Fairfield (NSW)
NSWFairfield (NSW) is a stable suburb in NSW with 18,596 residents.
- SAL code
- 11480
- SA2
- 127021515
- Population
- 18,596
Fairfield (NSW), NSW had 18,596 residents at the 2021 Census, with the broader statistical area showing a 2.2% growth over the last five years. The predominant age group is 55-64 years, and the median age sits at 40. Households are most often couples with children, and those with a mortgage repay a median of $1,733 a month. Around 38.9% of homes are owner-occupied, with the largest single tenure being rented at 57.5%. Most dwellings are flats or apartments, making up 46.3% of the suburb's housing stock. The suburb has 17 parks and reserves mapped within its boundary. Source: ABS Census 2021 and Estimated Resident Population, with amenity counts from state Open Data and OpenStreetMap.
Suburb analysis
Fairfield (NSW), NSW at a glance
Fairfield is a multicultural town-centre suburb ~30 km south-west of Sydney CBD in Fairfield City Council, anchored by a heritage rail station, the Fairfield Forum and a dense Smart-and-Ware-Streets retail strip. Stock is a mix of older single-storey houses and growing medium-density infill around the centre. The data tiles below cover the demographic baseline; this card adds the live market, lifestyle and council pipeline.
For homebuyers
Fairfield is one of Sydney's most genuinely multicultural town centres — Assyrian, Vietnamese, Iraqi, Chinese and Cambodian communities all visible in the bakeries, grocers and bazaar-style arcades along Smart and Ware Streets. The Fairfield Forum (Coles, Aldi, Kmart, ~57 stores) sits directly opposite the station and anchors weekday shopping. Trains on the T2 Inner West & Leppington Line run to Central in around 52 minutes and to Parramatta in ~20, with frequent Liverpool services. Housing is mostly older single-storey brick on full blocks, with townhouse and apartment infill thickening near the station. Fairfield High School (~950 students, established 1954, runs an Intensive English Centre) and the adjacent Fairfield Public sit on Fairfield's eastern edge. In short: a working town centre with deep cultural texture, strong rail connectivity and a mix of legacy houses and rising medium-density.
For investors
Fairfield is a low-yield, capital-stability play with very tight leasing. Median house ~$1.26M with ~3.18% gross yield against ~$650/wk rent; units sit closer to ~5.75% yield on ~$480/wk (htag May 2026). 12-month house growth ~+5.88% and ~141 house sales in the past year. Vacancy ~0.81% (htag) and days-on-market ~32-36 — supportive but slower buyer interest than Sydney metro median.
Strengths
- Very tight vacancy (~0.81%, htag 2026) supporting reliable rental absorption.
- Established T2 rail town centre with Forum + Smart/Ware retail core driving sustained tenant demand.
- Unit yields ~5.75% offer cashflow alongside the lower-yielding house segment.
- Steady 12-month house growth (~+5.88%, htag 2026) on a Sydney metro entry-tier price (~$1.26M median).
Trade-offs
- House gross yield ~3.18% (htag 2026) — limited cashflow at the median.
- Days-on-market 32-36 days (htag 2026) signals below-average buyer urgency despite tight supply.
- ~141 house sales/yr is a moderate-depth market — entry/exit timing matters more than in deeper SW Sydney suburbs.
- Heavy ESL tenant base (Arabic + Assyrian Neo-Aramaic dominant per ABS 2021) — leasing communications and managing-agent fit warrant due diligence.
What's coming
Fairfield City Council's 2026-27 Draft Operational Plan (exhibited March-April 2026) carries design work for a new Community and Events Centre at Fairfield Showground plus open-space embellishment at Brenan Park (Smithfield), Longfield Park (Cabramatta) and Allambie Park (Bossley Park). The Have Your Say Fairfield projects map tracks individual delivery; major centre-precinct upgrades continue under the council's Major Projects program.
Bottom line
For homebuyers: a culturally rich, rail-connected town centre with affordable houses by Sydney standards. For investors: a tight-vacancy capital-stability play with modest house yields and stronger unit cashflow.
