Five Dock
At 9,823 residents across 2.46 square kilometres, Five Dock has a density of 3,989.5 people per square kilometre, creating a compact inner-west setting. Its median age of 41 is 1.0 year above the national figure, while university attainment is 20.6 percentage points higher and overseas-born residents are 13.1 points higher than nationally. Household income ranks at the 88.7 percentile, supporting strong local purchasing power. For buyers comparing Five Dock with neighbouring Drummoyne or Abbotsford, the defining trade-off is its established, apartment-and-townhouse oriented form and an aging rather than high-growth trajectory.
Population
9,823
Median Age
41.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,328/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
85
Five Dock suits buyers who value established services and compact housing choices over a predominantly detached-house market. Separate houses represent 45.4% of dwellings, compared with 36.9% apartments and 15.2% semi-detached homes. Two-bedroom and three-bedroom properties each account for 36.7%, giving households similar access to both layouts. A mortgage figure of $3,000 per month equates to 29.8% of household income, below the supplied mortgage-stress threshold, while weekly rent is $570. The mix reflects limited land and high density, so buyers should compare strata costs, outdoor space and renovation potential as carefully as purchase price.
For Buyers
Five Dock suits buyers who value established services and compact housing choices over a predominantly detached-house market. Separate houses represent 45.4% of dwellings, compared with 36.9% apartments and 15.2% semi-detached homes. Two-bedroom and three-bedroom properties each account for 36.7%, giving households similar access to both layouts. A mortgage figure of $3,000 per month equates to 29.8% of household income, below the supplied mortgage-stress threshold, while weekly rent is $570. The mix reflects limited land and high density, so buyers should compare strata costs, outdoor space and renovation potential as carefully as purchase price.
For Investors
Five Dock has a substantial tenant base, with 37.1% of households renting and weekly rent at $570. Its 7.0% vacancy rate provides more leasing flexibility than a tightly constrained market, although investors should test achievable rent against property condition and strata expenses. Compared with the 31.7% owned-outright share, renting is more common, supporting recurring demand in apartments, terraces and smaller homes. Development activity is notable at 88 applications over 12 months, including attached dwellings, terraces and subdivision. The annual population trend is 0.46%, while overseas migration is the primary driver, so rental demand is likely to depend more on established connectivity and incoming households than rapid local expansion.
Development Activity
Total DAs
538
Last 12 Months
85
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
0.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Five Dock
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Demographics
Five Dock has a median age of 41, an average household size of 2.5 and a relatively settled population, with 78.4% of residents remaining at the same address and 21.6% turning over. Compared with the national profile, university attainment is 20.6 percentage points higher and the overseas-born share is 13.1 points higher. Italian ancestry is prominent at 2,307 people, followed by English at 1,987, Irish at 1,026 and Chinese at 971. Italian is spoken by 450 residents, while Mandarin counts 179. Compared with neighbouring Drummoyne and Abbotsford, Five Dock can appeal to households seeking a dense, established setting with strong cultural continuity and professional education levels.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
45.4%
Houses
15.2%
Townhouse
36.9%
Apartment
Tenure
Five Dock's tenure profile is divided between 31.7% owning outright, 29.6% paying a mortgage and 37.1% renting. Compared with the 45.4% separate-house share, the 36.9% apartment share and 15.2% semi-detached share show a more varied housing stock than a conventional detached suburb. Two-bedroom and three-bedroom dwellings are evenly represented at 36.7% each, while 17.9% have four or more bedrooms and 8.7% have zero or one bedroom. The $3,000 monthly mortgage figure and $570 weekly rent indicate a market where holding costs matter, because compact land supply and apartment availability shape the choice between space, maintenance and location.
Mortgage / mo
$3,000
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (April to June 2026), NSW Rental Bond Board (DCJ). Census 2021 median: $570.
$885
Bond data Jun 2026 · houses $1,300 · units $800
HH Size
2.5
Personal Income / wk
$1,079
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
7.0%
Unoccupied
290
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.5%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
29.8%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
47.4%
Couples with children
36.7%
Couples, no children
14.2%
Single parent
2,769
Total families
Economy & Employment
Five Dock has a professional and service-led economy. Healthcare accounts for 15.0% of employment with 571 workers, followed by Professional and Technical services at 14.1% with 537, Education at 12.0% with 459, Construction at 9.1% with 346 and Finance at 8.5% with 323. The leading occupations are Professionals at 1,655, Managers at 1,014 and Clerical and Administrative workers at 696, ahead of Trades at 454 and Community and Personal Services at 373. Participation is 64.4%, unemployment is 3.6%, and 3,099 workers are full-time. An 88.7 household-income percentile sits above the national midpoint. SEIFA results are also high: IEO decile 9, IER 7, IRSD 8 and IRSAD 9. The lower IER result compared with IEO suggests educational and occupational advantage is stronger than household-resource advantage for some residents.
