Chiswick
Chiswick's standout profile is its combination of 78.4% apartment living and household income at the 91.5th percentile nationally, within a compact 0.51 sq km. The suburb has 2,909 residents, a median age of 40 and 59.4% working from home, so daily life is shaped as much by apartment amenity and home-office space as by commuting. Compared with nearby Abbotsford and Five Dock, buyers encounter a more concentrated housing form and a smaller average household of 2.2 people. Overseas-born residents account for 37.3%, which is 15.7 percentage points above the national comparison, adding cultural variety to a strongly professional owner-and-renter mix.
Local council: Canada Bay
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
14
Chiswick suits buyers prioritising apartment access, a compact setting and space for working from home. Apartments account for 78.4% of dwellings, while separate houses represent 16.9% and semi-detached homes 4.7%, so buyers should compare strata costs, building quality and usable internal space rather than assume detached-house features. Two-bedroom homes make up 58.9% of the bedroom profile, well above the 13.5% share for studios and one-bedroom dwellings. Weekly rent is $600 and the monthly mortgage figure is $2,875; mortgage costs equal 27.2% of household income, higher than the 24.5% rent-to-income measure. Compared with lower-density parts of the Inner West, Chiswick provides more apartment choice but fewer conventional family-house options.
For Buyers
Chiswick suits buyers prioritising apartment access, a compact setting and space for working from home. Apartments account for 78.4% of dwellings, while separate houses represent 16.9% and semi-detached homes 4.7%, so buyers should compare strata costs, building quality and usable internal space rather than assume detached-house features. Two-bedroom homes make up 58.9% of the bedroom profile, well above the 13.5% share for studios and one-bedroom dwellings. Weekly rent is $600 and the monthly mortgage figure is $2,875; mortgage costs equal 27.2% of household income, higher than the 24.5% rent-to-income measure. Compared with lower-density parts of the Inner West, Chiswick provides more apartment choice but fewer conventional family-house options.
For Investors
Chiswick has a substantial tenant base, with 41.9% of households renting, while weekly rent is $600 and vacancy is 9.9%. That combination can support leasing appeal, but the vacancy rate warrants conservative assumptions about downtime and rent growth compared with a tighter rental market. The renter share remains below the combined outright-owner and mortgage-owner shares of 25.5% and 31.3%, indicating a mixed tenure market rather than a purely investor-led one. Fifteen development applications were recorded across 12 months, including multi-dwelling housing, subdivision and replacement dwellings, which may add competing stock or improve amenity over time. A 24.6% turnover rate suggests tenant movement, while 75.4% staying at the same address points to an established resident base.
Development Activity
Total DAs
103
Last 12 Months
14
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-33.3%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
Chiswick's median age is 40, in line with the national age comparison, while its education and migration profile sit well above national reference points. University-qualified residents account for 52.6%, which is 22.5 percentage points above the national comparison, and 37.3% were born overseas, 15.7 points above the national share. Average household size is 2.2 people, 0.3 below the national comparison, helping explain the strong concentration of apartments and two-bedroom homes. English ancestry is recorded for 614 residents, Italian for 505 and Chinese for 345, with Italian, Mandarin, Greek, Arabic and Cantonese also represented among reported languages. Compared with nearby Abbotsford and Five Dock, Chiswick's demographic character is shaped by smaller households, professional occupations and a high share of overseas-born residents.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
16.9%
Houses
4.7%
Townhouse
78.4%
Apartment
Tenure
Chiswick is decisively apartment-dominant: 78.4% of dwellings are apartments, compared with 16.9% separate houses and 4.7% semi-detached homes. The bedroom mix is similarly concentrated, with two-bedroom dwellings at 58.9%, followed by three-bedroom homes at 15.4%, four or more bedrooms at 12.2% and studios or one-bedroom dwellings at 13.5%. Tenure is mixed, with 25.5% owned outright, 31.3% held with a mortgage, 41.9% rented and 1.3% in other arrangements. Weekly rent is $600 against a monthly mortgage figure of $2,875, while rent-to-income is 24.5% and mortgage-to-income is 27.2%. Compared with lower-density housing markets in Abbotsford and Five Dock, Chiswick offers greater apartment choice but a smaller pool of detached family homes.
Mortgage / mo
$2,875
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (April to June 2026), NSW Rental Bond Board (DCJ). Census 2021 median: $600.
