City
Every dwelling in City is an apartment, and the median age of 27 sits 13 years below the national figure, a pairing that explains almost everything else about the suburb. Renters make up 62.9% of households while only 15.7% own outright, and the vacancy rate runs at 20.8%, far above any normal market. University qualifications reach 64.4%, which is 34.3 points above the national rate, and 49.9% of residents were born overseas, 28.3 points above national. Household income sits in the 84.5th percentile, yet the small 1.7-person average household and the dominance of 0-1 and 2-bedroom units (89.5% combined) mark this out as a dense, student and young-professional precinct rather than a family suburb.
Population
4,835
Median Age
27.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,232/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
8
Median House
$675K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The $675,000 median reflects a market made entirely of apartments, with no separate houses recorded at all. Stock skews small: 39.8% of dwellings have 0-1 bedrooms and 49.7% have two, leaving three-bedroom units at just 10.1% and 4-plus near zero at 0.4%. That scarcity of larger floorplans pushes family buyers elsewhere. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,950, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 20.2%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold because household income sits in the 84.5th percentile. Outright owners are only 15.7% against 21.3% who carry a mortgage, so most owner-occupiers here are still paying down debt rather than holding long term, a pattern typical of a transient, renter-dominated inner precinct.
For Buyers
The $675,000 median reflects a market made entirely of apartments, with no separate houses recorded at all. Stock skews small: 39.8% of dwellings have 0-1 bedrooms and 49.7% have two, leaving three-bedroom units at just 10.1% and 4-plus near zero at 0.4%. That scarcity of larger floorplans pushes family buyers elsewhere. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,950, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 20.2%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold because household income sits in the 84.5th percentile. Outright owners are only 15.7% against 21.3% who carry a mortgage, so most owner-occupiers here are still paying down debt rather than holding long term, a pattern typical of a transient, renter-dominated inner precinct.
For Investors
City is built for landlords on paper: 62.9% of households rent and weekly rent averages $550, the deepest tenant pool you could ask for. The catch is supply. The 20.8% vacancy rate signals heavy apartment oversupply, well above a balanced market, and rent has fallen 11.5% over the period rather than risen. Against the $675,000 median, $550 weekly rent implies a gross yield near 4.2%, healthier than premium house markets but exposed to that vacancy risk. Demand support comes almost entirely from overseas migration at 1,053 net arrivals a year, while internal migration removes 141, so the investment case depends on continued student and skilled-migrant inflow rather than local family demand. Development is light at 8 applications in 12 months, limiting new competing supply.
Development Activity
Total DAs
68
Last 12 Months
8
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-20.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
The median age of 27 is 13.0 years below the national figure, the clearest marker of a student and early-career population. Average household size is 1.7, which is 0.8 below national, consistent with the share of couples without children reaching 72.3% of the 1,740 families. Overseas-born residents hit 49.9%, 28.3 points above national, and ancestry is split almost evenly between English (1,125) and Chinese (1,122), with Irish (427) third. Mandarin leads non-English languages at 371 speakers, ahead of Cantonese (59) and Korean (39). University qualifications at 64.4% run 34.3 points above national, which fits a precinct anchored by a major campus and government employment. Christianity (961) is the largest faith, with Buddhism (176) and Hinduism (164) reflecting the strong Asian-born share.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
N/A
Houses
N/A
Townhouse
100.0%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure is heavily skewed to renting: 62.9% rent, 21.3% hold a mortgage and only 15.7% own outright, a profile that signals high turnover rather than settled ownership. The stock is 100% apartments, with 0-1 bedroom units at 39.8% and two-bedroom at 49.7%, so larger family homes barely exist at 10.1% three-bedroom and 0.4% four-plus. The median house price is $675,000, and rent-to-income at 24.6% stays below the stress line while mortgage-to-income reads 20.2%, both manageable given the 84.5th-percentile household income. The 20.8% vacancy rate is the standout figure, far above a normal market, and it sits alongside an 11.5% fall in rents, evidence that apartment supply has outpaced tenant demand in recent years.
