Prairiewood, NSW: suburb profile

The population of Prairiewood NSW is 3,457 according to the 2021 Census. The median personal income in Prairiewood is $496 per week ($25,792 per year). Median rent in Prairiewood is $433 per week ($1,876 per month). Prairiewood has a median age of 43 years, older than the national median of 38. Prairiewood has a population density of 1,620 people per km².

The most common overseas birthplace in Prairiewood is Iraq. The most common religion is Catholic (41.6% of residents). After English, the most spoken language is Vietnamese. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Prairiewood is $2,167.

There were 50 recorded offences in Prairiewood in 2025-26, a rate of 14 offences per 1,000 people. The most common offence category was theft (25 offences).

Population
3,457
Census 2021
Median income
$496/wk
Personal, Census 2021
Median rent
$433/wk
Weekly, Census 2021
Median age
43years
Census 2021

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

Prairiewood vs the typical NSW suburb

The median personal income in Prairiewood is $496 a week, 35% below the typical NSW suburb ($765). That ranks 2,034th of 2,150 NSW suburbs with 200 or more residents. Median rent is $433 a week, $48 more than the typical NSW suburb. Rent takes 29.3% of the median household income here, against 22.6% in the typical NSW suburb. The median resident is 43, the same age as in the typical NSW suburb.

The typical suburb is the median across suburbs with 200 or more residents. ABS Census 2021, calculated by GDP.com.au.
MeasurePrairiewoodTypical NSWDifferenceTypical Australia
Personal income$496/wk$765/wk −35%$766/wk
Household income$1,478/wk$1,704/wk −13%$1,637/wk
Rent$433/wk$385/wk +12%$330/wk
Mortgage repayment$2,167/mo$1,965/mo +10%$1,733/mo
Median age4343 0 yrs42
Rent share of household income29.3%22.6% +6.7 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 Prairiewood, the typical NSW suburb and the typical Australian suburb.

Prairiewood Population

3,457 residents at the 2021 Census.

Prairiewood Median Income & Rent

Median Income
$496/wk
$25,792 per year
Ranked 8,219 of 14,663
Median Rent
$433/wk
$1,876 per month
Ranked 1,351 of 14,663
Median Age
43years
5 years older than the national median
Mortgage
$2,167/mo
Avg household size: 3.1 · 0.9 per bedroom

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

Prairiewood Rent Prices & Affordability

29% of median household income goes on median rent

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

Household income $1,478/wk
Median rent $433/wk
Rent to income 29.3%

Rent is between 25% and 35% of household income: moderate housing costs.

Median rent in Prairiewood against your income

About $6,405 a month
Median rent $433/wk
Left after rent $1,045/wk
Rent share 29.3%

Prairiewood Schools

25
schools nearby
18
government
963
avg ICSEA score
16,895
total students
Our Lady of Mt Carmel Catholic Primary School Mount Pritchard Catholic
Primary · K-6 · 819 students
1053
ICSEA
Aspect Western Sydney School Independent
Combined · U · 167 students
1039
ICSEA
St Johns Park Public School Government
Primary · P-6 · 673 students
1023
ICSEA
Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School Cabramatta Catholic
Primary · K-6 · 622 students
1012
ICSEA
Mary Immaculate Catholic Primary School Catholic
Primary · K-6 · 641 students
1009
ICSEA
Harrington Street Public School Government
Primary · P-6 · 740 students
1000
ICSEA
King Park Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 396 students
985
ICSEA
Governor Philip King Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 568 students
979
ICSEA
Prairiewood High School Government
Secondary · 7-12 · 1,288 students
978
ICSEA
Canley Vale Public School Government
Primary · P-6 · 752 students
973
ICSEA
William Stimson Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 459 students
973
ICSEA
Westfields Sports High School Government
Secondary · 7-12 · 1,538 students
967
ICSEA
Bonnyrigg High School Government
Secondary · 7-12 · 1,642 students
962
ICSEA
St Hurmizd Assyrian Primary School Independent
Primary · K-6 · 691 students
954
ICSEA
Smithfield Public School Government
Primary · P-6 · 517 students
948
ICSEA

