth leader. Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration contributing approximately 95.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered, NSW State Government's SA2 level projections released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year are used. Considering these projections, an above median population growth is projected for South Hurstville, with an expected increase of 1,052 persons to 2041, reflecting a total increase of 17.1% over the 17 years.

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 allocated from statistical area data, South Hurstville has experienced approximately 32 dwellings receiving development approval annually. Between FY-21 and FY-25, around 163 homes were approved, with a further 5 approved in FY-26 to date. This equates to an average of 1.4 new residents per year per dwelling constructed over the past five financial years. However, this figure has accelerated to 7.2 people per dwelling over the past two financial years, suggesting increasing demand and tightening supply.

Development projects have averaged $644,000 in construction value, indicating a focus on quality developments. Additionally, $1.4 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded in FY-26, predominantly reflecting residential focus. Compared to Greater Sydney, South Hurstville has 63.0% more building activity per person, providing buyers with ample choice, although recent periods show moderation in development activity. New development consists of 42.0% standalone homes and 58.0% townhouses or apartments, offering accessible entry options and appealing to downsizers, investors, and entry-level buyers. South Hurstville reflects a transitioning market with around 319 people per approval.

Looking ahead, South Hurstville is expected to grow by approximately 951 residents through to 2041, based on the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate. 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 impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 12 projects likely affecting this region. Notable ones are Horizon Hurstville, Lotus Residence Hurstville, Sydney Metro City and Southwest - Future Hurstville Extension, Allen & George South Hurstville. 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 South Hurstville ahead of most Australian regions for employment performance

South Hurstville has a well-educated workforce with professional services showing strong representation. The unemployment rate was 2.8% as of the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 2.2%.

As of June 2025, 3130 residents were in work while the unemployment rate was 1.4% below Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%. Workforce participation lagged significantly at 54.7% compared to Greater Sydney's 60.0%. The dominant employment sectors among residents include health care & social assistance, retail trade, and professional & technical services. South Hurstville shows particular strength in transport, postal & warehousing, with an employment share of 1.6 times the regional level.

However, professional & technical services were under-represented at 9.4% compared to Greater Sydney's 11.5%. The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities as indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. In a 12-month period ending Sep-22, employment increased by 2.2% while labour force grew by 2.7%, resulting in an unemployment rise of 0.5 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 suggest that South Hurstville's local employment should increase by 6.8% over five years and 13.8% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation of industry-specific projections against the local employment mix.

The area's income profile falls below national averages based on AreaSearch analysis

South Hurstville had a median taxpayer income of $46,976 and an average of $69,374 according to AreaSearch's aggregation of postcode level ATO data for the financial year 2022. This was higher than national averages, which were $56,994 (median) and $80,856 (average). As of September 2025, estimated incomes would be approximately $52,900 (median) and $78,122 (average), based on a 12.61% Wage Price Index growth since the financial year 2022. The 2021 Census showed household income ranked at the 57th percentile ($1,867 weekly) and personal income at the 32nd percentile. The earnings profile indicated that 33.2% of locals (1,850 people) fell into the $1,500 - 2,999 category, similar to metropolitan regions where 30.9% occupied this range. High housing costs consumed 18.2% of income, but strong earnings placed disposable income at the 55th percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking placed 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 structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 49.5% houses and 50.4% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Sydney metro had 52.1% houses and 47.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in South Hurstville stood at 35.6%, with mortgaged dwellings at 34.3% and rented ones at 30.1%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,383, lower than Sydney metro's average of $2,466. The median weekly rent figure in South Hurstville was $500, higher than Sydney metro's $440. 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 fairly typical median household size

Family households constitute 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 account for the remaining 25.4%, with lone person households at 22.5% and group households comprising 3.1%. The median household size is 2.8 people, which aligns with the Greater Sydney average.

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 are 34.0%, slightly below Greater Sydney's average of 38.0%. Bachelor degrees are the most common 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 at 11.9% and certificates at 14.9%.

Educational participation is high, with 29.0% currently enrolled in formal education: primary (9.0%), secondary (8.0%), and tertiary (6.1%). Marist Catholic College Penshurst - South Hurstville Campus and St Raphael's Catholic Primary School serve a total of 217 students. The area has significant socio-educational advantages, with an ICSEA score of 1129. Educational provision is split between one primary and one secondary institution. Local school capacity is limited at 3.9 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 11.6, leading many families to travel for schooling.

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

South Hurstville has 27 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 11 different routes that together facilitate 1,075 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically living just 110 meters from the nearest stop.

On average, there are 153 daily trips across all routes, which amounts to about 39 weekly trips per individual 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 shows strong performance throughout South Hurstville.

Both young and old age cohorts have low prevalence of common health conditions. The rate of private health cover is approximately 54% of the total population, which totals around 3,030 people. The most common medical conditions in the area are arthritis and diabetes, impacting 5.7% and 4.7% of residents respectively. A total of 77.3% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 77.2% across Greater Sydney. There are 18.7% of residents aged 65 and over, which totals around 1,042 people. Health outcomes among seniors in South Hurstville are above average, broadly in line with the general population's health profile.

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 high level of cultural diversity, with 48.9% of its population born overseas and 61.9% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in South Hurstville, comprising 47.0% of its population. Buddhism, however, is slightly overrepresented compared to Greater Sydney, with 5.5% of South Hurstville's population identifying as Buddhist, compared to 5.4%.

The top three ancestry groups in South Hurstville are Chinese (29.9%), Other (11.2%), and English (11.0%). Notably, Greek (6.9%), Lebanese (5.7%), and Croatian (1.7%) ethnicities are overrepresented compared to regional averages of 5.6%, 3.2%, and 1.2% respectively.

South Hurstville's median age exceeds the national pattern

South Hurstville has a median age of 40, which is higher than Greater Sydney's figure of 37 and Australia's figure of 38 years. The 55-64 age cohort is notably over-represented in South Hurstville at 12.3%, compared to the Greater Sydney average. Conversely, the 25-34 age group is under-represented at 14.1%. Between 2021 and present, the 15-24 age group has grown from 11.5% to 12.9% of the population, while the 25-34 cohort increased from 13.0% to 14.1%. During this period, the 5-14 age group has declined from 12.2% to 11.2%. Demographic modeling suggests that South Hurstville's age profile will evolve significantly by 2041. The 75-84 age cohort is projected to grow significantly, expanding by 270 people (82%) from 328 to 599. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups are projected to account for 65% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. Meanwhile, the 35-44 age cohort is projected to decline by 3 people.