Edgecliff
At just 0.32 square kilometres, Edgecliff packs 2,499 residents into a density of 7,824 people per square kilometre. The defining tension is wealth without ownership: household income sits in the 88.5th percentile nationally, yet 52.4% of residents rent. That pattern is explained by stock that is 70.3% apartments, where separate houses cover only 5.9% of dwellings. University qualifications reach 65.6%, some 35.5 percentage points above the national average, and the median age of 39 is one year below the national figure.
Population
2,499
Median Age
39.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,321/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
34
Median House
$1.8M
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The median house price of $1,755,000 reflects premium inner-eastern Sydney. Prices eased from $1,760,000 in 2024 to $1,665,000 in 2025, a 5.4% decline below the recent peak. Separate houses are only 5.9% of dwellings, so buyers seeking freestanding properties face scarce supply. Monthly mortgage repayments average $3,000 and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 29.9% sits just below the 30% stress threshold, despite household incomes in the 88.5th national percentile. Two-bedroom dwellings lead at 36.2%, studios and one-bedrooms at 32.1% and three-bedrooms at 25.1%, with four-plus at only 6.6%.
For Buyers
The median house price of $1,755,000 reflects premium inner-eastern Sydney. Prices eased from $1,760,000 in 2024 to $1,665,000 in 2025, a 5.4% decline below the recent peak. Separate houses are only 5.9% of dwellings, so buyers seeking freestanding properties face scarce supply. Monthly mortgage repayments average $3,000 and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 29.9% sits just below the 30% stress threshold, despite household incomes in the 88.5th national percentile. Two-bedroom dwellings lead at 36.2%, studios and one-bedrooms at 32.1% and three-bedrooms at 25.1%, with four-plus at only 6.6%.
For Investors
A 52.4% renter share, well above national norms, gives landlords a structurally large tenant pool. Weekly rent of $600 implies a gross yield near 1.8% against the $1,755,000 median. The 16.9% vacancy rate signals meaningful apartment oversupply since 70.3% of stock is apartments. Rent-to-income at 25.9% stays below the 30% stress threshold, supporting tenant retention. Development recorded 33 applications in 12 months, mostly alterations to existing residential flat buildings rather than new supply, so little additional stock pressure is expected near-term.
Development Activity
Total DAs
177
Last 12 Months
34
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-2.9%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Edgecliff iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Ascham School
K-12 · 1182 students
Demographics
The median age of 39 is one year below the national figure, and 47.4% of families are couples without children, explaining the average household size of 1.9, which is 0.6 below national. Overseas-born residents account for 39%, that is 17.4 percentage points above the national rate. Ancestry is led by English (845), Irish (363) and Scottish (261). Non-English languages are modest in scale: Mandarin (40) and Cantonese (16) lead. University qualifications at 65.6% run 35.5 points above national, among the highest concentrations in NSW, consistent with the professional and managerial occupation profile.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
5.9%
Houses
23.8%
Townhouse
70.3%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure is skewed toward renting: 52.4% rent, 29.3% own outright and only 18.3% hold a mortgage. That outright owners outnumber mortgage holders in a suburb priced at $1,755,000 median points to established, debt-free wealth rather than recent buyers. Stock is 70.3% apartments and 23.8% semi-detached, with separate houses at just 5.9%. The 16.9% vacancy rate is elevated compared with metropolitan Sydney norms, indicating apartment supply exceeds demand. Both rent-to-income (25.9%) and mortgage-to-income (29.9%) sit below the 30% stress threshold despite the premium price level.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$3,000
Rent / wk
$600
HH Size
1.9
Personal Income / wk
$1,510
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
16.9%
Unoccupied
247
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
25.9%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
29.9%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
47.4%
Couples, no children
1,507
Total families
Economy & Employment
Professional and Technical Services leads local industry at 23.7% of workers (282 people), followed by Finance at 14.1% (168) and Healthcare at 11.2% (133), together covering nearly half of employed residents. By occupation, Professionals (640) and Managers (320) dominate, consistent with household incomes in the 88.5th national percentile. Full-time employment runs at 72.6% and unemployment at 4.0%. Participation at 60.8% is modest relative to income levels because 610 residents are outside the labour force, suggesting some rely on investment income or are semi-retired given the suburb's wealth profile.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
72.6%
Part-time
23.4%
Participation
60.8%
Employed
1,295
Occupations
Top Industries
University
65.6%
Postgraduate
19.4%
Born Overseas
39.0%
Dwellings
1,207
Transport to Work
Compact form drives active transport: 21.7% of residents walk or cycle to work and 22.0% use public transport, both well above national averages, while only 52.7% drive. No schools are recorded within the 0.32 square kilometre boundary, so families depend on institutions in adjacent suburbs. Just 3.0% of the 2,499 residents (71 people) need daily assistance, low for an inner-city area. Volunteering at 17.3% is solid. Rent-to-income of 25.9% keeps tenants below financial stress levels, and the concentration of Professionals and Managers (960 combined) creates a stable, higher-income residential base than most national comparators.
