Macquarie Fields
A 43.5% overseas-born share is the clearest marker of Macquarie Fields, alongside a population of 14,023 in a compact 7.01 sq km area. Density reaches 1,999.7 people per sq km, while the median age of 36 is 4 years below the national figure. The suburb is detached-house dominant, with 70.2% separate houses, and population change across the wider area reached 21.6% over 10 years. Compared with nearby Ingleburn and Campbelltown, Macquarie Fields has a strong family and migrant profile, supported by a 2.9 person average household size. Overseas migration is the main growth driver, but an Aging trajectory means future demand is likely to include more established households and older residents.
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
72
Macquarie Fields suits buyers who prioritise detached or semi-detached space over apartment living. Separate houses account for 70.2% of dwellings and semi-detached homes 28.5%, while apartments are only 1.3%. Three-bedroom homes make up 58.0% and four-bedroom-plus homes 23.3%, fitting the suburb's 49.5% share of couples with children. A monthly mortgage commitment of $1,800 should be tested carefully because mortgage costs equal 30.3% of household income, higher than the 24.7% rent-to-income ratio. Compared with a unit-oriented market, the housing stock provides more family layouts, but the 43.7% rental share can create competition for well-presented homes. Buyers should compare recent sales street by street, especially where subdivision or renovation activity changes the lot.
For Buyers
Macquarie Fields suits buyers who prioritise detached or semi-detached space over apartment living. Separate houses account for 70.2% of dwellings and semi-detached homes 28.5%, while apartments are only 1.3%. Three-bedroom homes make up 58.0% and four-bedroom-plus homes 23.3%, fitting the suburb's 49.5% share of couples with children. A monthly mortgage commitment of $1,800 should be tested carefully because mortgage costs equal 30.3% of household income, higher than the 24.7% rent-to-income ratio. Compared with a unit-oriented market, the housing stock provides more family layouts, but the 43.7% rental share can create competition for well-presented homes. Buyers should compare recent sales street by street, especially where subdivision or renovation activity changes the lot.
For Investors
Macquarie Fields has a substantial tenant base: 43.7% of occupied dwellings are rented, higher than the 21.3% owned outright. Weekly rent is $340 and vacancy is 4.6%, creating a sizeable rental market while still requiring careful testing of individual properties and streets. The 11.1% rent growth signal and 71 development applications in 12 months point to an active market, although approvals do not guarantee new dwellings or completion. Annual growth is forecast at 1.24%, driven primarily by overseas migration, so investor appeal is more about durable household demand than a short speculative cycle. Compared with a low-rental suburb, management, maintenance and renewal costs may matter more because renters form a large part of the market. Separate houses and three-bedroom stock align with the area's family composition.
Development Activity
Total DAs
374
Last 12 Months
72
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-5.3%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Macquarie Fields
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Demographics
Macquarie Fields is younger than the national profile but moving gradually older. The median age is 36, or 4 years below national, while the forecast shift records a 3.3 percentage point rise in the senior share and a 0.4 point fall in the young share. Overseas-born residents account for 43.5%, which is 21.9 percentage points above the national level. Indian ancestry is recorded for 1,119 people and English ancestry for 2,576. Bengali is the leading listed language at 656 people, followed by Arabic at 267 and Nepali at 199. The 2.9 person average household is 0.4 above national, reflecting family households including 49.5% couples with children and 25.9% one-parent families. An 83.9% stay rate, compared with 16.1% turnover, suggests more continuity than churn.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
70.2%
Houses
28.5%
Townhouse
1.3%
Apartment
Tenure
Macquarie Fields has a practical, family-weighted housing pattern: 70.2% of dwellings are separate houses, 28.5% are semi-detached and 1.3% are apartments. Three-bedroom stock dominates at 58.0%, followed by four-bedroom-plus homes at 23.3%, so the suburb is more oriented to family-sized dwellings than compact apartment living. Tenure is more rental-dependent than ownership-led, with 43.7% renting, 34.0% paying a mortgage and 21.3% owning outright. At $340 a week, rent is a key budget reference, while mortgage households carry $1,800 monthly repayments and a 30.3% income ratio. The rental share is higher than outright ownership, which helps explain why affordability and turnover remain important to housing decisions. Average household size is 2.9, supporting demand for three-bedroom layouts.
Mortgage / mo
$1,800
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (April to June 2026), NSW Rental Bond Board (DCJ). Census 2021 median: $340.
