Campsie
Few Sydney inner-ring suburbs concentrate Asian migration the way this T8 corridor does: 69.1% of the 26,132 residents were born overseas, an enormous 47.5 percentage points above the national figure, with 9,005 Chinese-ancestry residents and a Mandarin-Cantonese-Korean trio anchoring the Beamish Street commercial strip. Density runs at 7,746 people per square kilometre across just 3.37 km2, and apartments make up 67.3% of stock versus 21.8% separate houses, an inversion of the typical Sydney mix. The median house at $687,000 sits well below Canterbury-Bankstown's broader range, and 54.8% of households rent, putting the suburb in a renter-majority bracket that more affluent eastern train suburbs do not match.
Population
26,132
Median Age
36.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,497/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
86
Median House
$687K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
House buyers face an unusual market: only 21.8% of dwellings are separate houses while 67.3% are apartments, so detached-home stock turns over rarely and commands the $687,000 median. Mortgage repayments average $2,000 per month and absorb 30.9% of household income, above the 30% stress threshold and noticeably higher than the rent-to-income figure of 26.7%. With 59.2% of dwellings being two-bedroom and only 12.2% offering four or more bedrooms, larger family homes are scarce compared to lower-density NSW averages. Owner-occupier share sits at 45.2% combined (21.1% outright plus 24.1% mortgage), a minority position vs the 65% national owner rate. Buyers willing to accept apartment living gain access to a 12-minute T8 train ride to Central; those holding out for separate houses should expect competitive bidding given the thin supply.
For Buyers
House buyers face an unusual market: only 21.8% of dwellings are separate houses while 67.3% are apartments, so detached-home stock turns over rarely and commands the $687,000 median. Mortgage repayments average $2,000 per month and absorb 30.9% of household income, above the 30% stress threshold and noticeably higher than the rent-to-income figure of 26.7%. With 59.2% of dwellings being two-bedroom and only 12.2% offering four or more bedrooms, larger family homes are scarce compared to lower-density NSW averages. Owner-occupier share sits at 45.2% combined (21.1% outright plus 24.1% mortgage), a minority position vs the 65% national owner rate. Buyers willing to accept apartment living gain access to a 12-minute T8 train ride to Central; those holding out for separate houses should expect competitive bidding given the thin supply.
For Investors
The investor case rests on a renter-majority profile rare for inner Sydney: 54.8% of households rent, well above the 31% national share, while the median rent of $400 per week pairs with a $687,000 house median to produce gross yields near 3.0%, higher than Marrickville or Maroubra at similar distances from the CBD. The reported 9.2% vacancy figure looks elevated versus the sub-2% Sydney metro average and likely reflects high apartment turnover rather than persistent emptiness. Overseas migration brings a net +422 residents per year while internal migration runs -354, signalling that demand is import-fed rather than locally driven. Rents have risen 18.8% over the decade and 68 development applications were lodged in the past 12 months, so investors should expect sustained tenant demand but ongoing competition from new apartment supply along the rail corridor.
