Cartwright
A household income at the 5.2nd percentile nationally, yet a median house price of $860,000: that gap defines Cartwright. The suburb ranks in SEIFA decile 1 across all three major disadvantage indexes, placing it in the bottom tenth nationally for education-occupation advantage, relative disadvantage and economic resources. What drives demand is not affluence but population surge: residents grew from 4,252 in 2023 to 4,757 in 2025, a 12% jump in two years, with annual growth forecast at 7.0% to 2031. At 45.3% born overseas, compared to a national figure roughly 21 points lower, Cartwright reflects southwest Sydney's broader migration pattern.
Population
2,616
Median Age
35.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$826/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
20
Median House
$860K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The $860,000 median house price sits against a weekly household income of $826, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 49.1%, well above the 30% stress threshold. Separate houses account for 58.6% of the 0.96 km2 suburb's dwellings, with apartments at 37.5%, so detached housing remains the dominant stock. Bedroom mix skews toward three-bedroom homes at 41%, with four-plus at 19% and two-bedroom at 23.8%. Prices moved from $820,000 in 2024 to $930,000 in 2025, a 13.4% rise in one year, though the asking median for current listings sits at $860,000. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,755, lower in absolute terms than many Sydney suburbs, but high relative to local incomes that rank in the bottom 5th percentile nationally.
For Buyers
The $860,000 median house price sits against a weekly household income of $826, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 49.1%, well above the 30% stress threshold. Separate houses account for 58.6% of the 0.96 km2 suburb's dwellings, with apartments at 37.5%, so detached housing remains the dominant stock. Bedroom mix skews toward three-bedroom homes at 41%, with four-plus at 19% and two-bedroom at 23.8%. Prices moved from $820,000 in 2024 to $930,000 in 2025, a 13.4% rise in one year, though the asking median for current listings sits at $860,000. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,755, lower in absolute terms than many Sydney suburbs, but high relative to local incomes that rank in the bottom 5th percentile nationally.
For Investors
Cartwright's 63.8% renter share is among the highest in southwest Sydney, well above the national average, delivering a large tenant pool. Weekly rent at $225 is modest, reflecting the low-income base. Vacancy sits at 12.8%, which is elevated and suggests some supply overhang or cyclical softness rather than tight competition for tenancies. Development activity shows 17 applications in 12 months, including secondary dwelling and demolition-and-rebuild works, signalling infill activity consistent with growing density. Population growth of 7.0% annually and net internal migration averaging 136 people a year point to sustained demand. The 13.4% capital gain recorded from 2024 to 2025 is above typical Sydney-wide averages, though mortgage stress at 49.1% of income limits the depth of the owner-occupier market.
Development Activity
Total DAs
72
Last 12 Months
20
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+53.8%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Cartwright iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Cartwright Public School
K-6 · 241 students
Demographics
The median age of 35 is 5.0 years below the national figure, pointing to a working-age and family-raising population. Overseas-born residents reach 45.3%, which is 23.7 percentage points above the national average, making Cartwright one of southwest Sydney's more internationally diverse suburbs. Lebanese and Vietnamese ancestries each appear in the top 5 (223 and 222 residents respectively), alongside English (381). Arabic is the most spoken non-English language at 294 speakers. University qualifications at 14.8% are 15.3 points below national, consistent with the SEIFA decile 1 education-occupation score. Islam is the second religion after Christianity, with 515 residents, reflecting the Middle Eastern and Southeast Asian background of a significant portion of residents.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
58.6%
Houses
3.9%
Townhouse
37.5%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure structure is heavily weighted toward renting: 63.8% rent, 20% carry a mortgage and only 16.1% own outright, which is low by any benchmark and indicates little accumulated housing wealth. The 13.4% capital gain from $820,000 in 2024 to $930,000 in 2025 is notable, though the current median of $860,000 suggests some price consolidation. Mortgage-to-income at 49.1% is above the 30% stress threshold and compares unfavourably to wealthier Sydney suburbs; rent-to-income at 27.2% stays below 30%, which is the standard rental stress marker. The 12.8% vacancy rate is high compared to tight Sydney-wide figures and may reflect some mismatch between apartment supply and renter demand. Three-bedroom dwellings at 41% are the most common, consistent with the family-oriented demographic.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,755
Rent / wk
$225
HH Size
2.6
Personal Income / wk
$426
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
12.8%
Unoccupied
131
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
27.2%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
49.1% stressed
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
13.8%
Couples, no children
1,969
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the dominant employer at 28.6% of workers (60 people), well above typical suburban levels, followed by Education at 12.9% and Transport at 9%. The occupation mix leans manual: Labourers (90), Machinery/Drivers (78) and Community/Personal workers (72) fill the top three ranks, with Professionals at 47. Unemployment is elevated at 20.6%, nearly four times higher than typical metropolitan rates, and the participation rate is only 25.7%, pointing to a large proportion of residents outside the workforce entirely, 1,189 people. SEIFA IRSD and IRSAD both sit at decile 1, the lowest nationally, confirming deep structural disadvantage. The IEO decile 2 score reflects low educational attainment with university completion at 14.8%, 15.3 points below national.
