NSW 2570 Census 2021 + Live DA Data

Grasmere

A median age of 59, some 19 years above the national figure, is the defining fact about Grasmere. The suburb holds only 2,105 residents across 5.44 square kilometres, and 85.5% have not moved in five years, producing one of the most stable resident bases in NSW. House prices sit at $2,500,000 median, placing this Camden-area address firmly in premium territory, yet household income is only at the 57.2nd percentile nationally, which means most owners bought years ago at far lower prices and now carry their equity outright. Ownership without a mortgage reaches 52.3%, more than double the typical Australian rate, and just 6.9% of households rent.

Grasmere urban fabric map

Population

2,105

Median Age

59.0

Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)

$1,652/wk

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

24

Median House

$2.5M

2024-2025 (PSI derived)

5.44 km²· 387.1 people/km²· Family income $2,518/wk

The median house price reached $2,557,500 in 2025, up from $2,330,000 in 2024, a 9.8% one-year gain. That price comes with a stock profile that suits families: 70.1% of dwellings are separate houses and 60.7% have four or more bedrooms, well above state norms. Semi-detached homes account for 27.4% while apartments are rare at 2.4%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,831, but because household income sits at the 57.2nd percentile nationally, the mortgage-to-income ratio reaches 39.6%, above the 30% stress threshold. Buyers should model serviceability carefully compared to higher-income suburbs. The outright ownership rate of 52.3% suggests established owners rarely list, which keeps supply thin.

For Buyers

The median house price reached $2,557,500 in 2025, up from $2,330,000 in 2024, a 9.8% one-year gain. That price comes with a stock profile that suits families: 70.1% of dwellings are separate houses and 60.7% have four or more bedrooms, well above state norms. Semi-detached homes account for 27.4% while apartments are rare at 2.4%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,831, but because household income sits at the 57.2nd percentile nationally, the mortgage-to-income ratio reaches 39.6%, above the 30% stress threshold. Buyers should model serviceability carefully compared to higher-income suburbs. The outright ownership rate of 52.3% suggests established owners rarely list, which keeps supply thin.

For Investors

With only 6.9% of households renting and a vacancy rate of 9.3%, Grasmere ranks among the least rental-oriented premium suburbs in the region. Weekly rent of $116 against a $2,500,000 median implies a gross yield well below 1%, making pure yield-based investment unattractive compared to most suburban markets. The suburb recorded 20 development applications in the past 12 months, focused on alterations, additions and demolitions rather than new supply. The 9.8% price appreciation from 2024 to 2025 is the main investment argument, alongside a deeply embedded owner base where 85.5% of residents have not moved, meaning forced selling is uncommon and downward price pressure is limited.

Development Activity

Total DAs

146

Last 12 Months

24

YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements

-11.1%

Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year

N/A

Monthly DA Lodgements

DA Categories

Swimming Pool / Spa
15
Renovation / Extension
10
Garage / Carport / Shed
10
New Dwelling
6
Demolition
5
Landscaping / Retaining Wall
1
Commercial / Industrial
1
Multi-Dwelling / Townhouse
1

Demographics

The median age of 59 is 19 years above the national average, making Grasmere one of NSW's most age-concentrated suburbs outside retirement villages. The resident base is predominantly Australian-born, with overseas-born residents at 16.9%, some 4.7 percentage points below the national figure. Ancestry is heavily Anglo-Celtic: English (868), Irish (221) and Scottish (173) are the top three, with Italian (206) as the main Southern European strand. University qualifications reach 27.1%, which is 3 percentage points below national, consistent with a cohort that completed formal education before degree-level attainment became widespread. Average household size of 2.6 is in line with national norms, and 29.1% of families are couples without children.

Age Distribution

0-14
11.8%
15-24
10.4%
25-44
11.5%
45-64
22.7%
65+
43.3%

Bedrooms

Studio/1br
5.6%
2 bed
23.8%
3 bed
9.8%
4+ bed
60.7%

Dwelling Structure

70.1%

Houses

27.4%

Townhouse

2.4%

Apartment

Tenure

Own 52.3% Mortgage 40.8% Rent 6.9%

Tenure tells the Grasmere story clearly: 52.3% of households own outright, 40.8% carry a mortgage and only 6.9% rent, a ratio that differs sharply from national patterns where renting typically exceeds 30%. The four-plus bedroom share of 60.7% is exceptional, reflecting large residential lots and family-sized homes on the urban fringe of Camden. Separate houses make up 70.1% of stock and semi-detached dwellings 27.4%, with apartments at just 2.4%. The price-to-income ratio implied by the $2,500,000 median and the 57.2nd-percentile household income is high, and the 39.6% mortgage-to-income figure confirms buyers are stretching compared to most NSW suburbs at similar income levels. Prices rose from $2,330,000 to $2,557,500 across 2024 to 2025.

