Abbotsford
Two facts sit oddly together in Abbotsford: a median age of 47, a full 7.0 years above the national figure, alongside a forecast annual population growth of 2.75% that ranks it as a high-growth market. The reconciliation is migration. Net overseas inflow runs about 309 residents a year while internal migration removes 110, so the older established base is being topped up from abroad rather than from elsewhere in Australia. The suburb scores decile 9 on IRSAD and IEO, with household income in the 87.2nd percentile, and 54.4% of dwellings are apartments inside a dense 1.02 square kilometre Parramatta River peninsula.
Population
5,431
Median Age
47.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,263/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
43
Median House
$1.6M
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The median house price of $1,620,000 reflects scarcity more than churn. Only 28.6% of dwellings are separate houses, while apartments make up 54.4% and semi-detached homes 16.3%, so detached stock is the scarce, premium tier. Prices rose 5.4% over the year, from $1,585,000 in 2024 to $1,670,000 in 2025. Two-bedroom dwellings dominate at 41.4% and three-bedroom at 36.2%, leaving 4-plus bedroom homes at just 17.0%, which compounds the squeeze on family-sized housing. Monthly mortgage repayments average $3,000, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 30.6%, just above the 30% stress threshold despite incomes in the 87.2nd percentile. Buyers competing for a house rather than a unit face the tightest segment of the market.
For Buyers
The median house price of $1,620,000 reflects scarcity more than churn. Only 28.6% of dwellings are separate houses, while apartments make up 54.4% and semi-detached homes 16.3%, so detached stock is the scarce, premium tier. Prices rose 5.4% over the year, from $1,585,000 in 2024 to $1,670,000 in 2025. Two-bedroom dwellings dominate at 41.4% and three-bedroom at 36.2%, leaving 4-plus bedroom homes at just 17.0%, which compounds the squeeze on family-sized housing. Monthly mortgage repayments average $3,000, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 30.6%, just above the 30% stress threshold despite incomes in the 87.2nd percentile. Buyers competing for a house rather than a unit face the tightest segment of the market.
For Investors
A 37.4% renter share and weekly rent of $550 give landlords a steady tenant pool, but yield is thin. Against the $1,620,000 median, that rent implies a gross yield near 1.8%, low even by inner-Sydney standards, so the case rests on capital growth rather than income. The 8.2% vacancy rate is elevated and concentrated in the apartment segment, which is 54.4% of dwellings, signalling some oversupply in units. Demand support is real: net overseas migration adds 309 residents a year and the forecast holds 2.75% annual growth, well above a typical established suburb. Rent grew 6.2% over the period and development activity is modest at 40 applications in 12 months, so new supply is unlikely to flood the market.
Development Activity
Total DAs
206
Last 12 Months
43
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+4.9%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Abbotsford iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Abbotsford Public School
K-6 · 368 students
Demographics
The median age of 47 is 7.0 years above the national figure, and the population skews older despite strong inflows. Overseas-born residents reach 31.1%, which is 9.5 points above national, and ancestry leans English (1,348) and Italian (1,061), with Irish (653) and Chinese (429) following. That Italian heritage shows in language, where Italian (221 speakers) leads non-English use ahead of Mandarin (67) and Cantonese (58). University qualifications sit at 49.5%, running 19.4 points above the national rate, consistent with the professional workforce. Average household size is 2.3, which is 0.2 below national, and couples without children make up 31.9% of families, a profile that fits the older, established resident base rather than a young-family suburb.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
28.6%
Houses
16.3%
Townhouse
54.4%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure splits three ways: 38.4% own outright, 24.2% carry a mortgage and 37.4% rent. Outright owners outnumbering mortgage holders points to long-held, debt-free wealth rather than recent buyers churning through the market. The stock is 54.4% apartments and 16.3% semi-detached, leaving separate houses at only 28.6%, which keeps detached prices elevated through scarcity. Two-bedroom dwellings account for 41.4% and three-bedroom 36.2%, while 4-plus bedroom homes are just 17.0%. The median house price rose from $1,585,000 to $1,670,000 across 2024 to 2025, a 5.4% move. Mortgage-to-income at 30.6% edges above the stress threshold, yet rent-to-income at 24.3% stays comfortable, a gap that shows how steep purchase prices are even against 87.2nd-percentile incomes.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$3,000
Rent / wk
$550
HH Size
2.3
Personal Income / wk
$1,179
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
8.2%
Unoccupied
204
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.3%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
30.6% stressed
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
31.9%
Couples, no children
4,275
Total families
Economy & Employment
The workforce concentrates in knowledge sectors: Professional and Technical leads at 17.4% (367 workers), Healthcare follows at 13.3% (281), Education at 11.8% (250) and Finance at 10.8% (229), with Construction at 7.6%. By occupation, Professionals (960) and Managers (600) dominate, which aligns with the decile 9 IEO score for education and occupation. Unemployment is low at 3.8% and the full-time employment rate is 68.2%. Participation reads 54.6%, below what the income would suggest, because the aging profile leaves 1,557 residents out of the labour force. One anomaly stands out: the IER score for economic resources sits at decile 7 against decile 9 on IRSAD, because the 37.4% renter base depresses aggregate household wealth measures relative to the suburb's overall advantage.