Drive
52.7%
Public Transport
22.0%
Walk / Cycle
21.7%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Edgecliff compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Edgecliff a good suburb to live in?
Edgecliff suits professionals who prioritise walkability over space. About 21.7% of residents walk or cycle to work and 22.0% use public transport, far above national norms. Household income is in the 88.5th national percentile and 65.6% hold university qualifications, 35.5 points above the national average. Trade-offs include a 16.9% apartment vacancy rate and no schools inside the 0.32 km2 boundary.
What is the median house price in Edgecliff?
The median house price is $1,755,000. Prices eased from $1,760,000 in 2024 to $1,665,000 in 2025, a fall of about 5.4% from peak. Weekly rent averages $600 and monthly mortgage repayments average $3,000, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 29.9%, just below the 30% stress threshold.
What schools are in Edgecliff?
No schools are recorded inside the Edgecliff boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in neighbouring Eastern Suburbs. The suburb's population is highly educated, with 65.6% holding university qualifications, which is 35.5 percentage points above the national average, reflecting a professional and managerial residential base.
Is Edgecliff safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Edgecliff in this dataset. As proxy indicators, only 3.0% of residents (71 people) require daily assistance and household income sits in the 88.5th national percentile, both consistent with a low-disadvantage inner-Sydney area. The unemployment rate is 4.0%, near the national average.
Is Edgecliff good for property investment?
The 52.4% renter share is well above national averages, creating a large tenant pool. However, the 16.9% vacancy rate signals apartment oversupply, and weekly rent of $600 against a $1,755,000 median implies a gross yield near 1.8%. Investors should weigh the high-income tenant base against the elevated vacancy and the 5.4% price decline from the 2024 peak.
How is Edgecliff's population changing?
Edgecliff's 0.32 km2 footprint limits expansion. Annual residential turnover of 36.7% is high, driven by the 52.4% renter majority where leases turn over more frequently than owner tenures. The 16.9% vacancy rate suggests dwelling supply currently exceeds demand. At 7,824 residents per km2, Edgecliff is among Sydney's most compressed suburban footprints.
What languages are spoken in Edgecliff?
About 39% of residents were born overseas, which is 17.4 percentage points above the national rate. English dominates, with Mandarin (40 speakers) and Cantonese (16) the most common non-English languages, followed by Italian (14), Portuguese (13) and French (12). The international profile reflects the suburb's draw for higher-income professionals and expatriates.
How much development is happening in Edgecliff?
There were 33 development applications lodged in the past 12 months, covering new residential flat building approvals and alterations to existing structures. Most activity upgrades existing apartment buildings rather than adding greenfield supply, consistent with the 70.3% apartment stock and constrained 0.32 km2 footprint. This limits near-term supply pressure on the rental market.
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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