Mortgage / mo
$1,950
Rent / wk
$550
HH Size
1.7
Personal Income / wk
$1,076
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
20.8%
Unoccupied
473
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.6%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.2%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
72.3%
Couples, no children
1,740
Total families
Economy & Employment
The workforce is dominated by Public Admin at 33.6% (747 workers), well above any other sector, with Professional/Tech second at 19.4% (432) and Education third at 11.3% (252), a structure shaped by the suburb's role as a government and university core. Hospitality (9.0%) and Healthcare (6.6%) round out the top five. By occupation, Professionals (1,207) and Managers (513) lead. The suburb scores decile 10 on the IEO index for education and occupation, the top tier, which matches the 64.4% university rate. One sharp anomaly: the IER score for economic resources sits at decile 1, the lowest tier, because 62.9% of residents rent and the young, low-asset population depresses household wealth measures despite solid incomes. Unemployment is 7.9% and the participation rate is 63.7%.
Unemployment
4.8%
Labour Force
12,256
Unemployed
591
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
65.8%
Part-time
26.3%
Participation
63.7%
Employed
2,748
Occupations
Top Industries
University
64.4%
Postgraduate
27.0%
Born Overseas
49.9%
Dwellings
1,788
Transport to Work
City is one of the most walkable precincts in the dataset: 45.1% of residents walk or cycle to work, far above the national reliance on cars, while only 37.9% drive and 13.2% take public transport. That mode split reflects the compact 1.43 km2 footprint and a density of 3,379 residents per km2. The suburb scores decile 9 on IRSAD and decile 6 on IRSD, both above the midpoint, indicating limited relative disadvantage despite the renter-heavy makeup. Volunteering runs at 23.8% and only 1.5% of residents (63 people) need daily assistance, consistent with the young median age of 27. No schools sit inside the boundary, so the few families here rely on institutions nearby, a practical trade-off for a high-density, student-oriented inner suburb.
Drive
37.9%
Public Transport
13.2%
Walk / Cycle
45.1%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+3.32%/yr
(+581 people/yr)
EstablishedCity is expanding fast for an established inner area, with population up 52.9% over the past decade and a forecast annual growth rate of 3.32%, around 581 people a year. The medium projection lifts the broader district population from about 17,502 in 2025 to 20,366 by 2031. Overseas migration is the engine, adding 1,053 residents a year, while net internal migration removes 141, so growth is entirely import-driven. The gentrification reading is early signs at a score of 25, with internal outflow offset by strong overseas inflow. Affordability improved from 59.4% in 2011 to 50.3% in 2021, helped by an 11.5% fall in rents, though real incomes declined 15.0% over the period, a sign the population has shifted younger and lower-asset rather than wealthier.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+1,053
Net Internal / yr
-141
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Net internal outflow -141/yr, Strong overseas inflow +1053/yr, Accelerating: 17% → 60%
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How City compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is City a good suburb to live in?
City scores decile 9 on IRSAD and decile 10 on the IEO education index, both top-tier, with 64.4% of residents holding university qualifications, 34.3 points above national. It suits students and young professionals more than families, since 100% of dwellings are apartments and the median age is just 27.
What is the median house price in City?
The median dwelling price is $675,000, with the market made entirely of apartments rather than houses. Weekly rent averages $550 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $1,950, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 20.2%, below the 30% stress threshold thanks to incomes in the 84.5th percentile.
What schools are in City?
No schools are recorded inside the 1.43 km2 City boundary in this dataset, so the small number of families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. The resident population is highly educated, with university qualifications at 64.4%, which is 34.3 points above the national figure.
Is City safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for City in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb scores decile 6 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage and decile 9 on IRSAD, both above the midpoint, and only 1.5% of residents (63 people) need daily assistance, consistent with a low-disadvantage area.
Is City good for property investment?
Rent of $550 a week against a $675,000 median gives a gross yield near 4.2%, healthier than premium house markets, but the 20.8% vacancy rate signals apartment oversupply and rents fell 11.5% over the period. Demand rests on overseas migration of 1,053 a year rather than local family buyers.
How is City's population changing?
Population has grown 52.9% over the past decade, with a forecast annual rate of 3.32%, about 581 people a year. Growth is import-driven: overseas migration adds 1,053 residents a year while net internal migration removes 141, and the gentrification reading sits at early signs with a score of 25.
What languages are spoken in City?
About 49.9% of residents were born overseas, 28.3 points above the national figure. English is dominant, while Mandarin (371 speakers), Cantonese (59) and Korean (39) are the most common non-English languages, reflecting an almost even English and Chinese ancestry split among residents.
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.
Explore City on the Map
View parcels, zoning overlays, DA applications, schools and more.
Open Interactive Map