Chiswick
With 78.4% of dwellings being apartments packed into just 0.51 square kilometres, Chiswick 2046 ranks among Sydney's most compact waterfront pockets. Household income sits at the 91.5th percentile nationally, yet the suburb remains majority-renter at 42.4%, an unusual combination that reflects the apartment-heavy stock attracting high-earning tenants rather than buyers. University qualifications reach 52.6%, which is 22.5 percentage points above the national figure, and the overseas-born share of 37.3% runs 15.7 points higher than the national average. These numbers together point to a well-educated, internationally mobile professional population in a suburb where buying is secondary to renting.
Population
2,909
Median Age
40.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,444/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
18
Median House
$1.2M
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The median house price stands at $1,195,000, with recorded data showing $1,200,000 in 2024 easing to $1,160,000 in 2025, a 3.3% pullback. Because separate houses account for only 16.9% of dwellings against 78.4% apartments, detached homes are scarce and priced accordingly. The dominant stock is two-bedroom apartments at 58.9% of dwellings, with three-bedroom at 15.4% and studios or one-bedrooms at 13.5%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,875, translating to a mortgage-to-income ratio of 27.2%, which sits below the 30% stress threshold even at the 91.5th-percentile income level. Outright owners at 25.8% are fewer than mortgage holders at 31.7%, suggesting the buyer base is still accumulating equity rather than holding paid-off assets.
For Buyers
The median house price stands at $1,195,000, with recorded data showing $1,200,000 in 2024 easing to $1,160,000 in 2025, a 3.3% pullback. Because separate houses account for only 16.9% of dwellings against 78.4% apartments, detached homes are scarce and priced accordingly. The dominant stock is two-bedroom apartments at 58.9% of dwellings, with three-bedroom at 15.4% and studios or one-bedrooms at 13.5%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,875, translating to a mortgage-to-income ratio of 27.2%, which sits below the 30% stress threshold even at the 91.5th-percentile income level. Outright owners at 25.8% are fewer than mortgage holders at 31.7%, suggesting the buyer base is still accumulating equity rather than holding paid-off assets.
For Investors
A renter share of 42.4% and weekly rent of $600 give landlords a broad tenant pool, but the 9.9% vacancy rate signals meaningful competition in the apartment segment, which dominates at 78.4% of stock. Against the $1,195,000 median, $600 weekly rent implies a gross yield near 2.6%, low by broader market standards. Rent-to-income at 24.5% keeps tenants financially comfortable, which supports tenancy stability. Development activity was measured at 14 applications in the past 12 months, mostly alterations to existing dwellings rather than new supply, so stock growth is constrained. The 37.3% overseas-born population, well above the national average, sustains demand from international arrivals and mobile professionals, providing a structural floor for occupancy in an otherwise tight yield environment.
Development Activity
Total DAs
100
Last 12 Months
18
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-10.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
The median age of 40 matches the national figure exactly, though the population profile skews toward professional households rather than families. University qualifications reach 52.6%, which is 22.5 percentage points above the national average and reflects the concentration of Professionals (562 workers) and Managers (399) in the local workforce. Overseas-born residents make up 37.3%, some 15.7 points above national, with Italian ancestry (505) second only to English (614) and Chinese ancestry (345) ranking fourth. Italian (73 speakers) and Mandarin (70 speakers) are the most common non-English languages, with Greek and Cantonese also present. Average household size of 2.2 sits 0.3 below national, consistent with the couples-no-children profile at 33.4% of families and an apartment-driven layout that limits larger family configurations.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
16.9%
Houses
4.7%
Townhouse
78.4%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure splits across three roughly even bands: 25.8% own outright, 31.7% carry a mortgage and 42.4% rent, making renters the largest single group. The stock is overwhelmingly apartments at 78.4%, with semi-detached at 4.7% and separate houses at just 16.9%, below the state and national norms. Two-bedroom dwellings dominate at 58.9%, reflecting the apartments-first character of the suburb. Prices tracked from $1,200,000 in 2024 to $1,160,000 in 2025, a 3.3% decline that aligns with broader inner-west softening. The mortgage-to-income ratio of 27.2% remains below the 30% stress level, and rent-to-income at 24.5% stays comfortable, meaning affordability pressure is moderate relative to income despite prices above $1 million. The 9.9% vacancy rate indicates some oversupply in the apartment segment.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,875
