Mortdale
Postcode 2223 holds 10,745 residents at a dense 3,661 people per km2, yet the housing stock splits almost evenly between separate houses (42.8%) and apartments (40.8%), a tension that defines the suburb. The IRSAD decile 9 places Mortdale in the top tier of advantage nationally, and university qualifications at 48.1% run 18 points above the national average. The $907,000 median house price sits below comparable inner-ring Sydney suburbs, helped by the apartment-heavy supply. With a median age of 38 (2 years below the national figure) and 38.8% born overseas, 17.2 points above national, the suburb leans toward established migrant households rather than first-home churn.
Population
10,745
Median Age
38.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,995/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
81
Median House
$907K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The $907,000 median house price is moderate for a suburb 18km from the Sydney CBD with rail access, partly because apartments make up 40.8% of stock and dilute the house-only premium. Two-bedroom dwellings dominate at 41.2%, with three-bedroom at 28.8% and 4-plus at 25.1%, so buyers seeking family-sized houses compete for a minority of the market. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,286, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 26.5%, just below the 30% stress threshold. Outright owners (30.6%) slightly outnumber mortgage holders (31.9%), and renters sit at 37.5%. The household income percentile of 74.7 means local earnings rank above three-quarters of Australian suburbs, which is why affordability holds despite the price tag.
For Buyers
The $907,000 median house price is moderate for a suburb 18km from the Sydney CBD with rail access, partly because apartments make up 40.8% of stock and dilute the house-only premium. Two-bedroom dwellings dominate at 41.2%, with three-bedroom at 28.8% and 4-plus at 25.1%, so buyers seeking family-sized houses compete for a minority of the market. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,286, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 26.5%, just below the 30% stress threshold. Outright owners (30.6%) slightly outnumber mortgage holders (31.9%), and renters sit at 37.5%. The household income percentile of 74.7 means local earnings rank above three-quarters of Australian suburbs, which is why affordability holds despite the price tag.
For Investors
Renters at 37.5% give landlords a workable but not dominant tenant pool, smaller than apartment-heavy inner-city markets. Weekly rent of $420 against the $907,000 median house price implies a gross yield near 2.4%, low because Sydney values are capital-growth driven rather than income driven. The vacancy rate of 6.6% is elevated and signals softer rental demand than tighter Sydney pockets, a caution for cashflow investors. Development is active with 74 applications lodged in 12 months, mostly complying development certificates for dwellings and pools, indicating incremental densification rather than large projects. Net overseas migration of 269 per year supports tenant demand, offset by internal outflow of 175, so the rental base relies on new arrivals.
Development Activity
Total DAs
364
Last 12 Months
81
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+14.1%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Mortdale iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Mortdale Public School
K-6 · 350 students
Marist Catholic College Penshurst
7-12 · 1343 students
Penshurst West Public School
K-6 · 220 students
Demographics
The median age of 38 is 2 years below the national median, and 38.8% born overseas runs 17.2 points above national, marking Mortdale as an established migrant suburb. English ancestry leads at 2,333, but Chinese at 1,922 is close behind, and Mandarin (417), Cantonese (303), Nepali (278) and Macedonian (200) are the top community languages, reflecting strong East Asian and South Asian settlement. University qualifications at 48.1% sit 18 points above the national average, consistent with the IEO decile 8. Couples with children (3,735 families) outnumber couples without children (2,089), a more family-oriented profile than inner-city suburbs where childless couples dominate. Average household size of 2.6 is close to the national figure, just 0.1 above it.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
42.8%
Houses
16.2%
Townhouse
40.8%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure is balanced: outright owners at 30.6%, mortgage holders at 31.9% and renters at 37.5%, a more even split than the renter-heavy inner ring. The stock is 42.8% separate houses, 40.8% apartments and 16.2% semi-detached, so the suburb functions as both a house market and a unit market at once. Two-bedroom dwellings make up 41.2% and 4-plus bedroom homes 25.1%, showing a barbell of compact units and larger family houses. The PSI-derived price series moved from $818,500 in 2024 to $1,095,000 in 2025, while the canonical median house price reads $907,000. Mortgage-to-income at 26.5% and rent-to-income at 21.1% both sit below stress thresholds, because the household income percentile of 74.7 keeps repayments manageable relative to earnings.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,286
Rent / wk
$420
HH Size
2.6
Personal Income / wk
$903
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
6.6%
Unoccupied
279
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.1%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
26.5%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
24.4%
Couples, no children
8,576
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare leads employment at 16.3% (647 workers), followed by Professional/Tech at 12.5% (495), Education at 11.7% (464), Finance at 8.7% (347) and Public Admin at 7.4% (295), a services-weighted base typical of an established middle-suburb. Professionals dominate occupations at 1,555, with Clerical/Admin (883) and Managers (725) next, consistent with the IEO decile 8 education ranking. The unemployment rate of 5.3% sits near average, while the participation rate of 55.3% is below the national norm, partly because the median age of 38 and a sizeable not-in-labour-force count of 2,871 reflect retirees and at-home carers. SEIFA places the suburb at IRSAD decile 9 and IRSD decile 8, both well into the advantaged half nationally.
