NSW 2019 Census 2021 + Live DA Data

Botany

Botany's standout trait is urban intensity: 12,960 residents fit into 3.21 sq km, a density of 4,036.3 per sq km, while apartments make up 50.5% of dwellings. Compared with Mascot's rail-led feel, Botany is more car-reliant at 83.2% driving, yet household income sits in the 89.7 national percentile. The suburb works because high incomes and a mixed dwelling base offset an industrial-edge setting near Banksmeadow and Pagewood.

Botany urban fabric map

Population

12,960

Median Age

36.0

Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)

$2,373/wk

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

108

Median House

$1.0M

2024-2025 (PSI derived)

3.21 km²· 4,036.3 people/km²· Family income $2,844/wk

For homebuyers, the trade-off is price vs format. The headline median house price is $1,000,000, while the latest 2025 price series is $1,025,000, up 4.7% from 2024 and 0.0% off its peak because the peak is current. Apartments are the dominant option at 50.5%, compared with 27.8% separate houses and 20.9% semi-detached stock. Mortgage costs absorb 26.7% of income, supported by household income in the 89.7 national percentile.

For Buyers

For homebuyers, the trade-off is price vs format. The headline median house price is $1,000,000, while the latest 2025 price series is $1,025,000, up 4.7% from 2024 and 0.0% off its peak because the peak is current. Apartments are the dominant option at 50.5%, compared with 27.8% separate houses and 20.9% semi-detached stock. Mortgage costs absorb 26.7% of income, supported by household income in the 89.7 national percentile.

For Investors

Investors get a large renter pool but should price vacancy carefully. Renters account for 38.0% of households, below mortgaged owners at 41.4%, and weekly rent is $550 with rent-to-income at 23.2%. The 8.6% vacancy rate is the caution point because it can soften near-term rent growth even with 102 development applications in 12 months. Demand is helped by forecast overseas migration of 145 people a year, higher than internal migration at -28.

Development Activity

Total DAs

534

Last 12 Months

108

YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements

+58.8%

Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year

N/A

Monthly DA Lodgements

DA Categories

Renovation / Extension
86
Demolition
26
Commercial / Industrial
25
Change of Use
12
Swimming Pool / Spa
10
New Dwelling
5
Signage / Advertising
5
Granny Flat / Secondary Dwelling
2

Schools in Botany iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged

St Bernard's Catholic Primary School

ICSEA 1119 Primary Catholic

K-6 · 287 students

Pagewood Public School

ICSEA 1085 Primary Government

K-6 · 207 students

Botany Public School

ICSEA 1062 Primary Government

K-6 · 232 students

Banksmeadow Public School

ICSEA 1032 Primary Government

P-6 · 268 students

Demographics

Botany is younger and more credentialed than Australia overall: median age is 36, which is 4.0 years below national, and 42.0% hold university qualifications, 11.9 percentage points above national. Overseas-born residents are 34.0%, 12.4 points above national, so Mandarin, Greek, Canton, Italian and Portuguese sit alongside English, Irish, Chinese and Scottish ancestry. This mix supports higher incomes because professionals and managers are prominent.

Age Distribution

0-14
19.1%
15-24
10.8%
25-44
33.4%
45-64
24.8%
65+
12.0%

Bedrooms

Studio/1br
14.9%
2 bed
35.8%
3 bed
33.2%
4+ bed
16.2%

Dwelling Structure

27.8%

Houses

20.9%

Townhouse

50.5%

Apartment

Tenure

Own 20.6% Mortgage 41.4% Rent 38.0%

Housing is weighted toward compact and attached formats, so buyers need to decide on dwelling type before price. Apartments are 50.5% of dwellings, higher than separate houses at 27.8% and semi-detached homes at 20.9%. Bedrooms cluster around 2 and 3 bedroom homes at 35.8% and 33.2%, with 4-plus at 16.2%. Ownership is mortgage-heavy at 41.4%, compared with 20.6% owned outright and 38.0% renting, while prices rose from $979,000 in 2024 to $1,025,000 in 2025.

Median House Price Trend

Source: State Valuer-General

Mortgage / mo

$2,741

Rent / wk

$550

HH Size

2.6

Personal Income / wk

$1,153

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

8.6%

Unoccupied

445

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

23.2%

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

26.7%

Community Profile

Languages Spoken at Home

Mandarin
168
Greek
125
Canton
78
Italian
64
Portuguese
64
Russian
59

Ancestry

English
3,311
Other
2,190
Irish
1,646
Chinese
1,039
Scottish
923
Ancestry NS
759

Household Composition

22.9%

Couples, no children

10,436

Total families

Economy & Employment

Botany's economy skews white-collar but not narrowly professional. Healthcare leads at 13.6% and 680 workers, followed by education at 11.7%, professional/tech at 11.0%, construction at 10.7% and public admin at 8.9%. Professionals number 1,723, higher than managers at 1,208 and clerical/admin at 1,079. Unemployment is low at 3.6% with 61.9% participation. SEIFA ranks are strong: IEO decile 8, IER 7, IRSD 8 and IRSAD 9, with IRSAD higher because education and occupation lift advantage more than economic resources alone.

