Sylvania

An assessment of population growth drivers in Sylvania reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

As of Feb 2026, Sylvania's population is estimated at around 10,825 people. This reflects an increase of 76 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 10,749. The change was inferred from AreaSearch's resident population estimate of 10,810, following examination of ABS's latest ERP data release in June 2024 and validation of 53 new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 3,221 persons per square kilometer, placing Sylvania in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Overseas migration was the primary driver of population growth during recent periods.

AreaSearch adopts 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. By 2041, Sylvania is expected to increase by just below the median of national areas, expanding by 898 persons reflecting an 8.2% total increase over the 17 years.

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

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers in Sylvania shows around 61 dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years ending June 2021, totalling approximately 305 homes. As of April 2026, 28 approvals have been recorded. The population has fallen during this period, suggesting new supply is meeting demand and offering good choice to buyers. Developers target the premium market segment with average dwelling values of $698,000.

This year, commercial approvals amount to $67.9 million, indicating robust local business investment. Compared to Greater Sydney, Sylvania has 18.0% less building activity per person and ranks at the 68th percentile nationally. Recent construction comprises 19.0% standalone homes and 81.0% townhouses or apartments, shifting from the area's existing housing which is currently 60.0% houses. This trend reflects decreasing developable sites and changing lifestyles requiring diverse housing options. With around 201 people per dwelling approval, Sylvania exhibits low density characteristics.

AreaSearch projects an addition of 883 residents by 2041, with current development patterns meeting demand and potentially facilitating population growth beyond projections.

Sylvania has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 20% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified eight projects that may affect the region. Key initiatives include Florida Street Affordable Housing, 117-131 Taren Point Road Specialised Retail Development, Southgate Shopping Centre Expansion, and Frank Vickery Village Renewal. 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 performance in Sylvania has been broadly consistent with national averages

Sylvania has an educated workforce with professional services well represented. Its unemployment rate is 3.3%, with estimated employment growth of 0.5% over the past year (AreaSearch data). As of December 2025, there are 5,312 employed residents, with an unemployment rate of 0.8% below Greater Sydney's 4.2%.

Workforce participation is lower at 59.9%, compared to Greater Sydney's 70.2%. Home workership is high at 40.9%, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. Key employment sectors are health care & social assistance, construction, and retail trade. Construction is particularly specialized with an employment share of 1.3 times the regional level.

Conversely, professional & technical services employ only 9.0% locally, below Greater Sydney's 11.5%. Limited local job opportunities are suggested by Census data comparing working to resident populations. Between December 2024 and December 2025, employment levels increased by 0.5%, labour force by 0.7%, raising unemployment slightly (AreaSearch analysis). In contrast, Greater Sydney saw stronger growth of 2.2% in employment and 2.3% in labour force. National employment forecasts from May-25 suggest overall growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Sylvania's industry mix indicates potential local employment increases of 6.6% over five years and 13.6% over ten years, though this is a simplified extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

The economic profile demonstrates above-average performance, with income metrics exceeding national benchmarks based on AreaSearch comparative assessment

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year ending June 2023 shows that income in Sylvania is among Australia's highest. The median income is $54,478 and the average is $86,505. This contrasts with Greater Sydney's median of $60,817 and average of $83,003. Based on Wage Price Index growth from June 2023 to September 2025 (an estimated increase of 8.86%), current income estimates would be approximately $59,305 median and $94,169 average as of September 2025. The 2021 Census data shows that incomes in Sylvania cluster around the 60th percentile nationally. In this suburb, 28.5% of individuals earn between $1,500 to $2,999 weekly, reflecting a pattern seen in the broader area where 30.9% fall within this range. Notably, 30.8% of Sylvania's population earns above $3,000 per week, indicating strong economic capacity. High housing costs consume 17.2% of income, but despite this, disposable income ranks at the 61st percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

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

Dwelling structure in Sylvania, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 59.8% houses and 40.1% other dwellings. In comparison, Sydney metro had 55.9% houses and 44.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Sylvania was 43.0%, with mortgaged dwellings at 34.9% and rented ones at 22.1%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,730, compared to Sydney metro's $2,427. The median weekly rent figure was $530, while Sydney metro recorded $470. Nationally, Sylvania's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 74.6% of all households, including 36.3% couples with children, 26.4% couples without children, and 11.1% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 25.4%, with lone person households at 24.0% and group households comprising 1.4%. The median household size is 2.6 people, which is smaller than the Greater Sydney average of 2.7.

