Killarney Heights
At a $2,623,000 median house price and household income in the 98.9th percentile nationally, Killarney Heights sits in a narrow band of Sydney suburbs where wealth is both high and stable. The suburb scores decile 10 across all four SEIFA indexes, placing it in the top advantage tier nationally on education, occupation, economic resources and relative disadvantage. With 96.2% of dwellings being separate houses and 74.5% having four or more bedrooms, the housing stock reflects a firmly family-oriented character. The median resident age of 43 is 3 years above the national figure, and a 12.9% turnover rate indicates a population that largely stays put.
Population
4,502
Median Age
43.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$3,426/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
37
Median House
$2.6M
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The median house price of $2,623,000 reflects a stock dominated by large detached homes, with 74.5% having four or more bedrooms and 96.2% being separate houses, a far higher detached share than most Sydney markets. Prices rose 12% from $2,500,000 in 2024 to $2,800,000 in 2025, reaching a peak of $2,800,000. Monthly mortgage repayments average $3,500, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 23.6%, which is below the 30% stress threshold despite the high price point, because household incomes sit in the 98.9th percentile. Outright owners account for 48.4% of households, well above the national average, indicating that a significant portion of the suburb is held by established, debt-free owners rather than recent entrants. Only 12.4% of residents rent, making genuine owner-occupier demand the primary pricing force.
For Buyers
The median house price of $2,623,000 reflects a stock dominated by large detached homes, with 74.5% having four or more bedrooms and 96.2% being separate houses, a far higher detached share than most Sydney markets. Prices rose 12% from $2,500,000 in 2024 to $2,800,000 in 2025, reaching a peak of $2,800,000. Monthly mortgage repayments average $3,500, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 23.6%, which is below the 30% stress threshold despite the high price point, because household incomes sit in the 98.9th percentile. Outright owners account for 48.4% of households, well above the national average, indicating that a significant portion of the suburb is held by established, debt-free owners rather than recent entrants. Only 12.4% of residents rent, making genuine owner-occupier demand the primary pricing force.
For Investors
The rental market in Killarney Heights is thin: only 12.4% of households rent, compared with the national average of around 30%, which limits the tenant pool for landlords. Weekly rent averages $923 and the vacancy rate sits at 3.0%, broadly in line with the Sydney-wide figure. Against the $2,623,000 median, that rent implies a gross yield near 1.8%, low by national standards but consistent with a suburb where capital preservation and long-term appreciation are the investment thesis. Net overseas migration drives 166 arrivals annually and internal migration runs at a net loss of 65 per year, leaving modest net demand. Development activity recorded 33 applications in the past 12 months, mostly alterations and rebuilds on existing dwellings rather than new dwelling creation, which constrains supply growth and supports prices.
Development Activity
Total DAs
205
Last 12 Months
37
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+15.6%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Killarney Heights iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Killarney Heights Public School
K-6 · 661 students
Killarney Heights High School
7-12 · 969 students
Demographics
The median age of 43 is 3 years above the national figure, and the trajectory points to a declining young-adult cohort, with the young share falling 2.1 points over the decade. The overseas-born population reaches 35.5%, which is 13.9 percentage points above the national figure, driven by English (1,551), Chinese (565) and Irish (479) ancestries. University qualifications are held by 59.2% of residents, a figure 29.1 points above the national average, placing the suburb among the most educated communities in Australia. The average household size is 3.2, which is 0.7 above national, consistent with the large-home, family-with-children profile: couples with children make up the plurality of families at 2,074 households. The volunteering rate is 20.2%, above the national level, reflecting a cohort with time and capacity to contribute.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
96.2%
Houses
2.8%
Townhouse
1.1%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure skews strongly toward ownership: 48.4% own outright and 39.2% hold a mortgage, leaving just 12.4% renting, far below the national average. The near-total dominance of separate houses at 96.2% is distinctive, with semi-detached at 2.8% and apartments at just 1.1%, meaning the suburb offers almost no entry-level or compact options. Four-plus bedroom homes make up 74.5% of dwellings and three-bedroom homes a further 20.9%, indicating that most transactions involve large family homes. The median price rose 12% year-on-year from $2,500,000 in 2024 to $2,800,000 in 2025. Mortgage-to-income at 23.6% and rent-to-income at 26.9% both remain below stress levels, a consequence of incomes sitting in the 98.9th percentile nationally rather than any moderation in prices.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$3,500
Rent / wk
$923
HH Size
3.2
Personal Income / wk
$1,063
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
3.0%
Unoccupied
44
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
26.9%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.6%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
15.8%
Couples, no children
4,178
Total families
Economy & Employment
Professional/Tech leads local industry at 20.1% (337 workers), followed jointly by Healthcare and Finance at 10.8% each (181 workers each) and Education at 10.8%. By occupation, Professionals account for 813 positions and Managers 484, meaning white-collar knowledge work defines roughly half the local workforce. The unemployment rate is 3.9% and the full-time employment rate among those employed is 61.5%. The participation rate of 59.8% is below the national benchmark, partly because 1,170 residents are not in the labour force, reflecting the older median age of 43 and the presence of many established households no longer in full-time employment. All four SEIFA indexes score in decile 10, the top advantage tier nationally, with the IRSAD score of 1,135 reflecting consistently high education and occupational attainment.
