Silverwater
At a median age of 51, Silverwater sits 11 years above the national figure, making it one of the oldest resident bases in NSW. The suburb spans just 0.9 sqkm with only 274 residents, yet its median house price sits at $1,005,000 and 45.1% of households own their home outright, a ratio far above the national average. Car dependency is near-total at 95.8% of commuters, participation in the labour force reaches only 45.8%, and all dwellings are separate houses. These three facts align: a retired, car-reliant, owner-occupier community in a compact outer suburb where population has still grown 21.6% over the past decade.
Population
274
Median Age
51.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,387/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
40
Median House
$1.0M
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The median house price reached $1,020,000 in 2025, up from $1,002,500 in 2024, a 1.7% one-year gain. All dwellings are separate houses, with no apartments or semi-detached stock, and 45.3% have four or more bedrooms while 44.3% have three bedrooms. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,625, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 27.1%, below the 30% stress threshold. That affordability buffer is meaningful given household income at the 39.5th percentile nationally. Outright owners at 45.1% significantly outnumber mortgage holders at 31.0%, suggesting the suburb is held largely by long-term residents rather than recent buyers competing in a hot market.
For Buyers
The median house price reached $1,020,000 in 2025, up from $1,002,500 in 2024, a 1.7% one-year gain. All dwellings are separate houses, with no apartments or semi-detached stock, and 45.3% have four or more bedrooms while 44.3% have three bedrooms. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,625, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 27.1%, below the 30% stress threshold. That affordability buffer is meaningful given household income at the 39.5th percentile nationally. Outright owners at 45.1% significantly outnumber mortgage holders at 31.0%, suggesting the suburb is held largely by long-term residents rather than recent buyers competing in a hot market.
For Investors
Rental yields are under pressure: weekly rent of $380 against a $1,020,000 median implies a gross yield near 1.9%, below typical investment thresholds. The vacancy rate of 19.3% is high and only 23.9% of households rent, a shallow pool by investor standards. Overseas migration adds a net 46 residents per year, the primary demand driver, while internal migration runs at a net outflow of 21. There were 37 development applications in the past 12 months, including dual-occupancy and subdivision works. Rent grew 11.1% over the period, roughly in line with real income growth of 11.6%, keeping rent-to-income stable at 27.4%.
Development Activity
Total DAs
213
Last 12 Months
40
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-2.4%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
The median age of 51 sits 11 years above the national figure, the defining characteristic of this suburb. The aging trajectory continued over the decade: senior share rose 3.3 points while working-age share edged up only 0.3 points. Overseas-born residents are 10.0%, which is 11.6 points below national, and ancestry leans Anglo-Celtic, led by English (132), Scottish (37) and Irish (31). University qualifications reach 26.5%, marginally below the national average. Couples without children account for 38.2% of families, matching the retirement-age skew, and 11.7% need daily assistance because of the older profile.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
100.0%
Houses
N/A
Townhouse
N/A
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure tilts strongly toward ownership: 45.1% own outright, 31.0% hold a mortgage and only 23.9% rent. All dwellings are separate houses, with no apartments or semi-detached stock, which is unusual compared to most NSW suburbs near Sydney. Bedroom mix tilts large: 45.3% have four or more bedrooms and 44.3% have three. The median house price moved from $1,002,500 in 2024 to $1,020,000 in 2025, a 1.7% rise. Monthly repayments of $1,625 produce a mortgage-to-income ratio of 27.1%, below the stress threshold. Turnover is low at 74.1% staying over five years, consistent with long-held owner-occupier stock.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,625
Rent / wk
$380
HH Size
2.4
Personal Income / wk
$578
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
19.3%
Unoccupied
26
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
27.4%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
27.1%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
38.2%
Couples, no children
212
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare dominates at 29.0% of employed residents, more than double Other Services at 14.5%. Manufacturing, Retail and Education each account for 8.7%. The unemployment rate of 12.7% looks elevated, but the labour force participation rate of 45.8% explains why: 112 of the suburb's 274 residents are not in the labour force because the population skews toward retirement age. SEIFA IEO scores at decile 9 nationally, placing education and occupation outcomes near the top, while IER sits at decile 4, reflecting lower economic resources. That gap is typical of asset-rich but income-modest retirees who own property outright on modest pensions.