The educational profile of Sylvania exceeds national averages, with above-average qualification levels and academic performance metrics

The area's university qualification rate is 27.7%, significantly lower than Greater Sydney's average of 38.0%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 19.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 6.3% and graduate diplomas at 2.1%. Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 34.9% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (13.3%) and certificates (21.6%). Educational participation is high, with 27.2% currently enrolled in formal education: 9.7% in primary, 7.9% in secondary, and 4.3% in tertiary education.

Educational participation is notably high, with 27.2% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.7% in primary education, 7.9% in secondary education, and 4.3% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Sylvania has 46 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are serviced by 22 different routes, providing a total of 1,087 weekly passenger trips. The average distance from residents' homes to the nearest transport stop is 151 meters, indicating excellent transport accessibility. Most residents commute outward daily. Car remains the primary mode of transportation for 87% of residents, with train use at 6%. On average, there are 1.5 vehicles per dwelling in Sylvania, higher than the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, 40.9% of Sylvania residents work from home, which may be partly due to COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency across all routes averages 155 trips per day, equating to approximately 23 weekly trips per stop.

The level of general health in Sylvania is notably higher than the national average with prevalence of common health conditions low among the general population though higher than the nation's average across older, at risk cohorts

Sylvania shows better-than-average health outcomes based on AreaSearch's evaluation of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. The prevalence of common health conditions is low among the general population but higher than the national average among older, at-risk cohorts.

Approximately 61% of Sylvania's total population (6,609 people) has private health cover, compared to the national average of 55.7%. The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis and mental health issues, affecting 9.2 and 6.1% of residents respectively, while 68.6% report being completely free from medical ailments, compared to 74.6% in Greater Sydney. Working-age residents have low chronic condition prevalence. Sylvania has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 27.0% (2,922 people), compared to Greater Sydney's 15.4%. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges but rank lower nationally than the broader population.

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

Sylvania's population was found to have a higher level of cultural diversity than most local markets, with 25.6% born overseas and 26.4% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity was the dominant religion in Sylvania, making up 68.1% of its population, compared to 49.2% across Greater Sydney. The top three ancestry groups were English (22.4%), Australian (20.5%), and Other (9.6%), which was lower than the regional average of 16.0%.

Notably, Greek ancestry was overrepresented in Sylvania at 8.0%, compared to 1.9% regionally, while Macedonian ancestry stood at 1.8% (vs 0.4%) and Russian at 0.6% (vs 0.4%).

Sylvania hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

The median age in Sylvania is 46 years, which is notably higher than Greater Sydney's average of 37 years and also above Australia's median age of 38 years. Compared to Greater Sydney, the 75-84 age cohort is over-represented in Sylvania at 11.0%, while the 25-34 age group is under-represented at 8.4%. Between the 2021 Census and now, the population of those aged 15 to 24 has increased from 10.6% to 12.0%, and the 75 to 84 cohort has grown from 9.8% to 11.0%. Conversely, the percentage of those aged 5 to 14 has declined from 12.5% to 11.2%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate significant demographic changes for Sylvania. The number of people aged 85 and above is projected to grow by 454 individuals (76%), from 595 to 1,050. This aging population trend is evident as those aged 65 and above are expected to comprise 83% of the population growth. Conversely, the 25-34 and 0-4 age cohorts are anticipated to experience population declines.