NSW 2179 Census 2021 + Live DA Data

Austral

A 46.5% overseas-born share gives Austral a strong migrant profile, while 70.3% of dwellings contain 4 or more bedrooms and the median age is 31, 9 years below the national median. Household income sits at the 82.7th percentile, helping explain the suburb’s mortgage-belt character and family-sized housing. Growth is also a defining feature: the annual trend is 3.39%, with internal migration the primary driver. Like nearby Leppington and Edmondson Park, Austral sits within a major south-west growth corridor, but its 3.1-person average household size reinforces demand for detached homes.

Austral urban fabric map

Population

6,847

Median Age

31.0

Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)

$2,168/wk

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

1,163

17.66 km²· 387.7 people/km²· Family income $2,224/wk

Austral is most relevant to buyers seeking a detached family home rather than an apartment. Separate houses account for 91.7% of dwellings, 4 or more bedrooms account for 70.3%, and the average household size is 3.1, so the housing mix aligns with families needing space. The mortgage commitment is $2,535 per month against weekly household income of $2,168, with mortgage-to-income at 27.0%. Mortgage households represent 52.0%, higher than outright ownership at 17.5% and renting at 28.2%. Household income ranks at the 82.7th percentile, higher than the national position, but buyers should still test repayments against deposit size, interest-rate changes, land size and new-build costs.

For Buyers

Austral is most relevant to buyers seeking a detached family home rather than an apartment. Separate houses account for 91.7% of dwellings, 4 or more bedrooms account for 70.3%, and the average household size is 3.1, so the housing mix aligns with families needing space. The mortgage commitment is $2,535 per month against weekly household income of $2,168, with mortgage-to-income at 27.0%. Mortgage households represent 52.0%, higher than outright ownership at 17.5% and renting at 28.2%. Household income ranks at the 82.7th percentile, higher than the national position, but buyers should still test repayments against deposit size, interest-rate changes, land size and new-build costs.

For Investors

Austral’s investment case is tied to tenant demand, construction momentum and regional growth rather than a settled inner-city yield story. Renting accounts for 28.2% of occupied dwellings and weekly rent is $520, while vacancy is 6.7%, so cash-flow assumptions should allow for leasing variation. Development activity reached 1,175 records over 12 months, including dwelling houses, attached dwellings and secondary dwellings; this can expand supply while creating competition between newer rentals. The annual growth trend is 3.39% and internal migration is the primary driver, supporting demand as households move into the area. Compared with a lower-development suburb, investors face more new-stock competition, so land component, build quality and tenant appeal matter. Mortgage households are 52.0%, higher than renters, pointing to a predominantly owner-occupier market.

Development Activity

Total DAs

5,896

Last 12 Months

1,163

YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements

+2.8%

Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year

N/A

Monthly DA Lodgements

DA Categories

New Dwelling
1564
Other
163
Granny Flat / Secondary Dwelling
104
Subdivision
95
Swimming Pool / Spa
91
Renovation / Extension
76
Garage / Carport / Shed
73
Multi-Dwelling / Townhouse
48

Schools in Austral

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

Austral Public School

Primary School Government
School website

Demographics

Austral has a young, family-oriented population: the median age is 31, which is 9 years below the national median, while average household size is 3.1, or 0.6 above the national figure. Couples with children make up 55.5% of families, compared with 29.6% couples without children, helping explain demand for 4 or more bedrooms. The overseas-born share is 46.5%, 24.9 percentage points above the national level, and university attainment is 40.9%, 10.8 points higher than nationally. English, Italian and Indian ancestries count 748, 671 and 398 residents respectively. Arabic, Nepali and Urdu are prominent home languages with counts of 290, 176 and 111. Christianity numbers 3,241 and Islam 1,008, while no religion records 785. This mix is more migrant-connected than the national average, alongside a turnover rate of 49.5%.

