Canley Vale
At 64.0% born overseas, Canley Vale sits 42.4 points above the national average, and that migration profile shapes almost everything else here. Vietnamese ancestry leads at 3,600 residents, followed by Chinese at 2,685, and Buddhism is the largest faith at 3,645 adherents, ahead of Christianity at 2,989. The suburb ranks in IRSD decile 1 and IRSAD decile 1, the most disadvantaged national tier, yet the median house price has climbed to $905,000, a tension driven by Sydney land scarcity rather than local incomes, which sit in the 33.4th household percentile. Personal income of $475 per week is low, so housing costs run well ahead of what local earnings would predict.
Population
10,300
Median Age
39.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,330/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
51
Median House
$905K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The median house price of $905,000 is high for a suburb whose household income ranks in only the 33.4th percentile, which is why mortgage repayments average just $1,694 monthly: buyers here lean on family pooling and large households rather than individual incomes. Separate houses make up 53.4% of stock, above the apartment share of 29.2%, and three-bedroom dwellings (33.3%) plus four-plus bedrooms (29.1%) dominate, suiting the average household size of 3.1. Outright ownership at 31.0% exceeds the mortgage share of 26.3%, signalling an older, settled owner base. Mortgage-to-income at 29.4% stays just below the 30% stress line, so affordability is stretched but not yet in distress.
For Buyers
The median house price of $905,000 is high for a suburb whose household income ranks in only the 33.4th percentile, which is why mortgage repayments average just $1,694 monthly: buyers here lean on family pooling and large households rather than individual incomes. Separate houses make up 53.4% of stock, above the apartment share of 29.2%, and three-bedroom dwellings (33.3%) plus four-plus bedrooms (29.1%) dominate, suiting the average household size of 3.1. Outright ownership at 31.0% exceeds the mortgage share of 26.3%, signalling an older, settled owner base. Mortgage-to-income at 29.4% stays just below the 30% stress line, so affordability is stretched but not yet in distress.
For Investors
Renters make up 42.7% of households, below the owner share, a moderate tenant pool rather than a deep one. Weekly rent of $330 against a $905,000 median produces a gross yield near 1.9%, low and typical of land-heavy Sydney middle-ring suburbs where value sits in the dirt, not the rent. The vacancy rate of 6.6% is elevated and points to softer rental demand than headline migration suggests. Net overseas migration of 333 per year supports demand, but internal outflow of 341 offsets it, leaving growth flat. Development is healthy at 43 applications in 12 months, many for secondary dwellings, signalling granny-flat yield plays on the large blocks.
Development Activity
Total DAs
275
Last 12 Months
51
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+24.4%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Canley Vale iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Pal Buddhist School
K-12 · 109 students
Canley Vale Public School
P-6 · 752 students
Canley Vale High School
7-12 · 1651 students
Lansvale Public School
P-6 · 524 students
Demographics
Born overseas at 64.0% runs 42.4 points above the national figure, the defining trait of Canley Vale. Vietnamese ancestry leads at 3,600, then Chinese at 2,685 and English far behind at 610, while Cantonese (441), Mandarin (250) and Khmer (213) are the top languages other than English. Buddhism is the largest religion at 3,645 followers, ahead of Christianity at 2,989. University qualifications at 35.4% sit 5.3 points above national, higher than the suburb's disadvantaged SEIFA ranking would imply. The average household size of 3.1 is 0.6 above national, reflecting multigenerational families, with couples raising children (2,926) far outnumbering couples without children (1,200).
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
53.4%
Houses
17.2%
Townhouse
29.2%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure splits 42.7% renting, 31.0% owned outright and 26.3% with a mortgage, an unusually high outright share that marks a long-settled owner base. The stock is land-heavy: 53.4% separate houses, 29.2% apartments and 17.2% semi-detached, with three-bedroom (33.3%) and four-plus-bedroom (29.1%) dwellings dominating. PSI-derived sales rose from $802,500 in 2024 to $1,050,000 in 2025, while the modelled median sits at $905,000. The IER decile 2 ranking reflects modest economic resources, consistent with personal income of $475 per week. Mortgage-to-income at 29.4% and rent-to-income at 24.8% both stay below stress thresholds, but only because large households share the load.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,694
Rent / wk
$330
HH Size
3.1
Personal Income / wk
$475
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
6.6%
Unoccupied
217
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.8%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
29.4%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
14.6%
Couples, no children
8,220
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare leads employment at 16.7% (282 workers), followed by Retail at 10.2% (171), Professional/Tech at 9.0% (152), Education at 8.0% (134) and Finance at 7.8% (131). Occupations skew toward Professionals (604) but with strong Labourers (500) and Machinery operators/Drivers (476), a mixed white and blue collar base. The IEO decile 2 ranking confirms below-average education and occupation outcomes, and the reported unemployment rate of 12.0% sits well above the national average, a clear headwind. Real income grew 14.3% over the decade, slower than Sydney's hotter inner suburbs. Personal weekly income of $475 is low, which is why affordability depends on pooled family earnings.
