Normanhurst
Three SEIFA indexes land Normanhurst in decile 10, the top advantage tier nationally, yet its $1,807,500 median house sits well below the inner-harbour suburbs that usually share that ranking. Household income reaches the 93.6th percentile and university qualifications hit 57.8%, which is 27.7 points above the national figure. What sets this 2.21 km2 pocket apart is its detached-house dominance: 79.0% of dwellings are separate houses and only 5.8% are apartments, a rare profile for a wealthy Sydney suburb. The population of 5,387 carries a median age of 41, one year above national, and 36.0% were born overseas, 14.4 points higher than the country as a whole.
Population
5,387
Median Age
41.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,590/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
45
Median House
$1.8M
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
At a $1,807,500 median, Normanhurst asks far less than harbourside suburbs of comparable SEIFA standing, and recent pricing has softened: the median moved from $1,865,000 in 2024 to $1,732,500 in 2025, a 7.1% one-year dip that gives buyers a rare opening in a decile 10 area. The stock favours families because 79.0% are separate houses and 46.9% carry four or more bedrooms, with another 39.3% at three bedrooms, so genuine house buyers are not competing against apartment supply that sits at just 5.8%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $3,000, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 26.8%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold thanks to household incomes in the 93.6th percentile. Mortgage holders at 45.2% outnumber outright owners at 35.2%, a sign of active, recent buying rather than purely inherited wealth.
For Buyers
At a $1,807,500 median, Normanhurst asks far less than harbourside suburbs of comparable SEIFA standing, and recent pricing has softened: the median moved from $1,865,000 in 2024 to $1,732,500 in 2025, a 7.1% one-year dip that gives buyers a rare opening in a decile 10 area. The stock favours families because 79.0% are separate houses and 46.9% carry four or more bedrooms, with another 39.3% at three bedrooms, so genuine house buyers are not competing against apartment supply that sits at just 5.8%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $3,000, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 26.8%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold thanks to household incomes in the 93.6th percentile. Mortgage holders at 45.2% outnumber outright owners at 35.2%, a sign of active, recent buying rather than purely inherited wealth.
For Investors
A 19.5% renter share is modest for Sydney, and weekly rent of $550 against a $1,807,500 median implies a gross yield near 1.6%, low even by metropolitan standards, so the case rests on capital growth rather than cash flow. The 4.9% vacancy rate is tighter than the renter share alone would suggest, and rent grew 34.1% over the decade, faster than purchase prices, which have actually fallen 7.1% in the latest year. Demand support comes mainly from overseas migration, which adds a net 239 residents a year and offsets a net internal outflow of 86. Development is light at 39 applications in 12 months, largely pool installations and dwelling alterations rather than new supply, so the detached-house scarcity that underpins values is unlikely to ease. With apartments at only 5.8% of stock, investors here buy houses, not units.
Development Activity
Total DAs
331
Last 12 Months
45
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-16.7%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Normanhurst iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Normanhurst Boys High School
7-12 · 752 students
Loreto Normanhurst
5-12 · 1240 students
Normanhurst Public School
K-6 · 372 students
Demographics
The median age of 41 runs 1.0 year above national, and the trajectory tilts older: the senior share rose 2.3 points while the working-age share slipped 0.9 points and the young-resident share fell 1.5 points over the decade. Overseas-born residents reach 36.0%, which is 14.4 points above national, and the ancestry mix pairs English (1,681) with a substantial Chinese community (752) ahead of Irish (499) and Scottish (476). Mandarin (216 speakers) leads the non-English languages, followed by Cantonese (66) and Korean (51). University qualifications at 57.8% sit 27.7 points above the national rate, helping explain the professional-heavy workforce. The average household size of 2.9 is 0.4 above national, consistent with the family profile where couples with children (2,269) far outnumber couples without (921).
