NSW 2020 Census 2021 + Live DA Data

Mascot

Few Sydney suburbs have changed shape as sharply as Mascot: population rose 112.1% over 10 years and now sits at 21,591 residents. The suburb is more station, airport and apartment driven compared with Botany and Rosebery, with 74.5% apartments and 58.3% renters. That mix matters because 63.0% overseas-born residents and household income in the 87th percentile create a young, mobile market; the median age is 30, 10 years below the national figure.

Mascot urban fabric map

Population

21,591

Median Age

30.0

Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)

$2,254/wk

DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year

151

Median House

$900K

2024-2025 (PSI derived)

11.96 km²· 1,805.2 people/km²· Family income $2,394/wk

Homebuyers should treat Mascot as an apartment-first market rather than a detached-house search. The listed median house price is $900,000, while the latest price series reached $940,000 in 2025, 10.6% above 2024 and still at its peak. Choice is compact because 74.5% of dwellings are apartments and 46.3% are 2 bedroom homes; only 21.1% are separate houses. Mortgage costs sit at 26.6% of income, below common stress thresholds.

For Buyers

Homebuyers should treat Mascot as an apartment-first market rather than a detached-house search. The listed median house price is $900,000, while the latest price series reached $940,000 in 2025, 10.6% above 2024 and still at its peak. Choice is compact because 74.5% of dwellings are apartments and 46.3% are 2 bedroom homes; only 21.1% are separate houses. Mortgage costs sit at 26.6% of income, below common stress thresholds.

For Investors

Mascot's investor case is volume and tenant depth, not scarcity. Renting at 58.3% is higher than the 25.1% mortgaged and 16.6% outright-owner shares, and the median rent is $600 a week. Risk is the 11.3% vacancy rate and 147 development applications in 12 months, because new stock can soften leasing power. Demand is still supported by overseas migration at 634 people a year, partly offset by -574 internal migration.

Development Activity

Total DAs

822

Last 12 Months

151

YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements

-23.0%

Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year

N/A

Monthly DA Lodgements

DA Categories

Renovation / Extension
195
Demolition
59
Change of Use
21
Commercial / Industrial
14
Granny Flat / Secondary Dwelling
13
Swimming Pool / Spa
11
New Dwelling
10
Signage / Advertising
9

Schools in Mascot iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged

St Therese Catholic Primary School

ICSEA 1089 Primary Catholic

K-6 · 608 students

Mascot Public School

ICSEA 1035 Primary Government

P-6 · 397 students

J J Cahill Memorial High School

ICSEA 987 Secondary Government

7-12 · 298 students

Demographics

Mascot skews younger and more internationally connected than the national average. The median age is 30, 10.0 years below national, while 56.1% hold university qualifications, 26.0 percentage points above national. Overseas-born residents are 63.0%, 41.4 points above national, with Chinese ancestry reported by 5,755 people and Mandarin spoken by 1,287. The 2.5 average household size fits the apartment base because smaller households can use compact stock more easily.

Age Distribution

0-14
11.7%
15-24
16.6%
25-44
49.4%
45-64
14.8%
65+
7.5%

Bedrooms

Studio/1br
18.2%
2 bed
46.3%
3 bed
26.2%
4+ bed
9.3%

Dwelling Structure

21.1%

Houses

4.0%

Townhouse

74.5%

Apartment

Tenure

Own 16.6% Mortgage 25.1% Rent 58.3%

Housing in Mascot is dominated by apartments, and that shapes prices as much as location. Apartments are 74.5% of dwellings, separate houses only 21.1% and semi-detached homes 4.0%. The price series moved from a trough of $850,000 in 2024 to a $940,000 peak in 2025, a 10.6% lift with 0.0% fall from peak to latest. Tenure is less owner-heavy than the rental share: 16.6% own outright, 25.1% have a mortgage and 58.3% rent. The $900,000 median house price sits against $2,254 weekly household income, while mortgage-to-income is 26.6%, below stress settings.

Median House Price Trend

Source: State Valuer-General

Mortgage / mo

$2,600

Rent / wk

$600

HH Size

2.5

Personal Income / wk

$993

Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)

11.3%

Unoccupied

1,035

Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress

26.6%

Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress

26.6%

Community Profile

Languages Spoken at Home

Mandarin
1,287
Canton
431
Greek
281
Portuguese
204
Bengali
160
Arabic
134

Ancestry

Other
6,492
Chinese
5,755
English
2,830
Irish
1,503
Ancestry NS
1,381
Greek
842

Household Composition

37.8%

Couples, no children

14,591

Total families

Economy & Employment

Mascot's economy is service and knowledge led. Professional/Tech is the largest work base at 14.8% or 1,381 workers, followed by Hospitality 9.8%, Healthcare 9.5%, Finance 9.3% and Retail 9.2%. Occupations lean white collar, with 3,538 professionals, 1,672 clerical/admin workers and 1,536 managers. Full-time work is 66.8%, with unemployment at 6.6% and participation at 60.5%. SEIFA is uneven: IEO decile 9 and IRSAD 9 sit above average, while IER decile 2 reflects lower household resources, likely because 58.3% rent; IRSD is decile 7.

