Allawah
Roughly two in three Allawah residents (64.1%) were born overseas, 42.5 points above the national figure, and that migrant base shapes almost everything else about the suburb. Apartments make up 77.7% of dwellings packed into a 0.58 km2 footprint at 9,167 residents per km2, so 47.4% of households rent rather than own. The population skews young at a median age of 36, four years below national, and is highly educated, with university qualifications at 52.3%, some 22.2 points above the national rate. The $810,000 median house price and decile 8 score on the education-and-occupation SEIFA index round out a dense, professional, transient inner-south Sydney pocket.
Population
5,351
Median Age
36.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,774/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
10
Median House
$1.9M
12m to Jun 2026 (PSI)
Buying a house in Allawah means competing for scarce stock, because separate houses are just 17.8% of dwellings against 77.7% apartments. The median house price of $810,000 rose 4.8% from $785,000 in 2024 to $823,000 in 2025, a modest one-year move compared with Sydney's steeper premium markets. Two-bedroom dwellings dominate at 55.1% and three-bedroom at 31.1%, while 4-plus bedroom family homes are only 9.7%, so larger households face thin choice. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,167, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 28.2%, below the 30% stress threshold. With household income in the 62.5th percentile nationally, the entry cost sits within reach for dual-income professionals but rewards apartment buyers more than house hunters.
For Buyers
Buying a house in Allawah means competing for scarce stock, because separate houses are just 17.8% of dwellings against 77.7% apartments. The median house price of $810,000 rose 4.8% from $785,000 in 2024 to $823,000 in 2025, a modest one-year move compared with Sydney's steeper premium markets. Two-bedroom dwellings dominate at 55.1% and three-bedroom at 31.1%, while 4-plus bedroom family homes are only 9.7%, so larger households face thin choice. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,167, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 28.2%, below the 30% stress threshold. With household income in the 62.5th percentile nationally, the entry cost sits within reach for dual-income professionals but rewards apartment buyers more than house hunters.
For Investors
A 47.4% renter share is the headline for investors, nearly half the suburb, and it stems directly from the apartment-heavy stock at 77.7% of dwellings. Weekly rent of $428 against the $810,000 median house price implies a gross yield near 2.7%, low but typical of inner Sydney where capital growth carries the case. The 7.8% vacancy rate points to softness in the apartment segment and warrants caution on rent timing. Demand support is genuine: net overseas migration adds about 468 residents a year to the wider area while internal migration removes 208, and rent grew 20.0% over the period. Development is quiet at 9 applications in 12 months, mostly single dwelling works, so new supply is unlikely to flood the market and undercut existing landlords.
Development Activity
Total DAs
54
Last 12 Months
10
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+25.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
The median age of 36 runs 4.0 years below national, and overseas-born residents reach 64.1%, fully 42.5 points above the national figure, marking Allawah as migrant-majority. Chinese ancestry leads at 1,493 residents ahead of English at 511 and Filipino at 225, while the top languages other than English are Nepali (364 speakers), Mandarin (333) and Cantonese (266). University qualifications at 52.3% sit 22.2 points above national, which fits a young professional intake. Hinduism is a notable second religion at 726 residents behind Christianity at 1,978, with Islam third at 338. Average household size is 2.5, in line with national, and couples without children make up 27.8% of the 4,116 families, a share consistent with the young, renting, pre-family stage many residents occupy.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
17.8%
Houses
3.5%
Townhouse
77.7%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure leans firmly toward renting: 47.4% rent while owners split evenly between 26.3% outright and 26.3% with a mortgage. That renter majority is a function of the stock, which is 77.7% apartments and only 17.8% separate houses, so detached-house prices stay elevated through scarcity. Two-bedroom dwellings account for 55.1% and three-bedroom 31.1%, leaving 4-plus bedroom homes at just 9.7%. The median house price climbed from $785,000 to $823,000 across 2024 to 2025, a 4.8% gain. Mortgage-to-income reads 28.2% and rent-to-income 24.1%, both below the 30% stress line, so neither owners nor tenants are stretched on paper. With household income at the 62.5th percentile, affordability here is easier than in Sydney's blue-chip apartment markets.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General (12m to Jun 2026 (PSI))
Mortgage / mo
$2,167
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (January to March 2026), NSW Rental Bond Board (DCJ). Census 2021 median: $428.
