Helensburgh
Few Sydney-fringe suburbs pair a $1,160,000 median house price with an 18.48 km2 footprint at just 355.9 residents per km2, but Helensburgh does, and the low density explains the housing mix. Detached houses make up 82.6% of dwellings and apartments only 14.0%, well above the apartment-heavy inner suburbs. Household income sits in the 92.2nd percentile nationally, yet the median age of 38 runs 2.0 years below national, a younger, family-leaning profile. SEIFA scores reach decile 10 on both IER and IRSD, the top tier for economic resources and relative disadvantage. Prices eased 4.0% from $1,190,000 in 2024 to $1,142,500 in 2025, a rare soft patch for a high-advantage market.
Population
6,576
Median Age
38.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,490/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
48
Median House
$1.2M
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The $1,160,000 median, paired with prices that slipped 4.0% from $1,190,000 to $1,142,500 across 2024 to 2025, gives buyers a rare window in a decile 10 advantage suburb. Stock favours families because 82.6% of dwellings are separate houses and only 14.0% are apartments, with three-bedroom homes at 45.8% and four-plus bedroom homes at 41.9%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,500, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 23.2%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold and lower than most premium Sydney markets. With 53.9% of households carrying a mortgage versus 31.0% owning outright, the suburb skews toward active buyers rather than debt-free holders, which keeps turnover steady at a low 14.1% rate.
For Buyers
The $1,160,000 median, paired with prices that slipped 4.0% from $1,190,000 to $1,142,500 across 2024 to 2025, gives buyers a rare window in a decile 10 advantage suburb. Stock favours families because 82.6% of dwellings are separate houses and only 14.0% are apartments, with three-bedroom homes at 45.8% and four-plus bedroom homes at 41.9%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,500, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 23.2%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold and lower than most premium Sydney markets. With 53.9% of households carrying a mortgage versus 31.0% owning outright, the suburb skews toward active buyers rather than debt-free holders, which keeps turnover steady at a low 14.1% rate.
For Investors
Renters make up only 15.1% of households, a shallow tenant pool well below the inner-city norm, and weekly rent averages $535. Against the $1,160,000 median that implies a gross yield near 2.4%, modest but higher than premium harbour suburbs. The 3.9% vacancy rate sits close to a balanced market, so re-letting risk is contained, and rent climbed 50.1% over the decade while rent-to-income held at 21.5%, leaving headroom for further escalation. Development activity is light at 43 applications in 12 months, mostly dwelling alterations with the occasional dual occupancy, so new supply stays scarce. Overseas migration adds about 40 residents a year against a net internal outflow of 78, so the investment case leans on owner-occupier scarcity and capital preservation rather than yield or rapid tenant demand.
Development Activity
Total DAs
273
Last 12 Months
48
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+2.1%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Helensburgh iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Holy Cross Catholic Primary School
K-6 · 184 students
Helensburgh Public School
K-6 · 460 students
Demographics
The median age of 38 is 2.0 years below the national figure, and the family lean shows: average household size is 2.9, which is 0.4 above national, and couples with children number 2,911 against 1,137 couples without. Overseas-born residents are just 12.6%, fully 9.0 points below national, making this one of the more Anglo-leaning markets on Sydney's southern fringe. Ancestry confirms it, led by English (2,911), Irish (910) and Scottish (768), with non-English languages barely registering at Mandarin (14) and German (14). University qualifications sit at 30.1%, level with the national average rather than above it, so the advantage here comes from income and employment rather than from an unusually credentialed population. The senior share rose 4.2 points over the decade, an early aging signal despite the young median.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
82.6%
Houses
2.8%
Townhouse
14.0%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure tilts heavily toward mortgaged owners: 53.9% carry a mortgage, 31.0% own outright and only 15.1% rent. That mortgage-dominant split, well above the renter share, marks an active-buyer market of working families rather than long-held wealth. The stock is 82.6% separate houses and 14.0% apartments, with three-bedroom dwellings at 45.8% and four-plus bedroom at 41.9%, so larger family homes dominate. The median house price eased 4.0% from $1,190,000 to $1,142,500 across 2024 to 2025, the only soft patch in an otherwise high-advantage profile. Mortgage-to-income at 23.2% and rent-to-income at 21.5% both stay below the 30% stress line, a comfortable position helped by household incomes in the 92.2nd percentile nationally.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,500
Rent / wk
$535
HH Size
2.9
Personal Income / wk
$981
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
3.9%
Unoccupied
88
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.5%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.2%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
19.5%
Couples, no children
5,832
Total families
Economy & Employment
The workforce spreads across practical sectors rather than concentrating in finance: Healthcare leads at 14.9% (375 workers), Construction follows at 14.4% (361) and Education at 12.7% (320), with Professional/Tech at 9.8% and Public Admin at 9.4%. Professionals (802) and Clerical/Admin (475) top the occupation list, a balanced white-collar and trades mix. Unemployment is low at 3.5% and the full-time rate reads 62.0%, while real incomes grew 17.1% over the decade. SEIFA tells the story of resources over credentials: IER for economic resources hits decile 10 and IRSD decile 10, yet IEO for education and occupation sits lower at decile 8, because university attainment matches the national average rather than exceeding it. That gap explains why income ranks far higher than schooling here.
