Fairfield East
With 57.1% of residents born overseas and a 3.2-person average household, Fairfield East reads as a family-oriented, migrant-majority pocket within the Fairfield area. Its 5,198 residents have a median age of 37, which is 3.0 years below the national comparison, while overseas-born representation is 35.5 percentage points above the national level. Detached homes account for 71.2% of dwellings, helping explain the larger households and car-led routines. Compared with nearby Cabramatta and Villawood, Fairfield East is a compact 1.99 sq km residential market defined by family housing and an aging trajectory.
Population
5,198
Median Age
37.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,212/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
56
Home buyers are choosing predominantly detached stock: separate houses make up 71.2% of dwellings, versus 16.3% apartments and 12.6% semi-detached homes. The bedroom mix leans family-sized, with 38.8% three-bedroom and 32.6% four-bedroom-plus homes. Entry costs need careful testing because monthly mortgage costs sit at $1,900 and mortgage payments equal 36.2% of household income, a higher burden than the 24.8% rent-to-income ratio. Renting is also common at 45.3%, so buyers may compete with households seeking stability. The 25.5% outright-ownership share is lower than the 27.2% mortgage share, pointing to a meaningful pool of owners still paying down debt.
For Buyers
Home buyers are choosing predominantly detached stock: separate houses make up 71.2% of dwellings, versus 16.3% apartments and 12.6% semi-detached homes. The bedroom mix leans family-sized, with 38.8% three-bedroom and 32.6% four-bedroom-plus homes. Entry costs need careful testing because monthly mortgage costs sit at $1,900 and mortgage payments equal 36.2% of household income, a higher burden than the 24.8% rent-to-income ratio. Renting is also common at 45.3%, so buyers may compete with households seeking stability. The 25.5% outright-ownership share is lower than the 27.2% mortgage share, pointing to a meaningful pool of owners still paying down debt.
For Investors
Fairfield East has a substantial tenant base, with 45.3% of occupied dwellings rented compared with 27.2% under mortgage, supporting a broad rental audience. Weekly rent is $300 and vacancy is 5.4%, so investors should test achievable rent against holding costs rather than assume tight conditions. The development pipeline recorded 57 applications in 12 months, including secondary-dwelling work, which may add competing supply as well as improve multigenerational housing flexibility. Growth is forecast at 0.67% annually and is driven primarily by overseas migration. That combination is more suited to a patient, moderate-growth strategy than a quick-renovation thesis, particularly while gentrification remains at an early-signs stage with a score of 20.
Development Activity
Total DAs
229
Last 12 Months
56
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+16.7%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Fairfield East
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Demographics
Fairfield East's social profile is shaped by overseas migration: 57.1% of residents were born overseas, 35.5 percentage points above the national comparison. Vietnamese ancestry counts 1,239 people and Chinese ancestry 625, while Christianity, Islam and Buddhism are recorded at 1,831, 1,025 and 991 people respectively. The median age is 37, three years below the national figure, but the suburb is moving older, with the senior share up 5.2 points and the young share down 4.0 points. Average household size is 3.2 people, 0.7 above the national comparison, and couples with children represent 50.2% of families. These patterns explain the demand for multilingual services, family housing and age-friendly support.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
71.2%
Houses
12.6%
Townhouse
16.3%
Apartment
Tenure
Fairfield East is detached-dominant but not exclusively low-density: 71.2% of dwellings are separate houses, compared with 16.3% apartments and 12.6% semi-detached homes. Three-bedroom properties form the largest bedroom group at 38.8%, followed by four-bedroom-plus at 32.6%, matching the 3.2-person average household size. Tenure is split between 25.5% outright owners, 27.2% mortgage holders and 45.3% renters, so the renting share is higher than either ownership category. Monthly mortgage costs average $1,900, and the 36.2% mortgage-to-income ratio is higher than the 24.8% rent-to-income ratio. Buyers should check current sales carefully before setting a budget.
Mortgage / mo
$1,900
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (April to June 2026), NSW Rental Bond Board (DCJ). Census 2021 median: $300.
$615
Bond data Jun 2026 · houses $670 · units $560
HH Size
3.2
Personal Income / wk
$459
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
5.4%
Unoccupied
84
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.8%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
36.2% stressed
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
50.2%
Couples with children
24.7%
Couples, no children
24.1%
Single parent
1,208
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare leads local employment at 18.3% with 137 workers, followed by Professional/Tech at 9.5%, Education at 9.2%, Transport at 9.1% and Retail at 8.8%. The occupation mix is broader than that industry ranking alone suggests: Professionals number 243, while Labourers and Machinery/Drivers account for 210 and 209, and Clerical/Admin totals 203. Participation is 38.0%, unemployment is 9.4% and 2,159 people are not in the labour force. Socio-economic conditions rank below most areas, with IEO at decile 2 and IER, IRSD and IRSAD each at decile 1. The gap between a healthcare-led industry profile and low participation points to both active workers and a large non-working population.