Unemployment
5.7%
Labour Force
1,780
Unemployed
102
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
59.4%
Part-time
27.9%
Participation
45.8%
Employed
96
Occupations
Top Industries
University
26.5%
Postgraduate
7.3%
Born Overseas
10.0%
Dwellings
104
Transport to Work
Car use at 95.8% of commuters is above the national average, signalling limited public transport options in this 0.9 sqkm suburb. The suburb scores decile 9 on IEO and decile 8 on IRSAD, placing it in high-advantage tiers nationally. No schools are recorded within the boundary, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring areas. Volunteering reaches 16.2% and housing stress is low: mortgage-to-income at 27.1% and rent-to-income at 27.4% both sit below the 30% stress threshold. Outright ownership at 45.1% and 74.1% of residents staying over five years point to a settled, low-churn community.
Drive
95.8%
Public Transport
N/A
Walk / Cycle
N/A
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+1.24%/yr
(+40 people/yr)
EstablishedPopulation grew 21.6% over the decade, above average for an established suburb, reaching 3,231 by 2025 and forecast at roughly 3,451 by 2031 at 1.24% annual growth. Overseas migration is the primary driver at a net 46 per year, more than offsetting an internal outflow of 21. The gentrification stage is classified as early signs: affordability improved from 45.9% of income in 2011 to 37.1% in 2021, and median house prices reached $1,020,000 in 2025, up 1.7% from the previous year. Rent grew 11.1% over the period, roughly in line with real income growth of 11.6%, so housing cost pressures have not intensified relative to earlier decades.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+46
Net Internal / yr
-21
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +22% since 2011, Accelerating: 4% → 17%
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Silverwater compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Silverwater a good suburb to live in?
Silverwater scores decile 9 on IEO and decile 8 on IRSAD, placing it in the top advantage tiers nationally. The median age of 51 and 45.1% outright ownership point to a settled, long-term resident community. Housing stress is low, with mortgage-to-income at 27.1%. The main limitation is high car dependency at 95.8% and limited local services for a suburb of 274 residents.
What is the median house price in Silverwater?
The median house price is $1,005,000, reaching $1,020,000 in 2025, up 1.7% from $1,002,500 in 2024. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,625. All dwellings are separate houses, so there are no apartments in the suburb to pull the median down.
What schools are in Silverwater?
No schools are recorded within the Silverwater boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. The local adult population has university qualifications at 26.5%, which is modestly below the national figure of around 30%, though the SEIFA IEO decile 9 score reflects high educational and occupational outcomes overall.
Is Silverwater safe?
Crime statistics are not available for Silverwater in this dataset. Indirect indicators are positive: the suburb scores decile 6 on IRSD, meaning it sits in the lower-disadvantage range, and decile 8 on IRSAD. Low-disadvantage areas nationally tend to record lower crime rates. The 74.1% resident stability rate also suggests a settled community.
Is Silverwater good for property investment?
The investment case is cautious. Weekly rent of $380 against a $1,020,000 median implies a gross yield near 1.9%, below typical investment thresholds. The 19.3% vacancy rate is high relative to most suburbs, and only 23.9% of households rent. Rent grew 11.1% over the period and overseas migration adds 46 net residents per year, which provides some demand support.
How is Silverwater's population changing?
Population grew 21.6% over the past decade. Annual growth runs at 1.24%, adding roughly 40 persons per year, with a medium forecast of around 3,451 residents by 2031. Overseas migration is the primary driver at a net 46 per year, while internal migration produces a net outflow of 21. The age profile continues to skew older, with the senior share up 3.3 points over the decade.
How much development is happening in Silverwater?
There were 37 development applications lodged in the past 12 months, including dual-occupancy subdivision works and commercial alterations. For a suburb of 274 residents and 0.9 sqkm, that rate signals active interest in densification, consistent with the early-signs gentrification classification and improving affordability trend from 45.9% of income in 2011 to 37.1% in 2021.
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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