Greenacre
What sets Greenacre apart from neighbouring Bankstown or Auburn is concentration: 8,313 residents claim Lebanese ancestry and 5,141 speak Arabic at home, making this the densest Arabic-speaking pocket in Western Sydney. Islam is the majority faith at 12,308 followers, well above Christianity's 8,974. The suburb sits in IRSD decile 1, the most disadvantaged decile nationally, yet medians a $1.355M house price reflecting Sydney land values rather than local incomes. Average household size of 3.4 people runs 0.9 above the national figure, anchored by 10,847 couple-with-children families. Median age 33 sits 7 years younger than the national median, and population grew 17% over the past decade to 26,314.
Population
26,314
Median Age
33.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,449/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
201
Median House
$1.4M
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
Greenacre's $1.355M median house price is driven by Sydney land scarcity, not local earnings: with median household income of $1,449/week ranking only in the 43.9th percentile nationally, the price-to-income ratio is brutal. 63.3% of stock is detached houses and 29.4% is semi-detached, leaving apartments at just 7.0%, so buyers chasing yards inherit four-bedroom-style demand (37.8% of homes have 4+ bedrooms vs only 13.4% with two). Mortgage holders pay $2,275/month and 36.3% of household income flows to mortgage repayments, well above the 30% stress threshold. Outright ownership at 31.4% is high for Western Sydney, suggesting long-tenure families subsidising adult children. Annual price growth of 10.6% in 2024 to 2025 means waiting another year compounds the stretch.
For Buyers
Greenacre's $1.355M median house price is driven by Sydney land scarcity, not local earnings: with median household income of $1,449/week ranking only in the 43.9th percentile nationally, the price-to-income ratio is brutal. 63.3% of stock is detached houses and 29.4% is semi-detached, leaving apartments at just 7.0%, so buyers chasing yards inherit four-bedroom-style demand (37.8% of homes have 4+ bedrooms vs only 13.4% with two). Mortgage holders pay $2,275/month and 36.3% of household income flows to mortgage repayments, well above the 30% stress threshold. Outright ownership at 31.4% is high for Western Sydney, suggesting long-tenure families subsidising adult children. Annual price growth of 10.6% in 2024 to 2025 means waiting another year compounds the stretch.
For Investors
Greenacre rents at $420/week, modest against the $1.355M house median and producing gross yields under 1.7%, lower than typical Western Sydney mortgage-belt suburbs that clear 2.5%. The renting share is 34.0%, almost exactly matching the 34.7% who hold a mortgage, so tenant demand exists without dominating. Vacancy sits at 6.8%, higher than Sydney metro averages near 1.5% and a yellow flag for landlords pricing at the top of the local band. The 184 development applications lodged over the past 12 months, including secondary dwellings and subdivisions, signal granny-flat plays driven by 3.4-person household norms and large blocks. Net overseas migration of 166/year offsets internal outflow of 182/year, keeping rental demand stable but not growing.
Development Activity
Total DAs
1,088
Last 12 Months
201
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+0.5%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Greenacre iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Greenacre Christian College
K-12 · 322 students
Al Noori Muslim School
K-12 · 2407 students
Malek Fahd Islamic School
K-12 · 3352 students
Mount Lewis Infants School
K-2 · 173 students
Holy Saviour School
K-6 · 298 students
Demographics
43.0% of Greenacre residents were born overseas, 21.4 percentage points above the national average. Lebanese ancestry accounts for 8,313 people, the single largest community and roughly 32% of the suburb's 26,314 residents. Arabic is spoken at home by 5,141 people, far ahead of Urdu (525), Bengali (332), Greek (325), and Korean (246). Islam claims 12,308 adherents compared with 8,974 Christians, an inversion of national patterns where Christianity dominates. The median age of 33 is 7 years younger than the national median, and average household size of 3.4 runs 0.9 above the national figure, reflecting larger family structures: 10,847 couple-with-children households dwarf the 2,564 couples without kids. University attainment of 37.3% is 7.2 percentage points higher than national, an unusual signal for a low-SEIFA suburb.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
63.3%
Houses
29.4%
Townhouse
7.0%
Apartment
Tenure
Greenacre's housing stock skews owner-occupied detached: 31.4% own outright and 34.7% carry a mortgage, leaving renters at 34.0%, an even three-way split compared with Sydney's average tilt toward renting. Detached houses make up 63.3% of dwellings, semi-detached 29.4%, and apartments only 7.0%, so density comes from land subdivision rather than vertical stock. Median house price of $1.355M climbed 10.6% from $1.3M in 2024 to $1.4375M in 2025, while rents at $420/week trail the price curve. The mortgage-to-income ratio of 36.3% triggers the stress flag, but rent-to-income at 29.0% sits just below the 30% threshold. Bedroom mix tells the family story: 42.4% three-bedroom and 37.8% four-or-more, leaving only 6.4% one-bedroom or smaller.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,275
Rent / wk
$420
HH Size
3.4
Personal Income / wk
$495
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
6.8%
Unoccupied
521
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
29.0%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
36.3% stressed
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
11.6%
Couples, no children
22,175
Total families
Economy & Employment
Greenacre's labour market reflects working-class structural softness. Healthcare leads industries at 17.4% of workers (855 jobs), followed by Education at 13.2%, Construction at 9.6%, Professional/Tech at 8.9%, and Retail at 8.2%. Unemployment of 10.3% is more than double the national figure of around 4%, and the participation rate of 34.2% is among the lowest in metropolitan Sydney, with 9,992 residents not in the labour force. Occupational mix tilts to Professionals (1,740), Clerical/Admin (1,263), and Managers (939). The SEIFA picture is anomalous: IRSD decile 1 (most disadvantaged) and IER decile 3 sit alongside IEO decile 6, meaning education levels are mid-range while income and welfare reliance are bottom-decile. Median personal income of $495/week sits well below the Sydney average near $850.