Unemployment
12.0%
Labour Force
4,946
Unemployed
595
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
58.7%
Part-time
20.7%
Participation
25.7%
Employed
412
Occupations
Top Industries
University
14.8%
Postgraduate
2.8%
Born Overseas
45.3%
Dwellings
889
Transport to Work
Car dependency is high, with 83.3% of residents driving to work compared to national figures well below that level, and only 4.3% using public transport. This reflects limited rail access relative to inner Sydney. No schools are recorded within the 0.96 km2 suburb boundary, so families rely on institutions in adjacent Heckenberg, Miller and Liverpool, which all fall within the Liverpool local government area. Crime rate data is not available in this dataset. The IRSAD decile 1 ranking places Cartwright in the bottom 10% nationally for relative advantage and disadvantage combined. About 13.2% of residents, 308 people, need daily assistance, which is high relative to the young median age of 35, pointing to disability and health pressures linked to socioeconomic conditions. Volunteering at 5.5% is below typical community benchmarks.
Drive
83.3%
Public Transport
4.3%
Walk / Cycle
2.8%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+7.02%/yr
(+334 people/yr)
High GrowthCartwright is classified as high-growth, with annual population growth at 7.0%, translating to roughly 334 additional residents per year. Historical data shows the population jumped from 4,252 in 2023 to 4,757 in 2025, a 12% rise over two years. Medium-scenario forecasts project the population reaching 7,044 by 2031 from a current base, more than a 50% increase over six years. Internal migration is the primary driver at a net 136 people annually, with overseas migration adding a net 44. The suburb's profile of low ownership costs relative to higher-income areas, a young median age of 35 and family-sized housing stock makes it a destination for price-sensitive in-movers. No gentrification trajectory is recorded, consistent with decile 1 SEIFA scores.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Internal Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+44
Net Internal / yr
+136
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Cartwright compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cartwright a good suburb to live in?
Cartwright offers entry-level southwest Sydney housing at a median of $860,000, with a young population (median age 35, 5 years below national) and rapid growth of 7% a year. The trade-offs are significant: SEIFA decile 1 on all major disadvantage indexes, an unemployment rate of 20.6% and a mortgage-to-income ratio of 49.1% well above the 30% stress threshold.
What is the median house price in Cartwright?
The median house price is $860,000. Prices rose 13.4% from $820,000 in 2024 to $930,000 in 2025 before settling back. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,755, but that still absorbs 49.1% of median household income, above the standard mortgage stress threshold of 30%.
What schools are in Cartwright?
No schools are recorded inside the 0.96 km2 Cartwright boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs such as Heckenberg and Miller within the Liverpool LGA. University qualifications among residents sit at 14.8%, which is 15.3 percentage points below the national average.
Is Cartwright safe?
Specific crime rate data is not available for Cartwright in this dataset. As a context indicator, the suburb scores SEIFA IRSD decile 1, the bottom 10% nationally for relative disadvantage, and unemployment is 20.6%. These structural factors are associated with higher crime risk in comparable southwest Sydney suburbs, though individual street-level conditions vary.
Is Cartwright good for property investment?
The 63.8% renter share provides a deep tenant pool, and the 13.4% capital gain from 2024 to 2025 is above average. Rent at $225 a week against a $860,000 median implies a gross yield of about 1.4%, which is low. The 12.8% vacancy rate and 20.6% unemployment suggest risk. Population forecast of 7% annual growth to 2031 is the strongest demand signal.
How is Cartwright's population changing?
Population grew from 4,252 in 2023 to 4,757 in 2025, a 12% rise over two years, classified as high-growth. Annual growth of 7.0% adds roughly 334 residents per year. Medium forecasts project the population reaching 7,044 by 2031. Internal migration averaging 136 people net per year is the primary driver, with overseas migration adding a further 44.
What languages are spoken in Cartwright?
About 45.3% of residents were born overseas, 23.7 percentage points above the national average. Arabic is the most common non-English language at 294 speakers, followed by Samoan (35) and Khmer (15). Lebanese and Vietnamese ancestry groups each count over 220 residents, reflecting southwest Sydney's multicultural composition.
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 Cartwright on the Map
View parcels, zoning overlays, DA applications, schools and more.
Open Interactive Map