Heathcote
Few Sydney suburbs grew their population 24.3% over a decade while staying 74.5% detached houses, but Heathcote did both, and that combination explains its current pressure. The median house price jumped 14.9% in a single year, from $1,197,000 in 2024 to $1,375,000 in 2025, faster than household incomes which sit in the 84.7th percentile nationally. The profile skews older, with a median age of 43, three years above the national figure, and only 12.2% of residents were born overseas, 9.4 points below national. SEIFA places the suburb in decile 9 on IER and IRSD, a high-advantage tier that reflects established, low-debt wealth.
Population
6,148
Median Age
43.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,240/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
43
Median House
$1.3M
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
Buyers face a detached-house market that has run hard: the median rose 14.9% from $1,197,000 to $1,375,000 across 2024 to 2025, with the $1,252,000 figure used in valuations sitting between those points. Stock is family-scaled rather than dense, with 41.1% of dwellings having four or more bedrooms and 39.2% having three, while apartments are only 12.7%. That scarcity of small dwellings pushes single buyers toward neighbouring suburbs. Affordability is workable for owners already in the market: monthly mortgage repayments average $2,553, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 26.3%, below the 30% stress threshold despite the steep entry price. Outright owners at 41.8% nearly match mortgage holders at 46.2%, a sign that much of the housing is held by long-settled, lower-debt households rather than recent arrivals.
For Buyers
Buyers face a detached-house market that has run hard: the median rose 14.9% from $1,197,000 to $1,375,000 across 2024 to 2025, with the $1,252,000 figure used in valuations sitting between those points. Stock is family-scaled rather than dense, with 41.1% of dwellings having four or more bedrooms and 39.2% having three, while apartments are only 12.7%. That scarcity of small dwellings pushes single buyers toward neighbouring suburbs. Affordability is workable for owners already in the market: monthly mortgage repayments average $2,553, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 26.3%, below the 30% stress threshold despite the steep entry price. Outright owners at 41.8% nearly match mortgage holders at 46.2%, a sign that much of the housing is held by long-settled, lower-debt households rather than recent arrivals.
For Investors
Only 12.0% of residents rent, far below typical Sydney levels, so the tenant pool is shallow and the suburb suits owner-occupiers more than landlords. Weekly rent of $520 against a median near $1,252,000 implies a gross yield close to 2.2%, low even by Sydney standards, though the 3.6% vacancy rate is balanced rather than oversupplied. Demand is driven by internal migration, which adds about 96 residents a year against just 6 from overseas, meaning growth comes from Sydney families relocating rather than new migration. Development is modest at 39 applications in 12 months, mostly single dwelling houses and alterations rather than new supply, so stock stays tight. Rent has climbed 62.5% over the period, which means the investment case leans on rent escalation and capital growth rather than headline yield.
Development Activity
Total DAs
224
Last 12 Months
43
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+16.2%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Heathcote iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Heathcote East Public School
K-6 · 106 students
Heathcote Public School
K-6 · 273 students
Heathcote High School
7-12 · 633 students
Demographics
The median age of 43 runs 3.0 years above the national figure, and the trajectory is aging, with the senior share up 4.0 points while the working-age share slipped 0.5 points over the decade. The population is notably Anglo-leaning: only 12.2% were born overseas, 9.4 points below national, and ancestry is led by English (2,697), Irish (837) and Scottish (690). Non-English languages are negligible, with Afrikaans and German each at just 11 speakers. University qualifications reach 28.6%, marginally below national by 1.5 points, which is unusual for a high-SEIFA suburb and points to wealth built on trades and established assets rather than professional credentials. Average household size is 2.7, slightly above national by 0.2, consistent with a family-heavy profile where couples with children (2,249) outnumber couples without (1,279).
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
74.5%
Houses
11.2%
Townhouse
12.7%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure tilts strongly toward ownership: 41.8% own outright and 46.2% carry a mortgage, leaving only 12.0% renting, well below most Sydney markets. Outright owners nearly matching mortgage holders signals long-held, lower-debt wealth rather than a churn of recent buyers. The stock is 74.5% separate houses, with apartments at 12.7% and semi-detached at 11.2%, so detached supply dominates and keeps house prices firm through limited density. Larger homes prevail, with 41.1% having four or more bedrooms and 39.2% three. The median climbed 14.9% from $1,197,000 to $1,375,000 across 2024 to 2025. Mortgage-to-income at 26.3% and rent-to-income at 23.2% both sit below the 30% stress threshold, a comfortable position that reflects how household incomes in the 84.7th percentile absorb the cost.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,553
Rent / wk
$520
HH Size
2.7
Personal Income / wk
$957
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
3.6%
Unoccupied
80
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.2%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
26.3%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
24.6%
Couples, no children
5,201
Total families
Economy & Employment
The workforce concentrates in public-facing and trade sectors rather than finance: Healthcare leads at 14.8% (323 workers), Education follows at 14.5% (316) and Construction at 11.9% (260), with Public Admin at 10.2% and Professional/Tech at 9.7%. By occupation, Professionals (708) lead but Clerical/Admin (493) and Managers (403) follow closely, a broader spread than wealthier inner suburbs. Unemployment is low at 2.9% and the full-time rate is 65.2%, while participation reads 55.4%, held down by 1,592 residents not in the labour force, consistent with the older median age of 43. SEIFA shows an instructive split: IER (economic resources) sits at decile 9 but IEO (education and occupation) only at decile 7, because wealth here rests more on property and trades than on university credentials, which run 1.5 points below national.
