Fairfield Heights vs Fairfield West

In both, most homes are detached houses. In Fairfield Heights, about half of households rent and about half of households are couple families. In Fairfield West, most households own their home and most households are couple families. On these figures, Fairfield Heights 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

Fairfield West

ahead on 4 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (15 vs 3)
  • has more schools rated above their peers (3 vs 0)
  • has more separate houses rather than flats (88% vs 56%)

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

First-home buyers

Fairfield West

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper units ($560,000 vs $795,500)
  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (32% vs 39%)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Fairfield Heights

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (50% vs 36%)

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

Commuting to the city

Too close to call

Nothing among the 4 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

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

Downsizers and retirees

Fairfield Heights

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (4 vs 1)
  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (44% vs 12%)
  • But Fairfield West carries lower crime risk (36/100 vs 53/100)

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

Investors

Fairfield Heights

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • returns a higher gross yield on houses (4.7% vs 3.1%)

Weighs house yield and population growth.

Where they sit

Fairfield Heights and Fairfield West 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 Heights Fairfield West
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 Heights Fairfield West
Walkability 87 / 80
Fairfield Heights — Walkability: 87/100 Fairfield West — Walkability: 80/100
Safety 47 / 64
Fairfield Heights — Safety: 47/100 Fairfield West — Safety: 64/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Fairfield Heights — Low fire risk: 100/100 Fairfield West — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Fairfield West has more residents (12,981 vs 8,269); Fairfield West has higher household incomes ($74,256 vs $66,820).

Fairfield Heights Fairfield West
Population 8,269 12,981
+57% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +10.0% +12.1%
Median age 38 36
Median household income $66,820/yr $74,256/yr
+11% vs other
Median weekly rent $450/wk
+2% vs other
 $440/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Fairfield Heights Fairfield West
0-4 5.5% / 5.9%
Fairfield Heights — 0-4: 5.5% Fairfield West — 0-4: 5.9%
5-14 14.4% / 14.3%
Fairfield Heights — 5-14: 14.4% Fairfield West — 5-14: 14.3%
15-19 7.7% / 7.2%
Fairfield Heights — 15-19: 7.7% Fairfield West — 15-19: 7.2%
20-24 6.4% / 7.5%
Fairfield Heights — 20-24: 6.4% Fairfield West — 20-24: 7.5%
25-34 12.2% / 12.8%
Fairfield Heights — 25-34: 12.2% Fairfield West — 25-34: 12.8%
35-44 12.6% / 12.5%
Fairfield Heights — 35-44: 12.6% Fairfield West — 35-44: 12.5%
45-54 12.8% / 12.8%
Fairfield Heights — 45-54: 12.8% Fairfield West — 45-54: 12.8%
55-64 13.0% / 11.8%
Fairfield Heights — 55-64: 13.0% Fairfield West — 55-64: 11.8%
65-74 8.8% / 8.4%
Fairfield Heights — 65-74: 8.8% Fairfield West — 65-74: 8.4%
75-84 4.8% / 5.5%
Fairfield Heights — 75-84: 4.8% Fairfield West — 75-84: 5.5%
85+ 1.9% / 1.4%
Fairfield Heights — 85+: 1.9% Fairfield West — 85+: 1.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (14.4%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Fairfield Heights 54.9% couple families
Fairfield Heights — Couple Families: 54.9% Fairfield Heights — One Parent Families: 21.4% Fairfield Heights — Lone Person: 20.1% Fairfield Heights — Group Household: 1.8% Fairfield Heights — Other Families: 1.7%
Fairfield West 57.6% couple families
Fairfield West — Couple Families: 57.6% Fairfield West — One Parent Families: 22.9% Fairfield West — Lone Person: 15.3% Fairfield West — Group Household: 2.2% Fairfield West — Other Families: 2.1%
Couple Families One Parent Families Lone Person Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Fairfield Heights 50.2% renting
Fairfield Heights — Owned Outright: 25.8% Fairfield Heights — Mortgage: 24.0% Fairfield Heights — Renting: 50.2%
Fairfield West 36.2% renting
Fairfield West — Owned Outright: 34.7% Fairfield West — Mortgage: 29.0% Fairfield West — Renting: 36.2%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Fairfield Heights Fairfield West
Bachelor Degree 7.4% / 7.3%
Fairfield Heights — Bachelor Degree: 7.4% Fairfield West — Bachelor Degree: 7.3%
Certificate III & IV 6.5% / 8.2%
Fairfield Heights — Certificate III & IV: 6.5% Fairfield West — Certificate III & IV: 8.2%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 5.8% / 5.5%
Fairfield Heights — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.8% Fairfield West — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.5%
Postgraduate Degree 1.3% / 1.3%
Fairfield Heights — Postgraduate Degree: 1.3% Fairfield West — Postgraduate Degree: 1.3%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 0.4% / 0.4%
Fairfield Heights — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.4% Fairfield West — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (8.2%).