Median House Price Trend

Source: State Valuer-General

Mortgage / mo

$2,831

Rent / wk

$116

HH Size

2.6

Personal Income / wk

$543

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

9.3%

Unoccupied

64

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

7.0%

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

39.6% stressed

Community Profile

Languages Spoken at Home

Italian
23

Ancestry

English
868
Irish
221
Italian
206
Scottish
173
Other
130
Ancestry NS
101

Household Composition

29.1%

Couples, no children

1,421

Total families

Economy & Employment

Construction leads local employment at 19.3% of workers (95 people), which makes sense for a suburb on the Camden fringe where residential development in surrounding areas generates ongoing tradesperson demand. Education (14.3%, 70 workers) and Healthcare (12.8%, 63 workers) follow, suggesting many residents commute to Camden and Macarthur institutions. Professional and technical services account for 10.0% (49 workers). By occupation, Professionals (149) and Managers (144) are the two largest groups despite university qualifications sitting 3 points below the national average, indicating that experienced career-track workers make up the resident base. The unemployment rate is low at 3.5%, and 61.0% of employed residents work full-time. Participation sits at only 35.9%, reflecting the large retired and semi-retired population at a median age of 59.

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

Full-time

61.0%

Part-time

35.5%

Participation

35.9%

Employed

643

Occupations

Professionals 149
Managers 144
Clerical/Admin 117
Sales 71
Community/Personal 68
Labourers 45
Machinery/Drivers 35

Top Industries

Construction 19.3%
Education 14.3%
Healthcare 12.8%
Professional/Tech 10.0%
Manufacturing 7.3%

University

27.1%

Postgraduate

5.2%

Born Overseas

16.9%

Dwellings

613

Transport to Work

Car dependency is near absolute: 93.9% of residents drive to work, compared to a national average well above 60% but rarely reaching 94%. No public transport usage data is recorded, suggesting the suburb sits outside meaningful bus or train catchments. Walking and cycling together account for just 1.2% of trips. With no schools recorded inside the suburb boundary, families rely on Camden and nearby centres for education. The absence of detailed crime data prevents a direct comparison, but the suburb's profile (52.3% outright ownership, 85.5% residential stability, median age 59) correlates with low-turnover, low-crime areas in regional analyses. A volunteering rate of 15.3% and only 25.0% needing daily assistance indicate a community where many residents are still active, despite the older median age.

Drive

93.9%

Public Transport

N/A

Walk / Cycle

1.2%

Work from Home

N/A

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

How Grasmere compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs

Population
Top 21%
Household Income
Top 43%
Rent Level
Bottom 18%
Apartments
Bottom 39%
Renters
Bottom 6%
Uni Educated
Top 41%
Born Overseas
Top 39%
Density
Top 20%

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Grasmere a good suburb to live in?

Grasmere suits buyers who want large, established homes in a quiet, stable setting close to Camden. Owner-occupiers make up 93.1% of households, the median age is 59 and 85.5% of residents have not moved in five years, indicating a settled community. The trade-offs are high prices at a $2,500,000 median and near-total car dependency with 93.9% driving to work.

What is the median house price in Grasmere?

The median house price is approximately $2,500,000, rising from $2,330,000 in 2024 to $2,557,500 in 2025, a gain of about 9.8%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,831, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 39.6%, which exceeds the 30% stress threshold and is above most comparable NSW suburbs at the 57.2nd-percentile income level.

What schools are in Grasmere?

No schools are recorded inside the Grasmere suburb boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in neighbouring Camden and surrounding Macarthur suburbs. The local adult population holds university qualifications at 27.1%, which is 3 percentage points below the national average, reflecting a cohort educated before widespread tertiary attainment.

Is Grasmere safe?

Crime statistics are not available for Grasmere at the suburb level. As indirect indicators, 52.3% of households own their home outright, 85.5% of residents have not moved in five years and the unemployment rate is low at 3.5%, all of which correlate with lower crime incidence in comparable Australian suburb profiles.

Is Grasmere good for property investment?

Grasmere is primarily a capital-growth market rather than a yield play. The rental share is just 6.9% with a vacancy rate of 9.3%, and weekly rent of $116 against a $2,500,000 median implies a gross yield well under 1%, low compared to most NSW markets. The 9.8% price gain from 2024 to 2025 and the ownership-heavy, stable resident base support the long-term capital case.

How is Grasmere's population changing?

Grasmere has 2,105 residents across 5.44 km2, giving a density of 387 people per km2. The suburb's characteristics suggest slow natural growth: 85.5% of residents stayed over five years, only 6.9% rent and the median age is 59, some 19 years above the national average. New residents enter mainly through resale of established owner-occupied properties rather than through new development.

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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