Wakeley

Wakeley is positioned among the lower quartile of areas assessed nationally for population growth based on AreaSearch's assessment of recent, and medium term trends

As of Feb 2026, the estimated population of the suburb of Wakeley is around 4,868, reflecting a decrease of 25 people since the 2021 Census. The resident population estimate by AreaSearch following examination of ABS ERP data release in June 2024 was 4,793, with an additional 5 validated new addresses since the Census date contributing to this figure. This results in a population density ratio of 2,986 persons per square kilometer, placing Wakeley in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Overseas migration primarily drove population growth for Wakeley during recent periods. AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, 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.

For the years 2032 to 2041, these aggregations indicate an overall population decline of 138 persons by 2041, while specific age cohorts are expected to grow, notably the 75 to 84 age group with a projected increase of 221 people.

The level of residential development activity in Wakeley is very low in comparison to the average area assessed nationally by AreaSearch

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers allocated from statistical area data shows Wakeley averaged approximately 4 new dwelling approvals per year over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated 20 homes. As of FY-26, 1 approval has been recorded. Despite population decline during this period, housing supply has remained adequate relative to demand, resulting in a balanced market with good buyer choice. New properties are constructed at an average value of $244,000, below the regional average, suggesting more affordable housing options for buyers.

This financial year has seen $258,000 in commercial approvals, indicating the area's residential nature. Compared to Greater Sydney, Wakeley has significantly less development activity, 82.0% below the regional average per person. This constrained new construction typically reinforces demand and pricing for existing dwellings. Nationally, Wakeley also reflects lower development activity, suggesting market maturity and possible development constraints. Recent development has been entirely comprised of detached houses, preserving the area's suburban nature and attracting space-seeking buyers.

With approximately 1082 people per approval, Wakeley indicates a mature, established area. Given stable or declining population forecasts, Wakeley may experience less housing pressure, creating favourable conditions for buyers.

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

Area infrastructure significantly impacts regional performance. AreaSearch identified nine key projects expected to influence the area. Notable initiatives include: 239 Canley Vale Road Development, EVO Fairfield, Fairfield Hospital Redevelopment, and Fairfield Showground Community and Events Centre.

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

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Wakeley shows employment indicators that trail behind approximately 70% of regions assessed across Australia

Wakeley has a skilled workforce with diverse sector representation. Its unemployment rate was 5.6% in the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 5.1%. As of September 2025, 1,995 residents were employed, and the unemployment rate was 1.4% higher than Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%.

Workforce participation lagged significantly at 52.5%, compared to Greater Sydney's 70.0%. A high proportion of residents, 32.5%, worked from home according to Census responses. Employment is concentrated in health care & social assistance, retail trade, and manufacturing, with a notable concentration in manufacturing at 1.9 times the regional average. Professional & technical employment was limited at 6.1% compared to the regional average of 11.5%.

The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment levels increased by 5.1%, and labour force grew by 3.6%, causing a decrease in unemployment rate by 1.3 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Sydney saw employment rise by 2.1% and unemployment rise by 0.2 percentage points during the same period. National employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that Wakeley's employment should increase by 6.1% over five years and 13.0% over ten years, based on industry-specific projections applied to Wakeley's employment mix.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

Wakeley's median income among taxpayers in financial year 2023 was $47,132. The average income stood at $60,357. In Greater Sydney, the median income was $60,817 and the average was $83,003. By September 2025, estimates suggest Wakeley's median income will be approximately $51,308 and average income $65,705, based on an 8.86% growth in wages since financial year 2023. Census data shows individual incomes at the 4th percentile were $502 weekly, while household incomes were at the 38th percentile. In Wakeley, 1,504 individuals (30.9%) fell within the $1,500 - $2,999 income range, consistent with surrounding regions. Housing affordability was severe, with only 82.8% of income remaining, ranking at the 38th percentile.