Development Activity
Total DAs
381
Last 12 Months
86
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+62.3%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Campsie iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
St Mel's Catholic Primary School
K-6 · 345 students
Harcourt Public School
K-6 · 373 students
Campsie Public School
K-6 · 515 students
Demographics
The cultural geography is sharply distinct: 69.1% of residents were born overseas compared with the 28% national figure, a gap of 47.5 percentage points that places the area among Sydney's most migrant-concentrated postcodes. Chinese ancestry leads at 9,005 residents, followed by 1,845 English and 1,435 Lebanese, while language data shows 3,023 Mandarin speakers, 1,348 Nepali, 1,133 Cantonese, 621 Arabic and 392 Korean, a stack closer to Hurstville's Chinese profile than Auburn's Middle Eastern mix. University attainment reaches 43.7%, sitting 13.6 percentage points above the national rate, yet the median age of 36 runs four years younger than the Australian median of 40. Buddhism (2,906) and Hinduism (2,807) together rival Christianity (8,204) at roughly a 70-30 split among the religious-affiliated, an unusually pluralistic religious composition compared with most Greater Sydney suburbs.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
21.8%
Houses
10.7%
Townhouse
67.3%
Apartment
Tenure
Apartments dominate at 67.3% of stock, with 10.7% semi-detached and only 21.8% separate houses, the inverse of the typical Sydney suburban ratio where detached homes usually hold a majority. Two-bedroom dwellings make up 59.2% of all configurations, while four-plus bedroom homes sit at just 12.2%, narrowing the family-home pool. The median house price of $687,000 represents an earliest-to-latest gain of 1.5% across the recent quarters, a flat trajectory compared with double-digit annual growth seen in undersupplied middle-ring corridors. Tenure splits 21.1% outright, 24.1% mortgage and 54.8% rent, putting renters in clear majority position versus the national 31% rent share. Mortgage holders carry a stress ratio of 30.9% (above the 30% benchmark), while renters sit at 26.7%, so financial pressure is concentrated on the smaller mortgage cohort rather than the larger renter base.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,000
Rent / wk
$400
HH Size
2.6
Personal Income / wk
$652
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
9.2%
Unoccupied
915
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
26.7%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
30.9% stressed
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
27.7%
Couples, no children
18,251
Total families
Economy & Employment
The employment base tilts to services rather than industry: Healthcare leads at 20.9% of jobs (1,402 workers), followed by Retail at 10.3%, Professional and Tech at 9.3%, Education at 8.4% and Hospitality at 7.3%, a top-five mix consistent with an inner-ring train suburb rather than a suburban manufacturing belt. Professionals at 2,098 form the largest occupation group, but Labourers (1,341) and Community workers (1,332) appear in numbers that reflect the migrant labour-market entry pattern. SEIFA produces a notable anomaly: education and occupation decile 6 contrasts with economic-resources decile 1 and disadvantage decile 1, meaning credentials run higher than household earnings would suggest, a classic recent-migrant pattern with credentials yet to convert to income. Unemployment of 10.1% sits well above the metropolitan average near 4%, and the 37.6% participation rate underscores a sizeable not-in-labour-force cohort of 9,782 residents.
Unemployment
4.3%
Labour Force
6,878
Unemployed
294
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
59.4%
Part-time
30.5%
Participation
37.6%
Employed
7,681
Occupations
Top Industries
University
43.7%
Postgraduate
12.6%
Born Overseas
69.1%
Dwellings
9,021
Transport to Work
Train access is the dominant practical advantage: the T8 line to Central runs roughly every 10 minutes peak, and 20.8% of residents commute by public transport, above the Greater Sydney metro share near 15%. School data shows three primary options, Campsie Public (ICSEA 1016, enrolment 515), Harcourt Public (ICSEA 1033, enrolment 373) and St Mel's Catholic (ICSEA 1056, enrolment 345), all marginally above the national ICSEA benchmark of 1000 and consistent with the migrant-family education focus. No state high schools sit inside the boundary, so secondary students typically travel to Canterbury or Belmore. SEIFA IRSAD decile 4 places the area in the lower-middle band of socio-economic advantage, a notable contrast with the suburb's high 43.7% university attainment rate. The Beamish Street Korean BBQ and dumpling strip remains the suburb's defining commercial corridor, drawing weekend visitors from across Sydney's south.
Drive
65.3%
Public Transport
20.8%
Walk / Cycle
6.4%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.59%/yr
(+57 people/yr)
EstablishedPopulation growth runs at a measured 0.59% per year (about 57 residents annually), reaching a projected 9,902 by 2031 from the 2026 baseline of 9,615, a steadier trajectory than greenfield growth corridors that often clear 3% annually. The migration pattern is the more revealing metric: a net overseas inflow of +422 per year offsets a net internal outflow of -354, so the suburb keeps growing only because international arrivals replace departing locals. Real household income climbed 30.2% across the decade and population is up 12.8% since 2011, while affordability deteriorated from 83.3 to 61.8 on the local index. The gentrification score of 45 places the area in the Active stage, with rent growth of 18.8% confirming the upward pressure. The young-adult share fell 4.5 percentage points, suggesting younger renters increasingly leave the suburb as prices climb.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+422
Net Internal / yr
-354
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +13% since 2011, Net internal outflow -354/yr, Strong overseas inflow +422/yr, COVID recovered (-5% dip → full recovery)
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Campsie compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Campsie a good suburb to live in?