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 Heights Fairfield West
Iraq 28.4% / 18.0%
Fairfield Heights — Iraq: 28.4% Fairfield West — Iraq: 18.0%
Vietnam 8.8% / 12.7%
Fairfield Heights — Vietnam: 8.8% Fairfield West — Vietnam: 12.7%
China 1.6% / 1.0%
Fairfield Heights — China: 1.6% Fairfield West — China: 1.0%
Lebanon 1.3% / 1.3%
Fairfield Heights — Lebanon: 1.3% Fairfield West — Lebanon: 1.3%
New Zealand 1.1% / 1.1%
Fairfield Heights — New Zealand: 1.1% Fairfield West — New Zealand: 1.1%
Italy 1.2% / 0.9%
Fairfield Heights — Italy: 1.2% Fairfield West — Italy: 0.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (28.4%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Fairfield Heights 56.0% houses
Fairfield Heights — Houses: 56.0% Fairfield Heights — Townhouses: 36.3% Fairfield Heights — Flats / Apartments: 7.7%
Fairfield West 88.3% houses
Fairfield West — Houses: 88.3% Fairfield West — Townhouses: 7.0% Fairfield West — Flats / Apartments: 4.7%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Fairfield Heights Fairfield West
Median house price $1,277,500 $1,250,000
Median unit price $795,500 $560,000
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 28 days
from 39 sales
 25 days
from 94 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 Heights Fairfield West
3 bed $1.2M / $1.15M
Fairfield Heights — 3 bed: $1.2M (22 sales) Fairfield West — 3 bed: $1.15M (48 sales)

22 vs 48 sales

4 bed $1.28M / $1.25M
Fairfield Heights — 4 bed: $1.28M (16 sales) Fairfield West — 4 bed: $1.25M (40 sales)

16 vs 40 sales

5 bed $1.31M / $1.48M
Fairfield Heights — 5 bed: $1.31M (20 sales) Fairfield West — 5 bed: $1.48M (27 sales)

20 vs 27 sales

Zoning mix

Fairfield Heights Fairfield West
Residential 94% 84%
Parks and recreation 1% 10%
Commercial 4% 1%
Environmental 0% 3%
Infrastructure and transport 0% 3%
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 Heights Fairfield West
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 Heights Fairfield West
Houses 4.7%
$950/wk on $1.05M
 3.1%
$740/wk on $1.23M
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Fairfield Heights Fairfield West
House price Higher than 67% of NSW Higher than 63% of NSW
Income Higher than 29% of NSW Higher than 41% of NSW
Schools — Higher than 96% of NSW
Walkability Higher than 95% of NSW Higher than 92% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 18% of NSW Higher than 28% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 39% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 84% of NSW Higher than 85% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 94% of NSW Higher than 27% of NSW

Liveability

Fairfield West scores higher overall (68 vs 54).

Fairfield Heights Fairfield West
Grade B
same for both
Score 54/100 68/100
Socio-economic band high-need area
decile 1/10
same for both

Risk profile

Fairfield Heights carries more crime risk (53 vs 36).

Fairfield Heights Fairfield West
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime Moderate
53/100
 Low
36/100
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 20
within 5 km
 21
within 5 km

Schools

Fairfield Heights Fairfield West
Inside the suburb 0 3
Rated above peers 0 3
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both
Universities within 10 km 3
50 Scott Street Liverpool, 6.7 km
 3
50 Scott Street Liverpool, 6.2 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 2.6% 3.1%

Schools in Fairfield Heights

No schools recorded inside this suburb's boundary. Children here will be zoned to schools nearby.

Schools in Fairfield West

  • Fairfield West Public School Government · Primary above peers
  • Fairvale High School Government · Secondary above peers
  • Westfields Sports High School Government · Secondary above peers

Amenities in the suburb

Fairfield Heights Fairfield West
Supermarkets 1 2
Parks & reserves 3 15
Childcare 3 2
GPs 4 1
Pharmacies 3 1
Banks & Bank@Post 1
same for both
Fuel stations 2 1

Mobility

Fairfield Heights Fairfield West
Walkability score 87/100 80/100
Distance to Sydney 33.2 km 33.8 km
+2% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 38 min 35 min
Public transport score 78/100
Bus
 79/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 110.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
 198.0
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 Heights Fairfield West
Car (driver) 62.8% / 62.1%
Fairfield Heights — Car (driver): 62.8% Fairfield West — Car (driver): 62.1%
Worked from Home 25.4% / 28.4%
Fairfield Heights — Worked from Home: 25.4% Fairfield West — Worked from Home: 28.4%
Car (passenger) 4.6% / 4.7%
Fairfield Heights — Car (passenger): 4.6% Fairfield West — Car (passenger): 4.7%
Train 4.5% / 3.3%
Fairfield Heights — Train: 4.5% Fairfield West — Train: 3.3%
Bus 1.3% / 0.7%
Fairfield Heights — Bus: 1.3% Fairfield West — Bus: 0.7%
Walked Only 1.1% / 0.7%
Fairfield Heights — Walked Only: 1.1% Fairfield West — Walked Only: 0.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (62.8%).

Setting

Fairfield Heights Fairfield West
Elevation 37 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
same for both
Distance to the ocean 22.6 km
4.0 km to a named beach
 23.7 km
4.6 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Fairfield Heights Fairfield West
Connectivity score 75/100 76/100
Most common technology Hybrid fibre-coaxial
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 2%
2,714 premises
 6%
3,821 premises

Climate

Fairfield Heights Fairfield West
Annual rainfall 931 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 28.9°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 6.9°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Fairfield Heights Fairfield West
PM2.5 6.8 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 18.2 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.72 pphm
same for both

Council rates

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

Federal electorate

Fairfield Heights Fairfield West
Division Mcmahon
same for both
Member Chris Bowen
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

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

Tags

Fairfield Heights

Multicultural Outer Parks Townhouses Urban

Fairfield West

Multicultural Outer Parks Urban

More comparisons

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Other comparisons with Fairfield West

Fairfield West vs Fairfield Fairfield West vs Smithfield Fairfield West vs Canley Heights Fairfield West vs Canley Vale Fairfield West vs Wakeley Fairfield West vs Prairiewood
Full data on Fairfield Heights Full data on Fairfield West
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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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