Woodford (NSW)

Woodford has shown very soft population growth performance across periods assessed by AreaSearch

Woodford's population is estimated at 1,953 as of Feb 2026. This figure remains unchanged from the 2021 Census, which also reported a population of 1,953 people. The resident population estimate by AreaSearch, based on latest ERP data release by ABS (June 2024), is 1,952 with an additional 7 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 270 persons per square kilometer. Since the census, Woodford's population growth rate is 0.0%, which is within 1.7 percentage points of the SA3 area's growth rate (1.7%). Natural growth contributed approximately 62.0% of overall population gains in recent periods.

AreaSearch uses 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 are used, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Future population trends anticipate lower quartile growth, with Woodford expected to expand by 97 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting a total increase of 4.1% over the 17-year period.

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

Woodford has received around 3 dwelling approvals per year on average over the past five financial years ending June 2021. This totals an estimated 18 homes since FY-17. As of April 2026, 4 approvals have been recorded in Woodford. The population has declined during this period, but housing supply has remained adequate relative to demand, resulting in a balanced market with good buyer choice.

New homes are being built at an average expected construction cost value of $409,000. In FY-26, commercial development approvals totalled $257,000, reflecting the area's residential nature. Compared to Greater Sydney, Woodford has similar development levels per person, indicating market stability aligned with regional patterns. However, this level is below the national average, suggesting maturity and potential planning constraints in the area.

Recent building activity consists solely of standalone homes, maintaining Woodford's traditional low-density character focused on family homes. The estimated population per dwelling approval is 774 people. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Woodford is projected to grow by 80 residents by 2041. Current development appears well-matched to future needs, supporting steady market conditions without extreme price pressure.

Woodford has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 50% nationally

No changes were identified by AreaSearch that could influence the area's performance. Zero projects are set to impact the region. Key initiatives include Regional NSW Road Network Safety Improvements, Low and Mid-Rise Housing Policy, Sydney Metro, and Mariyung Fleet (New Intercity Fleet). The following list details those most relevant.

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Employment conditions in Woodford demonstrate exceptional strength compared to most Australian markets

Woodford has a well-educated workforce with essential services sectors well represented. The unemployment rate as of September 2025 was 1.8%, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data. In this month, 1,106 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 2.4% lower than Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%.

Workforce participation in Woodford was broadly similar to Greater Sydney's 70.0%. Census responses indicated that 43.0% of residents worked from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered. Key industries of employment among residents were health care & social assistance, education & training, and public administration & safety. Woodford showed strong specialization in education & training, with an employment share of 1.9 times the regional level.

Conversely, professional & technical services employed only 5.9% of local workers, below Greater Sydney's 11.5%. The predominantly residential area appeared to offer limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. Analysis of SALM and ABS data aggregated from broader statistical areas showed that over a 12-month period, Woodford's labour force decreased by 3.9% while employment declined by 3.2%, causing the unemployment rate to fall by 0.8 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Sydney experienced employment growth of 2.1% and labour force growth of 2.4%, with a 0.2 percentage point rise in unemployment. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 offered insights into potential future demand within Woodford. These projections, covering five and ten-year periods, were mapped against the local employment profile to estimate growth patterns. National employment was forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. However, applying these industry-specific projections to Woodford's employment mix suggested that local employment should increase by 6.8% over five years and 14.2% over ten years, though these are simple weighting extrapolations for illustrative purposes and do not account for localised population projections.

The economic profile demonstrates above-average performance, with income metrics exceeding national benchmarks based on AreaSearch comparative assessment

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of ATO data released on 30 June 2023 for financial year 2023, Woodford had a median income among taxpayers of $54,796 and an average level of $66,454. This is lower than the national averages of $60,817 and $83,003 respectively in Greater Sydney. Based on Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2023 to September 2025, current estimates would be approximately $59,651 (median) and $72,342 (average). According to the 2021 Census, incomes in Woodford cluster around the 58th percentile nationally. The income distribution shows that 36.9% of individuals earn between $1,500 and $2,999 annually, consistent with broader trends across metropolitan regions. After housing expenses, 85.7% of income remains for other expenses in Woodford, which has a SEIFA income ranking in the 7th decile.

