NSW 2122 Census 2021 + Live DA Data

Eastwood

Eastwood's standout feature is its overseas-born share: 61.0%, which is 39.4 percentage points above the national figure, while Chinese ancestry is the leading ancestry group at 9,129 people. The suburb has 18,695 people across 5.19 sq km, creating a density of 3,599.1 people per sq km, and its median age of 39 is 1 year below the national median. Household income sits at the 73.1 percentile. Compared with nearby Denistone and Epping, Eastwood combines 53.0% separate houses with a substantial 28.3% apartment share. Affordability is the main constraint because mortgage costs absorb 32.4% of household income, higher than the 23.1% rent-to-income share.

Eastwood urban fabric map

Population

18,695

Median Age

39.0

Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)

$1,945/wk

DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year

241

5.19 km²· 3,599.1 people/km²· Family income $2,177/wk

Homebuyers are choosing between detached, semi-detached and apartment stock rather than a single housing format. Separate houses account for 53.0%, apartments 28.3% and semi-detached dwellings 18.0%; the 35.2% share of four-or-more-bedroom homes is higher than the 28.9% share of three-bedroom homes. A $2,730 monthly mortgage sits alongside a mortgage-to-income ratio of 32.4%, above the 23.1% rent-to-income ratio, so borrowing capacity and interest-rate buffers matter. Compared with a smaller-unit market, Eastwood gives families more space options, but the 39.2% renting share signals competition for accessible entry points.

For Buyers

Homebuyers are choosing between detached, semi-detached and apartment stock rather than a single housing format. Separate houses account for 53.0%, apartments 28.3% and semi-detached dwellings 18.0%; the 35.2% share of four-or-more-bedroom homes is higher than the 28.9% share of three-bedroom homes. A $2,730 monthly mortgage sits alongside a mortgage-to-income ratio of 32.4%, above the 23.1% rent-to-income ratio, so borrowing capacity and interest-rate buffers matter. Compared with a smaller-unit market, Eastwood gives families more space options, but the 39.2% renting share signals competition for accessible entry points.

For Investors

Eastwood's rental case rests on a large tenant base and sustained migration appeal, not just on yield assumptions. Renters comprise 39.2% of households and weekly rent is $450, while the 7.6% vacancy rate is above zero and gives tenants more choice than a tightly constrained market. Overseas migration is the primary forecast driver, and rent growth of 21.6% supports rental income momentum, although affordability still needs testing. Development activity is material, with 245 applications in 12 months, including dual-occupancy examples, so new supply could compete with older dwellings. Compared with a lower-rental-share suburb, Eastwood's mixed stock broadens the tenant base but increases property-selection risk.

Development Activity

Total DAs

1,330

Last 12 Months

241

YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements

+1.7%

Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year

N/A

Monthly DA Lodgements

DA Categories

Demolition
120
Renovation / Extension
104
Subdivision
72
Multi-Dwelling / Townhouse
59
Granny Flat / Secondary Dwelling
29
New Dwelling
27
Other
22
Swimming Pool / Spa
12

Schools in Eastwood

Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.

Denistone East Public School

Primary School Government
School website

Eastwood Heights Public School

Primary School Government
School website

Eastwood Public School

Primary School Government
School website

Epping Boys High School

Secondary School Government
School website

Demographics

Eastwood has an overseas-born majority: 61.0%, or 39.4 percentage points above the national share. Chinese ancestry is the largest ancestry group at 9,129 people, followed by English at 2,166 and Korean at 1,650; Mandarin is spoken by 2,505 people and Canton by 1,297. University attainment reaches 61.5%, 31.4 points above the national comparison, helping explain the concentration of professionals at 3,059 and managers at 1,193. Median age is 39, 1 year below national, while average household size is 2.8, 0.3 above national. Compared with nearby Epping and Denistone, Eastwood has a particularly international population profile. No religion accounts for 8,449 people, ahead of Christianity at 6,797 and Buddhism at 1,236.

