NSW 2168 Census 2021 + Live DA Data

Ashcroft

A 43.1% overseas-born share, 21.5 percentage points above the national figure, is Ashcroft's clearest signature. The 3,634-resident suburb packs 3,149.3 people per square kilometre into a detached-house setting, with 78.5% separate houses and 53.2% renting. Median age is 32, eight years below national, while household income sits at the 17.0th percentile and vacancy reaches 10.3%. Growth is restrained at 0.41% annually, so the suburb's appeal rests more on established housing and local networks because rapid expansion is not the dominant story. Compared with the denser Liverpool centre, Ashcroft presents a more house-led residential pattern, although its rental majority and low income position mean affordability deserves close attention.

Local council: Liverpool

Ashcroft urban fabric map

Population

3,634

Median Age

32.0

Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)

$1,089/wk

DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year

31

1.15 km²· 3,149.3 people/km²· Family income $1,316/wk

Buyer appeal starts with housing form rather than a quoted sale benchmark: 78.5% of dwellings are separate houses and 56.9% have three bedrooms, a higher share than the 24.1% with four or more bedrooms. That mix suits households wanting conventional family layouts, while 21.0% apartments widen the entry-level choice. The main constraint is serviceability. A $1,950 monthly mortgage sits beside weekly rent of $295, and mortgage payments equal 41.4% of household income, so borrowing capacity may be more limited than the detached-house streets suggest. Household income is at the 17.0th percentile, reinforcing the need to test repayments, deposit size and maintenance costs. Compared with the denser Liverpool centre, Ashcroft's housing form may appeal to buyers prioritising space, but address-level sales and lending checks remain essential.

For Buyers

Buyer appeal starts with housing form rather than a quoted sale benchmark: 78.5% of dwellings are separate houses and 56.9% have three bedrooms, a higher share than the 24.1% with four or more bedrooms. That mix suits households wanting conventional family layouts, while 21.0% apartments widen the entry-level choice. The main constraint is serviceability. A $1,950 monthly mortgage sits beside weekly rent of $295, and mortgage payments equal 41.4% of household income, so borrowing capacity may be more limited than the detached-house streets suggest. Household income is at the 17.0th percentile, reinforcing the need to test repayments, deposit size and maintenance costs. Compared with the denser Liverpool centre, Ashcroft's housing form may appeal to buyers prioritising space, but address-level sales and lending checks remain essential.

For Investors

Investor conditions are mixed. Renters make up 53.2% of occupied dwellings, higher than the 20.4% owned outright share, while weekly rent is $295. That renter base can support demand for practical three-bedroom stock, which accounts for 56.9% of homes, but the 10.3% vacancy rate is high enough to warrant conservative letting assumptions. Rent growth of 71.6% signals strong past repricing, yet affordability is worsening, moving from 45.7% in 2011 to 58.8% in 2021. Thirty development matters in 12 months, including secondary-dwelling applications, may add competing rental supply. Overseas migration is the primary growth driver, but annual growth is only 0.41%, so Ashcroft suits investors prioritising established rental demand over a high-growth thesis. Compare insurance, maintenance and achievable rent against the $1,950 monthly mortgage benchmark before buying.

Development Activity

Total DAs

137

Last 12 Months

31

YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements

+3.3%

Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year

N/A

Monthly DA Lodgements

DA Categories

Granny Flat / Secondary Dwelling
42
Demolition
6
Swimming Pool / Spa
3
Renovation / Extension
3
Garage / Carport / Shed
2
New Dwelling
2
Multi-Dwelling / Townhouse
2
Other
1

Schools in Ashcroft

Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.

Ashcroft Public School

Primary School Government
School website

Ashcroft High School

Secondary School Government
School website

Demographics

Ashcroft has a young but settled profile. Median age is 32, eight years below national, and 83.1% of residents stayed at the same address, implying continuity despite a 16.9% turnover rate. Overseas-born residents account for 43.1%, 21.5 points above national, with Lebanese ancestry at 401 and Vietnamese ancestry at 375 among the larger recorded groups. Arabic is spoken by 378 residents, while Samoan counts 53 and Khmer 31. University attainment is 15.9%, 14.2 points below national, which aligns with a workforce concentrated in practical occupations. Average household size is 3.1, 0.6 above national, and couples with children represent 47.6% of families; that combination helps explain demand for three-bedroom houses. Christianity counts 1,296, Islam 870 and no religion 564, showing differing household and service needs.

