Tempe

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

Based on ABS population updates and AreaSearch validation, the suburb of Tempe's estimated population is around 3,641 as of Feb 2026. This reflects a growth of 91 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 3,550. The increase is inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of 3,630 residents following examination of ABS ERP data release in June 2024 and validation of two new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 1,968 persons per square kilometer, above national averages assessed by AreaSearch. Overseas migration contributed approximately 71.0% of overall population gains 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, NSW State Government's SA2-level projections are utilized, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Projected demographic shifts indicate an above median population growth is expected, with the suburb projected to expand by 587 persons to 2041, reflecting a total increase of 15.8% over the 17-year period.

Recent residential development output has been above average within Tempe when compared nationally

Based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers in Tempe, around 6 residential properties have been granted approval annually over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated 33 homes. So far in FY26, 0 approvals have been recorded. Over these five years, there has been an average of 6.1 new residents arriving per year per dwelling constructed. This indicates that demand significantly exceeds new supply, which typically results in price growth and increased buyer competition.

The average value of new dwellings developed is $772,000, suggesting a focus on the premium segment with upmarket properties. In FY26, there have been $218,000 in commercial approvals, indicating minimal commercial development activity compared to previous years. Compared to Greater Sydney, Tempe shows substantially reduced construction, at 52.0% below the regional average per person. This constrained new construction usually reinforces demand and pricing for existing homes. However, construction activity has intensified recently. Nationally, this activity is also lower than the national average, reflecting market maturity and possible development constraints. New building activity in Tempe shows 12.0% detached houses and 88.0% attached dwellings.

This trend towards denser development provides accessible entry options and appeals to downsizers, investors, and entry-level buyers. This represents a notable shift from the area's existing housing, which is currently 68.0% houses, indicating decreasing availability of developable sites and reflecting changing lifestyles and the need for more diverse, affordable housing options. Tempe reflects a low density area, with around 234 people per approval. Looking ahead, Tempe is expected to grow by 576 residents through to 2041, according to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate. Should current construction levels persist, housing supply could lag population growth, likely 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 the region. Notable projects include M6 Stage 1 (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 relevant.

Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.

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

Tempe has a highly educated workforce with the technology sector well-represented. The unemployment rate in Tempe is 4.6%, showing relative employment stability over the past year based on AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data. As of December 2025, there are 2,018 residents employed, with an unemployment rate of 4.7% compared to Greater Sydney's 4.2%.

Workforce participation is similar to Greater Sydney at 70.2%. According to Census responses, 52.3% of residents work from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. The dominant employment sectors are professional & technical, education & training, and health care & social assistance. Tempe has a strong specialization in education & training with an employment share of 1.3 times the regional level.

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 local employment opportunities above the norm. In the year to December 2025, Tempe's labour force decreased by 0.2%, with employment declining by 0.4%, leading to a rise in unemployment of 0.2 percentage points. This contrasts with Greater Sydney where employment grew by 2.2%. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia project growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. 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, though this is a simple extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

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

In AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year 2023, Tempe's median income among taxpayers is $61,881. The average income in Tempe during this period was $75,028. Nationally, the median income was lower at $54,890 and the average was $78,744. In Greater Sydney, the median income was $60,817 with an average of $83,003. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since financial year 2023, current estimates for Tempe's median and average incomes would be approximately $67,364 and $81,675 respectively as of September 2025. According to the 2021 Census, household, family, and personal incomes in Tempe rank highly nationally, between the 84th and 89th percentiles. Income distribution shows that 28.4% of residents earn between $1,500 and $2,999 weekly, which is slightly lower than the surrounding region where 30.9% fall into this bracket. Notably, 41.7% of Tempe's residents earn above $3,000 weekly, indicating prosperity in the area. Housing costs consume 18.6% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 85th percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

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

Dwelling structure in Tempe, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 67.6% houses and 32.3% other dwellings. In comparison, Sydney metro had 55.9% houses and 44.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Tempe was 30.7%, with mortgaged dwellings at 43.0% and rented dwellings at 26.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Tempe was $3,000, above Sydney metro's average of $2,427. Median weekly rent in Tempe was $600, compared to Sydney metro's $470. Nationally, Tempe's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than 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 comprise 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 make up the remaining 25.8%, with lone person households at 18.5% and group households comprising 7.0%. The median household size is 2.7 people, matching 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 at 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 routes, offering a total of 2,931 weekly passenger trips. Residents enjoy excellent transport accessibility, with an average distance of 164 meters to the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward from this primarily residential area. Car remains the dominant mode of transport at 61%, followed by train at 18% and walking at 7%. The average vehicle ownership is 0.8 per dwelling, lower than the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, a high proportion of residents work from home, at 52.3%, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 418 trips per day across all routes, translating to approximately 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. AreaSearch's assessment found low prevalence of common health conditions in both young and old age cohorts.

The rate of private health cover was very high at approximately 57% of the total population (~2,059 people), compared to 59.9% across Greater Sydney. The most common medical conditions were mental health issues impacting 8.8% of residents and asthma impacting 8.1%. 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 14.7% of residents aged 65 and over (535 people). 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 population shows high cultural diversity, with 34.9% born overseas and 30.5% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Tempe, comprising 37.2% of its population. Judaism is overrepresented compared to Greater Sydney, making up 0.5% versus 0.8%.

The top three ancestry groups are English (20.9%), Australian (18.2%), and Other (12.4%). Notably, Macedonian, Vietnamese, and French ethnicities have higher representation in Tempe than regionally: Macedonian at 3.7% vs 0.4%, Vietnamese at 3.4% vs 1.8%, and French at 0.8% vs 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, Tempe has a notably over-represented cohort of 35-44 year-olds (19.3% locally) and an under-represented group of 25-34 year-olds (11.7%). The concentration of 35-44 year-olds is well above the national average of 14.3%. Post-Census data from 2021 shows the 35 to 44 age group grew from 17.4% to 19.3%, while the 15 to 24 cohort increased from 9.7% to 11.1%. Conversely, the 25 to 34 cohort declined from 14.7% to 11.7%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes in Tempe. Leading this shift, the 45 to 54 group is projected to grow by 33%, adding 180 people and reaching 723 from 542. The 0 to 4 age group will see more modest growth of 4%, with an increase of only 7 residents.