Malabar
At 46, Malabar has an older resident base than the national average, with a median age 6.0 years higher and 81.6% of residents staying at the same address. Compared with nearby Maroubra, Malabar reads as more settled, supported by 37.0% outright ownership and a relatively low 18.4% turnover rate. Its 4,714 residents occupy 3.57 square kilometres at a density of 1,319.1 people per square kilometre. Household income is $1,790 per week, sitting at the 63.3rd percentile and above the national midpoint. The mix of 62.0% separate houses, 25.6% apartments and 41.7% four-plus-bedroom dwellings suits established households, although mortgage costs are substantial.
Population
4,714
Median Age
46.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,790/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
51
Malabar suits buyers seeking established housing, but affordability needs close testing. The typical monthly mortgage commitment is $3,900, while mortgage payments equal 50.3% of household income, a level that can constrain borrowing capacity. The wider affordability measure increased from 27.8 in 2011 to 54.3 in 2021, showing worsening conditions compared with the earlier period. Housing is led by separate houses at 62.0%, with apartments at 25.6% and semi-detached homes at 12.1%. Larger dwellings dominate, with 41.7% containing 4 or more bedrooms and 30.4% containing 3 bedrooms. Compared with an apartment-focused search, Malabar provides more family-sized options, but buyers should allow for renovation and insurance costs alongside the purchase price.
For Buyers
Malabar suits buyers seeking established housing, but affordability needs close testing. The typical monthly mortgage commitment is $3,900, while mortgage payments equal 50.3% of household income, a level that can constrain borrowing capacity. The wider affordability measure increased from 27.8 in 2011 to 54.3 in 2021, showing worsening conditions compared with the earlier period. Housing is led by separate houses at 62.0%, with apartments at 25.6% and semi-detached homes at 12.1%. Larger dwellings dominate, with 41.7% containing 4 or more bedrooms and 30.4% containing 3 bedrooms. Compared with an apartment-focused search, Malabar provides more family-sized options, but buyers should allow for renovation and insurance costs alongside the purchase price.
For Investors
Malabar has a meaningful rental base, with 35.2% of occupied dwellings rented compared with 26.8% owned with a mortgage. Weekly rent is listed at $150 and the vacancy rate is 7.3%, giving tenants more choice and potentially reducing urgency for landlords between leases. The 8.4% rent-to-income measure points to relatively limited rental pressure for households recorded in the area, although the low rent figure should be checked against current listings before purchase decisions. There were 51 development applications in the past 12 months, so alterations and new structures may gradually add competition or improve individual properties. Compared with a tightly supplied rental market, the 7.3% vacancy rate calls for careful assessment of achievable rent, while overseas migration is the primary forecast growth driver.
Development Activity
Total DAs
282
Last 12 Months
51
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+8.5%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Malabar
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Demographics
Malabar's median age is 46, which is 6.0 years above the national comparison, while the university-educated share is 28.0%, 2.1 percentage points below the national figure. Overseas-born residents account for 27.1%, still 5.5 percentage points above the national comparison. The average household size is 2.6 people, close to the national result, and 81.6% of residents stayed at the same address, indicating a stable base. English ancestry is recorded for 1,162 people, followed by Irish at 520 and Scottish at 295; Christianity numbers 2,196 and no religion 1,048. Compared with nearby Maroubra, Malabar's older age profile and lower turnover suggest a more established household pattern, while its 50.9% share of couples with children keeps family demand important.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
62.0%
Houses
12.1%
Townhouse
25.6%
Apartment
Tenure
Malabar's tenure pattern is split between established owners and renters: 37.0% own outright, 26.8% have a mortgage and 35.2% rent, with 1.1% in other arrangements. The dwelling mix is weighted to separate houses at 62.0%, while apartments account for 25.6% and semi-detached homes 12.1%. Bedroom numbers reinforce that pattern, with 41.7% of homes containing 4 or more bedrooms, 30.4% containing 3, 15.0% containing 2 and 12.9% containing 0 or 1. Mortgage payments equal 50.3% of household income, compared with rent at 8.4%, and affordability worsened from 27.8 in 2011 to 54.3 in 2021. The result is a housing market with more family-sized stock than a high-apartment area, but greater exposure to mortgage stress for leveraged owners.
Mortgage / mo
$3,900
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (April to June 2026), NSW Rental Bond Board (DCJ). Census 2021 median: $150.
