Fairfield East, NSW: suburb profile

The population of Fairfield East NSW is 5,198 according to the 2021 Census. The median personal income in Fairfield East is $459 per week ($23,868 per year). Median rent in Fairfield East is $300 per week ($1,300 per month). Fairfield East has a median age of 37 years, younger than the national median of 38. Fairfield East has a population density of 2,615 people per km².

The most common overseas birthplace in Fairfield East is Vietnam. The most common religion is Catholic (20.3% of residents). After English, the most spoken language is Vietnamese. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Fairfield East is $1,900.

There were 76 recorded offences in Fairfield East in 2025-26, a rate of 15 offences per 1,000 people. The most common offence category was theft (28 offences).

Population
5,198
Census 2021
Median income
$459/wk
Personal, Census 2021
Median rent
$300/wk
Weekly, Census 2021
Median age
37years
Census 2021

Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing 2021; offences from NSW BOCSAR (bocsar.nsw.gov.au), 2025-26.

Fairfield East vs the typical NSW suburb

The median personal income in Fairfield East is $459 a week, 40% below the typical NSW suburb ($765). That ranks 2,115th of 2,150 NSW suburbs with 200 or more residents. Median rent is $300 a week, $85 less than the typical NSW suburb. Rent takes 24.8% of the median household income here, against 22.6% in the typical NSW suburb. The median resident is 37, 6 years younger than in the typical NSW suburb (43).

The typical suburb is the median across suburbs with 200 or more residents. ABS Census 2021, calculated by GDP.com.au.
MeasureFairfield EastTypical NSWDifferenceTypical Australia
Personal income$459/wk$765/wk −40%$766/wk
Household income$1,212/wk$1,704/wk −29%$1,637/wk
Rent$300/wk$385/wk −22%$330/wk
Mortgage repayment$1,900/mo$1,965/mo −3%$1,733/mo
Median age3743 −6 yrs42
Rent share of household income24.8%22.6% +2.2 pts20.3%
Income, rent and mortgage against the typical suburb Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS, calculated by GDP.com.au
Bar chart of median income, rent and mortgage repayment in Fairfield East, the typical NSW suburb and the typical Australian suburb.

Fairfield East Population

5,198 residents at the 2021 Census.

Fairfield East Median Income & Rent

Median Income
$459/wk
$23,868 per year
Ranked 8,581 of 14,663
Median Rent
$300/wk
$1,300 per month
Ranked 4,529 of 14,663
Median Age
37years
1 years younger than the national median
Mortgage
$1,900/mo
Avg household size: 3.2 · 1.1 per bedroom

Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing.

Fairfield East Rent Prices & Affordability

25% of median household income goes on median rent

Marks at 25% and 35%. Band: affordable.

Household income $1,212/wk
Median rent $300/wk
Rent to income 24.8%

Rent is under 25% of household income, generally considered affordable.

Median rent in Fairfield East against your income

About $5,252 a month
Median rent $300/wk
Left after rent $912/wk
Rent share 24.8%

Fairfield East Schools

29
schools nearby
22
government
939
avg ICSEA score
14,143
total students
Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School Catholic
Primary · K-6 · 226 students
1053
ICSEA
Pal Buddhist School Independent
Combined · K-12 · 109 students
1032
ICSEA
St Patrick's Primary School Catholic
Primary · K-6 · 342 students
1028
ICSEA
Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Primary School Catholic
Primary · K-6 · 691 students
997
ICSEA
George Bass School Government
Combined · U · 102 students
979
ICSEA
Patrician Brothers' College Fairfield Catholic
Secondary · 7-12 · 1,144 students
969
ICSEA
Lansvale East Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 117 students
969
ICSEA
Chester Hill Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 578 students
958
ICSEA
Canley Vale High School Government
Secondary · 7-12 · 1,651 students
954
ICSEA
Chester Hill North Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 400 students
950
ICSEA
Guildford West Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 366 students
945
ICSEA
Guildford Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 623 students
943
ICSEA
Villawood North Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 250 students
937
ICSEA
Lansvale Public School Government
Primary · P-6 · 524 students
934
ICSEA
Yennora Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 244 students
933
ICSEA

Showing 15 of 29 schools.

