Alexandria
A 52.5% renter share sits alongside a 10.3% vacancy rate and 65.5% apartment share, making Alexandria a high-turnover inner-city market rather than a conventional family suburb. Its 9,649 residents have a median age of 34, six years below the national figure, while household income ranks at the 94.4th percentile. Residential turnover reaches 45.3%, and 37.1% of residents were born overseas. Compared with nearby Waterloo and Zetland, Alexandria suits buyers and renters seeking established inner-city access because professional and finance work account for 20.9% and 11.5% of employment.
Population
9,649
Median Age
34.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,654/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
205
Alexandria is better suited to buyers prioritising apartments, semi-detached homes and compact layouts than detached-house seekers. Apartments make up 65.5% of dwellings, semi-detached homes 29.2%, and separate houses only 4.8%; 42.6% of homes have 2 bedrooms and 30.7% have 0 or 1. The typical mortgage repayment is $2,751 per month, while mortgage costs equal 23.9% of household income, higher than the 21.1% rent-to-income share. Weekly rent is $560, so buyers comparing Alexandria with Waterloo or Zetland should test strata, parking and renovation costs because the dwelling mix is highly compact.
For Buyers
Alexandria is better suited to buyers prioritising apartments, semi-detached homes and compact layouts than detached-house seekers. Apartments make up 65.5% of dwellings, semi-detached homes 29.2%, and separate houses only 4.8%; 42.6% of homes have 2 bedrooms and 30.7% have 0 or 1. The typical mortgage repayment is $2,751 per month, while mortgage costs equal 23.9% of household income, higher than the 21.1% rent-to-income share. Weekly rent is $560, so buyers comparing Alexandria with Waterloo or Zetland should test strata, parking and renovation costs because the dwelling mix is highly compact.
For Investors
Alexandria's investment case rests on renter depth, employment access and ongoing redevelopment, but the vacancy rate demands careful property selection. Renters account for 52.5% of occupied dwellings, more than the 34.4% with a mortgage and well above the 12.5% owned outright. Weekly rent is $560 and vacancy is 10.3%, so rental demand exists alongside more choice for tenants than in a tightly supplied market. A total of 206 development applications in 12 months can renew amenity and add competition between older and newer stock. Overseas migration is the primary growth driver, supporting demand because 37.1% of residents were born overseas.
Development Activity
Total DAs
1,047
Last 12 Months
205
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+24.2%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Alexandria
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Demographics
Alexandria skews younger and more university-educated than Australia overall: the median age is 34, six years below the national figure, and 65.4% have university qualifications, 35.3 percentage points above the national comparison. Overseas-born residents represent 37.1%, or 15.5 points above the national level, with English, Irish, Chinese and Scottish among the largest recorded ancestries at 3,049, 1,313, 978 and 958 people. No religion is the largest affiliation at 5,523, ahead of Christianity at 2,713. Average household size is 2.0, lower than the national comparison by 0.5, because couples without children form 61.4% of families. Compared with Waterloo and Zetland, Alexandria's profile suits professionals, couples and internationally connected households.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
4.8%
Houses
29.2%
Townhouse
65.5%
Apartment
Tenure
Housing in Alexandria is apartment-dominant and renter-majority, which explains why small dwellings and turnover matter more than detached-lot scarcity. Apartments account for 65.5% of stock, compared with 4.8% separate houses and 29.2% semi-detached homes. Two-bedroom dwellings lead at 42.6%, followed by 0 or 1-bedroom homes at 30.7%; 4-plus-bedroom homes are only 6.7%. Tenure is split between 52.5% renting, 34.4% mortgage ownership and 12.5% outright ownership. Weekly rent is $560 and rent consumes 21.1% of household income, lower than the 23.9% mortgage share. Compared with Waterloo and Zetland, buyers should focus on building age, strata exposure and floorplan efficiency because local stock is compact.
Mortgage / mo
$2,751
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (April to June 2026), NSW Rental Bond Board (DCJ). Census 2021 median: $560.
$890
Bond data Jun 2026 · houses $1,100 · units $823
HH Size
2.0
Personal Income / wk
$1,629
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
10.3%
Unoccupied
518
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.1%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.9%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
29.0%
Couples with children
61.4%
Couples, no children
7.6%
Single parent
2,493
Total families
Economy & Employment
Alexandria has a high-income, high-participation economy, with household income at the 94.4th percentile and labour-force participation at 81.0%. Professional/Tech is the largest industry at 20.9% and 1,165 workers, followed by Finance at 11.5% and 640, Healthcare at 10.8% and 601, Education at 9.1% and 510, and Public Administration at 7.9% and 442. Occupations are led by Professionals at 2,945 and Managers at 1,454, supporting demand for well-located housing because work is concentrated in skilled services. Unemployment is 3.2%, while full-time employment is 72.9%. Socioeconomic results are above average overall: IEO, IRSD and IRSAD each rank in decile 10, but IER is only decile 4, consistent with high renting despite strong earnings and education.
