South Turramurra
Household income in the 99th percentile nationally and a median house price of $2,455,000 together define South Turramurra as one of Sydney's most financially exclusive pockets. The suburb's 3,208 residents spread across 3.06 km2, giving a density of 1,048 per km2, far lower than inner-city comparisons. University qualifications reach 63.6%, which is 33.5 percentage points above national. Overseas-born residents make up 32.7%, about 11 points above national, and overseas migration of 232 arrivals per year now drives most population growth. At 98.6%, separate houses account for almost the entire dwelling stock, a figure that places the suburb at the extreme end of detached-house dominance.
Population
3,208
Median Age
42.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$3,447/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
41
Median House
$2.5M
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The median house price sits at $2,455,000, drawn from 2024-2025 PSI data, and the price trajectory tells a cautionary story: the suburb peaked at $2,735,000 in 2024 before settling to $2,310,500 in 2025, a 15.5% pull-back from peak. That correction brings purchase costs closer to reach without removing the premium. Monthly mortgage repayments average $3,500, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 23.4%, below the 30% stress threshold despite prices well above the Sydney median. Four-bedroom-plus homes make up 68.4% of stock, higher than most Sydney suburbs, so family buyers are competing for a large but firmly premium supply. Outright ownership at 41.6% outnumbers mortgage holders at 50.2%, a pattern consistent with long-held wealth rather than recent leveraged buyers entering at peak.
For Buyers
The median house price sits at $2,455,000, drawn from 2024-2025 PSI data, and the price trajectory tells a cautionary story: the suburb peaked at $2,735,000 in 2024 before settling to $2,310,500 in 2025, a 15.5% pull-back from peak. That correction brings purchase costs closer to reach without removing the premium. Monthly mortgage repayments average $3,500, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 23.4%, below the 30% stress threshold despite prices well above the Sydney median. Four-bedroom-plus homes make up 68.4% of stock, higher than most Sydney suburbs, so family buyers are competing for a large but firmly premium supply. Outright ownership at 41.6% outnumbers mortgage holders at 50.2%, a pattern consistent with long-held wealth rather than recent leveraged buyers entering at peak.
For Investors
The rental market is thin: only 8.2% of dwellings are rented, compared to a national renter share closer to 30%, which limits tenant supply. Weekly rent averages $795, and against the $2,455,000 median that implies a gross yield around 1.7%, low even by upper-North Shore standards. Vacancy sits at 2.9%, moderate rather than tight, so competition for rental stock is not intense enough to drive rapid rent escalation. Development activity runs at 38 applications in the past 12 months, mostly CDC and dwelling applications consistent with renovation and rebuild cycles rather than new supply additions. The main demand driver is overseas migration at a net 232 arrivals per year, which supports gradual occupancy growth, but internal migration runs at minus 59 annually, meaning existing residents are steadily leaving.
Development Activity
Total DAs
210
Last 12 Months
41
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+28.1%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in South Turramurra iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Turramurra High School
7-12 · 987 students
Demographics
The median age of 42 sits 2 years above the national average, and the demographic shift is running in the same direction: the senior share rose 1.9 points and the young-adult share fell 1.7 points over the decade. Overseas-born residents at 32.7% are 11.1 percentage points above national, reflecting active overseas migration inflow. Top ancestries are English (1,169), with Chinese (372) and Irish (357) following, while Mandarin (82 speakers), Cantonese (42) and Korean (37) are the leading non-English languages spoken at home. Average household size is 3.1, which is 0.6 above national, consistent with the couples-with-children household structure where 1,476 families include children and only 480 are couples without children. Volunteering reaches 23.4% of residents, noticeably higher than lower-advantage suburbs.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
98.6%
Houses
1.1%
Townhouse
0.3%
Apartment
Tenure
South Turramurra's tenure and stock profile is almost entirely owner-occupied detached houses. Separate houses account for 98.6% of dwellings, compared to the national mix where apartments and semis are far more prevalent. Outright ownership at 41.6% and mortgage holders at 50.2% together leave renters at just 8.2%, reinforcing the owner-dominated character. The bedroom profile skews large: 68.4% of dwellings have four or more bedrooms and 29.3% have three, meaning one-and-two-bedroom options are essentially absent at 2.4% combined. Mortgage-to-income at 23.4% and rent-to-income at 23.1% both sit below the 30% stress threshold, indicating that current residents can service costs comfortably relative to their incomes, which sit at the 99th percentile nationally.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$3,500
Rent / wk
$795
HH Size
3.1
Personal Income / wk
$1,058
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
2.9%
Unoccupied
30
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.1%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.4%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
16.1%
Couples, no children
2,977
Total families
Economy & Employment
The local workforce concentrates in the economy's best-paid sectors. Professional and Technical services lead at 17.7% (221 workers), followed by Healthcare at 15.0% (187) and Education at 12.6% (157), with Finance at 12.0% (150). By occupation, Professionals (606) and Managers (372) together represent well over half of employed residents. Full-time employment runs at 64.6% and the unemployment rate is 5.1%, slightly above the suburb's low-disadvantage expectation, though this may reflect the high proportion not in the labour force at all (825 residents), consistent with the older age profile. All four SEIFA indexes sit at decile 10, the national top tier, covering education and occupation (IEO), economic resources (IER), relative disadvantage (IRSD) and socio-economic advantage (IRSAD). Real income growth over the decade reached 14.7%.
