Glebe
Renters set the tone in Glebe: 63.6% of homes are rented, well above the ownership share of 36.4%, while density reaches 6,922.7 people per sq km on just 1.69 sq km. Next to Ultimo and Pyrmont, Glebe reads as the inner-city edge with more terraces: 47.3% semi-detached dwellings, 46.1% apartments and only 5.0% separate houses. The median house price is $1.52 million, and the suburb's 62.2% university-qualified adult base sits 32.1 points above the national figure, supporting a premium but highly renter-driven market.
Population
11,680
Median Age
38.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,756/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
149
Median House
$1.5M
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
Homebuyers are paying for scarcity more than land: the median house price is $1.52 million even though only 5.0% of dwellings are separate houses and 47.3% are semi-detached. The stock skews compact, with 28.9% at 0 to 1 bedrooms and 35.7% at 2 bedrooms, so families chasing 4 plus bedrooms are competing for just 12.1% of homes. Monthly mortgages of $3,000 equal 39.5% of household income, above a comfortable repayment band, which makes deposit size and cashflow more important than headline price alone.
For Buyers
Homebuyers are paying for scarcity more than land: the median house price is $1.52 million even though only 5.0% of dwellings are separate houses and 47.3% are semi-detached. The stock skews compact, with 28.9% at 0 to 1 bedrooms and 35.7% at 2 bedrooms, so families chasing 4 plus bedrooms are competing for just 12.1% of homes. Monthly mortgages of $3,000 equal 39.5% of household income, above a comfortable repayment band, which makes deposit size and cashflow more important than headline price alone.
For Investors
Glebe has clear tenant depth because 63.6% of households rent, far higher than the 20.1% owned outright share and 16.3% with a mortgage. Weekly rent is $420, with rent taking 23.9% of household income, so affordability is not flagged as stressed. The caution is supply and turnover: vacancy is 14.1% and 144 development applications or certificates were lodged in 12 months. Investors need a sharper rent or renovation thesis than in a lower-vacancy market, because tenants have more choice.
Development Activity
Total DAs
638
Last 12 Months
149
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+29.6%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Glebe iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
St Scholastica's College Glebe Point
7-12 · 1044 students
St James Catholic Primary School
K-6 · 152 students
Australian Performing Arts Grammar School
7-12 · 129 students
Sydney Secondary College Blackwattle Bay Campus
11-12 · 798 students
Glebe Public School
K-6 · 193 students
Demographics
Glebe is younger and more educated than Australia overall: the median age is 38, which is 2.0 years below the national figure, and 62.2% hold a university qualification, 32.1 points above national. Overseas-born residents make up 38.5%, also 16.9 points above national, with English, Irish, Scottish and Chinese among the largest ancestry groups. Average household size is 2.0, or 0.5 below national, because apartments, terraces and child-free couples are prominent; couples without children account for 41.8% of families.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
5.0%
Houses
47.3%
Townhouse
46.1%
Apartment
Tenure
Housing is split between terraces and apartments rather than detached family blocks: 47.3% is semi-detached, 46.1% apartments and only 5.0% separate houses. Tenure is renter-heavy at 63.6%, compared with 20.1% owned outright and 16.3% mortgaged. Prices moved from a $1.5025 million trough in 2024 to a $1.545 million peak in 2025, a 2.8% rise and a 1-year CAGR of 2.8%, with peak-to-latest at 0.0%. The median sits near the latest price, so buyers are entering close to the recent high rather than after a discount.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$3,000
Rent / wk
$420
HH Size
2.0
Personal Income / wk
$1,045
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
14.1%
Unoccupied
862
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.9%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
39.5% stressed
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
41.8%
Couples, no children
6,469
Total families
Economy & Employment
Employment is concentrated in knowledge work, which explains the high education score: Professional/Tech is 21.2% of workers, Education 13.5%, Healthcare 12.0%, Finance 9.3% and Public Admin 5.8%. Professionals number 2,624 and managers 1,046, while full-time work is 69.3% of employed residents. SEIFA is uneven: IEO decile 10 and IRSAD decile 9 sit well above average, but IER decile 1 is low and IRSD decile 6 is mid-range, likely reflecting many renters and 3,422 people outside the labour force alongside high qualifications.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
69.3%
Part-time
24.1%
Participation
54.4%
Employed
5,353
Occupations
Top Industries
University
62.2%
Postgraduate
23.1%
Born Overseas
38.5%
Dwellings
5,215
Transport to Work
Livability is strongest for households that value walkable inner-city access over large blocks. Commuting is less car-dependent than many Sydney suburbs: 28.1% walk or cycle, 14.1% use public transport and 52.1% drive. The school base is broad for a 1.69 sq km suburb, with 5 local schools across Independent, Catholic and Government sectors and ICSEA scores from 982 to 1138. St Scholastica's College, St James Catholic Primary and Australian Performing Arts Grammar sit at the upper end, while IRSAD decile 9 signals above-average educational and occupational advantage.
Drive
52.1%
Public Transport
14.1%
Walk / Cycle
28.1%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Glebe compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Glebe a good suburb to live in?
Yes, especially if you want walkability, schools and inner-city access in a compact setting. The trade-off is housing space: 46.1% of dwellings are apartments, 47.3% are semi-detached and average household size is 2.0, below the national pattern.
What is the median house price in Glebe?
The median house price in Glebe is $1.52 million. The latest tracked quarter is $1.545 million in 2025, up 2.8% from $1.5025 million in 2024, so buyers are near the recent peak rather than a deep discount.
What schools are in Glebe?
Glebe has 5 local schools: St Scholastica's College, St James Catholic Primary, Australian Performing Arts Grammar, Sydney Secondary College Blackwattle Bay Campus and Glebe Public School. ICSEA scores range from 982 to 1138.
Is Glebe safe?
No suburb-wide crime rate is available to quote, so safety is best judged by street, building and time of day. Glebe has 11,680 residents in 1.69 sq km, and 28.1% of commuters walk or cycle, which supports visible street activity.
Is Glebe good for property investment?
Yes, but selectivity matters. Renters are 63.6% of households and weekly rent is $420, yet vacancy is high at 14.1% and there were 144 development lodgements in 12 months, so competition for tenants can be above a tighter market.
How is Glebe's population changing?
Change is mainly intensification and renewal. Glebe already has 11,680 residents at 6,922.7 people per sq km, while 144 recent lodgements and 2.8% price growth from 2024 to 2025 suggest continued activity within a very small land area.
What languages are spoken in Glebe?
English is dominant, but 38.5% of residents were born overseas. The largest listed non-English language groups include Mandarin with 214 speakers, Canton with 80, Greek with 57, Italian with 51 and French with 43.
Is there much development in Glebe?
Yes. There were 144 development applications or complying certificates lodged in 12 months. Recent examples include restaurant or cafe alterations, an office premise and a 1-dwelling change-of-use proposal, indicating small-site renewal rather than fringe expansion.
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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