Chester Hill
With 46.6% of residents born overseas, Chester Hill sits 25.0 percentage points above the national comparison and has a larger household pattern at 3.2 people, 0.7 above national. Compared with nearby Sefton and Bass Hill, it reads as a family house market rather than a unit hub, because 73.8% of dwellings are separate houses. The population base is 14,007 in 3.98 sq km, so density is meaningful without the apartment concentration seen in larger centres.
Population
14,007
Median Age
34.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,355/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
118
Median House
$1.2M
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
Buyers are paying into a house-led suburb: the headline median house price is $1,220,000, while the latest price series reached $1,310,000 in 2025 after 12.7% growth from 2024. Space is the main draw, with 42.0% of homes having 3 bedrooms and 31.9% having 4 or more. The trade-off is serviceability, because mortgage costs take 36.9% of income, higher than the 28.0% rent-to-income figure and notable for a household income percentile of 35.0.
For Buyers
Buyers are paying into a house-led suburb: the headline median house price is $1,220,000, while the latest price series reached $1,310,000 in 2025 after 12.7% growth from 2024. Space is the main draw, with 42.0% of homes having 3 bedrooms and 31.9% having 4 or more. The trade-off is serviceability, because mortgage costs take 36.9% of income, higher than the 28.0% rent-to-income figure and notable for a household income percentile of 35.0.
For Investors
Chester Hill has a large tenant pool, with 42.1% of homes rented and a weekly rent of $380. Vacancy at 6.1% is higher than a tight rental setting, so landlords need to compete on condition and location rather than assume instant take-up. Demand is supported by 110 development applications over 12 months and overseas migration averaging 285 net people a year, but the lower rent-to-income ratio of 28.0% limits how far rents can rise.
Development Activity
Total DAs
564
Last 12 Months
118
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+18.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Chester Hill iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Salamah College
K-12 · 1353 students
Chester Hill Public School
K-6 · 578 students
Chester Hill North Public School
K-6 · 400 students
Chester Hill High School
7-12 · 1056 students
Demographics
The suburb is younger than the national profile, with a median age of 34, which is 6.0 years below the national comparison. Overseas-born residents make up 46.6%, 25.0 percentage points above national, while university attainment is 30.1%, broadly at the national benchmark. Lebanese ancestry is prominent at 2,620 people, alongside Chinese at 1,717 and Vietnamese at 1,499, helping explain the high use of Arabic, Mandarin and Cantonese at home.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
73.8%
Houses
13.7%
Townhouse
12.3%
Apartment
Tenure
Housing is dominated by detached stock, with 73.8% separate houses compared with 12.3% apartments and 13.7% semi-detached homes. Prices moved from $1,162,500 in 2024 to $1,310,000 in 2025, a 12.7% lift, and the latest result is still at the recorded peak, with peak-to-latest change at 0.0%. Tenure is mixed: 27.4% own outright, 30.4% have a mortgage and 42.1% rent, so the market has both family owners and a sizeable rental base.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,167
Rent / wk
$380
HH Size
3.2
Personal Income / wk
$495
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
6.1%
Unoccupied
259
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
28.0%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
36.9% stressed
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
12.9%
Couples, no children
11,316
Total families
Economy & Employment
The local workforce leans toward essential services and blue-collar activity. Healthcare is the largest industry at 17.1% or 394 workers, followed by education at 11.3%, retail at 9.1%, construction at 8.9% and manufacturing at 7.8%. Professionals lead occupations with 748 workers, above clerical and admin at 611. SEIFA is uneven: IEO decile 4 is higher than IER decile 2, while IRSD decile 1 and IRSAD decile 2 show lower socio-economic advantage because incomes and resources lag the education signal.
Unemployment
11.1%
Labour Force
9,154
Unemployed
1,013
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
62.4%
Part-time
27.1%
Participation
32.3%
Employed
3,135
Occupations
Top Industries
University
30.1%
Postgraduate
6.9%
Born Overseas
46.6%
Dwellings
3,991
Transport to Work
Daily life is car-led, with 83.2% driving to work compared with 5.4% using public transport and 3.5% walking or cycling. School access is a strength for families, with 4 local schools across Independent and Government sectors and an ICSEA range from 912 to 989. Salamah College is the largest at 1,353 enrolments, while Chester Hill Public reaches ICSEA 958. IRSAD decile 2 is below higher-advantage suburbs, so affordability pressures and service needs shape livability.
Drive
83.2%
Public Transport
5.4%
Walk / Cycle
3.5%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+1.35%/yr
(+294 people/yr)
EstablishedForecast growth is steady rather than speculative, with the trend adding 1.35% a year, equal to about 294 people annually. The medium path rises from 22,249 in 2026 to 23,719 in 2031. Migration explains the pattern: overseas migration is the primary driver at +285 net people a year, compared with internal migration of -243 a year. The gentrification score is 19 and stage is Not gentrifying, so growth is more about population replacement than a high-income reset.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+285
Net Internal / yr
-243
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Population +26% since 2011, Net internal outflow -243/yr, Strong overseas inflow +285/yr
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Chester Hill compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Chester Hill a good suburb to live in?
Chester Hill suits households wanting space, local schools and a strong family setting, with 73.8% separate houses and an average household size of 3.2. Car dependence is high at 83.2%, so it works best for buyers comfortable with driving.
What is the median house price in Chester Hill?
The headline median house price in Chester Hill is $1,220,000. The latest price series point is higher at $1,310,000 in 2025, up 12.7% from $1,162,500 in 2024 and sitting at the recorded peak.
What schools are in Chester Hill?
Chester Hill has 4 local schools. Salamah College is an Independent combined school with 1,353 enrolments and ICSEA 989, while Chester Hill Public has ICSEA 958 and Chester Hill High has 1,056 enrolments.
Is Chester Hill safe?
A suburb-level crime rate per 1,000 residents is not available, so safety should be checked street by street. Families can still assess local activity around the 4 schools, main roads and station areas at different times of day.
Is Chester Hill good for property investment?
Chester Hill has investor appeal from a large rental base, with 42.1% of homes rented and weekly rent at $380. Vacancy is 6.1%, which is higher than a tight market, so property quality and pricing matter.
How is Chester Hill's population changing?
The forecast trend is stable growth of 1.35% a year, or about 294 people annually. The medium path reaches 23,719 by 2031, driven by +285 net overseas migration per year despite -243 net internal migration.
What languages are spoken in Chester Hill?
Arabic is the largest listed non-English language with 1,708 speakers, followed by Mandarin at 345 and Cantonese at 293. This aligns with 46.6% of residents being born overseas, well above the national comparison.
Is there much development in Chester Hill?
Yes. Chester Hill recorded 110 development applications over 12 months, including demolition, new residential accommodation and dwelling alterations. That level is meaningful for a 3.98 sq km suburb and can gradually refresh older housing 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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