National Forecasting Program

Population and housing forecast for Sydney – Inner West

Our latest population and housing forecasts for Sydney – Inner West, which covers the Burwood and Canada Bay council areas and parts of Inner West and Strathfield, including Balmain, Leichhardt, Ashfield, Burwood, Strathfield, Concord, Drummoyne and Rhodes.

Region
Sydney – Inner West · SA4 120
Councils
Burwood, Canada Bay, Canterbury-Bankstown (part), Inner West (part), Strathfield (part), Sydney (part)
Built on
Earlier national forecast (2021.2022.1)
Released
18/10/2024
Status
Current
Boundaries
ASGS 2021 Ed. 3
Horizon
2046
  • Balmain
  • Rozelle
  • Annandale
  • Leichhardt
  • Ashfield
  • Dulwich Hill
  • Burwood
  • Strathfield
  • Homebush
  • Concord
  • Drummoyne
  • Rhodes

Where this region sits

  1. Nation
    Australia
    +8.6m to 2046
    Population growth, 2021 to 2046
    2025 forecast
  2. State
    New South Wales
    +2.42m to 2046
    Population growth, 2021 to 2046
    2021.2022.x
  3. You are here: Region
    Sydney – Inner West
    +76,328
    3.2% of New South Wales' growth
    2021.2022.1.1.1 · Oct 2024
  4. Below the region
    21 small areas, all forecast
    Small-area forecasts available through Placemaker.

New South Wales' share of national growth is set from the national drivers. This region's share of New South Wales is built from development assessed on the ground.

The forecast

  • 306,292

    Population, 2021

  • 382,620

    Population, 2046

  • +76,328

    Total growth to 2046

  • +40,342

    Additional dwellings

Population, dwellings and age structure, five-yearly

Five-year intervals shown; the forecast itself is a single-year series by single year of age and sex, available in full through Placemaker, along with a downloadable summary. We forecast the share aged 65 and over to move from 14.9% in 2021 to 17.2% in 2046.
PopulationDwellingsAge structure, %
YearTotalChangeTotalChange0–1415–6465+
2021306,292—133,630—15.170.014.9
2026322,429+16,137139,065+5,43514.070.415.6
2031338,096+15,667148,182+9,11713.370.316.4
2036352,642+14,546156,510+8,32813.269.916.9
2041367,816+15,174165,222+8,71213.269.617.1
2046382,620+14,804173,972+8,75013.469.417.2

What we assess, and where

Different things drive population change at different scales. We form a view at each level, and each level constrains the one below it.

  1. Nation
    • Overseas migration
    • Fertility and life expectancy
    • Housing completions
  2. State
    • Share of overseas migration
    • Interstate migration
    • State housing policy
  3. Region (this page)
    • Intrastate migration
    • Development pipeline
    • Capacity and limiting factors
    • Ageing in place
  4. Suburb and site
    • Site-by-site development assessment
    • Dwelling type and density

Housing capacity, by area

Sub-area (SA3)Area characterCapacity used by 2046
Canada Bay71.6%
Leichhardt83.6%
Strathfield – Burwood – Ashfield60.6%
Sydney – Inner West total66.1%

How to read this

Capacity used is the share of an area's assessed dwelling capacity that the forecast draws down by 2046. Assessed capacity is post-census capacity across 503 tracked residential development sites, so it counts what those sites can hold, not every theoretical dwelling a planning control would permit.

The major sites that shape this forecast

SiteLocationTypeStatus
Proposed - Kings Bay Village147 Parramatta Road FIVE DOCKRedevelopmentPre-approved / Lapsed approval
1 King Street, Concord1 King Street, Concord NSW 2137RedevelopmentMarketing
Homebush State-Led Rezoning Area14 Pomeroy Street NORTH STRATHFIELDRedevelopmentStructure plan / Under-utilised (med-high density)
Walker Street Mixed Use Development34 Walker Street RHODESRedevelopmentComplete
Kings Bay Precinct Masterplan - Mixed Use (Lot B)28 Spencer Street FIVE DOCKRedevelopmentStructure plan / Under-utilised (med-high density)

Our forecasting team

Liza Ivanova

Liza Ivanova

Principal Forecast Consultant

Oliver Bowering

Oliver Bowering

Senior Forecast Consultant

Places covered by this forecast

The largest of the 39 suburbs and localities in this region. Every one of them is forecast at small-area level, and any combination can be built into a custom catchment through Placemaker.

  • Strathfield
  • Ashfield
  • Burwood
  • Leichhardt
  • Concord
  • Dulwich Hill
  • Homebush
  • Rhodes
  • Drummoyne
  • Croydon Park
  • Croydon
  • Balmain
  • Five Dock
  • Homebush West
  • Annandale
  • Rozelle
  • Lilyfield
  • Summer Hill (Inner West - NSW)
  • Haberfield
  • Concord West
  • + 19 more

Plus 19 more. Search for any suburb or locality on our forecast analysis page.

Common questions about the forecast for Sydney – Inner West

A credible, independent forecast

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Independent of government

Our forecasts are not commissioned by any government, so they give an independent view.

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Granular forecasts for custom catchments

Forecast at small-area level, so they can be built up into any catchment you need, such as a school catchment, a retail trade area or a utility service area.

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Every region, on one basis

A single national model, not a collection of unconnected local studies.

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Assessed site by site

Built on a national development sites layer maintained by our own forecasters. 503 development sites assessed in this region alone.

500+

organisations across Australia trust Informed Decisions for data and insights

15,000+

suburbs forecast, covering every part of Australia

A named forecaster behind every region

Questions about a forecast go to the team who prepared it.

See the forecast for your exact area

Placemaker gives you the population, housing and development forecast for any catchment you draw inside this region, by single year, with the development pipeline behind it.