Ashfield
Seven kilometres west of Sydney CBD on the T2 Inner West and T8 Airport line interchange, Ashfield functions as Sydney's Shanghainese commercial heartland fused with one of inner-west Sydney's most renter-dominant Federation-terrace-and-apartment hybrids. Chinese ancestry counts 5,079 residents (the second-largest ancestry behind 'Other' at 5,148), with 1,348 Mandarin speakers leading the language mix in a way that separates Ashfield from Hurstville's Cantonese-anchored Chinese precinct and Lidcombe's Korean-overlay interchange. 52.8% of residents were born overseas, 31.2 percentage points above the national rate, and university attainment of 57.5% runs 27.4 percentage points above national. The SEIFA scorecard reveals the structural tension that defines the suburb: IEO decile 9 (education and occupation in the top 10% nationally) sits against IER decile 2 (economic resources in the bottom 20%), a wider split than Marrickville's IEO 9 / IER 4 inversion and a signature of fresh migrant-arrival precincts where credential-rich newcomers concentrate before economic catch-up.
Population
23,012
Median Age
36.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,888/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
124
Median House
$2.3M
12m to Jun 2026 (PSI)
Buying in Ashfield is fundamentally an apartment market dressed in Federation terrace heritage. 70.0% of dwellings are apartments versus only 22.1% separate houses and 7.4% semi-detached, a strata-dominant mix denser than Marrickville's 47.2% apartment share and pushing into Chatswood territory at 67.6%. The median house price sits at $913,750 (2024-2025 PSI derived), up 3.1% from the $895,000 trough in 2024 to the $922,500 peak in 2025, with the latest reading at the peak rather than below it. Mortgage repayments average $2,210 per month against household weekly income of $1,888 (70.5th percentile nationally), holding mortgage-to-income at 27.0%, comfortably below the 30% stress line and tighter than Chatswood's 30.6% but looser than Marrickville's 27.7%. The bedroom mix tilts hard toward 2-bedroom stock at 52.2% with only 11.5% in the 4-plus segment, meaning family upgraders typically exit to Croydon, Burwood, or Haberfield rather than stay in suburb.
For Buyers
Buying in Ashfield is fundamentally an apartment market dressed in Federation terrace heritage. 70.0% of dwellings are apartments versus only 22.1% separate houses and 7.4% semi-detached, a strata-dominant mix denser than Marrickville's 47.2% apartment share and pushing into Chatswood territory at 67.6%. The median house price sits at $913,750 (2024-2025 PSI derived), up 3.1% from the $895,000 trough in 2024 to the $922,500 peak in 2025, with the latest reading at the peak rather than below it. Mortgage repayments average $2,210 per month against household weekly income of $1,888 (70.5th percentile nationally), holding mortgage-to-income at 27.0%, comfortably below the 30% stress line and tighter than Chatswood's 30.6% but looser than Marrickville's 27.7%. The bedroom mix tilts hard toward 2-bedroom stock at 52.2% with only 11.5% in the 4-plus segment, meaning family upgraders typically exit to Croydon, Burwood, or Haberfield rather than stay in suburb.
For Investors
Ashfield's rental ledger reads as one of the deepest renter pools in the Sydney inner-west. 52.8% of households rent compared with 23.8% on a mortgage and 23.3% owned outright, a renter share above Marrickville's 47.6% and Strathfield's 45.6%, structurally anchored by the 70.0% apartment stock and the T2/T8 interchange. Median rent of $440 per week against the $913,750 median produces a gross yield around 2.5% on detached stock, with apartment yields running materially higher given the typical 2-bedroom unit ratio. The vacancy rate of 10.6% sits above Marrickville's 9.0% and reflects the ABS unoccupied-dwelling count including investor and transitional stock rather than the live REINSW figure. Development pipeline is meaningful: 110 DAs lodged in the last 12 months under Inner West Council, lower than Marrickville's 267 but still active around the station precinct, and rent-to-income at 23.3% leaves room for upward pressure as overseas arrivals continue.
