Mortlake
Packing 1,954 residents into 0.24 square kilometres, Mortlake sits at a density of 8,196 people per km2, among the most concentrated pockets in Sydney's inner west. Three facts define the suburb: 60% of households rent, 79.5% of dwellings are apartments, and the vacancy rate stands at 11%, higher than most comparable suburbs. Despite that rental-heavy profile, household income sits in the 89.2nd percentile nationally, and 51.8% of residents hold university qualifications, which is 21.7 percentage points above the national average. The median age of 35 is 5 years below the national figure, signalling a young, mobile professional cohort that drives both the renter majority and the high educational attainment.
Population
1,954
Median Age
35.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,347/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
7
Median House
$835K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
At a median of $835,000, Mortlake sits well below inner-Sydney benchmarks for a suburb with its income profile and SEIFA standing. Prices dipped 2.1% from a 2024 peak of $847,500 to $830,000 in 2025, a modest correction consistent with broader apartment-market softness. The stock is overwhelmingly apartments at 79.5%, with separate houses at just 5.6%, so buyers are largely choosing between units and semi-detached dwellings (14.4%). Two-bedroom stock dominates at 47.3%, making a compact purchase typical. Monthly mortgage repayments average $3,033, translating to a mortgage-to-income ratio of 29.8%, just below the 30% stress threshold. Outright owners make up only 15.3% compared to 24.8% on mortgages, reflecting how recently most owner-occupiers entered the market.
For Buyers
At a median of $835,000, Mortlake sits well below inner-Sydney benchmarks for a suburb with its income profile and SEIFA standing. Prices dipped 2.1% from a 2024 peak of $847,500 to $830,000 in 2025, a modest correction consistent with broader apartment-market softness. The stock is overwhelmingly apartments at 79.5%, with separate houses at just 5.6%, so buyers are largely choosing between units and semi-detached dwellings (14.4%). Two-bedroom stock dominates at 47.3%, making a compact purchase typical. Monthly mortgage repayments average $3,033, translating to a mortgage-to-income ratio of 29.8%, just below the 30% stress threshold. Outright owners make up only 15.3% compared to 24.8% on mortgages, reflecting how recently most owner-occupiers entered the market.
For Investors
A 60% renter share gives investors a deep and immediate tenant pool, and weekly rent of $560 against a $835,000 median implies a gross yield near 3.5%, above the inner-Sydney apartment average. The elevated vacancy rate of 11% is the key risk: supply exceeds current demand, which can compress rents and lengthen vacancy periods. Development activity is low at only 7 applications in the past 12 months, limiting near-term new supply pressure. Overseas-born residents at 39.2%, which is 17.6 percentage points above national, and the suburb's location near employment centres support sustained rental demand. Rent-to-income sits at 23.9%, below the 30% stress threshold, meaning existing tenants are not under pressure to leave.
Development Activity
Total DAs
47
Last 12 Months
7
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-41.7%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Mortlake iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
St Patrick's Catholic Primary School
K-6 · 357 students
Demographics
The median age of 35 is 5 years below the national average, driven by a concentration of working-age professionals. University qualifications reach 51.8%, which is 21.7 percentage points above national, ranking Mortlake among the more highly educated suburbs in NSW. Overseas-born residents make up 39.2% of the population, which is 17.6 percentage points higher than the national figure. The top ancestries are English (402 residents), followed by Chinese (301) and Italian (253), with Mandarin the leading non-English language (67 speakers) and Italian second (43). Average household size of 2.1 is 0.4 below national, consistent with the small-apartment, couples-without-children profile. At 41.8%, couples without children are the most common household type among the 1,508 families counted.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
5.6%
Houses
14.4%
Townhouse
79.5%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure is skewed heavily toward renting: 60% rent, 24.8% carry a mortgage and only 15.3% own outright, compared to a much higher outright-ownership rate in most established suburbs. The dwelling mix reflects the tenure split, with 79.5% apartments, 14.4% semi-detached and just 5.6% separate houses. Bedroom distribution concentrates in two-bedroom units at 47.3%, with three-bedroom at 26.1% and studios or one-bedrooms at 19.5%. The median house price was $830,000 in 2025, down from a peak of $847,500 in 2024, a decline of 2.1%. Rent-to-income runs at 23.9% and mortgage-to-income at 29.8%, both below common stress benchmarks, so neither tenants nor mortgagors face acute affordability pressure relative to the suburb's income base.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$3,033