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

Woodford's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 98.3% houses and 1.7% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Sydney metro had 55.9% houses and 44.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Woodford was at 39.6%, with mortgaged dwellings at 49.9% and rented ones at 10.5%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Woodford was $1,997, lower than Sydney metro's $2,427. The median weekly rent figure in Woodford was $420, compared to Sydney metro's $470. Nationally, Woodford's mortgage repayments were higher at $1,997 versus the Australian average of $1,863. Rents in Woodford were substantially above the national figure of $375 at $420.

Woodford has a typical household mix, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 75.7% of all households, consisting of couples with children (32.9%), couples without children (31.0%), and single parent families (11.0%). Non-family households make up the remaining 24.3%, with lone person households at 23.1% and group households comprising 1.5%. The median household size is 2.5 people, which is smaller than the Greater Sydney average of 2.7.

Woodford demonstrates exceptional educational outcomes, ranking among the top 5% of areas nationally based on AreaSearch's comprehensive analysis of qualification and performance metrics

Woodford's educational attainment is notably higher than broader benchmarks. Among residents aged 15+, 36.0% have university qualifications, compared to 23.9% in the SA4 region and 30.4% nationally. Bachelor degrees are most common at 20.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (10.6%) and graduate diplomas (4.6%). Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 35.6% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications – advanced diplomas account for 11.7% and certificates for 23.9%.

Educational participation is high in Woodford, with 26.8% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 8.0% in primary education, 7.0% in secondary education, and 5.6% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Woodford has 20 active public transport stops offering a mix of train and bus services. These are served by 22 routes that facilitate 960 weekly passenger trips in total. The area's transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents typically situated 275 meters from the nearest stop. Primarily residential, Woodford sees most commuters traveling outward. Car use dominates at 93%, with train use at 6%. Vehicle ownership averages 1.6 per dwelling, exceeding the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, 43% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency across all routes averages 137 trips per day, equating to roughly 48 weekly trips per stop.

The level of general health in Woodford is notably higher than the national average with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Woodford shows better-than-average health results based on AreaSearch's evaluation of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Both younger and older age groups have low rates of common health issues.

Private health insurance coverage is high at 53% (~1,039 people), compared to Greater Sydney's 59.9%. Mental health issues affect 10.0% of residents, with asthma impacting 8.7%. 66.3% report no medical ailments, compared to Greater Sydney's 74.6%. Working-age residents face significant health challenges due to high chronic condition rates. The area has a higher proportion of seniors at 20.5% (400 people), compared to Greater Sydney's 15.4%. Health outcomes for seniors are particularly strong, ranking nationally higher than the general population.

Woodford ranks below the Australian average when compared to other local markets across a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Woodford's cultural diversity was found to be below average. As of the census in June 2016, 82.2% of its population were born in Australia, with 93.4% being citizens and 93.7% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, comprising 41.1% of Woodford's population.

However, Buddhism was overrepresented at 1.5%, compared to Greater Sydney's average of 4.1%. The top three ancestry groups in Woodford were English (29.4%), Australian (25.5%), and Irish (10.5%). Notably, Hungarian (1.0%) and Welsh (0.8%) ethnicities were overrepresented compared to the regional averages of 0.3% and 0.4%, respectively. Additionally, Russian ethnicity was slightly overrepresented at 0.5%.

Woodford hosts a notably older demographic compared to the national average

Woodford's median age is 44, which is higher than Greater Sydney's figure of 37 and significantly exceeds the national norm of 38. The age group of 55-64 makes up a strong 17.0% of Woodford's population compared to Greater Sydney, while the 25-34 cohort is less prevalent at 9.4%. This concentration of the 55-64 age group is well above the national figure of 11.2%. According to the 2021 Census, the 75 to 84 age group has increased from 4.3% to 6.2% of Woodford's population. Conversely, the 25 to 34 cohort has decreased from 10.7% to 9.4%. Demographic modeling indicates that Woodford's age profile will change significantly by 2041. The 75 to 84 group is projected to grow by 45%, adding 53 people to reach a total of 175 from the current 121. The aging population trend is evident, with those aged 65 and above accounting for 78% of the projected growth. Meanwhile, both the 25 to 34 and 0 to 4 age groups are expected to experience population declines.