Whalan

Whalan 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 Whalan is around 6,432, reflecting an increase of 503 people since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 5,929. This growth was inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population at 6,191 following examination of ABS's latest ERP data release in June 2024 and an additional 13 validated new addresses since the Census date. Whalan's population density is 2,646 persons per square kilometer, placing it in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The suburb experienced an 8.5% growth from 2021 to Feb 2026, exceeding the SA3 area's 5.2% and the state's growth rate. Overseas migration contributed approximately 70.0% of Whalan's population gains during recent periods. AreaSearch is using 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. According to aggregated SA2-level projections, Whalan is expected to increase its population by 959 persons to 2041, reflecting a total gain of 12.4% over the 17-year period.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Whalan according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

Whalan has received around 14 dwelling approvals per year based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers. Approximately 73 homes were approved between FY21 and FY25, with an additional 11 approved in FY26. Each new dwelling built over the past five financial years (FY21-FY25) has resulted in an average of 2.1 new residents per year, indicating solid demand that supports property values.

The average construction cost value of new homes is $312,000. This year, Whalan has registered $7.4 million in commercial approvals, reflecting its residential character. Compared to Greater Sydney, Whalan has similar development levels per person, maintaining market equilibrium with surrounding areas. However, these levels are lower than the national average, suggesting market maturity and potential development constraints.

Detached houses account for 75% of new building activity, while medium and high-density housing makes up the remaining 25%, preserving Whalan's suburban identity with a focus on family homes. With around 428 people per dwelling approval, Whalan exhibits signs of a developed market. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Whalan is projected to gain 799 residents by 2041, and building activity appears to be keeping pace with growth projections despite potential increased competition for buyers as the population grows.

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

Ten projects identified by AreaSearch are expected to impact the area significantly. Key projects include PCYC Mount Druitt Community Facility (Expansion), Expanded Mount Druitt PCYC, First Nations Cultural Hub Mount Druitt, and Renewed Mount Druitt Swimming Centre. The following list details those likely to be most relevant.

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

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The labour market performance in Whalan lags significantly behind most other regions nationally

Whalan's workforce is balanced across white and blue collar jobs with diverse sector representation. The unemployment rate was 12.7% in the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 7.0%. As of September 2025, 2,274 residents are employed, while the unemployment rate stands at 8.5%, above Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%.

Workforce participation is lower at 55.7% compared to Greater Sydney's 70.0%. Approximately 19.9% of residents work from home. Leading employment industries include retail trade, transport, postal & warehousing, and health care & social assistance. Transport, postal & warehousing has notably high concentration with levels at 2.5 times the regional average.

Professional & technical services show lower representation at 3.9% compared to the regional average of 11.5%. Employment opportunities locally appear limited as indicated by the working population vs resident population count. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment levels increased by 7.0%, labour force grew by 4.5%, reducing the unemployment rate by 2.0 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Sydney experienced employment growth of 2.1% and labour force growth of 2.4%, with a slight rise in unemployment to 4.4%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project national employment expansion by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but growth varies significantly between sectors. Applying these projections to Whalan's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 5.9% over five years and 12.5% over ten years.

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

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023 shows that Whalan has an income below the national average. The median income is $41,656 and the average income stands at $45,906. In contrast, Greater Sydney has a median income of $60,817 and an average income of $83,003. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since financial year 2023, current estimates for Whalan would be approximately $45,347 (median) and $49,973 (average) as of September 2025. According to the 2021 Census, household, family and personal incomes in Whalan all fall between the 4th and 10th percentiles nationally. The largest income segment comprises 27.9% earning $800 - 1,499 weekly (1,794 residents), unlike surrounding regions where 30.9% earn within the $1,500 - 2,999 range. Housing affordability pressures are severe in Whalan, with only 78.0% of income remaining, ranking at the 7th percentile nationally.

