Fairfield

The population grew by 11% since 2011, and the typical resident is now 39 years old. While the number of children is about the same as the national figure, there are far fewer de facto relationships here than in other areas.

Fairfield is exceptionally multicultural, with 56.1% of people born overseas—far above the national figure of 27.7%. Vietnamese and Chinese are the most common ancestries after Australian and English.

Language diversity is a striking feature, as 69.6% of people use another language at home. This is far above the New South Wales figure, and 23.0% of residents speak little or no English.

Religious affiliation is common here, with 51.8% identifying as Christian and 20.2% as Buddhist. This means far fewer people report having no religion compared to the national average.

Academic qualifications are lower than in most areas, with only 13.3% of adults holding a bachelor degree. However, Year 12 completion rose 6.0 points since 2011 to reach 51.4%.

Typical incomes are much lower than the national figure, with the usual personal weekly income at $487. Only 4.2% of people earn $2,000 or more a week, which is well below the national average.

A higher proportion of people need help with daily activities compared to the state average. Interestingly, fewer people report long-term health or mental health conditions than in most other areas.

Volunteer rates are among the lowest at this level, at just 5.4%. Similarly, far fewer people report doing significant unpaid housework or caring for children compared to the national figures.

There are 1,452 First Nations people in the area. While unemployment for this group is much lower than the national figure, their typical personal income is also a little below the national average.

Homes here are larger than usual, with 3.2 people per household. This is well above the national figure and is consistent with a high rate of one-parent families, which is far above the state average.

Renters are much more common here than in most areas, and the typical weekly rent of $400 has risen $120 since 2011. Most homes are separate houses, and many have three or more bedrooms.

The area is well-served by public transport with over 1,000 stops, and 10.1% of homes have no car. Since 2011, working from home has surged from 2.1% to 23.6%.

Fairfield is more stable than other areas, as the proportion of people who moved in the last five years is far below the national figure. Recent overseas arrivals make up 12.3% of the population.

The job market is challenging, with an unemployment rate of 8.5%, which is well above the national figure. Only 41.2% of adults are working or looking for work, among the lowest for its level.

The population is among the largest at this level, though recent growth of 1.5% is much lower than the New South Wales average.

The area receives far more rainfall than the state average, with 1,030mm annually. Temperatures are typically higher than the state average as well.

Fairfield is very walkable, with 97.3% of homes within a 10-minute walk of public transport. Residents also have easy access to parks, schools, and groceries, far exceeding state averages.