Doonside
Households in Doonside average 2.9 people, 0.4 above the national figure, while 48.0% of residents were born overseas, 26.4 percentage points higher than nationally. The 5.96 sq km suburb houses 13,614 people at 2,284.9 residents per sq km, with a median age of 36, four years below the national level. Its 89.2% separate-house share and 56.1% three-bedroom profile favour family households. Compared with denser pockets around Blacktown and Quakers Hill, Doonside has a more detached suburban form, while Filipino and Indian ancestry count 1,783 and 1,124 respectively.
Population
13,614
Median Age
36.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,582/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
78
Doonside suits buyers prioritising a separate house over apartment stock: 89.2% of dwellings are separate houses, compared with 2.4% apartments and 8.3% semi-detached homes. The most common layouts are three bedrooms at 56.1% and four or more at 30.4%, so family-sized choice is broader than compact formats. Financing needs care because mortgage repayments average $2,100 a month and mortgage costs equal 30.7% of income, higher than the 22.1% rent-to-income ratio. Only 22.5% own outright, while 30.1% hold a mortgage and 46.4% rent. With household income at the 51.6th percentile, buyers should stress-test rates, repairs and deposit size.
For Buyers
Doonside suits buyers prioritising a separate house over apartment stock: 89.2% of dwellings are separate houses, compared with 2.4% apartments and 8.3% semi-detached homes. The most common layouts are three bedrooms at 56.1% and four or more at 30.4%, so family-sized choice is broader than compact formats. Financing needs care because mortgage repayments average $2,100 a month and mortgage costs equal 30.7% of income, higher than the 22.1% rent-to-income ratio. Only 22.5% own outright, while 30.1% hold a mortgage and 46.4% rent. With household income at the 51.6th percentile, buyers should stress-test rates, repairs and deposit size.
For Investors
Investor demand has a substantial renter base: 46.4% of households rent, more than the 22.5% who own outright, while vacancy is 4.7%. Rent growth of 55.1% strengthens the case for checking rental demand, although returns still depend on purchase price, maintenance and management costs. The 89.2% separate-house share and 56.1% three-bedroom concentration point to family rental demand rather than a mainly apartment market. Development activity reached 78 applications in 12 months, creating potential for renewal but also competition between older and newer stock. Overseas migration is the primary growth driver, so investors should compare tenant demand, transport access and dwelling condition before buying.
Development Activity
Total DAs
362
Last 12 Months
78
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-4.9%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Doonside
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Demographics
Doonside's median age is 36, four years below the national comparison, but its trajectory is aging: the senior share has risen 4.5 percentage points while the young share fell 1.5. Overseas-born residents account for 48.0%, 26.4 points above nationally, helping explain Filipino ancestry at 1,783, Indian at 1,124, and languages including Arabic at 254, Hindi at 249 and Punjabi at 241. University attainment is 35.1%, five points above the national comparison. Couples with children make up 46.3% of families, and average household size is 2.9, 0.4 above national. Compared with denser parts of Blacktown and Quakers Hill, the 89.2% separate-house pattern supports larger family households, while 80.9% stayed at the same address.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
89.2%
Houses
8.3%
Townhouse
2.4%
Apartment
Tenure
Doonside's tenure profile is split between renters and leveraged owners. Renting accounts for 46.4%, mortgage ownership 30.1% and outright ownership 22.5%, so the renter share is higher than either owner category. The physical stock is less mixed: 89.2% separate houses, 8.3% semi-detached and only 2.4% apartments. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 56.1%, followed by four-plus-bedroom dwellings at 30.4%, which supports family occupancy but can limit options for singles. Mortgage repayments average $2,100 monthly and equal 30.7% of income, higher than rent at 22.1%, while affordability moved from 47.0 in 2011 to 50.9 in 2021 and is labelled Worsening. Vacancy is 4.7%, below the 46.4% renting share.
Mortgage / mo
$2,100
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (April to June 2026), NSW Rental Bond Board (DCJ). Census 2021 median: $350.