Unemployment
2.8%
Labour Force
10,587
Unemployed
301
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
64.6%
Part-time
30.3%
Participation
61.0%
Employed
1,449
Occupations
Top Industries
University
63.6%
Postgraduate
20.0%
Born Overseas
32.7%
Dwellings
1,015
Transport to Work
South Turramurra sits at decile 10 on IRSAD, the national top advantage tier, and scores decile 10 on every other SEIFA index. Car dependency is pronounced: 88.4% of residents drive to work, higher than the Sydney average, while public transport accounts for only 3.4%, reflecting the suburb's low-density footprint and limited rail access compared to closer-in upper-North Shore areas. Only 2.9% of residents need daily assistance and 91 people (2.9%) require support, low figures for a population with a median age of 42. Mortgage stress is absent at 23.4% mortgage-to-income, and rent stress is similarly absent at 23.1%. Volunteering at 23.4% signals high community participation. No schools are recorded inside the suburb boundary in this dataset, so families depend on institutions in neighbouring Turramurra, Pymble and West Pymble.
Drive
88.4%
Public Transport
3.4%
Walk / Cycle
3.0%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.6%/yr
(+123 people/yr)
EstablishedSouth Turramurra grows slowly but steadily. The 10-year population change was 12.3%, and the current annual rate is 0.6%, adding roughly 19 people per year to the suburb's 3,208 residents. Medium forecasts for the broader SA2 region project the population rising from 20,593 in 2025 to 21,535 by 2031. Overseas migration is the primary growth engine at 232 net arrivals per year, offsetting an internal outflow of 59 per year. Rent growth of 10.9% over the measured period outpaced general inflation, supporting asset values from the rental side. The gentrification score is 10 out of 100 with a classification of not gentrifying, which fits a suburb already at decile 10 across all SEIFA measures. The affordability trend is recorded as improving, moving from 72.3% in 2011 to 56.8% in 2021, though absolute prices remain among Sydney's highest.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+232
Net Internal / yr
-59
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Strong overseas inflow +232/yr
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How South Turramurra compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is South Turramurra a good suburb to live in?
South Turramurra scores decile 10 on all four SEIFA indexes, the top national advantage tier. Household incomes sit in the 99th percentile nationally and university qualifications reach 63.6%, which is 33.5 points above the national figure. The suburb offers large detached houses on spacious blocks, with 98.6% of dwellings being separate houses.
What is the median house price in South Turramurra?
The median house price is $2,455,000 based on 2024-2025 PSI data. Prices peaked at $2,735,000 in 2024 and fell 15.5% to $2,310,500 in 2025. Monthly mortgage repayments average $3,500, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 23.4% sits below the 30% stress threshold for current residents.
What schools are in South Turramurra?
No schools are recorded inside the South Turramurra boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs such as Turramurra and Pymble. Despite no local schools, the suburb's educational attainment is high: 63.6% of residents hold university qualifications, which is 33.5 points above the national average.
Is South Turramurra safe?
Crime statistics are not available for South Turramurra in this dataset. As a proxy, the suburb scores decile 10 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage, the highest national tier, and only 91 residents (2.9%) need daily assistance. High-advantage, low-disadvantage suburbs in NSW consistently record crime rates well below state averages.
Is South Turramurra good for property investment?
The investment profile is capital-growth focused rather than yield-driven. Weekly rent of $795 against a $2,455,000 median implies a gross yield of roughly 1.7%, modest by any standard. Only 8.2% of dwellings are rented, far below the national 30%, limiting the tenant pool. Overseas migration of 232 per year supports long-term demand, and the 10-year population growth of 12.3% shows steady underlying expansion.
How is South Turramurra's population changing?
The suburb's population of 3,208 is growing at 0.6% per year, adding around 19 people annually. Over the past decade, population rose 12.3%. The growth driver is overseas migration at 232 net arrivals per year, offsetting an internal outflow of 59. Medium forecasts for the broader area project reaching 21,535 by 2031, up from 20,593 in 2025.
What languages are spoken in South Turramurra?
About 32.7% of residents were born overseas, which is 11.1 percentage points above the national figure. Mandarin is the most common non-English language with 82 speakers, followed by Cantonese (42) and Korean (37). The top ancestry is English (1,169), with Chinese (372) and Irish (357) the next largest groups.
How much development activity is there in South Turramurra?
There were 38 development applications lodged in the past 12 months, including Complying Development Certificates and Development Applications for new dwelling houses. This rate is modest relative to the suburb's 3,208 residents, consistent with an established, owner-dominated area where renovation and rebuilds dominate over greenfield development.
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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