Appin
Household income in Appin sits at the 91.1st percentile nationally, yet the median house price of $595,000 is well below most Sydney benchmarks, making this one of the more affordable entry points into a high-income postcode. Spread across 102 square kilometres with a density of just 31.5 people per km2, the suburb is overwhelmingly detached housing, with 96.1% of dwellings being separate houses. The population of 3,213 skews young at a median age of 33, which is 7 years below the national figure, and households are larger than average at 3.2 persons compared to the national 2.5.
Population
3,213
Median Age
33.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,423/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
184
Median House
$595K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The median house price of $595,000 sits below Sydney's broader market, and mortgage repayments average $2,500 per month, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 23.8%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold. The stock is almost entirely separate houses at 96.1%, with apartments at just 1.0%, so buyers face little competition from apartment-style alternatives. Bedrooms trend large: 72.3% of dwellings have four or more bedrooms and 21.1% have three, reflecting the family-oriented demographic profile. Outright owners account for 26.5% of tenure while 56.4% carry a mortgage, a split typical of a suburb where most residents have arrived in the past 15 to 20 years. With 165 development applications lodged in the past 12 months, new supply is active, which moderates price pressure for buyers comparing options in the area.
For Buyers
The median house price of $595,000 sits below Sydney's broader market, and mortgage repayments average $2,500 per month, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 23.8%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold. The stock is almost entirely separate houses at 96.1%, with apartments at just 1.0%, so buyers face little competition from apartment-style alternatives. Bedrooms trend large: 72.3% of dwellings have four or more bedrooms and 21.1% have three, reflecting the family-oriented demographic profile. Outright owners account for 26.5% of tenure while 56.4% carry a mortgage, a split typical of a suburb where most residents have arrived in the past 15 to 20 years. With 165 development applications lodged in the past 12 months, new supply is active, which moderates price pressure for buyers comparing options in the area.
For Investors
Renters make up 17.1% of households, a below-average share that signals this suburb skews toward owner-occupiers rather than tenants. Weekly rent averages $450 and the vacancy rate sits at 2.9%, close to the equilibrium level of 3%, suggesting balanced conditions rather than a strong landlord or tenant market. Against a $595,000 median, the $450 weekly rent implies a gross yield of approximately 3.9%, higher than many Sydney submarkets. Development activity is elevated at 165 applications over 12 months, including complying development certificates for new dwellings and secondary dwellings, which adds supply over time. The suburb's identity as a mortgage-belt area with income above the 91st percentile nationally suggests tenant quality is relatively high, which reduces arrears risk for investors holding long-term.
Development Activity
Total DAs
407
Last 12 Months
184
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+283.3%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Appin iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Appin Public School
K-6 · 337 students
Demographics
The median age of 33 is 7 years below the national figure, placing Appin firmly in younger-family territory. Overseas-born residents account for just 11.2%, which is 10.4 percentage points below the national average, and English ancestry dominates at 1,246 residents, followed by Irish (298) and Scottish (266). University qualifications reach 20.6%, some 9.5 points below the national rate, consistent with a workforce concentrated in trade-related and service occupations rather than knowledge-sector roles. Average household size of 3.2 persons is 0.7 above national, driven by a household composition where couples with children (1,623 families) outnumber couples without children (479). The suburb's turnover rate of 15.3% against an 84.7% retention figure indicates a stable, established resident base that does not move frequently.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
96.1%
Houses
1.9%
Townhouse
1.0%
Apartment
Tenure
Separate houses account for 96.1% of Appin's dwellings, one of the most detached-dominant profiles you will find in NSW. Four-plus bedroom homes dominate at 72.3%, with three-bedroom at 21.1%, pointing to a stock built around families rather than singles or downsizers. Tenure splits between outright owners at 26.5%, mortgage holders at 56.4%, and renters at 17.1%, with mortgage holders forming an unusually large majority compared to most established suburbs. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,500, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 23.8% sits below stress levels. The PSI-derived median house price of $595,000 contrasts with the price history data showing $1,119,000 in 2024 and $582,500 in 2025, suggesting the 2024 figure may reflect a different data cohort. Rent-to-income at 18.6% is below the 30% stress threshold, keeping housing costs manageable for the renter segment.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,500
