Glenhaven
A $2,635,000 median house price paired with only 7.3% of dwellings rented makes Glenhaven an owner's enclave more than a tenant market. Household income sits in the 92.7th percentile nationally and the suburb scores decile 10 on IRSAD, IRSD and IER, the top advantage tier on three of four SEIFA indexes. The stock is overwhelmingly detached, 74.7% separate houses against just 1.5% apartments, set on a low-density 7.21 km2 footprint at 917 residents per km2. The median age of 48 is 8 years above national, and 45.6% hold a university qualification, 15.5 points higher than the country as a whole. This is established wealth aging in place rather than a market churning new buyers.
Population
6,619
Median Age
48.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,532/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
66
Median House
$2.6M
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The $2,635,000 median places Glenhaven among Sydney's premium outer markets, though prices have been flat, edging from $2,625,000 in 2024 to $2,641,500 in 2025, a 0.6% move. Buyers are purchasing space rather than scarcity: 74.7% of dwellings are separate houses and 68.1% carry four or more bedrooms, well above the typical metro mix. Apartments are almost absent at 1.5%, so there is no cheaper entry tier here. Monthly mortgage repayments average $3,080, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 28.1%, below the 30% stress threshold because incomes sit in the 92.7th percentile. Outright owners at 48.6% outnumber mortgage holders at 44.1%, a sign that much of the housing is held debt-free by long-settled families rather than recent entrants.
For Buyers
The $2,635,000 median places Glenhaven among Sydney's premium outer markets, though prices have been flat, edging from $2,625,000 in 2024 to $2,641,500 in 2025, a 0.6% move. Buyers are purchasing space rather than scarcity: 74.7% of dwellings are separate houses and 68.1% carry four or more bedrooms, well above the typical metro mix. Apartments are almost absent at 1.5%, so there is no cheaper entry tier here. Monthly mortgage repayments average $3,080, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 28.1%, below the 30% stress threshold because incomes sit in the 92.7th percentile. Outright owners at 48.6% outnumber mortgage holders at 44.1%, a sign that much of the housing is held debt-free by long-settled families rather than recent entrants.
For Investors
With only 7.3% of dwellings rented, Glenhaven offers landlords a thin tenant pool, the opposite of an inner-city rental market. Weekly rent of $650 against the $2,635,000 median implies a gross yield near 1.3%, very low, so the investment case rests on capital preservation rather than cash flow. The 3.3% vacancy rate is moderate, neither tight nor oversupplied. Demand support is modest: net overseas migration adds 36 residents a year and internal migration 14, a balanced but slow inflow. Development activity is steady at 62 applications in 12 months, dominated by dwelling alterations, additions and pools rather than new dwellings, so supply stays static. Rent grew 25.0% over the decade, which means the appeal lies in long-hold rent escalation more than yield or transaction volume.
Development Activity
Total DAs
305
Last 12 Months
66
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+8.2%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Glenhaven iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Glenhaven Public School
K-6 · 240 students
Demographics
The median age of 48 is 8 years above the national figure, and the trajectory is clearly aging: the senior share rose 11.8 points over the decade while the working-age share fell 7.6 points. Overseas-born residents reach 26.5%, which is 4.9 points above national, a more modest international mix than inner Sydney. Ancestry leans Anglo-Celtic, led by English (2,517), Irish (712) and Scottish (625), with Italian (478) the largest non-Anglo group. The top non-English languages are Mandarin (74 speakers), Italian (43) and Persian (42). University qualifications at 45.6% run 15.5 points above national, consistent with the professional and managerial workforce. Average household size is 2.8, which is 0.3 above national, reflecting the family-oriented four-bedroom housing stock.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
74.7%
Houses
23.9%
Townhouse
1.5%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure tilts heavily toward ownership: 48.6% own outright, 44.1% carry a mortgage and just 7.3% rent. Outright owners outnumbering mortgage holders points to long-held, debt-free wealth rather than a churn of new buyers. The stock is 74.7% separate houses with apartments at only 1.5% and semi-detached at 23.9%, and four-plus bedroom homes dominate at 68.1% against 19.1% three-bedroom. The median house price barely moved, from $2,625,000 to $2,641,500 across 2024-2025, a 0.6% one-year gain. Against a household income in the 92.7th percentile, that median is a steep multiple, yet mortgage-to-income holds at 28.1% and rent-to-income at 25.7%, both below the 30% stress line, because high incomes absorb the load that would strain a median-earning suburb.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$3,080
Rent / wk
$650
HH Size
2.8
Personal Income / wk
$950
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
3.3%
Unoccupied
76
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
25.7%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
28.1%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
26.2%
Couples, no children
5,764
Total families
Economy & Employment
The local workforce is spread across knowledge and service sectors: Healthcare leads at 13.7% (306 workers), Professional/Tech follows at 13.6% (304) and Education at 12.8% (285), with Construction at 10.8% and Finance at 7.5%. By occupation, Professionals (950) and Managers (692) together account for the bulk of jobs, which aligns with the decile 9 IEO score for education and occupation and the decile 10 IER score for economic resources. Unemployment is low at 3.9% and the full-time employment rate is 64.0%. Participation reads just 52.5%, well below what the income would suggest, because the aging profile leaves 2,168 residents not in the labour force. The uniformly high SEIFA deciles, three of four at decile 10, confirm a community with broad advantage and little measured disadvantage.
