Mount Pleasant
With household income in the 96.5th percentile nationally and 87.1% of residents not moving in the past year, Mount Pleasant ranks as one of the most financially secure and stable suburbs in the Illawarra region. The population of 1,397 lives almost entirely in separate houses (98.5%), with 64.4% of dwellings carrying four or more bedrooms, pointing to established families rather than transient renters. The 5.7% renter share is far below the national average, while university qualifications reach 53.4%, which is 23.3 percentage points above the national figure.
Population
1,397
Median Age
40.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,862/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
17
Median House
$1.4M
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The median house price sits at $1,430,000, having climbed from $1,285,000 in 2024 to $1,452,500 in 2025, a one-year gain of approximately 13%. At a weekly household income of $2,862, the mortgage-to-income ratio runs at 21.0%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold even at this price level, which is higher than the state median. Separate houses account for 98.5% of stock and 64.4% carry four or more bedrooms, so buyers are competing for large family homes with very few alternatives within the suburb. The 45.2% outright ownership rate signals long-tenure, debt-free residents, which tends to constrain listing volumes and support prices.
For Buyers
The median house price sits at $1,430,000, having climbed from $1,285,000 in 2024 to $1,452,500 in 2025, a one-year gain of approximately 13%. At a weekly household income of $2,862, the mortgage-to-income ratio runs at 21.0%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold even at this price level, which is higher than the state median. Separate houses account for 98.5% of stock and 64.4% carry four or more bedrooms, so buyers are competing for large family homes with very few alternatives within the suburb. The 45.2% outright ownership rate signals long-tenure, debt-free residents, which tends to constrain listing volumes and support prices.
For Investors
The rental market is thin by design: only 5.7% of dwellings are rented, compared to the national average of roughly 30%, and weekly rent averages $550. Against the $1,430,000 median that implies a gross yield around 2.0%, low relative to most markets. The 5.5% vacancy rate is moderate, and the 87.1% residential stability rate means natural tenant turnover is slow. Development activity ran at 15 applications over the past 12 months, mostly alterations and single dwelling approvals rather than new supply, so investor stock will remain scarce. The suburb suits capital-growth investors more than yield seekers, with the 13% price movement from 2024 to 2025 as a reference point.
Development Activity
Total DAs
83
Last 12 Months
17
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+70.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Mount Pleasant iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Pleasant Heights Public School
K-6 · 241 students
Demographics
Mount Pleasant skews toward tertiary-educated, Anglo-Celtic families. University qualifications reach 53.4%, which is 23.3 percentage points above the national figure, while overseas-born residents at 18.7% sit 2.9 points below the national average. Ancestry is led by English (483 residents), Scottish (188) and Irish (178). Average household size is 2.9, which is 0.4 above the national figure, consistent with the dominant couples-with-children profile: 641 such families out of 1,215 total. The volunteering rate of 20.5% is notably high, and only 4.1% of residents need daily assistance. Median age is 40, matching the national figure exactly.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
98.5%
Houses
N/A
Townhouse
1.5%
Apartment
Tenure
Ownership dominates the market: 45.2% own outright and 49.1% carry a mortgage, leaving just 5.7% renting, well below the national average. Nearly all dwellings (98.5%) are separate houses, and 64.4% have four or more bedrooms, reflecting a suburb built around large family homes on standard suburban blocks. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,600, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 21.0% against household income in the 96.5th percentile nationally. The median house price rose from $1,285,000 to $1,452,500 across 2024-2025, an annual gain of 13%. The combination of low renter share and high outright ownership tends to suppress listings, keeping supply tight relative to the established demand base.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,600
Rent / wk
$550
HH Size
2.9
Personal Income / wk
$1,160
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
5.5%
Unoccupied
27
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.2%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.0%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
22.2%
Couples, no children
1,215
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare (22.1% of workers, 120 people) and Education (20.3%, 110 people) dominate the local industry mix, together accounting for more than 42% of employed residents. Professional/Tech services add 9.8% and Public Administration 8.3%. By occupation, Professionals (267) and Managers (125) are the largest groups, consistent with the 53.4% university qualification rate that sits 23.3 points above national. The unemployment rate is 3.3%, full-time employment reaches 62.6% of those employed, and the participation rate is 61.9%. Personal weekly income averages $1,160 and family weekly income $3,105. The industry profile reflects a suburb that exports workers to healthcare and education institutions in the broader Illawarra area rather than hosting large employers locally.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
62.6%
Part-time
34.1%
Participation
61.9%
Employed
642
Occupations
Top Industries
University
53.4%
Postgraduate
18.8%
Born Overseas
18.7%
Dwellings
463
Transport to Work
Transport here is overwhelmingly car-dependent: 88.5% commute by car, and only 2.3% use public transport, compared to much higher public-transport shares in inner-city and coastal flat suburbs. Walking or cycling accounts for another 2.3%. The suburb covers just 0.98 square kilometres at a density of approximately 1,426 residents per square kilometre, making it a compact, low-rise pocket. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary in this dataset, so families rely on nearby institutions. Rent-to-income sits at 19.2%, below the 30% stress threshold, and mortgage-to-income at 21.0% also stays in the comfortable range. The 20.5% volunteering rate is above average, pointing to a community with high civic engagement.
Drive
88.5%
Public Transport
2.3%
Walk / Cycle
2.3%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Mount Pleasant compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Mount Pleasant a good suburb to live in?
Mount Pleasant has household income in the 96.5th percentile nationally, a 53.4% university qualification rate (23.3 points above national), and 87.1% residential stability. The main considerations are high entry cost at a $1,430,000 median house price and heavy car dependence, with only 2.3% of residents using public transport.
What is the median house price in Mount Pleasant?
The median house price is $1,430,000 based on 2024-2025 data. Prices rose from $1,285,000 in 2024 to $1,452,500 in 2025, a 13% one-year gain. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,600, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 21.0% against the suburb's above-average household income.
What schools are in Mount Pleasant?
No schools are recorded inside the Mount Pleasant suburb boundary in this dataset, so local families attend institutions in neighbouring areas. Despite this, the suburb has a 53.4% university qualification rate, which is 23.3 percentage points above the national average, reflecting a highly educated resident base.
Is Mount Pleasant safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Mount Pleasant in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, household income sits in the 96.5th percentile nationally and only 4.1% (55 residents) need daily assistance, both consistent with a low-disadvantage area. The 87.1% residential stability rate also indicates a settled community.
Is Mount Pleasant good for property investment?
The median house price of $1,430,000 against weekly rent of $550 implies a gross yield around 2.0%, low by national standards. However, prices rose 13% from 2024 to 2025, and the 5.7% renter share (well below the national average) keeps stock scarce. The suburb suits capital-growth investors rather than yield-focused buyers.
How is Mount Pleasant's population changing?
Population-level forecast data is not available in this dataset. The suburb's current population is 1,397 across 0.98 square kilometres. Residential stability is high: 87.1% of residents had not moved in the past year and the turnover rate is 12.9%, indicating a settled rather than rapidly growing community profile.
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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