Belmore
Apartment living now defines much of Belmore, where 46.2% of dwellings are apartments and 43.9% are separate houses across just 2.73 sq km. Compared with busier neighbouring centres such as Campsie and Lakemba, Belmore reads as a smaller residential pocket, with density still high at 5,046.1 people per sq km. Its migrant-majority character is clear: 52.3% of residents were born overseas, 30.7 percentage points above national. The trade-off is affordability pressure because household income sits at the 44.3 percentile while the median house price is $732,500.
Population
13,781
Median Age
38.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,456/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
68
Median House
$732K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
Homebuyers should read Belmore as a compact, mixed-stock market rather than a classic detached-house suburb. The $732,500 median house price sits against a $2,156 monthly mortgage, and mortgage costs take 34.2% of income, higher than the 26.1% rent-to-income ratio. Separate houses are 43.9% of dwellings, below apartments at 46.2%, so families needing 4 or more bedrooms are competing for the 18.6% of homes that fit that size. Prices are 4.7% below the 2024 peak, which may help purchasers because recent softness gives more room to negotiate.
For Buyers
Homebuyers should read Belmore as a compact, mixed-stock market rather than a classic detached-house suburb. The $732,500 median house price sits against a $2,156 monthly mortgage, and mortgage costs take 34.2% of income, higher than the 26.1% rent-to-income ratio. Separate houses are 43.9% of dwellings, below apartments at 46.2%, so families needing 4 or more bedrooms are competing for the 18.6% of homes that fit that size. Prices are 4.7% below the 2024 peak, which may help purchasers because recent softness gives more room to negotiate.
For Investors
Investors get depth of tenant demand but must price vacancy risk. Renters make up 44.8% of households, higher than owner buyers with a mortgage at 27.5%, and the median rent is $380 per week. The 8.8% vacancy rate is the main caution, so holding costs matter if leasing takes longer. Activity is not stalled: 60 development applications in 12 months point to renewal pressure, while forecast migration is led by +316 net overseas arrivals a year against -236 internal movement. That supports demand because new arrivals often rent before buying.
Development Activity
Total DAs
412
Last 12 Months
68
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-21.8%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Belmore iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
All Saints Grammar
K-12 · 646 students
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School
K-6 · 232 students
Belmore South Public School
K-6 · 230 students
Belmore North Public School
K-6 · 252 students
Belmore Boys High School
7-12 · 614 students
Demographics
Belmore is migrant-majority and a little younger than Australia overall. The median age is 38, 2.0 years below the national benchmark, while 52.3% of residents were born overseas, 30.7 percentage points above national. University attainment is 37.3%, also 7.2 points above national, which helps explain the strong professional base. Greek ancestry counts 1,979 people, Lebanese 1,559 and Chinese 1,440; Arabic and Greek are the leading non-English home languages at 831 and 820 speakers. Christianity counts 7,036 adherents, with Islam at 1,833 and Buddhism at 701.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
43.9%
Houses
9.5%
Townhouse
46.2%
Apartment
Tenure
Belmore's housing mix is split, but apartments edge ahead. Apartments make up 46.2% of dwellings, above separate houses at 43.9%, with semi-detached homes at 9.5%. The latest median in the price series is $715,000 in 2025, down 4.7% from the $750,000 2024 peak and troughing at the latest reading. Ownership is more rental-oriented than many middle-ring suburbs: 44.8% rent, compared with 27.6% owned outright and 27.5% with a mortgage. Two-bedroom homes dominate at 43.3%, because apartment stock pulls the bedroom profile lower than a detached-house suburb.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,156
Rent / wk
$380
HH Size
2.6
Personal Income / wk
$640
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
8.8%
Unoccupied
460
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
26.1%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
34.2% stressed
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
20.6%
Couples, no children
10,451
Total families
Economy & Employment
Belmore's economy points to service work rather than a single employment hub. Healthcare leads with 591 workers and 17.2% of employed residents, ahead of Education at 354, Professional/Tech at 333, Retail at 289 and Construction at 276. Professionals are the largest occupation group at 1,133, above Clerical/Admin at 776 and Community/Personal roles at 643. The labour market is softer than its education profile suggests: unemployment is 9.1%, participation is 38.7%, and 4,891 residents are not in the labour force. SEIFA is mixed, with IEO decile 6 but IRSD decile 2 and IER decile 3, because qualifications sit higher than household resources.
