Westmead
NSWWestmead is a stable suburb in NSW with 16,555 residents.
- SAL code
- 14278
- SA2
- 125041491
- Population
- 16,555
Westmead, NSW had 16,555 residents at the 2021 Census, with the broader statistical area showing a 1.7% growth over the last five years. The predominant age group is 25-34 years, and the median age sits at 33. Households are most often couples with children, and those with a mortgage repay a median of $2,000 a month. Around 28.9% of homes are owner-occupied, with the largest single tenure being rented at 68.5%. Most dwellings are flats or apartments, making up 76.1% 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
Westmead, NSW at a glance
Westmead is a hospital, research and education suburb ~26 km west of the Sydney CBD, straddling the City of Parramatta and Cumberland councils. The skyline is shifting fast: a low-rise post-war fabric is being layered with high-density apartments around the health precinct and the future Sydney Metro West station. The data tiles below cover the demographic baseline; this card adds the live market, lifestyle and council pipeline.
For homebuyers
Westmead is built around its hospitals — Westmead Hospital, the Children's Hospital and Cumberland Hospital are the suburb's centre of gravity, and a lot of residents work or study within walking distance. Housing is split: older single-storey homes on the Parramatta-side streets, plus a growing wall of mid- and high-rise apartments along Hawkesbury Road and the precinct edge. Westmead Public is the standout local primary; Parramatta Marist (boys) and Catherine McAuley (girls) sit nearby. The Parramatta Light Rail now links the precinct to Parramatta CBD, and Westfield Parramatta is ~3 km east. Parramatta Park, Lake Parramatta Reserve and Cumberland State Forest give green relief. Trains run from Westmead heavy-rail station on the T1 line. In short: a transit- and jobs-rich precinct that suits hospital staff, students and apartment-dwelling commuters more than detached-house seekers.
For investors
Westmead is a two-speed market split sharply by dwelling type. Median house ~$1.97M with 12-month growth of +20.21% but a thin ~2.0-2.25% gross yield on $660-720/wk rent (htag.com.au + propertyvalue.com.au, April 2026). Median unit ~$580K against $630/wk rent gives a ~5.56% gross yield (Your Investment Property May 2026). 343 unit sales in the past 12 months — an exceptionally deep apartment market. Vacancy ~1.51%; unit days-on-market ~37.
Strengths
- Apartment yields ~5.5% are competitive for a transit-rich, jobs-rich Sydney suburb at this price point.
- Deep unit transaction market (~343 sales/yr) — straightforward to enter and exit.
- Massive precinct catchment: 50,000 jobs and 40,000 students forecast at Westmead by 2046 (City of Parramatta), with $3.4B already committed.
- Sydney Metro West station under construction — a 39 m deep cavern, the deepest on the line — targeted to open 2032 (NSW Government, January 2026).
Trade-offs
- House yields ~2.0% are very thin — pure capital-growth play with steep holding costs at a ~$1.97M entry.
- Heavy apartment supply pipeline tied to the precinct masterplan — competing stock can compress unit growth and rents through the build-out.
- Tenant base skews heavily to hospital staff and students — a more concentrated demand profile than a typical metro suburb.
- Hold periods ~15 years (htag.com.au, 2026) signal tightly held detached stock and limited house listings to choose from.
What's coming
City of Parramatta committed >$500M across its 2025/26 Budget, with the Westmead Health and Innovation District the headline precinct. Sydney Metro West tunnelling between Westmead and the CBD is complete and station fit-out is underway, targeting a 2032 opening. The Westmead Precinct masterplan continues to drive rezoning and tower approvals around Hawkesbury Road and the hospital frontage.
Bottom line
For homebuyers: a transit- and jobs-rich precinct best matched to apartment buyers, hospital staff and students. For investors: a yield-bearing unit market or a long-hold, thin-yield house play — different bets in the same postcode.
Population
?16,555
Suburb · Census 2021
5-Year Growth
+1.7%
3yr: +6.5% · 10yr: +5.7%
SA2 · 5yr
Household Income
$2,144/wk
Suburb · Census 2021 median
Median Age
33
Suburb · Census 2021
Socio-Economic Index
?7/10
SA2 · middle-range
Unemployment
?2.3%
SA2 · Q4 2025
Schools
4
1 primary
Hospitals
?3
Within suburb
Childcare services
?12
8 long day, 6 OSHC
Parks & green space
?17
Parks, reserves
Transport stops
?46
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)
Safety & Crime
2025 Q4Reported incidents from NSW police. Offence rates may not reflect all crime.
Population over time — Northmead (SA2)
ABS publishes annual estimates only at SA2; Westmead suburb alone is ~16,555 (Census 2021).
Source: ABS ERP (latest release · 2025) · Census 2021. Numbers refreshed quarterly.
Growth at a Glance
Population grew from 13,306 to 21,799 over 24 years, averaging 2.1% per year.
Schools
4 in suburbSector
4 public
Type
1 primary
Total enrolment
763(2 of 4 reporting)
Avg per school
382
Government school catchment
Intake zonePrimary
Westmead PS44.6%
- Bayanami PS 26.8%
- Darcy Rd PS 24.8%
- Wentworthville PS 2.7%
- Hilltop Rd PS 0.7%
- Toongabbie EPS 0.6%
- Northmead PS 0.0%
Secondary
Pendle Hill HS97.9%
- Parramatta HS 1.5%
- Greystanes HS 0.7%
- Northmead CPAHS 0.0%
- Arthur Phillip 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 7.0%Almost entirely apartments (76.1%), rental-heavy (68.5% renting), built for families (62% are 2 bed).
Dwelling mix
Tenure
NSW 33%
Number of bedrooms
Bushfire risk
This suburb falls outside every bushfire 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 bushfire 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.
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
9 zones in suburb| Code | Zone | % covered | Area |
|---|---|---|---|
| SP2 | ZoneSpecial use | 31.6% | 0.92 km² |
| R2 | ZoneResidential | 29.7% | 0.87 km² |
| R4 | ZoneResidential | 22.3% | 0.65 km² |
| R3 | ZoneResidential | 5.8% | 0.17 km² |
| MU1 | ZoneBusiness | 5.0% | 0.15 km² |
| RE1 | ZoneRecreation | 2.6% | 0.08 km² |
| W1 | ZoneWaterway | 1.3% | 0.04 km² |
| E3 | ZoneEnvironmental | 1.2% | 0.04 km² |
| E1 | ZoneEnvironmental | 0.4% | 0.01 km² |
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.