Birchgrove
Household income in the 99.1st percentile nationally makes Birchgrove one of Sydney's most financially concentrated suburbs, yet the area packs 3,228 residents into just 0.59 km2, giving a density of 5,510 people per km2 that rivals inner-city precincts. The median house price of $2,635,000 sits well above the Sydney median, and 70.2% of residents hold university qualifications, which is 40.1 percentage points higher than the national figure. Median age is 46, six years above national, pointing to a settled, high-earning, aging resident base that prioritises owner-occupation, with 42% owning their home outright.
Population
3,228
Median Age
46.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$3,603/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
55
Median House
$2.6M
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
At $2,635,000 the median house price puts Birchgrove among Sydney's most expensive pockets, and prices rose 19.5% from $2,342,500 in 2024 to $2,800,000 in 2025, one of the sharper single-year moves in the inner west. The dominant dwelling type is semi-detached terraces at 53.3%, with separate houses at only 28.4% and apartments at 18.2%, so detached house buyers face a structurally thin supply. Three-bedroom dwellings lead at 37.8% and four-plus bedrooms account for 24.8%, giving families reasonable options. Monthly mortgage repayments average $4,000, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 25.6%, below the 30% stress threshold despite prices well above the state median. Outright owners at 42% outnumber mortgage holders at 30.5%, a pattern more typical of long-held wealth than a suburb driven by recent turnover.
For Buyers
At $2,635,000 the median house price puts Birchgrove among Sydney's most expensive pockets, and prices rose 19.5% from $2,342,500 in 2024 to $2,800,000 in 2025, one of the sharper single-year moves in the inner west. The dominant dwelling type is semi-detached terraces at 53.3%, with separate houses at only 28.4% and apartments at 18.2%, so detached house buyers face a structurally thin supply. Three-bedroom dwellings lead at 37.8% and four-plus bedrooms account for 24.8%, giving families reasonable options. Monthly mortgage repayments average $4,000, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 25.6%, below the 30% stress threshold despite prices well above the state median. Outright owners at 42% outnumber mortgage holders at 30.5%, a pattern more typical of long-held wealth than a suburb driven by recent turnover.
For Investors
The rental market is modest relative to price. Weekly rent of $700 against a $2,635,000 median implies a gross yield below 1.4%, low by any standard. The 27.5% renter share is smaller than the Sydney inner-ring average, reflecting the owner-occupier dominance. Vacancy sits at 12.1%, unusually high for the area, and should prompt careful stock-type analysis before purchasing as an investment. Development activity stands at 52 applications in the past 12 months, mostly alterations to existing dwellings rather than new supply additions, consistent with a built-out suburb. Rent-to-income at 19.4% keeps tenants comfortable and reduces churn risk, but the investment case for Birchgrove rests firmly on capital growth rather than yield, with the 19.5% price gain in a single year illustrating that growth potential when macro conditions align.
Development Activity
Total DAs
304
Last 12 Months
55
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-16.7%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
The median age of 46 is six years above the national figure, and the household composition confirms this: 1,159 couples with children and 841 couples without children, with no lone-parent families recorded. Average household size is 2.4, marginally below national. Overseas-born residents reach 29.0%, roughly 7.4 percentage points above national, yet the dominant ancestry remains Anglo-Celtic, led by English (1,427), Irish (599) and Scottish (433). University qualifications at 70.2% run 40.1 points above the national average, the highest educational attainment tier. The top non-English languages, German (25), French (14) and Mandarin (12), are small in absolute number, reflecting a predominantly English-speaking but internationally exposed community. Volunteering reaches 25.9% of residents, higher than most suburbs, consistent with the high-income, well-established profile.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
28.4%
Houses
53.3%
Townhouse
18.2%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure favours long-term ownership: 42% own outright, 30.5% carry a mortgage and 27.5% rent, a distribution that puts outright owners well ahead of mortgage holders, unusual for a suburb with a $2,635,000 median. The stock is dominated by semi-detached terraces at 53.3%, a structural feature of Birchgrove's 19th-century subdivision pattern, with separate houses at 28.4% and apartments at 18.2%. Three-bedroom dwellings account for 37.8%, four-plus bedrooms 24.8% and two-bedroom 29.0%, giving the suburb a family-oriented footprint. Prices rose from $2,342,500 in 2024 to $2,800,000 in 2025, a 19.5% gain in one year. Monthly mortgage repayments average $4,000, and at 25.6% of income, mortgage servicing remains below the 30% stress threshold, though only because household incomes sit in the 99.1st percentile nationally.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$4,000
