New Data On Western Sydney Foreshadows Rapid Growth
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New data has revealed rapid population growth in Western Sydney, with the area expected to overtake Sydney’s north-western areas in the coming years
Released on Thursday, KPMG’s second Enterprising Cities report explores recent economic growth trends for 12 of Australia’s most rapidly evolving cities, including Western Sydney, Hunter, Woolongong, and Canberra along New South Wales’ east.
The population of people aged 20-49 in the area increased, with almost 20,000 people in their twenties moving to western Sydney to start families, attracted to the area by more job prospects, lifestyle benefits, and affordable housing options.
“The COVID-19 pandemic brought about a notable shift in Australia’s population growth, steering it away from major capital cities towards smaller cities where lifestyle, local amenities, and more affordable housing have been made more attractive by the viability of remote work,” said KPMG’s urban economist Terry Rawnsley.
This growth is also driven by the concentration of health services in Western Sydney, with the Westmead Health & Innovation Precinct making up the largest cluster of hospital and health services in Australia. Health care has been the top-growing industry in Western Sydney, with 188,000 workers choosing to call Western Sydney home in 2024, a growth of over 67,000 since 2019.
Airport and metro big growth contributers
KPMG Western Sydney partner Kaylene Hubbard told the Sydney Morning Herald that one of the most significant drivers of growth was transport connectivity.
“It’s reasonably easy to get here from outside Greater Western Sydney, but once you’re in Greater Western Sydney, getting around is a bit of a mess,” she said.
“A lot of the north-west has received an amount of investment which has driven housing, and all kinds of things in that area. If you look at investment coming online in the south, that increases the opportunity.”
The industrial sector, such as transport, warehousing, and manufacturing, is also substantial, employing around 100,000 people last year.
A further 130,000 workers were employed in construction sectors too, working across housing and other infrastructure projects such as the new Western Sydney Airport and Sydney Metro West.
