Arncliffe
Apartments shape Arncliffe more than detached streets do: 48.6% of dwellings are apartments compared with 40.2% separate houses. The suburb also has a renter-heavy base at 41.9% and a migrant-majority profile, with 51.3% born overseas, 29.7 percentage points above the national share. Compared with nearby Rockdale and Banksia, Arncliffe reads as a compact, station-oriented Bayside suburb where density of 4,085.4 people per sq km supports convenience, but the 10.9% vacancy rate points to meaningful supply choice.
Population
12,023
Median Age
34.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,046/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
84
Median House
$850K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
Homebuyers get a mixed affordability signal. The median house price is $850,000, while the latest price point of $840,000 sits 1.2% below the 2024 peak, giving buyers slightly more room than at the top of the cycle. Housing choice tilts higher density, with apartments at 48.6% compared with separate houses at 40.2%, and 2-bedroom homes making up 41.4%. Mortgage costs are $2,319 per month, equal to 26.2% of income, so pressure is below common stress territory because household income is in the 76.6 percentile.
For Buyers
Homebuyers get a mixed affordability signal. The median house price is $850,000, while the latest price point of $840,000 sits 1.2% below the 2024 peak, giving buyers slightly more room than at the top of the cycle. Housing choice tilts higher density, with apartments at 48.6% compared with separate houses at 40.2%, and 2-bedroom homes making up 41.4%. Mortgage costs are $2,319 per month, equal to 26.2% of income, so pressure is below common stress territory because household income is in the 76.6 percentile.
For Investors
Arncliffe has clear rental depth because 41.9% of homes are rented, a higher share than the 24.8% owned outright. Median rent is $500 per week, but the 10.9% vacancy rate is a caution because tenants may have more competing options. Supply is active, with 78 development applications in 12 months, and migration supports demand through average net overseas inflow of 532 people a year compared with net internal outflow of 277. Investors should underwrite conservatively where new apartments compete directly.
Development Activity
Total DAs
349
Last 12 Months
84
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+13.5%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Arncliffe iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
St Francis Xavier's Catholic Primary School
K-6 · 292 students
Kingdom Culture Christian School
K-12 · 196 students
Arncliffe West Infants School
P-2 · 86 students
Al Zahra College
K-12 · 773 students
Arncliffe Public School
K-6 · 373 students
Demographics
Arncliffe is younger and more globally connected than the national profile. The median age is 34, which is 6.0 years lower than national, while 51.3% of residents were born overseas, 29.7 percentage points above national. University attainment is 48.2%, sitting 18.1 points above national, which helps explain the professional workforce. Arabic is the largest listed non-English language at 866 speakers, followed by Mandarin at 337, and Lebanese and Chinese ancestries both sit above 1,400 residents.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
40.2%
Houses
10.8%
Townhouse
48.6%
Apartment
Tenure
The housing mix is more apartment-led than house-led, with 48.6% apartments compared with 40.2% separate houses and 10.8% semi-detached dwellings. Tenure is balanced toward mobility: 41.9% rent, 33.3% have a mortgage and 24.8% own outright. The price series is short but soft, with the latest $840,000 median sitting below the $850,000 peak by 1.2%. Against weekly household income of $2,046, the house price is about 8.0 times annual income, so buyers rely on earnings strength rather than low prices.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,319
Rent / wk
$500
HH Size
2.7
Personal Income / wk
$856
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
10.9%
Unoccupied
496
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.4%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
26.2%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
26.1%
Couples, no children
8,907
Total families
Economy & Employment
Arncliffe's economy is led by knowledge and service work: Professional/Tech accounts for 13.3% of workers, Healthcare 12.4%, Education 9.5%, Construction 8.3% and Finance 8.2%. Occupations reinforce that pattern, with 1,510 professionals compared with 774 clerical and admin workers and 729 managers. The SEIFA picture is uneven: education and occupation sit in decile 8 and IRSAD in decile 7, but economic resources and disadvantage are both decile 4. That gap reflects higher skills alongside more varied household resources.
Unemployment
3.2%
Labour Force
11,499
Unemployed
363
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
65.4%
Part-time
28.1%
Participation
50.3%
Employed
4,765
Occupations
Top Industries
University
48.2%
Postgraduate
14.0%
Born Overseas
51.3%
Dwellings
4,048
Transport to Work
Arncliffe works best for households that value transport choice and school access. Public transport is used by 17.5% of commuters compared with 71.1% driving, so the station is useful but cars remain important. There are 6 local schools across Government, Independent and Catholic sectors, with ICSEA values from 1003 to 1116. St Francis Xavier's Catholic Primary leads at 1116, followed by Kingdom Culture Christian School at 1082 and Arncliffe West Infants at 1058. With IRSAD decile 7, amenity sits above the middle of the scale.
Drive
71.1%
Public Transport
17.5%
Walk / Cycle
3.8%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+1.74%/yr
(+316 people/yr)
EstablishedForecast growth is steady rather than explosive, with the trend adding 1.74% a year, or 316 people annually. The medium series rises from 18,463 in 2026 to 20,041 in 2031, while the migration driver is overseas migration: average net overseas inflow is 532 a year compared with net internal outflow of 277. The gentrification score is 25 and stage is Early signs, below the stronger 60 score in the shift indicators. Rent growth of 42.9% and working-age share up 5.9 points suggest demand is changing even as younger share declines by 3.6 points.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+532
Net Internal / yr
-277
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +44% since 2011, Net internal outflow -277/yr, Strong overseas inflow +532/yr
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Arncliffe compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Arncliffe a good suburb to live in?
Yes, for buyers and renters who want a compact Bayside suburb with rail access, 6 local schools and a younger median age of 34. It is denser than many detached-house areas at 4,085.4 people per sq km, so apartment living and traffic are part of the trade-off.
What is the median house price in Arncliffe?
The median house price is $850,000, with the latest recorded point at $840,000 in 2025. That latest figure is 1.2% below the 2024 peak of $850,000, so pricing has been slightly lower rather than accelerating in the short series.
What schools are in Arncliffe?
Arncliffe has 6 listed schools across Government, Catholic and Independent sectors. ICSEA values range from 1003 to 1116, with St Francis Xavier's Catholic Primary, Kingdom Culture Christian School and Arncliffe West Infants School sitting above the lower end of the local range.
Is Arncliffe safe?
A local crime rate is not available, so safety should be checked against current NSW Police information and street-level inspections. Arncliffe has 12,023 residents across 2.94 sq km, meaning conditions can vary between busier corridors and quieter residential pockets.
Is Arncliffe good for property investment?
Arncliffe has investor appeal because 41.9% of homes are rented and median rent is $500 per week. The main caution is the 10.9% vacancy rate, which is higher than the owned outright share of 24.8% and may limit rental urgency in some apartment stock.
How is Arncliffe's population changing?
The forecast trend adds 316 people a year, equal to 1.74% annual growth. Overseas migration is the main driver, with average net overseas inflow of 532 people a year compared with net internal outflow of 277.
What languages are spoken in Arncliffe?
Arncliffe has a strong multilingual profile, with 51.3% of residents born overseas, 29.7 percentage points above national. Arabic is the largest listed non-English language at 866 speakers, followed by Mandarin at 337 and Macedonian at 248.
Is there much development in Arncliffe?
Yes. There were 78 development applications over 12 months, which is meaningful for a 2.94 sq km suburb. That activity sits alongside 48.6% apartment stock, so buyers should compare older walk-ups, newer apartments and detached homes carefully.
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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