Rent / wk
$700
HH Size
2.4
Personal Income / wk
$1,661
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
12.1%
Unoccupied
175
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.4%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
25.6%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
32.3%
Couples, no children
2,604
Total families
Economy & Employment
Professional and financial services dominate the local workforce. Professional/Tech leads at 22.0% of employed residents (316 workers), Finance at 14.7% (211) and Healthcare at 14.5% (208), with Education at 8.7% and Public Admin at 5.4%. By occupation, Professionals number 803 and Managers 447, together accounting for the bulk of jobs, which aligns with the top-decile income profile. The unemployment rate is 4.0% and full-time employment reaches 68.1% of the employed workforce. Participation at 61.4% runs below what the income level might suggest, because the older median age of 46 leaves 819 residents not in the labour force. Weekly household income of $3,603 places Birchgrove in the 99.1st percentile nationally, making income concentration a structural feature rather than a cyclical trend.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
68.1%
Part-time
27.9%
Participation
61.4%
Employed
1,571
Occupations
Top Industries
University
70.2%
Postgraduate
24.8%
Born Overseas
29.0%
Dwellings
1,277
Transport to Work
Active transport takes a notable share, with 15.2% of residents walking or cycling to work, well above the national average, reflecting the suburb's compact footprint and proximity to the Balmain peninsula. Car use at 74.1% remains dominant, though public transport at 5.1% is lower than comparable inner-Sydney suburbs, partly because ferry and bus services are the primary options from the peninsula. No schools are recorded within the 0.59 km2 boundary in this dataset, so families depend on schools in neighbouring Balmain and Rozelle. The need-for-assistance rate is 2.3% (72 residents), low relative to the older median age of 46, consistent with a physically active and financially secure population. Rent-to-income at 19.4% and mortgage-to-income at 25.6% both sit comfortably below stress thresholds, reflecting the exceptional incomes in the 99.1st percentile nationally.
Drive
74.1%
Public Transport
5.1%
Walk / Cycle
15.2%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Birchgrove compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Birchgrove a good suburb to live in?
Birchgrove ranks in the 99.1st income percentile nationally, with 70.2% of residents holding university qualifications, 40.1 points above the national figure. Active transport is high at 15.2% walking or cycling, and mortgage-to-income sits at a manageable 25.6% despite a $2,635,000 median. The main trade-off is limited schooling within the 0.59 km2 boundary and a 12.1% vacancy rate in the rental segment.
What is the median house price in Birchgrove?
The median house price is $2,635,000, with prices rising 19.5% from $2,342,500 in 2024 to $2,800,000 in 2025. Weekly rent averages $700 and monthly mortgage repayments are around $4,000, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 25.6% for households in the 99.1st income percentile nationally.
What schools are in Birchgrove?
No schools are recorded within the Birchgrove boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring Balmain, Rozelle and Leichhardt. This is a practical trade-off for the compact 0.59 km2 footprint. Locally, 70.2% of residents hold university qualifications, the highest educational attainment tier and 40.1 points above national.
Is Birchgrove safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Birchgrove in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, household income sits in the 99.1st percentile nationally, the need-for-assistance rate is just 2.3% (72 residents), and only 4.0% of the workforce is unemployed, all consistent with a low-disadvantage, low-crime profile typical of premium inner-Sydney suburbs.
Is Birchgrove good for property investment?
Rent of $700 a week against a $2,635,000 median gives a gross yield below 1.4%, and the 12.1% vacancy rate warrants scrutiny before purchasing. However, prices rose 19.5% in a single year from 2024 to 2025. The investment case relies on capital growth from a structurally constrained 0.59 km2 supply base rather than rental yield.
How is Birchgrove's population changing?
Birchgrove has 3,228 residents in a compact 0.59 km2 footprint, already at high density of 5,510 per km2. Resident stability is high, with 78.5% of residents having stayed in place and a turnover rate of 21.5%. The aging median age of 46, six years above national, points to gradual demographic shift toward empty-nesters rather than rapid population growth.
How much development is happening in Birchgrove?
There were 52 development applications lodged in the past 12 months. Nearly all are alterations and upgrades to existing dwellings rather than new supply additions, consistent with a built-out suburb. The heritage character of the Balmain peninsula and the 0.59 km2 footprint structurally limit new dwelling construction, supporting long-term price floors.
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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