Rent / wk
$600
HH Size
2.2
Personal Income / wk
$1,447
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
9.9%
Unoccupied
137
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.5%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
27.2%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
33.4%
Couples, no children
2,142
Total families
Economy & Employment
The local industry mix leans heavily toward knowledge and professional services. Professional and technical services leads at 13.5% of employed residents, with Finance close behind at 13.4%, Healthcare at 12.7% and Education at 9.9%. By occupation, Professionals (562) and Managers (399) together account for over half the workforce, well above national proportions. The unemployment rate is 4.0%, broadly in line with the national rate, and the full-time employment rate of 72.6% is relatively high. Personal weekly income averages $1,447 and family income runs $3,268 weekly, placing household income in the 91.5th percentile nationally. Participation stands at 62.0%, with 589 residents not in the labour force, a figure consistent with the mix of retirees and students typical of dense inner-suburb populations.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
72.6%
Part-time
23.4%
Participation
62.0%
Employed
1,448
Occupations
Top Industries
University
52.6%
Postgraduate
16.8%
Born Overseas
37.3%
Dwellings
1,254
Transport to Work
Car dependency is high at 84.8% of residents driving to work, well above typical inner-city levels, though 6.3% use public transport and 4.1% walk or cycle, the latter enabled by the waterfront setting and proximity to Concord Road corridors. No schools are recorded within the 0.51 square kilometre boundary, so families depend on nearby institutions in Canada Bay and Drummoyne. Crime data is unavailable for this locality, but the 91.5th-percentile household income and low mortgage stress ratio of 27.2% indicate a low-disadvantage residential environment. Volunteering reaches 13.1% and only 3.3% of residents (88 people) need daily assistance, both figures suggesting a functioning, engaged community. The combination of waterfront access, professional demographics and sub-30% housing stress ratios makes the suburb attractive for higher-income renters and owner-occupiers seeking inner-west proximity without Sydney CBD density.
Drive
84.8%
Public Transport
6.3%
Walk / Cycle
4.1%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Chiswick compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Chiswick a good suburb to live in?
Chiswick has household income in the 91.5th percentile nationally, a university-qualified population at 52.6% (22.5 points above national), and mortgage stress below 30% at 27.2%. The trade-offs are a 9.9% apartment vacancy rate and no recorded schools within the 0.51 square kilometre boundary.
What is the median house price in Chiswick?
The median house price is $1,195,000. Prices eased from $1,200,000 in 2024 to $1,160,000 in 2025, a 3.3% decline. Weekly rent averages $600 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $2,875, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 27.2%.
What schools are in Chiswick?
No schools are recorded within the Chiswick 2046 boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs such as Drummoyne and Canada Bay. The local adult population is highly educated, with 52.6% holding university qualifications, 22.5 percentage points above the national figure.
Is Chiswick safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Chiswick in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, household income sits at the 91.5th percentile nationally, mortgage stress is below 30% at 27.2%, and only 3.3% of the 2,909 residents need daily assistance, all consistent with a low-disadvantage residential area.
Is Chiswick good for property investment?
Weekly rent of $600 against a $1,195,000 median gives a gross yield near 2.6%, low by broader standards. The 42.4% renter share supports demand, but the 9.9% vacancy rate signals competition in the apartment segment, which is 78.4% of stock. Prices fell 3.3% from 2024 to 2025, so short-term capital growth is uncertain.
How is Chiswick's population changing?
The current population is 2,909 spread across 0.51 square kilometres at a density of 5,664 per km, comparable to other inner-western Sydney precincts. Residential turnover runs at 24.6% between censuses, with 75.4% of residents staying put, indicating moderate churn typical of a rental-majority suburb at 42.4% renters.
What languages are spoken in Chiswick?
About 37.3% of residents were born overseas, which is 15.7 percentage points above the national figure. Italian (73 speakers) and Mandarin (70 speakers) are the most common non-English languages, with Italian ancestry (505 residents) the second-largest ancestry group after English (614).
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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