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 November 2025, Whalan's estimated population stands at approximately 6,031 people. This figure reflects a growth of 102 individuals since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 5,929. The recent increase is inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of resident population at 6,011 based on the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024, along with 24 additional validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 2,481 persons per square kilometer, placing Whalan in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Whalan's growth rate of 1.7% since the census is within 1.4 percentage points of the SA3 area's 3.1%, indicating competitive growth fundamentals. Overseas migration contributed approximately 70.0% of overall population gains during recent periods, driving primary growth in the suburb.

AreaSearch employs ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data, NSW State Government's SA2 level projections from 2022 with a base year of 2021 are used. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. By 2041, the suburb is projected to increase its population by 940 persons, reflecting a gain of 19.6% over the 17-year period, based on aggregated SA2-level projections.

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

Whalan has received approximately 10 dwelling approvals annually based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers. Between FY-21 to FY-25, around 54 homes were approved, with another 4 in FY-26 as of now. Each year, an average of 2.8 new residents is associated with each dwelling built over the past five financial years.

The average construction cost value for new homes is $312,000, which is below the regional average, indicating more affordable housing options. This financial year has seen $14.6 million in commercial approvals, suggesting balanced commercial development activity in Whalan. Compared to Greater Sydney, Whalan has around two-thirds the rate of new dwelling approvals per person and ranks among the 17th percentile nationally, leading to relatively constrained buyer choice and supporting interest in existing dwellings. The area's new building activity consists of 75% detached houses and 25% medium and high-density housing, sustaining its suburban identity with a concentration of family homes suited for buyers seeking space.

Whalan reflects a highly mature market with around 888 people per dwelling approval. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, the area is forecasted to gain 1,184 residents by 2041. At current development rates, housing supply may struggle to keep pace with population growth, potentially heightening buyer competition and supporting price increases.

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, influencing its performance more than any other factors. These projects include the expansion of the PCYC Mount Druitt Community Facility, the Expanded Mount Druitt PCYC, the First Nations Cultural Hub Mount Druitt, and the Renewed Mount Druitt Swimming Centre. The following list details those projects 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 varied sector representation. The unemployment rate was 13.5% in the past year, showing an estimated employment growth of 6.6%.

As of June 2025, 2,297 residents are employed while the unemployment rate stands at 9.3%, higher than Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%. Workforce participation is lower at 39.9% compared to Greater Sydney's 60.0%. Key employment industries include retail trade, transport, postal & warehousing, and health care & social assistance. Transport, postal & warehousing has a notably high concentration with employment levels at 2.5 times the regional average.

Conversely, professional & technical services have lower representation at 3.9% compared to the regional average of 11.5%. The area offers limited local employment opportunities as indicated by the Census working population vs resident population count. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment levels increased by 6.6% and labour force grew by 6.7%, keeping the unemployment rate relatively stable at 9.3%. In contrast, Greater Sydney experienced employment growth of 2.6% with a labour force growth of 2.9%, and an increase in unemployment rate by 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 suggest that Whalan's employment should increase by 5.9% over five years and 12.5% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation of industry-specific projections against the local employment profile.

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 2022 shows that median income in Whalan is $41,656 and average income is $45,906. This contrasts with Greater Sydney's median income of $56,994 and average income of $80,856. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% since financial year 2022, estimated median income for Whalan as of September 2025 would be approximately $46,909 and average income would be around $51,695. According to the 2021 Census, incomes in Whalan fall between the 4th and 10th percentiles nationally. The largest income bracket comprises 27.9% earning $800 - $1,499 weekly (1,682 residents), unlike surrounding regions where 30.9% earn $1,500 - $2,999 weekly. 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 above-average rates of outright home ownership

Whalan's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 88.6% houses and 11.4% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), contrasting with Sydney metro's 80.7% houses and 19.4% 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 $2,000. The median weekly rent in Whalan was $300, significantly lower than the Sydney metro figure of $350. 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 lower-than-average median household size

Family households comprise 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 constitute the remaining 29.1%, with lone person households at 26.6% and group households comprising 2.4%. The median household size is 2.8 people, which is smaller than the Greater Sydney average of 3.1.

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%. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 7.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.7%) and graduate diplomas (0.8%). Vocational credentials are prominent, with 31.4% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications, including advanced diplomas (7.7%) and certificates (23.7%).

Educational participation is high at 36.0%, comprising 14.1% in primary education, 11.7% in secondary education, and 2.8% in tertiary education. Whalan's 3 schools have a combined enrollment of 783 students. The area has varied educational conditions with an ICSEA score of 899, featuring 2 primary and 1 K-12 school. School places per 100 residents are lower than the regional average at 13.0, indicating some students may attend schools in nearby areas.

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

Whalan has 42 active public transport stops operating, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 16 different routes that together facilitate 1,335 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of these services is rated as excellent, with residents being located an average of 129 meters from the nearest stop.

On average, there are 190 trips per day across all routes, which equates to approximately 31 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Health data indicates significant health challenges in Whalan. Key findings include a low private health cover rate of approximately 45%, affecting around 2724 people, compared to 47.8% across Greater Sydney and a national average of 55.3%. The most prevalent conditions are asthma (9.9%) and arthritis (9.2%), while 63.3% of residents report no medical ailments, lower than the Greater Sydney average of 71.2%.

Whalan has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 16.1%, or approximately 970 people, compared to 13.1% in Greater Sydney. Senior health outcomes align with the general population's health profile but present some challenges.

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's population was found to be more culturally diverse than most local markets, with 31.0% born overseas and 31.0% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Whalan, comprising 55.2% of its population. Islam was overrepresented compared to Greater Sydney, making up 9.3% of Whalan's population versus 13.0%.

In terms of ancestry, Australian was the top group at 22.3%, higher than the regional average of 17.2%. English ancestry followed at 19.1%, while Other ancestry was lower at 17.0% compared to the regional average of 23.9%. Notably, Samoan (5.4% vs 3.6%), Maori (1.9% vs 1.2%), and Filipino (4.1% vs 10.3%) ethnic groups showed significant divergences in representation compared to regional averages.

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 and Australia's average of 38 years. Compared to Greater Sydney, Whalan has a higher proportion of residents aged 5-14 (16.1%) but fewer residents aged 25-34 (11.2%). Between the 2021 Census and now, the proportion of residents aged 15-24 has increased from 13.8% to 14.8%, while the proportion of those aged 25-34 has decreased from 12.3% to 11.2%. By 2041, Whalan's population is forecasted to undergo significant demographic changes. The number of residents aged 75-84 is projected to grow by 80%, adding 264 residents to reach a total of 596. Conversely, the numbers in the 35-44 age range are expected to decrease by 20%.