Rent / wk
$450
HH Size
3.2
Personal Income / wk
$971
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
2.9%
Unoccupied
29
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
18.6%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.8%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
16.5%
Couples, no children
2,906
Total families
Economy & Employment
The top industries by employment are Education (15.2%, 152 workers) and Construction (15.0%, 150 workers), followed by Healthcare (13.7%, 137), Public Administration (8.9%, 89), and Manufacturing (7.7%, 77). By occupation, Professionals lead at 243 workers, closely followed by Clerical and Admin (232) and Managers (182), with Machinery and Drivers (147) reflecting the construction and trade orientation. The full-time employment rate is 66.9% and unemployment sits at 3.0%, below most comparable regional suburban averages. Household income at the 91.1st percentile is notably high for a suburb with a 20.6% university qualification rate, indicating that trade, construction, and infrastructure roles are delivering strong incomes in this corridor. SEIFA scores reinforce this: IRSD decile 9 and IRSAD decile 8 place Appin well above national median on both relative disadvantage and advantage measures.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
66.9%
Part-time
30.1%
Participation
60.2%
Employed
1,359
Occupations
Top Industries
University
20.6%
Postgraduate
3.3%
Born Overseas
11.2%
Dwellings
968
Transport to Work
Car dependence is very high in Appin: 91.8% of workers drive to work and only 1.2% use public transport, which is well below the national rate and reflects the suburb's semi-rural location across 102 square kilometres. Walking and cycling account for 2.2% of commutes. No schools are recorded in the dataset for Appin, so families rely on institutions in surrounding areas. The rent-to-income ratio of 18.6% and mortgage-to-income ratio of 23.8% both sit below stress thresholds, keeping housing costs manageable across tenure types. The IRSAD decile of 8 ranks Appin in the upper tier of advantage nationally, and only 5.8% of residents (178 people) require assistance with daily activities, below what would be expected from a more disadvantaged profile. Volunteering participation at 12.3% indicates moderate community engagement for a suburb of this size.
Drive
91.8%
Public Transport
1.2%
Walk / Cycle
2.2%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Appin compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Appin a good suburb to live in?
Appin ranks at IRSAD decile 8 and IRSD decile 9 nationally, placing it in the upper tier of advantage. Household income sits at the 91.1st percentile. The trade-offs are high car dependence at 91.8% driving to work and limited public transport at 1.2%, which suits residents who own a vehicle but is a constraint for those without.
What is the median house price in Appin?
The median house price is approximately $595,000, based on PSI-derived 2024-2025 data. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,500, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 23.8%, below the 30% stress threshold. Weekly rent averages $450, implying a gross yield near 3.9% for investors.
What schools are in Appin?
No schools are recorded inside the Appin boundary in this dataset. Families use schools in surrounding suburbs in the Macarthur region. Despite this, Appin has a young median age of 33 and 72.3% of dwellings have four or more bedrooms, indicating it is a strongly family-oriented suburb that draws on nearby educational infrastructure.
Is Appin safe?
Detailed crime rate data is not available for Appin in this dataset. As an indirect measure, the suburb scores IRSD decile 9 for relative disadvantage, placing it among the least disadvantaged 10% of suburbs nationally, and only 5.8% of its 3,213 residents require assistance with daily activities, both indicators consistent with lower-disadvantage conditions.
Is Appin good for property investment?
Rental yield is approximately 3.9% based on $450 weekly rent against a $595,000 median, higher than many comparable Sydney fringe markets. The vacancy rate of 2.9% is near equilibrium. With 165 development applications lodged in the past 12 months and an active secondary dwelling pipeline, supply is growing, which is worth monitoring for landlords holding in the area long-term.
How is Appin's population changing?
Specific population growth rate data is not available in this brief, but Appin shows strong structural growth indicators: a median age of 33 which is 7 years below national, an average household size of 3.2 persons above the national 2.5, and 165 development applications in the past 12 months. The suburb's affordability relative to inner Sydney and high household incomes suggest continued demand from expanding families.
How much development is happening in Appin?
Appin recorded 165 development applications in the 12 months to mid-2026, including new dwelling houses, complying development certificates, and secondary dwellings. This is a high volume for a suburb of 3,213 people and points to active residential expansion in the outer Macarthur corridor south-west of Sydney.
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.
Explore Appin on the Map
View parcels, zoning overlays, DA applications, schools and more.
Open Interactive Map