Wakeley is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

In Wakeley, as recorded in the latest Census, 85.7% of dwellings were houses while 14.3% consisted of other types such as semi-detached homes and apartments. This differs from Sydney metro's dwelling structure which was 55.9% houses and 44.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Wakeley stood at 42.6%, with mortgaged properties accounting for 32.4% and rented dwellings making up the remaining 25%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Wakeley was $2,058, lower than Sydney metro's average of $2,427. Weekly rent in Wakeley was recorded at $450, slightly higher than Sydney metro's figure of $470. Nationally, Wakeley's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, with rents substantially above the national figure of $375.

Wakeley features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households comprise 85.9% of all households, including 46.6% couples with children, 21.9% couples without children, and 16.2% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 14.1%, with lone person households at 13.2% and group households comprising 1.2% of the total. The median household size is 3.2 people, larger than the Greater Sydney average of 2.7.

Wakeley faces educational challenges, with performance metrics placing it in the bottom quartile of areas assessed nationally

The area's university qualification rate is 17.8%, significantly lower than Greater Sydney's average of 38.0%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 14.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.5%) and graduate diplomas (0.5%). Vocational credentials are prominent, with 25.5% of residents aged 15+ holding them - advanced diplomas at 9.8% and certificates at 15.7%. Educational participation is high, with 29.7% of residents currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes 9.3% in secondary education, 9.1% in primary education, and 5.3% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Wakeley has 30 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 38 different routes that together facilitate 1,183 weekly passenger trips. The average distance from a resident's home to the nearest transport stop is 170 meters, indicating excellent accessibility. Most residents commute outwards due to Wakeley's predominantly residential nature. Cars remain the primary mode of transport for 88% of residents, while trains are used by 6%. On average, there are 1.6 vehicles per dwelling in Wakeley, which is higher than the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, a significant proportion (32.5%) of residents work from home, potentially due to COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency across all routes averages 169 trips per day, equating to approximately 39 weekly trips per individual stop.

Wakeley's residents are extremely healthy with prevalence of common health conditions low among the general population though slightly higher across older, at risk cohorts

Analysis of health metrics indicates strong performance across Wakeley. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence were assessed by AreaSearch to be low among the general population, but slightly higher among older, at-risk cohorts.

Approximately 51% of the total population (~2,474 people) has private health cover, compared to 59.9% in Greater Sydney. The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis and diabetes, affecting 7.2% and 7.2% of residents respectively. 74.9% of residents declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 74.6% across Greater Sydney. Working-age residents have low chronic condition prevalence. Wakeley has 23.1% of residents aged 65 and over (1,124 people), higher than the 15.4% in Greater Sydney. Health outcomes among seniors are above average but rank lower nationally compared to the broader population.

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

Wakeley has a population where 60.8% were born overseas, with 77.7% speaking languages other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion, comprising 62.7%. Buddhism stands out at 20.1%, significantly higher than Greater Sydney's average of 4.1%.

For ancestry, 'Other' is highest at 38.3%, followed by Vietnamese (15.7%) and Chinese (11.7%), all substantially higher than regional averages. Croatian (3.0%), Serbian (2.4%), and Spanish (1.2%) are notably overrepresented compared to regional figures of 0.7%, 0.5%, and 0.6% respectively.

Wakeley's median age exceeds the national pattern

Wakeley's median age is 41 years, which is significantly higher than Greater Sydney's average of 37 and somewhat older than Australia's median of 38. Compared to Greater Sydney, Wakeley has a notably over-represented cohort of 65-74 year-olds (12.4% locally) and an under-represented group of 25-34 year-olds (11.4%). Post the 2021 Census, the 75 to 84 age group grew from 6.1% to 8.6%, while the 15 to 24 cohort increased from 12.9% to 14.6%. Conversely, the 45 to 54 cohort declined from 12.2% to 11.0% and the 55 to 64 group dropped from 13.6% to 12.4%. Demographic modeling indicates Wakeley's age profile will change significantly by 2041. The 75 to 84 cohort is projected to grow by 41%, adding 172 residents to reach 591. This growth is entirely due to demographic aging, with residents aged 65 and older representing all anticipated population increase. Meanwhile, population declines are projected for the 45 to 54 and 65 to 74 cohorts.