Bass Hill
Lebanese ancestry (2,488 residents) outranks English (1,199) as the largest heritage group, and Arabic is spoken by 1,515 residents, making Bass Hill one of the most culturally distinctive suburbs in Sydney's south-west. Despite household income at just the 40.9 percentile nationally ($1,411 weekly), the median house price sits at $1,287,000, producing extreme affordability pressure: mortgage-to-income at 39.0% and rent-to-income at 31.9%, both above the stress thresholds. SEIFA confirms deep disadvantage with IRSD decile 1 and IRSAD decile 3, while the 10.6% unemployment rate is more than double the national average. Prices surged 12.5% in a single year, from $1,200,000 to $1,350,000, the fastest growth in the Canterbury-Bankstown corridor, driven by land scarcity rather than income improvement.
Population
10,230
Median Age
34.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,411/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
81
Median House
$1.3M
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The $1,287,000 median house price grew 12.5% year-on-year, from $1,200,000 to $1,350,000, outpacing most Sydney suburbs. Monthly mortgage repayments of $2,383 generate a mortgage-to-income ratio of 39.0%, well above the 30% stress threshold, making Bass Hill one of the most mortgage-stressed suburbs in the Canterbury-Bankstown LGA. Detached houses account for 72.2% of stock, with semi-detached at 20.3% and apartments at 7.3%. Three-bedroom and four-plus bedroom homes are virtually tied at 41.9% and 42.1% respectively. The average household size of 3.3, well above the national 2.5, reflects multigenerational living arrangements common in Lebanese and Vietnamese communities. The 34.3% mortgage share and 31.3% outright ownership indicate a mature suburb where legacy homeowners coexist with newly leveraged buyers facing severe affordability constraints.
For Buyers
The $1,287,000 median house price grew 12.5% year-on-year, from $1,200,000 to $1,350,000, outpacing most Sydney suburbs. Monthly mortgage repayments of $2,383 generate a mortgage-to-income ratio of 39.0%, well above the 30% stress threshold, making Bass Hill one of the most mortgage-stressed suburbs in the Canterbury-Bankstown LGA. Detached houses account for 72.2% of stock, with semi-detached at 20.3% and apartments at 7.3%. Three-bedroom and four-plus bedroom homes are virtually tied at 41.9% and 42.1% respectively. The average household size of 3.3, well above the national 2.5, reflects multigenerational living arrangements common in Lebanese and Vietnamese communities. The 34.3% mortgage share and 31.3% outright ownership indicate a mature suburb where legacy homeowners coexist with newly leveraged buyers facing severe affordability constraints.
For Investors
Renters make up 34.4% of households, above the national average, providing a substantial tenant base. Median weekly rent of $450 against the $1,287,000 median delivers a gross yield of roughly 1.8%, below the Sydney metro average. The 6.7% vacancy rate is elevated above the 3% equilibrium. Development activity is moderate at 72 applications in 12 months, including secondary dwellings and subdivision, reflecting the granny flat trend driven by cultural norms of multigenerational housing. Rent-to-income at 31.9% already exceeds the stress threshold, meaning tenants have limited capacity to absorb further rent increases. Population grows at 0.95% per year (234 persons), driven by overseas migration at +205 net per year against internal outflow of -118. The gentrification score of 50 (active) suggests ongoing demographic change, though it is income-driven (8.2% real growth) rather than credential-driven.
Development Activity
Total DAs
393
Last 12 Months
81
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-3.6%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Bass Hill iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Bass Hill Public School
P-6 · 346 students
Bass High School
7-12 · 874 students
Demographics
The demographic profile is distinctly non-Anglo: Lebanese (2,488) leads ancestry, followed by unspecified (2,267), English (1,199) and Vietnamese (1,004). Arabic dominates non-English languages at 1,515 speakers, far ahead of Greek (96), Cantonese (88), Italian (75) and Macedonian (51). The 38.4% overseas-born share sits 16.8 percentage points above the national average. University qualifications at 26.8%, 3.3 percentage points below national, and the SEIFA IEO decile 4 confirm below-average education attainment. The median age of 34 is 6 years below the national figure, and the large 3.3 average household size reflects extended family structures. Islam (3,429) and Christianity (4,060) coexist as major religions, with Buddhism (652) reflecting the Vietnamese community. The 34.0% participation rate is extremely low, driven partly by cultural factors in female workforce engagement.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
72.2%
Houses
20.3%
Townhouse
7.3%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure splits roughly into thirds: 31.3% own outright, 34.3% hold mortgages, and 34.4% rent. The near-even distribution is unusual and reflects a suburb transitioning from legacy outright owners (older Lebanese and Greek families) to newer, more leveraged buyers. Three-bedroom homes account for 41.9% and four-plus bedrooms for 42.1%, with semi-detached stock at 20.3% growing through secondary dwelling and granny flat construction. Prices surged from $1,200,000 to $1,350,000, a 12.5% jump in one year, the fastest in the Canterbury-Bankstown corridor. Both rent stress (31.9%) and mortgage stress (39.0%) exceed their respective thresholds, a rare double-stress scenario that indicates systemic affordability failure relative to local incomes. The IRSAD decile 3 reading confirms Bass Hill sits in the bottom 30% of Australian suburbs on overall advantage.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,383
Rent / wk
$450
HH Size
3.3
Personal Income / wk
$534
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
6.7%
Unoccupied
201
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
31.9% stressed
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
39.0% stressed
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
13.1%
Couples, no children
8,446
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare leads employment at 16.8% (294 workers), followed by Education at 13.3% (233), Construction at 10.0% (175), Professional/Technical at 9.2% (160) and Retail at 8.0% (139). The low absolute worker counts reflect the 34.0% participation rate, one of the lowest in Sydney, driven by a large population outside the labour force (3,749 persons). The 10.6% unemployment rate is more than double the national average, and combined with the low participation, it paints a picture of significant economic exclusion. SEIFA scores are uniformly low: IRSD decile 1 (extreme relative disadvantage), IER decile 3 (low economic resources), IEO decile 4 and IRSAD decile 3. Despite this, real income grew 8.2% over the decade and affordability worsened from 49.4% to 74.2% mortgage-to-income, driven entirely by price growth outpacing modest income gains.
