West Ryde

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

Based on ABS population updates and AreaSearch's validation of new addresses, West Ryde's estimated population was 14,045 as of Nov 2025. This represents an increase of 874 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 13,171. The change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of 13,955 residents following examination of ABS's latest ERP data release (June 2024) and an additional 200 validated new addresses since the Census date. West Ryde's population density ratio was 3,934 persons per square kilometer as of Nov 2025, placing it in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Over the past decade ending Dec 2021, West Ryde demonstrated a compound annual growth rate of 1.4%, outpacing the state's average. Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration contributing approximately 82.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting 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 released in 2022 with a base year of 2021 for areas not covered by the former data. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Based on aggregated SA2-level projections, West Ryde is expected to grow by 2,510 persons to reach a total population of 16,555 by the year 2041. This reflects an increase of 19.8% over the 17-year period from 2024 to 2041.

AreaSearch assessment of residential approval activity sees West Ryde among the top 30% of areas assessed nationwide

Based on AreaSearch analysis using ABS building approval numbers from statistical area data, West Ryde had approximately 104 new homes approved annually. Between FY-21 and FY-25, around 522 homes were approved, with an additional 21 approved so far in FY-26. Over the past five financial years, an average of 1.3 people moved to West Ryde for each dwelling built. However, this increased to 6.1 people per dwelling over the past two financial years, suggesting growing popularity and potential undersupply.

The average expected construction cost value of new homes was $551,000, indicating a focus on the premium market with high-end developments. This year, $378.6 million in commercial approvals have been registered, reflecting robust local business investment. Compared to Greater Sydney, West Ryde has about three-quarters the rate of new dwelling approvals per person and ranks among the 73rd percentile nationally. New development consists mainly of medium and high-density housing (84.0%), with standalone homes making up 16.0%. This shift from the area's existing housing composition (currently 42.0% houses) indicates decreasing availability of developable sites and reflects changing lifestyles and demand for diverse, affordable housing options.

The location has approximately 172 people per dwelling approval, suggesting an expanding market. Population forecasts indicate West Ryde will gain around 2,783 residents by 2041. Current development appears well-matched to future needs, supporting steady market conditions without extreme price pressure.

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

Twenty-five infrastructure projects have been identified by AreaSearch as potentially impacting the area's performance. Key projects include apt.Meadowbank Build-to-Rent Precinct, West Ryde Multi-Sports Facility, 741-747 Victoria Road Mixed Use, and Sydney Metro West.

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The labour market in West Ryde shows considerable strength compared to most other Australian regions

West Ryde has a highly educated workforce with strong representation in professional services. Its unemployment rate was 3.5% as of an unspecified past year.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 11.1%. As of September 2025, 8,890 residents were employed, with an unemployment rate of 0.7% below Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%. Workforce participation in West Ryde was 63.2%, compared to Greater Sydney's 60.0%.

The dominant employment sectors among residents included health care & social assistance, professional & technical, and education & training, while construction employed just 6.9% of local workers, below Greater Sydney's 8.6%. Over the 12 months to September 2025, employment increased by 11.1%, labour force increased by 9.8%, causing the unemployment rate to fall by 1.1 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Sydney saw employment rise by 2.1%, the labour force grow by 2.4%, and unemployment rise by 0.2 percentage points. State-level data from 25-Nov shows NSW employment contracted by 0.03% (losing 2,260 jobs), with a state unemployment rate of 3.9%. National employment forecasts from May-25 project national employment to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to West Ryde's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.1% over five years and 14.3% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for localised population projections.