$885
Bond data Jun 2026 · houses $1,300 · units $800
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
41.7%
Couples with children
44.0%
Couples, no children
12.6%
Single parent
804
Total families
Economy & Employment
Chiswick's employment base is concentrated in professional and service industries. Professional and technical work accounts for 13.5% of jobs, finance 13.4%, healthcare 12.7%, education 9.9% and construction 6.8%. The occupational mix reinforces that pattern, led by 562 professionals and 399 managers, followed by 236 clerical and administrative workers, 105 sales workers and 102 trades workers. Labour-force participation is 68.1%, unemployment is 3.7% and 65.9% of employed residents work full time. Household income is $2,444 per week and sits at the 91.5th percentile, above most national households. Compared with a lower-income suburb, this professional and managerial concentration helps support apartment demand, home-office use and spending on services, although the 59.4% work-from-home rate also reduces the need for daily commuting.
Unemployment
3.7%
Labour Force
1,655
Unemployed
61
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
65.9%
Part-time
24.9%
Participation
68.1%
Employed
1,594
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
52.6%
Postgraduate
16.8%
Born Overseas
37.3%
Dwellings
1,254
Transport to Work
Chiswick's compact, high-density setting supports a practical urban lifestyle, but transport habits are more car and home based than its density might suggest. The suburb has 5,663.9 people per sq km across 0.51 sq km, while 59.4% of residents work from home, 34.4% drive a car and 2.5% use public transport for work. Only 1.7% report walking or cycling for that commute, so access to nearby services and the exact building location matter more than suburb-level distance alone. The median age is 40 and average household size is 2.2, supporting demand for well-designed smaller dwellings and shared amenities. Compared with lower-density Inner West locations, apartment access is stronger, but residents should check building noise, parking, school enrolment zones and local transport routes at the exact address. Volunteering is 13.1%, while 3.3% need assistance with core activities.
Drive
34.4%
Public Transport
2.5%
Walk / Cycle
1.7%
Work from Home
59.4%
Growth Outlook
Chiswick's growth story is more likely to come through infill, redevelopment and housing turnover than through a large greenfield expansion. The suburb contains 2,909 residents across 0.51 sq km, producing a density of 5,663.9 people per sq km. Fifteen development applications across 12 months include multi-dwelling housing, subdivision, demolition and new residential structures, pointing to ongoing renewal in an already built-up setting. Compared with a rapidly churning suburb, the 75.4% stay rate indicates a relatively settled base, even though the turnover rate is 24.6%. This combination means population change may be gradual and uneven: redevelopment can refresh individual sites, while the compact land area limits the scale of broad-based expansion.
Population trend: Canada Bay council area
Chiswick sits in the Canada Bay council area. These are the council area's residents, not Chiswick's.
Residents 2025
93,006
Growth, 5 yr average
+0.2%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+0.7%
2024 to 2025
ABS Estimated Resident Population by LGA, 30 June each year; council area, not this suburb
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 can suit residents who value apartment living, a compact footprint and professional work patterns. It has 2,909 residents, 78.4% apartments and 59.4% working from home. Compared with lower-density parts of the Inner West, it is a better fit for buyers comfortable with shared-building living than for those seeking a detached-house setting.
What is the median house price in Chiswick?
Check recent Chiswick sales for the current median, separating apartment and house results. Weekly rent is $600, the monthly mortgage figure is $2,875 and 78.4% of dwellings are apartments. Compare like-for-like sales because the 16.9% separate-house share is much smaller than the apartment share and can distort a single suburb-wide result.
What schools are in Chiswick?
School choices should be checked against the exact address and current enrolment zones, particularly in a compact suburb covering 0.51 sq km. Compare walking, bus and drop-off routes, and confirm whether the preferred school is government, Catholic or independent before signing a lease or contract. The 2.5% public-transport work share does not measure school travel.
Is Chiswick safe?
Use current street-level and police information before deciding, then compare the exact address with nearby roads and building entrances. Chiswick's density is 5,663.9 people per sq km and 78.4% of homes are apartments, so lighting, access control and shared areas can matter more than suburb-wide impressions. A 3.3% need-assistance rate describes support needs, not crime.
Is Chiswick good for property investment?
Chiswick can work for investors seeking apartment demand, but returns depend on building quality and vacancy management. Rent is $600 a week, renter households represent 41.9% and vacancy is 9.9%. Compared with owner-occupier demand, the renter base is substantial, while 15 development applications in 12 months may add competition or improve stock. Check strata costs before comparing yields.
How is Chiswick's population changing?
Population change appears relatively stable rather than highly transient. Chiswick has 2,909 residents, a 24.6% turnover rate and 75.4% who stayed at the same address. Compared with a heavily churning market, that retention supports continuity, while 15 development applications over 12 months may gradually refresh the 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 education open registers (school locations), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications).
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