Fairfield East vs Fairfield

Fairfield East is the younger of the two, with a median age of 37 against 40 in Fairfield. In Fairfield East, about half of households rent, most homes are detached houses, and about half of households are couple families. In Fairfield, most households rent and about half of homes are flats or apartments. On these figures, Fairfield tends to suit renters.

Which one suits you?

There is no overall winner — the suburb that suits a family with school-age kids is routinely the wrong one for someone commuting into the city. So each of these answers its own question, against a checklist you can see, using the same figures in the tables below.

Families with school-age kids

They split

one each way, out of the 6 things we measure here

  • Fairfield East has more separate houses rather than flats (71% vs 40%)
  • Fairfield has more childcare (13 vs 1)

Weighs schools, house stock, crime, parks, childcare, and who already lives there.

First-home buyers

Fairfield East

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper units ($402,500 vs $445,500)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Fairfield East

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (25% vs 33%)
  • has cheaper rent ($300/wk vs $365/wk)
  • But Fairfield has a bigger rental market to choose from (60% vs 46%)

Weighs rent, rental stress, and how much is for rent.

Commuting to the city

Fairfield

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (94/100 vs 76/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, rail access, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Fairfield

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (22 vs 1)
  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (60% vs 29%)
  • is more walkable (94/100 vs 76/100)
  • But Fairfield East carries lower crime risk (62/100 vs 79/100)

Weighs smaller dwellings, who already lives there, GPs, walkability, and crime.

Investors

Too close to call

Nothing among the 2 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs house yield and population growth.

Where they sit

Fairfield East and Fairfield drawn to the same scale. Both outlines are shown together, so the map answers whether they share a border and how their areas compare.

Fairfield East Fairfield
Hides rows where both suburbs match

Bars start at zero. Scores, risks and rankings are drawn against their full 0–100 range; other rows are drawn in proportion to the larger of the two.

Side by side, out of 100

Risks are inverted — shown as safety and low exposure — so a longer bar always means better.

Fairfield East Fairfield
Walkability 76 / 94
Fairfield East — Walkability: 76/100 Fairfield — Walkability: 94/100
Safety 38 / 21
Fairfield East — Safety: 38/100 Fairfield — Safety: 21/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Fairfield East — Low fire risk: 100/100 Fairfield — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Fairfield has more residents (18,596 vs 5,198); Fairfield rents higher ($365/wk vs $300/wk).

Fairfield East Fairfield
Population 5,198 18,596
+258% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -1.4% +2.8%
Median age 37 40
Median household income $63,024/yr
+10% vs other
 $56,784/yr
Median weekly rent $300/wk $365/wk
+22% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Fairfield East Fairfield
0-4 5.8% / 5.1%
Fairfield East — 0-4: 5.8% Fairfield — 0-4: 5.1%
5-14 13.7% / 11.8%
Fairfield East — 5-14: 13.7% Fairfield — 5-14: 11.8%
15-19 7.6% / 6.3%
Fairfield East — 15-19: 7.6% Fairfield — 15-19: 6.3%
20-24 7.0% / 6.4%
Fairfield East — 20-24: 7.0% Fairfield — 20-24: 6.4%
25-34 12.5% / 13.1%
Fairfield East — 25-34: 12.5% Fairfield — 25-34: 13.1%
35-44 12.4% / 13.0%
Fairfield East — 35-44: 12.4% Fairfield — 35-44: 13.0%
45-54 13.4% / 13.6%
Fairfield East — 45-54: 13.4% Fairfield — 45-54: 13.6%
55-64 11.7% / 13.9%
Fairfield East — 55-64: 11.7% Fairfield — 55-64: 13.9%
65-74 9.1% / 9.9%
Fairfield East — 65-74: 9.1% Fairfield — 65-74: 9.9%
75-84 4.4% / 5.1%
Fairfield East — 75-84: 4.4% Fairfield — 75-84: 5.1%
85+ 2.4% / 2.0%
Fairfield East — 85+: 2.4% Fairfield — 85+: 2.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (13.9%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Fairfield East 47.8% couple families
Fairfield East — Couple Families: 47.8% Fairfield East — Lone Person: 24.4% Fairfield East — One Parent Families: 22.9% Fairfield East — Group Household: 3.6% Fairfield East — Other Families: 1.3%
Fairfield 44.0% couple families
Fairfield — Couple Families: 44.0% Fairfield — Lone Person: 27.3% Fairfield — One Parent Families: 22.9% Fairfield — Group Household: 2.9% Fairfield — Other Families: 2.9%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Fairfield East 46.3% renting
Fairfield East — Owned Outright: 26.0% Fairfield East — Mortgage: 27.7% Fairfield East — Renting: 46.3%
Fairfield 59.6% renting
Fairfield — Owned Outright: 21.8% Fairfield — Mortgage: 18.5% Fairfield — Renting: 59.6%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Where residents were born

Largest overseas birthplaces, as a share of all residents, 2021 Census. A dash means that country is not among the suburb's own eight largest.