Unemployment
10.8%
Labour Force
10,781
Unemployed
1,162
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
61.1%
Part-time
28.3%
Participation
34.0%
Employed
2,370
Occupations
Top Industries
University
26.8%
Postgraduate
5.6%
Born Overseas
38.4%
Dwellings
2,784
Transport to Work
Two schools serve the suburb, both below the ICSEA 1,000 national benchmark: Bass Hill Public School (929, Government, 346 students) and Bass High School (927, Government, 874 students). The below-average ICSEA scores are consistent with the IRSD decile 1 and IEO decile 4 readings. Public transport accounts for just 3.5% of commutes, with 87.4% driving and 2.4% walking/cycling. The low transit share reflects limited rail access in the Canterbury-Bankstown area. Crime data is not available, but the IRSD decile 1 (most disadvantaged nationally) is a strong predictor of elevated property crime. Need-for-assistance at 8.5% (792 persons) is above the national average. The 7.2% volunteering rate is well below the national average, the inverse of what affluent suburbs show.
Drive
87.4%
Public Transport
3.5%
Walk / Cycle
2.4%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.95%/yr
(+234 people/yr)
EstablishedPopulation grows at 0.95% per year (234 persons), with medium projections reaching 26,226 by 2031. Overseas migration at +205 net per year is the primary driver, while internal migration runs negative at -118, indicating domestic residents are leaving for more affordable areas while new arrivals from overseas replace them. The population grew 18.8% over the past decade, above the Sydney average. The gentrification score of 50 (active) with rent growth of 100% over the decade signals significant affordability pressure rather than traditional credential-based gentrification. The young share grew 2.1 percentage points while the senior share barely moved (+0.2), confirming ongoing family formation. Affordability deteriorated dramatically from 49.4% to 74.2% mortgage-to-income between 2011 and 2021, one of the steepest declines in Sydney.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+205
Net Internal / yr
-118
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Population +17% since 2011, Net internal outflow -118/yr, Strong overseas inflow +205/yr
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Bass Hill compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Bass Hill a good suburb to live in?
Bass Hill suits buyers with cultural ties to the Lebanese and Vietnamese communities, offering detached housing at $1,287,000 median. Both mortgage stress (39.0%) and rent stress (31.9%) exceed thresholds. IRSAD decile 3 and IRSD decile 1 indicate significant disadvantage. Schools are below the ICSEA 1,000 benchmark. The 3.3 average household size accommodates multigenerational families.
What is the median house price in Bass Hill?
The median house price is $1,287,000 (PSI derived 2024-2025), with prices surging 12.5% from $1,200,000 to $1,350,000 over the year. Monthly mortgage of $2,383 at household income of $1,411/week produces 39.0% mortgage-to-income, well above the 30% stress threshold. Median weekly rent is $450 with 6.7% vacancy.
What schools are in Bass Hill?
Bass Hill has 2 schools, both below the national ICSEA 1,000 benchmark: Bass Hill Public School (929, Government, 346 students) and Bass High School (927, Government, 874 students). The below-average scores are consistent with the IEO decile 4 and the suburb's 26.8% university qualification rate, 3.3 percentage points below national.
Is Bass Hill safe?
Crime data is not available. IRSD decile 1, the lowest nationally, indicates extreme relative disadvantage, which correlates with higher crime rates in comparable suburbs. Unemployment at 10.6% is more than double the national average. Need-for-assistance at 8.5% is above national. The 7.2% volunteering rate is below average. These proxy indicators suggest residents should research crime statistics from NSW BOCSAR.
Is Bass Hill good for property investment?
The 34.4% renter share provides a reasonable tenant pool, but both rent stress (31.9%) and mortgage stress (39.0%) are above thresholds, limiting tenants' ability to absorb increases. Gross yield is roughly 1.8% ($450 rent on $1,287,000). Price growth of 12.5% was strong, but driven by scarcity not income (40.9 percentile). The 72 DAs and granny flat activity signal densification potential. Vacancy at 6.7% needs monitoring.
How is Bass Hill's population changing?
Population grows at 0.95% per year (234 persons), driven by overseas migration (+205 net/year) against internal outflow of -118/year. The 38.4% overseas-born share is 16.8 points above national. Median age of 34, which is 6 years below national, reflects ongoing family formation. Affordability collapsed from 49.4% to 74.2% mortgage-to-income between 2011-2021. Medium projection: 26,226 by 2031.
What languages are spoken in Bass Hill?
Arabic dominates at 1,515 speakers, reflecting the Lebanese community (2,488 ancestry). Greek (96), Cantonese (88), Italian (75) and Macedonian (51) follow. With 38.4% born overseas, 16.8 percentage points above the national average, Bass Hill is one of Sydney's most linguistically concentrated suburbs, unusual because a single language (Arabic) accounts for the majority of non-English speakers.
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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