Chisholm
Household income in Chisholm sits at the 95.8th percentile nationally, yet the median house price is $562,500, well below what that income rank would imply in most metro markets. That gap explains the suburb's mortgage-belt character: 62.0% of dwellings are owner-occupied with a mortgage, nearly double the share owned outright at 18.7%. The population of 4,577 skews young with a median age of 32, which is 8 years below the national figure, and 93.7% of homes have 4 or more bedrooms, pointing to a suburb built around families rather than downsizers or investors. SEIFA decile 7 on IRSAD and IEO places it comfortably above average nationally.
Population
4,577
Median Age
32.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,755/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
329
Median House
$562K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
At $562,500, the median house price is accessible compared to most NSW coastal and metropolitan markets. Prices rose from $547,280 in 2024 to $580,000 in 2025, a 6.0% gain over one year, with the current median at the recent peak. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,344, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 19.6%, well below the 30% stress threshold, which explains why 62.0% of households carry mortgages without distress. The stock is almost entirely separate houses at 99.6%, with semi-detached homes at just 0.4% and no recorded apartment supply. With 93.7% of dwellings having 4 or more bedrooms, buyers are predominantly families seeking space rather than entry-level product.
For Buyers
At $562,500, the median house price is accessible compared to most NSW coastal and metropolitan markets. Prices rose from $547,280 in 2024 to $580,000 in 2025, a 6.0% gain over one year, with the current median at the recent peak. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,344, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 19.6%, well below the 30% stress threshold, which explains why 62.0% of households carry mortgages without distress. The stock is almost entirely separate houses at 99.6%, with semi-detached homes at just 0.4% and no recorded apartment supply. With 93.7% of dwellings having 4 or more bedrooms, buyers are predominantly families seeking space rather than entry-level product.
For Investors
A 19.4% renter share is modest compared to higher-density suburbs, and weekly rent of $550 against a $562,500 median implies a gross yield around 5.1%, above what comparable family-home suburbs in metro Sydney offer. Vacancy sits at 2.5%, within the balanced range. Development activity is elevated at 301 applications lodged in the past 12 months, including dwelling additions and infrastructure works, signalling ongoing investment in the suburb's housing stock. Net overseas migration of 24 residents per year provides a thin but positive demand driver, while net internal migration runs at minus 54 annually, meaning the suburb is a net exporter of residents to other parts of Australia. Population is forecast to ease modestly toward 5,101 by 2031, so capital growth rather than rental volume will drive returns.
Development Activity
Total DAs
1,440
Last 12 Months
329
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+2.8%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Chisholm iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
St Aloysius Catholic Primary School
K-6 · 614 students
St Bede's Catholic College
7-12 · 910 students
Demographics
The median age of 32 is 8.0 years below the national figure, making Chisholm one of the younger suburbs in its income bracket. Average household size of 3.2 persons is 0.7 above national, consistent with the family-dominant housing stock. University qualifications reach 33.7%, which is 3.6 points above the national rate, a positive signal for professional-household formation. Overseas-born residents account for 15.9% of the population, 5.7 points below national. Ancestry is predominantly Anglo-Celtic, with English (1,851), Scottish (434) and Irish (385) leading. Indian ancestry at 271 residents and Malayalam as the most spoken non-English language (89 speakers) indicate a small but established South Asian community. The population skew toward couples with children (2,684 families) versus couples without children (846) confirms the family-formation character.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
99.6%
Houses
0.4%
Townhouse
N/A
Apartment
Tenure
The tenure structure is skewed firmly toward mortgage-holding: 62.0% carry a mortgage, 18.7% own outright and 19.4% rent, a split that contrasts with most established suburbs where outright ownership is higher. The 6.0% price growth from $547,280 to $580,000 between 2024 and 2025 puts the suburb at its recorded peak. At a density of 617 residents per km2 across 7.42 km2, the suburb has space for further development without the capacity constraints of inner areas. Stock composition is nearly uniform: 99.6% separate houses with just 0.4% semi-detached and no apartments, and 93.7% of dwellings have 4 or more bedrooms. Rent-to-income at 20.0% and mortgage-to-income at 19.6% are both below stress thresholds, suggesting housing affordability is not a pressure point at current income levels.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,344
Rent / wk
$550
HH Size
3.2
Personal Income / wk
$1,164
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
2.5%
Unoccupied
36
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.0%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.6%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
19.9%
Couples, no children
4,256
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare dominates local employment at 21.4% (379 workers), a rate above most comparable family suburbs and likely linked to proximity to regional medical infrastructure. Education follows at 11.1% (197 workers) and Public Administration at 9.9% (176 workers), giving the suburb a strong public-sector and services base. Construction at 7.9% and Professional/Tech at 6.9% round out the top five. By occupation, Professionals (578) lead, followed by Clerical/Admin (352) and Managers (316). The unemployment rate of 2.5% is low, the full-time employment rate of 69.4% is healthy, and labour participation at 72.7% is solid. SEIFA IEO decile 7 and IRSD decile 7 both sit above the national median, consistent with a workforce that earns well but is not at the top tier nationally.