Source: Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA), 2025. ICSEA is the Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage (national average 1000).

All schools near Fairfield East, with a map

Fairfield East Map

Fairfield East, New South Wales Map data: OpenStreetMap
Loading map…

People in Fairfield East

Demographics

Gender Split

Male 50.6% (2,633) Female 49.4% (2,569)

Population Density

2,615
people per km²
5,198 people · 2.0 km²

Households

3.2
Avg household size
1.1
Persons per bedroom
$1,369
Family income/wk

Age Distribution

0-4
5-9
10-14
15-19
20-24
25-29
30-34
35-39
40-44
45-49
50-54
55-59
60-64
65-69
70-74
75-79
80-84
85+
Male Female

Source: ABS Census 2021, Suburb and Locality (SAL)

Most common overseas birthplaces

Vietnam
18.9%
Iraq
7.2%
Lebanon
3.0%
China
2.7%
Philippines
1.7%
Myanmar
1.6%
Thailand
1.2%

Shares are of all residents. Source: ABS Census 2021, G09 Country of Birth by SAL

Most common languages at home other than English

Vietnamese
24.6%
Arabic
16.4%
Cantonese
4.3%
Mandarin
2.6%
Spanish
1.8%
Khmer
1.1%
Other Chinese languages
0.9%

Shares are of all residents. Source: ABS Census 2021, G13 Language Used at Home by SAL

Ancestry

Vietnamese
23.8%
Chinese
12.0%
Australian
9.5%
English
8.0%
Lebanese
7.8%
Filipino
1.8%
Italian
1.5%
Irish
1.1%
Scottish
1.0%
Samoan
1.0%
Spanish
1.0%

Shares are of the suburb population. People can report up to two ancestries, so shares add to more than 100%. Source: ABS Census 2021, G08 Ancestry by SAL

Religion

Catholic
20.3%
Islam
19.7%
Buddhism
19.1%
No religion
14.5%
Not stated
9.7%
Baptist
3.4%
Christian (other)
2.6%
Anglican
2.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G14 Religion by SAL

Indigenous Population

0.8%
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander

Source: ABS Census 2021, G07 Indigenous Status by SAL

Marital Status

Married
45.1% 1,890
Separated
4.0% 166
Divorced
9.1% 381
Widowed
5.4% 226
Never married
36.4% 1,526

Source: ABS Census 2021, G05 Marital Status by SAL

Family Structure

Couple: children under 15
42.0%
Couple: no children under 15
22.1%
Couple: no children
15.1%
One parent: no children under 15
10.5%
One parent: children under 15
10.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G29 Family Composition by SAL

Household Size

1 person
21.3%
2 persons
23.2%
3 persons
15.7%
4 persons
16.4%
5 persons
9.7%
6+ persons
13.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G35 Household Size by SAL

Homes in Fairfield East

Housing Tenure

Of the 1,462 occupied private dwellings in Fairfield East at the 2021 Census, 44.0% were rented, 24.7% owned outright and 26.3% owned with a mortgage.

Other tenure type
2.0% 29 dwellings
Owned outright
24.7% 361 dwellings
Owned with mortgage
26.3% 385 dwellings
Rented
44.0% 643 dwellings
Tenure type not stated
2.7% 40 dwellings

Source: ABS Census 2021, Suburb and Locality (SAL)

Dwelling Types

Separate house
85.1%
Semi-detached (2+ storey)
8.5%
Semi-detached (1 storey)
6.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G36 Dwelling Structure by SAL

Number of Bedrooms

1 bedroom
11.3%
2 bedrooms
17.1%
3 bedrooms
38.9%
4 bedrooms
23.7%
5 bedrooms
6.5%
6+ bedrooms
2.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G41 Number of Bedrooms by SAL

Monthly Mortgage Repayments

$0-$299/mo
9.7%
$300-$449/mo
2.4%
$450-$599/mo
2.4%
$600-$799/mo
3.3%
$800-$999/mo
3.9%
$1,000-$1,399/mo
13.9%
$1,400-$1,799/mo
14.5%
$1,800-$2,399/mo
25.8%
$2,400-$2,999/mo
13.0%
$3,000-$3,999/mo
10.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G38 Mortgage Repayment by SAL