Showing 15 of 25 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 Prairiewood, with a map

Prairiewood Map

Prairiewood, New South Wales Map data: OpenStreetMap
Loading map…

Prairiewood, New South Wales: 33.8653°S, 150.9077°E

Prairiewood Circle size: offences per 1,000 residents Schools (25)

People in Prairiewood

Demographics

Gender Split

Male 49.8% (1,725) Female 50.2% (1,736)

Population Density

1,620
people per km²
3,457 people · 2.1 km²

Households

3.1
Avg household size
0.9
Persons per bedroom
$1,562
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

Iraq
15.5%
Vietnam
6.7%
Italy
3.2%
Croatia
2.3%
Cambodia
2.1%
Lebanon
1.4%
China
1.3%

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

Most common languages at home other than English

Vietnamese
9.9%
Arabic
8.7%
Spanish
4.7%
Italian
3.6%
Croatian
3.6%
Khmer
2.2%
Mandarin
1.5%

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

Ancestry

Italian
10.3%
Vietnamese
9.0%
Chinese
8.9%
Australian
8.8%
English
6.8%
Croatian
4.6%
Lebanese
2.9%
Maltese
2.1%
Irish
1.9%
Filipino
1.8%
Spanish
1.8%

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
41.6%
No religion
10.3%
Buddhism
10.0%
Assyrian Apostolic
9.7%
Christian (other)
6.5%
Islam
4.8%
Not stated
4.4%
Eastern Orthodox
4.2%

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
49.6% 1,432
Separated
3.4% 99
Divorced
7.8% 226
Widowed
6.1% 177
Never married
33.0% 954

Source: ABS Census 2021, G05 Marital Status by SAL

Family Structure

Couple: children under 15
34.7%
Couple: no children under 15
28.9%
Couple: no children
19.0%
One parent: no children under 15
11.3%
One parent: children under 15
6.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G29 Family Composition by SAL

Household Size

1 person
16.9%
2 persons
27.7%
3 persons
17.5%
4 persons
17.9%
5 persons
12.0%
6+ persons
8.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G35 Household Size by SAL

Homes in Prairiewood

Housing Tenure

Of the 1,059 occupied private dwellings in Prairiewood at the 2021 Census, 33.2% were rented, 38.8% owned outright and 25.9% owned with a mortgage.

Other tenure type
1.2% 13 dwellings
Owned outright
38.8% 411 dwellings
Owned with mortgage
25.9% 274 dwellings
Rented
33.2% 352 dwellings
Tenure type not stated
1.0% 11 dwellings

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

Dwelling Types

Separate house
84.4%
Semi-detached (2+ storey)
8.9%
Semi-detached (1 storey)
6.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G36 Dwelling Structure by SAL

Number of Bedrooms

1 bedroom
4.6%
2 bedrooms
6.2%
3 bedrooms
40.6%
4 bedrooms
36.5%
5 bedrooms
10.7%
6+ bedrooms
1.4%

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

Monthly Mortgage Repayments

$0-$299/mo
8.6%
$300-$449/mo
2.7%
$600-$799/mo
1.4%
$800-$999/mo
5.9%
$1,000-$1,399/mo
8.1%
$1,400-$1,799/mo
18.1%
$1,800-$2,399/mo
18.6%
$2,400-$2,999/mo
14.5%
$3,000-$3,999/mo
22.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G38 Mortgage Repayment by SAL

Car Ownership

0 vehicles
7.3%
1 vehicle
34.2%
2 vehicles
33.3%
3 vehicles
15.3%
4+ vehicles
9.9%

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

Work, income and education in Prairiewood

Employment

Employed full-time
22.4% 583 people
Employed part-time
12.9% 335 people
Unemployed
2.7% 69 people
Not in labour force
62.0% 1,610 people