Rent / wk
$560
HH Size
2.1
Personal Income / wk
$1,321
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
11.0%
Unoccupied
108
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.9%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
29.8%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
41.8%
Couples, no children
1,508
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare employs the largest share at 14.5% (134 workers), followed closely by Professional and Technical services at 13.1% (121), Education at 10.4% (96) and Construction at 10.3% (95). By occupation, Professionals account for 365 workers and Managers 255, the two dominant groups, which aligns with the SEIFA IEO decile 9 score for education and occupation advantage. The full-time employment rate is 72.3%, above average, and the unemployment rate is 4.6% against 51 unemployed residents. Participation sits at 67.2% with 350 people not in the labour force, a typical ratio for a young suburb without significant retiree population. Personal weekly income averages $1,321 and household weekly income $2,347, placing households in the 89.2nd percentile nationally.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
72.3%
Part-time
23.1%
Participation
67.2%
Employed
1,067
Occupations
Top Industries
University
51.8%
Postgraduate
15.5%
Born Overseas
39.2%
Dwellings
874
Transport to Work
Car dependency is high: 89.5% of workers drive to work, while only 2.5% use public transport and 5.1% walk or cycle. This is an unusually car-heavy profile for a suburb with a density of 8,196 people per km2, suggesting that proximity to the Parramatta Road corridor drives private vehicle use. No schools are recorded inside the 0.24 km2 boundary, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring suburbs. Mortlake ranks in decile 9 on both the IRSD (relative disadvantage) and IEO (education and occupation) indexes, and decile 10 on IRSAD, placing it in the top advantage tier nationally on the most comprehensive measure. Only 3% of residents (55 people) need daily assistance, consistent with the young median age of 35 and the low-disadvantage standing.
Drive
89.5%
Public Transport
2.5%
Walk / Cycle
5.1%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Mortlake compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Mortlake a good suburb to live in?
Mortlake ranks decile 10 on the IRSAD index, the top national advantage tier, and household income sits in the 89.2nd percentile. University qualifications reach 51.8%, which is 21.7 percentage points above the national average. The main trade-offs are heavy car dependency at 89.5% of commuters, no schools within the suburb boundary, and an 11% vacancy rate pointing to apartment oversupply.
What is the median house price in Mortlake?
The median house price is $835,000. Prices peaked at $847,500 in 2024 and edged back to $830,000 in 2025, a decline of 2.1%. Weekly rent averages $560 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $3,033, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 29.8%.
What schools are in Mortlake?
No schools are recorded inside the 0.24 km2 Mortlake boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. The local population is highly educated, with 51.8% holding university qualifications, which is 21.7 percentage points above the national figure.
Is Mortlake safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Mortlake in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb scores decile 9 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage, a high-advantage tier, and only 3% of residents (55 people) need daily assistance. Both figures are consistent with a low-disadvantage area.
Is Mortlake good for property investment?
A 60% renter share and weekly rent of $560 against an $835,000 median imply a gross yield near 3.5%, above the inner-Sydney apartment average. The risk is the 11% vacancy rate, which signals current oversupply. Low development activity at only 7 applications in 12 months limits near-term new supply. Overseas-born residents at 39.2% support ongoing rental demand.
How is Mortlake's population changing?
No formal population forecast is available, but structural signals indicate a mobile, transient profile. The turnover rate is 37.2%, meaning more than one-third of residents changed address in the census period. The 11% vacancy rate suggests supply has run ahead of current occupancy. International migration, at 39.2% overseas-born residents, is the primary population driver.
What languages are spoken in Mortlake?
About 39.2% of residents were born overseas, which is 17.6 percentage points above the national figure. Mandarin is the most common non-English language with 67 speakers, followed by Italian (43), Cantonese (32) and Arabic (29), reflecting the suburb's English, Chinese and Italian ancestral mix.
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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