Age Distribution

0-14
25.3%
15-24
10.6%
25-44
38.8%
45-64
15.4%
65+
9.8%

Bedrooms

Studio/1br
2.0%
2 bed
4.5%
3 bed
23.3%
4+ bed
70.3%

Dwelling Structure

91.7%

Houses

5.8%

Townhouse

2.5%

Apartment

Tenure

Own 17.5% Mortgage 52.0% Rent 28.2% Other 2.3%

Austral’s housing stock is overwhelmingly detached, with separate houses at 91.7%, semi-detached homes at 5.8% and apartments at 2.5%. Four-bedroom-plus homes account for 70.3%, far above the 23.3% share of 3-bedroom homes, because the suburb’s average household size is 3.1 and couples with children represent 55.5% of families. Tenure is concentrated in the mortgage cohort: 52.0% are paying a mortgage, compared with 17.5% owning outright and 28.2% renting. Mortgage costs average $2,535 monthly, while mortgage-to-income is 27.0%, so affordability needs testing against deposit size and interest-rate changes. Compared with apartment-heavy precincts, Austral provides more detached-house choice, but the 6.7% vacancy rate and 1,175 development records point to a changing supply profile.

Mortgage / mo

$2,535

Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (April to June 2026), NSW Rental Bond Board (DCJ). Census 2021 median: $520.

$810

Bond data Jun 2026 · houses $823 · units $510

HH Size

3.1

Personal Income / wk

$930

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

6.7%

Unoccupied

142

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

24.0%

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

27.0%

Community Profile

Languages Spoken at Home

Arabic
290
Nepali
176
Urdu
111
Italian
106
Hindi
96
Punjabi
73

Ancestry

Other
2,640
English
748
Italian
671
Ancestry NS
641
Indian
398
Lebanese
358

Household Composition

55.5%

Couples with children

29.6%

Couples, no children

13.5%

Single parent

1,799

Total families

Economy & Employment

Healthcare is Austral’s largest industry at 19.1% and 380 workers, followed by construction at 10.8% and 214, education at 10.7% and 213, retail at 8.4% and 166, and professional or technical work at 7.5% and 148. The occupation mix is led by professionals at 695, clerical and administrative workers at 467, managers at 349, trades at 340, and machinery or drivers at 289. Employment is relatively active, with 3,084 people in the labour force, a 60.4% participation rate and 4.3% unemployment. SEIFA places economic resources in decile 8, above education and occupation in decile 5; IRSAD is decile 6, above IRSD decile 5. That gap suggests household resources rank higher than the suburb’s education and occupation position, while the industry mix remains more practical and service-based than a professional-only economy.

Unemployment

4.3%

Labour Force

3,084

Unemployed

133

Source: ABS Census 2021

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

Overall advantage
6
Disadvantage
5
Economic resources
8
Education & occupation
5

Full-time

56.8%

Part-time

24.6%

Participation

60.4%

Employed

2,951

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

Occupations

Professionals 695
Clerical/Admin 467
Managers 349
Trades 340
Machinery/Drivers 289
Community/Personal 281
Sales 237
Labourers 224

Top Industries

Healthcare 19.1%
Construction 10.8%
Education 10.7%
Retail 8.4%
Professional/Tech 7.5%

University

40.9%

Postgraduate

12.6%

Born Overseas

46.5%

Dwellings

1,918

Transport to Work

Livability in Austral is geared to households with cars and home-based work. Car drivers account for 51.4% of travel, public transport 3.6%, walking or cycling 1.2%, and working from home 40.4%, so daily convenience is more car-oriented than transit-led. Austral Public School provides 1 local government primary school; families should confirm enrolment zones and compare nearby options against the exact address rather than infer access from the suburb name. The IRSAD score sits in decile 6, above the midpoint decile 5, while density is 387.7 people per square kilometre across 17.66 square kilometres. For safety, review current incident information over 12 months and compare the intended street with nearby areas before deciding. With a median age of 31 and a turnover rate of 49.5%, Austral may suit younger families more than downsizers seeking a low-turnover setting.

