Ashbury
With household income in the 93.1st percentile nationally and 48.7% of residents holding university qualifications, Ashbury sits 18.6 points above the national rate for degree attainment. The suburb packs 3,353 people into just 1.03 square kilometres, giving a density of 3,252 per km2, and 90.8% of dwellings are separate houses, a proportion well above the Sydney average. The median house price of $1,850,000 reflects that premium character, while only 12.5% of residents rent, compared to much higher renter shares in neighbouring inner-west suburbs. Italian and Greek ancestries together account for nearly 28% of recorded ancestry responses, shaping a cultural distinctiveness that separates Ashbury from more recently settled suburbs of similar income rank.
Population
3,353
Median Age
44.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,571/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
37
Median House
$1.9M
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The median house price of $1,850,000 is the current benchmark, though price history shows a peak of $2,210,000 in 2024, meaning prices have pulled back 18.2% from that high to $1,807,500 in 2025. For buyers, that correction offers an entry point below the recent peak in a suburb where 90.8% of stock is separate houses, making detached homes the dominant choice rather than the exception. Three-bedroom homes account for 48.4% of the housing mix and 4-plus bedroom homes 36.6%, so the suburb skews toward family-sized properties. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,817, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 25.3%, which sits below the 30% stress threshold. Outright owners at 49.7% outnumber mortgage holders at 37.8%, indicating substantial long-held wealth in the suburb rather than a recent buyer wave.
For Buyers
The median house price of $1,850,000 is the current benchmark, though price history shows a peak of $2,210,000 in 2024, meaning prices have pulled back 18.2% from that high to $1,807,500 in 2025. For buyers, that correction offers an entry point below the recent peak in a suburb where 90.8% of stock is separate houses, making detached homes the dominant choice rather than the exception. Three-bedroom homes account for 48.4% of the housing mix and 4-plus bedroom homes 36.6%, so the suburb skews toward family-sized properties. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,817, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 25.3%, which sits below the 30% stress threshold. Outright owners at 49.7% outnumber mortgage holders at 37.8%, indicating substantial long-held wealth in the suburb rather than a recent buyer wave.
For Investors
At 12.5% renter share and weekly rent of $600, Ashbury offers a tight rental market rather than a yield play. Against the $1,850,000 median, that rent implies a gross yield around 1.7%, low by most standards, but the vacancy rate of 3.9% is moderate rather than distressed. Development activity supports a stable supply picture: 37 applications lodged in the past 12 months are mostly alterations and secondary dwellings on existing lots, adding little new stock. Population is growing at 1.26% annually, adding around 159 residents per year, above the national trend growth rate. Net overseas migration drives that expansion at 206 arrivals per year, more than offsetting net internal outflow of 128. Rent grew 37.1% over the measured period, stronger than income growth of 21.2%, pointing to sustained rental demand in a constrained market.
Development Activity
Total DAs
210
Last 12 Months
37
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-15.9%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Ashbury iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Ashbury Public School
K-6 · 356 students
Demographics
The median age is 44, which is 4.0 years above the national figure, and the aging trajectory is continuing: the senior share rose 0.9 points over the decade while the young adult share fell 2.2 points. Overseas-born residents make up 31.6%, which is 10.0 points above the national average, and the top non-English languages are Italian (127 speakers), Greek (123), Arabic (78) and Mandarin (64), reflecting the suburb's southern European heritage alongside newer migration streams. English, Italian, Other, Greek and Irish are the five most common ancestries, with Italian (563 residents) and Greek (347) among the highest concentrations in the inner west. University qualifications reach 48.7%, a figure 18.6 points higher than the national average, consistent with the professional and managerial occupational profile. Average household size of 2.9 is 0.4 above national, reflecting the family-oriented detached housing stock.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
90.8%
Houses
7.2%
Townhouse
1.5%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure data reveals an unusually settled ownership pattern: 49.7% of residents own outright, 37.8% hold a mortgage, and only 12.5% rent. That outright ownership share is high for a suburb still within 10 kilometres of the CBD, and it points to a long-established owner base rather than active market churn. The turnover rate confirms this at 12.4%, meaning 87.6% of residents stayed in place over the census reference period. Separate houses make up 90.8% of all dwellings, with semi-detached at 7.2% and apartments just 1.5%, giving buyers almost no apartment option within the suburb itself. Bedroom distribution favours family sizes, with 48.4% three-bedroom and 36.6% four-plus bedroom homes. The price history shows a peak-to-current decline of 18.2%, from $2,210,000 in 2024 to $1,807,500 in 2025, the sharpest correction in the price series available.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,817
Rent / wk
$600
HH Size
2.9
Personal Income / wk
$892
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
3.9%
Unoccupied
45
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.3%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
25.3%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
18.8%
Couples, no children
2,949
Total families
Economy & Employment
The top industries by employment are Education (15.5%, 189 workers), Healthcare (15.0%, 183 workers) and Professional/Tech (12.6%, 153 workers), which together account for more than 43% of the employed workforce. Finance and Public Admin follow at 8.5% and 8.2% respectively. By occupation, Professionals lead with 540 residents, Managers second at 318, reflecting a decile 9 IEO score for education and occupation, placing Ashbury in the top 10% nationally on that index. The full-time employment rate is 66.3% and unemployment stands at 3.6%, slightly above some comparable premium suburbs. The IRSAD decile of 9 places the suburb in the second-highest tier for advantage. One anomaly is the IER decile of 5, which sits at the national median despite the high incomes, likely because the low renter share (12.5%) and modest dwelling count (1.03 km2) pull the economic resources index toward average.
