Planning Maps / Areas / Fairfield / Fairfield

Fairfield flood map & planning overlays

A planning-constraint profile of Fairfield (Fairfield, NSW) - 4.45 km², mapped from live council and state overlay data. This suburb is moderately constrained.

Elevation hillshade with street names, clipped to Fairfield's boundary, with the flood, bushfire and environmental overlays drawn on top. It shows where constraints fall; the interactive map shows them on your exact address.

Fairfield at a glance

Parcels 4,191 Median lot 565 m² Mapped easements 13 Train Fairfield Station Bus stops 125

How Fairfield is zoned

Low Density Residential 42%
High Density Residential 25%
Mixed Use 9%
Environmental Conservation 8%
Public Recreation 5%
Medium Density Residential 3%

Buying in Fairfield? The zoning, flood and bushfire lines on the section 10.7 certificate attached to the contract are mapped controls - see our s10.7 certificate guide.

Across its 4.45 km², Fairfield is moderately constrained by planning overlays. About 2% of the suburb sits within a mapped flood overlay, and 5% is flagged bushfire-prone. There are 25 heritage-listed sites on record, and the dominant land-use zone is Low Density Residential. The median lot measures about 565 m² across 4,191 parcels. These figures are suburb-wide - the overlays that actually apply to a given lot can differ block to block, which is what a property-level check tells you.

Who lives in Fairfield

Census 2021 figures published by the ABS for the Fairfield suburb boundary itself, not a wider region.

Population
18,596
usual residents, 2021
Median age
40
years
Median household income
$1,092
per week, Fairfield suburb typical $1,486
Median rent
$365
per week, Fairfield suburb typical $428
Median mortgage
$1,733
per month
Household size
2.9
people, average

Socio-economic standing

ABS SEIFA 2021 ranks every Australian suburb. Decile 1 is the most disadvantaged tenth of the country, decile 10 the least.

Advantage and disadvantage (IRSAD) Decile 1
most disadvantagedleast disadvantaged

Score 829, and decile 1 within New South Wales. The national average is 1000.

Relative disadvantage (IRSD) Decile 1
most disadvantagedleast disadvantaged

Age profile

Share of Fairfield's 18,596 residents in each ABS age band.

0-4 5.1%
5-14 11.8%
15-19 6.3%
20-24 6.4%
25-34 13.1%
35-44 13.0%
45-54 13.6%
55-64 13.9%
65-74 9.9%
75-84 5.1%
85+ 2.0%

Population trend, 2001 to 2025

Estimated resident population of Fairfield, the wider ABS statistical area containing Fairfield. There is no annual population series published at suburb level, so this describes the surrounding area rather than Fairfield itself.

14,897 in 2001 to 19,302 in 2025, up 30%.

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics. Census of Population and Housing 2021 (General Community Profile) and SEIFA 2021, both published at the Suburbs and Localities level; Regional Population (estimated resident population) at Statistical Area Level 2. Used under CC BY 4.0. Census counts of small populations are randomly adjusted by the ABS to protect confidentiality, so figures for small suburbs are indicative.

Fairfield data sources and coverage

Every figure below is an aggregate for the suburb boundary. “Not mapped” means LayeredGeo does not hold a source layer covering this suburb; it is never an all-clear for a particular property.

DatasetCoveragePublisher
Flood mappingMappedNSW Government spatial services, NSW ePlanning and published council flood studies
Bushfire-prone mappingMappedNSW Government spatial services, NSW ePlanning and published council flood studies
ZoningMappedNSW Government spatial services, NSW ePlanning and published council flood studies
Heritage and environmentMapped where publishedNSW Government spatial services, NSW ePlanning and published council flood studies
DemographicsAvailableAustralian Bureau of Statistics (2021 Census and SEIFA)

Profile last materially updated 5 August 2026. See the methodology and full source list. Source data changes over time and critical decisions should be checked with the responsible authority.

Check a specific Fairfield address

See exactly which overlays touch a single property - the interactive map is free. Need it on paper? A full planning PDF is just $9.

See what's in the $9 report →

Fairfield planning - frequently asked

Where can I see a flood map of Fairfield?

The schematic on this page is a Fairfield flood map: the mapped flood overlays drawn over the suburb's terrain and street grid, covering about 2% of the suburb. Flood lines vary block to block, so for a specific property use the free interactive map - search any Fairfield address and it shows the flood, zoning and bushfire mapping on the exact lot boundary.

Is Fairfield flood-prone?

About 2% of Fairfield falls within a mapped flood overlay, against the council-wide suburb average of 12%. Flood overlays vary block to block, so whether a particular lot is affected needs a property-level check.

Is Fairfield bushfire-prone?

Yes - around 5% of Fairfield is mapped as bushfire-prone, compared with a Fairfield average of 10%. A bushfire-prone designation can trigger additional building requirements, so check the specific address.

What is the zoning in Fairfield?

The dominant planning zone in Fairfield is Low Density Residential, though the suburb also includes High Density Residential and Mixed Use. Zoning sets what you can build and do on a site, and can differ lot by lot.

Does Fairfield have heritage-listed places?

Fairfield has 25 heritage-listed places on record. Heritage listing affects what you can alter or demolish, so confirm whether a specific property is listed or near a heritage place.

What is the typical lot size in Fairfield?

Across 4,191 surveyed parcels in Fairfield, the median lot size is about 565 m². There are also 13 registered easements mapped in the suburb - an easement can restrict where you can build, so always check the title and overlays for the specific lot.

Does Fairfield have a train station?

Yes - Fairfield has 1 train station: Fairfield Station. It is also served by 125 bus stops.

What is the population of Fairfield?

At the 2021 Census Fairfield had 18,596 usual residents, with a median age of 40 and an average household size of 2.9 people. The wider Fairfield statistical area, which contains Fairfield, went from 14,897 people in 2001 to 19,302 in 2025, up 30%. ABS publishes no annual population series for individual suburbs, so that trend describes the surrounding area rather than Fairfield alone.

Is Fairfield an advantaged suburb?

On the ABS SEIFA 2021 index of relative socio-economic advantage and disadvantage (IRSAD), Fairfield scores 829 and sits in decile 1 of 10 nationally and decile 1 within New South Wales - decile 1 being the most disadvantaged tenth of Australian suburbs and decile 10 the least. The national average score is 1000. SEIFA summarises income, education, occupation and housing across the whole suburb, so it describes the area, not any particular household in it.

What is the median household income in Fairfield?

Median household income in Fairfield was $1,092 a week at the 2021 Census, against $1,486 for the typical suburb in Fairfield. Median rent was $365 a week and the median mortgage repayment $1,733 a month. These are 2021 Census figures and have not been indexed to today.

Do I need a planning report for a Fairfield property?

A Fairfield planning report pulls every overlay - zoning, flood, bushfire, heritage and environmental - that touches a single lot, on live council and state data. The interactive map preview is free; a full PDF report is $9.

Compare nearby suburbs

Nearby suburbDistanceFlood mappedBushfire-prone
Fairfield Heights 1.4 km Not mapped 0%
Yennora
Cumberland
1.4 km Not mapped 4%
Carramar 1.8 km 47% 12%
Fairfield East 1.8 km <1% 0%
Canley Vale 1.9 km 20% 5%
Guildford West
Cumberland
2.5 km Not mapped <1%
Smithfield
Cumberland
2.7 km Not mapped 1%
Old Guildford 2.8 km Not mapped 0%
Villawood
Canterbury-Bankstown
2.9 km <1% 2%
Fairfield West 3.0 km Not mapped 2%

See all Fairfield suburb profiles →