Drive

51.4%

Public Transport

3.6%

Walk / Cycle

1.2%

Work from Home

40.4%

Population Forecast

+3.39%/yr

(+764 people/yr)

Established

Austral’s growth outlook is strong but not uniform. The annual trend is 3.39% and internal migration is the primary driver, which fits the 1,175 development records logged over 12 months. Across the wider area, population change is 39.5% over 10 years, while the shift trajectory is labelled Mixed. Gentrification signals also pull in different directions: the shift measure gives a score of 60 and stage Active, whereas the current gentrification measure gives a score of 0 and stage New development. Rent growth is 56.2%, and affordability is labelled Improving, moving from 67.9 in 2011 to 63.5 in 2021. Compared with slower-growth established suburbs, Austral is more exposed to construction timing and new supply, so buyers and investors should assess each release rather than assume all parts mature together.

Historical + Forecast

Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025

Age Cohort Forecast

Primary Driver

Internal Migration

Net Overseas / yr

+138

Net Internal / yr

+2,100

0

Gentrification Signal

New development

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

How Austral compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs

Population
Top 8%
Household Income
Top 17%
Rent Level
Top 4%
Apartments
Top 16%
Renters
Top 23%
Uni Educated
Top 17%
Public Transport
Top 37%
Born Overseas
Top 4%
Density
Top 20%

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Austral a good suburb to live in?

Austral can suit buyers who want a young, family-focused setting with detached housing. The median age is 31, separate houses make up 91.7% of dwellings and 70.3% have 4 or more bedrooms. Car use is higher than public transport use, at 51.4% versus 3.6%, so check commute patterns and enrolment zones before choosing an address.

What is the median house price in Austral?

A current median house price should be checked against live sales because values vary by land size, dwelling age and construction type. Austral is 91.7% separate houses and 70.3% of homes have 4 or more bedrooms, so compare like-for-like sales rather than applying a unit, townhouse or smaller-lot benchmark.

What schools are in Austral?

Austral Public School is a government primary school. Families should check the exact enrolment zone, year-level availability and travel route, then compare nearby schools because suburb boundaries do not always match school catchments. The local mix includes 1 identified government primary school, so address-level confirmation is important before signing a contract.

Is Austral safe?

Review current NSW Police incident information for the latest 12 months and compare the intended street with nearby Liverpool LGA locations before deciding. Housing growth and a median age of 31 do not establish safety by themselves, so consider lighting, traffic, walking routes and activity at different times rather than relying on a single suburb-wide impression.

Is Austral good for property investment?

Austral may suit investors comfortable with an expanding supply pipeline. Renting is 28.2%, weekly rent is $520 and vacancy is 6.7%, while development activity reached 1,175 records over 12 months. The annual growth trend is 3.39% and internal migration is the primary driver, but new dwellings can create competition, so assess land content, build quality and tenant demand.

How is Austral's population changing?

Austral has a current population of 6,847 and a median age of 31. Across the wider area, population change is 39.5% over 10 years, while the growth trend is 3.39% annually and internal migration is the primary driver. The trajectory is Mixed, so compare individual streets and housing releases rather than assuming every part of the suburb is changing at the same pace.

What languages are spoken in Austral?

Arabic is recorded for 290 residents, followed by Nepali at 176, Urdu at 111, Italian at 106 and Hindi at 96. The overseas-born share is 46.5%, which is 24.9 percentage points above the national level. This means buyers and renters can expect a more multilingual setting than the national average.

What development is occurring in Austral?

Development activity reached 1,175 records over 12 months. Examples include dwelling houses, attached dwellings, secondary dwellings and alterations or additions to existing buildings. This pipeline supports the 3.39% annual growth trend but can also increase competition between new and established homes, so check project timing, road access and the final dwelling design.

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). Population forecasts use a Hamilton-Perry cohort model calibrated to ABS ERP.

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