Car Ownership

0 vehicles
12.8%
1 vehicle
34.7%
2 vehicles
31.6%
3 vehicles
14.7%
4+ vehicles
6.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G34 Motor Vehicles per Dwelling by SAL

Work, income and education in Fairfield East

Employment

Employed full-time
21.6% 742 people
Employed part-time
11.7% 401 people
Unemployed
4.3% 147 people
Not in labour force
62.5% 2,152 people

Source: ABS Census 2021, G46 Labour Force Status by SAL

Occupation

Professionals
26.8%
Clerical & Administrative
16.8%
Technicians & Trade Workers
13.8%
Community & Personal Service
12.3%
Machinery Operators & Drivers
9.6%
Managers
8.6%
Sales Workers
6.5%
Labourers
5.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G51 Industry of Employment by Occupation

Weekly Household Income

Nil/Negative/wk
4.2%
$1-$149/wk
0.5%
$150-$299/wk
2.5%
$300-$399/wk
6.0%
$400-$499/wk
7.6%
$500-$649/wk
5.2%
$650-$799/wk
9.8%
$800-$999/wk
7.1%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
8.2%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
7.1%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
6.1%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
4.5%
$2,000-$2,499/wk
9.4%
$2,500-$2,999/wk
7.4%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
4.2%
$3,500-$3,999/wk
2.9%
$4,000+/wk
7.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G33 Household Income by SAL

Personal Weekly Income Distribution

$0 or less/wk
20.4%
$1-$149/wk
4.3%
$150-$299/wk
11.3%
$300-$399/wk
8.9%
$400-$499/wk
4.8%
$500-$649/wk
4.4%
$650-$799/wk
9.4%
$800-$999/wk
9.2%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
10.2%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
6.2%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
4.3%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
2.6%
$2,000-$2,999/wk
3.2%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
0.3%
$3,500+/wk
0.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G17 Personal Income by SAL

How People Get to Work

Car (driver)
64.5%
Did not go to work
20.6%
Car (passenger)
6.5%
Train
3.3%
Walked only
1.9%
Truck
1.8%
Bus
0.7%
Bicycle
0.4%
Motorbike/Scooter
0.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G62 Method of Travel to Work by SAL

Education Level

Year 12 or equivalent
69.3%
Year 10 or equivalent
18.8%
Year 9 or equivalent
7.0%
Year 11 or equivalent
5.0%

Shares are of people whose highest year of school is Year 9 to 12 only. Source: ABS Census 2021, G16 Highest Year of School by SAL

Qualifications

Bachelor Degree
35.7%
Certificate III/IV
30.7%
Advanced Diploma/Diploma
22.0%
Postgraduate Degree
6.1%
Certificate I/II
3.2%
Graduate Diploma/Certificate
2.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G49 Non-School Qualification by SAL

Field of Study

Management & Commerce
27.1%
Society & Culture
16.5%
Engineering
15.5%
Health
10.9%
Information Technology
7.1%
Education
6.9%
Architecture & Building
5.5%
Natural & Physical Sciences
5.0%
Food, Hospitality & Personal Services
3.2%
Creative Arts
2.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G51 Field of Study by SAL

School & University Attendance

Secondary: Government
30.0%
Primary: Government
27.4%
Vocational Education
12.5%
Secondary: Catholic
9.0%
Primary: Catholic
8.9%
Pre-school
5.2%
Primary: Other Non-Govt
3.8%
Secondary: Other Non-Govt
3.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G15 Type of Educational Institution by SAL

More from the 2021 Census

Need for Assistance

Does not have need for assistance
80.8%
Has need for assistance
9.6%
Need for assistance not stated
9.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G18 Core Activity Need for Assistance by SAL

Long-term Health Conditions

Mental health
315
Diabetes
218
Asthma
178
Arthritis
140
Heart disease
110
Stroke
69
Lung condition
68
Kidney disease
56
Dementia
39
Cancer
35

