Ermington
With 44.3% of residents born overseas and household income in the 74.7 percentile, Ermington has moved well beyond a quiet middle-ring profile. The suburb combines a $1,700,000 median house price with 60.5% separate houses, so it still feels lower-density compared with Parramatta while carrying a premium price point. University attainment is 45.1%, 15.0 percentage points above the national level, and 106 recent development applications show why density pressure is rising around an already established housing base.
Population
12,686
Median Age
37.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,993/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
113
Median House
$1.7M
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
Homebuyers face a high entry price: the median house price is $1,700,000, with the latest measured house median at $1,708,000 in 2025. That price sits above what the local income profile comfortably absorbs, because mortgage payments take 30.1% of household income and are flagged as stress. The appeal is the dwelling mix: 60.5% separate houses and 33.4% homes with 4 or more bedrooms suit families wanting more space than apartment-heavy inner Parramatta, while 18.0% apartments and 21.2% semi-detached homes add some lower-maintenance options.
For Buyers
Homebuyers face a high entry price: the median house price is $1,700,000, with the latest measured house median at $1,708,000 in 2025. That price sits above what the local income profile comfortably absorbs, because mortgage payments take 30.1% of household income and are flagged as stress. The appeal is the dwelling mix: 60.5% separate houses and 33.4% homes with 4 or more bedrooms suit families wanting more space than apartment-heavy inner Parramatta, while 18.0% apartments and 21.2% semi-detached homes add some lower-maintenance options.
For Investors
Investors get a large tenant pool, with renters making up 43.7% of households, higher than outright owners at 22.4%. Weekly rent is $420 and rent has grown 38.7% through the forecast shift, but the 6.9% vacancy rate is a caution because it can slow leasing urgency. Supply is also active, with 106 development applications in 12 months, including flat building and secondary dwelling activity. Demand is underpinned by overseas migration averaging 414 people a year, offset by a -50 annual internal migration figure.
Development Activity
Total DAs
679
Last 12 Months
113
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+3.7%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Ermington iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Ermington West Public School
K-6 · 104 students
Rydalmere East Public School
P-6 · 104 students
Demographics
Ermington is younger and more internationally connected than the national profile. The median age is 37, which is 3.0 years below national, while 44.3% born overseas is 22.7 percentage points above national. Education levels are also high, with 45.1% holding university qualifications, 15.0 points above national. Chinese ancestry is recorded for 2313 residents, English for 2203 and Korean for 966, with Mandarin, Korean, Arabic and Cantonese prominent at home. The 2.8 average household size is 0.3 higher than national, supporting family-oriented demand.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
60.5%
Houses
21.2%
Townhouse
18.0%
Apartment
Tenure
Housing is expensive but recent price movement has been modest. The house median rose from $1,692,500 in 2024 to $1,708,000 in 2025, a 0.9% one-year gain, and the latest quarter is also the peak, so the peak-to-latest change is 0.0%. Tenure is mixed: 22.4% own outright, 33.8% have a mortgage and 43.7% rent. Separate houses still lead at 60.5%, above apartments at 18.0% and semi-detached homes at 21.2%. Larger stock matters because 37.5% of homes have 3 bedrooms and 33.4% have 4 or more, but the price-to-income pressure is visible in a 30.1% mortgage-to-income ratio.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,600
Rent / wk
$420
HH Size
2.8
Personal Income / wk
$812
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
6.9%
Unoccupied
315
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.1%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
30.1% stressed
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
19.3%
Couples, no children
10,470
Total families
Economy & Employment
The local workforce leans professional and service-based, which helps explain the 74.7 household income percentile. Healthcare is the largest industry at 16.2% and 669 workers, followed by Professional/Tech at 11.3%, Construction at 9.3%, Education at 9.3% and Public Admin at 9.0%. Occupations are led by 1569 professionals, 883 managers and 853 clerical or administrative workers. SEIFA is uneven: education and occupation sits in decile 8, but economic resources are decile 5 and disadvantage is decile 5, reflecting a suburb with high skills but also a high 43.7% renting share.
Unemployment
3.8%
Labour Force
16,313
Unemployed
616
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
68.6%
Part-time
25.0%
Participation
49.6%
Employed
4,750
Occupations
Top Industries
University
45.1%
Postgraduate
12.8%
Born Overseas
44.3%
Dwellings
4,260
Transport to Work
Daily life is car-reliant: 86.2% drive to work, far higher than the 4.7% using public transport and 2.6% walking or cycling. That matters for buyers because access to parking and road connections will shape convenience more than station proximity. The school base is compact, with 2 government primary schools and an ICSEA range of 1007-1022; Ermington West Public School leads at 1022, with Rydalmere East Public School close behind at 1007. IRSAD decile 7 points to above-average social advantage, while local crime rates are not available for a numeric safety comparison.
Drive
86.2%
Public Transport
4.7%
Walk / Cycle
2.6%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+1.69%/yr
(+455 people/yr)
EstablishedErmington's forecast path is stable rather than speculative. The annual growth trend is 1.69%, equal to about 455 people a year, and the medium scenario reaches 29467 by 2031. Migration is the main engine because overseas migration averages +414 people a year, compared with -50 from internal migration. The gentrification score is 37 and the stage is Early signs, while the broader shift records 28.2% population change over 10 years and 38.7% rent growth. That mix points to steady renewal pressure without a full identity reset.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+414
Net Internal / yr
-50
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +36% since 2011, Strong overseas inflow +414/yr, Accelerating: 11% → 22%
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Ermington compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ermington a good suburb to live in?
Ermington suits buyers who want a premium, family-leaning area with 60.5% separate houses, 2 local primary schools and household income in the 74.7 percentile. The trade-off is high car dependence, with 86.2% driving to work.
What is the median house price in Ermington?
The median house price in Ermington is $1,700,000. The latest measured house median is $1,708,000 in 2025, up 0.9% from $1,692,500 in 2024, so recent price growth has been modest rather than rapid.
What schools are in Ermington?
Ermington has 2 local primary schools in the list: Ermington West Public School with ICSEA 1022 and 104 enrolments, and Rydalmere East Public School with ICSEA 1007 and 104 enrolments. Both are government schools.
Is Ermington safe?
A suburb-level crime rate per 1,000 is not listed, so safety should be checked at street level and by time of day. For context, Ermington has 2 local primary schools and an IRSAD decile of 7, which sits above the national midpoint.
Is Ermington good for property investment?
Ermington has investor appeal because 43.7% of households rent and rent growth has been 38.7%. The caution is a 6.9% vacancy rate and 106 development applications in 12 months, which can lift tenant choice and competition.
How is Ermington's population changing?
Growth is forecast at 1.69% a year, or about 455 people annually. The medium scenario reaches 29467 by 2031, driven mainly by overseas migration averaging +414 people a year compared with -50 internal migration.
What languages are spoken in Ermington?
Ermington has a strong multilingual profile, with 44.3% of residents born overseas. The largest listed home languages include Mandarin with 571 speakers, Korean with 455, Arabic with 357 and Cantonese with 336.
What development is happening in Ermington?
Development activity is elevated, with 106 applications recorded in the past 12 months. Recent examples include a residential flat building, a secondary dwelling adding 1 dwelling, and demolition or subdivision related work.
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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