NSW 2072 Census 2021 + Live DA Data

Gordon

With 69.0% university attainment (39 points above the national average) and 54.5% born overseas, Gordon is one of Sydney's most educated and internationally diverse suburbs. Chinese ancestry leads all groups at 3,037 people, ahead of English (1,877). The SEIFA IRSAD and IRSD deciles both sit at 10, the highest possible ranking. Yet apartments make up 48.3% of housing stock, nearly matching the 45.3% detached share, which creates an unusual split where million-dollar houses coexist with a high-density apartment market around Gordon station.

Gordon urban fabric map

Population

8,795

Median Age

39.0

Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)

$2,460/wk

DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year

56

Median House

$1.1M

2024-2025 (PSI derived)

3.79 km²· 2,321.5 people/km²· Family income $2,924/wk

The $1,100,000 median (PSI derived) sits below comparable upper north shore suburbs, partly because apartments pull the median down. Prices rose 9.5% from $1,050,000 in 2024 to $1,150,000 in 2025. The bedroom distribution is unusually varied: 33.9% with 4+ bedrooms (houses), 27.7% with 2 bedrooms (apartments), and 12.5% studio/one-bedroom. Mortgage stress at 28.5% approaches but stays below the 30% threshold. Ravenswood School for Girls (ICSEA 1185, 1,451 students) and Gordon East Public (ICSEA 1163, 195 students) both rank in the top tier nationally.

For Buyers

The $1,100,000 median (PSI derived) sits below comparable upper north shore suburbs, partly because apartments pull the median down. Prices rose 9.5% from $1,050,000 in 2024 to $1,150,000 in 2025. The bedroom distribution is unusually varied: 33.9% with 4+ bedrooms (houses), 27.7% with 2 bedrooms (apartments), and 12.5% studio/one-bedroom. Mortgage stress at 28.5% approaches but stays below the 30% threshold. Ravenswood School for Girls (ICSEA 1185, 1,451 students) and Gordon East Public (ICSEA 1163, 195 students) both rank in the top tier nationally.

For Investors

A 9.5% vacancy rate is elevated for the upper north shore, driven by the apartment stock around Gordon station. However, 36.0% of residents rent, providing a substantial tenant pool, and weekly rent of $577 against a $1,100,000 median gives a gross yield around 2.7%, typical for premium Sydney suburbs. With 52 development applications in 12 months (including multi-dwelling housing), density is increasing. Population turnover at 27.1% is high, reflecting the transient student and young professional apartment demographic that coexists with long-term house owners.

Development Activity

Total DAs

310

Last 12 Months

56

YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements

+1.8%

Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year

N/A

Monthly DA Lodgements

DA Categories

Renovation / Extension
59
Demolition
17
Swimming Pool / Spa
7
Commercial / Industrial
6
New Dwelling
5
Multi-Dwelling / Townhouse
4
Subdivision
3
Garage / Carport / Shed
3

Schools in Gordon iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged

Ravenswood School for Girls

ICSEA 1185 Combined Independent

K-12 · 1451 students

Gordon East Public School

ICSEA 1163 Primary Government

K-6 · 195 students

Demographics

Chinese ancestry (3,037) is the single largest group, outnumbering English (1,877) by a wide margin. Mandarin (784 speakers) and Cantonese (379) together account for the majority of non-English language use, with Korean (210) and Persian (103) following. At 54.5% born overseas (33 points above the national average), Gordon is a majority-migrant suburb. University attainment at 69.0% is 39 points above the national benchmark, the highest in this dataset. Despite this extreme educational profile, the median age of 39 is close to the national figure. Average household size of 2.7 is slightly above the national 2.5.

Age Distribution

0-14
17.1%
15-24
13.5%
25-44
26.8%
45-64
26.9%
65+
15.8%

Bedrooms

Studio/1br
12.5%
2 bed
27.7%
3 bed
25.9%
4+ bed
33.9%

Dwelling Structure

45.3%

Houses

3.5%

Townhouse

48.3%

Apartment

Tenure

Own 32.9% Mortgage 31.1% Rent 36.0%

The near-equal split between detached houses (45.3%) and apartments (48.3%) is unusual for the north shore. Just 3.5% are semi-detached. Ownership is 32.9% outright, 31.1% mortgaged, and 36.0% renting. Prices climbed from $1,050,000 in 2024 to $1,150,000 in 2025 (9.5% gain). The wide bedroom spread (12.5% studio/1-bed, 27.7% 2-bed, 25.9% 3-bed, 33.9% 4+) reflects the dual market. Mortgage-to-income at 28.5% is higher than many suburbs in this dataset despite top-decile incomes, because prices are commensurately elevated.