Unemployment
3.5%
Labour Force
7,102
Unemployed
246
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
61.5%
Part-time
34.6%
Participation
59.8%
Employed
2,019
Occupations
Top Industries
University
59.2%
Postgraduate
18.7%
Born Overseas
35.5%
Dwellings
1,403
Transport to Work
Transport use is car-dominated: 82.9% of residents drive, compared with the national average, while just 4.3% use public transport and 6.7% walk or cycle. The suburb scores decile 10 on IRSAD nationally, indicating very low relative disadvantage. Only 3.7% of residents need daily assistance (166 people), a low share that reflects both the relatively high incomes and the active age profile. The 87.1% residency retention rate, meaning 87.1% of residents stayed in the same address over the period, signals strong satisfaction with the area. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring areas, a practical consideration given the strong family profile with 2,074 couples-with-children households. Mortgage and rent stress are both below thresholds, with mortgage-to-income at 23.6% and rent-to-income at 26.9%.
Drive
82.9%
Public Transport
4.3%
Walk / Cycle
6.7%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.37%/yr
(+50 people/yr)
EstablishedAnnual population growth runs at 0.37%, adding roughly 50 residents per year, a slow pace for an established premium suburb. The 10-year population change was 7.1%, modest but positive, and no COVID dip was recorded. Medium forecasts project the broader SA2 population rising from 13,533 in 2025 to 13,824 by 2031. Overseas migration is the primary demand driver, bringing a net 166 residents annually, while internal migration produces a net loss of 65 per year, as higher-income earners age into retirement and others seek lower-cost alternatives. Rent growth has been 30.9% over the period, well above income growth of 13.9%, pointing to strengthening rental demand even in a low-renter suburb. The gentrification stage reads not gentrifying, fitting a suburb already at full advantage.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+166
Net Internal / yr
-65
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Killarney Heights compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Killarney Heights a good suburb to live in?
Killarney Heights scores decile 10 across all four SEIFA indexes, the top advantage tier nationally on education, occupation, economic resources and relative disadvantage. Household income sits in the 98.9th percentile. The 87.1% residency retention rate indicates most residents choose to stay, and mortgage-to-income at 23.6% is below the 30% stress threshold.
What is the median house price in Killarney Heights?
The median house price is $2,623,000, with prices rising 12% from $2,500,000 in 2024 to $2,800,000 in 2025. Monthly mortgage repayments average $3,500. Weekly rent averages $923. The stock is almost entirely detached houses, with 96.2% of dwellings being separate homes.
What schools are in Killarney Heights?
No schools are recorded inside the Killarney Heights boundary in this dataset, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring suburbs. Despite this, the suburb has one of Sydney's highest education rates, with 59.2% of residents holding university qualifications, which is 29.1 points above the national figure.
Is Killarney Heights safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Killarney Heights in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb scores decile 10 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage nationally, the highest advantage tier, and only 3.7% of its 4,502 residents need daily assistance, both consistent with a low-disadvantage area.
Is Killarney Heights good for property investment?
Gross rental yield is near 1.8% at a $2,623,000 median and $923 weekly rent, low compared with most markets. The vacancy rate is 3.0% and only 12.4% of households rent, giving landlords a limited tenant pool. The 12% price growth recorded from 2024 to 2025 favours a capital growth rather than yield strategy.
How is Killarney Heights's population changing?
Annual population growth is 0.37%, adding around 50 residents per year. The 10-year population change was 7.1%. Overseas migration brings a net 166 arrivals annually while internal migration shows a net loss of 65 per year. Medium forecasts project the SA2 population reaching 13,824 by 2031, up from 13,533 in 2025.
What languages are spoken in Killarney Heights?
About 35.5% of residents were born overseas, which is 13.9 percentage points above the national figure. The most common non-English languages are French (135 speakers), Cantonese (79) and Mandarin (72), alongside English-speaking ancestries including Irish (479) and Scottish (419) among the population of 4,502.
How much development is happening in Killarney Heights?
There were 33 development applications lodged in the past 12 months. Most involve alterations, additions, carports or demolition and rebuild works on existing houses rather than new dwelling creation. This is consistent with an established, premium suburb where renovation of large homes is more common than greenfield 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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