Smithfield
Smithfield's standout trait is scale without rail dependence: 77.5% of homes are separate houses while 87.9% of commuters drive, far above typical inner Sydney patterns. The suburb has 13,160 residents across 8.91 sq km, with 55.1% born overseas, 33.5 percentage points above the national figure. Compared with nearby Wetherill Park and Fairfield, Smithfield reads as a detached-home, car-based Fairfield LGA suburb rather than a station-centred apartment market. Household income sits at the 30.9th percentile, so affordability pressure matters even with the median age near 38.
Population
13,160
Median Age
38.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,300/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
213
Median House
$1.2M
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
Homebuyers are paying for land and house size more than apartment convenience. The median house price is $1,237,500, while separate houses make up 77.5% of dwellings, well above the 10.3% apartment share. Families needing space get a strong 3 bedroom and 4 plus bedroom profile: 44.5% have 3 bedrooms and 32.5% have 4 or more. The caution is serviceability, because mortgage costs take 38.5% of income, higher than the 30.8% rent-to-income burden.
For Buyers
Homebuyers are paying for land and house size more than apartment convenience. The median house price is $1,237,500, while separate houses make up 77.5% of dwellings, well above the 10.3% apartment share. Families needing space get a strong 3 bedroom and 4 plus bedroom profile: 44.5% have 3 bedrooms and 32.5% have 4 or more. The caution is serviceability, because mortgage costs take 38.5% of income, higher than the 30.8% rent-to-income burden.
For Investors
Investors see a large tenant pool but not a simple shortage story. Renters account for 44.5% of households and median rent is $400 a week, both useful in a market with household income at the 30.9th percentile. However, vacancy is 5.9%, higher than a tight rental setting, so pricing and presentation matter. Development activity is active, with 197 applications in 12 months including secondary dwelling and subdivision examples, which can lift supply and cap rent growth compared with undersupplied suburbs.
Development Activity
Total DAs
950
Last 12 Months
213
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+4.4%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Smithfield iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
St Gertrude's Catholic Primary School
K-6 · 632 students
Smithfield Public School
P-6 · 517 students
Demographics
Smithfield is strongly migrant-shaped: 55.1% of residents were born overseas, 33.5 percentage points above the national comparison. The median age is 38, 2.0 years below the national figure, while university attainment at 25.6% is 4.5 percentage points lower. Arabic is the leading listed language at 1,001 speakers, with Vietnamese ancestry at 1,217 and Italian ancestry at 986. Household size averages 3.1 people, 0.6 above national, which helps explain demand for 3 and 4 plus bedroom housing.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
77.5%
Houses
10.7%
Townhouse
10.3%
Apartment
Tenure
The housing mix is detached first, not unit-led. Separate houses are 77.5% of dwellings, compared with apartments at 10.3% and semi-detached stock at 10.7%. Ownership is split across 28.3% owned outright, 27.3% with a mortgage and 44.5% renting, so Smithfield has more rental exposure than a typical owner-dominated family suburb. Prices rose from $1,183,500 in 2024 to $1,300,000 in 2025, a 9.8% lift, with the latest price equal to the peak and 0.0% below it.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,167
Rent / wk
$400
HH Size
3.1
Personal Income / wk
$479
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
5.9%
Unoccupied
255
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
30.8% stressed
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
38.5% stressed
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
14.5%
Couples, no children
11,053
Total families
Economy & Employment
Smithfield's workforce leans practical and service-based. Healthcare is the largest listed industry at 18.7% or 383 workers, above construction at 11.4% and education at 10.2%; manufacturing still contributes 9.3% and retail 7.4%. Occupations are spread across professionals at 567, clerical and admin at 536, and machinery or drivers at 496, reflecting local logistics and industrial land. SEIFA is weaker than state and national advantaged areas, with IRSD decile 1, IRSAD decile 2, IEO decile 3 and IER decile 3.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
62.8%
Part-time
26.1%
Participation
30.8%
Employed
2,899
Occupations
Top Industries
University
25.6%
Postgraduate
4.2%
Born Overseas
55.1%
Dwellings
4,021
Transport to Work
Livability is practical rather than transit-oriented: 87.9% of commuters drive and only 2.7% use public transport, so daily convenience depends heavily on road access and parking. Education options are compact, with 2 local primary schools across Catholic and Government sectors; St Gertrude's Catholic Primary has ICSEA 992 and 632 enrolments, above Smithfield Public's ICSEA 948 and 517 enrolments. The ICSEA range is 948 to 992. IRSAD decile 2 indicates lower socio-economic advantage than higher-decile suburbs, which affects local service needs.
Drive
87.9%
Public Transport
2.7%
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 Smithfield compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Smithfield a good suburb to live in?
Smithfield suits buyers who want detached housing and car access. Separate houses are 77.5% of dwellings and 87.9% of commuters drive, both higher than transit-focused inner suburbs, but public transport use is only 2.7%.
What is the median house price in Smithfield?
The median house price is $1,237,500 for 2024-2025, while the latest price point in the history is $1,300,000 in 2025. Prices are 9.8% higher than 2024's $1,183,500 level.
What schools are in Smithfield?
Smithfield has 2 listed local primary schools. St Gertrude's Catholic Primary has ICSEA 992 and 632 enrolments, above Smithfield Public School with ICSEA 948 and 517 enrolments.
Is Smithfield safe?
A specific crime rate per 1,000 residents is not available for Smithfield, so safety should be checked by street and time of day. Daily activity is car-heavy, with 87.9% driving to work and 2 primary schools drawing 1,149 enrolments.
Is Smithfield good for property investment?
Smithfield has investment appeal through a 44.5% renting share and $400 weekly rent, but vacancy is 5.9%, higher than a tight market. The 197 development applications in 12 months also point to extra supply.
How is Smithfield's population changing?
Smithfield has 13,160 residents at a density of 1,476.2 people per sq km. The strongest change signal is composition rather than headline growth: 55.1% were born overseas, 33.5 percentage points above national, and household size is 3.1.
What languages are spoken in Smithfield?
Arabic is the largest listed non-English language with 1,001 speakers. Other listed languages include Italian at 186, Khmer at 80, Mandarin at 77 and Cantonese at 70, reflecting an overseas-born share of 55.1%.
Is there much development in Smithfield?
Yes, activity is high compared with low-change suburbs: 197 development applications were recorded over 12 months. Recent examples include secondary dwelling and subdivision applications, which can add rental and family housing options.
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.
Explore Smithfield on the Map
View parcels, zoning overlays, DA applications, schools and more.
Open Interactive Map