Harris Park
Among Sydney's inner-west pockets, few read as distinctly as Harris Park, where 79.6% of residents were born overseas, 58.0 points above the national figure, and Indian is the leading ancestry at 1,760 people. Hinduism is the largest religion at 2,363 followers, ahead of Christianity at 994, which is unusual for an Australian suburb. The median age of 31 sits 9.0 years below national, and university qualifications reach 63.3%, some 33.2 points above national. The housing is overwhelmingly apartments at 85.4%, separate houses just 8.3%, and 74.0% of residents rent, all packed into a 0.63 km2 footprint at 7,952 people per km2.
Population
5,043
Median Age
31.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,779/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
15
Median House
$588K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The median house price of $587,500 is modest by Sydney standards, but the headline understates how thin the detached-house market is, because separate houses are only 8.3% of stock against 85.4% apartments. The recorded price history is volatile on a small sample, moving from $713,000 in 2024 to $513,000 in 2025, a 28.1% drop that reflects a handful of mixed transactions rather than a true market collapse. Two-bedroom dwellings dominate at 76.0%, with three-bedroom homes at 12.1% and 4-plus bedroom homes just 3.5%, so buyers are mostly choosing between compact apartments. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,750, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.7%, below the 30% stress threshold, which keeps entry affordable for owner-occupiers despite only 16.0% of residents carrying a mortgage.
For Buyers
The median house price of $587,500 is modest by Sydney standards, but the headline understates how thin the detached-house market is, because separate houses are only 8.3% of stock against 85.4% apartments. The recorded price history is volatile on a small sample, moving from $713,000 in 2024 to $513,000 in 2025, a 28.1% drop that reflects a handful of mixed transactions rather than a true market collapse. Two-bedroom dwellings dominate at 76.0%, with three-bedroom homes at 12.1% and 4-plus bedroom homes just 3.5%, so buyers are mostly choosing between compact apartments. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,750, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.7%, below the 30% stress threshold, which keeps entry affordable for owner-occupiers despite only 16.0% of residents carrying a mortgage.
For Investors
A 74.0% renter share gives landlords one of the deepest tenant pools in metropolitan Sydney, far above the national average, and weekly rent of $360 against the $587,500 median implies a gross yield near 3.2%, healthier than most premium inner-Sydney suburbs. The catch is a 13.2% vacancy rate, well above a balanced market, which signals real oversupply in the apartment segment that makes up 85.4% of dwellings. Demand support is strong on paper: net overseas migration adds 771 residents a year, though net internal migration removes 606, leaving overseas inflow as the primary driver. Rent grew 17.2% over the period and development is light at 15 applications in 12 months, so the investment case rests on tenant depth and migration-led demand rather than rapid capital growth.
Development Activity
Total DAs
120
Last 12 Months
15
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-34.8%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Harris Park iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
St Oliver's Primary School
K-6 · 167 students
Maronite College of the Holy Family - Parramatta
K-12 · 1282 students
Demographics
The migrant character is the defining trait: 79.6% of residents were born overseas, 58.0 points above national, with Indian ancestry leading at 1,760 people ahead of Chinese at 383. The top languages spoken reflect this, led by Gujarati at 438 speakers, Hindi at 347 and Punjabi at 168. Hinduism is the largest religion at 2,363 followers, well ahead of Christianity at 994 and Islam at 307, a profile that explains the area's reputation as Parramatta's Indian dining and cultural hub. The median age of 31 runs 9.0 years below national because the suburb draws younger overseas arrivals, and university qualifications at 63.3% sit 33.2 points above national. Average household size is 2.5, in line with the national figure.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
8.3%
Houses
3.5%
Townhouse
85.4%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure is heavily skewed to renting at 74.0%, with only 16.0% carrying a mortgage and 10.0% owning outright, the inverse of a typical owner-occupier suburb and a direct result of the apartment-dominant stock. Apartments make up 85.4% of dwellings, separate houses just 8.3% and semi-detached 3.5%, so the market is almost entirely strata-titled units. Two-bedroom dwellings account for 76.0% of homes, three-bedroom 12.1% and 4-plus bedroom only 3.5%, confirming a build-out aimed at couples and small households rather than families. The median house price moved from $713,000 in 2024 to $513,000 in 2025 on a thin sample, while rent-to-income stays comfortable at 20.2% and mortgage-to-income at 22.7%, both below the 30% stress threshold despite household income sitting in the 62.7th percentile nationally.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,750
Rent / wk
$360
HH Size
2.5
Personal Income / wk
$802
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
13.2%
Unoccupied
286
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.2%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.7%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
31.8%
Couples, no children
3,275
Total families
Economy & Employment
The workforce leans toward knowledge and care sectors: Professional/Tech leads at 17.2% with 328 workers, Healthcare follows at 15.0% with 286 and Retail at 11.6% with 222, ahead of Transport at 7.8% and Finance at 7.2%. By occupation, Professionals dominate at 703 workers, but Labourers at 339 and Machinery operators or drivers at 299 reveal a split workforce, not a uniformly white-collar one. Unemployment is elevated at 9.2%, above the national rate, and participation is low at 56.1%, consistent with a young migrant base where many are studying or recently arrived. The SEIFA scores expose a sharp anomaly: IEO sits at decile 7 for education and occupation, yet IER, the economic resources index, falls to decile 1, because the 74.0% renter base and modest household incomes depress measured wealth even where skills are high.