$650
Bond data Jun 2026 · houses $650 · units $435
HH Size
2.9
Personal Income / wk
$647
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
4.7%
Unoccupied
213
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.1%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
30.7% stressed
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
46.3%
Couples with children
25.9%
Couples, no children
24.8%
Single parent
3,532
Total families
Economy & Employment
Resident employment spans healthcare at 21.8% or 716 people, retail at 9.1% or 300, education and transport at 8.1% each, and manufacturing at 7.7%. This aligns with large occupational groups in professionals at 863, machinery and drivers at 782, clerical and admin at 721, and labourers at 694. Labour-force participation is 51.5%, unemployment is 7.6%, and full-time employment is 54.7%, so workforce engagement is mixed rather than uniformly high. Household income is $1,582 weekly, at the 51.6th percentile, while IEO and IER both sit in decile 5. IRSD is lower at decile 3, below IRSAD at decile 5, pointing to disadvantage alongside middle-range education, occupation and advantage scores.
Unemployment
7.6%
Labour Force
5,669
Unemployed
429
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
54.7%
Part-time
29.8%
Participation
51.5%
Employed
5,240
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
35.1%
Postgraduate
8.1%
Born Overseas
48.0%
Dwellings
4,325
Transport to Work
Daily mobility is car-led: 58.0% travel as car drivers, compared with 6.9% using public transport and 0.9% walking or cycling. Work-from-home participation is 27.8%, which may reduce some commuting pressure because part of the workforce is home-based. Families have access to 3 nearby government schools, comprising 2 primary schools and 1 secondary school; check the exact enrolment zone because boundaries can cut across suburb streets. Doonside's density is 2,284.9 people per sq km, while IRSAD sits at decile 5 and IRSD at decile 3, indicating middle-range advantage with pockets of disadvantage. For safety decisions, check current local crime mapping rather than infer risk from broad suburb characteristics. Compared with a lower-density outer fringe, car dependence is more significant here.
Drive
58.0%
Public Transport
6.9%
Walk / Cycle
0.9%
Work from Home
27.8%
Population Forecast
+0.96%/yr
(+229 people/yr)
EstablishedDoonside's established-area forecast points to annual growth of 0.96%, driven primarily by Overseas migration. Population change across the wider area is 19.9% over 10 years, while the shift trajectory is Aging, with the senior share up 4.5 percentage points and the young share down 1.5. The 4.5-point senior increase is higher than the 1.5-point young-share decline in magnitude. Affordability moved from 47.0 in 2011 to 50.9 in 2021 and is labelled Worsening. Gentrification signals are mixed: the forecast score is 16 and stage Not gentrifying, while the shift score is 54 and stage Active. With 78 development applications in 12 months, change is more likely to arrive incrementally than through a wholesale reset.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+342
Net Internal / yr
-417
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Population +17% since 2011, Net internal outflow -417/yr, Strong overseas inflow +342/yr
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Doonside compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Doonside a good suburb to live in?
It can suit households seeking detached housing, family-sized layouts and established access. Separate houses account for 89.2%, three-bedroom homes 56.1%, and the median age is 36, four years below national. Car use is 58.0%, so compare commuting needs, parking and street-level access before choosing an address.
What is the median house price in Doonside?
Check recent settled sales and a current valuation for the median house price, because the right figure depends on dwelling type and sale period. Doonside is 89.2% separate houses, with 56.1% three-bedroom and 30.4% four-plus-bedroom homes, so compare like-for-like houses rather than apartments.
What schools are in Doonside?
Doonside has 3 nearby government schools: 2 primary and 1 secondary. They are Crawford Public School, Doonside Public School and Doonside High School. Check the exact enrolment zone and year-level availability, because boundaries and demand can differ between addresses.
Is Doonside safe?
A suburb-level crime rate should be checked through current local crime mapping before making a decision. Other indicators are mixed: IRSAD is decile 5, IRSD is decile 3, and 8.6% need assistance. Visit at different times and compare the exact street, lighting and transport access rather than rely on a broad label.
Is Doonside good for property investment?
It can suit investors seeking established detached rental stock, but returns need careful testing. Renting is 46.4%, vacancy is 4.7%, rent growth is 55.1%, and 78 development applications were recorded over 12 months. Compare expected rent, purchase costs, maintenance and tenant demand before relying on headline growth.
How is Doonside's population changing?
The wider-area forecast indicates 0.96% annual growth, driven by Overseas migration, with population change of 19.9% over 10 years. Doonside's trajectory is labelled Aging: the senior share is up 4.5 percentage points and the young share is down 1.5. That suggests gradual change rather than a youth-led surge.
What languages are spoken in Doonside?
Doonside has a high overseas-born share of 48.0%, which is 26.4 percentage points above the national comparison. Recorded language groups include Arabic at 254 people, Hindi at 249, Punjabi at 241, Nepali at 111 and Urdu at 86, alongside English-speaking households.
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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