Putney
At $3,537,500 the median house price in Putney sits among the highest in NSW, yet household income ranks at the 97.4th percentile nationally, meaning this is one of the rare suburbs where extreme property values are matched by extreme earning capacity. The suburb covers just 1.51 km2 on the Ryde peninsula, with 4,097 residents, a density of 2,717 per km2, and a stock that is 83.9% separate houses. All four SEIFA indexes score decile 10, placing Putney at the absolute top of the national advantage distribution. The median age of 44 is 4 years above the national figure, and university qualifications at 53.7% run 23.6 percentage points above national, two signals of an established, high-education, aging household base.
Population
4,097
Median Age
44.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$3,053/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
86
Median House
$3.5M
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The $3,537,500 median house price reflects one of the most expensive owner-occupier markets on the lower North Shore. Prices eased from $3,600,000 in 2024 to $3,486,400 in 2025, a 3.2% decline from peak, which is modest compared to swings in other premium Sydney suburbs. The stock is overwhelmingly detached: 83.9% separate houses, 15.3% semi-detached and only 0.8% apartments, so the product you buy is almost always a freestanding home. Four-plus bedroom dwellings dominate at 58.9%, consistent with family-scale demand. Monthly mortgage repayments average $3,467 and the mortgage-to-income ratio is 26.2%, below the 30% stress threshold despite the ultra-premium price, because household incomes average $3,053 per week. Outright owners at 47.5% outnumber mortgage holders at 37.2%, a sign of deep, debt-free wealth in the ownership base.
For Buyers
The $3,537,500 median house price reflects one of the most expensive owner-occupier markets on the lower North Shore. Prices eased from $3,600,000 in 2024 to $3,486,400 in 2025, a 3.2% decline from peak, which is modest compared to swings in other premium Sydney suburbs. The stock is overwhelmingly detached: 83.9% separate houses, 15.3% semi-detached and only 0.8% apartments, so the product you buy is almost always a freestanding home. Four-plus bedroom dwellings dominate at 58.9%, consistent with family-scale demand. Monthly mortgage repayments average $3,467 and the mortgage-to-income ratio is 26.2%, below the 30% stress threshold despite the ultra-premium price, because household incomes average $3,053 per week. Outright owners at 47.5% outnumber mortgage holders at 37.2%, a sign of deep, debt-free wealth in the ownership base.
For Investors
The rental market is thin by design: only 15.2% of dwellings are rented, and weekly rent is $700. Against the $3,537,500 median, that rent implies a gross yield near 1.0%, lower than most Sydney locations. The vacancy rate of 6.2% is elevated, signalling limited rental demand relative to the available pool. Development activity is moderate at 84 applications in 12 months, mostly dual-occupancy and alteration works rather than new apartment supply. Migration is the key population driver: overseas arrivals add a net 50 residents per year while internal migration removes a net 56, leaving the suburb slightly flat. The investment case is almost entirely capital growth rather than yield, with price resilience tied to the suburb's scarcity of supply, decile 10 advantage across all SEIFA indexes, and proximity to premium employment corridors.
Development Activity
Total DAs
418
Last 12 Months
86
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
0.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
The median age of 44 is 4 years above the national average and the trajectory is aging, with the senior share up 5.2 percentage points and the working-age share down 1.1 points over the decade. Overseas-born residents stand at 31.5%, which is 9.9 points above the national figure. Ancestry is led by English (885), Chinese (615) and Italian (592), giving the suburb a distinctive Anglo-European and East Asian mix not typical of most Sydney locations. The top non-English languages are Mandarin (126 speakers), Cantonese (70) and Arabic (68). University qualifications reach 53.7%, some 23.6 percentage points above national. Average household size is 3.0, slightly above the national figure by 0.5, consistent with the large family homes and couples-with-children profile: 40.0% of families include children, and couples with no children account for 21.7%.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
83.9%
Houses
15.3%
Townhouse
0.8%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure is strongly weighted toward ownership: 47.5% own outright and 37.2% carry a mortgage, while renters account for only 15.2%. Outright ownership near half of all households is high even by premium-suburb standards and reflects long-held, debt-free family estates rather than active trading. The stock is almost entirely detached (83.9% separate houses, 15.3% semi-detached) with apartments at just 0.8%, making this one of the lowest-density lot profiles in suburban Sydney. Bedroom size skews large, with 58.9% of dwellings having 4 or more bedrooms and 32.1% having 3, well above the national distribution. Median house price moved from $3,600,000 in 2024 to $3,486,400 in 2025, a 3.2% pullback from the peak, but prices remain in the top tier compared to the national median.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$3,467
Rent / wk
$700
HH Size
3.0
Personal Income / wk
$1,085
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
6.2%
Unoccupied
87
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.9%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
26.2%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
21.7%
Couples, no children
3,652
Total families
Economy & Employment
Professional and knowledge-sector employment dominates: Professional/Tech leads at 16.4% (267 workers), Healthcare follows at 15.4% (250) and Education at 10.7% (175), with Construction at 10.3% and Finance at 8.7%. By occupation, Professionals number 729 and Managers 467, together accounting for the majority of employed residents. The unemployment rate is very low at 2.9%, compared to a national average near 4.0%, and the full-time employment rate among employed persons is 63.8%. Household income in the 97.4th percentile nationally, combined with real income growth of 15.2% over the decade, reflects a workforce embedded in high-billing industries. All four SEIFA indexes score decile 10, confirming advantage across education, occupation, economic resources and overall disadvantage measures.
