East Killara
Household income is the standout feature of East Killara: the weekly household figure is $3,005, placing it at the 97.2nd percentile nationally. Its 2,895 residents have a median age of 43, 56.1% were born overseas and 69.6% have university qualifications, making the suburb older and more internationally connected than national norms. Housing is unusually detached, with 99.7% separate houses and 83.5% containing four or more bedrooms. Compared with nearby Lindfield and Killara, East Killara presents a strongly family-sized housing profile, while 59.4% working from home reinforces its professional, low-commute character.
Local council: Ku-ring-gai
Population
2,895
Median Age
43.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$3,005/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
27
East Killara suits buyers seeking a large detached home, but entry costs need careful budgeting. Separate houses account for 99.7% of dwellings, while 83.5% have four or more bedrooms and only 15.3% have three bedrooms, so the stock is skewed toward larger properties than a standard family mix. Mortgage cost is $3,900 a month, equal to 30.0% of household income, below the 33.3% rent-to-income stress measure. Outright ownership at 47.3% is higher than mortgage ownership at 39.1%, signalling an established owner base. Compared with a unit-led suburb, buyers get more land-oriented housing but less flexibility in dwelling size.
For Buyers
East Killara suits buyers seeking a large detached home, but entry costs need careful budgeting. Separate houses account for 99.7% of dwellings, while 83.5% have four or more bedrooms and only 15.3% have three bedrooms, so the stock is skewed toward larger properties than a standard family mix. Mortgage cost is $3,900 a month, equal to 30.0% of household income, below the 33.3% rent-to-income stress measure. Outright ownership at 47.3% is higher than mortgage ownership at 39.1%, signalling an established owner base. Compared with a unit-led suburb, buyers get more land-oriented housing but less flexibility in dwelling size.
For Investors
Investor appeal rests more on affluent, stable demand than on a deep rental pool. Only 12.1% of households rent, while weekly rent is $1,000 and vacancy is 8.2%, so landlords should test letting times and achievable rent rather than assume scarcity. Rent growth of 37.0% has been strong, yet the rent stress flag and 33.3% rent-to-income ratio indicate that further increases may face affordability limits. Thirty-one development applications in 12 months, including dwelling-related work, add some supply and renovation activity. Compared with a high-turnover rental market, East Killara's 16.5% population turnover points to a more settled local base, while internal migration is the primary growth driver.
Development Activity
Total DAs
191
Last 12 Months
27
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-25.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
East Killara has a mature, highly educated and migrant-majority population. Median age is 43, which is 3.0 years above the national figure, while 69.6% of residents hold university qualifications, 39.5 percentage points higher than nationally. Overseas-born residents make up 56.1%, or 34.5 points above the national share. Chinese ancestry is the largest reported background at 1,353 people, and Mandarin and Canton language responses number 294 and 217. Average household size is 3.2, 0.7 above the national comparison, consistent with 59.8% of families being couples with children. Compared with nearby Lindfield, the suburb's overseas-born and Chinese-background presence is a prominent part of its identity.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
99.7%
Houses
0.3%
Townhouse
0.0%
Apartment
Tenure
East Killara's housing is overwhelmingly detached and larger than the usual suburban mix. Separate houses account for 99.7% of dwellings, four-plus-bedroom homes for 83.5%, and three-bedroom homes for 15.3%; the four-plus share is above the three-bedroom share by 68.2 percentage points. Tenure is strongly owner-oriented: 47.3% own outright, 39.1% have a mortgage and 12.1% rent. A $3,900 monthly mortgage compares with $1,000 weekly rent, while mortgage stress is flagged false at 30.0% of household income and rent stress is flagged true at 33.3%. Compared with nearby Killara and Lindfield, this is a distinctly house-dominant profile, with limited semi-detached stock at 0.3%.
Mortgage / mo
$3,900
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (April to June 2026), NSW Rental Bond Board (DCJ). Census 2021 median: $1,000.