It suits buyers who value transit and Asian commercial amenity over space: the T8 line reaches Central in around 12 minutes, 67.3% of dwellings are apartments and 54.8% rent. The 26,132 population is 69.1% overseas-born, well above the 28% national figure, so cultural diversity is the defining feature. SEIFA IRSAD decile 4 sits in the lower-middle band, but university attainment of 43.7% and 1,402 healthcare jobs anchor a stable services base.
What is the median house price in Campsie?
The median house price sits at $687,000 based on 2024-2025 PSI-derived data, with the latest quarter at $690,000, a 1.5% gain from the earliest $680,000 figure. This is well below the Sydney metro median near $1.4 million, reflecting that only 21.8% of dwellings are separate houses. Median rent of $400 per week against $687,000 produces a gross yield near 3.0%, higher than nearby Marrickville, with mortgage repayments averaging $2,000 per month.
What schools are in Campsie?
Three primary schools serve the suburb: Campsie Public (515 students, ICSEA 1016), Harcourt Public (373 students, ICSEA 1033) and St Mel's Catholic Primary (345 students, ICSEA 1056). All three sit above the national ICSEA benchmark of 1000, with St Mel's leading by 56 points. No state high schools sit within boundaries, so secondary students typically commute 1 to 2 km to Canterbury Girls, Canterbury Boys or Belmore Boys.
Is Campsie safe?
Detailed BOCSAR crime data is not available for this profile, so direct per-capita comparisons cannot be quoted here. As a guide, the suburb's IRSAD decile 4 sits 6 deciles below Sydney's most affluent areas, and the busy Beamish Street commercial strip generates a typical inner-ring activity profile. Density of 7,746 per square kilometre across 3.37 km2 keeps streets active into the evening. Buyers should consult NSW BOCSAR for the latest 12-month figures.
Is Campsie good for property investment?
Yields appeal: 54.8% of households rent versus 31% nationally, the $400 weekly rent against the $687,000 house median produces gross yields around 3.0%, and rents have risen 18.8% over the decade. The reported 9.2% vacancy figure looks high versus the Sydney sub-2% metro average and reflects high apartment turnover. Overseas migration of +422 per year sustains demand, while 68 development applications in 12 months signal continued supply pressure.
How is Campsie's population changing?
Growth runs at 0.59% per year (about 57 residents annually), with the local population forecast to rise from 9,615 in 2026 to 9,902 by 2031, a 3% five-year gain that trails Sydney's roughly 1.5% annual metro rate. Composition is shifting: net overseas migration adds 422 per year while internal migration loses 354. Population rose 12.8% since 2011, the young-adult share fell 4.5 points, and the gentrification score of 45 places the area in the Active stage.
What languages are spoken in Campsie?
With 69.1% of residents born overseas (47.5 percentage points above the national figure), language diversity is a defining feature. Mandarin leads at 3,023 speakers, followed by 1,348 Nepali, 1,133 Cantonese, 621 Arabic and 392 Korean, a stack reflecting Chinese, South Asian, Middle Eastern and Korean migration waves along the T8 rail corridor. Chinese ancestry totals 9,005 residents, more than five times the 1,845 English count.
How much development is happening in Campsie?
Activity is brisk: 68 development applications were lodged in the past 12 months across a 3.37 km2 footprint, a density near 20 DAs per square kilometre that is well above the Greater Sydney average for established suburbs. Recent samples include dwelling-house CDCs, subdivision applications and alteration-and-addition work. With apartments already at 67.3% of stock and rents up 18.8% over the decade, the pipeline points to continued densification along Beamish Street.
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.
Explore Campsie on the Map
View parcels, zoning overlays, DA applications, schools and more.
Open Interactive Map