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

Occupation

Professionals
30.3%
Clerical & Administrative
16.0%
Technicians & Trade Workers
13.7%
Managers
13.1%
Community & Personal Service
11.2%
Sales Workers
6.6%
Labourers
5.5%
Machinery Operators & Drivers
3.5%

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

Weekly Household Income

Nil/Negative/wk
4.5%
$1-$149/wk
0.9%
$150-$299/wk
2.0%
$300-$399/wk
3.0%
$400-$499/wk
6.1%
$500-$649/wk
4.0%
$650-$799/wk
9.8%
$800-$999/wk
6.9%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
7.3%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
6.4%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
6.1%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
4.6%
$2,000-$2,499/wk
10.0%
$2,500-$2,999/wk
8.4%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
6.4%
$3,500-$3,999/wk
3.8%
$4,000+/wk
10.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G33 Household Income by SAL

Personal Weekly Income Distribution

$0 or less/wk
18.1%
$1-$149/wk
3.9%
$150-$299/wk
9.7%
$300-$399/wk
8.7%
$400-$499/wk
5.1%
$500-$649/wk
4.1%
$650-$799/wk
7.9%
$800-$999/wk
8.8%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
11.1%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
5.6%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
5.8%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
3.1%
$2,000-$2,999/wk
5.6%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
1.0%
$3,500+/wk
1.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G17 Personal Income by SAL

How People Get to Work

Car (driver)
63.1%
Did not go to work
24.8%
Car (passenger)
6.1%
Truck
1.6%
Walked only
1.6%
Other
1.2%
Train
1.1%
Bus
0.5%

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

Education Level

Year 12 or equivalent
67.2%
Year 10 or equivalent
20.5%
Year 9 or equivalent
6.6%
Year 11 or equivalent
5.6%

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

Certificate III/IV
35.7%
Bachelor Degree
33.6%
Advanced Diploma/Diploma
21.6%
Postgraduate Degree
5.7%
Certificate I/II
1.9%
Graduate Diploma/Certificate
1.3%

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

Field of Study

Management & Commerce
24.2%
Engineering
17.1%
Society & Culture
15.0%
Health
11.9%
Education
8.3%
Information Technology
5.6%
Food, Hospitality & Personal Services
5.2%
Architecture & Building
5.0%
Creative Arts
3.6%
Natural & Physical Sciences
3.6%
Agriculture & Environment
0.6%

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

School & University Attendance

Secondary: Government
26.2%
Primary: Government
20.6%
Primary: Catholic
13.2%
Vocational Education
12.9%
Secondary: Catholic
11.9%
Pre-school
7.1%
Primary: Other Non-Govt
5.3%
Secondary: Other Non-Govt
2.9%

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
84.3%
Has need for assistance
10.9%
Need for assistance not stated
4.9%

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

Long-term Health Conditions

Mental health
181
Diabetes
150
Arthritis
105
Asthma
103
Heart disease
88
Lung condition
46
Cancer
42
Stroke
37
Kidney disease
36
Dementia
12

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

Unpaid Carers

Provided unpaid assistance
14.8% 407
Did not provide
85.2% 2,350

Source: ABS Census 2021, G25 Unpaid Assistance by SAL

Volunteering

Volunteer
5.8% 161
Not a volunteer
94.2% 2,603

Source: ABS Census 2021, G23 Voluntary Work by SAL

Military Service

Previously served
0.5% 15
Never served
99.5% 2,761

Source: ABS Census 2021, G22 ADF Service by SAL

Children Ever Born

No children
32.3%
1 child
8.5%
2 children
27.8%
3 children
20.2%
4 children
7.9%
5+ children
3.3%

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

When Migrants Arrived

Before 1951
17
1951: 1960
81
1961: 1970
153
1971: 1980
294
1981: 1990
325
1991: 2000
276
2001: 2010
223
2011: 2015
176
2016
73
2017
60
2018
27
2019
62
2020
5