$695
Bond data Mar 2026 · houses $880 · units $680
HH Size
2.5
Personal Income / wk
$765
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
7.8%
Unoccupied
172
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.1%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
28.2%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
27.8%
Couples, no children
4,116
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the dominant employer at 21.0% of the workforce (411 workers), well ahead of Retail at 10.7% (210) and Professional/Tech at 10.3% (202), with Education at 7.9% and Hospitality at 7.3%. By occupation, Professionals lead at 691, followed by Clerical and Administrative at 341 and Community and Personal Service at 318, which aligns with the decile 8 IEO score for education and occupation. Unemployment is elevated at 7.2% and the participation rate is only 53.1%, low because 1,595 residents are not in the labour force, a mix of students and recent migrants still establishing work. The IER economic-resources score sits at decile 5, below the decile 8 IEO, because the 47.4% renter base depresses aggregate household wealth measures even where skills are high.
Unemployment
2.3%
Labour Force
11,267
Unemployed
254
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
62.2%
Part-time
30.6%
Participation
53.1%
Employed
2,283
Occupations
Top Industries
University
52.3%
Postgraduate
16.7%
Born Overseas
64.1%
Dwellings
2,037
Transport to Work
Allawah is well connected for a dense suburb: 25.4% of residents commute by public transport against 63.0% who drive, a lower car reliance than most of suburban Sydney, helped by its train station and 9,167 residents per km2 within walking distance of services. The suburb scores decile 8 on the IEO index for education and occupation and decile 7 on IRSAD overall advantage, both above the midpoint, though the IRSD disadvantage index reads decile 5, so outcomes are mixed rather than uniformly affluent. Volunteering is low at 8.6% and 4.5% of residents (232 people) need daily assistance. No schools sit inside the 0.58 km2 boundary, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring suburbs, a practical trade-off for the compact, transit-oriented setting.
Drive
63.0%
Public Transport
25.4%
Walk / Cycle
5.6%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.67%/yr
(+118 people/yr)
EstablishedAllawah is classified as established with steady growth: the population rises about 0.67% a year (roughly 118 residents) and is up 9.2% over the past decade. Medium forecasts lift the wider area toward 18,062 by 2031 on trend continuation. The sole positive driver is overseas migration at about 468 a year, which more than offsets net internal outflow of 208, so growth depends on continued migrant arrivals rather than local retention. The profile is aging, with the senior share up 3.6 points and the working-age and young shares down 1.7 and 2.1 points over the decade. Gentrification scores 24 to 29, classed as early signs, and affordability improved from 64.2% in 2011 to 56.2% in 2021 as real incomes grew 11.5%.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+468
Net Internal / yr
-208
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +13% since 2011, Net internal outflow -208/yr, Strong overseas inflow +468/yr, COVID recovered (-4% dip → full recovery)
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Allawah compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Allawah a good suburb to live in?
Allawah scores decile 8 on the IEO education-and-occupation index and decile 7 on IRSAD overall advantage, both above the national midpoint. University qualifications reach 52.3%, some 22.2 points above national, and public transport use of 25.4% beats most of suburban Sydney. The main trade-offs are no local schools and a 7.8% apartment vacancy rate.
What is the median house price in Allawah?
The median house price is $810,000, having risen 4.8% from $785,000 in 2024 to $823,000 in 2025. Weekly rent averages $428 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $2,167, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 28.2%, which is below the 30% stress threshold.
What schools are in Allawah?
No schools are recorded inside the 0.58 km2 Allawah boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. The resident base is well educated, with university qualifications at 52.3%, which is 22.2 points above the national figure.
Is Allawah safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Allawah in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb scores decile 5 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage and decile 7 on IRSAD overall advantage, and only 4.5% of its 5,351 residents need daily assistance, consistent with a mid-tier, settled area.
Is Allawah good for property investment?
Rent of $428 a week against the $810,000 median gives a gross yield near 2.7%, low but typical of inner Sydney, and the 7.8% vacancy rate signals apartment softness. Net overseas migration of about 468 a year supports demand, and rent grew 20.0%, so returns lean on capital growth more than yield.
How is Allawah's population changing?
Allawah grows about 0.67% a year, roughly 118 residents, and is up 9.2% over the past decade. Overseas migration of about 468 a year drives the gains, offsetting a net internal outflow of 208. The profile is aging, with the senior share up 3.6 points over the decade.
What languages are spoken in Allawah?
About 64.1% of residents were born overseas, 42.5 points above the national figure. The most common languages other than English are Nepali (364 speakers), Mandarin (333), Cantonese (266) and Arabic (105), reflecting a strongly migrant population led by Chinese ancestry at 1,493 residents.
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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