Age Distribution

0-14
15.7%
15-24
11.0%
25-44
31.3%
45-64
24.6%
65+
17.4%

Bedrooms

Studio/1br
8.0%
2 bed
27.9%
3 bed
28.9%
4+ bed
35.2%

Dwelling Structure

53.0%

Houses

18.0%

Townhouse

28.3%

Apartment

Tenure

Own 30.7% Mortgage 28.6% Rent 39.2% Other 1.5%

Eastwood's tenure profile is split: 30.7% own outright, 28.6% have a mortgage and 39.2% rent, with renting higher than outright ownership. The dwelling mix is also varied: 53.0% separate houses, 28.3% apartments and 18.0% semi-detached homes. Larger homes are common, with 35.2% having four or more bedrooms, compared with 28.9% with three and 27.9% with two. Mortgage payments are $2,730 a month and mortgage costs reach 32.4% of household income, higher than rent costs at 23.1%, which explains the mortgage stress flag. Compared with apartment-led Macquarie Park, Eastwood provides more detached-house stock but carries a heavier affordability trade-off for leveraged buyers.

Mortgage / mo

$2,730

Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (April to June 2026), NSW Rental Bond Board (DCJ). Census 2021 median: $450.

$750

Bond data Jun 2026 · houses $950 · units $700

HH Size

2.8

Personal Income / wk

$760

Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)

7.6%

Unoccupied

538

Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress

23.1%

Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress

32.4% stressed

Community Profile

Languages Spoken at Home

Mandarin
2,505
Canton
1,297
Korean
758
Arabic
67
Hindi
61
Nepali
55

Ancestry

Chinese
9,129
English
2,166
Other
2,124
Korean
1,650
Ancestry NS
748
Irish
707

Household Composition

49.3%

Couples with children

36.6%

Couples, no children

12.5%

Single parent

5,160

Total families

Economy & Employment

Eastwood's economic base is led by healthcare, at 15.8% or 1,035 workers, followed by professional and technical services at 14.6% or 958, education at 9.6% or 632, finance at 9.2% or 604, and retail at 7.2% or 473. The occupation mix is similarly skilled, with 3,059 professionals and 1,193 managers ahead of 1,115 clerical and administrative workers, 819 trades workers and 672 community or personal service workers. Participation is 57.0%, unemployment 5.8% and full-time employment 56.6%. Household income ranks at the 73.1 percentile. Eastwood's IEO and IRSAD both sit in decile 9, above the national midpoint, while IER and IRSD are decile 6, showing stronger education and advantage than the more middle-positioned resource and disadvantage measures. This combination supports professional employment, but the 6,089 people outside the labour force temper the headline skill profile.

Unemployment

5.8%

Labour Force

8,985

Unemployed

518

Source: ABS Census 2021

Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)

Overall advantage
9
Disadvantage
6
Economic resources
6
Education & occupation
9

Full-time

56.6%

Part-time

31.6%

Participation

57.0%

Employed

8,467

Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021

Occupations

Professionals 3,059
Managers 1,193
Clerical/Admin 1,115
Trades 819
Community/Personal 672
Sales 654
Labourers 505
Machinery/Drivers 272

Top Industries

Healthcare 15.8%
Professional/Tech 14.6%
Education 9.6%
Finance 9.2%
Retail 7.2%

University

61.5%

Postgraduate

22.0%

Born Overseas

61.0%

Dwellings

6,489

Transport to Work

Eastwood's practical appeal comes from a compact 5.19 sq km footprint, density of 3,599.1 people per sq km and access to schools across both primary and secondary years. Four local schools span 3 government primary schools and 1 government secondary school, so families should check the exact enrolment zone before signing a lease or contract. Daily travel is mixed: 36.3% drive as car occupants, 6.3% use public transport, 3.4% walk or cycle, and 50.9% work from home. Compared with a more car-dependent suburb, the high work-from-home share can reduce commuting pressure, while the public-transport share makes route planning important. Socioeconomic conditions rank well on IRSAD at decile 9, above the national midpoint, but safety decisions should rely on current street-level checks rather than the decile.