Population
?18,596
Suburb · Census 2021
5-Year Growth
+2.2%
3yr: +7.2% · 10yr: +6.0%
SA2 · 5yr
Household Income
$1,092/wk
Suburb · Census 2021 median
Median Age
40
Suburb · Census 2021
Socio-Economic Index
?1/10
SA2 · more disadvantaged
Unemployment
?12.8%
SA2 · Q4 2025
Schools
4
3 primary, 1 secondary
Hospitals
No data for this suburb
Childcare services
?16
11 long day, 5 OSHC, 2 family
Parks & green space
?17
Parks, reserves
Transport stops
?58
GTFS stops
Dwelling approvals
No data for this suburb
Median Weekly Rent
Based on NSW rental bond lodgements, aggregated at postcode level. All SALs sharing this postcode show the same median.
Median House Sale Price
Source: state Valuer-General (suburb-level quarterly medians).
→ Calculate stamp duty on this suburb's median price→ Estimate mortgage repayments→ Calculate rental yield (price + median rent)
Population over time — Fairfield (SA2)
ABS publishes annual estimates only at SA2; Fairfield (NSW) suburb alone is ~18,596 (Census 2021).
Source: ABS ERP (latest release · 2025) · Census 2021. Numbers refreshed quarterly.
Growth at a Glance
Population grew from 14,897 to 19,302 over 24 years, averaging 1.1% per year.
Schools
3 in suburbSector
3 public
Type
2 primary · 1 secondary
Total enrolment
2,012
Avg per school
671
Government school catchment
Intake zonePrimary
Fairfield PS61.2%
- Fairvale PS 24.4%
- Fairfield Hts PS 10.6%
- Villawood NPS 2.4%
- Smithfield PS 1.2%
- Guildford WPS 0.0%
Secondary
Fairfield HS82.2%
- Fairvale HS 15.2%
- Chester Hill HS 2.4%
- Merrylands HS 0.2%
- Canley Vale HS 0.0%
Source: NSW Department of Education — School Intake Zones. Boundaries can be amended without notice; confirm with the school before relying on enrolment.
Profile
Census snapshot
Housing
Public housing 6.7%Mostly apartments (46.3%), rental-heavy (57.5% renting), built for families (41% are 2 bed).
Dwelling mix
Tenure
NSW 33%
Number of bedrooms
Bushfire risk
Source: NSW RFS BFPL via SEED
As of May 2026
Overlap is the percentage of the suburb's land area inside the mapped bushfire polygons. Always verify the exact property address with the relevant authority before making decisions.
Flood risk
This suburb falls outside every flood polygon mapped by the relevant authority. Always confirm at the property address — local conditions and unmapped overlays can still apply.
Overlap is the percentage of the suburb's land area inside the mapped flood polygons. Always verify the exact property address with the relevant authority before making decisions. Source when available: NSW Rural Fire Service (BFPL) and NSW DPHI EPI Flood.
Planning zones
12 zones in suburb| Code | Zone | % covered | Area |
|---|---|---|---|
| R2 | ZoneResidential | 41.9% | 1.86 km² |
| R4 | ZoneResidential | 25.1% | 1.11 km² |
| MU1 | ZoneBusiness | 8.9% | 0.39 km² |
| C2 | ZoneEnvironmental | 8.2% | 0.37 km² |
| RE1 | ZoneRecreation | 4.6% | 0.21 km² |
| R3 | ZoneResidential | 3.3% | 0.14 km² |
| SP2 | ZoneSpecial use | 2.9% | 0.13 km² |
| SP1 | ZoneSpecial use | 2.8% | 0.12 km² |
| E3 | ZoneEnvironmental | 1.1% | 0.05 km² |
| E2 | ZoneEnvironmental | 0.9% | 0.04 km² |
| RE2 | ZoneRecreation | 0.2% | 9,109 m² |
| E1 | ZoneEnvironmental | 0.1% | 6,342 m² |
Source: NSW DPHI EPI Land Zoning (ZONE_NSW/2026-04-29/1eccf1a530fa1be5) · As of Apr 2026. Zone boundaries are amended periodically; verify the exact property with the relevant council before relying on permitted use.