Fairfield East Fairfield
Iraq 7.2% / 22.6%
Fairfield East — Iraq: 7.2% Fairfield — Iraq: 22.6%
Vietnam 18.9% / 9.8%
Fairfield East — Vietnam: 18.9% Fairfield — Vietnam: 9.8%
China 2.7% / 2.7%
Fairfield East — China: 2.7% Fairfield — China: 2.7%
Lebanon 3.0% / 1.5%
Fairfield East — Lebanon: 3.0% Fairfield — Lebanon: 1.5%
Philippines 1.7% / 1.6%
Fairfield East — Philippines: 1.7% Fairfield — Philippines: 1.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (22.6%).

Qualifications

Highest non-school qualification, residents 15+, 2021 Census.

Fairfield East Fairfield
Bachelor Degree 8.5% / 8.1%
Fairfield East — Bachelor Degree: 8.5% Fairfield — Bachelor Degree: 8.1%
Certificate III & IV 7.4% / 6.8%
Fairfield East — Certificate III & IV: 7.4% Fairfield — Certificate III & IV: 6.8%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 5.3% / 5.9%
Fairfield East — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.3% Fairfield — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.9%
Postgraduate Degree 1.5% / 1.6%
Fairfield East — Postgraduate Degree: 1.5% Fairfield — Postgraduate Degree: 1.6%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 0.5% / 0.6%
Fairfield East — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.5% Fairfield — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (8.5%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Fairfield East 70.9% houses
Fairfield East — Houses: 70.9% Fairfield East — Flats / Apartments: 16.6% Fairfield East — Townhouses: 12.5%
Fairfield 40.0% houses
Fairfield — Houses: 40.0% Fairfield — Flats / Apartments: 46.6% Fairfield — Townhouses: 13.4%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Fairfield East Fairfield
Median house price $1,300,000
same for both
Median unit price $402,500 $445,500
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 24 days
from 17 sales
 23 days
from 89 sales

House price by bedroom count

Only bed counts both suburbs published enough sales for. Sale counts are shown because the buckets differ in depth.

Fairfield East Fairfield
3 bed $1.04M / $1.2M
Fairfield East — 3 bed: $1.04M (14 sales) Fairfield — 3 bed: $1.2M (46 sales)

14 vs 46 sales

4 bed $1.32M / $1.34M
Fairfield East — 4 bed: $1.32M (11 sales) Fairfield — 4 bed: $1.34M (25 sales)

11 vs 25 sales

5 bed $1.32M / $1.44M
Fairfield East — 5 bed: $1.32M (7 sales) Fairfield — 5 bed: $1.44M (32 sales)

7 vs 32 sales

Zoning mix

Fairfield East has more industrially zoned land (33% vs 1%).

Fairfield East Fairfield
Residential 60% 79%
Industrial 33% 1%
Environmental 2% 8%
Infrastructure and transport 2% 6%
Parks and recreation 2% 5%
Commercial 0% 1%
Zoning sets what may be built, not what is there today. A single address can sit in a different zone to the suburb around it. Zones as at 2026-09.

Development activity

Fairfield East Fairfield
New dwellings approved 1,095
across Fairfield
same for both
Approvals change year on year +29%
same for both

Gross rental yield

Gross — before strata, rates, management, insurance and vacancy. From median advertised rents and median asking prices over the last 6 months. How we calculate.

Fairfield East Fairfield
Houses 3.3%
$800/wk on $1.26M
 3.2%
$750/wk on $1.24M
Units — 5.6%
$500/wk on $461K

Ranking within NSW

Fairfield East Fairfield
House price Higher than 58% of NSW Higher than 66% of NSW
Income Higher than 26% of NSW Higher than 17% of NSW
Schools — Higher than 58% of NSW
Walkability Higher than 91% of NSW Higher than 98% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 22% of NSW Higher than 13% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 39% of NSW Higher than 40% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 84% of NSW Higher than 75% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 34% of NSW Higher than 28% of NSW
Rental yield (units) — Higher than 88% of NSW

Liveability

Fairfield is more walkable (94 vs 76).