Unemployment
5.1%
Labour Force
11,315
Unemployed
573
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
62.3%
Part-time
28.6%
Participation
38.7%
Employed
4,071
Occupations
Top Industries
University
37.3%
Postgraduate
9.3%
Born Overseas
52.3%
Dwellings
4,749
Transport to Work
Livability in Belmore rests on rail-corridor convenience, local schools and compact daily trips, but car use still dominates. Public transport accounts for 11.1% of commuting and walking or cycling 5.2%, far below car driving at 77.9%, so station access matters most for households trying to reduce driving. Five schools operate locally with ICSEA scores from 953 to 1077: All Saints Grammar leads at 1077 with 646 enrolments, followed by St Joseph's Catholic Primary at 1036 and Belmore South Public School at 1012. IRSAD decile 5 is average, while IRSD decile 2 flags pockets of disadvantage.
Drive
77.9%
Public Transport
11.1%
Walk / Cycle
5.2%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.55%/yr
(+116 people/yr)
EstablishedBelmore's growth outlook is steady rather than explosive. The trend path adds 0.55% a year, about 116 people annually, lifting the medium projection from 21,206 to 21,788 by 2031. Migration is the engine because overseas inflow averages +316 people a year, more than offsetting -236 net internal movement. The shift profile shows declining young share, down 2.7 points, and seniors up 2.6 points; gentrification is scored 10 and labelled Not gentrifying, lower than a disruptive renewal market despite 60 recent development applications.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+316
Net Internal / yr
-236
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Net internal outflow -236/yr, Strong overseas inflow +316/yr
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Belmore compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Belmore a good suburb to live in?
Belmore suits residents wanting a compact inner south-west base with 5 local schools, 11.1% public transport commuting and a strong apartment supply at 46.2% of dwellings. It is less suited to buyers seeking large detached homes because separate houses are 43.9% of stock.
What is the median house price in Belmore?
Belmore's median house price is $732,500 for the 2024-2025 period. The price series also shows $715,000 in 2025, which is 4.7% below the $750,000 2024 peak, so recent readings point to softer conditions.
What schools are in Belmore?
Belmore has 5 local schools: All Saints Grammar, St Joseph's Catholic Primary, Belmore South Public School, Belmore North Public School and Belmore Boys High. ICSEA scores range from 953 to 1077, with government, Catholic and independent options.
Is Belmore safe?
Safety should be checked against current NSW crime maps before buying or renting. Belmore has 13,781 residents in 2.73 sq km, so conditions can vary by pocket, especially around the station, main roads and quieter residential streets.
Is Belmore good for property investment?
Belmore has investor appeal because 44.8% of households rent and the median rent is $380 per week. The caution is vacancy at 8.8%, so rental pricing and property presentation matter more than in tighter markets.
How is Belmore's population changing?
Belmore is projected to grow slowly at 0.55% a year, adding about 116 people annually and reaching 21,788 by 2031 on the medium path. Overseas migration is the main driver at +316 people a year, offset by -236 internal movement.
What languages are spoken in Belmore?
Belmore has a strong multilingual profile, with 52.3% of residents born overseas. The largest listed non-English home languages are Arabic with 831 speakers, Greek with 820, Mandarin with 329, Cantonese with 210 and Korean with 187.
How much development is happening in Belmore?
Development activity is active, with 60 applications recorded over 12 months. Recent lodgements include commercial alterations, subdivision and a vehicle body repair workshop, so change is present even though the growth outlook remains moderate at 0.55% a year.
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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