Development Activity
Total DAs
682
Last 12 Months
124
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+0.8%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Ashfield iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Yeo Park Infants School
K-2 · 48 students
Ashfield Public School
K-6 · 474 students
Ashfield Boys High School
7-12 · 751 students
St Vincent's College Ashfield
K-12 · 1092 students
Demographics
The demographic profile distinguishes Ashfield from every comparable inner-west or Chinese-anchored Sydney suburb. 52.8% born overseas runs 31.2 percentage points above national, lower than Hurstville's 70.8% or Chatswood's 64.3% but higher than Marrickville's 36.5%. The ancestry mix is the signature: Chinese at 5,079 (the largest single named ancestry) sits alongside English at 4,269, Irish at 1,922, and Scottish at 1,299, a layered British-and-Chinese pattern that reflects both the suburb's Federation heritage and the post-2000 Shanghainese commercial settlement along Liverpool Road. Languages confirm the precinct's identity: 1,348 Mandarin speakers lead, followed by 931 Nepali (a rapid-growth cohort), 547 Cantonese, 227 Italian (the post-war legacy still visible), and 173 Arabic, a Mandarin-led East Asian mix rather than Hurstville's Cantonese-dominant or Chatswood's mixed Mandarin-Cantonese-Korean profile. University attainment of 57.5% runs 27.4 percentage points above national, with Hinduism at 2,187 and Buddhism at 1,506 layered on top of Christianity's 7,989.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
22.1%
Houses
7.4%
Townhouse
70.0%
Apartment
Tenure
Housing structure drives Ashfield's economic profile more directly than any other variable. 70.0% apartment share against 22.1% separate houses produces density of 6,740 persons per sqkm, well above Marrickville's 4,604 and Chatswood's 5,101, among the highest in metropolitan Sydney outside the CBD itself. Tenure splits 23.3% owned outright, 23.8% mortgaged, and 52.8% rented, an inversion of typical detached-suburb patterns where ownership exceeds renting two to one. The price arc lifted from $895,000 in 2024 to $922,500 in 2025, a 3.1% gain placing the latest reading at the recorded peak rather than below it. Bedroom distribution tells the affordability story: 52.2% of dwellings are 2-bedroom, 20.4% are 3-bedroom, only 11.5% are 4-plus, and 15.9% are 0-1 bedroom. Price-to-income runs roughly 9.3x against the household income of around $98,176 per year, above the national 6-7x band and consistent with apartment-led inner-Sydney precincts.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General (12m to Jun 2026 (PSI))
Mortgage / mo
$2,210
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (January to March 2026), NSW Rental Bond Board (DCJ). Census 2021 median: $440.
$700
Bond data Mar 2026 · houses $980 · units $670
HH Size
2.3
Personal Income / wk
$890
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
10.6%
Unoccupied
1,104
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.3%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
27.0%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
34.1%
Couples, no children
15,283
Total families
Economy & Employment
Ashfield's economy reads as inner-west professional with a service-sector backbone. Healthcare leads industry mix at 17.7% (1,667 workers), followed by Professional/Tech at 14.1% (1,328), Education at 11.6% (1,087), Finance at 8.5% (794), and Public Admin at 7.1% (663). Occupations confirm the white-collar profile: 4,302 Professionals (the largest single cohort), 1,494 Clerical/Admin, 1,420 Managers, with 935 Labourers showing a layered economy. The SEIFA picture is the most analytically interesting story: IEO decile 9 (score 1100, top 10% nationally) sits against IER decile 2 (score 926, bottom 20% for economic resources), IRSD decile 5 (1008, middle), and IRSAD decile 8 (1060). This 7-decile spread between IEO and IER is wider than Marrickville's 5-decile split and signals credential-rich migrants concentrating before economic catch-up, with unemployment at 7.0% above the 4% national figure partly reflecting credential-recognition lag.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
64.7%
Part-time
28.3%
Participation
56.0%
Employed
10,578
Occupations
Top Industries
University
57.5%
Postgraduate
18.5%
Born Overseas
52.8%
Dwellings
9,245
Transport to Work
Livability ranks Ashfield in the top tier of Sydney transit-oriented suburbs. The T2 Inner West line and T8 Airport line interchange place Sydney CBD at roughly 14 minutes and the airport at 20 minutes, generating a 26.0% public transport mode share, well above the Sydney metro average around 14% and higher than Lidcombe's 20.1%. Four schools sit within the suburb, all scoring above the ICSEA 1000 national mean: Yeo Park Infants School (ICSEA 1144, 48 enrolment), Ashfield Public School (ICSEA 1096, 474), Ashfield Boys High School (ICSEA 1074, 751), and St Vincent's College Ashfield (Catholic combined, ICSEA 1043, 1,092 enrolment), giving families government primary, public secondary, and Catholic combined options without leaving suburb. The IRSAD decile of 8 places Ashfield's overall socioeconomic conditions in the top 20% nationally, behind Hurstville's 9 and Chatswood's 10 but ahead of most Western Sydney comparables. Crime data was not available in the brief, so safety should be checked against BOCSAR Inner West Council reports.
