Oatlands
A $1,887,000 median house price sits alongside a household income in the 87.8th percentile nationally, and the gap between those two numbers is what defines Oatlands. The suburb is detached and family-scaled rather than dense: 60.9% of dwellings are separate houses and 49.7% carry four or more bedrooms, with an average household size of 3.0, which runs 0.5 above the national figure. It is also strongly migrant-influenced, with 39.8% of residents born overseas, 18.2 points above national, led by Chinese and Lebanese ancestry. University qualifications reach 52.0%, some 21.9 points higher than the national rate, and the median age of 42 sits 2.0 years above national, marking an established and well-off population rather than a younger one.
Population
5,833
Median Age
42.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,292/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
71
Median House
$1.9M
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
At a $1,887,000 median, Oatlands prices out most first buyers, and the stock reinforces that the market is built for upgraders. Separate houses make up 60.9% of dwellings and 49.7% have four or more bedrooms, while apartments are just 5.4%, so smaller entry-level options barely exist. Prices moved gently, rising 2.7% from $1,875,000 in 2024 to $1,925,000 in 2025, far slower than the double-digit swings seen in hotter Sydney markets. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,817, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 28.4%, which stays below the 30% stress threshold because household incomes sit in the 87.8th percentile. Outright owners at 37.9% slightly outnumber mortgage holders at 36.1%, a sign that much of the housing is held by established, debt-light families rather than recent buyers.
For Buyers
At a $1,887,000 median, Oatlands prices out most first buyers, and the stock reinforces that the market is built for upgraders. Separate houses make up 60.9% of dwellings and 49.7% have four or more bedrooms, while apartments are just 5.4%, so smaller entry-level options barely exist. Prices moved gently, rising 2.7% from $1,875,000 in 2024 to $1,925,000 in 2025, far slower than the double-digit swings seen in hotter Sydney markets. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,817, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 28.4%, which stays below the 30% stress threshold because household incomes sit in the 87.8th percentile. Outright owners at 37.9% slightly outnumber mortgage holders at 36.1%, a sign that much of the housing is held by established, debt-light families rather than recent buyers.
For Investors
A 26.0% renter share and weekly rent of $530 give landlords a modest tenant pool, but the yield math is unforgiving. Against the $1,887,000 median, that rent implies a gross yield near 1.5%, low even by Sydney standards, because the suburb is priced as owner-occupier family stock rather than rental product. The 6.2% vacancy rate points to soft rental demand for a detached market where only 5.4% of dwellings are apartments. Development activity is steady but not transformative at 67 applications over 12 months, with samples leaning toward demolition and single dwelling rebuilds rather than new unit supply. With prices growing 2.7% a year and turnover low at 16.7%, the investment case rests on long-hold capital growth more than income, and suits buyers who can absorb a negative cashflow position.
Development Activity
Total DAs
358
Last 12 Months
71
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+12.7%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Oatlands iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Oatlands Public School
K-6 · 159 students
OneSchool Global NSW - Sydney
3-12 · 283 students
Demographics
The median age of 42 is 2.0 years above national, and the population is heavily international, with 39.8% born overseas, 18.2 points above the national figure. Ancestry is led by Chinese (1,030), Lebanese (962) and English (960), an unusually balanced mix for a Sydney suburb, and the top non-English languages are Arabic (246), Mandarin (223) and Korean (172). University qualifications reach 52.0%, running 21.9 points above national, which aligns with the high share of professional and managerial workers. Average household size is 3.0, some 0.5 above national, reflecting a family-dominated profile where couples with children (2,067 families) far outnumber couples without (971). Christianity (3,589) leads on religion, with Hinduism (259) and Islam (222) the next largest, consistent with the diverse migrant base.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
60.9%
Houses
33.2%
Townhouse
5.4%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure splits almost evenly between owning and borrowing: 37.9% own outright, 36.1% carry a mortgage and 26.0% rent. Outright owners slightly outnumbering mortgage holders points to long-held family wealth rather than a churn of new buyers. The stock is dominated by detached and semi-detached homes, 60.9% separate houses and 33.2% semi-detached, leaving apartments at just 5.4%, which keeps the market geared to families needing space. Four-plus bedroom dwellings account for 49.7% and three-bedroom homes 35.3%, so small dwellings are scarce. The median house price rose from $1,875,000 to $1,925,000 across 2024 to 2025, a measured 2.7% move. Mortgage-to-income at 28.4% and rent-to-income at 23.1% both sit below the 30% stress threshold, a comfort that follows directly from incomes in the 87.8th percentile.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,817
