Strathfield (NSW)

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

Strathfield's population is estimated at around 27,900 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 1,985 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 25,915. The change was inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of 27,656 residents following examination of ABS data released in June 2024 and validation of 91 new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 4,259 persons per square kilometer, placing Strathfield in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The suburb's 7.7% growth since the 2021 census exceeded its SA4 region's 6.5%, 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 is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year, and NSW State Government's SA2 level projections where applicable. Considering projected demographic shifts, an above median population growth is projected for Strathfield, with an expected expansion of 5,307 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting an increase of 18.1% in total over the 17 years.

AreaSearch analysis of residential development drivers sees Strathfield recording a relatively average level of approval activity when compared to local markets analysed countrywide

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers shows Strathfield had approximately 67 new homes approved annually over the past five financial years, totalling around 335 homes. As of FY26, 39 approvals have been recorded. On average, 1.5 new residents per year per dwelling were constructed between FY21 and FY25, indicating balanced supply and demand with stable market conditions. However, recent data shows an increase to 11.8 people per dwelling over the past two financial years, suggesting growing popularity and potential undersupply. New homes are being built at an average expected construction cost of $1,287,000, reflecting a focus on the premium segment with upmarket properties.

This year, there have been $770,000 in commercial approvals, demonstrating Strathfield's residential nature. Compared to Greater Sydney and nationally, Strathfield has around half the rate of new dwelling approvals per person, placing it in the 40th percentile nationally, resulting in relatively constrained buyer choice and supporting interest in existing dwellings. New building activity shows 82.0% detached dwellings and 18.0% attached dwellings, sustaining Strathfield's suburban identity with a concentration of family homes suited to buyers seeking space. Interestingly, developers are building more traditional houses than the current mix suggests (46.0% at Census), indicating continued strong demand for family homes despite density pressures.

At around 412 people per approval, Strathfield indicates a mature market. Population forecasts estimate Strathfield will gain 5,045 residents by 2041. If current construction levels persist, housing supply may lag population growth, likely intensifying buyer competition and underpinning price growth.

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

AreaSearch has identified 59 infrastructure projects that could impact the area. Key initiatives include Parramatta Road Urban Amenity Improvement Program, Burwood Culture House, Strathfield Council Parks Upgrades under Western Sydney Infrastructure Grants Program, and Strathfield Town Centre Masterplan. The following list details those most likely to be 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 employment environment in Strathfield shows above-average strength when compared nationally

Strathfield has a highly educated workforce with strong representation in professional services. As of September 2025, the unemployment rate is 2.7%. Over the past year, employment remained relatively stable.

Compared to Greater Sydney's unemployment rate of 4.2%, Strathfield's rate is 1.5% lower. Workforce participation is similar to Greater Sydney's 70.0%. A high proportion of residents, 37.1%, work from home, which may have been influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. The dominant employment sectors are health care & social assistance, professional & technical services, and retail trade.

Strathfield has a particularly strong specialization in health care & social assistance, with an employment share of 1.4 times the regional level. Conversely, construction employs only 6.1% of local workers, lower than Greater Sydney's 8.6%. The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the difference between the Census working population and resident population. Over a 12-month period ending in September 2025, Strathfield's labour force increased by 0.2% while employment decreased by 0.4%, leading to a rise in unemployment rate of 0.6 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Sydney saw employment grow by 2.1% and unemployment rise by only 0.2 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project overall employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Strathfield's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.3% over five years and 14.8% over ten years, assuming no changes in population projections.

Income levels align closely with national averages, indicating typical economic conditions for Australian communities according to AreaSearch analysis

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year ending June 2023 shows median income in Strathfield suburb was $46,558 and average income was $76,835. This compares to Greater Sydney's median income of $60,817 and average income of $83,003. Based on Wage Price Index growth rate of 8.86% from July 2023 to September 2025, estimated median income is approximately $50,683 and average income is $83,643 as of September 2025. According to Australian Bureau of Statistics Census data for 2021, Strathfield's household incomes rank at the 81st percentile with weekly earnings of $2,262. Personal incomes rank lower at the 52nd percentile. Income distribution shows 29.7% of population (8,286 individuals) earn between $1,500 and $2,999 weekly, similar to surrounding regions at 30.9%. High-income earners, those exceeding $3,000 weekly, make up 36.7%. Housing costs consume 16.6% of income but strong earnings place disposable income at the 79th percentile. Strathfield's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