Unemployment
2.0%
Labour Force
10,021
Unemployed
204
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
66.7%
Part-time
28.0%
Participation
55.3%
Employed
4,670
Occupations
Top Industries
University
48.1%
Postgraduate
13.8%
Born Overseas
38.8%
Dwellings
3,947
Transport to Work
Public transport carries 18.7% of commuters, above the typical middle-suburb level and supported by the Mortdale rail station, while 69.5% drive and only 5.9% walk or cycle given the 18km distance to the CBD. The IRSAD decile 9 and IRSD decile 8 confirm low disadvantage, which generally correlates with stable, well-serviced neighbourhoods. The volunteering rate of 11.4% points to reasonable community engagement, and only 5.8% of residents (599 people) report needing assistance with daily activities, below the level seen in older or lower-income suburbs. Crime statistics are not available in this dataset, so safety is inferred from the SEIFA deciles rather than offence counts. The household income percentile of 74.7 underpins access to private amenities and services.
Drive
69.5%
Public Transport
18.7%
Walk / Cycle
5.9%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.54%/yr
(+82 people/yr)
EstablishedPopulation growth is modest at 0.54% per year, classifying Mortdale as an established rather than high-growth suburb, with a 10-year change of 10.0%. Overseas migration is the primary driver at 269 net arrivals per year, while internal migration runs at minus 175, meaning the suburb loses domestic residents and replaces them with new migrants. The trajectory is aging: the senior share rose 3.1 points while the working-age share fell 2.4 points and the young share barely moved at minus 0.2. Affordability improved from 50.4% of income in 2011 to 44.9% in 2021, and real income grew 9.5% over the decade, slower than fast-gentrifying suburbs. The gentrification score of 20 to 26 marks early signs rather than a full transformation.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+269
Net Internal / yr
-175
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Net internal outflow -175/yr, Strong overseas inflow +269/yr, COVID recovered (-3% dip → full recovery)
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Mortdale compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Mortdale a good suburb to live in?
Mortdale ranks in IRSAD decile 9, the top tier of advantage nationally, with university qualifications at 48.1%, 18 points above the national average. It suits established and migrant families, given couples with children (3,735) outnumber childless couples (2,089). Public transport use of 18.7% and a median age of 38 point to a settled, well-connected suburb rather than a high-churn one.
What is the median house price in Mortdale?
The median house price is $907,000, moderate for a suburb 18km from the Sydney CBD. The PSI-derived series rose from $818,500 in 2024 to $1,095,000 in 2025. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,286 and weekly rent is $420, giving a gross yield near 2.4%, low because Sydney values are growth-driven rather than income-driven.
What schools are in Mortdale?
This dataset holds no in-suburb school records for postcode 2223, so specific campuses cannot be confirmed here. Education attainment is strong, with university qualifications at 48.1%, 18 points above the national average, and the IEO decile 8 ranking places the area in the advantaged tier for education and occupation nationally.
Is Mortdale safe?
Crime statistics are not available in this dataset, so safety cannot be quoted from offence counts. As a proxy, Mortdale sits at IRSAD decile 9 and IRSD decile 8, both well above the national midpoint, and only 5.8% of residents report needing daily assistance, indicators that generally align with stable, lower-disadvantage neighbourhoods.
Is Mortdale good for property investment?
Renters make up 37.5%, a moderate tenant pool. Weekly rent of $420 on a $907,000 median gives a gross yield near 2.4%, and the vacancy rate of 6.6% is elevated, a caution for cashflow. With 74 development applications in 12 months and net overseas migration of 269 per year, demand leans on new arrivals rather than tight supply.
How is Mortdale's population changing?
Growth is modest at 0.54% per year, with a 10-year change of 10.0%, classifying Mortdale as established. Overseas migration drives it at 269 net arrivals per year, offset by internal outflow of 175. The trajectory is aging: the senior share rose 3.1 points while the working-age share fell 2.4 points over the decade.
What languages are spoken in Mortdale?
With 38.8% of residents born overseas, 17.2 points above the national average, Mortdale is linguistically diverse. The top community languages are Mandarin (417 speakers), Cantonese (303), Nepali (278), Macedonian (200) and Greek (147), reflecting strong East Asian, South Asian and Mediterranean settlement alongside an English-ancestry majority of 2,333.
Is there much new development in Mortdale?
Yes, 74 development applications were lodged in the past 12 months, mostly complying development certificates for individual dwellings and swimming pools rather than large projects. This points to incremental densification, consistent with a stock that is already 40.8% apartments and 16.2% semi-detached homes.
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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