Unemployment
5.3%
Labour Force
2,350
Unemployed
124
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
65.2%
Part-time
31.9%
Participation
55.4%
Employed
2,686
Occupations
Top Industries
University
28.6%
Postgraduate
7.2%
Born Overseas
12.2%
Dwellings
2,147
Transport to Work
The suburb is heavily car-dependent, with 88.8% of commuters driving and only 4.6% using public transport and 2.4% walking or cycling, well below the levels seen in inner Sydney, a function of its 10.17 km2 bushland-fringe setting at just 604 residents per km2. No schools are recorded inside the suburb boundary in this dataset, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring areas, a practical trade-off for the low-density layout. On wellbeing indicators the area scores well: SEIFA decile 9 on IRSD for relative disadvantage means very few residents face deprivation, volunteering runs at 17.4%, and only 5.2% (303 people) need daily assistance despite the older median age of 43. Housing costs stay manageable for residents, with rent-to-income at 23.2% below the stress threshold.
Drive
88.8%
Public Transport
4.6%
Walk / Cycle
2.4%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+1.49%/yr
(+80 people/yr)
EstablishedHeathcote is expanding steadily for an established suburb, with annual population growth of 1.49% (about 80 residents a year) and a 24.3% rise over the past decade. Internal migration is the engine, adding roughly 96 residents a year against just 6 from overseas, so growth comes from Sydney families moving in rather than new migration. Medium forecasts lift the population from 5,382 in 2025 toward 5,820 by 2031, continued but moderate expansion. The gentrification stage reads early signs with a score of 37, supported by acceleration in net internal migration from 10% to 19%. Affordability has worsened from 42.3% in 2011 to 46.8% in 2021, higher than a decade ago, as price growth of 14.9% in the latest year outpaced the 19.6% real income growth spread across the whole period.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Internal Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+6
Net Internal / yr
+96
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +31% since 2011, Net internal migration +96/yr, Accelerating: 10% → 19%
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Heathcote compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Heathcote a good suburb to live in?
Heathcote scores SEIFA decile 9 on both IER and IRSD, a high-advantage tier, with household income in the 84.7th percentile nationally. It suits families, with 74.5% detached houses and 41.1% having four or more bedrooms. The main trade-offs are heavy car dependence at 88.8% and a $1,375,000 median house price.
What is the median house price in Heathcote?
The median house price rose 14.9% in a year, from $1,197,000 in 2024 to $1,375,000 in 2025. Weekly rent averages $520 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $2,553, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 26.3%, below the 30% stress threshold.
What schools are in Heathcote?
No schools are recorded inside the Heathcote boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. The resident profile is family-heavy, with average household size of 2.7 and 2,249 couples with children, above the 1,279 couples without children.
Is Heathcote safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Heathcote in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb scores SEIFA decile 9 on IRSD, a high tier for relative disadvantage, and only 5.2% of its 6,148 residents need daily assistance, both consistent with a low-disadvantage area.
Is Heathcote good for property investment?
Rent of $520 a week against a median near $1,252,000 gives a gross yield close to 2.2%, low for Sydney, and only 12.0% of residents rent, a shallow tenant pool. Internal migration of about 96 residents a year supports demand, so returns lean on capital growth and 62.5% rent growth rather than yield.
How is Heathcote's population changing?
Population is growing 1.49% a year, about 80 residents, and rose 24.3% over the past decade. Internal migration adds roughly 96 people a year against just 6 from overseas. The profile is aging, with the senior share up 4.0 points, lifting the population from 5,382 in 2025 toward 5,820 by 2031.
How much development is happening in Heathcote?
There were 39 development applications lodged in the past 12 months, modest for a 10.17 km2 suburb. Most are single dwelling houses and alterations to existing homes rather than new supply, consistent with a detached-dominant area where 74.5% of dwellings are separate houses.
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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