Strathfield features a more urban dwelling mix with significant apartment living, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Strathfield's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 45.5% houses and 54.5% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compared to Sydney metro's 55.9% houses and 44.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Strathfield was at 30.0%, aligning with Sydney metro, with the rest being mortgaged (24.5%) or rented (45.5%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in Strathfield was $2,765, above Sydney metro's average of $2,427. Median weekly rent in Strathfield was $480, compared to Sydney metro's $470. Nationally, Strathfield's mortgage repayments were higher than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Strathfield features high concentrations of group households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 68.6% of all households, including 32.0% couples with children, 26.0% couples without children, and 7.4% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 31.4%, with lone person households at 19.8% and group households comprising 11.7%. The median household size is 2.8 people, which is larger than the Greater Sydney average of 2.7.

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

Strathfield's residents aged 15 and above have a notably higher educational attainment than national and state averages. Specifically, 49.5% of Strathfield residents hold university qualifications, surpassing the Australian average of 30.4% and the New South Wales (NSW) average of 32.2%. This indicates a significant educational advantage for the area, potentially opening up more opportunities in knowledge-based fields. Among these university-qualified residents, bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 32.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 14.2% and graduate diplomas at 2.5%.

Vocational pathways account for a substantial portion of qualifications, with advanced diplomas at 13.0% and certificates at 8.2%. Educational participation is notably high in Strathfield, with 35.9% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 13.9% pursuing tertiary education, 6.0% secondary education, and 5.9% primary education.

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

Strathfield has 247 active public transport stops offering a mix of train and bus services. These are covered by 75 routes, serving 14,212 weekly passenger trips in total. Transport accessibility is excellent, with residents typically located 117 meters from the nearest stop. Most commutes are outward-bound due to its residential nature. Cars remain the dominant mode at 47%, followed by trains at 37% and buses at 10%. Vehicle ownership averages 1.0 per dwelling, below the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, 37.1% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 2,030 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 57 weekly trips per stop. The map shows the 100 nearest stops to the location's centrepoint.

Strathfield's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Strathfield's health outcomes show excellent results according to AreaSearch's assessment. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence were very low across all age groups.

Approximately 57% of Strathfield's total population (~15,981 people) had private health cover, compared to 59.9% in Greater Sydney. The most prevalent medical conditions were arthritis (4.7%) and diabetes (4.1%). Around 81.1% of residents reported no medical ailments, compared to 74.6% in Greater Sydney. Strathfield has 15.4% of residents aged 65 and over (4,296 people). Health outcomes among seniors are notably strong, aligning with national rankings for the general population.

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

Strathfield has a highly diverse population, with 68.9% speaking a language other than English at home and 62.8% born overseas. Christianity is the predominant religion in Strathfield, accounting for 40.7%. However, Hinduism is significantly overrepresented, making up 22.2%, compared to Greater Sydney's average of 5.2%.

The top three ancestry groups are Other (25.5%), Chinese (19.7%), and English (7.4%). Notably, Korean (7.0%) and Lebanese (5.6%) populations are significantly higher than regional averages of 1.1% and 2.6%, respectively. Sri Lankan ancestry is also notably overrepresented at 1.0%.

Strathfield hosts a very young demographic, ranking in the bottom 10% of areas nationwide

Strathfield's median age is 31 years, which is lower than Greater Sydney's average of 37 and Australia's median of 38. Compared to Greater Sydney, Strathfield has a higher proportion of residents aged 25-34 (26.4%) but fewer residents aged 5-14 (6.9%). This concentration of 25-34 year-olds is significantly higher than the national average of 14.4%. Between 2021 and the present, younger residents have lowered the median age by 1 year to 31. During this period, the proportion of residents aged 25-34 has increased from 22.6% to 26.4%, while the proportions of those aged 45-54 and 55-64 have decreased from 9.9% to 8.2% and from 10.5% to 9.2%, respectively. By 2041, Strathfield's population is projected to undergo significant demographic changes. The number of residents aged 75-84 is expected to increase markedly by 62% from 1,478 to 2,393, while the 0-4 age cohort will grow modestly by 4%, adding 38 people.