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
79.0%
Houses
14.9%
Townhouse
5.8%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure leans toward active buyers: 45.2% hold a mortgage, 35.2% own outright and only 19.5% rent, a structure unusual for so wealthy an area and a sign of recent purchasing rather than purely inherited holdings. The stock is overwhelmingly detached at 79.0%, with semi-detached at 14.9% and apartments at just 5.8%, and large homes dominate because 46.9% carry four or more bedrooms against 39.3% at three. Pricing has eased from $1,865,000 in 2024 to a $1,732,500 trough in 2025, a 7.1% fall, even as the working median sits at $1,807,500. Mortgage-to-income at 26.8% stays below the 30% stress line and rent-to-income reads 21.2%, both comfortable, which reflects how incomes in the 93.6th percentile absorb costs that would strain most markets.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$3,000
Rent / wk
$550
HH Size
2.9
Personal Income / wk
$921
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
4.9%
Unoccupied
91
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.2%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
26.8%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
19.7%
Couples, no children
4,668
Total families
Economy & Employment
The workforce concentrates in knowledge and care sectors: Professional and Tech leads at 17.3% (345 workers), with Education and Healthcare tied at 15.4% (306 each) and Finance at 9.4%, while Construction trails at 6.7%. By occupation, Professionals (1,008) and Managers (453) make up the core, which aligns with the decile 10 IEO score for education and occupation. Unemployment is low at 4.8% and the full-time employment rate is 67.2%, though participation reads just 56.0% because the older profile leaves 1,550 residents outside the labour force. The suburb scores decile 10 on all four SEIFA indexes, IRSAD, IEO, IER and IRSD, with no anomaly to explain, and real incomes grew 15.0% over the decade, reinforcing a broadly and durably advantaged base.
Unemployment
5.5%
Labour Force
10,813
Unemployed
600
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
67.2%
Part-time
28.0%
Participation
56.0%
Employed
2,294
Occupations
Top Industries
University
57.8%
Postgraduate
19.9%
Born Overseas
36.0%
Dwellings
1,762
Transport to Work
Car reliance is high at 78.9% of commuters, above the national norm, with only 9.0% using public transport and 5.2% walking or cycling, a pattern typical of a low-density area at 2,441 residents per km2. The suburb scores decile 10 on IRSAD, the top advantage tier nationally, and decile 10 on IRSD for relative disadvantage, meaning very few residents face deprivation, while 6.5% (344 people) need daily assistance, consistent with the older median age of 41. Volunteering runs at 20.9%, above many metropolitan suburbs, signalling an engaged resident base. No schools are recorded inside the 2.21 km2 boundary in this dataset, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring suburbs, a practical trade-off offset by the high 57.8% university-qualified population.
Drive
78.9%
Public Transport
9.0%
Walk / Cycle
5.2%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.41%/yr
(+82 people/yr)
EstablishedNormanhurst grows slowly: annual population change registers 0.41%, about 82 residents a year, and the 10-year rise totals 6.2%, classifying it as an established suburb rather than a frontier of expansion. Overseas migration is the sole positive driver, adding a net 239 residents annually while internal migration removes 86, so without inflows from abroad the suburb would be shrinking. The gentrification score reads 10, labelled not gentrifying, even though a separate shift index flags early signs at a score of 33, the divergence reflecting strong migrant inflow rather than displacement-led change. Affordability improved from 57.8% in 2011 to 54.8% in 2021, a modest easing that keeps the suburb expensive relative to most markets despite the recent 7.1% price fall.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+239
Net Internal / yr
-86
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Strong overseas inflow +239/yr
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Normanhurst compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Normanhurst a good suburb to live in?
Normanhurst ranks in decile 10 on all four SEIFA indexes, the top advantage tier nationally, with household income in the 93.6th percentile. University qualifications reach 57.8%, which is 27.7 points above national. It is a family-oriented, detached-house suburb where 79.0% of dwellings are separate houses.
What is the median house price in Normanhurst?
The median house price is $1,807,500. Recent pricing softened, moving from $1,865,000 in 2024 to $1,732,500 in 2025, a 7.1% fall. Weekly rent averages $550 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $3,000, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 26.8%, below the 30% stress threshold.
What schools are in Normanhurst?
No schools are recorded inside the 2.21 km2 Normanhurst boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. The local population is highly educated, with university qualifications at 57.8%, which is 27.7 points above the national figure.
Is Normanhurst safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Normanhurst in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb scores decile 10 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage, the highest tier, and only 6.5% of its 5,387 residents need daily assistance, both consistent with a low-disadvantage area.
Is Normanhurst good for property investment?
Rent of $550 a week against a $1,807,500 median gives a gross yield near 1.6%, low for the market, and the renter share is just 19.5%. Net overseas migration of 239 a year supports demand and rent grew 34.1% over the decade, but returns depend on capital growth more than yield.
How is Normanhurst's population changing?
Population growth is 0.41% annually, about 82 residents a year, with a 6.2% rise over 10 years. Overseas migration adds a net 239 residents annually while internal migration removes 86. The profile is aging, with the senior share up 2.3 points over the decade.
What languages are spoken in Normanhurst?
About 36.0% of residents were born overseas, 14.4 points above the national figure. English is the dominant language, with Mandarin (216 speakers), Cantonese (66), Korean (51) and Arabic (42) the most common non-English languages, reflecting a substantial East Asian resident 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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