Drive
59.9%
Public Transport
26.0%
Walk / Cycle
9.1%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Ashfield compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ashfield a good suburb to live in?
Ashfield suits transit-oriented professionals and East Asian migrant families wanting Sydney inner-west walkability without Marrickville pricing. IRSAD decile 8 (top 20% nationally), the T2 and T8 line interchange reaches CBD in 14 minutes, public transport mode share is 26.0%, and all 4 local schools score above ICSEA 1000. The trade-offs are density at 6,740 per sqkm and 52.8% renter share that may not suit family buyers seeking a separate house.
What is the median house price in Ashfield?
The 2024-2025 PSI-derived median house price is $913,750, with the latest quarter at $922,500, up 3.1% from the $895,000 trough in 2024. The figure reflects an apartment-dominant market: 70.0% of dwellings are apartments and only 22.1% are separate houses, so detached homes trade well above the headline. Median rent is $440 per week and mortgage-to-income runs at 27.0%, below the 30% stress threshold.
What schools are in Ashfield?
Four schools operate within the suburb, all above the ICSEA 1000 national mean. Top-ranked is Yeo Park Infants School (ICSEA 1144, 48 enrolment, Government). Ashfield Public School (ICSEA 1096, 474 enrolment) anchors primary, Ashfield Boys High School (ICSEA 1074, 751 enrolment) covers government secondary, and St Vincent's College Ashfield (Catholic combined, ICSEA 1043, 1,092 enrolment) is the largest by enrolment.
Is Ashfield safe?
Granular crime-rate data was unavailable for Ashfield in this dataset, so safety should be verified against BOCSAR Inner West Council LGA reports. SEIFA IRSAD decile 8 (top 20% nationally) and IEO decile 9 typically correlate with lower rates of violent crime. Unemployment at 7.0% sits above the 4% national figure but partly reflects credential-recognition lag among the 52.8% overseas-born population rather than structural disadvantage.
Is Ashfield good for property investment?
Ashfield is renter-led: 52.8% of households rent versus 23.8% on a mortgage, a higher rental share than Marrickville's 47.6% or Strathfield's 45.6%. Median rent of $440 per week and a 10.6% vacancy rate produce a workable yield environment, and 110 development applications were lodged in 12 months. Watch the IER decile 2 (economic resources in the bottom 20%) against the IEO decile 9, a 7-decile gap signalling credential-rich migrants pre catch-up.
How is Ashfield's population changing?
Ashfield's 23,012 residents are renewed primarily by overseas migration rather than internal flow, with 52.8% born overseas (31.2 percentage points above national) and the Mandarin-Nepali-Cantonese language stack reflecting continuing East Asian and South Asian arrivals. The 110 development applications lodged in 12 months under Inner West Council, lower than Marrickville's 267, keep apartment supply moving but at a slower pace than other inner-west suburbs.
What languages are spoken in Ashfield?
Ashfield is sharply multilingual with 52.8% born overseas. Mandarin leads non-English languages at 1,348 speakers, followed by Nepali at 931 (a rapid-growth cohort), Cantonese at 547, Italian at 227 (the post-war legacy still visible), and Arabic at 173. Chinese ancestry counts 5,079, with the Shanghainese commercial concentration along Liverpool Road distinguishing Ashfield from Hurstville's Cantonese precinct or Chatswood's mixed East Asian mix.
How active is development in Ashfield?
110 development applications were lodged in the past 12 months under Inner West Council, including residential demolitions, dwelling-house alterations, and apartment redevelopments concentrated along Liverpool Road. The pipeline runs below Marrickville's 267 in the same council area, reflecting tighter heritage controls on the Federation streetscape east of the main road. Apartments are already 70.0% of stock, so added supply directly affects rents and vacancy.
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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