Income levels align closely with national averages, indicating typical economic conditions for Australian communities according to AreaSearch analysis

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023 shows West Ryde's median income among taxpayers is $51,489, with an average of $66,607. This is lower than the national average. Greater Sydney's median income is $60,817 and average is $83,003. Based on Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2023, current estimates for West Ryde are approximately $56,051 (median) and $72,508 (average) as of September 2025. The 2021 Census data shows household, family and personal incomes in West Ryde cluster around the 65th percentile nationally. Income analysis reveals that 32.4% of residents fall into the $1,500 - 2,999 income bracket, consistent with surrounding regions at 30.9%. High housing costs consume 17.3% of income in West Ryde, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 62nd percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

West Ryde features a more urban dwelling mix with significant apartment living, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

In West Ryde, as per the latest Census evaluation, 41.6% of dwellings were houses while 58.4% consisted of semi-detached homes, apartments, and other types. This differed slightly from Sydney's metropolitan area which had 42.9% houses and 57.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in West Ryde stood at 26.7%, similar to Sydney metro's rate. The remaining dwellings were either mortgaged (28.7%) or rented (44.6%). The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,500, below the Sydney metro average of $2,600. Weekly rent in West Ryde was $400 compared to Sydney's $460. Nationally, West Ryde's mortgage repayments were higher at $2,500 against Australia's average of $1,863, and rents were also higher at $400 versus the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 68.9% of all households, composed of 32.8% couples with children, 24.6% couples without children, and 9.6% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 31.1%, with lone person households at 26.6% and group households comprising 4.4%. The median household size is 2.5 people, which aligns with the Greater Sydney average.

Educational achievement in West Ryde places it within the top 10% nationally, reflecting strong academic performance and high qualification levels across the community

West Ryde's educational attainment is notably high, with 49.0% of residents aged 15+ holding university qualifications, surpassing both the national average of 30.4% and the NSW average of 32.2%. This indicates a significant educational advantage for the area, positioning it favourably for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees are the most prevalent at 31.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (15.3%) and graduate diplomas (2.4%). Vocational pathways account for 23.7% of qualifications among those aged 15+, with advanced diplomas making up 11.6% and certificates 12.1%.

Educational participation is notably high, with 29.2% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, including 8.6% in primary education, 7.2% in tertiary education, and 5.7% pursuing secondary education.

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

West Ryde has 88 active public transport stops, including train and bus services. These stops are served by 29 routes that facilitate a total of 7,319 weekly passenger trips. The average distance from residents to the nearest stop is 132 meters, indicating excellent accessibility.

All routes combined operate an average of 1,045 trips per day, with each individual stop receiving approximately 83 weekly trips.

West Ryde's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

West Ryde demonstrates excellent health outcomes, with a very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups. The rate of private health cover is approximately 53%, higher than the average SA2 area but lower than Greater Sydney's 62.9%.

Mental health issues and arthritis are the most prevalent medical conditions, affecting 5.3% and 4.8% of residents respectively. Around 78.7% of residents report no medical ailments, slightly higher than Greater Sydney's 77.6%. The area has a senior population of 15.6%, or 2,191 people aged 65 and over. Health outcomes among seniors are strong and largely in line with the general population's health profile.

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

West Ryde has one of the most culturally diverse populations in Australia, with 56.7% speaking a language other than English at home and 53.9% born overseas. Christianity is the predominant religion in West Ryde, comprising 48.2% of its population. However, Hinduism is overrepresented compared to Greater Sydney, making up 7.5% versus 4.3%.

The top three ancestry groups in West Ryde are Chinese (20.8%), Other (15.3%), and English (12.8%). Notably, Korean (6.5%) and Lebanese (2.9%) populations are higher than the regional averages of 3.8% and 1.5%, respectively. Additionally, Russians make up 0.6% of West Ryde's population compared to a regional average of 0.5%.

West Ryde's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

West Ryde's median age is 37, matching Greater Sydney's figure and closely resembling Australia's median age of 38. The 25-34 age group constitutes 17.9% of West Ryde's population, higher than Greater Sydney's percentage. Conversely, the 5-14 age group makes up 10.6%, which is lower compared to Greater Sydney. Between 2021 and present, the 15-24 age group has increased from 10.2% to 11.6%. Meanwhile, the 55-64 cohort has decreased from 11.3% to 10.4%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in West Ryde's age structure. Notably, the 75-84 age group is projected to grow by 80%, adding 541 people and reaching a total of 1,216 from its previous figure of 674. The aging population trend is evident, with those aged 65 and above accounting for 53% of the projected growth. Conversely, the 0-4 and 35-44 age groups are expected to experience population declines.