$598
Bond data Jun 2026 · houses $650 · units $520
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
49.5%
Couples with children
22.7%
Couples, no children
25.9%
Single parent
3,628
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the standout employment base, representing 21.0% and 655 workers, a higher share than each other listed industry. Manufacturing and education contribute 8.8% each, followed by retail at 8.5% and transport at 8.3%. Occupational demand is spread across professionals at 865, clerical and administrative workers at 706, community and personal service roles at 682, machinery and drivers at 611, and labourers at 608. The labour-force participation rate is 49.6%, full-time employment is 54.5% and unemployment is 9.1%. Household income sits at the 35.5th percentile, below the midpoint, while SEIFA places education and occupation in decile 2 and economic resources and disadvantage in decile 1. The contrast between a strong healthcare base and low SEIFA deciles suggests nearby jobs do not automatically translate into high household resources.
Unemployment
9.1%
Labour Force
5,358
Unemployed
487
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
54.5%
Part-time
30.7%
Participation
49.6%
Employed
4,871
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
35.4%
Postgraduate
11.3%
Born Overseas
43.5%
Dwellings
4,558
Transport to Work
Daily life is car-oriented: 56.0% travel as car drivers, compared with 8.8% using public transport and 1.3% walking or cycling. A further 28.5% work from home, which may reduce commuting frequency but increases the value of local shops, services and reliable home internet. Families have access to 5 government schools in the suburb, comprising 3 primary and 2 secondary campuses. Enrolment zones should be checked against the exact address because boundaries can cut across nearby streets. SEIFA places the suburb in decile 1 for both disadvantage and advantage-and-disadvantage measures, the lowest decile, so household resources are lower than in higher-decile areas. The 7.7% need-assistance rate also matters for service planning. Use current NSW Police incident maps, council information and an in-person visit at different times to assess safety, because street conditions can vary.
Drive
56.0%
Public Transport
8.8%
Walk / Cycle
1.3%
Work from Home
28.5%
Population Forecast
+1.24%/yr
(+40 people/yr)
EstablishedMacquarie Fields is an established market with a positive 1.24% annual growth trend. Overseas migration is the primary driver, and population change across the wider area reached 21.6% over 10 years, indicating continuing demand rather than a static base. The forecast shift is labelled Aging: senior share is up 3.3 percentage points, young share is down 0.4 points and working share is up 0.3 points. Gentrification remains at the Early signs stage, with a score of 22, while the separate shift measure gives 29, so the signal is emerging rather than advanced. Compared with a rapid redevelopment corridor, this points to gradual change, with 71 development applications in 12 months adding pressure for ongoing monitoring. The affordability measure moved from 45.9 in 2011 to 37.1 in 2021 and is labelled Improving, although rent growth has reached 11.1%.
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 seeking family-sized homes, established services and access to 5 government schools. It has 70.2% separate houses and a 43.5% overseas-born population. Compared with denser suburbs, car dependence is higher, with 56.0% travelling as car drivers.
What is the median house price in Macquarie Fields?
Use recent settled sales to establish the current median rather than relying on asking prices. Macquarie Fields has 70.2% separate houses, 28.5% semi-detached homes and 58.0% three-bedroom dwellings, so like-for-like comparisons are important when assessing the current market.
What schools are in Macquarie Fields?
Macquarie Fields has 5 government schools, comprising 3 primary and 2 secondary campuses. Families should confirm the enrolment zone for the exact address, since boundaries can differ across nearby streets and may affect access to a particular school.
Is Macquarie Fields safe?
Assess safety using current NSW Police incident maps, council information and visits at different times of day. The suburb has a density of 1,999.7 people per sq km and 56.0% car-driver travel, so traffic, parking and street activity may matter more than in lower-density areas.
Is Macquarie Fields good for property investment?
It has a substantial rental base, with 43.7% renting, weekly rent of $340 and vacancy of 4.6%. Annual growth is forecast at 1.24% and overseas migration is the main driver. Compared with a low-rental suburb, tenant demand may be deeper, but 71 development applications require careful local analysis.
How is Macquarie Fields's population changing?
Population change across the wider area reached 21.6% over 10 years, while the annual trend is 1.24%. Overseas migration is the primary driver. The trajectory is Aging, with senior share up 3.3 percentage points and young share down 0.4 points, compared with the earlier age balance.
What languages are spoken in Macquarie Fields?
Macquarie Fields has an overseas-born share of 43.5%. Bengali is the largest listed language at 656 people, followed by Arabic at 267 and Nepali at 199. These figures indicate that multilingual services can be useful for schools, health providers and local businesses.
Are there new developments in Macquarie Fields?
There were 71 development applications in the latest 12-month period, including subdivision and dwelling-related work. That is a meaningful level of activity for an established suburb, compared with an area recording no recent applications. Buyers should check approvals, completion status and future traffic impacts.
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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