Ambarvale
With 86.4% of dwellings being separate houses and a median age of 34, six years below the national median, Ambarvale reads as a family-oriented detached-housing pocket in Sydney's Macarthur region. The $858,000 median house price sits well below Sydney metropolitan levels, which explains why three-bedroom homes (58.2%) and four-plus bedroom homes (33.4%) together account for over 91% of the housing stock. Household incomes land at the 42.4th percentile nationally, and university qualifications at 21.3% run 8.8 points below the national average, signalling a trades-and-services workforce rather than a white-collar one. Born-overseas residents at 27.7% are 6.1 points above the national figure, giving the suburb a moderately multicultural profile anchored by English (2,042), Irish and Scottish ancestry.
Population
7,254
Median Age
34.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,431/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
26
Median House
$858K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The $858,000 median house price is the headline draw for buyers priced out of inner Sydney, and it has risen from $830,000 in 2024 to $880,000 in 2025, a 6.0% annual gain. Separate houses make up 86.4% of stock, with three-bedroom (58.2%) and four-plus bedroom (33.4%) homes dominating, so this is a market built for families rather than downsizers. Apartments are just 4.0%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,802, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 29.1%, which sits just under the 30% stress threshold because local incomes, though only at the 42.4th percentile nationally, are absorbed by relatively affordable detached homes. Owner-occupiers hold 55.5% of dwellings (22.4% outright plus 33.1% mortgaged), a share that points to a settled, family-owner base rather than a transient renter market.
For Buyers
The $858,000 median house price is the headline draw for buyers priced out of inner Sydney, and it has risen from $830,000 in 2024 to $880,000 in 2025, a 6.0% annual gain. Separate houses make up 86.4% of stock, with three-bedroom (58.2%) and four-plus bedroom (33.4%) homes dominating, so this is a market built for families rather than downsizers. Apartments are just 4.0%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,802, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 29.1%, which sits just under the 30% stress threshold because local incomes, though only at the 42.4th percentile nationally, are absorbed by relatively affordable detached homes. Owner-occupiers hold 55.5% of dwellings (22.4% outright plus 33.1% mortgaged), a share that points to a settled, family-owner base rather than a transient renter market.
For Investors
Renters make up 44.5% of households, a deeper tenant pool than most detached-house suburbs, which supports rental demand. Weekly rent of $350 against the $858,000 median produces a gross yield near 2.1%, modest but typical for house-heavy outer Sydney where capital growth rather than income drives returns. The vacancy rate of 3.5% is balanced, neither the oversupply seen in apartment markets nor a landlord-favouring squeeze. Capital growth has been the real story, with the median climbing 6.0% from $830,000 to $880,000 in a single year. Development activity is healthy at 26 applications in 12 months, several of them secondary dwellings (granny flats) under Complying Development Certificates, which signals owners adding rentable density and confidence in local demand.
Development Activity
Total DAs
140
Last 12 Months
26
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-33.3%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Ambarvale iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Ambarvale Public School
K-6 · 433 students
Thomas Acres Public School
K-6 · 495 students
Thomas Reddall High School
7-12 · 488 students
Demographics
The median age of 34 is six years below the national median, and the average household size of 2.8 sits 0.3 above national, together describing a suburb of younger families rather than empty nesters. Couples with children (2,201 families) outnumber couples without children (1,104) by roughly two to one, reinforcing the family-formation profile. Born-overseas residents at 27.7% are 6.1 points above the national average, with English ancestry leading at 2,042, followed by Irish (469) and Scottish (377). Arabic (128), Samoan (53) and Hindi (39) are the top non-English languages spoken at home, and Islam (388) and Buddhism (155) follow Christianity (3,660) in religious affiliation. University qualifications at 21.3% run 8.8 points below national, consistent with a workforce weighted toward trades and service roles.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
86.4%
Houses
9.6%
Townhouse
4.0%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure splits into 44.5% renting, 33.1% mortgaged and 22.4% owned outright, so a majority of 55.5% are owner-occupiers. The stock is overwhelmingly detached at 86.4% separate houses, with semi-detached at 9.6% and apartments at just 4.0%, and three-bedroom (58.2%) plus four-plus bedroom (33.4%) homes account for over 91% of dwellings. The median house price rose from $830,000 in 2024 to $880,000 in 2025, a 6.0% annual increase, while the current median sits at $858,000. Mortgage-to-income at 29.1% and rent-to-income at 24.5% both fall below their respective stress thresholds, which holds because the detached homes here are priced well below Sydney's metropolitan median despite local incomes sitting at only the 42.4th percentile nationally.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,802
