Chatswood
At 5,100.7 people per sq km, Chatswood packs 25,553 residents into 5.01 sq km and pairs high density with a strongly international population: 64.3% were born overseas, 66.5% have university qualifications, and household income sits at the 82.1st percentile. The housing mix is sharply apartment-led, with 67.6% apartments and 50.7% renters. Compared with nearby Willoughby and Roseville, Chatswood is more vertical and renter-oriented, while its 37-year median age is 3 years below the national figure. Its appeal is strongest for professionals and smaller households wanting services close by, but mortgage costs and limited family-sized stock narrow the buyer pool.
Population
25,553
Median Age
37.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,158/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
383
Chatswood suits buyers who prioritise apartment access and flexible living over a large block. Apartments account for 67.6% of dwellings, while separate houses are 27.9%; 58.4% work from home, supporting demand for well-planned smaller homes. The main stock is 2-bedroom at 39.1%, followed by 3-bedroom at 23.6%, so families should inspect storage, natural light and strata finances carefully. A typical mortgage commitment is $2,858 a month, and mortgage costs equal 30.6% of household income, higher than the 26.7% rent-to-income measure. Compared with nearby Willoughby and Roseville, Chatswood offers a more vertical purchase pattern, while the 26.4% outright ownership rate is well below the 50.7% renting share.
For Buyers
Chatswood suits buyers who prioritise apartment access and flexible living over a large block. Apartments account for 67.6% of dwellings, while separate houses are 27.9%; 58.4% work from home, supporting demand for well-planned smaller homes. The main stock is 2-bedroom at 39.1%, followed by 3-bedroom at 23.6%, so families should inspect storage, natural light and strata finances carefully. A typical mortgage commitment is $2,858 a month, and mortgage costs equal 30.6% of household income, higher than the 26.7% rent-to-income measure. Compared with nearby Willoughby and Roseville, Chatswood offers a more vertical purchase pattern, while the 26.4% outright ownership rate is well below the 50.7% renting share.
For Investors
Chatswood has a substantial tenant base, with 50.7% renting compared with 26.4% owning outright. Weekly rent is $577 and vacancy is 11.5%, a high-vacancy combination that can give renters choice and make leasing performance more sensitive to presentation, price and building quality. Development activity reached 405 applications in 12 months, spanning retail, restaurants, offices and alterations, which supports an active mixed-use environment but also makes it important to check construction, strata and competing supply around each property. Overseas migration is the primary growth driver, while the annual trend is 1.48%, giving demand a broader employment and migration base than a purely local market. Compared with owner-heavy suburbs, the renter majority improves tenant depth but increases exposure to vacancy swings.
Development Activity
Total DAs
1,748
Last 12 Months
383
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+3.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Chatswood
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Demographics
Chatswood's 25,553 residents form a highly international and educated population. Overseas-born residents account for 64.3%, which is 42.7 percentage points above the national comparison, while 66.5% have university qualifications, 36.4 points above national. Chinese ancestry is the largest recorded group at 10,836, followed by Other at 4,306 and English at 3,507; Mandarin is spoken by 2,608 residents and Cantonese by 1,358. The median age is 37, 3 years below national, and average household size is 2.5. Compared with nearby Willoughby and Roseville, Chatswood has a more internationally connected character, reinforced by 31.3% residential turnover even though 68.7% stayed at the same address.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
27.9%
Houses
4.3%
Townhouse
67.6%
Apartment
Tenure
Chatswood's housing is built around apartments rather than detached family stock: 67.6% are apartments, 27.9% separate houses and 4.3% semi-detached. Two-bedroom dwellings lead at 39.1%, with 19.2% studio or one-bedroom and 18.1% four-plus-bedroom homes, creating a broad but compact ladder. Tenure is renter-majority at 50.7%, compared with 26.4% owned outright and 20.2% mortgaged. Mortgage costs average $2,858 a month and mortgage-to-income is 30.6%, higher than rent-to-income at 26.7%, so borrowing capacity matters even for high-income households. Household income ranks at the 82.1st percentile, yet the 5,100.7-per-sq-km density points to a premium attached to convenience rather than land. Compared with nearby Willoughby and Roseville, the mix is more vertical and smaller-home oriented.
Mortgage / mo
$2,858
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (April to June 2026), NSW Rental Bond Board (DCJ). Census 2021 median: $577.
