Villawood

Villawood lies within the top quartile of areas nationally for population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Villawood's population, as of Nov 2025, is estimated at around 7,793 people. This reflects a growth of 742 individuals since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 7,051. The increase is inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population at 7,367 in Jun 2024, based on ABS ERP data release and additional validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 1,983 persons per square kilometer. Villawood's growth rate of 10.5% since the 2021 census exceeded the state average of 7.6%. Overseas migration contributed approximately 76.0% 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 by this data, AreaSearch uses 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. Based on these projections, the Villawood statistical area is expected to grow by 1,225 persons by 2041, reflecting an increase of 9.2% over the 17-year period.

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

Villawood has received approximately 53 dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling around 265 homes. In FY-26 to date, 81 approvals have been recorded. The average population increase per dwelling built in Villawood between FY-21 and FY-25 was 0.5 people per year. This suggests that supply is meeting or exceeding demand, offering greater buyer choice while supporting potential population growth above projections.

The average construction cost value of new homes being built is $362,000. In the current financial year, there have been $11.8 million in commercial approvals, indicating moderate levels of commercial development. Approximately 47% of approved dwellings are standalone homes, while 53% are attached dwellings. This shift towards denser development caters to downsizers, investors, and entry-level buyers, reflecting reduced availability of development sites and changing lifestyle demands and affordability requirements.

Currently, houses make up around 73% of Villawood's housing mix. As a developing area with approximately 125 people per approval, Villawood is projected to gain 717 residents by 2041, according to 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.

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

Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 20 projects likely to impact the area. Notable projects include Villawood Town Centre Redevelopment (Kinara Place), Chester Square Redevelopment, Condell Park High School Upgrade, and Chester Hill Station 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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Employment conditions in Villawood face significant challenges, ranking among the bottom 10% of areas assessed nationally

Villawood has a skilled workforce with strong representation in manufacturing and industrial sectors. The unemployment rate was 17.9% in the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 0.7%.

As of September 2025, there are 2,091 residents employed, but the unemployment rate is 13.7% higher than Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%, indicating room for improvement. Workforce participation in Villawood is significantly lower at 31.4%, compared to Greater Sydney's 60.0%. The leading employment industries among residents are health care & social assistance, manufacturing, and transport, postal & warehousing. Manufacturing has a particularly high employment share of 2.3 times the regional level, while professional & technical employs only 4.1% of local workers, below Greater Sydney's 11.5%.

The ratio of 0.7 workers per resident suggests a higher than average level of local employment opportunities. Over the past year, ending in September 2025, employment increased by 0.7%, while the labour force grew by 3.5%, leading to a rise in unemployment rate of 2.3 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Sydney saw employment rise by 2.1% and unemployment increase by only 0.2 percentage points during the same period. State-level data from NSW up to 25-Nov shows employment contracted by 0.03%, with an unemployment rate of 3.9%. Nationally, the unemployment rate is 4.3%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years nationally. Applying these projections to Villawood's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.0% over five years and 12.9% over ten years, based on simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

Income metrics place the area in the bottom 10% of locations nationally according to AreaSearch analysis

Villawood's suburb income level is below national average according to latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year ended June 2023. Villawood's median income among taxpayers is $34,595 and average income stands at $43,204, compared to Greater Sydney's figures of $60,817 and $83,003 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since financial year ended June 2023, current estimates for Villawood would be approximately $37,660 (median) and $47,032 (average) as of September 2025. According to Census 2021 income data, household, family and personal incomes in Villawood all fall between the 1st and 2nd percentiles nationally. Income distribution shows largest segment comprises 26.6% earning $400 - $799 weekly (2,072 residents), contrasting with broader area where $1,500 - $2,999 bracket leads at 30.9%. With 43.9% earning under $800 per week, suburb faces considerable income constraints affecting local spending patterns. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 74.6% of income remaining, ranking at the 3rd percentile.

Villawood is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a predominantly rental market

Villawood's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 73.1% houses and 26.9% other dwellings such as semi-detached properties, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. Home ownership in Villawood stood at 16.4%, with 22.7% of dwellings mortgaged and 60.9% rented. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,167, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded as $210. Nationally, Villawood's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, whereas rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

Villawood has a typical household mix, with a median household size of 3.0 people

Family households account for 68.9% of all households, including 34.3% couples with children, 12.8% couples without children, and 20.0% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 31.1%, with lone person households at 28.7% and group households comprising 2.4%. The median household size is 3 people.

Educational outcomes in Villawood fall within the lower quartile nationally, indicating opportunities for improvement in qualification attainment

The area's university qualification rate is 20.2%, significantly lower than Greater Sydney's average of 38.0%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 14.6%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (4.7%) and graduate diplomas (0.9%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 28.9% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (10.7%) and certificates (18.2%). Educational participation is high at 40.6%, with 13.5% in primary education, 11.7% in secondary education, and 6.6% pursuing tertiary education.

Educational participation is notably high, with 40.6% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 13.5% in primary education, 11.7% in secondary education, and 6.6% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Villawood has 99 active public transport stops offering a mix of train and bus services. These are served by 18 different routes, together facilitating 2,634 weekly passenger trips. The area boasts excellent transport accessibility with residents usually located 134 meters from the nearest stop.

On average, there are 376 trips per day across all routes, translating to roughly 26 weekly trips per individual stop.

Villawood's residents are healthier than average in comparison to broader Australia with prevalence of common health conditions quite low among the general population though higher than the nation's average across older, at risk cohorts

Villawood residents have shown relatively positive health outcomes, with a low prevalence of common conditions among the general population, although higher than the national average in older, at-risk cohorts. Private health cover is extremely low, with approximately 44% coverage (~3,438 people), compared to the national average of 55.7%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are asthma and arthritis, affecting 6.9% and 6.6% of residents respectively. 73.6% of residents declared they were completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 0% across Greater Sydney. There are 12.3% of residents aged 65 and over (958 people), requiring more attention than the broader population.

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

Villawood has one of the most culturally diverse populations in Australia, with 53.9% of its residents born overseas. A significant portion, 72.9%, speaks a language other than English at home. Islam is the predominant religion in Villawood, with 39.5% of people practicing it, compared to None% across Greater Sydney.

The top three ancestry groups are Other (25.7%), Lebanese (16.5%), and Vietnamese (14.7%). Notably, Samoan (0.8%) and Chinese (9.3%) ethnicities are overrepresented in Villawood compared to the regional average of None% for both. Spanish ethnicity is also present at 0.5%, while the regional average is None%.

Villawood hosts a young demographic, positioning it in the bottom quartile nationwide

Villawood's median age is 34 years, which is lower than Greater Sydney's average of 37 years and considerably younger than Australia's median age of 38 years. Compared to Greater Sydney, Villawood has a higher proportion of residents aged 15-24 (17.0%) but fewer residents aged 35-44 (13.0%). Between the 2021 Census and now, the population of residents aged 15-24 has increased from 15.0% to 17.0%. By 2041, Villawood's demographics are projected to change significantly. The 45-54 age group is expected to grow by 15%, adding 139 residents and reaching a total of 1,075. In contrast, populations aged 5-14 and 0-4 are projected to decline.