Drive

36.3%

Public Transport

6.3%

Walk / Cycle

3.4%

Work from Home

50.9%

Population Forecast

+0.91%/yr

(+185 people/yr)

Established

Eastwood's growth outlook is steady rather than explosive: the forecast trend is 0.91% annually, with overseas migration identified as the primary driver. Population change across the wider area is 15.5% over 10 years, while the shift trajectory is Aging; the senior share has risen 3.5 percentage points and the young share has slipped 0.1 points. Gentrification signals are mixed: the gentrification score is 16 and classified as Not gentrifying, whereas the separate shift score is 37 with an Early signs stage. Rent growth of 21.6% and real income growth of 18.2% indicate changing market conditions, while affordability figures moved from 70.6 in 2011 to 59.1 in 2021. Compared with a younger, faster-growth corridor, Eastwood is more likely to evolve through overseas migration and gradual renewal than sudden demographic change.

Historical + Forecast

Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025

Age Cohort Forecast

Primary Driver

Overseas Migration

Net Overseas / yr

+656

Net Internal / yr

-432

16

Gentrification Signal

Not gentrifying

Population +17% since 2011, Net internal outflow -432/yr, Strong overseas inflow +656/yr

National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs

How Eastwood compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs

Population
Top 1%
Household Income
Top 27%
Rent Level
Top 10%
Apartments
Top 4%
Renters
Top 12%
Uni Educated
Top 4%
Public Transport
Top 18%
Born Overseas
Top 1%
Density
Top 2%

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Eastwood a good suburb to live in?

Yes, Eastwood can suit households seeking schools, a high work-from-home share and mixed housing. It has 18,695 residents, 50.9% working from home and 4 local schools across primary and secondary years. Compared with a lower-density suburb, its 3,599.1 people per sq km means more convenience but also busier housing demand.

What is the median house price in Eastwood?

A current median house price should be checked against recent Eastwood sales rather than guessed, because the suburb has several dwelling types. Separate houses make up 53.0%, apartments 28.3% and semi-detached homes 18.0%. Compared with an apartment-only market, the median can shift substantially by property type and bedroom count.

What schools are in Eastwood?

Four local schools span 3 government primary schools and 1 government secondary school. The primary options include Eastwood, Eastwood Heights and Denistone East, while Epping Boys High School is the secondary option. Compared with relying on one campus, families should check the exact enrolment zone because boundaries can affect eligibility.

Is Eastwood safe?

Check current NSW Police and council information for street-level safety decisions. Eastwood's IRSAD decile is 9, above the national midpoint, but socioeconomic standing and safety are separate considerations. The suburb's population density is 3,599.1 people per sq km, so conditions can vary more than a single suburb-wide impression.

Is Eastwood good for property investment?

Eastwood can suit investors seeking an established rental market, but returns need property-level checking. Renters comprise 39.2% of households, weekly rent is $450 and vacancy is 7.6%, while 245 development applications in 12 months may increase competing supply. Compared with a lower-rental-share suburb, the tenant base is broader, although supply and vacancy need close monitoring.

How is Eastwood's population changing?

Eastwood has 18,695 residents today, while population change across the wider area is 15.5% over 10 years and the forecast trend is 0.91% annually. Overseas migration is the primary driver. The trajectory is Aging, with the senior share up 3.5 percentage points and the young share down 0.1. Compared with a younger-growth profile, this points to continued growth alongside an older age mix.

What languages are spoken in Eastwood?

Eastwood has a strong Chinese and Korean language presence. Mandarin is spoken by 2,505 people, Canton by 1,297 and Korean by 758. That profile is consistent with the 61.0% overseas-born share, which is above the national comparison and can shape local services, shopping and community life.

Is Eastwood seeing a lot of development?

Yes, development activity is material, with 245 applications in 12 months. Recent examples include attached and detached dual occupancies with 2 dwellings, so buyers should check whether nearby projects may affect privacy, parking or future supply. Compared with a static housing area, Eastwood is seeing more renewal pressure.

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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