Unemployment
9.4%
Labour Force
1,593
Unemployed
149
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
51.4%
Part-time
27.8%
Participation
38.0%
Employed
1,444
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
28.9%
Postgraduate
4.4%
Born Overseas
57.1%
Dwellings
1,456
Transport to Work
Daily travel is car-led: 60.5% of residents drive to work, compared with 3.8% using public transport and 2.2% walking or cycling; 27.5% work from home. Fairfield East has 2 named schools nearby, with a government primary school and a government school for specific purposes, so families should check enrolment zones and support needs against the exact address. The suburb's IRSAD is in decile 1, below higher deciles on the national scale, so convenience depends heavily on the street and destination. Safety should be assessed using current NSW Police incident information and comparing the latest 12 months with the prior 12 months. A 1.99 sq km footprint keeps local trips relatively contained, but the transport split favours a car.
Drive
60.5%
Public Transport
3.8%
Walk / Cycle
2.2%
Work from Home
27.5%
Population Forecast
+0.67%/yr
(+129 people/yr)
EstablishedFairfield East is an established suburb with a forecast annual growth trend of 0.67%, driven primarily by overseas migration. Population change across the wider area is 8.3% over 10 years, while the shift is labelled Aging: the senior share is higher by 5.2 points and the young share is lower by 4.0 points than earlier levels. This points to gradual household change rather than sudden expansion, because overseas arrivals are being absorbed into an already settled housing market. Gentrification remains at the Early signs stage, with a score of 20, and the COVID dip of 4.3% was followed by 4.2% recovery. Compared with the suburb's earlier profile, the aging trend is more pronounced than the growth rate.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+672
Net Internal / yr
-495
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Net internal outflow -495/yr, Strong overseas inflow +672/yr, COVID recovered (-4% dip → full recovery)
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Fairfield East compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Fairfield East a good suburb to live in?
Fairfield East can suit households wanting detached housing, multilingual services and a settled location. It has 5,198 residents, a median age of 37 and 71.2% separate houses. The trade-offs are a 60.5% car-driver share, higher than the 3.8% public transport share, IRSAD decile 1 and mortgage costs equal to 36.2% of income.
What is the median house price in Fairfield East?
No single current median house price should be treated as reliable without recent settled sales. Compare at least 2 similar properties by land size, bedroom count and condition, noting that 71.2% of Fairfield East dwellings are separate houses and 38.8% have 3 bedrooms. That approach is more useful than applying an apartment median to the suburb's family-house stock.
What schools are in Fairfield East?
Two named schools are in Fairfield East: Verona School, a government school for specific purposes, and Villawood North Public School, a government primary school. Enrolment boundaries and specialist eligibility can differ by address, so check the current rules before relying on a school being available. The 2 named options are both government schools, making the listed sector mix narrower than a mixed-sector catchment.
Is Fairfield East safe?
Safety varies by street, time and incident type, so a single suburb judgement is not enough. Check current NSW Police incident information and compare the latest 12 months with the prior 12 months around the exact address. Fairfield East's population is 5,198 and its IRSAD decile is 1, which makes local due diligence important rather than a reason to assume every street performs the same.
Is Fairfield East good for property investment?
Fairfield East may suit investors seeking established family rental demand, but returns need careful modelling. Renting accounts for 45.3% of dwellings, higher than the 27.2% mortgage share; weekly rent is $300, vacancy is 5.4% and 57 development applications were recorded in 12 months. Growth is forecast at 0.67% annually and driven by overseas migration, making the case moderate and long term rather than guaranteed high growth.
How is Fairfield East's population changing?
Fairfield East is changing gradually rather than rapidly. The forecast annual trend is 0.67%, and population change across the wider area is 8.3% over 10 years, with overseas migration the primary driver. The trajectory is Aging: the senior share is higher by 5.2 points and the young share is lower by 4.0 points. Gentrification is still at the Early signs stage with a score of 20.
What languages are spoken in Fairfield East?
The largest listed language is Arabic, spoken by 456 people, followed by Canton with 111 and Mandarin with 69. Vietnamese ancestry is also prominent at 1,239 people, while 57.1% of residents were born overseas, 35.5 percentage points above the national level. These figures indicate that language access may matter when choosing services, schools and healthcare.
What development is occurring in Fairfield East?
Development activity is material for an established suburb: 57 applications were lodged in the past 12 months, more than 20. Recent examples include secondary-dwelling proposals and driveways or hard-stand works. This may create more rental or multigenerational housing options, but buyers should check approvals, construction timing and nearby changes before committing to a property.
How to read these comparisons
Phrases like "above the national average" reference the unweighted median across Australian suburbs with more than 1,000 residents, not population-weighted national figures. Suburb-level medians are more useful for ranking suburbs against each other; ABS census headlines are population-weighted (so dominated by Sydney and Melbourne) and can read very differently.
Current baseline (refreshed 2026-05-10): median age 40, university-educated 30.1%, born overseas 21.6%, average household size 2.5 people.
Data sources: ABS 2021 Census (demographics, income, tenure), state education open registers (school locations), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications). Population forecasts use a Hamilton-Perry cohort model calibrated to ABS ERP.
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