Suburb / Locality · Area profile
Macquarie Fields
7 km²
A high proportion of overseas-born residents makes Macquarie Fields a diverse and youthful community. The typical resident is just 36, and with children under 15 making up 22.9% of the population, it is much younger than most areas. This youthful character is reflected in the large family households and a strong presence of young adults. Situated in Greater Sydney, it is a place where many people speak a language other than English at home.
Macquarie Fields's schools draw a more advantaged community than local incomes would suggest.
Macquarie Fields has many young families but fewer schools per child than most areas.
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The community is noticeably younger than the state and national figures, with a high number of children and far fewer seniors. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people make up 4.9% of the population, which is a little above the national average.
This area is far more multicultural than the rest of the country, with 40.4% of people born overseas. While Australian and English are the most common ancestries, there is a significant Indian community.
Language diversity is very high here, as 43.6% of residents use a language other than English at home. This is far above the national figure, though only 5.2% of people speak little or no English.
Religious affiliation is common in Macquarie Fields, where the share of people with no religion is far below the state and national levels. Christianity, Islam, and Hinduism are the most prominent faiths.
A higher-than-usual number of adults hold a bachelor degree or higher, although this remains well below the state average. Most residents attended government schools, and over half completed Year 12.
Typical incomes are well below the national figure, with the usual weekly household income sitting at $1,374. Very few households earn $3,000 or more per week compared to other areas.
More people here need help with daily activities than in most other areas. The rate of long-term health conditions is about the same as the state and national averages.
While unpaid childcare is common, volunteering is among the lowest at this level, falling well below the national figure. Only 1.7% of residents have served in the Defence Force.
There is a large First Nations population here, though they face significant challenges with an unemployment rate well above the national figure. The typical First Nations resident is 21, which is noticeably younger than the national average.
Families here are larger than usual, with 2.9 people per home. This is consistent with the high number of children in the area and a very high proportion of one-parent families.
Rental properties are far more common here than in the rest of the state. While most people live in separate houses with three or more bedrooms, very few people own their homes outright.
The area is highly connected, with 99.5% of homes within a 10-minute walk of public transport. This helps explain why the rate of people commuting by public transport is well above the national average.
The population is relatively stable, with fewer people moving in the last five years compared to the state average. However, recent arrivals from overseas are more common than in most areas.
The number of adults working or looking for work is much lower than in other areas, and the unemployment rate is well above the national figure. Many residents work in health care, retail, and manufacturing.
Macquarie Fields is very walkable, with almost all homes within a 15-minute walk of a school, park, or grocery store. This puts its walkability score slightly above the state average.