Windale

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

Windale's population, as of November 2025, is estimated at around 3,666 people. This reflects an increase of 245 individuals since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 3,421 people in the Windale statistical area (Lv2). The change was inferred from AreaSearch's resident population estimate of 3,577 following examination of the ABS's latest ERP data release in June 2024 and an additional two validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population results in a density ratio of 1,779 persons per square kilometer, which is above the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Windale's growth of 7.2% since the 2021 census exceeded both the SA3 area (4.0%) and non-metro areas, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Interstate migration contributed approximately 63.0% of overall population gains during recent periods for the Windale (SA2).

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilises NSW State Government's SA2 level projections released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Based on aggregated SA2-level projections, the Windale statistical area (Lv2) is expected to expand by 310 persons to 2041, reflecting an increase of 3.5% in total over the 17-year period.

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

Windale has seen approximately 18 dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling around 94 homes from FY-21 to FY-25. In FY-26 so far, 10 approvals have been recorded. This results in an estimated 0.8 new residents per year arriving for each new home developed during this period. The average construction value of these dwellings is $422,000.

Additionally, $3.7 million in commercial approvals have been registered in FY-26. Compared to the rest of NSW, Windale has experienced elevated construction activity, with 31.0% more approvals per person over the past five years. Recent development comprises 29.0% standalone homes and 71.0% townhouses or apartments. This shift from the area's existing housing composition (currently 75.0% houses) indicates decreasing availability of developable sites and changing lifestyle preferences. With around 366 people per dwelling approval, Windale shows a developed market with future projections estimating an addition of 128 residents by 2041 based on current development patterns.

Future projections show Windale adding 128 residents by 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). Based on current development patterns, new housing supply should readily meet demand, offering good conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 18 projects that may impact the area. Notable projects include The Summit, Windale Area Plan, Ryhope Street Subdivision, and Mount Hutton Precinct Area Plan. Below is a list detailing those likely to be most relevant.

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

Denotes AI-based impression for illustrative purposes only, not to be taken as definitive under any circumstances. Please follow links and conduct other investigations from the project's source for actual imagery. Developers and project owners wishing us to use original imagery please Contact Us and we will do so.

Employment conditions in Windale face significant challenges, ranking among the bottom 10% of areas assessed nationally

Windale's workforce is balanced across white and blue-collar jobs, with prominent representation in essential services sectors. The unemployment rate was 14.1% as of September 2025.

Over the past year, employment stability has been relatively consistent. In comparison to Rest of NSW, Windale's unemployment rate is 10.3% higher, at 3.8%, indicating room for improvement. Workforce participation in Windale lags significantly, at 34.6%, compared to Rest of NSW's 56.4%. Dominant employment sectors among residents include health care & social assistance, retail trade, and accommodation & food.

Notably, health care & social assistance is concentrated with levels at 1.3 times the regional average. Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing is under-represented, with only 0.4% of Windale's workforce compared to 5.3% in Rest of NSW. The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. During the year to September 2025, Windale's labour force increased by 2.8%, while employment declined by 0.1%, leading to a rise in unemployment rate by 2.5 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of NSW experienced an employment decline of 0.5% and a labour force decline of 0.1%, with a rise of 0.4 percentage points in the unemployment rate. State-level data from 25-Nov shows NSW employment contracted by 0.03%, losing 2,260 jobs, 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% expansion over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Windale's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.5% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for localized population projections.

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

Windale's median taxpayer income in financial year 2023 was $36,388. The average income was $47,210. These figures are lower than the national averages of $52,390 (median) and $65,215 (average) for Rest of NSW. By September 2025, estimated incomes would be approximately $39,612 (median) and $51,393 (average), based on an 8.86% growth since financial year 2023. Windale's household, family, and personal incomes all fall between the 0th and 2nd percentiles nationally, as per 2021 Census figures. In Windale, 37.5% of locals (1,374 people) earn between $400 - $799 weekly, differing from the surrounding region where 29.9% earn between $1,500 - $2,999 weekly. A significant portion of Windale's community faces economic challenges, with 52.0% in sub-$800 weekly brackets. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 75.7% of income remaining, ranking at the 2nd percentile nationally.

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

Windale's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 74.8% houses and 25.2% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Non-Metro NSW had 82.4% houses and 17.6% other dwellings. Home ownership in Windale was at 7.7%, with the rest being mortgaged (10.9%) or rented (81.4%). The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,478, lower than Non-Metro NSW's average of $2,000 and the national average of $1,863. The median weekly rent in Windale was $186, significantly lower than Non-Metro NSW's $370 and the national figure of $375.

Windale features high concentrations of lone person households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 58.0% of all households, including 14.4% couples with children, 15.3% couples without children, and 26.2% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 42.0%, with lone person households at 38.3% and group households comprising 3.7%. The median household size is 2.3 people, which is smaller than the Rest of NSW average of 2.5.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 6.3%, significantly lower than the NSW average of 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 5.1%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (0.9%) and graduate diplomas (0.3%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 38.1% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (5.5%) and certificates (32.6%). Educational participation is high at 34.8%, comprising 13.9% in primary education, 9.3% in secondary education, and 2.1% in tertiary education.

Educational participation is notably high, with 34.8% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 13.9% in primary education, 9.3% in secondary education, and 2.1% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Windale has 45 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 21 different routes that combined provide 693 weekly passenger trips. The average distance from a resident's home to the nearest transport stop is 136 meters.

On average, there are 99 trips per day across all routes, which equates to approximately 15 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Windale faces significant health challenges, with various conditions affecting both younger and older age groups. The rate of private health cover is notably low at approximately 46%, covering around 1,674 people. This figure contrasts with Rest of NSW's 54.4% and the national average of 55.7%.

Mental health issues and asthma are the most prevalent conditions in Windale, affecting 16.3% and 14.0% of residents respectively. Conversely, 46.7% of residents report having no medical ailments, compared to Rest of NSW's 62.6%. The area has a lower proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 16.8%, or approximately 615 people, compared to Rest of NSW's 21.4%. Health outcomes among Windale's senior population present challenges largely consistent with the overall health profile of its residents.

The latest Census data sees Windale placing among the least culturally diverse areas in the country when compared across a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Windale, as per the findings, was below average in cultural diversity. Its population composition showed that 84.9% were citizens, 93.9% were born in Australia, and 96.4% spoke English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, making up 46.6% of Windale's population.

The most significant overrepresentation was seen in the 'Other' category, which constituted 0.8% compared to the regional average of 0.4%. In terms of ancestry, the top three groups were Australian (35.5%), English (30.1%), and Australian Aboriginal (12.0%). The latter figure was substantially higher than the regional average of 3.4%. Notable divergences existed in the representation of certain ethnic groups; Welsh was overrepresented at 0.5% compared to the regional average of 0.8%, Samoan at 0.1% versus 0.2%, and Vietnamese at 0.3% against the regional average of 0.1%.

Windale's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

The median age in Windale is 36 years, which is significantly lower than Rest of NSW's average of 43 years and somewhat younger than Australia's median age of 38 years. The 25-34 age group comprises 16.0% of Windale's population compared to Rest of NSW, while the 85+ cohort makes up only 0.6%. According to Census data from 2021, the 25 to 34 age group has increased from 13.4% to 16.0% of Windale's population. Conversely, the 45 to 54 age group has decreased from 12.3% to 10.9%, and the 5 to 14 age group has dropped from 15.4% to 14.1%. Population forecasts for 2041 suggest significant demographic changes in Windale, with the 35 to 44 age group expected to grow by 19 people (from 432 to 515) and the 55 to 64 and 5 to 14 cohorts projected to experience population declines.