Age Distribution

0-14
24.9%
15-24
14.6%
25-44
26.0%
45-64
22.9%
65+
11.6%

Bedrooms

Studio/1br
6.1%
2 bed
12.9%
3 bed
56.9%
4+ bed
24.1%

Dwelling Structure

78.5%

Houses

0.5%

Townhouse

21.0%

Apartment

Tenure

Own 20.4% Mortgage 24.6% Rent 53.2% Other 1.8%

Ashcroft's housing is predominantly detached and family-sized, but tenure is renter-led. Separate houses account for 78.5%, apartments 21.0% and semi-detached dwellings 0.5%; three-bedroom homes lead at 56.9%, followed by four-plus bedrooms at 24.1%. Renting at 53.2% is higher than outright ownership at 20.4% and mortgage ownership at 24.6%, a pattern that reflects lower household incomes and a substantial renter base. Mortgage ownership remains important, but repayments absorb 41.4% of household income compared with 27.1% for rent. Affordability worsened from 45.7% in 2011 to 58.8% in 2021, so owners and buyers carry more pressure than the housing form alone suggests. Compared with the denser Liverpool centre, Ashcroft's 78.5% separate-house share supports a lower-rise feel, but the 10.3% vacancy rate may create uneven demand across streets and dwelling types.

Mortgage / mo

$1,950

Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (April to June 2026), NSW Rental Bond Board (DCJ). Census 2021 median: $295.

$650

Bond data Jun 2026 · houses $650

HH Size

3.1

Personal Income / wk

$458

Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)

10.3%

Unoccupied

120

Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress

27.1%

Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress

41.4% stressed

Community Profile

Languages Spoken at Home

Arabic
378
Samoan
53
Khmer
31
Hindi
27
Canton
16
Serbian
16

Ancestry

Other
939
English
546
Ancestry NS
504
Lebanese
401
Vietnamese
375
Samoan
157

Household Composition

47.6%

Couples with children

18.6%

Couples, no children

30.7%

Single parent

817

Total families

Economy & Employment

Ashcroft's economic profile is anchored by service and hands-on work, with healthcare the largest industry at 24.5% and 94 workers. Construction contributes 11.2% and 43 workers, followed by retail at 9.4% and 36, transport at 7.6% and 29, and education at 7.0% and 27. Occupations reinforce that pattern: machinery and drivers number 145, labourers 131, trades 113, community and personal service 105, and clerical and admin 100. Unemployment is 12.0% and participation 34.7%, while 401 people work full-time and 252 part-time. Household income is $1,089 weekly at the 17.0th percentile. All four SEIFA measures, IEO, IER, IRSD and IRSAD, sit in decile 1, below national levels, signalling concentrated disadvantage rather than a single income anomaly. The low socioeconomic profile can constrain local spending because fewer households have financial room, even though healthcare and construction provide useful employment bases.

Unemployment

12.0%

Labour Force

949

Unemployed

114

Source: ABS Census 2021

Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)

Overall advantage
1
Disadvantage
1
Economic resources
1
Education & occupation
1

Full-time

48.0%

Part-time

30.2%

Participation

34.7%

Employed

835

Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021

Occupations

Machinery/Drivers 145
Labourers 131
Trades 113
Community/Personal 105
Clerical/Admin 100
Professionals 85
Sales 68
Managers 39

