Macquarie Fields
Macquarie Fields stands out for a migrant share that is 21.9 percentage points above the national level: 43.5% of residents were born overseas, while the median age of 36 is 4 years below national. Compared with the more interchange-focused setting at neighbouring Glenfield, its profile is still house-led, with 70.2% separate houses and only 1.3% apartments. A population of 14,023 and household income in the 35.5th percentile point to an accessible south-west Sydney market, because family-sized stock, schools and public transport keep demand broad despite lower advantage scores.
Population
14,023
Median Age
36.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,374/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
70
Median House
$814K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
For homebuyers, the draw is family-sized housing with a median below the 2025 price-series peak: the house median is $813,500, while the latest series reached $850,000 after rising 6.6% from 2024. Separate houses make up 70.2% of dwellings, semi-detached homes 28.5%, and apartments just 1.3%, so buyers are mostly comparing yards and duplex layouts rather than unit stock. The caution is serviceability: mortgages absorb 30.3% of income and the typical monthly mortgage is $1,800, higher pressure than rent at 24.7% of income; 58.0% three-bedroom stock helps families trade space against cost.
For Buyers
For homebuyers, the draw is family-sized housing with a median below the 2025 price-series peak: the house median is $813,500, while the latest series reached $850,000 after rising 6.6% from 2024. Separate houses make up 70.2% of dwellings, semi-detached homes 28.5%, and apartments just 1.3%, so buyers are mostly comparing yards and duplex layouts rather than unit stock. The caution is serviceability: mortgages absorb 30.3% of income and the typical monthly mortgage is $1,800, higher pressure than rent at 24.7% of income; 58.0% three-bedroom stock helps families trade space against cost.
For Investors
Investors are buying into a renter-heavy market: 44.1% of homes are rented, above the 21.5% owned outright share and above the 34.4% with a mortgage. The rent benchmark is $340 a week and rent-to-income is 24.7%, which supports affordability because tenant costs sit below the mortgage burden of 30.3%. Risks are not absent: vacancy is 4.6%, a higher leasing risk than the renter share alone suggests, while 59 development applications in 12 months add new secondary dwellings and houses. Overseas migration, averaging 46 net people a year, is the key demand support.
Development Activity
Total DAs
356
Last 12 Months
70
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-14.6%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Macquarie Fields iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Macquarie Fields High School
7-12 · 1091 students
Macarthur Adventist College
K-12 · 695 students
Macquarie Fields Public School
K-6 · 828 students
James Meehan High School
7-12 · 395 students
Curran Public School
K-6 · 275 students
Demographics
Macquarie Fields is younger and more internationally connected than the national profile. The median age is 36, 4 years below national, while 43.5% were born overseas, 21.9 percentage points above national. Education also leans higher, with 35.4% university qualified, 5.3 points above national, helping explain the mix of 865 professionals with 706 clerical/admin workers. Bengali is the largest listed language at 656 speakers, alongside Arabic 267 and Nepali 199; Christianity 5,538, Islam 2,298 and Hinduism 1,461 show the main faith communities.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
70.2%
Houses
28.5%
Townhouse
1.3%
Apartment
Tenure
Housing is broad but not high-rise. Separate houses account for 70.2% of dwellings and semi-detached homes 28.5%, compared with only 1.3% apartments. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 58.0%, with 4-plus bedrooms at 23.3%, so the suburb suits families needing space rather than compact buyers. Prices moved from $797,000 in 2024 to $850,000 in 2025, a 6.6% lift, and the latest value is at the median peak with peak-to-latest change of 0.0%. Tenure is more rental than ownership: 44.1% rent, 34.4% have a mortgage and 21.5% own outright.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,800
Rent / wk
$340
HH Size
2.9
Personal Income / wk
$587
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
4.6%
Unoccupied
219
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.7%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
30.3% stressed
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
14.6%
Couples, no children
11,590
Total families
Economy & Employment
The local economy is service-led and lower on advantage measures. Healthcare is the largest industry at 21.0% or 655 workers, well above manufacturing and education at 8.8% each, retail at 8.5% and transport at 8.3%. Occupations are mixed: 865 professionals sit alongside 706 clerical/admin, 682 community and personal service workers, 611 machinery drivers and 608 labourers. Employment conditions are the pressure point because unemployment is 10.5% and participation is 42.9%. SEIFA is low across all 4 measures: IEO decile 2, IER decile 1, IRSD decile 1 and IRSAD decile 1, below state average advantage.
