Chifley
Household income is the standout signal in Chifley: the weekly household figure is $2,311, placing it at the 88.3rd percentile and well above the national midpoint. Its 3,490 residents occupy just 1.06 sq km, creating a density of 3,303 people per sq km, while the median age of 42 is 2 years above the national figure. The suburb is a compact, established pocket with a family-oriented housing base and a high work-from-home share of 43.0%. Compared with nearby Matraville, Chifley feels more residential and lower scale, while remaining close to eastern Sydney employment and services. The trade-off is that high incomes do not remove borrowing pressure, with mortgage costs equal to 32.1% of household income.
Population
3,490
Median Age
42.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,311/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
43
Chifley suits buyers who value space over a purely apartment-led address, because 58.6% of dwellings are separate houses, 25.3% are semi-detached and 16.1% are apartments. The bedroom mix reinforces that pattern: 43.5% have four or more bedrooms and 34.8% have three, making dwelling condition, land and renovation scope more important than a single suburb-wide price headline. Ownership is split between 33.8% outright owners and 34.2% mortgage holders, while renters account for 30.7%. A reported monthly mortgage figure of $3,210 equals 32.1% of household income, so borrowing capacity needs to be stress-tested rather than judged only against the 88.3 household-income percentile. Compared with a denser apartment market, Chifley provides more family-format stock, but buyers should inspect parking, maintenance and planning constraints at the exact address.
For Buyers
Chifley suits buyers who value space over a purely apartment-led address, because 58.6% of dwellings are separate houses, 25.3% are semi-detached and 16.1% are apartments. The bedroom mix reinforces that pattern: 43.5% have four or more bedrooms and 34.8% have three, making dwelling condition, land and renovation scope more important than a single suburb-wide price headline. Ownership is split between 33.8% outright owners and 34.2% mortgage holders, while renters account for 30.7%. A reported monthly mortgage figure of $3,210 equals 32.1% of household income, so borrowing capacity needs to be stress-tested rather than judged only against the 88.3 household-income percentile. Compared with a denser apartment market, Chifley provides more family-format stock, but buyers should inspect parking, maintenance and planning constraints at the exact address.
For Investors
Chifley's rental case rests on established housing demand rather than a high-growth story. The weekly rent figure is $400, the renter share is 30.7% and vacancy is 6.9%, so investors should allow for a more competitive leasing environment than a tightly undersupplied market. Rent growth of 23.3% points to recent pricing momentum, but it should be tested against property condition and tenant turnover, which is 18.3%. Development activity is material at 43 applications in 12 months, including a 2-dwelling attached dual occupancy example. That pipeline can increase choice and competition, especially for similar homes. The wider forecast points to 0.65% annual growth driven by overseas migration, so the investment thesis is more about holding quality stock in an established suburb than relying on rapid capital growth.
Development Activity
Total DAs
298
Last 12 Months
43
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+10.3%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Chifley
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Demographics
Chifley is older and more settled than the national profile: the median age is 42, or 2 years above national, and average household size is 2.9, or 0.4 above the national figure. Household continuity is notable, with 81.7% of residents staying at the same address and turnover at 18.3%, which supports a stable family base. Couples with children make up 57.3% of families, compared with 25.0% couples without children, while one-parent families account for 16.8%. University attainment is 36.9%, 6.8 percentage points above national, and 29.6% were born overseas, 8.0 points above national. English, Irish, Chinese and Scottish ancestry are prominent, alongside French 43 and Greek 40 language counts. Compared with nearby Matraville, Chifley presents as a quieter, more settled residential pocket, although the trajectory is declining young, with the young share down 3.5 points and senior share up 1.6.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
58.6%
Houses
25.3%
Townhouse
16.1%
Apartment
Tenure
Chifley's housing profile is weighted toward established family dwellings: 43.5% contain four or more bedrooms and 34.8% contain three, while separate houses represent 58.6%, semi-detached homes 25.3% and apartments 16.1%. Tenure is relatively balanced, with 33.8% owned outright, 34.2% mortgaged and 30.7% rented. That mix can support different buyer stages because outright owners provide stability while renters and mortgage holders maintain turnover. The affordability trend is marked Improving, with recorded values of 42.3 in 2011 and 37.8 in 2021, yet rent growth reached 23.3% and mortgage costs equal 32.1% of household income. Compared with a smaller-dwelling market, Chifley's larger bedroom mix may broaden family demand, but it also raises maintenance and upgrade costs. The 6.9% vacancy rate gives tenants more choice than a severely tight market, so pricing power should not be assumed from rent growth alone.
Mortgage / mo
$3,210
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (April to June 2026), NSW Rental Bond Board (DCJ). Census 2021 median: $400.