Top Industries

Healthcare 24.5%
Construction 11.2%
Retail 9.4%
Transport 7.6%
Education 7.0%

University

15.9%

Postgraduate

2.7%

Born Overseas

43.1%

Dwellings

1,041

Transport to Work

Daily life is car-oriented. A 74.4% car-driver share is far higher than the 2.1% using public transport, while 16.1% work from home; this makes private vehicle access important for commuting, shopping and school runs. Density is 3,149.3 people per square kilometre across 1.15 square kilometres, so local services need to work efficiently within a compact area. Ashcroft has two government schools, one primary and one secondary, giving families basic education access inside the suburb; check enrolment zones because boundaries can cross nearby streets. An IRSAD decile of 1 and a 9.7% need-assistance rate point to higher support needs than nationally typical areas, which can affect perceptions of amenity and service access. With 83.1% of residents staying at the same address, local routines may feel more settled than the 16.9% turnover rate suggests. For safety, inspect current street-level police information rather than relying on suburb-wide impressions.

Drive

74.4%

Public Transport

2.1%

Walk / Cycle

N/A

Work from Home

16.1%

Growth Outlook

Growth is steady rather than rapid. The annual trend is 0.41%, while population change across the wider area is 7.9% over 10 years and the trajectory is labelled Stable. Overseas migration is the primary driver, which fits the suburb's 43.1% overseas-born share, but the slow annual rate suggests established urban capacity rather than a development boom. Rent growth of 71.6% is much higher than the 0.41% annual trend, helping explain why affordability worsened from 45.7% in 2011 to 58.8% in 2021. The shift profile describes gentrification as Active with a score of 50, while the current gentrification label is Not gentrifying with a score of 0. That contrast calls for caution: rental pressure is real, but the broader growth profile remains stable and not clearly upgrading.

National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs

How Ashcroft compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs

Population
Top 15%
Household Income
Bottom 17%
Rent Level
Top 42%
Apartments
Top 5%
Renters
Top 5%
Uni Educated
Bottom 22%
Public Transport
Bottom 43%
Born Overseas
Top 5%
Density
Top 3%

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Ashcroft a good suburb to live in?

Ashcroft may suit households wanting detached housing and local schools: 78.5% of dwellings are separate houses, 56.9% have 3 bedrooms, and median age is 32. Car dependence is high at 74.4%, so inspect transport needs and the exact street before deciding.

What is the median house price in Ashcroft?

Check recent settled sales and several comparable 3-bedroom listings for the current median house price. Ashcroft has 78.5% separate houses and 56.9% three-bedroom homes, so a suburb-wide figure should be matched to dwelling type, land and condition rather than treated as a single benchmark.

What schools are in Ashcroft?

Ashcroft Public School and Ashcroft High School provide 2 government options across primary and secondary years. Confirm the enrolment zone for the exact address, because school boundaries can differ from suburb boundaries and nearby alternatives may have separate intake rules.

Is Ashcroft safe?

Use current NSW Police incident information and inspect the exact street at different times before making a safety decision. Ashcroft has 3,634 residents and density of 3,149.3 people per square kilometre, so conditions can vary between pockets and busy residential routes.

Is Ashcroft good for property investment?

It may suit an investor seeking established rental demand, but the numbers call for caution: 53.2% of dwellings are rented, weekly rent is $295 and vacancy is 10.3%. Thirty development matters in 12 months and annual growth of 0.41% make conservative cash-flow and resale assumptions important.

How is Ashcroft's population changing?

Population change is steady rather than rapid: the annual trend is 0.41%, the wider-area 10-year change is 7.9%, and the trajectory is Stable. Overseas migration is the primary driver, consistent with an overseas-born share of 43.1%, so change is more likely to come through household turnover and migration than a sudden local expansion.

What languages are spoken in Ashcroft?

Arabic is the most prominent listed language, with 378 speakers, followed by Samoan at 53, Khmer at 31 and Hindi at 27. The overseas-born share is 43.1%, and Lebanese and Vietnamese ancestry counts are 401 and 375, so services should be prepared for several language needs.

What development is occurring in Ashcroft?

Development activity includes 30 matters over 12 months, with recent examples involving secondary dwellings and dwelling-house work under complying development certificates. This may expand rental or multigenerational housing choices, but investors should check approval status, final plans and local impacts before relying on extra supply.

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 education open registers (school locations), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications).

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