Unemployment

3.1%

Labour Force

14,367

Unemployed

443

Quarterly Trend

Jun-24 Dec-25

Source: SALM Dec-25

Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)

Overall advantage
9
Disadvantage
7
Economic resources
2
Education & occupation
9

Full-time

66.8%

Part-time

26.6%

Participation

60.5%

Employed

10,772

Occupations

Professionals 3,538
Clerical/Admin 1,672
Managers 1,536
Community/Personal 1,231
Labourers 994
Sales 976
Machinery/Drivers 635

Top Industries

Professional/Tech 14.8%
Hospitality 9.8%
Healthcare 9.5%
Finance 9.3%
Retail 9.2%

University

56.1%

Postgraduate

17.8%

Born Overseas

63.0%

Dwellings

8,085

Transport to Work

Mascot suits residents who value airport-side access and compact daily routines. Car driving remains higher than public transport, 57.1% vs 24.5%, while 12.6% walk or cycle. Schooling is primary-led: St Therese Catholic Primary has ICSEA 1089 and 608 enrolments, Mascot Public has ICSEA 1035 and 397, with government secondary coverage at J J Cahill. Across 3 schools the ICSEA range is 987 to 1089. This matters because families can cover early years locally, and IRSAD decile 9 sits above average for broader amenity.

Drive

57.1%

Public Transport

24.5%

Walk / Cycle

12.6%

Work from Home

N/A

Population Forecast

+3.57%/yr

(+816 people/yr)

Established

Growth is forecast to stay strong rather than speculative: trend annual growth is 3.57%, adding 816 people a year, and the medium path lifts population from 24,692 in 2026 to 28,770 in 2031, above the 2025 count of 22,859. The primary driver is overseas migration, averaging +634 a year, while internal migration is -574, so churn is high. The 10-year change was 112.1%, but gentrification score is 0 and stage is New development, meaning growth is more about apartments than income replacement.

Historical + Forecast

Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025

Age Cohort Forecast

Primary Driver

Overseas Migration

Net Overseas / yr

+634

Net Internal / yr

-574

0

Gentrification Signal

New development

National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs

How Mascot compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs

Population
Top 1%
Household Income
Top 13%
Rent Level
Top 2%
Apartments
Top 3%
Renters
Top 6%
Uni Educated
Top 6%
Public Transport
Top 2%
Born Overseas
Top 1%
Density
Top 9%

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Mascot a good suburb to live in?

Mascot suits people who want inner-south access, apartments and a young renter-heavy setting. It has 21,591 residents, median age 30 and 24.5% public transport commuting, but 74.5% apartment stock means buyers wanting large detached homes have fewer options.

What is the median house price in Mascot?

The listed median house price is $900,000. The separate price series has a latest 2025 median of $940,000, up 10.6% from $850,000 in 2024, so recent house-price evidence points to a higher current market.

What schools are in Mascot?

Mascot has 3 local schools: St Therese Catholic Primary School with ICSEA 1089 and 608 enrolments, Mascot Public School with ICSEA 1035 and 397 enrolments, and J J Cahill Memorial High School with ICSEA 987 and 298 enrolments.

Is Mascot safe?

Safety varies street by street in a busy urban suburb like Mascot. With 21,591 residents, 74.5% apartments and 24.5% public transport commuting, buyers should inspect lighting, building access and recent NSW crime maps before committing.

Is Mascot good for property investment?

Mascot can suit investors, but it is a higher-supply market. Renting is 58.3% and median rent is $600 a week, while vacancy is 11.3% and 147 development applications in 12 months mean investors should price in leasing competition.

How is Mascot's population changing?

Mascot's population has been rising fast over the long run, with 112.1% growth across 10 years. The medium projection reaches 28,770 by 2031, supported by trend growth of 3.57% or 816 people a year.

What languages are spoken in Mascot?

English is joined by several major community languages. Mandarin is spoken by 1,287 people, Canton by 431, Greek by 281, Portuguese by 204 and Bengali by 160, reflecting the 63.0% overseas-born population.

How much development is happening in Mascot?

Development activity is high, with 147 applications in the past 12 months. Recent examples include a dwelling house, business premises trading hours, and demolition for a semi-detached dwelling with 1 dwelling, so construction churn remains visible.

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 Mascot on the Map

View parcels, zoning overlays, DA applications, schools and more.

Open Interactive Map

More Suburbs in NSW