Glenbrook
Almost nothing here is an apartment: 94.2% of Glenbrook's dwellings are separate houses and just 1.3% are units, an extreme detached profile that shapes everything about the market. Household income sits in the 92.4th percentile nationally, yet the median house price of $1,500,000 stays well below inner-Sydney premiums because the suburb trades land and space rather than density. The population of 5,078 skews older at a median age of 44, four years above national, and university qualifications reach 48.4%, which is 18.3 points above the national figure. With 59.7% of homes carrying 4-plus bedrooms, this is family-and-space territory at the edge of the Blue Mountains, not a churn-heavy investor market.
Population
5,078
Median Age
44.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,502/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
81
Median House
$1.5M
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The $1,500,000 median reflects a market built almost entirely on detached houses, which make up 94.2% of stock against only 1.3% apartments, so buyers are paying for land and bedrooms rather than location density. Large homes dominate: 59.7% have 4-plus bedrooms and a further 31.0% have three, leaving little for downsizers since 2-bedroom dwellings are just 7.1%. Prices moved gently, rising 1.7% from $1,490,000 in 2024 to $1,515,000 in 2025, a slow-growth pattern. Affordability is comfortable despite the headline price because household income sits in the 92.4th percentile nationally: monthly mortgage repayments average $2,500 and the mortgage-to-income ratio is 23.1%, well below the 30% stress threshold. Outright owners at 47.4% outnumber mortgage holders at 39.8%, a sign of established, debt-free households rather than recent buyers.
For Buyers
The $1,500,000 median reflects a market built almost entirely on detached houses, which make up 94.2% of stock against only 1.3% apartments, so buyers are paying for land and bedrooms rather than location density. Large homes dominate: 59.7% have 4-plus bedrooms and a further 31.0% have three, leaving little for downsizers since 2-bedroom dwellings are just 7.1%. Prices moved gently, rising 1.7% from $1,490,000 in 2024 to $1,515,000 in 2025, a slow-growth pattern. Affordability is comfortable despite the headline price because household income sits in the 92.4th percentile nationally: monthly mortgage repayments average $2,500 and the mortgage-to-income ratio is 23.1%, well below the 30% stress threshold. Outright owners at 47.4% outnumber mortgage holders at 39.8%, a sign of established, debt-free households rather than recent buyers.
For Investors
Glenbrook is a thin rental market by design: only 12.9% of residents rent, far below the share you find in apartment-heavy suburbs, because 94.2% of dwellings are owner-oriented detached houses. Weekly rent of $490 against the $1,500,000 median implies a gross yield near 1.7%, low, and the 5.4% vacancy rate leaves limited slack for landlords. Development activity is modest and renovation-led, with 77 applications in the past 12 months, mostly dwelling alterations and additions rather than new dwellings that would expand the tenant pool. With prices rising only 1.7% year on year and rent-to-income at a comfortable 19.6%, the investment case rests on capital preservation and the scarcity of detached stock rather than yield or rapid turnover, which runs at just 13.4%.
