Tempe

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

The suburb of Tempe's population is estimated at around 3,664 as of May 2026, reflecting an increase of 114 people since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 3,550. This change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population at 3,660 following examination of ABS data released in June 2025 and validation of two new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 1,980 persons per square kilometer, above average national levels assessed by AreaSearch. Tempe's growth rate of 3.2% since the census is within 2.9 percentage points of its SA3 area (6.1%), indicating competitive growth fundamentals. Overseas migration contributed approximately 71.0% of overall population gains during recent periods. Population projections for Tempe are based on ABS/Geoscience Australia data released in 2024 with a base year of 2022, and NSW State Government's SA2 level projections for areas not covered by this data, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021.

Considering these projections, an above median population growth is expected until 2041, with the suburb projected to expand by 531 persons, reflecting a total increase of 14.4% over the 16-year period.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development drivers sees a low level of activity in Tempe, placing the area among the bottom 25% of areas assessed nationally

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers shows Tempe recorded approximately six residential properties granted approval annually over the past five financial years ending 30 June 2021, totalling an estimated 33 homes. As of FY-26 (July 2021 to present), zero approvals have been recorded. During this period, population has fallen but housing supply has remained adequate relative to demand, indicating a balanced market with good buyer choice. New dwellings are developed at an average expected construction cost value of $772,000, reflecting a focus on the premium segment with upmarket properties.

In FY-26, commercial approvals totalled $218,000, suggesting minimal commercial development activity. Compared to Greater Sydney, Tempe shows substantially reduced construction (53.0% below regional average per person). This constrained new construction typically reinforces demand and pricing for existing homes, although recent construction activity has intensified. Nationally, this activity is lower, reflecting market maturity and possible development constraints. New building activity comprises 12.0% detached houses and 88.0% attached dwellings, indicating a trend towards denser development appealing to downsizers, investors, and entry-level buyers. This shift contrasts with the area's existing housing composition of 68.0% houses, suggesting decreasing availability of developable sites and changing lifestyles requiring diverse, affordable housing options. Tempe has a population density of approximately 226 people per approval, reflecting a low-density area.

According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Tempe is expected to grow by 527 residents through to 2041. If current construction levels persist, housing supply may lag population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and underpinning price growth.

Tempe 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 17 projects that may affect this area. Notable projects include M6 Stage 1 from St Peters to Kogarah, Marrickville Station Metro Upgrade, Rail Service Improvement Program - T8 Airport & South Line Upgrades (part of MTMS Stage 2), and Camdenville Park Upgrade. 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.

Tempe has seen below average employment performance when compared to national benchmarks

Tempe has a highly educated workforce, with the technology sector being particularly prominent. Its unemployment rate is 4.6%, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data. As of December 2025, Tempe had 1,912 residents employed while its unemployment rate was 0.5% higher than Greater Sydney's at 4.2%.

Workforce participation in Tempe was somewhat lower at 66.2%, compared to Greater Sydney's 68.8%. According to Census responses, 52.3% of residents worked from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered. The dominant employment sectors among residents include professional & technical, education & training, and health care & social assistance. Tempe shows strong specialization in education & training, with an employment share 1.3 times the regional level.

Meanwhile, health care & social assistance has limited presence at 11.6%, compared to the regional average of 14.1%. The worker-to-resident ratio is 0.7, indicating a higher than usual level of local employment opportunities. Based on AreaSearch's analysis of SALM and ABS data during the year to December 2025, Tempe's labour force decreased by 1.5% alongside a 1.6% employment decline, causing unemployment to rise by 0.2 percentage points. This contrasts with Greater Sydney where employment grew by 2.2%, labour force expanded by 2.3%, and unemployment rose marginally. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that over five years, national employment is forecast to expand by 6.6% and over ten years by 13.7%. Applying these projections to Tempe's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.8% over five years and 13.8% over ten years.

