Macquarie Fields

The community is noticeably younger than the national figure, with a typical resident aged 36 and a high percentage of children under 15. Around 4.9% of the population is Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, which is a little above the state and national averages.

This is a highly multicultural area where 40.2% of people were born overseas, a figure far above the national average. While Australian and English ancestries are most common, there are significant Indian, Irish and Scottish roots here.

A large portion of the community—43.3%—uses a language other than English at home, which is far above the national figure. Arabic, Hindi, Vietnamese and Tagalog are the most common non-English languages spoken.

The area is far more religious than the state or national average, with only 20.5% of people reporting no religion. Islam (16.2%) and Hinduism (10.3%) have a stronger presence here than in most similar areas.

Education levels are generally lower than the state average, with 54.4% of residents completing Year 12. While the area has more schools than most similar places, fewer adults hold a bachelor degree or higher compared to the national figure.

Typical incomes are well below the national figure, with a typical family earning $1,580 a week. Only 11.2% of households earn $3,000 or more weekly, which is much lower than in most other areas.

A higher number of residents need help with daily activities compared to most areas. Long-term health conditions are reported at a rate of 27.1%, which is about the same as the national figure.

Volunteer rates are well below the national average at 8.0%. However, community care is common, with 11.8% of people providing unpaid care and 26% caring for children unpaid.

The First Nations community is larger than in most similar areas, though it faces significant challenges. Typical personal income is much lower than the national figure, and the unemployment rate is well above the national average at 15.1%.

Homes here are larger than usual, with an average of 2.9 people per dwelling. One-parent families are very common, making up 22.4% of households, which is well above the national average.

Renting is far more common here than nationally, at 42.4%. While 79.9% of homes have three or more bedrooms, fewer people own their homes outright compared to the state average.

Public transport use is well above the national average, and 99.5% of homes are within a 10-minute walk of a stop. Despite this, 11.7% of homes have no motor vehicle, which is much higher than most areas.

The population is relatively stable, with 30.7% of people moving in the last five years—a figure far below the national average. Recent overseas arrivals make up 9.9% of the community.

Unemployment is among the highest at this level, sitting at 9.0%. Only 49.7% of adults are working or looking for work, which is far below the national figure.

The area is ranked among the most disadvantaged in the region, with an overall advantage score of 884. Population growth since 2021 has also been well below the state average.

Macquarie Fields receives far more annual rainfall than the New South Wales average, totaling 1,004mm. Temperatures are typical for the state, with an average maximum of 24.5 degrees.

The area is very walkable, with 99% of homes within a 15-minute walk of a park. Access to groceries and schools is far above the state average, with 95.6% of residents within a short walk of a shop.