Region (SA4) · Area profile
Sydney - Outer West and Blue Mountains
3,968 km²
Daily life in Sydney - Outer West and Blue Mountains revolves around spacious family living and a strong connection to nature. This is a growing region where many residents work from home and live in large detached houses, often with three or more bedrooms. The community is relatively young, with a higher proportion of children than the national figure. Set against a backdrop of high rainfall and cooler temperatures, it is a place where family homes are typical and the pace of life feels distinct from the inner city.
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The area is younger than most, with a typical resident aged 37 and a high proportion of children under 15. The population grew by 15% since 2011, and the First Nations community has also increased to 4.6%.
Most residents were born in Australia, and the proportion of people born overseas is well below the national figure. English, Irish, and Scottish are the most common ancestries.
English is the main language for nearly 80% of the community, and those using another language at home are far fewer than in the rest of the state. However, this figure has risen by 4.3 points since 2011.
Over half the population identifies as Christian, while those with no religion make up 34.1%. This last group has seen a large increase, rising 17 points since 2011.
About 20.7% of adults hold a bachelor degree or higher, which is well below the national figure. More people completed Year 12 by 2021 compared to 2011, rising by 9.5 points.
Typical weekly household incomes are $1,854, which is about the same as the state average. There has been a notable increase in wealthier households, with those earning $3,000 or more a week rising 13 points since 2011.
A little more than 29% of people have a long-term health condition, which is slightly above the national figure. Mental health is the most common reported condition at 9.7%.
Unpaid care for children and housework is more common here than in most areas. In contrast, the number of volunteers has fallen 3.7 points since 2011.
The First Nations community is relatively young, with a typical age of 22. Personal and household incomes for First Nations people are well above the national figures, and the unemployment rate is much lower than in most areas.
Families tend to be larger than usual, with 2.7 people per home. One-parent families are also much more common here than in most other areas.
The area is dominated by separate houses, with 82.5% of homes having three or more bedrooms. Typical weekly rents have risen by $110 since 2011 to reach $400.
While public transport stops are plentiful, very few people use them to commute. Instead, 28.3% of the workforce now works from home, a massive increase from just 3.7% in 2011.
The community is more stable than most, with a much lower proportion of people moving in the last five years compared to the national average. Recent arrivals from overseas are also well below the national figure.
More adults are working or looking for work here than in most areas. The most common industries for residents are health care and social assistance, followed by construction.
The population continues to grow, though the 4.9% increase since 2021 is slightly lower than the state-wide trend.
The region is much wetter and cooler than the rest of New South Wales, with average annual rainfall far above the state figure.
Most homes are within a short walk of a park or public transport, and the area is considered very walkable overall. However, fewer people can walk to groceries or health services compared to the state average.