Garden Suburb
Household income in the 89.5th percentile nationally and a 99.5% separate-house stock make Garden Suburb one of the most homogeneous owner-occupier pockets in the Lake Macquarie corridor. With only 1,959 residents across 1.9 square kilometres, density sits at 1,032 per km2, low enough to feel genuinely suburban. The 10.7% renter share is far below the national average, while 45.6% of households own their home outright, reflecting an established, mortgage-light population rather than a speculative market.
Population
1,959
Median Age
41.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,361/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
26
Median House
$965K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The current median house price is $965,000, a 7.1% correction from the 2024 peak of $1,027,500. Despite that pullback, monthly mortgage repayments average $2,066, and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 20.2%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold. Nearly all dwellings are separate houses (99.5%), and 59.7% have four or more bedrooms, so buyers get larger family homes than in comparable price brackets closer to Sydney. The 45.6% outright-ownership rate is well above national levels, signalling long-term holders dominate and forced sales are rare. Those signals, combined with a $965,000 entry point that is substantially lower than Sydney's inner ring, make the suburb accessible for upsizers.
For Buyers
The current median house price is $965,000, a 7.1% correction from the 2024 peak of $1,027,500. Despite that pullback, monthly mortgage repayments average $2,066, and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 20.2%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold. Nearly all dwellings are separate houses (99.5%), and 59.7% have four or more bedrooms, so buyers get larger family homes than in comparable price brackets closer to Sydney. The 45.6% outright-ownership rate is well above national levels, signalling long-term holders dominate and forced sales are rare. Those signals, combined with a $965,000 entry point that is substantially lower than Sydney's inner ring, make the suburb accessible for upsizers.
For Investors
Garden Suburb is not a high-yield rental market: the renter share is just 10.7%, well below national norms, and weekly rent is $465 against a $965,000 median, implying a gross yield near 2.5%. The 3.6% vacancy rate is moderate rather than alarming. On the supply side, 24 development applications were lodged in the past 12 months, mostly alterations and dwelling works rather than new units, so rental supply pressure is limited. The low turnover rate of 17.7% and a 82.3% stay-put rate mean tenant demand comes from a thin pool of movers rather than a high-churn renter base. Investors seeking capital growth over yield will find the price correction from $1,027,500 to $955,000 offers a potential re-entry point.
Development Activity
Total DAs
111
Last 12 Months
26
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+62.5%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Garden Suburb iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Garden Suburb Public School
K-6 · 227 students
Demographics
The median age of 41 is one year above the national figure, consistent with an established family and empty-nester mix. University qualifications reach 39.6%, which is 9.5 percentage points above the national average, pointing to a skilled resident base. Overseas-born residents account for 12.8%, about 8.8 points below national, and ancestry is predominantly Anglo-Celtic: English (845), Scottish (291) and Irish (232) are the top three groups. Average household size is 2.9, which is 0.4 above national, driven by 744 couples-with-children families. The 82.3% five-year stay-put rate reflects a settled population that values stability over mobility.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
99.5%
Houses
N/A
Townhouse
0.5%
Apartment
Tenure
The housing mix is unusually uniform: 99.5% are separate houses and 59.7% have four or more bedrooms, a profile that skews toward families rather than downsizers or renters. Tenure splits show 45.6% owned outright, 43.7% under mortgage and only 10.7% renting, a pattern that resembles established owner-occupier suburbs more than investment markets. The median price fell from $1,027,500 in 2024 to $955,000 in 2025, a 7.1% decline over one year, which is a notable softening. Mortgage-to-income at 20.2% and rent-to-income at 19.7% are both below stress thresholds, indicating that existing owners and tenants carry manageable housing costs relative to their incomes in the 89.5th income percentile.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,066
Rent / wk
$465
HH Size
2.9
Personal Income / wk
$942
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
3.6%
Unoccupied
24
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.7%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.2%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
23.1%
Couples, no children
1,655
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare employs 25.3% of the local workforce (174 people), nearly double the share of any other sector, followed by Education at 15.0% and Professional/Technical services at 10.3%. By occupation, Professionals (289) are the largest group, ahead of Clerical/Admin (145) and Community/Personal (125), confirming the service-sector tilt. The unemployment rate is 3.8% and participation runs at 61.1%, with 59.9% of employed residents in full-time roles. Household income in the 89.5th percentile nationally reflects the concentration in healthcare and education, two sectors with above-average wages. Volunteering at 13.9% is another indicator of social capital in an economically comfortable, professionally employed community.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
59.9%
Part-time
36.3%
Participation
61.1%
Employed
930
Occupations
Top Industries
University
39.6%
Postgraduate
8.9%
Born Overseas
12.8%
Dwellings
635
Transport to Work
Car dependency is pronounced: 90.9% of residents drive to work, compared to significantly lower rates in inner-urban areas, and public transport accounts for just 1.0%. This reflects the suburb's low-density layout across 1.9 square kilometres with 1,032 people per km2. Rent-to-income at 19.7% and mortgage-to-income at 20.2% both sit below the 30% stress benchmark, meaning residents carry manageable housing cost burdens relative to their incomes in the 89.5th percentile nationally. The 13.9% volunteering rate and 7.9% needing daily assistance (151 people) give a picture of an active but modestly aging community. No crime data are available in this dataset, and no schools are recorded within the suburb boundary.
Drive
90.9%
Public Transport
1.0%
Walk / Cycle
1.6%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Garden Suburb compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Garden Suburb a good suburb to live in?
Garden Suburb suits families and established owner-occupiers well. Household income sits in the 89.5th percentile nationally, mortgage-to-income is 20.2% well below the 30% stress level, and 82.3% of residents stayed over five years. The trade-off is near-total car dependency, with only 1.0% using public transport.
What is the median house price in Garden Suburb?
The median house price is $965,000 (2025), down 7.1% from $1,027,500 in 2024. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,066 and weekly rent runs $465. The housing stock is almost entirely separate houses (99.5%), with 59.7% having 4 or more bedrooms.
What schools are in Garden Suburb?
No schools are recorded within the Garden Suburb boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. Education is a significant local employment sector at 15.0% of the workforce, and 39.6% of residents hold university qualifications, about 9.5 points above the national figure.
Is Garden Suburb safe?
Crime statistics are not available for Garden Suburb in this dataset. As indirect indicators, unemployment is low at 3.8%, household income is in the 89.5th percentile nationally, and only 7.9% of the 1,959 residents need daily assistance. Low disadvantage areas nationally tend to record below-average crime rates.
Is Garden Suburb good for property investment?
The investment case is mixed. Weekly rent of $465 against a $965,000 median implies a gross yield near 2.5%, below most investor benchmarks. Renters are just 10.7% of households, far below national norms, limiting tenant demand. The 7.1% price correction from 2024 offers a lower entry point, but this is primarily an owner-occupier suburb.
How is Garden Suburb's population changing?
Population data records 1,959 residents. The 82.3% five-year stay-put rate and a low turnover of 17.7% show a stable, settled community. Average household size is 2.9, which is 0.4 above the national figure, reflecting the predominance of family households in a suburb where 99.5% of dwellings are separate houses.
How much development is happening in Garden Suburb?
There were 24 development applications lodged in the past 12 months. The samples include alterations and additions, balcony and deck works, and residential dwelling proposals. New dwelling supply is limited as the suburb is already 99.5% detached houses, so most activity is renovation and improvement of existing stock rather than greenfield construction.
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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