Airds
A median age of 29, a full 11 years below the national figure, combined with a 79.3% renter majority tells the defining story of Airds. Household income sits in only the 10.2nd percentile nationally, yet house prices reached $800,000 in 2025 after a 39.1% rise from $575,000 in 2024. The unemployment rate of 16.4% is well above state norms, and just 3.2% of residents own their home outright. These numbers together point to a suburb where most residents are renters on tight budgets, while property ownership has shifted toward investors who have captured significant capital gains.
Population
3,265
Median Age
29.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$944/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
64
Median House
$718K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The median house price of $718,000 sits within reach of first-home buyers compared to inner-Sydney benchmarks, though the 39.1% price jump from $575,000 in 2024 to $800,000 in 2025 has moved the goalposts quickly. The dominant housing type is the separate house at 82.0% of dwellings, with three-bedroom homes accounting for 58.3% of the stock and four-plus bedroom at 30.8%, which suits families. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,210, but the mortgage-to-income ratio of 54.1% signals significant financial pressure because household incomes rank in the 10.2nd percentile nationally. Only 17.5% of households carry a mortgage, meaning most residents rent rather than buy. Buyers entering now are acquiring in a market that has risen sharply, making affordability stress a real factor.
For Buyers
The median house price of $718,000 sits within reach of first-home buyers compared to inner-Sydney benchmarks, though the 39.1% price jump from $575,000 in 2024 to $800,000 in 2025 has moved the goalposts quickly. The dominant housing type is the separate house at 82.0% of dwellings, with three-bedroom homes accounting for 58.3% of the stock and four-plus bedroom at 30.8%, which suits families. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,210, but the mortgage-to-income ratio of 54.1% signals significant financial pressure because household incomes rank in the 10.2nd percentile nationally. Only 17.5% of households carry a mortgage, meaning most residents rent rather than buy. Buyers entering now are acquiring in a market that has risen sharply, making affordability stress a real factor.
For Investors
The 79.3% renter share is one of the highest you will find in NSW, giving landlords an almost captive tenant base. Weekly rent of $220 is low compared to Greater Sydney medians, reflecting the income profile of renters whose household income sits in the 10.2nd percentile nationally. The 9.5% vacancy rate indicates meaningful vacancy risk, above the 3% threshold that typically signals balanced rental demand. Development activity of 59 applications in 12 months, mostly dwelling and subdivision works, shows the suburb is actively changing. The 39.1% price gain from $575,000 to $800,000 in a single year delivered strong capital growth, though that pace is unlikely to repeat. Investors should weigh low yields against capital growth momentum and high vacancy.
Development Activity
Total DAs
324
Last 12 Months
64
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-28.1%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Airds iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
John Warby Public School
P-6 · 228 students
Demographics
The median age of 29 is 11 years younger than the national average, making Airds one of the younger suburban populations in NSW. Overseas-born residents make up 27.4% of the population, which is 5.8 percentage points above the national figure, and the ancestry mix reflects this: English (771), Samoan (245) and Irish (146) are among the top groups, with Arabic and Samoan among the most spoken languages. University qualifications at 18.2% sit 11.9 points below the national rate, consistent with the blue-collar and community services occupational profile. Average household size of 2.9 is above the national average. The participation rate of 29.4% is very low, and 1,219 residents are not in the labour force, figures that partly reflect the young age structure and dependent household composition.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
82.0%
Houses
16.9%
Townhouse
1.1%
Apartment
Tenure
The tenure split is extreme: 79.3% of residents rent, 17.5% are paying a mortgage and just 3.2% own their home outright, compared to national homeownership norms where ownership rates typically exceed 65%. This is a renter-dominant suburb by a large margin. Stock is overwhelmingly separate houses at 82.0%, with semi-detached at 16.9% and apartments a negligible 1.1%. Three-bedroom homes account for 58.3% and four-plus bedroom at 30.8%, reflecting the family-oriented household composition with an average size of 2.9. Prices rose from $575,000 in 2024 to $800,000 in 2025, a 39.1% gain over one year. The mortgage-to-income ratio of 54.1% exceeds the stress threshold, making owner-occupier purchases financially demanding relative to local incomes.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,210
Rent / wk
$220
HH Size
2.9