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

Population Mobility

10.3%
moved in the last year
25.8%
moved in the last 5 years
6.1%
unemployment rate (Census)
40.6%
labour force participation

Source: ABS Census 2021, G43 Summary by SAL

Where Residents Moved From

Same address
2,950
Moved from NSW
297
Moved: same area (SA2)
26
Moved from VIC
6
Moved from overseas
6

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

Unpaid Domestic Work

Less than 5 hours
16.9%
5: 14 hours
19.1%
15: 29 hours
9.1%
30+ hours
10.8%
Did not do domestic work
44.1%

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

Family Blending

Intact family: no other children
91.4%
Step family: no other children
4.8%
Blended family: no other children
1.9%
Intact family: other children present
1.3%
Other couple: children only
0.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G31 Family Blending by SAL

Prairiewood Crime Statistics

50 reported offences in 2025-26, by category.

Theft
25
Other Against Person
7
Property Damage
5
Assault
4
Sexual Offences
4
Other Against Property
3
Drug Offences
1
Weapons
1

Total offences by year

2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025

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

Cheaper alternatives with similar incomes

Yennora
Income: $448/wk Rent: $226/wk $207/wk less rent
Wauchope
Income: $585/wk Rent: $350/wk $83/wk less rent
South Kempsey
Income: $527/wk Rent: $270/wk $163/wk less rent
Unanderra
Income: $563/wk Rent: $285/wk $148/wk less rent
Coutts Crossing
Income: $536/wk Rent: $300/wk $133/wk less rent
Bowenfels
Income: $497/wk Rent: $185/wk $248/wk less rent
Wellington (NSW)
Income: $552/wk Rent: $230/wk $203/wk less rent
Merriwa (NSW)
Income: $593/wk Rent: $245/wk $188/wk less rent

Suburbs near Prairiewood

The closest suburb to Prairiewood is Wakeley, 1.0 km away.

Wakeley
1.0 km away · income $502/wk · rent $450/wk
Fairfield West
1.6 km away · income $476/wk · rent $440/wk
Greenfield Park
1.8 km away · income $462/wk · rent $460/wk
St Johns Park
2.0 km away · income $485/wk · rent $450/wk
Bossley Park
2.2 km away · income $497/wk · rent $465/wk
Canley Heights
2.3 km away · income $481/wk · rent $400/wk

Compare Prairiewood

Frequently Asked Questions About Prairiewood

What is the population of Prairiewood NSW?

The population of Prairiewood NSW is 3,457 according to the ABS Census 2021. The suburb has a population density of 1,620 people per km². Prairiewood is ranked #2,154 out of 14,663 suburbs by population.

What is the median income in Prairiewood?

The median personal income in Prairiewood NSW is $496 per week, or $25,792 per year. The median household income is $1,478 per week. Family income is $1,562 per week. Prairiewood is ranked #8,219 by income out of 14,663 Australian suburbs.

How much is rent in Prairiewood?

Median rent in Prairiewood NSW is $433 per week ($1,876 per month). Rent represents 29.3% of household income, which is considered moderate. Prairiewood ranks #1,351 out of 14,663 suburbs by rent.

What are mortgage repayments in Prairiewood?

The median monthly mortgage repayment in Prairiewood NSW is $2,167. This data comes from the ABS Census 2021 and reflects mortgage repayments for owner-occupied dwellings.

What is the median age in Prairiewood?

The median age in Prairiewood NSW is 43 years. This is older than the national median age of 38 years.

Is Prairiewood a good suburb to live in?

Prairiewood is a suburb in New South Wales with a population of 3,457. The median income is $496/wk, which is below the typical NSW suburb ($765/wk). Rent affordability is rated as moderate (29.3% of household income). See the full suburb profile above for detailed statistics.

Explore More

Australian Average Salary Australian House Prices Sydney Cost of Living

Data: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2021. SA2 area: 13270. All dollar figures in AUD.