Income metrics indicate excellent economic conditions, with the area achieving higher performance than 75% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch

AreaSearch released postcode level ATO data on June 2023 for financial year 2023. Tempe's median income among taxpayers was $61,881 with an average of $75,028. Nationally, the median was $54,936 and the average was $78,782. In Greater Sydney, the median was $60,817 and the average was $83,003. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.32% since June 2023, current estimates for Tempe would be approximately $68,267 (median) and $82,771 (average) as of March 2026. The 2021 Census showed household, family and personal incomes in Tempe ranked between the 84th and 89th percentiles nationally. Distribution data indicated that 28.4% of residents earned $1,500 - $2,999 weekly, mirroring the surrounding region where 30.9% fell into this bracket. A significant 41.7% earned above $3,000 weekly. High housing costs consumed 18.6% of income, but strong earnings placed disposable income at the 85th percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking placed it in the 8th decile.

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

As evaluated in the latest Census, dwelling structures in Tempe comprised 67.6% houses and 32.3% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Sydney metro had 55.9% houses and 44.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Tempe was at 30.7%, with mortgaged dwellings at 43.0% and rented ones at 26.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Tempe was $3,000, higher than Sydney metro's average of $2,427. The median weekly rent in Tempe was $600, compared to Sydney metro's $470. Nationally, Tempe's mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $3,000 versus the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Tempe features high concentrations of group households, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households constitute 74.2% of all households, including 34.7% couples with children, 25.4% couples without children, and 12.4% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 25.8%, with lone person households at 18.5% and group households making up 7.0%. The median household size is 2.7 people, which aligns with the Greater Sydney average.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 42.3%, significantly lower than the SA4 region average of 55.2%. Bachelor degrees are the most common (28.5%), followed by postgraduate qualifications (11.3%) and graduate diplomas (2.5%). Vocational pathways account for 23.5% of qualifications among those aged 15 and above, with advanced diplomas at 9.0% and certificates at 14.5%. Educational participation is high, with 27.7% of residents currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes 9.3% in primary education, 6.8% in secondary education, and 5.2% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Tempe has 22 active public transport stops serving a mix of train and bus services. These stops are covered by 8 different routes, offering a total of 2,931 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility to these stops is rated excellent, with residents typically living 164 meters from the nearest one. In this predominantly residential area, most commuters travel outward. Cars remain the primary mode of transport at 61%, followed by train at 18% and walking at 7%. On average, there are 0.8 vehicles per dwelling, lower than the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, 52.3% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency across all routes averages 418 trips per day, equating to about 133 weekly trips per individual stop.

Tempe'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 Tempe. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence were low across both young and old age cohorts.

Private health cover was found to be very high at approximately 57% of the total population (~2,072 people), compared to 59.9% across Greater Sydney. The most common medical conditions in the area were mental health issues and asthma, impacting 8.8 and 8.1% of residents respectively. 72.4% of residents declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 74.6% across Greater Sydney. Health outcomes among the working-age population are broadly typical. The area has 14.0% of residents aged 65 and over (512 people), which is lower than the 15.5% in Greater Sydney. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, with national rankings even higher than the general population.

Tempe was found to be more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets in Australia, upon assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Tempe's cultural diversity is notable, with 34.9% of its population born overseas and 30.5% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the dominant religion in Tempe, comprising 37.2% of its people. However, Judaism is overrepresented compared to Greater Sydney, making up 0.5% of Tempe's population versus 0.8%.

The top three ancestry groups are English (20.9%), Australian (18.2%), and Other (12.4%). Some ethnic groups have notable differences in representation: Macedonian is overrepresented at 3.7% compared to the regional average of 0.4%, Vietnamese at 3.4% versus 1.8%, and French at 0.8% against a regional average of 0.5%.

Tempe's population aligns closely with national norms in age terms

The median age in Tempe is 39, which is higher than Greater Sydney's average of 37 and close to the national average of 38. Compared to Greater Sydney, the 35-44 cohort is over-represented in Tempe at 19.6%, while the 25-34 cohort is under-represented at 12.0%. This concentration of the 35-44 age group is higher than the national average of 14.3%. According to post-2021 Census data, the 35-44 age group has increased from 17.4% to 19.6%, while the 15-24 cohort has grown from 9.7% to 11.0%. Conversely, the 25-34 cohort has declined from 14.7% to 12.0%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate significant demographic changes for Tempe. The 45-54 group is projected to grow by 30%, adding 167 people and reaching 728 from 560. The 0-4 age group is expected to grow by 2%, with an increase of just 5 residents.