Fairfield East Fairfield
Grade B
same for both
Score 50/100
same for both
Socio-economic band high-need area
decile 1/10
same for both

Risk profile

Fairfield carries more crime risk (79 vs 62).

Fairfield East Fairfield
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime Moderate
62/100
 High
79/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 12
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Fairfield East Fairfield
Inside the suburb 1 8
Rated above peers 0 2
Rated at peers 0 3
Rated below peers 1
same for both
Universities within 10 km 3
Western Sydney University - Parramatta, 7.4 km
 3
50 Scott Street Liverpool, 6.7 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 3.4% 2.5%

Schools in Fairfield East

  • Villawood North Public School Government · Primary below peers

Schools in Fairfield

  • Fairfield Heights Public School Government · Primary above peers
  • Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Primary School Catholic · Primary above peers
  • Fairfield High School Government · Secondary at peers
  • Fairvale Public School Government · Primary at peers
  • Patrician Brothers' College Fairfield Catholic · Secondary at peers
  • Fairfield Public School Government · Primary below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Fairfield East Fairfield
Supermarkets 0 3
Cafes & restaurants 1 5
Parks & reserves 10 8
Childcare 1 13
GPs 1 22
Pharmacies 0 9
Police stations 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 5
Fuel stations 2 1
Waterways 1 5

Mobility

Fairfield East Fairfield
Walkability score 76/100 94/100
Distance to Sydney 29.5 km 31.2 km
+6% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 37 min 38 min
Public transport score 77/100
Bus
 91/100
Rail · Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 91.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
 336.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 0.4%
postcode 2165
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 27
postcode 2165
same for both

How people get to work

Method of travel on census day 2021 — which fell during COVID restrictions, so working from home is inflated and every travel mode understated.

Fairfield East Fairfield
Car (driver) 59.8% / 54.9%
Fairfield East — Car (driver): 59.8% Fairfield — Car (driver): 54.9%
Worked from Home 27.2% / 27.8%
Fairfield East — Worked from Home: 27.2% Fairfield — Worked from Home: 27.8%
Car (passenger) 6.0% / 5.8%
Fairfield East — Car (passenger): 6.0% Fairfield — Car (passenger): 5.8%
Train 3.9% / 7.4%
Fairfield East — Train: 3.9% Fairfield — Train: 7.4%
Walked Only 1.8% / 2.5%
Fairfield East — Walked Only: 1.8% Fairfield — Walked Only: 2.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (59.8%).

Setting

Fairfield East Fairfield
Elevation 11 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 16 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 19.5 km
3.0 km to a named beach
 21.3 km
3.2 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Fairfield East Fairfield
Connectivity score 75/100 67/100
Most common technology Hybrid fibre-coaxial
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 9%
1,915 premises
 6%
8,391 premises

Climate

Fairfield East Fairfield
Annual rainfall 909 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 28.7°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 6.4°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Fairfield East Fairfield
PM2.5 6.5 µg/m³ 6.8 µg/m³
PM10 16.5 µg/m³ 18.2 µg/m³
NO₂ 0.9 pphm 0.72 pphm

Council rates

Fairfield East Fairfield
Average residential rate $990/yr
same for both
Council Fairfield
same for both

Federal electorate

Fairfield East Fairfield
Division Fowler Mcmahon
Member Dai Le Chris Bowen
Party Independent Australian Labor Party

First Home Owner Grant

Fairfield East Fairfield
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Fairfield East

Multicultural Outer Parks River

Fairfield

Affordable Apartments Easy Commute Multicultural Outer Parks Transport Hub Urban

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Fairfield East

Fairfield East vs Chester Hill Fairfield East vs Villawood Fairfield East vs Carramar Fairfield East vs Old Guildford Fairfield East vs Yennora

Other comparisons with Fairfield

Fairfield vs Smithfield Fairfield vs Fairfield West Fairfield vs Canley Vale Fairfield vs Fairfield Heights Fairfield vs Carramar Fairfield vs Yennora
Full data on Fairfield East Full data on Fairfield
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Information shown is provided as-is from Australian government and commercial data sources.
Always verify with the relevant authority before making property decisions.
See Data Sources and How We Calculate for details.

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