Rent / wk
$530
HH Size
3.0
Personal Income / wk
$848
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
6.2%
Unoccupied
122
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.1%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
28.4%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
19.4%
Couples, no children
5,015
Total families
Economy & Employment
The workforce concentrates in stable, high-skill sectors: Healthcare leads at 16.6% (322 workers), Professional and Tech follows at 13.6% (263), then Construction and Education each at 10.7% (207), with Retail at 7.2%. By occupation, Professionals (794) and Managers (513) dominate, which lines up with the decile 8 IEO score for education and occupation. Unemployment is low at 4.2% and the full-time employment rate is 64.4%. Participation reads just 49.5%, below what the income would suggest, because the older profile leaves 1,892 residents not in the labour force. The SEIFA picture is mixed: IRSAD and IEO both score decile 8, yet IRSD relative disadvantage sits at decile 5 and IER economic resources at decile 6, a spread that reflects large family households diluting per-person resource measures despite strong overall advantage.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
64.4%
Part-time
31.4%
Participation
49.5%
Employed
2,256
Occupations
Top Industries
University
52.0%
Postgraduate
13.9%
Born Overseas
39.8%
Dwellings
1,857
Transport to Work
Oatlands is overwhelmingly car-dependent: 89.2% of residents drive to work, far above the national norm, while only 1.7% use public transport and 3.1% walk or cycle, a pattern typical of a low-density detached suburb at 2,369 residents per km2. The suburb scores decile 8 on IRSAD, a high advantage tier, though the decile 5 IRSD score shows a wider spread of circumstances than the headline wealth implies. Volunteering runs at 16.2% and 7.4% of residents (418 people) need daily assistance, consistent with the older median age of 42. No schools are recorded inside the 2.46 km2 boundary in this dataset, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring suburbs, a practical trade-off offset by the 52.0% university qualification rate that sits 21.9 points above national.
Drive
89.2%
Public Transport
1.7%
Walk / Cycle
3.1%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Oatlands compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Oatlands a good suburb to live in?
Oatlands scores decile 8 on the IRSAD advantage index, with household income in the 87.8th percentile nationally and university qualifications at 52.0%, some 21.9 points above national. It suits established families, with 60.9% separate houses, though the $1,887,000 median house price puts it well above most buyers' reach.
What is the median house price in Oatlands?
The median house price is $1,887,000. Prices rose a modest 2.7% from $1,875,000 in 2024 to $1,925,000 in 2025. Weekly rent averages $530 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $2,817, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 28.4%, below the 30% stress threshold.
What schools are in Oatlands?
No schools are recorded inside the 2.46 km2 Oatlands boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. The local population is highly educated, with university qualifications at 52.0%, which is 21.9 points above the national figure.
Is Oatlands safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Oatlands in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb scores decile 8 on the IRSAD advantage index, and 83.3% of residents stayed put over the period with turnover at just 16.7%, both consistent with a settled, low-disadvantage area.
Is Oatlands good for property investment?
Rent of $530 a week against a $1,887,000 median gives a gross yield near 1.5%, low even by Sydney standards, and the 6.2% vacancy rate signals soft rental demand. With prices growing 2.7% a year, returns depend on long-hold capital growth rather than income or yield.
How is Oatlands's population changing?
Oatlands is a slow-moving, settled market. House prices rose just 2.7% over the latest year, resident turnover is low at 16.7% with 83.3% staying put, and the median age of 42 sits 2.0 years above national, pointing to consolidation around long-term family owner-occupiers.
What languages are spoken in Oatlands?
About 39.8% of residents were born overseas, 18.2 points above the national figure. Beyond English, the most common languages are Arabic (246 speakers), Mandarin (223), Korean (172) and Cantonese (152), reflecting a strongly international mix led by Chinese and Lebanese ancestry.
How much development is happening in Oatlands?
There were 67 development applications lodged in the past 12 months. Most are demolition and single dwelling rebuilds plus some seniors housing rather than new unit supply, consistent with an established detached suburb where apartments make up only 5.4% of dwellings.
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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