Unemployment
2.5%
Labour Force
5,346
Unemployed
131
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
62.0%
Part-time
34.5%
Participation
61.8%
Employed
3,046
Occupations
Top Industries
University
30.1%
Postgraduate
7.4%
Born Overseas
12.6%
Dwellings
2,159
Transport to Work
This is a car-dependent suburb: 88.3% of commuters drive, far above the national norm, while only 3.5% use public transport and 4.1% walk or cycle, a consequence of the 18.48 km2 bushland setting at 355.9 residents per km2. The trade-off is space and advantage, with decile 10 scores on both IER and IRSD signalling strong economic resources and very low relative disadvantage. Only 4.7% of residents (298 people) need daily assistance, and volunteering runs at 16.6%, both consistent with a settled family community. No schools are recorded inside the suburb boundary in this dataset, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring areas, a practical cost of the low-density layout. Housing stress stays mild, with mortgage-to-income at 23.2% well below the 30% threshold.
Drive
88.3%
Public Transport
3.5%
Walk / Cycle
4.1%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.37%/yr
(+34 people/yr)
EstablishedHelensburgh grows slowly: the trend forecast adds about 34 people a year, an annual rate near 0.37%, while the 10-year change registers 8.0%, classifying it as an established, slow-growth market. The medium projection lifts population gradually through 2031 rather than via any surge. Overseas migration of roughly 40 a year is the only positive external driver, offset by a net internal outflow of 78, so natural family formation carries most of the growth. The gentrification shift score reads 48 with an active stage, driven by 50.1% rent growth and 17.1% real income gains over the decade, even as affordability worsened from 50.6% in 2011 to 52.7% in 2021. The young-share fell 1.9 points and senior-share rose 4.2 points, an aging trajectory layered onto modest expansion.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+40
Net Internal / yr
-78
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Helensburgh compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Helensburgh a good suburb to live in?
Helensburgh scores decile 10 on both the IER and IRSD SEIFA indexes, the top tier for economic resources and low disadvantage, with household income in the 92.2nd percentile nationally. The trade-offs are a $1,160,000 median house price and heavy car reliance, with 88.3% of commuters driving.
What is the median house price in Helensburgh?
The median house price is $1,160,000. Prices eased 4.0% from $1,190,000 in 2024 to $1,142,500 in 2025. Weekly rent averages $535 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $2,500, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 23.2%, below the 30% stress threshold.
What schools are in Helensburgh?
No schools are recorded inside the Helensburgh boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring areas. University qualifications among residents sit at 30.1%, level with the national average, while household income ranks in the 92.2nd percentile nationally.
Is Helensburgh safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Helensburgh in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb scores decile 10 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage, the highest tier, and only 4.7% of its residents (298 people) need daily assistance, both consistent with a low-disadvantage area.
Is Helensburgh good for property investment?
Rent of $535 a week against the $1,160,000 median gives a gross yield near 2.4%, modest but above premium harbour suburbs. The 3.9% vacancy rate is close to balanced, and rent grew 50.1% over the decade, though the renter pool is shallow at just 15.1% of households.
How is Helensburgh's population changing?
Population is growing slowly, adding about 34 people a year at roughly 0.37% annually, with an 8.0% rise over 10 years. The profile is aging, with the senior share up 4.2 points and the young share down 1.9 points over the decade, supported mainly by overseas migration of about 40 a year.
How much development is happening in Helensburgh?
There were 43 development applications lodged in the past 12 months, light for an 18.48 km2 suburb. Most are dwelling alterations and additions, with the occasional dual occupancy, rather than new supply, consistent with an established, slow-growth area adding only about 34 residents a year.
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.
Explore Helensburgh on the Map
View parcels, zoning overlays, DA applications, schools and more.
Open Interactive Map