Whalan is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

The latest Census revealed that Whalan's dwelling structure was composed of 88.6% houses and 11.4% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Sydney metro's 55.9% houses and 44.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Whalan stood at 22.5%, with mortgaged dwellings at 23.2% and rented ones at 54.2%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,733, lower than Sydney metro's average of $2,427. The median weekly rent in Whalan was recorded at $300, compared to Sydney metro's $470. Nationally, Whalan's mortgage repayments were below the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially lower than the national figure of $375.

Whalan has a typical household mix, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 70.9% of all households, including 27.5% couples with children, 15.6% couples without children, and 25.7% single parent families. Non-family households make up 29.1%, with lone person households at 26.6% and group households comprising 2.4%. The median household size is 2.8 people, larger than the Greater Sydney average of 2.7.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 11.2%, significantly lower than Greater Sydney's average of 38.0%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 7.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.7%) and graduate diplomas (0.8%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 31.4% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (7.7%) and certificates (23.7%). Educational participation is high at 36.0%, comprising primary education (14.1%), secondary education (11.7%), and tertiary education (2.8%).

Educational participation is notably high, with 36.0% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 14.1% in primary education, 11.7% in secondary education, and 2.8% pursuing tertiary education.

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

The analysis of public transport in Whalan shows that there are 47 active transport stops currently operating. These stops offer a variety of bus services, with 16 individual routes running collectively to provide 1,429 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of these transport options is rated as excellent, with residents typically located just 129 meters from the nearest stop. As Whalan is primarily residential, most commuting by its residents is outward-bound. The dominant mode of transportation remains cars at 83%, while train usage stands at 10%. On average, there are 1.0 vehicles per dwelling in the area, which is below the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census data, some 19.9% of residents work from home, a figure that may reflect conditions related to COVID-19. The service frequency across all routes averages 204 trips per day, equating to approximately 30 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Whalan is a key challenge with a range of health conditions having marked impacts on both younger and older age cohorts

Whalan faces significant health challenges as assessed by AreaSearch. Mortality rates and prevalence of chronic conditions are high, affecting both younger and older age groups. Private health cover is low at approximately 45% of the total population (around 2,905 people), compared to 59.9% in Greater Sydney and a national average of 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions are asthma and arthritis, affecting 9.9% and 9.2% of residents respectively. Conversely, 63.3% of residents report having no medical ailments, compared to 74.6% in Greater Sydney. Working-age residents face notable health challenges due to high chronic condition rates. The area has a higher proportion of seniors, with 16.7% aged 65 and over (1,074 people), compared to 15.4% in Greater Sydney. Health outcomes among seniors are broadly in line with national rankings.

Whalan 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

Whalan had a higher cultural diversity than most local areas, with 31.0% of its population born overseas and 31.0% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Whalan, making up 55.2% of people. Islam's representation stood out at 9.3%, compared to Greater Sydney's 6.8%.

The top three ancestral groups were Australian (22.3%), English (19.1%), and Other (17.0%). Notably, Samoan (5.4%) was overrepresented in Whalan compared to the regional average of 0.5%, Maori at 1.9% versus 0.4%, and Filipino at 4.1% against a regional average of 2.0%.

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

Whalan's median age is 34 years, which is lower than Greater Sydney's average of 37 years and Australia's average of 38 years. Compared to Greater Sydney, Whalan has a higher proportion of residents aged 5-14 (15.8%) but fewer residents aged 25-34 (10.9%). Between the 2021 Census and now, the population aged 15-24 has increased from 13.8% to 15.0%. Conversely, the proportion of residents aged 25-34 has decreased from 12.3% to 10.9%, and those aged 35-44 have also declined from 12.3% to 11.2%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate significant demographic changes in Whalan. The 75-84 age group is projected to grow by 60%, adding 220 residents and reaching a total of 587. Residents aged 65 and above will drive 56% of population growth, highlighting aging trends. Conversely, population declines are projected for the 0-4 and 35-44 age groups.