Unemployment
3.6%
Labour Force
5,199
Unemployed
185
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
61.8%
Part-time
27.7%
Participation
64.4%
Employed
5,014
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
50.7%
Postgraduate
14.7%
Born Overseas
34.7%
Dwellings
3,825
Transport to Work
Five Dock's compact 2.46 square kilometres and 3,989.5 residents per square kilometre support convenient access to shops, services and established neighbourhood facilities, although parking and dwelling space require attention. Work from home is reported at 53.0%, higher than public transport use at 3.0%, while 38.3% drive to work and 3.2% walk or cycle. The local school mix includes 1 named government primary school, Five Dock Public School; families should check enrolment zones against the exact address, especially for secondary options. An IRSAD decile of 9 points to strong relative advantage, while 5.7% of residents need assistance. For safety, compare current street-level incident patterns around any prospective address rather than relying on suburb-wide impressions.
Drive
38.3%
Public Transport
3.0%
Walk / Cycle
3.2%
Work from Home
53.0%
Population Forecast
+0.46%/yr
(+98 people/yr)
EstablishedFive Dock is following an established, slow-growth path, with annual growth forecast at 0.46% and population change across the wider area of 9.6% over 10 years. Overseas migration is the primary growth driver, while the trajectory is labelled Aging and the senior share has increased by 3.9 percentage points. Rent growth of 24.7% is higher than the annual population trend, indicating housing costs have moved faster than local expansion. Gentrification remains at the Early signs stage, with a score of 20 in the main measure and 32 in the shift measure. The area also recovered from a COVID dip of 2.3%, with recovery recorded at 2.0%, suggesting resilience without the profile of a rapid-growth corridor.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+264
Net Internal / yr
-241
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Net internal outflow -241/yr, Strong overseas inflow +264/yr, COVID recovered (-2% dip → full recovery)
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Five Dock compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Five Dock a good suburb to live in?
Five Dock suits residents seeking an established inner-west setting, professional employment access and a compact housing mix. It has 9,823 residents, a median age of 41 and 53.0% working from home. Compared with less dense suburban choices, its 3,989.5 people per square kilometre means convenience comes with more apartments, traffic and parking competition.
What is the median house price in Five Dock?
A current median house price should be checked against recent settled sales and the exact property type. The main affordability markers are a $3,000 monthly mortgage figure and $570 weekly rent. Compared with apartment or semi-detached options, a separate house may carry a larger land premium because only 45.4% of dwellings are separate houses.
What schools are in Five Dock?
Five Dock Public School is the named local option, with 1 government primary school identified in the suburb. Families should compare the exact address with current enrolment zones and nearby secondary choices, because school access can differ by street. The local housing profile includes 36.7% three-bedroom dwellings, which may suit families seeking more space.
Is Five Dock safe?
Check current police and council incident information for the exact street before deciding, as conditions can vary within a dense suburb. Five Dock covers 2.46 square kilometres and houses 9,823 residents, so comparing the proposed address with nearby streets and neighbouring Drummoyne or Abbotsford is more useful than relying on a single suburb-wide impression.
Is Five Dock good for property investment?
Five Dock has an established rental base, with 37.1% of households renting and weekly rent at $570. The 7.0% vacancy rate and 88 development applications over 12 months support active market conditions, but new supply can increase competition. Compared with the 0.46% annual population trend, investors should focus on property quality, tenant appeal and holding costs.
How is Five Dock's population changing?
Population change is steady rather than rapid. Annual growth is forecast at 0.46%, while the wider area's 10-year population change is 9.6%. Overseas migration is the primary driver, but the trajectory is Aging and the senior share has risen by 3.9 percentage points. Compared with faster-growth locations, Five Dock is more likely to evolve through gradual turnover and housing change.
What languages are spoken in Five Dock?
Italian is the most prominent listed non-English language, spoken by 450 residents, followed by Mandarin at 179, Cantonese at 115, Greek at 81 and Arabic at 60. The overseas-born share is 34.7%, which is 13.1 percentage points higher than the national figure. Compared with less internationally connected areas, local services may benefit from multilingual communication.
What development is occurring in Five Dock?
Five Dock recorded 88 development applications over 12 months, including attached dwellings, multi-dwelling terrace housing, alterations, public-reserve work and subdivision. This level of activity is higher than a purely static established-suburb profile, but the annual growth trend remains 0.46%. Gentrification is still at the Early signs stage, with a score of 20.
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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