Unemployment
1.8%
Labour Force
2,633
Unemployed
47
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
63.8%
Part-time
33.3%
Participation
57.8%
Employed
1,910
Occupations
Top Industries
University
53.7%
Postgraduate
14.6%
Born Overseas
31.5%
Dwellings
1,326
Transport to Work
Car dependency is high: 88.0% of employed residents drive to work, compared to a national figure closer to 60%, while only 2.5% use public transport and 3.6% walk or cycle. This reflects the peninsula geography and distance from heavy rail. The suburb scores decile 10 on IRSAD, the composite advantage index, placing it at the top nationally for low disadvantage and high access to resources. Only 4.3% of residents (169 people) need daily assistance, modest for a median age of 44 years. Volunteering runs at 15.0%, above national norms. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs such as Meadowbank and Ryde, which provide both government and independent options within a short drive of the 1.51 km2 footprint.
Drive
88.0%
Public Transport
2.5%
Walk / Cycle
3.6%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
-0.07%/yr
(-3 people/yr)
EstablishedPopulation growth is near flat: the annual trend is -0.07% or about -3 persons per year, and the 10-year change is just 2.1%. The current population of 4,097 remains slightly below the pre-COVID level of 4,256 after a 2.1% dip, with a partial recovery of 0.6% since the COVID low. Medium forecasts project gradual decline to approximately 4,193 by 2031, consistent with the aging trajectory and net internal outflow of 56 residents annually. Overseas migration adding 50 persons per year is the only positive driver, partially offsetting the outflow. The gentrification score of 10 and stage of not gentrifying fit a suburb that has been at peak advantage for decades, leaving no lower-income base to be displaced. Rent grew 37.8% over the measured period, well above income growth of 15.2%, compressing affordability slightly from 66.4% in 2011 to 64.6% in 2021.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+50
Net Internal / yr
-56
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
COVID recovered (-2% dip → full recovery)
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Putney compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Putney a good suburb to live in?
Putney scores decile 10 on all four SEIFA indexes, the highest tier nationally. Household income sits in the 97.4th percentile, unemployment is 2.9% and university qualifications reach 53.7%, some 23.6 points above national. The main trade-off is the $3,537,500 median house price and high car dependency at 88.0% of commuters.
What is the median house price in Putney?
The median house price is $3,537,500, derived from PSI data for 2024-2025. Prices were $3,600,000 in 2024 and eased to $3,486,400 in 2025, a 3.2% pullback from the peak. Weekly rent averages $700 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $3,467, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 26.2%.
What schools are in Putney?
No schools are recorded inside the Putney boundary in this dataset. The suburb covers just 1.51 km2 on the Ryde peninsula, so families typically access schools in neighbouring Meadowbank, Ryde and West Ryde. Despite no local schools, 53.7% of residents hold university qualifications, which is 23.6 points above the national figure.
Is Putney safe?
Crime statistics are not available for Putney in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb scores decile 10 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage, the highest tier nationally, and only 4.3% of its 4,097 residents need daily assistance. High-advantage, low-disadvantage areas nationally correlate with lower crime rates.
Is Putney good for property investment?
Rent of $700 a week against a $3,537,500 median implies a gross yield near 1.0%, which is low even by Sydney standards. The 6.2% vacancy rate is elevated and only 15.2% of dwellings are rented, limiting tenant pool depth. Net population growth is near flat at -0.07% annually, so the investment case rests on capital preservation in a constrained-supply, decile 10 suburb rather than yield or rental demand growth.
How is Putney's population changing?
Population growth averages -0.07% per year, equivalent to about -3 persons annually. The current 4,097 residents remain below the pre-COVID level of 4,256. Medium forecasts project a gradual decline to approximately 4,193 by 2031. The aging trajectory is clear: the senior share rose 5.2 points while the working-age share fell 1.1 points over the decade.
What languages are spoken in Putney?
About 31.5% of Putney residents were born overseas, which is 9.9 points above the national figure. The most common non-English languages are Mandarin (126 speakers), Cantonese (70) and Arabic (68), alongside Italian (67) and Greek (58), reflecting the suburb's Anglo-European and East Asian ancestry mix.
How much development is happening in Putney?
There were 84 development applications lodged in the past 12 months. Recent examples include dual-occupancy approvals and subdivision works, consistent with incremental intensification of existing lots rather than new apartment supply. This level of activity is moderate for a 1.51 km2 suburb with 83.9% detached housing and a predominantly owner-occupier tenure base.
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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