Source: ABS Census 2021, G19 Long-term Health Conditions by SAL

Unpaid Carers

Provided unpaid assistance
12.6% 465
Did not provide
87.4% 3,233

Source: ABS Census 2021, G25 Unpaid Assistance by SAL

Volunteering

Volunteer
4.9% 182
Not a volunteer
95.1% 3,539

Source: ABS Census 2021, G23 Voluntary Work by SAL

Military Service

Previously served
0.6% 21
Never served
99.4% 3,734

Source: ABS Census 2021, G22 ADF Service by SAL

Children Ever Born

No children
36.5%
1 child
12.9%
2 children
23.1%
3 children
15.5%
4 children
8.0%
5+ children
3.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G28 Children Ever Born by SAL

When Migrants Arrived

Before 1951
12
1951: 1960
26
1961: 1970
73
1971: 1980
302
1981: 1990
548
1991: 2000
530
2001: 2010
478
2011: 2015
299
2016
115
2017
81
2018
52
2019
92
2020
19
2021
4

Source: ABS Census 2021, G10 Year of Arrival by SAL

Population Mobility

8.7%
moved in the last year
29.2%
moved in the last 5 years
9.2%
unemployment rate (Census)
38.0%
labour force participation

Source: ABS Census 2021, G43 Summary by SAL

Where Residents Moved From

Same address
4,287
Moved from NSW
265
Moved: same area (SA2)
89
Moved from overseas
25
Moved from QLD
8
Moved from SA
4
Moved from WA
4
Moved from VIC
4

Source: ABS Census 2021, G44 Address 1 Year Ago by SAL

Unpaid Domestic Work

Less than 5 hours
15.3%
5: 14 hours
18.2%
15: 29 hours
8.6%
30+ hours
7.9%
Did not do domestic work
50.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G24 Unpaid Domestic Work by SAL

Family Blending

Intact family: no other children
88.3%
Step family: no other children
5.3%
Intact family: other children present
2.6%
Blended family: no other children
2.3%
Other couple: children only
1.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G31 Family Blending by SAL

Fairfield East Crime Statistics

76 reported offences in 2025-26, by category.

Theft
28
Assault
14
Drug Offences
12
Other Against Person
7
Property Damage
6
Other Against Property
6
Sexual Offences
2
Weapons
1

Total offences by year

2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025

Source: NSW BOCSAR (bocsar.nsw.gov.au).

Cheaper alternatives with similar incomes

Suburbs near Fairfield East

The closest suburb to Fairfield East is Villawood, 1.2 km away.

Villawood
1.2 km away · income $435/wk · rent $210/wk
Carramar (NSW)
1.3 km away · income $529/wk · rent $300/wk
Yennora
1.6 km away · income $448/wk · rent $226/wk
Old Guildford
1.7 km away · income $468/wk · rent $420/wk
Fairfield (NSW)
2.2 km away · income $454/wk · rent $365/wk
Chester Hill
2.3 km away · income $495/wk · rent $380/wk

Frequently Asked Questions About Fairfield East

What is the population of Fairfield East NSW?

The population of Fairfield East NSW is 5,198 according to the ABS Census 2021. The suburb has a population density of 2,615 people per km². Fairfield East is ranked #1,513 out of 14,663 suburbs by population.

What is the median income in Fairfield East?

The median personal income in Fairfield East NSW is $459 per week, or $23,868 per year. The median household income is $1,212 per week. Family income is $1,369 per week. Fairfield East is ranked #8,581 by income out of 14,663 Australian suburbs.

How much is rent in Fairfield East?

Median rent in Fairfield East NSW is $300 per week ($1,300 per month). Rent represents 24.8% of household income, which is considered affordable. Fairfield East ranks #4,529 out of 14,663 suburbs by rent.

What are mortgage repayments in Fairfield East?

The median monthly mortgage repayment in Fairfield East NSW is $1,900. This data comes from the ABS Census 2021 and reflects mortgage repayments for owner-occupied dwellings.

What is the median age in Fairfield East?

The median age in Fairfield East NSW is 37 years. This is younger than the national median age of 38 years.

Is Fairfield East a good suburb to live in?

Fairfield East is a suburb in New South Wales with a population of 5,198. The median income is $459/wk, which is below the typical NSW suburb ($765/wk). Rent affordability is rated as affordable (24.8% of household income). See the full suburb profile above for detailed statistics.

Data: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2021. SA2 area: 11481. All dollar figures in AUD.