Dulwich Hill
Apartment living defines Dulwich Hill more than the postcode's freestanding-house image. At 6,619.5 people per sq km across 2.12 sq km, it is compact even by Inner West standards. Compared with nearby Marrickville, Dulwich Hill reads more commuter-residential than nightlife-led, because 57.2% of dwellings are apartments and 46.9% of homes are rented. Household income sits in the 79.3 percentile nationally, while university attainment is 26.0 points above the national level. The suburb is educated, renter-heavy and dense, with a $1,040,000 median house price.
Population
14,046
Median Age
38.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,095/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
118
Median House
$1.0M
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
Homebuyers face a market where the median house price is $1,040,000, while the 2025 price series reached $1,075,000, 4.9% above 2024 and 0.0% below the peak. Buyers need to like compact housing because apartments are 57.2% of stock and separate houses only 28.9%. The bedroom mix favours smaller households: 46.9% are 2-bedroom and 16.7% are 0 or 1-bedroom. Mortgage payments take 27.6% of income, below common stress thresholds, so income quality matters as much as price.
For Buyers
Homebuyers face a market where the median house price is $1,040,000, while the 2025 price series reached $1,075,000, 4.9% above 2024 and 0.0% below the peak. Buyers need to like compact housing because apartments are 57.2% of stock and separate houses only 28.9%. The bedroom mix favours smaller households: 46.9% are 2-bedroom and 16.7% are 0 or 1-bedroom. Mortgage payments take 27.6% of income, below common stress thresholds, so income quality matters as much as price.
For Investors
Rental depth is the main investor signal: 46.9% of households rent, compared with 25.4% owned outright and 27.7% with a mortgage. Weekly rent is $470, but the 9.4% vacancy rate is higher than a tight-market reading, so investors should focus on leaseability and condition. Development activity is active at 111 applications in 12 months, which may add competition. Demand is helped by average net overseas migration of 282 people a year, although internal migration is -196.
Development Activity
Total DAs
513
Last 12 Months
118
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+24.2%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Dulwich Hill iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Dulwich Hill Public School
K-6 · 358 students
St Paul of the Cross Catholic Primary School
K-6 · 118 students
Dulwich High School of Visual Arts and Design
7-12 · 804 students
Demographics
Dulwich Hill is younger and more educated than the national profile. The median age is 38, which is 2.0 years below the national comparison, and 56.1% of residents have a university qualification, 26.0 percentage points above national. Overseas-born residents are 33.7%, or 12.1 points higher than national, with Greek, Arabic, Portuguese, Italian and Mandarin among the larger non-English languages. The 2.2 average household size, 0.3 below national, fits the apartment-heavy housing base.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
28.9%
Houses
10.9%
Townhouse
57.2%
Apartment
Tenure
The housing market is split between valuable houses and a large apartment base. Price history moved from $1,025,000 in 2024 to $1,075,000 in 2025, a 4.9% rise, with the latest quarter also the peak and 0.0% below that peak. Tenure is mixed: 25.4% own outright, 27.7% have a mortgage and 46.9% rent. Apartments account for 57.2% of dwellings, compared with 28.9% separate houses and 10.9% semi-detached homes, so buyers after 4-plus bedrooms face thinner supply at 11.6%.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,500
Rent / wk
$470
HH Size
2.2
Personal Income / wk
$1,157
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
9.4%
Unoccupied
625
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.4%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
27.6%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
31.0%
Couples, no children
9,831
Total families
Economy & Employment
The workforce is high-skill and service-led. Professional/Tech employs 997 people or 16.0%, followed by Education at 874, Healthcare at 848, Public Admin at 517 and Finance at 469. Professionals are the largest occupation group at 3,081, with Managers at 1,358. Employment is solid, with 4.8% unemployment, 61.5% participation and 71.1% of employed residents working full-time. SEIFA shows the split: IEO decile 10 and IRSAD decile 9 are above average, while IER decile 4 is lower because renters and smaller households reduce resource scores; IRSD is decile 8.
Unemployment
5.0%
Labour Force
12,393
Unemployed
615
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
71.1%
Part-time
24.1%
Participation
61.5%
Employed
7,069
Occupations
Top Industries
University
56.1%
Postgraduate
16.8%
Born Overseas
33.7%
Dwellings
5,984
Transport to Work
Daily life works best for residents who value Inner West access but do not rely only on trains and buses. Public transport commuting is 13.1%, while car driving is much higher at 72.8% and walking or cycling is 9.2%. Education is a practical plus: 3 local schools span government and Catholic sectors with ICSEA from 1092 to 1099, led by Dulwich Hill Public at 1099 and St Paul of the Cross Catholic Primary at 1094, while the visual arts high school adds 804 secondary enrolments. IRSAD decile 9 and IRSD decile 8 sit above lower-decile areas.
Drive
72.8%
Public Transport
13.1%
Walk / Cycle
9.2%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.73%/yr
(+137 people/yr)
EstablishedGrowth is steady rather than rapid: the annual trend is 0.73%, equal to 137 people a year. The medium trend continuation path lifts population to 19,623 by 2031, from 18,690 in the current forecast base. Migration explains the pattern because average net overseas migration adds 282 people a year while average net internal migration is -196. The gentrification score is 24 and the stage is Early signs, below the stronger shift score of 52 marked Active. The age trajectory is Declining young, with young share down -2.8 and seniors up 1.6.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+282
Net Internal / yr
-196
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +12% since 2011, Net internal outflow -196/yr, Strong overseas inflow +282/yr, COVID recovered (-2% dip → full recovery)
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Dulwich Hill compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Dulwich Hill a good suburb to live in?
Yes. Dulwich Hill suits buyers who want Inner West density, 3 local schools, 13.1% public transport commuting and 9.2% walking or cycling. The trade-off is compact housing, with apartments making up 57.2% of dwellings.
What is the median house price in Dulwich Hill?
The listed median house price is $1,040,000. The recent price series shows $1,075,000 in 2025, up 4.9% from $1,025,000 in 2024 and 0.0% below the recorded peak.
What schools are in Dulwich Hill?
There are 3 local schools: Dulwich Hill Public School with ICSEA 1099, St Paul of the Cross Catholic Primary School with ICSEA 1094, and Dulwich High School of Visual Arts and Design with ICSEA 1092.
Is Dulwich Hill safe?
A crime rate per 1,000 is not reported for Dulwich Hill, so recent NSW crime maps should be checked before buying. The strongest local proxy is advantage, with IRSD decile 8 and IRSAD decile 9.
Is Dulwich Hill good for property investment?
It has investor depth because 46.9% of households rent and weekly rent is $470. The caution is a 9.4% vacancy rate, so property quality matters. Development is also active, with 111 applications in 12 months.
How is Dulwich Hill's population changing?
Population is forecast to grow at 0.73% a year, or about 137 people annually. The medium trend path reaches 19,623 by 2031, supported by average net overseas migration of 282 people a year.
What languages are spoken in Dulwich Hill?
Dulwich Hill has 33.7% overseas-born residents, 12.1 percentage points above the national comparison. Larger non-English language groups include Greek with 308 speakers, Arabic with 218 and Portuguese with 134.
Is there much development in Dulwich Hill?
Yes. There were 111 development applications or complying certificates in the past 12 months. Recent examples include dwelling-house works and a pub signage application, so change is active but mostly incremental.
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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