Unemployment
9.3%
Labour Force
7,040
Unemployed
652
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
64.0%
Part-time
25.5%
Participation
42.9%
Employed
4,153
Occupations
Top Industries
University
35.4%
Postgraduate
11.3%
Born Overseas
43.5%
Dwellings
4,558
Transport to Work
Daily life is car-based but public transport remains useful for commuters. Car drivers make up 78.4% of journeys, above public transport at 12.2% and walking or cycling at 1.8%, because the street pattern and family housing spread trips beyond the station. Schooling is a clear local asset: 6 schools span ICSEA 880 to 1081, led by Macquarie Fields High School at 1081, Macarthur Adventist College at 1051 and Macquarie Fields Public School at 1048, across Government and Independent options. IRSAD decile 1 is below average advantage, so amenity varies by pocket.
Drive
78.4%
Public Transport
12.2%
Walk / Cycle
1.8%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+1.24%/yr
(+40 people/yr)
EstablishedGrowth is modest rather than boom-like. The trend rate is 1.24% a year, or about 40 people annually, with the medium path moving from 3,252 in 2026 to 3,451 in 2031. Migration is tilted overseas: average net overseas migration is 46 people a year, compared with net internal migration of -21, so new arrivals are offsetting local outflows. The suburb is also aging, with senior share up 3.3 points and young share down 0.4 points. Gentrification is only in Early signs, with a score of 22, which fits the slower income and housing transition.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+46
Net Internal / yr
-21
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +22% since 2011, Accelerating: 4% → 17%
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Macquarie Fields compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Macquarie Fields a good suburb to live in?
Macquarie Fields can suit households wanting space and rail access at a more accessible price point. It has 70.2% separate houses, 6 local schools and a median age of 36, but IRSAD decile 1 means amenity and advantage are lower than many Sydney suburbs, so inspect by pocket.
What is the median house price in Macquarie Fields?
The median house price is $813,500. The separate price series moved from $797,000 in 2024 to $850,000 in 2025, a 6.6% rise, so current buyer expectations may sit higher or lower depending on dwelling condition and land size.
What schools are in Macquarie Fields?
Macquarie Fields has 6 schools. The highest ICSEA entries are Macquarie Fields High School at 1081, Macarthur Adventist College at 1051 and Macquarie Fields Public School at 1048, with Government and Independent options rather than a single-sector market.
Is Macquarie Fields safe?
Safety should be checked street by street because a current crime rate per 1,000 is not available. For practical due diligence, compare station proximity, lighting and school routes; 78.4% of commuters drive and 12.2% use public transport, which affects daily movement patterns.
Is Macquarie Fields good for property investment?
Macquarie Fields has investment appeal because 44.1% of dwellings are rented and rent is $340 a week, while rent-to-income is 24.7%. Vacancy of 4.6% is the main caution, higher than landlords usually prefer, and 59 recent applications add supply.
How is Macquarie Fields's population changing?
Population change is steady and aging. The suburb has 14,023 residents, while the forecast trend is 1.24% growth or about 40 people a year. Senior share has risen 3.3 points, young share is down 0.4 points, and overseas migration is the primary driver.
What languages are spoken in Macquarie Fields?
Yes. 43.5% of residents were born overseas, 21.9 percentage points above national. Bengali is the largest listed language group at 656 speakers, followed by Arabic 267, Nepali 199 and Samoan 180, so language needs are broader than in many Australian suburbs.
Is there much development in Macquarie Fields?
Yes. There were 59 development applications in 12 months, including secondary dwellings and new houses. That is meaningful activity for an established suburb and can lift rental choice, but it may also mean more local supply compared with demand growth of about 40 people a year.
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 Valuer-General (house prices), Department of Jobs SALM (unemployment), ACARA (school ICSEA), 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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