Unemployment

3.6%

Labour Force

7,997

Unemployed

289

Quarterly Trend

Mar-24 Dec-25

Source: SALM Dec-25

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

Overall advantage
9
Disadvantage
8
Economic resources
7
Education & occupation
8

Full-time

71.1%

Part-time

25.3%

Participation

61.9%

Employed

6,252

Occupations

Professionals 1,723
Managers 1,208
Clerical/Admin 1,079
Community/Personal 686
Sales 534
Labourers 428
Machinery/Drivers 372

Top Industries

Healthcare 13.6%
Education 11.7%
Professional/Tech 11.0%
Construction 10.7%
Public Admin 8.9%

University

42.0%

Postgraduate

11.3%

Born Overseas

34.0%

Dwellings

4,745

Transport to Work

Daily life is practical but car-heavy. Public transport commuting is only 4.3% compared with 83.2% driving, and 5.8% walking or cycling, so convenience depends on roads and local services more than rail. School choice is primary-focused, with 4 local schools spanning ICSEA 1032 to 1119; St Bernard's Catholic Primary at 1119, Pagewood Public at 1085 and Botany Public at 1062 provide Catholic and Government options. IRSAD decile 9 supports amenity, while safety needs street-level checking because no suburb crime rate per 1,000 is reported.

Drive

83.2%

Public Transport

4.3%

Walk / Cycle

5.8%

Work from Home

N/A

Population Forecast

+2.16%/yr

(+301 people/yr)

Established

Growth is steady rather than speculative. The forecast trend adds 2.16% a year, about 301 people annually, taking the medium scenario from 14,382 in 2026 to 15,887 in 2031. Overseas migration is the primary driver at 145 net people a year, more than offsetting internal migration of -28. The shift profile shows a declining young cohort, with young share down 2.5 and working share up 3.6, while the gentrification score is 17 and stage is not gentrifying, lower than an active uplift story.

Historical + Forecast

Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025

Age Cohort Forecast

Primary Driver

Overseas Migration

Net Overseas / yr

+145

Net Internal / yr

-28

17

Gentrification Signal

Not gentrifying

Population +50% since 2011

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

How Botany compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs

Population
Top 3%
Household Income
Top 10%
Rent Level
Top 4%
Apartments
Top 7%
Renters
Top 18%
Uni Educated
Top 16%
Public Transport
Top 40%
Born Overseas
Top 10%
Density
Top 2%

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Botany a good suburb to live in?

Yes, for residents who accept car-based commuting in return for inner-south access and strong incomes. Botany has 12,960 residents, household income in the 89.7 national percentile, and 4 local primary schools.

What is the median house price in Botany?

The headline median house price is $1,000,000. The latest price series records $1,025,000 in 2025, up 4.7% from $979,000 in 2024 and currently 0.0% below the recorded peak.

What schools are in Botany?

Botany has 4 local primary schools: St Bernard's Catholic Primary School, Pagewood Public School, Botany Public School and Banksmeadow Public School. Their ICSEA range runs from 1032 to 1119.

Is Botany safe?

A suburb crime rate per 1,000 is not available here, so buyers should check current street-level records. For context, Botany has 4 local schools, 3.8% of residents needing assistance, and IRSAD decile 9.

Is Botany good for property investment?

Botany has investor appeal through a 38.0% renter share, $550 weekly rent and 145 net overseas migrants forecast each year. The main caution is the 8.6% vacancy rate, which is high enough to affect leasing power.

How is Botany's population changing?

Botany is forecast to grow by 2.16% a year, or about 301 people annually. The medium scenario rises from 14,382 people in 2026 to 15,887 in 2031, driven mainly by overseas migration.

What languages are spoken in Botany?

Botany has a 34.0% overseas-born population, 12.4 percentage points above national. Mandarin has 168 speakers, Greek 125, Canton 78, and both Italian and Portuguese have 64 speakers.

Is there much development in Botany?

Yes. Botany recorded 102 development applications in the past 12 months, including dwelling houses, semi-detached dwellings and a new structure with a swimming pool. That activity sits alongside 50.5% apartment stock.

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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