Leichhardt
Density sets the tone in Leichhardt: 15,158 residents occupy just 2.6 sq km, a high-density Inner West setting with 5,840.8 people per sq km. Compared with neighbouring Haberfield, it reads as the more compact option, with terrace, semi and apartment living closer to Norton Street and city access. Household income sits in the 94.6th percentile, university attainment is 59.5%, and renters make up 41.1%, so the market is premium but not purely owner-occupied.
Population
15,158
Median Age
37.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,673/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
181
Median House
$1.7M
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
Homebuyers are paying for access and scarcity. The listed median house price is $1,660,000, while the 2025 price-history median of $1,697,500 is at the recorded peak, with 0.0% peak-to-latest slippage and 4.5% growth from 2024. Stock is mixed: 36.6% separate houses, 33.7% semi-detached and 29.1% apartments, so the search is less house-dominated than many outer suburbs. The 39.8% share of 2-bedroom homes and 29.4% mortgage-to-income reading point to manageable debt for higher-income buyers, but family-size space stays competitive.
For Buyers
Homebuyers are paying for access and scarcity. The listed median house price is $1,660,000, while the 2025 price-history median of $1,697,500 is at the recorded peak, with 0.0% peak-to-latest slippage and 4.5% growth from 2024. Stock is mixed: 36.6% separate houses, 33.7% semi-detached and 29.1% apartments, so the search is less house-dominated than many outer suburbs. The 39.8% share of 2-bedroom homes and 29.4% mortgage-to-income reading point to manageable debt for higher-income buyers, but family-size space stays competitive.
For Investors
Investors see a renter-heavy market, with renting at 41.1%, higher than owned-outright tenure at 24.2%. Median rent is $600 a week, and the vacancy rate is 9.6%, so income certainty needs closer checking than in tighter rental pockets. The appeal is liquidity: compact housing, 29.1% apartments and 33.7% semi-detached dwellings suit mobile tenants, while 159 development applications in 12 months show active renewal. Overseas migration is the main growth driver, adding +224 people a year against -178 net internal movement.
Development Activity
Total DAs
921
Last 12 Months
181
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+22.3%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Leichhardt iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
St Fiacre's Catholic Primary School
K-6 · 91 students
Orange Grove Public School
P-6 · 519 students
Leichhardt Public School
K-6 · 532 students
Kegworth Public School
P-6 · 252 students
Sydney Secondary College Leichhardt Campus
7-10 · 784 students
Demographics
Leichhardt skews educated, affluent and slightly younger. Median age is 37, which is 3.0 years below the national profile, while 59.5% hold a university qualification, 29.4 percentage points above national. Overseas-born residents are 29.8%, also 8.2 points above national, but the largest ancestry counts remain English 4,948, Irish 2,265 and Italian 1,563. Italian is still the leading non-English language at 299 speakers, followed by Mandarin 105, so the suburb keeps a visible European thread within a broader professional mix.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
36.6%
Houses
33.7%
Townhouse
29.1%
Apartment
Tenure
Housing is expensive because land is scarce and the dwelling mix is compact. Price history moved from $1,625,000 in 2024 to $1,697,500 in 2025, a 4.5% gain, with the peak and latest both $1,697,500 and 0.0% peak-to-latest change. Against weekly household income of $2,673, the house-price multiple is about 11.9 times annual income, higher than most income-led affordability tests would tolerate. Tenure is split between 24.2% owned outright, 34.7% with a mortgage and 41.1% renting, while 2 and 3-bedroom homes make up 75.2% of stock.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$3,400
Rent / wk
$600
HH Size
2.4
Personal Income / wk
$1,377
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
9.6%
Unoccupied
631
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.4%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
29.4%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
27.1%
Couples, no children
11,466
Total families
Economy & Employment
The economy is strongly white-collar because residents concentrate in knowledge sectors. Professional/Tech leads at 19.1% of workers, followed by Healthcare 13.9%, Education 12.1%, Finance 9.2% and Public Admin 7.1%. Occupations match that pattern, with 3,592 professionals and 1,818 managers, while unemployment is 4.1% and participation is 65.9%. SEIFA is very high nationally on education and advantage, with IEO decile 10 and IRSAD decile 10, but IER decile 7 sits lower than IRSD decile 9, suggesting strong skills and status alongside more mixed economic resources.
Unemployment
4.3%
Labour Force
11,677
Unemployed
499
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
73.2%
Part-time
22.7%
Participation
65.9%
Employed
7,763
Occupations
Top Industries
University
59.5%
Postgraduate
19.0%
Born Overseas
29.8%
Dwellings
5,953
Transport to Work
Daily life is shaped by short inner-city distances but still a car-leaning commute. Car driving accounts for 69.2%, above public transport at 10.1%, while walking and cycling reach 15.1% because jobs, schools and retail are close. The local school offer is compact and strong: 5 schools span ICSEA 1104 to 1151, led by St Fiacre's Catholic Primary at 1151, Orange Grove Public at 1132 and Leichhardt Public at 1122, with Government, Catholic and secondary options. IRSAD decile 10 supports amenity and services.
Drive
69.2%
Public Transport
10.1%
Walk / Cycle
15.1%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.66%/yr
(+121 people/yr)
EstablishedGrowth is steady rather than explosive. The trend forecast is 0.66% a year, or about 121 extra residents annually, lifting the medium population path from 18,512 in 2026 to 19,116 in 2031. Migration explains the pattern: Overseas migration is the primary driver at +224 people a year, compared with -178 net internal movement. The suburb also recovered from a -2.3% COVID dip and sits 3.4% above that period, while gentrification is labelled Early signs with a score of 20, so change is incremental rather than wholesale.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+224
Net Internal / yr
-178
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Net internal outflow -178/yr, Strong overseas inflow +224/yr, COVID recovered (-2% dip → full recovery)
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Leichhardt compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Leichhardt a good suburb to live in?
Yes for buyers who value inner-city access, schools and walkability, provided the budget fits. It has 15,158 residents in 2.6 sq km, household income in the 94.6th percentile and 5 local schools, but a $1,660,000 house median keeps affordability selective.
What is the median house price in Leichhardt?
The listed median house price is $1,660,000. Price history also shows a 2025 median of $1,697,500, up 4.5% from 2024, so recent sales sit above the earlier point rather than below the peak.
What schools are in Leichhardt?
Leichhardt has 5 listed schools: St Fiacre's Catholic Primary, Orange Grove Public, Leichhardt Public, Kegworth Public and Sydney Secondary College Leichhardt Campus. ICSEA scores range from 1104 to 1151 across Government and Catholic sectors.
Is Leichhardt safe?
A suburb-level crime rate per 1,000 is not available, so current NSW Police updates are worth checking. For day-to-day context, Leichhardt is dense at 5,840.8 people per sq km and 15.1% of commuters walk or cycle.
Is Leichhardt good for property investment?
Leichhardt can suit investors seeking tenant depth, with 41.1% renting and a $600 weekly median rent. The caution is vacancy at 9.6%, so income assumptions should be tested property by property rather than based only on headline demand.
How is Leichhardt's population changing?
Population is growing slowly. The medium path rises from 18,512 in 2026 to 19,116 in 2031, with trend growth of 0.66% or 121 people a year. Overseas migration contributes +224 annually while net internal movement is -178.
How much development is happening in Leichhardt?
Development activity is elevated, with 159 applications lodged in 12 months. Recent samples include demolition, commercial alterations and specialised retail premises, so change is more about renewal and adaptation than a single large housing pipeline.
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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