Unemployment
3.3%
Labour Force
7,024
Unemployed
229
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
60.8%
Part-time
30.0%
Participation
56.1%
Employed
2,192
Occupations
Top Industries
University
63.3%
Postgraduate
26.5%
Born Overseas
79.6%
Dwellings
1,865
Transport to Work
Public transport use is strong at 25.9%, well above the national reliance, reflecting the suburb's rail access and walkability within its 0.63 km2 footprint, while 56.6% drive and 10.4% walk or cycle. The compact, dense setting at 7,952 residents per km2 puts services and the Parramatta CBD within reach without a car. On the SEIFA indexes the suburb scores decile 5 on IRSAD and decile 3 on IRSD, mid-tier nationally, with the lower disadvantage reading tied to its renter-heavy, lower-income migrant base rather than deprivation. Only 4.8% of residents need daily assistance, below national, consistent with the young median age of 31. No schools sit inside the boundary, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring Parramatta, a practical trade-off for the high-density, apartment-led layout.
Drive
56.6%
Public Transport
25.9%
Walk / Cycle
10.4%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+1.16%/yr
(+119 people/yr)
EstablishedHarris Park is an established suburb still expanding through migration, with annual population growth of 1.16% and a 10-year rise of 17.2%, above the pace of most established Sydney suburbs. The medium forecast climbs from 10,328 in 2026 to 10,923 by 2031, adding roughly 119 residents a year. Overseas migration is the sole growth engine, contributing a net 771 people annually, while internal migration removes a net 606. Affordability improved markedly from 60.8% of income in 2011 to 44.9% in 2021, and real incomes grew 29.2% over the decade. The gentrification reading is early signs at a score of 28, supported by a 25% population gain since 2011 and recovery from a 9.8% COVID dip.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+771
Net Internal / yr
-606
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +25% since 2011, Net internal outflow -606/yr, Strong overseas inflow +771/yr, COVID recovered (-10% dip → full recovery)
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Harris Park compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Harris Park a good suburb to live in?
Harris Park suits younger renters and migrants, with 79.6% of residents born overseas, 58.0 points above national, and strong public transport use at 25.9%. University qualifications reach 63.3%, well above national. The trade-offs are an 85.4% apartment stock, a 74.0% renter base and mid-tier SEIFA scores of decile 5 on IRSAD.
What is the median house price in Harris Park?
The median house price is $587,500, modest for Sydney, though the recorded sample is small and moved from $713,000 in 2024 to $513,000 in 2025. Weekly rent averages $360 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $1,750, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.7%, below the 30% stress threshold.
What schools are in Harris Park?
No schools are recorded inside the 0.63 km2 Harris Park boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring Parramatta. The resident base is highly educated, with university qualifications at 63.3%, which is 33.2 points above the national figure.
Is Harris Park safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Harris Park in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb scores decile 3 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage and decile 5 on IRSAD, both mid-tier nationally, and only 4.8% of its residents need daily assistance.
Is Harris Park good for property investment?
Rent of $360 a week against a $587,500 median gives a gross yield near 3.2%, healthier than most inner-Sydney suburbs, and the renter share is 74.0%. The risk is a 13.2% vacancy rate signalling apartment oversupply, though net overseas migration of 771 a year supports tenant demand.
How is Harris Park's population changing?
Population is growing 1.16% annually and rose 17.2% over 10 years, with the medium forecast climbing from 10,328 in 2026 to 10,923 by 2031. Net overseas migration of 771 a year is the sole driver, offset by a net internal outflow of 606, a typical arrival-and-transit pattern.
What languages are spoken in Harris Park?
About 79.6% of residents were born overseas, 58.0 points above national. English aside, the most common languages are Gujarati with 438 speakers, Hindi with 347, Punjabi with 168 and Nepali with 156, reflecting the large Indian community that defines the suburb's cultural identity.
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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