Unemployment
4.2%
Labour Force
8,130
Unemployed
338
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
68.2%
Part-time
28.0%
Participation
54.6%
Employed
2,434
Occupations
Top Industries
University
49.5%
Postgraduate
15.5%
Born Overseas
31.1%
Dwellings
2,273
Transport to Work
Abbotsford leans heavily on cars: 84.4% drive to work, well above the national norm, while just 4.6% use public transport and 4.0% walk or cycle, a reflection of the peninsula geography with no train line. The suburb earns decile 9 on IRSAD, near the top advantage tier nationally, and decile 8 on IRSD for relative disadvantage, meaning few residents face deprivation. Volunteering runs at 15.4% and 5.7% of residents (295 people) need daily assistance, slightly elevated and consistent with the older median age of 47. No schools are recorded inside the 1.02 square kilometre boundary, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring suburbs, a practical trade-off for the compact riverside setting at 5,335 residents per square kilometre.
Drive
84.4%
Public Transport
4.6%
Walk / Cycle
4.0%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+2.75%/yr
(+284 people/yr)
High GrowthAbbotsford is forecast to grow 2.75% a year, adding around 284 residents annually, and the 10-year change of 85.0% marks it as a high-growth area rather than a static established suburb. The trajectory reads declining young, with the young-resident share down 2.3 points while the working-age share rose 5.6 points. Overseas migration of 309 a year is the primary driver, offset by net internal outflow of 110, so growth is imported rather than local. The gentrification stage reads early signs at a score of 20, supported by a full COVID recovery after a 3.5% dip. Affordability improved from 46.8% in 2011 to 31.4% in 2021, a meaningful easing even as real incomes grew 28.8% over the decade.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+309
Net Internal / yr
-110
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Net internal outflow -110/yr, Strong overseas inflow +309/yr, COVID recovered (-4% dip → full recovery)
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Abbotsford compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Abbotsford a good suburb to live in?
Abbotsford scores decile 9 on IRSAD and IEO, near the top advantage tier nationally, with household income in the 87.2nd percentile. University qualifications reach 49.5%, which is 19.4 points above national. The main trade-offs are a high $1,620,000 median house price and heavy reliance on cars, with 84.4% driving to work.
What is the median house price in Abbotsford?
The median house price is $1,620,000. Prices rose 5.4% over the year, from $1,585,000 in 2024 to $1,670,000 in 2025. Weekly rent averages $550 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $3,000, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 30.6%, just above the stress threshold.
What schools are in Abbotsford?
No schools are recorded inside the 1.02 square kilometre Abbotsford boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. The local population is highly educated, with university qualifications at 49.5%, which is 19.4 points above the national figure.
Is Abbotsford safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Abbotsford in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb scores decile 8 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage, a high tier, and only 5.7% of its residents (295 people) need daily assistance, both consistent with a low-disadvantage area.
Is Abbotsford good for property investment?
Rent of $550 a week against a $1,620,000 median gives a gross yield near 1.8%, low for the income it generates, and the 8.2% vacancy rate signals some apartment oversupply. Net overseas migration of 309 a year and 2.75% forecast growth support demand, but returns depend on capital growth rather than yield.
How is Abbotsford's population changing?
Population is forecast to grow 2.75% a year, adding about 284 residents annually, with a 85.0% rise over 10 years. Overseas migration of 309 a year drives growth, offset by net internal outflow of 110. The profile is aging, with the young-resident share down 2.3 points over the decade.
What languages are spoken in Abbotsford?
About 31.1% of residents were born overseas, 9.5 points above the national figure. English dominates, while Italian (221 speakers), Mandarin (67) and Cantonese (58) are the most common non-English languages, reflecting the suburb's strong Italian heritage among 1,061 residents of Italian ancestry.
How to read these comparisons
Phrases like "above the national average" reference the unweighted median across Australian suburbs with more than 1,000 residents, not population-weighted national figures. Suburb-level medians are more useful for ranking suburbs against each other; ABS census headlines are population-weighted (so dominated by Sydney and Melbourne) and can read very differently.
Current baseline (refreshed 2026-05-10): median age 40, university-educated 30.1%, born overseas 21.6%, average household size 2.5 people.
Data sources: ABS 2021 Census (demographics, income, tenure), state Valuer-General (house prices), Department of Jobs SALM (unemployment), ACARA (school ICSEA), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications). Population forecasts use a Hamilton-Perry cohort model calibrated to ABS ERP.
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