Unemployment
9.8%
Labour Force
6,653
Unemployed
652
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
59.3%
Part-time
30.4%
Participation
34.2%
Employed
6,151
Occupations
Top Industries
University
37.3%
Postgraduate
10.1%
Born Overseas
43.0%
Dwellings
7,104
Transport to Work
Greenacre's livability is uneven across schools and transport. Ten schools serve the suburb, dominated by three large independent Islamic colleges: Malek Fahd Islamic School with 3,352 enrolments and ICSEA 1,063, Al Noori Muslim School with 2,407 enrolments and ICSEA 1,086, and Al Sadiq College with 771 enrolments at ICSEA 942. Government schools sit lower: Greenacre Public at ICSEA 938 and Chullora Public at 965 fall well below the 1,000 national average, while Banksia Road Public reaches 980. Transport relies almost entirely on cars: 85.6% drive to work versus only 3.1% on public transport, far below the Sydney metro average of about 24%, reflecting the absence of a railway station despite the suburb's proximity to the Sydney CBD. IRSAD decile 3 places Greenacre below the median for socioeconomic advantage.
Drive
85.6%
Public Transport
3.1%
Walk / Cycle
3.2%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.83%/yr
(+114 people/yr)
EstablishedGreenacre is forecast to grow 0.83% annually, adding 114 residents per year to reach 14,517 by 2031 in projection terms, slower than Western Sydney growth corridors like Quakers Hill but steady for an established inner-west suburb. Population already climbed 17.1% over the past decade, and the primary driver is overseas migration: net 166 arrivals per year offset net internal outflow of 182, meaning local families are leaving while new migrants arrive. Gentrification scoring is 5/100, classified as Not gentrifying, with the senior share rising 1.2 percentage points and the young share falling 0.3, an aging-in-place signal. Real income grew 17.4% over the period, but affordability worsened from 85.5 to 88.8, so the price-to-income ratio drifted higher.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+166
Net Internal / yr
-182
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Population +14% since 2011, Net internal outflow -182/yr
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Greenacre compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Greenacre a good suburb to live in?
Greenacre suits large extended families and Arabic-speaking communities: 5,141 residents speak Arabic at home and 8,313 claim Lebanese ancestry, the densest concentration in Western Sydney. The suburb has 10 schools including three large Islamic independent colleges, but transport is car-dependent at 85.6% driving rates. SEIFA places it in IRSD decile 1, the lowest decile, so service expectations should be modest. Population grew 17.1% over the decade to 26,314.
What is the median house price in Greenacre?
The median house price in Greenacre is $1,355,000 based on 2024 to 2025 PSI-derived data, with the latest 2025 quarterly median at $1,437,500. Prices grew 10.6% from $1.3M in 2024, a steeper one-year climb than typical Western Sydney mortgage-belt suburbs. Median rent is $420/week, producing gross yields under 1.7%. Mortgage holders pay $2,275/month, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 36.3% sits well above the 30% stress threshold.
What schools are in Greenacre?
Greenacre has 10 schools across government, Catholic, and independent sectors. The largest are Malek Fahd Islamic School (3,352 students, ICSEA 1,063) and Al Noori Muslim School (2,407 students, ICSEA 1,086). Greenacre Christian College tops ICSEA at 1,087 with 322 students. Government primaries Banksia Road (ICSEA 980), Chullora (965), and Greenacre Public (938) all sit below the 1,000 national ICSEA average.
Is Greenacre safe?
Specific crime-rate data is not available in our current dataset for Greenacre. The suburb sits in IRSD decile 1 (most disadvantaged decile nationally), which historically correlates with higher property crime in NSW BOCSAR statistics, though Western Sydney peers like Bankstown and Auburn show the relationship is more nuanced. Mobility is low at 15.6% turnover with 84.4% of residents staying put year over year, signalling community stability typical of established migrant suburbs.
Is Greenacre good for property investment?
Greenacre is a marginal investment proposition. The $1.355M house median against $420/week rents produces gross yields under 1.7%, lower than Western Sydney mortgage-belt suburbs near 2.5%. Vacancy sits at 6.8%, well above Sydney metro averages around 1.5%. The 184 DAs lodged over 12 months, with secondary dwellings and subdivisions, signal granny-flat plays. Capital growth was 10.6% in 2024-2025, but net internal outflow of 182/yr is a demand caution.
How is Greenacre's population changing?
Greenacre's population reached 26,314, growing 17.1% over the past decade. Forecast trend projects 0.83% annual growth, adding 114 residents per year. The driver is overseas migration: net 166 arrivals offset net internal outflow of 182. Median age 33 is 7 years younger than national, but the senior share rose 1.2 percentage points while the young share fell 0.3, an aging-in-place pattern despite ongoing arrivals.
What languages are spoken in Greenacre?
Arabic dominates Greenacre with 5,141 home speakers, the largest concentration in Western Sydney and far above second-place Urdu at 525 speakers. Bengali (332), Greek (325), and Korean (246) round out the top five. Of the 26,314 residents, 43.0% were born overseas, 21.4 percentage points above national. Lebanese ancestry at 8,313 dominates, well ahead of English (1,972) and Italian (1,106).
How active is development in Greenacre?
Greenacre saw 184 DAs lodged over the past 12 months, an active pipeline for a 7.44 sq km suburb (roughly 25 DAs/sq km/year). Recent samples include new dwelling houses, complying-development subdivisions, and secondary dwellings, reflecting incremental densification rather than greenfield. With 63.3% detached stock and average household size 3.4 (0.9 above national), granny-flat demand is structurally underpinned by multigenerational living.
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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