Japanese
1,625 speakers
About 2.4 per cent of all residents.
24th of 542 local government areas for language diversity
The languages of Willoughby, led by Chinese
Chinese is the language Willoughby hears most after English: the 2021 Census counted just over one in five residents speaking it at home. The next four languages combined don't reach its total. Willoughby's share is higher than the share for New South Wales.
- Residents
- 68,158
- Speak another language
- 27,665
- Languages at home
- 91
- Change since 2016
- +4.7%
How large is Willoughby's Chinese-speaking community?
Chinese at home
21%
The Chinese-speaking community numbers about 15,000 people. That's 53 per cent of those who speak a language other than English. The census counts Mandarin, Cantonese and Min Nan separately, and Mandarin leads. In five years, the Chinese-speaking group has grown since 2016.
Is Willoughby more multilingual than the City of Sydney?
The City of Sydney comes in under Willoughby's share. Within New South Wales, Willoughby ranks 12th of 128.
- Willoughby
- 40.6%
- City of Sydney
- 33.9%
- New South Wales
- 25.7%
Share of residents speaking a language other than English at home, by the same method for every area.
How does Chinese spread across Willoughby's suburbs?
The Chinese-speaking share peaks in Chatswood, at more than one in three residents.
Every suburb here has a page of its own.
- ChatswoodLed by Mandarin36%9,242
- Chatswood WestLed by Mandarin22%317
- ArtarmonLed by Mandarin19%1,809
- Castle CoveLed by Cantonese17%448
- North WilloughbyLed by Mandarin13%540
- Middle CoveLed by Cantonese11%143
- Willoughby (NSW)Led by Mandarin11%725
- CastlecragLed by Mandarin9%257
- Northbridge (NSW)Led by Mandarin8%543
- NaremburnLed by Mandarin8%479
- Willoughby EastLed by Cantonese7%134
- 11 suburbs in Willoughby, ordered by the share of residents who speak Chinese at home. The figure beneath is how many people that is.
What else is spoken in Willoughby?
The next tier is much smaller, but it's still sizeable.
Which languages follow Chinese in Willoughby?
Each row is a language and the number who speak it at home, beside its change on 2016. The headline total also includes broad ABS categories such as "Chinese, nfd", which aren't listed here.
How big is each language community in Willoughby?
- Grew 50%+
- 25%+
- 10%+
- Held
- Slipped
- Declined 10%+
- Not comparable
- Grew 50%+
- 25%+
- 10%+
- Held
- Slipped
- Declined 10%+
- Not comparable
Where were Willoughby's residents born, and what do they believe?
Overseas-born residents make up 45 per cent of residents, most often from China.
Country of birth
44.6% born overseas, across 110 countries.
- 01China (excludes SARs and Taiwan)7,732+4.5%
- 02Hong Kong (SAR of China)2,578+14.0%
- 03England2,405-4.4%
- 04India2,084+31.2%
- 05Korea, Republic of (South)1,439-29.8%
- 06Japan1,209-4.4%
- 07New Zealand1,180-4.8%
- 08Malaysia1,069+13.8%
- 09Philippines882+12.5%
- 10Taiwan828-7.8%
Religious affiliation
Reported affiliation, with the change since 2016.
- 01No religion or secular beliefs30,170+19.8%
- 02Christianity27,677-8.0%
- 03Buddhism3,070+6.3%
- 04Hinduism2,478+34.7%
- 05Islam857+20.0%
- 06Judaism649+2.9%
How does Willoughby look on the map?
Willoughby on the Language Map, shaded for residents who speak a multicultural languageany language other than English at home (ABS ASGS 2021 boundaries). View all councils.
Figures come from the ABS Census of Population and Housing 2021 (language used at home), aggregated from Statistical Area Level 2 to Local Government Area, with 2016 for comparison.
The headline 40.6% counts only residents who named a language other than English. 2,375 people left the question blank; treat every blank as another language and the figure is 44.1%, while measuring only those who answered gives 42.1%.
Ranked lists skip broad categories such as "Chinese, nfd", which stay in the totals. National figures are summed from suburbs and sit a touch under the ABS release.
Reuse these figures under CC BY 4.0 with credit to LEXIGO Language Map.
Reaching these communities in their own languages? Talk to us about translation for Willoughby.