Median House Price Trend

Source: State Valuer-General

Mortgage / mo

$3,033

Rent / wk

$577

HH Size

2.7

Personal Income / wk

$1,075

Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)

9.5%

Unoccupied

335

Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress

23.5%

Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress

28.5%

Community Profile

Languages Spoken at Home

Mandarin
784
Canton
379
Korean
210
Persian ED
103
Japan
46
Hindi
40

Ancestry

Chinese
3,037
English
1,877
Other
1,360
Scottish
541
Irish
538
Korean
510

Household Composition

23.0%

Couples, no children

7,509

Total families

Economy & Employment

Professional/tech (20.1%), healthcare (14.7%), and finance (12.9%) are the top 3 employers, a white-collar knowledge economy. Professionals (1,859) and managers (878) together account for over 68% of occupations, the highest professional concentration in this dataset. Education (10.4%) reflects the suburb's school reputation. Unemployment at 5.4% sits near the national average, and participation at 57.8% is moderate. The SEIFA IEO decile of 10 (highest possible) confirms Gordon's workforce as the most educated and occupation-advantaged in the comparison set.

Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)

Overall advantage
10
Disadvantage
10
Economic resources
9
Education & occupation
10

Full-time

66.9%

Part-time

27.7%

Participation

57.8%

Employed

3,993

Occupations

Professionals 1,859
Managers 878
Clerical/Admin 499
Sales 326
Community/Personal 270
Labourers 107
Machinery/Drivers 62

Top Industries

Professional/Tech 20.1%
Healthcare 14.7%
Finance 12.9%
Education 10.4%
Retail 5.5%

University

69.0%

Postgraduate

25.6%

Born Overseas

54.5%

Dwellings

3,198

Transport to Work

Ravenswood School for Girls (ICSEA 1185, 1,451 students) ranks 185 points above the national average, among the highest in the dataset. Gordon East Public School (ICSEA 1163, 195 students) is also outstanding. Public transport usage at 16.3% is the highest in this dataset, reflecting Gordon station on the T1 North Shore line. The SEIFA IRSAD and IRSD deciles of 10 place Gordon at the top of the national rankings. The 19.4% volunteering rate is above the national average, and only 3.4% need daily assistance, the lowest in this comparison set.

Drive

72.6%

Public Transport

16.3%

Walk / Cycle

6.1%

Work from Home

N/A

National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs

How Gordon compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs

Population
Top 6%
Household Income
Top 8%
Rent Level
Top 3%
Apartments
Top 8%
Renters
Top 20%
Uni Educated
Top 1%
Public Transport
Top 5%
Born Overseas
Top 2%
Density
Top 6%

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Gordon a good suburb to live in?

Gordon ranks in the 10th SEIFA IRSAD decile (top 10% nationally), with 69.0% university attainment and school ICSEA scores up to 1185. Public transport via Gordon station gives 16.3% commuter usage. Mortgage stress at 28.5% is manageable but higher than cheaper suburbs due to the $1,100,000+ median.

What is the median house price in Gordon?

The median is $1,100,000 (PSI derived for 2024-2025), with prices rising 9.5% from $1,050,000 in 2024 to $1,150,000 in 2025. The 48.3% apartment share means actual house-only medians are significantly higher than this blended figure.

What schools are in Gordon?

Gordon has 2 schools: Ravenswood School for Girls (Independent combined, ICSEA 1185, 1,451 students) and Gordon East Public School (Government primary, ICSEA 1163, 195 students). Both score well above the national ICSEA average of 1000, placing them among the top-performing schools nationally.

Is Gordon safe?

No suburb-level crime data is available. The SEIFA IRSD decile of 10 (lowest disadvantage nationally), 69.0% university attainment, and 63.9% home ownership rate (outright plus mortgage) are strongly correlated with low crime rates in comparable Sydney suburbs.

Is Gordon good for property investment?

The 9.5% vacancy rate is elevated, and the 2.7% gross yield ($577 rent vs $1,100,000 median) is below the national average. However, 52 development applications in 12 months indicate active densification, and the SEIFA decile 10 ranking provides long-term value stability. Capital growth was 9.5% over the past year.

How is Gordon's population changing?

The 27.1% population turnover is high, driven by apartment renters. With 54.5% born overseas (33 points above the national average) and Chinese ancestry as the largest group (3,037), Gordon's demographic profile continues to shift toward East Asian migration. The 52 development applications signal ongoing apartment densification.

What languages are spoken in Gordon?

Mandarin (784 speakers) and Cantonese (379) are the dominant non-English languages, followed by Korean (210), Persian (103), and Japanese (46). With 54.5% born overseas, Gordon is a majority-migrant suburb with a distinctly East Asian linguistic profile.

What recent development is happening in Gordon?

There were 52 development applications in 12 months, including multi-dwelling housing modifications and new structures. This is one of the highest counts in the dataset, reflecting ongoing densification around Gordon station. Most activity targets the apartment/townhouse segment rather than detached housing.

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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