Suburb / Locality · Area profile
Fairfield West
3 km²
Walking to local shops, schools and parks is a part of daily life for most people in Fairfield West. This is a young, multicultural community where the typical resident is 36 and more than half were born overseas. It is a place of large family homes and a strong presence of Vietnamese and Arabic speakers. While many residents face lower incomes and higher unemployment, the area is very walkable and well-connected by bus services.
Fairfield West has many young families but fewer schools per child than most areas.
Families are well catered for: 37 schools serve Fairfield West.
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The community is noticeably younger than the national average, with a typical age of 36 and a higher proportion of children under 15 at 20.2%. It is also a place where few people live alone or in de facto relationships compared to other areas.
Fairfield West has a very diverse population, with 56.1% of people born overseas, a figure far above the national average. Vietnamese is the most common ancestry at 17.7%, followed by Chinese, English and Australian.
Language diversity is very high, with 69.2% of people using a language other than English at home. This is far above the national figure, and about 22.6% of residents speak little or no English.
Religion plays a significant role here, as only 13% of people report having no religion, which is far below the national figure. Most residents identify as Christian (58.1%) or Buddhist (14.5%).
Academic qualifications are lower than the state average, with only 11.3% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. However, 49.2% of residents have completed Year 12, which is higher than in many similar areas.
Incomes are generally much lower than the national average, with a typical personal weekly income of $476. Only 15% of households earn $3,000 or more per week, well below the New South Wales figure of 25.2%.
A higher proportion of people need help with daily activities (9.0%) compared to the state average. Conversely, the rates of long-term health and mental health conditions are much lower than in most other areas.
Volunteer rates are among the lowest at this level at 4.9%, well below the national figure of 14.1%. There is also a lower rate of people providing unpaid childcare or housework compared to the state.
The First Nations population is small, but those who are here have a higher Year 12 completion rate (46.9%) than the state average. Additionally, 13.3% speak a First Nations language, which is well above the national figure.
Homes here are larger than usual, with an average of 3.4 people per household. This is consistent with a higher number of one-parent families (18.3%) and far fewer people living alone than in other areas.
Most residents live in separate houses, and 84.9% of homes have three or more bedrooms. Renting is more common here than across Australia, and typical weekly rents are slightly higher than the state average.
The area is well-served by buses, with 56 stops and a short 6-minute walk to the nearest one. While car use remains dominant, 22.7% of people work from home, which is higher than in most similar areas.
Recent overseas arrivals are much more common here than in most other areas, with 17.8% of the population arriving from abroad in the last five years.
Employment levels are low, with only 38.9% of adults working or looking for work, far below the national figure. The unemployment rate of 8.0% is also well above the state and national averages.
The area is very walkable, with 100% of homes within a short walk of public transport and parks. While most residents can easily reach groceries and schools on foot, only 32.5% can reach health services within 15 minutes.