Unemployment
4.9%
Labour Force
2,955
Unemployed
144
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
69.4%
Part-time
28.1%
Participation
72.7%
Employed
2,299
Occupations
Top Industries
University
33.7%
Postgraduate
7.5%
Born Overseas
15.9%
Dwellings
1,404
Transport to Work
Car dependency is very high, with 93.8% of residents driving to work, among the highest in NSW and well above the national average. Walking or cycling accounts for only 0.8% of commutes, reflecting a suburban street layout rather than walkable urban density. No public transport use data is available. SEIFA IRSAD decile 7 places the suburb in the upper half nationally for relative socio-economic advantage, and need-for-assistance is low at 4.1% (183 people). Volunteering at 11.0% is a moderate indicator of community engagement. No schools are recorded inside the suburb boundary in this dataset, so families rely on institutions in nearby suburbs, a common pattern for lower-density outer areas. The 62.4% of residents who stayed at their address in the five years to the 2021 census, versus 37.6% turnover, points to a degree of residential stability consistent with a family-ownership suburb.
Drive
93.8%
Public Transport
N/A
Walk / Cycle
0.8%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
-0.28%/yr
(-15 people/yr)
EstablishedAnnual population growth is slightly negative at minus 0.28%, equating to roughly 15 fewer residents per year. The 10-year population change was just 0.7%, classifying Chisholm as a slow-growth established suburb. Historical records show 5,242 residents in 2023, 5,251 in 2024 and 5,277 in 2025, with medium forecasts projecting a gentle decline to 5,101 by 2031. Internal migration is a net outflow of 54 per year, offset only partially by overseas arrivals of 24 annually. The affordability trend is improving, with mortgage-to-income falling from 42.3% in 2011 to 37.7% in 2021, indicating purchasing has become relatively more accessible as incomes grew faster than prices over that decade. Gentrification scores 0 and is rated not gentrifying, consistent with a suburb that sits comfortably in the mid-advantage tier with no price pressure driving compositional change.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+24
Net Internal / yr
-54
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Chisholm compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Chisholm a good suburb to live in?
Chisholm ranks in SEIFA decile 7 for both IRSAD and IEO, placing it above the national median for advantage and education. Household income sits at the 95.8th percentile nationally. The main practical consideration is car dependency: 93.8% of residents drive to work, so access to a vehicle is essential.
What is the median house price in Chisholm?
The median house price is $562,500, based on 2024-2025 PSI-derived data. Prices rose 6.0% from $547,280 in 2024 to $580,000 in 2025. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,344, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 19.6% is below the 30% stress threshold.
What schools are in Chisholm?
No schools are recorded inside the Chisholm 2322 suburb boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. Locally, 33.7% of residents hold university qualifications, which is 3.6 percentage points above the national figure, reflecting a well-educated resident base.
Is Chisholm safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Chisholm in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb scores decile 7 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage, above the national median, and only 4.1% of its 4,577 residents need daily assistance, consistent with a lower-disadvantage area.
Is Chisholm good for property investment?
Weekly rent of $550 against a $562,500 median implies a gross yield around 5.1%, above typical family-suburb yields in metro NSW. Vacancy is 2.5% and 301 development applications were lodged in the past 12 months. The population is forecast to ease to 5,101 by 2031, so the investment case leans on yield and modest capital growth.
How is Chisholm's population changing?
Population growth is marginally negative at minus 0.28% per year, around 15 fewer residents annually. Historical data shows 5,242 residents in 2023 rising to 5,277 in 2025, but medium forecasts project a slow decline to 5,101 by 2031. Net internal migration is minus 54 per year, partly offset by 24 overseas arrivals.
How much development is happening in Chisholm?
There were 301 development applications lodged in the past 12 months, a high figure for a suburb of 4,577 residents. Recent applications include earthworks, dwelling alterations and swimming pools, consistent with an established suburb where owners are upgrading existing homes rather than building new supply.
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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