Unemployment
3.2%
Labour Force
6,958
Unemployed
224
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
72.9%
Part-time
19.7%
Participation
81.0%
Employed
6,734
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
65.4%
Postgraduate
20.1%
Born Overseas
37.1%
Dwellings
4,487
Transport to Work
Alexandria provides dense, practical inner-city living across 3.54 sq km at 2,728 people per sq km. Work-from-home participation is 67.6%, while 18.2% drive and 7.7% walk or cycle; the walk and cycle share is lower than car-driver travel, suggesting transport choices still depend on the exact address and destination. Two local government schools provide a community-school option and a secondary intensive-English setting; families should check enrolment zones against the address because boundaries can cut across inner-city streets. IRSAD ranks in decile 10, above the median socioeconomic position, supporting access to established services. A current suburb crime rate is not available, so safety decisions should use recent incident information and visits at different times. The 10.3% vacancy rate and 45.3% turnover indicate a changing resident mix.
Drive
18.2%
Public Transport
5.3%
Walk / Cycle
7.7%
Work from Home
67.6%
Population Forecast
+2.2%/yr
(+473 people/yr)
EstablishedAlexandria's growth outlook is active but not uniform. The annual forecast trend is 2.2%, with overseas migration identified as the primary driver, while gentrification is at the Active stage with a score of 40. Across the wider area, population change is 37.6% over ten years, and the shift trajectory is Mixed. Rents have grown 19.4%, higher than the 0.2% change in young share, while real income growth is 14.8%. Affordability is labelled Improving, with readings of 41.9% in 2011 and 35.4% in 2021. Development activity reached 206 applications in 12 months, supporting renewal because overseas migration and inner-city redevelopment reinforce demand, but the Mixed trajectory argues for address-level due diligence.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+422
Net Internal / yr
-108
Gentrification Signal
Active
Population +45% since 2011, Net internal outflow -108/yr, Strong overseas inflow +422/yr, Accelerating: 16% → 25%
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Alexandria compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Alexandria a good suburb to live in?
Alexandria can suit professionals, couples and renters who value inner-city access. It has 9,649 residents, a median age of 34, 65.5% apartments and 67.6% working from home. The trade-off is a 52.5% renter share and 10.3% vacancy rate, so building quality, noise and street feel can vary by address.
What is the median house price in Alexandria?
A current median house price is not stated. That matters because only 4.8% of Alexandria dwellings are separate houses, compared with 65.5% apartments and 29.2% semi-detached homes. Buyers should compare like-for-like sales by dwelling type, bedroom count and strata position rather than apply one suburb-wide median.
What schools are in Alexandria?
Alexandria has 2 local government schools: Alexandria Park Community School and Central Sydney Intensive English High School. They cover community-school and secondary intensive-English settings, so families should confirm the relevant enrolment zone and year level for the exact address. School proximity can differ across the suburb's 3.54 sq km area.
Is Alexandria safe?
A suburb-wide crime rate is not available, so check recent incident information and inspect the exact streets at different times. Alexandria's density is 2,728 people per sq km across 3.54 sq km, and the 10.3% vacancy rate indicates a changing resident mix. Those figures do not establish safety, but they support address-level checks.
Is Alexandria good for property investment?
Alexandria may suit investors seeking a deep tenant pool and inner-city employment access, but vacancy needs attention. Renters make up 52.5% of occupied dwellings, weekly rent is $560 and vacancy is 10.3%. Overseas migration drives growth, while 206 development applications in 12 months may improve amenity and add competition. Compare strata costs, building quality and vacancy by address.
How is Alexandria's population changing?
Alexandria's current population is 9,649. Across the wider area, the forecast indicates 37.6% population change over 10 years and an annual growth trend of 2.2%, driven primarily by overseas migration. The trajectory is Mixed, while gentrification is Active with a score of 40. Growth is therefore likely to remain uneven because migration and redevelopment affect different pockets.
What languages are spoken in Alexandria?
Overseas-born residents make up 37.1% of Alexandria's population, 15.5 percentage points above the national comparison. Mandarin is the largest listed non-English language at 130 speakers, followed by Cantonese at 77, Portuguese at 50, French at 46 and Italian at 42. English is the largest ancestry category at 3,049 people, combining international links with an established local base.
What development is occurring in Alexandria?
Development activity is high, with 206 applications recorded over 12 months. Recent examples include commercial development, an indoor recreation facility and dwelling-house alterations or additions. This volume can support renewal because Alexandria combines a 52.5% renter share with a 65.5% apartment market. Buyers and investors should check construction timing, access changes and strata implications.
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 education open registers (school locations), 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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