Development Activity
Total DAs
335
Last 12 Months
81
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+76.1%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Glenbrook iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Glenbrook Public School
K-6 · 338 students
Lapstone Public School
K-6 · 158 students
St Finbar's Primary School
K-6 · 166 students
Demographics
The median age of 44 is 4.0 years above national, and the household profile is settled rather than transient: turnover runs at 13.4% and 86.6% of residents stayed put, consistent with the high owner-occupier base. University qualifications reach 48.4%, which is 18.3 points above the national figure, helping explain why Professionals (847) and Managers (484) are the two largest occupation groups. The suburb is markedly Anglo-leaning: only 14.8% of residents were born overseas, 6.8 points below national, and ancestry is led by English (2,322), Irish (836) and Scottish (616). Average household size is 2.8, which is 0.3 above national, reflecting the family base where couples with children (1,874) outnumber couples without (1,119). Christianity dominates at 2,676 residents with few other affiliations recorded.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
94.2%
Houses
4.5%
Townhouse
1.3%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure is heavily owner-weighted: 47.4% own outright, 39.8% carry a mortgage and only 12.9% rent. Outright owners outnumbering mortgage holders points to long-held, debt-free wealth rather than a churn of new buyers. The stock is 94.2% separate houses, with apartments at just 1.3% and semi-detached at 4.5%, an extreme detached profile that ties value to land and floor space. Bedroom counts confirm this: 59.7% of homes have 4-plus bedrooms and 31.0% have three, while 2-bedroom dwellings are only 7.1%. The median rose modestly from $1,490,000 to $1,515,000 across 2024 and 2025, a 1.7% move. Both stress measures stay low, with mortgage-to-income at 23.1% and rent-to-income at 19.6%, well below the 30% threshold, which fits household incomes sitting in the 92.4th percentile nationally.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,500
Rent / wk
$490
HH Size
2.8
Personal Income / wk
$1,031
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
5.4%
Unoccupied
102
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.6%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.1%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
25.1%
Couples, no children
4,461
Total families
Economy & Employment
The workforce leans heavily on public-facing service sectors: Education leads at 20.0% (389 workers), Healthcare follows at 17.6% (342) and Public Administration at 11.8% (229), with Construction and Professional/Tech tied at 8.4% each. By occupation, Professionals (847) and Managers (484) account for the bulk of jobs, which aligns with the 48.4% university qualification rate running 18.3 points above national. Unemployment is low at 3.4% and the full-time employment rate is 62.4%. Participation reads 58.5%, held down because the older median age of 44 leaves 1,407 residents not in the labour force. Personal income averages $1,031 a week while household income reaches the 92.4th percentile nationally, a gap explained by multiple earners in the family-dominated households.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
62.4%
Part-time
34.2%
Participation
58.5%
Employed
2,337
Occupations
Top Industries
University
48.4%
Postgraduate
14.0%
Born Overseas
14.8%
Dwellings
1,797
Transport to Work
Glenbrook is car-dependent at the foot of the Blue Mountains: 88.1% drive to work, well above the national reliance, while public transport carries just 2.8% and active travel 3.7%, reflecting its location 7.03 km2 of low-density living at 722 residents per km2. The trade-off is space and stability, with 94.2% detached houses and a settled base where 86.6% of residents stayed put. Community engagement is solid, with volunteering at 20.1%, above the national rate, and only 4.0% of residents (197 people) need daily assistance despite the older median age of 44. Housing pressure is light, with rent-to-income at 19.6% and mortgage-to-income at 23.1%, both well below the 30% stress threshold, which is unusual for a suburb with a $1,500,000 median.
Drive
88.1%
Public Transport
2.8%
Walk / Cycle
3.7%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Glenbrook compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Glenbrook a good suburb to live in?
Glenbrook suits families wanting space, with 94.2% detached houses and 59.7% of homes carrying 4-plus bedrooms. Household income sits in the 92.4th percentile nationally and university qualifications reach 48.4%, 18.3 points above national. The main trade-off is car dependence, with 88.1% driving to work.
What is the median house price in Glenbrook?
The median house price is $1,500,000. Prices rose 1.7% from $1,490,000 in 2024 to $1,515,000 in 2025, a slow-growth pattern. Weekly rent averages $490 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $2,500, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 23.1%, below the 30% stress threshold.
What schools are in Glenbrook?
No schools are recorded inside the 7.03 km2 Glenbrook boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. The local population is highly educated, with university qualifications at 48.4%, which is 18.3 points above the national figure.
Is Glenbrook safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Glenbrook in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, only 4.0% of its 5,078 residents need daily assistance and 86.6% stayed in place over the period, both consistent with a stable, settled residential area at 722 residents per km2.
Is Glenbrook good for property investment?
Rent of $490 a week against a $1,500,000 median gives a gross yield near 1.7%, low, and only 12.9% of residents rent, a thin tenant pool. With prices rising just 1.7% year on year and a 5.4% vacancy rate, returns depend on capital preservation rather than yield in this detached, owner-heavy market.
How is Glenbrook's population changing?
Glenbrook is a slow-growth, established suburb with a settled population of 5,078 and turnover of just 13.4%, meaning 86.6% of residents stayed in place. The profile is aging, with a median age of 44 that is 4.0 years above the national figure, pointing to gradual demographic shift rather than rapid growth.
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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