Unemployment
1.8%
Labour Force
3,304
Unemployed
58
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
64.0%
Part-time
32.1%
Participation
52.5%
Employed
2,774
Occupations
Top Industries
University
45.6%
Postgraduate
11.0%
Born Overseas
26.5%
Dwellings
2,242
Transport to Work
Glenhaven is built for cars, not transit: 89.4% drive while only 2.4% take public transport and 1.8% walk or cycle, far below the national share of active and public commuting, a consequence of the low 917 residents per km2 density and outer-suburban location. The suburb earns decile 10 on IRSAD, the top advantage tier nationally, and decile 10 on IRSD for relative disadvantage, meaning very few residents face deprivation. Volunteering runs at 19.1% and 5.7% of residents (370 people) need daily assistance, a figure shaped by the older median age of 48. No schools are recorded inside the 7.21 km2 boundary in this dataset, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring suburbs, a practical trade-off for the spacious, low-density setting.
Drive
89.4%
Public Transport
2.4%
Walk / Cycle
1.8%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.31%/yr
(+20 people/yr)
EstablishedGlenhaven is close to flat: annual population growth registers 0.31%, about 20 people a year, with a 9.1% rise over the decade that classifies it as an established, slow-growth suburb. The current population of 6,375 has recovered past the pre-COVID 6,500 dip, and medium forecasts lift it gently from 6,482 to 6,581 between 2026 and 2031, so little expansion is expected. Overseas migration of 36 a year and internal migration of 14 give a balanced but thin driver. The gentrification stage reads not gentrifying, which fits a suburb already at decile 10 advantage with no room to climb. Affordability improved from 71.1% in 2011 to 68.5% in 2021 as real incomes grew 5.5%, though the cost base remains high relative to most markets.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+36
Net Internal / yr
+14
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
COVID recovered (-2% dip → full recovery)
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Glenhaven compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Glenhaven a good suburb to live in?
Glenhaven ranks decile 10 on IRSAD, IRSD and IER, the top advantage tier nationally, with household income in the 92.7th percentile. University qualifications reach 45.6%, 15.5 points above national. The main trade-off is a high $2,635,000 median house price and limited public transport, with 89.4% of residents driving.
What is the median house price in Glenhaven?
The median house price is $2,635,000, among Sydney's premium outer markets. Prices were nearly flat, rising 0.6% from $2,625,000 in 2024 to $2,641,500 in 2025. Weekly rent averages $650 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $3,080, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 28.1%.
What schools are in Glenhaven?
No schools are recorded inside the 7.21 km2 Glenhaven boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. The local population is highly educated, with university qualifications at 45.6%, which is 15.5 points above the national figure.
Is Glenhaven safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Glenhaven in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb scores decile 10 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage, the highest tier, and only 5.7% of its 6,619 residents need daily assistance, both consistent with a low-disadvantage area.
Is Glenhaven good for property investment?
Rent of $650 a week against a $2,635,000 median gives a gross yield near 1.3%, very low, and only 7.3% of dwellings are rented, a thin tenant pool. Net migration of about 50 residents a year supports demand, but 0.31% population growth means returns depend on capital growth rather than yield.
How is Glenhaven's population changing?
Population growth is 0.31% annually, about 20 people a year, with a 9.1% rise over 10 years. The current 6,375 residents have recovered past the pre-COVID dip near 6,500. The profile is aging, with the senior share up 11.8 points and the working-age share down 7.6 points over the decade.
What languages are spoken in Glenhaven?
About 26.5% of residents were born overseas, 4.9 points above the national figure. English is dominant, with Mandarin (74 speakers), Italian (43), Persian (42) and Arabic (41) the most common non-English languages, reflecting a modest international resident mix led by Anglo-Celtic ancestry.
How much development is happening in Glenhaven?
There were 62 development applications lodged in the past 12 months. Most are alterations, additions and pool installations on existing dwellings rather than new supply, consistent with an established, slow-growth area where 74.7% of stock is detached houses and population grows just 0.31% a year.
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.
Explore Glenhaven on the Map
View parcels, zoning overlays, DA applications, schools and more.
Open Interactive Map