$1,100
Bond data Jun 2026 · houses $1,498 · units $1,050
HH Size
2.9
Personal Income / wk
$841
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
6.9%
Unoccupied
85
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
17.3%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
32.1% stressed
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
57.3%
Couples with children
25.0%
Couples, no children
16.8%
Single parent
929
Total families
Economy & Employment
Chifley's economic base is concentrated in practical and professional services. Education accounts for 14.9% of workers, or 162, followed by Construction at 14.1% and 154, Healthcare at 13.7% and 149, Professional/Tech at 10.5% and 114, and Public Administration at 7.3% and 80. The largest occupation groups are Professionals at 372, Managers at 274 and Clerical/Admin at 273, with Trades at 204. Labour force participation is 59.1%, unemployment is 3.4% and full-time work accounts for 56.4% of employment. Household income sits at the 88.3 percentile, above the national midpoint. SEIFA is mixed: IEO and IER are both decile 7, IRSAD reaches decile 8, while IRSD is decile 6, indicating strong income and occupational advantage alongside some relative disadvantage. That helps explain why prosperity can coexist with 32.1% mortgage pressure.
Unemployment
3.4%
Labour Force
1,640
Unemployed
55
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
56.4%
Part-time
33.4%
Participation
59.1%
Employed
1,585
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
36.9%
Postgraduate
11.5%
Born Overseas
29.6%
Dwellings
1,155
Transport to Work
Daily life in Chifley is more car and home based than transit oriented: 46.6% travel as car drivers, 2.7% use public transport and 2.8% walk or cycle, while 43.0% work from home. That pattern suits residents prioritising local errands and parking, but commute planning matters because public transport use is comparatively low. One school is listed within the suburb, a government secondary school, so families should check enrolment zones and nearby primary options against the exact address. Social conditions are favourable overall, with an IRSAD decile of 8 and an IEO decile of 7, placing Chifley above the middle decile for area advantage. The median age of 42 and density of 3,303 people per sq km create a settled urban feel, while the 1.06 sq km footprint keeps services and neighbouring centres close. Crime conditions should be checked using current local incident information before making a safety decision.
Drive
46.6%
Public Transport
2.7%
Walk / Cycle
2.8%
Work from Home
43.0%
Population Forecast
+0.65%/yr
(+18 people/yr)
EstablishedChifley has an established, measured growth profile rather than a fringe expansion cycle. The annual trend is 0.65%, with overseas migration identified as the primary driver, while population change across the wider area is 7.6% over 10 years. The shift trajectory is Declining young: the young share has fallen 3.5 percentage points, the senior share has risen 1.6 points and the working share has increased 2.0 points. This points to gradual household ageing because younger residents are not replacing older cohorts at the same rate. Gentrification is currently scored at 15, with stage Not gentrifying, while the shift assessment records 36 and Early signs. Compared with a rapid-growth corridor, Chifley is more likely to change through incremental renovations, dual occupancies and overseas migration than through a sudden population surge.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+43
Net Internal / yr
-29
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Accelerating: -5% → 13%
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Chifley compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Chifley a good suburb to live in?
Chifley can suit households wanting established, family-sized housing close to eastern Sydney employment areas. It has 43.5% four-plus-bedroom dwellings, 43.0% working from home and an IRSAD decile of 8. Buyers should still test the $3,210 monthly mortgage figure against their own budget and check transport and enrolment needs.
What is the median house price in Chifley?
A current median house price should be confirmed against recent Chifley sales because the suburb contains 58.6% separate houses, 25.3% semi-detached homes and 16.1% apartments. The bedroom mix also varies, with 43.5% of dwellings having four or more bedrooms, so property type can materially shift the suburb-wide median.
What schools are in Chifley?
Chifley has 1 listed local school: Matraville Sports High School, a government secondary school. School access depends on the exact catchment, and families should also check nearby primary options across surrounding suburbs. Enrolment rules can matter more than the suburb label, particularly for a compact 1.06 sq km area.
Is Chifley safe?
Safety is best judged using current incident information for the exact streets, routes and facilities being considered, because local conditions can vary within a compact suburb. Chifley has 3,490 residents across 1.06 sq km. Compare recent conditions with nearby Matraville and Malabar before making a decision.
Is Chifley good for property investment?
Chifley may suit a long-term investor seeking established housing, but the numbers favour selectivity. Weekly rent is $400, vacancy is 6.9% and renters are 30.7% of households. There were 43 development applications in 12 months, including a 2-dwelling attached dual occupancy, while the wider growth trend is 0.65% annually. Check holding costs and competing stock before buying.
How is Chifley's population changing?
Chifley has 3,490 residents today. The wider-area forecast records 0.65% annual growth and 7.6% population change over 10 years, driven primarily by overseas migration. Its trajectory is Declining young, with the young share down 3.5 percentage points and the senior share up 1.6 points. That suggests gradual ageing rather than rapid youth-led expansion.
What development is planned in Chifley?
Recent activity includes 43 applications in 12 months, covering alterations, subdivisions and dual occupancy. One example is an attached dual occupancy for 2 dwellings. Application activity does not guarantee approval or completion, so buyers should verify the status of any address-specific proposal before relying on a future streetscape or supply change.
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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