$1,100
Bond data Jun 2026 · houses $1,498 · units $1,050
HH Size
2.6
Personal Income / wk
$820
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
7.3%
Unoccupied
106
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
8.4%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
50.3% stressed
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
50.9%
Couples with children
31.3%
Couples, no children
15.7%
Single parent
952
Total families
Economy & Employment
Malabar's employment base is concentrated in education at 14.9% with 171 workers, healthcare at 14.3% with 164, professional and technical services at 14.0% with 161, construction at 9.5% with 109, and public administration at 6.8% with 78. Occupations are led by 462 professionals and 281 managers, followed by 207 clerical and administrative workers. Unemployment is 3.6%, full-time employment is 58.3% and participation is 38.9%, while 1,986 people are not in the labour force, consistent with an older resident base. Household income of $1,790 per week sits at the 63.3rd percentile, above the national midpoint. SEIFA results are also above average, with IEO decile 8, IER 7, IRSD 7 and IRSAD 9, indicating broad advantage despite the lower participation rate.
Unemployment
3.6%
Labour Force
1,595
Unemployed
58
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
58.3%
Part-time
30.9%
Participation
38.9%
Employed
1,537
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
28.0%
Postgraduate
9.2%
Born Overseas
27.1%
Dwellings
1,330
Transport to Work
Malabar supports a quieter, home-oriented routine, with 48.9% working from home and 43.5% driving a car, compared with only 2.8% using public transport and 1.8% walking or cycling to work. Families have access to 2 nearby schools, both government primary schools, and should check enrolment zones against the exact address because boundaries can cross suburb edges. Socioeconomic conditions are strong, with an IRSAD decile of 9 and IEO decile 8, both above the national midpoint. Volunteering is 15.9%, while 7.3% of residents report needing assistance. Before choosing a property, check current police incident information, lighting, traffic and coastal access at different times. Compared with a denser, more transit-oriented area, Malabar is better suited to households comfortable with car use or home-based work.
Drive
43.5%
Public Transport
2.8%
Walk / Cycle
1.8%
Work from Home
48.9%
Population Forecast
+0.87%/yr
(+97 people/yr)
EstablishedMalabar's forecast annual trend is 0.87%, with overseas migration identified as the primary driver. The wider area recorded 18.9% population change over 10 years, but the trajectory is labelled Aging, supported by a 3.8 percentage point rise in the senior share and a 1.6 percentage point decline in the working share. Compared with the 27.8 affordability measure in 2011, the 2021 result of 54.3 indicates worsening affordability, while rent growth reached 228.2%. Gentrification signals are mixed: the shift profile records a score of 70 and stage Advanced, whereas the current gentrification measure records a score of 6 and stage Not gentrifying. This points to gradual established-suburb change rather than a straightforward rapid-growth cycle.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+168
Net Internal / yr
-38
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Population +17% since 2011
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Malabar compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Malabar a good suburb to live in?
Malabar can suit households seeking established homes, larger dwellings and a stable community. The median age is 46, 81.6% of residents stayed at the same address and 48.9% work from home. Car use is 43.5%, while public transport use is 2.8%, so daily convenience depends on location and travel needs.
What is the median house price in Malabar?
A current median house price should be checked against recent sales rather than inferred from the housing mix. Separate houses account for 62.0% of dwellings, 41.7% have 4 or more bedrooms and mortgage payments equal 50.3% of household income, so property size and condition can materially affect the price.
What schools are in Malabar?
Malabar has 2 nearby government primary schools: Malabar Public School and Chifley Public School. School choice should be checked by exact address because enrolment zones can cross suburb boundaries. Families should also confirm current capacity, before and after-school care, and travel arrangements for each child.
Is Malabar safe?
Use current NSW Police incident information and inspect the exact street at different times before deciding. Malabar has an IRSAD decile of 9, but that measures socioeconomic advantage rather than crime. Check lighting, traffic, coastal access and surrounding activity as well as any recent incidents near the property.
Is Malabar good for property investment?
Malabar has 35.2% renting, weekly rent listed at $150 and a 7.3% vacancy rate. There were 51 development applications in the past 12 months, and overseas migration is the primary growth driver. These factors support investigation, but the vacancy rate and achievable rent should be verified against current listings.
How is Malabar's population changing?
Malabar has 4,714 residents today. Population change across the wider area is 18.9% over 10 years and the annual forecast trend is 0.87%, with overseas migration the primary driver. The trajectory is Aging, consistent with a median age of 46 and a 3.8 percentage point rise in the senior share.
What development is occurring in Malabar?
There were 51 development applications in the past 12 months, including applications involving dwelling houses, alterations, demolition, new structures, earthworks and retaining walls. This level of activity is higher than a no-change setting and may improve individual properties, but it can also create local construction disruption.
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 education open registers (school locations), 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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