Rent / wk
$350
HH Size
2.8
Personal Income / wk
$630
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
3.5%
Unoccupied
86
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.5%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
29.1%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
18.5%
Couples, no children
5,969
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare and social assistance leads employment at 20.9% (313 workers), more than double the next industry, followed by Retail at 9.6% (143), Manufacturing at 9.0% (135), Education at 9.0% (134) and Construction at 8.0% (119). Occupations skew toward Machinery Operators and Drivers (361), Clerical and Administrative workers (355) and Labourers (327), with Professionals at 325 ranking only fourth, which is consistent with university attainment running 8.8 points below the national average. The full-time employment rate is 65.6%, but the recorded unemployment rate of 10.0% sits above national norms and the participation rate of 42.9% is suppressed by 2,328 residents not in the labour force, reflecting a young family population with many at-home carers.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
65.6%
Part-time
24.4%
Participation
42.9%
Employed
2,163
Occupations
Top Industries
University
21.3%
Postgraduate
4.6%
Born Overseas
27.7%
Dwellings
2,336
Transport to Work
Ambarvale is heavily car-dependent, with 85.1% of commuters driving, public transport use at just 3.8% and walking or cycling at only 1.6%, well below what inner-ring suburbs record, so a car is effectively essential here. The density of 2,547 people per square kilometre across 2.85 square kilometres is moderate suburban rather than crowded, fitting the 86.4% detached-house character. With couples with children numbering 2,201 families and an average household size of 2.8, the amenity mix favours family living, and 8.8% of residents reporting a need for assistance is a reminder that healthcare access matters locally, consistent with healthcare being the top employer at 20.9%. Housing affordability is a genuine draw, with the $858,000 median running well below Sydney's metropolitan benchmark.
Drive
85.1%
Public Transport
3.8%
Walk / Cycle
1.6%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Ambarvale compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ambarvale a good suburb to live in?
Ambarvale suits families seeking affordable detached housing, with 86.4% separate houses and a median age of 34, six years below the national median. The $858,000 median house price runs well below Sydney metropolitan levels. The trade-off is heavy car dependence, with 85.1% driving and only 3.8% using public transport.
What is the median house price in Ambarvale?
The median house price is $858,000, having risen from $830,000 in 2024 to $880,000 in 2025, a 6.0% annual gain. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,802 and weekly rent is $350, giving a gross rental yield near 2.1%, modest but typical for house-heavy outer Sydney.
What schools are in Ambarvale?
School-level data is not available in this dataset for Ambarvale. The suburb has a young family profile, with couples with children numbering 2,201 families and an average household size of 2.8, 0.3 above the national average, so local and neighbouring school options are a key consideration for buyers here.
Is Ambarvale safe?
Verified crime statistics are not available in this dataset for Ambarvale. What the data does show is a stable, settled population, with residential turnover at just 17.3% meaning 82.7% of residents stayed in place, a pattern more typical of established family suburbs than high-churn areas.
Is Ambarvale good for property investment?
The 44.5% renter share gives a deeper tenant pool than most detached suburbs, and the 3.5% vacancy rate is balanced. Gross yield near 2.1% ($350 weekly rent on $858,000) is modest, so returns lean on capital growth, which ran 6.0% over the past year. Development activity is active at 26 applications in 12 months.
How is Ambarvale's population changing?
Ambarvale shows a settled young-family trajectory, with a median age of 34, six years below national, and an average household size of 2.8, above the national figure. Residential turnover is low at 17.3%, so 82.7% of residents stayed put, while 26 development applications in 12 months point to gradual densification.
What is property development like in Ambarvale?
There were 26 development applications lodged in Ambarvale over 12 months, several of them secondary dwellings (granny flats) approved as Complying Development Certificates. With 86.4% of stock being detached houses on lots, this points to owners adding rentable density rather than large apartment projects.
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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