$870
Bond data Jun 2026 · houses $1,350 · units $850
HH Size
2.5
Personal Income / wk
$938
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
11.5%
Unoccupied
1,243
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
26.7%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
30.6% stressed
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
45.7%
Couples with children
37.6%
Couples, no children
14.3%
Single parent
6,937
Total families
Economy & Employment
Chatswood's economy leans toward knowledge and service work. Professional/Tech accounts for 19.5% of industry employment, followed by Finance at 14.1%, Healthcare at 13.8%, Retail at 7.4% and Education at 7.2%. Professionals number 4,821 and managers 2,126, while clerical and administrative work adds 1,502. Labour force participation is 60.6%, unemployment is 5.5%, and 61.4% of workers are full time, supporting spending in local retail and services. Socio-economic measures are uneven in a useful way: IEO is in decile 10, IRSAD is also decile 10, IRSD is decile 8, but IER is decile 5. Compared with national conditions, the 82.1st-percentile household income and 66.5% university rate indicate above-average capacity, while the mid-range IER suggests those advantages do not translate evenly across every household.
Unemployment
5.5%
Labour Force
12,889
Unemployed
710
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
61.4%
Part-time
28.5%
Participation
60.6%
Employed
12,179
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
66.5%
Postgraduate
23.6%
Born Overseas
64.3%
Dwellings
9,523
Transport to Work
Chatswood is highly urban in form, with 5,100.7 people per sq km and 58.4% working from home. Car driving accounts for 21.7% of daily travel patterns, compared with 8.8% using public transport and 8.7% walking or cycling, suggesting that local convenience and flexible work shape routines. Two local government schools cover primary and secondary education; families should check enrolment zones against the exact address because boundaries can cut across nearby streets. Socio-economic advantage is high, with IRSAD in decile 10 and IEO in decile 10, although IRSD is decile 8 and IER decile 5, indicating uneven conditions beneath the headline picture. Safety decisions should use current NSW Police incident information and visits at different times, because incident patterns vary by precinct and period. Compared with lower-density suburbs, apartment living and 50.7% renting make building management, noise and shared facilities especially important.
Drive
21.7%
Public Transport
8.8%
Walk / Cycle
8.7%
Work from Home
58.4%
Population Forecast
+1.48%/yr
(+320 people/yr)
EstablishedChatswood is classified as established, but its direction is still positive: the annual growth trend is 1.48% and population change across the wider area runs at 24.8% over 10 years. Growth is driven primarily by overseas migration, with the trajectory labelled Growing (all ages), so demand should remain tied to international arrivals as well as local employment. Rents have risen 18.0%, while gentrification is at the Early signs stage with a score of 30, indicating change without a fully transformed market. Compared with the COVID shock of -3.8%, the area recovered and recorded an 8.5% recovery. Affordability moved from 80.6 in 2011 to 64.7 in 2021, so population momentum is occurring alongside a more pressured entry point.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+1,056
Net Internal / yr
-620
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +31% since 2011, Net internal outflow -620/yr, Strong overseas inflow +1056/yr, COVID recovered (-4% dip → full recovery)
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Chatswood compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Chatswood a good suburb to live in?
Chatswood suits people who value services, apartment choice and a highly international setting. It has 25,553 residents, 67.6% apartments and household income at the 82.1st percentile. The trade-offs are 5,100.7 people per sq km, 50.7% renting and mortgage costs of $2,858 a month.
What is the median house price in Chatswood?
A current median house price should be checked against recent settled sales because only 27.9% of dwellings are separate houses, compared with 67.6% apartments. Buyers should also compare land size, renovation status, school catchments and strata costs, as these factors can create a wide spread between individual Chatswood sales.
What schools are in Chatswood?
Chatswood has 2 local government schools: Chatswood Public School for primary students and Chatswood High School for secondary students. Families should confirm the enrolment zone for the exact address, as boundaries can change access between nearby streets and properties.
Is Chatswood safe?
Safety can vary between busy retail areas, apartment streets and quieter pockets. For a current assessment, review NSW Police incident information and visit at different times. Chatswood's density is 5,100.7 people per sq km, so building access, lighting, noise and late-night activity are practical factors to inspect.
Is Chatswood good for property investment?
Chatswood has strong tenant depth, with 50.7% renting, weekly rent of $577 and overseas migration as the primary growth driver. However, vacancy is 11.5% and 405 development applications were recorded in 12 months. Investors should stress-test vacancy, strata costs and competing apartment supply rather than rely on rent alone.
How is Chatswood's population changing?
Chatswood has a Growing (all ages) trajectory, with annual growth forecast at 1.48% and population change across the wider area of 24.8% over 10 years. Overseas migration is the main driver. The suburb's current population is 25,553, while rent growth of 18.0% points to stronger demand alongside rising housing pressure.
What languages are spoken in Chatswood?
Mandarin is spoken by 2,608 residents, Cantonese by 1,358 and Korean by 540. Japanese is recorded for 356 residents and Hindi for 243. This language mix reflects the suburb's overseas-born share of 64.3% and supports access to multilingual retail, services and community networks.
Is Chatswood experiencing much development?
Yes. Chatswood recorded 405 development applications in 12 months, including retail, restaurant, office and building alteration work. The volume supports an active commercial setting, but buyers and renters should check construction timing, building quality, strata records and competing supply before committing to a property.
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 education open registers (school locations), 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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