$940
Bond data Jun 2026 · houses $1,500 · units $790
HH Size
3.2
Personal Income / wk
$905
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
8.2%
Unoccupied
79
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
33.3% stressed
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
30.0%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
59.8%
Couples with children
27.5%
Couples, no children
10.6%
Single parent
840
Total families
Economy & Employment
East Killara's economy is led by professional services and high-skill occupations. Professional/Tech accounts for 22.0% of industry employment, followed by Healthcare at 15.1% and Finance at 14.0%, while Professionals number 510 and Managers 261. The unemployment rate is 3.8%, with a 55.6% participation rate and 56.3% full-time employment rate, alongside 991 people outside the labour force. Income-related advantage is stronger than the occupation and education position: the IER sits in decile 8, above the IEO decile 5, alongside a household income percentile of 97.2. That gap is consistent with well-paid sectors, although 59.4% working from home reduces the need for daily local commuting.
Unemployment
3.8%
Labour Force
1,309
Unemployed
50
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
56.3%
Part-time
34.2%
Participation
55.6%
Employed
1,259
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
69.6%
Postgraduate
22.7%
Born Overseas
56.1%
Dwellings
881
Transport to Work
Daily life is geared to cars and home-based work rather than public transport. Only 3.3% travel by public transport, 33.3% drive a car and 59.4% work from home. East Killara covers 3.19 square kilometres at 907.5 residents per square kilometre, giving a compact but low-rise setting because 99.7% of homes are separate houses. School access should be checked by exact address and enrolment zone, including government, independent and Catholic options. Relative advantage is mixed: IRSAD is decile 5, below IRSD decile 6, while volunteering is 16.5% and need for assistance is 3.4%. Compared with a transit-oriented suburb, errands and school travel require more planning.
Drive
33.3%
Public Transport
3.3%
Walk / Cycle
N/A
Work from Home
59.4%
Growth Outlook
Growth is forecast at 2.05% a year, with internal migration identified as the primary driver. Population change across the wider area is 34.1% over 10 years, while the gentrification score is 57 and its stage is Active, indicating ongoing renewal pressure. At the same time, the shift trajectory is Aging: the senior share has risen 4.1 percentage points and the young share has fallen 1.3 points. Rents have grown 37.0%, while affordability moved from 46.6% in 2011 to 44.7% in 2021 and is labelled Stable. Compared with a younger growth corridor, East Killara is likely to see demand shaped by established households, internal movers and ageing in place.
Population trend: Ku-ring-gai council area
East Killara sits in the Ku-ring-gai council area. These are the council area's residents, not East Killara's.
Residents 2025
128,542
Growth, 5 yr average
+0.3%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+0.1%
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 East Killara compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is East Killara a good suburb to live in?
East Killara suits households wanting large detached homes and strong work-from-home capacity. It has 99.7% separate houses, 83.5% four-plus-bedroom homes and 59.4% working from home. The trade-off is car dependence, with 3.3% using public transport, and a median age of 43.
What is the median house price in East Killara?
A current median house price should be checked against recent comparable sales rather than inferred. The housing profile is 99.7% separate houses, 83.5% four-plus bedrooms and 47.3% owned outright, while mortgage cost is $3,900 per month.
What schools are in East Killara?
Families should check nearby school options, sector and enrolment zones against the exact address. East Killara has an average household size of 3.2, 59.8% of families are couples with children and 69.6% of residents have university qualifications, making school access an important practical consideration.
Is East Killara safe?
East Killara has 2,895 residents across 3.19 square kilometres. For a current safety check, review NSW Police information and visit at different times, paying attention to lighting, traffic and walking routes rather than relying on the suburb's age or housing profile.
Is East Killara good for property investment?
It may suit a long-term investor who values an affluent, owner-heavy area, but the numbers need close testing. Weekly rent is $1,000, vacancy is 8.2%, renting is 12.1% and 31 development applications were lodged over 12 months. Rent growth reached 37.0%, while internal migration supports demand.
How is East Killara's population changing?
The population is 2,895 today, with a forecast annual growth trend of 2.05% driven by internal migration. Wider-area population change is 34.1% over 10 years, while the shift trajectory is Aging, with senior share up 4.1 percentage points and young share down 1.3 points.
What languages are spoken in East Killara?
Mandarin is reported by 294 people and Canton language responses by 217, alongside Korean at 36. Chinese ancestry is the largest reported background at 1,353 people, and 56.1% of residents were born overseas. These figures point to a substantial Chinese-speaking presence.
What development is occurring in East Killara?
Development activity is material for an established suburb: 31 applications were lodged over 12 months. Recent examples include dwelling houses, alterations, garages, retaining works and swimming pools. This pattern points to renovation and replacement-home activity, rather than a large apartment pipeline.
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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