Personal Income / wk
$451
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
9.5%
Unoccupied
104
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.3%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
54.1% stressed
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
9.4%
Couples, no children
2,516
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare dominates the local industry at 27.7% of employed residents (103 workers), far above the share you would expect in a suburb of this size. Retail follows at 10.2% and Professional/Tech and Public Admin each at 7.3%. By occupation, Labourers (132) is the largest category, followed by Community/Personal services (121) and Machinery/Drivers (107), reflecting a workforce concentrated in hands-on and care roles rather than knowledge industries. The unemployment rate of 16.4% is significantly above the national average, and only 56.8% of employed residents work full time. Participation at 29.4% is low, partly because the 29.4% participation rate reflects a population with many dependants. The household weekly income of $944 sits in the 10.2nd percentile nationally, underscoring the income gap relative to broader NSW.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
56.8%
Part-time
26.8%
Participation
29.4%
Employed
586
Occupations
Top Industries
University
18.2%
Postgraduate
6.5%
Born Overseas
27.4%
Dwellings
990
Transport to Work
Car dependency is high, with 80.2% of residents commuting by car and only 4.6% using public transport, well below national averages. The walked-or-cycled share of 2.0% is minimal. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in surrounding Campbelltown LGA suburbs. Crime data is not available for Airds in this dataset, limiting direct safety comparisons. The need-for-assistance rate of 12.3% (351 residents) is elevated relative to national figures, reflecting the socioeconomic profile. Rent-to-income at 23.3% remains below the 30% stress threshold for renters, providing some buffer for the 79.3% renter majority. Volunteering at 5.3% is low, and the lack of SEIFA data means formal disadvantage rankings cannot be stated.
Drive
80.2%
Public Transport
4.6%
Walk / Cycle
2.0%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Airds compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Airds a good suburb to live in?
Airds suits renters and young families looking for affordable entry to the Campbelltown area. The suburb has 3,265 residents with a median age of 29, strong family-oriented housing stock with 82% separate houses, and house prices below the Sydney average at a $718,000 median. The main constraints are high unemployment at 16.4%, heavy car dependency and household income in the 10.2nd percentile nationally.
What is the median house price in Airds?
The median house price is $718,000 based on PSI-derived data. Prices moved sharply from $575,000 in 2024 to $800,000 in 2025, a 39.1% rise. Weekly rent averages $220 and monthly mortgage repayments run approximately $2,210, though the mortgage-to-income ratio of 54.1% indicates financial stress at current income levels.
What schools are in Airds?
No schools are recorded within the Airds suburb boundary in this dataset. Families in the suburb rely on schools in neighbouring Campbelltown LGA areas. The local university qualification rate is 18.2%, which is 11.9 percentage points below the national average, reflecting the suburb's trade and community services employment base.
Is Airds safe?
Crime statistics are not available for Airds in this dataset, so a direct rate comparison cannot be made. As a proxy indicator, the household income sits in the 10.2nd percentile nationally and the unemployment rate is 16.4%, both factors associated with higher crime risk in the research literature. The need-for-assistance rate is 12.3%, covering 351 residents.
Is Airds good for property investment?
The 79.3% renter share provides landlords with strong tenant demand, and the 39.1% price gain from $575,000 to $800,000 in one year delivered exceptional capital growth. However, the 9.5% vacancy rate is above the 3% balanced-market threshold, and weekly rent of $220 against an $800,000 purchase price implies a low gross yield. The investment case depends on capital growth continuing rather than rental income.
How is Airds's population changing?
The current population is 3,265 across a 2.38 km2 area, giving a density of 1,372 per km2. The suburb has a 23.5% residential turnover rate, meaning a high proportion of residents moved in recently. The young median age of 29, which is 11 years below the national figure, points to a population that is growing through younger family formation rather than an aging stable base.
How much development is happening in Airds?
There were 59 development applications lodged in the 12 months to mid-2026, covering dwelling construction, demolition and subdivision works. That is an active pipeline for a suburb of 2.38 km2 and 3,265 residents. Apartments are currently only 1.1% of the stock, so the development activity is predominantly adding or replacing detached and semi-detached homes.
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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