Unemployment
6.0%
Labour Force
10,579
Unemployed
637
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
64.7%
Part-time
23.3%
Participation
34.5%
Employed
2,603
Occupations
Top Industries
University
35.4%
Postgraduate
5.2%
Born Overseas
64.0%
Dwellings
3,058
Transport to Work
Car dependence is high: 80.9% drive to work, well above the share using public transport at 7.3%, and only 2.8% walk or cycle, reflecting a middle-ring location without the active-transport infrastructure of inner Sydney. The SEIFA IRSAD decile 1 ranking, the lowest national tier, frames the livability profile, and 9.0% of residents (862 people) report needing assistance with daily activities, above what wealthier suburbs record. Rent-to-income at 24.8% stays below stress levels, keeping costs manageable for a suburb where personal income of $475 per week is low. Strong migrant food and grocery culture, anchored by the 3,600-strong Vietnamese community, is a practical draw.
Drive
80.9%
Public Transport
7.3%
Walk / Cycle
2.8%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.62%/yr
(+140 people/yr)
EstablishedPopulation growth is slow at 0.62% per year, roughly 140 persons, classifying Canley Vale as an established rather than fast-growing suburb. The 10-year change was a modest 13.6%, well below high-growth fringe markets. Overseas migration of 333 per year is the sole growth engine, almost exactly cancelled by net internal outflow of 341 per year, so the suburb essentially refills itself with new arrivals as established residents move further out. The young-share fell 3.5 points while the senior share rose 2.7 points, an ageing trajectory. The gentrification score of 13 places it firmly in the not-gentrifying band, and affordability held steady (76.5% in 2011 versus 75.3% in 2021).
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+333
Net Internal / yr
-341
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Population +10% since 2011, Net internal outflow -341/yr, Strong overseas inflow +333/yr
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Canley Vale compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Canley Vale a good suburb to live in?
Canley Vale suits multigenerational and migrant families, with 64.0% of residents born overseas, 42.4 points above national, and average household size of 3.1. It offers affordable rent-to-income of 24.8% and a strong Vietnamese community of 3,600. The trade-off is an IRSAD decile 1 ranking, the most disadvantaged national tier, and high car dependence at 80.9%.
What is the median house price in Canley Vale?
The modelled median house price is $905,000, while PSI-derived sales rose from $802,500 in 2024 to $1,050,000 in 2025. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,694 and weekly rent is $330, producing a gross yield near 1.9%. Prices run high relative to local incomes, which rank in the 33.4th household percentile.
What schools are in Canley Vale?
School-level data is not available in this dataset for Canley Vale, so specific campuses cannot be listed. Education employs 8.0% of the local workforce (134 workers), and university qualifications among residents reach 35.4%, which is 5.3 points above the national average despite the suburb's lower overall SEIFA ranking.
Is Canley Vale safe?
Verified crime-rate data is not available in this dataset for Canley Vale, so a safety score cannot be quoted. As context, the suburb has a settled owner base with 31.0% owning outright and a low residential turnover, since 82.6% of residents stayed put and only 17.4% moved, which often correlates with community stability.
Is Canley Vale good for property investment?
The 42.7% renter share gives a moderate tenant pool, but gross yield is low near 1.9% ($330 weekly rent on a $905,000 median), and the 6.6% vacancy rate is elevated. Net overseas migration of 333 per year supports demand, though internal outflow of 341 offsets it. Value sits in land, not rent, suiting granny-flat plays among the 43 recent applications.
How is Canley Vale's population changing?
Growth is slow at 0.62% per year, about 140 persons, with a 13.6% rise over 10 years, below high-growth fringe markets. Overseas migration of 333 per year is the only driver, nearly cancelled by internal outflow of 341. The young share fell 3.5 points and the senior share rose 2.7 points, an ageing trajectory.
What languages are spoken in Canley Vale?
With 64.0% of residents born overseas, 42.4 points above national, English is a minority first language. The top non-English languages are Cantonese (441 speakers), Mandarin (250), Khmer (213) and Arabic (210), reflecting the dominant Vietnamese (3,600) and Chinese (2,685) ancestries and a Buddhist population of 3,645.
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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