Unemployment
4.4%
Labour Force
7,171
Unemployed
312
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
66.3%
Part-time
30.1%
Participation
50.7%
Employed
1,356
Occupations
Top Industries
University
48.7%
Postgraduate
15.0%
Born Overseas
31.6%
Dwellings
1,099
Transport to Work
Transport use skews heavily toward cars, with 82.5% of residents driving, above the national norm, and only 6.8% using public transport. That figure is lower than comparable inner-west suburbs closer to train lines. Walking and cycling account for 4.8%. Safety data is not available in the dataset, but the IRSD decile of 7 places Ashbury above the national median on the index of relative disadvantage, and the IRSAD decile of 9 ranks it near the top nationally for overall advantage. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring areas. The volunteering rate of 13.3% and need-for-assistance rate of 5.6% (182 residents) are both consistent with a settled, moderate-aging community at median age 44. Rent-to-income at 23.3% and mortgage-to-income at 25.3% are both below the 30% stress threshold.
Drive
82.5%
Public Transport
6.8%
Walk / Cycle
4.8%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+1.26%/yr
(+159 people/yr)
EstablishedPopulation grew 27.9% over the decade to 2025 and is forecast to reach around 13,620 by 2031 under the medium scenario, adding approximately 159 residents per year at 1.26% annual growth. The primary driver is overseas migration at 206 net arrivals per year, offset by net internal outflow of 128, a pattern common to premium inner-west suburbs where price levels price out younger domestic movers. The gentrification score of 19 places Ashbury as not actively gentrifying, which is consistent with a suburb already at SEIFA decile 9 on IRSAD and IEO, leaving limited room to climb further. Affordability improved modestly from 56.6% in 2011 to 52.1% in 2021, a positive trend, though absolute prices remain high relative to median incomes. Real income growth of 21.2% over the decade partly explains the improvement.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+206
Net Internal / yr
-128
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Population +27% since 2011, Net internal outflow -128/yr, Strong overseas inflow +206/yr
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Ashbury compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ashbury a good suburb to live in?
Ashbury ranks at SEIFA decile 9 on both IRSAD and IEO, placing it in the top 10% nationally for advantage and education-occupation profile. Household income sits in the 93.1st percentile nationally. With 90.8% separate houses and a 12.5% renter share, the suburb suits owner-occupier families, though the $1,850,000 median house price is a significant entry barrier.
What is the median house price in Ashbury?
The current median house price is $1,850,000, based on 2024-2025 PSI-derived data. Prices peaked at $2,210,000 in 2024 and have pulled back 18.2% to $1,807,500 in 2025. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,817, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 25.3%, below the 30% stress threshold.
What schools are in Ashbury?
No schools are recorded within the Ashbury (postcode 2193) boundary in this dataset, so families use schools in neighbouring suburbs. The local population is highly educated, with 48.7% holding university qualifications, which is 18.6 percentage points above the national average.
Is Ashbury safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Ashbury in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, Ashbury scores IRSD decile 7, above the national median on the index of relative disadvantage, and IRSAD decile 9, near the top nationally for overall socio-economic advantage. Only 5.6% of its 3,353 residents need daily assistance.
Is Ashbury good for property investment?
Weekly rent of $600 against a $1,850,000 median implies a gross yield of around 1.7%, which is low. The vacancy rate is 3.9% and the renter share only 12.5%, limiting the tenant pool. However, rent grew 37.1% over the measured period and population is expanding at 1.26% annually, driven by net overseas migration of 206 per year, which supports long-term demand.
How is Ashbury's population changing?
Ashbury's population grew 27.9% over the decade and is now 3,353 residents. It is forecast to grow at 1.26% per year, adding around 159 residents annually to reach approximately 13,620 in the broader SA2 by 2031. Net overseas migration of 206 per year is the primary driver, more than offsetting net internal outflow of 128.
What languages are spoken in Ashbury?
About 31.6% of residents were born overseas, which is 10.0 points above the national figure. The most common non-English languages are Italian (127 speakers), Greek (123), Arabic (78) and Mandarin (64). Italian and Greek ancestries together account for 910 responses, reflecting a strong southern European heritage in the suburb.
How much development is happening in Ashbury?
There were 37 development applications lodged in the past 12 months. Most are alterations or additions to existing dwellings, with some secondary dwelling applications, consistent with an established suburb where 87.6% of residents stayed in place over the census period and new construction is incremental rather than large-scale.
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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