St Leonards
Packing 7,212 residents into just 0.8 square kilometres gives St Leonards a density of 9,000 people per km2, and the built form reflects it: 96.8% of dwellings are apartments and only 2.8% are separate houses. This is a high-rise professional enclave on Sydney's lower North Shore where university qualifications reach 72.1%, fully 42 points above the national figure, and household income sits in the 92nd percentile. Migration shapes the suburb as much as height does, with 61.4% of residents born overseas, 39.8 points above national, led by Chinese ancestry at 1,889 people. The IEO and IRSAD deciles both land at 10, the top national tier, yet the 11.2% vacancy rate flags an apartment market carrying more supply than tenants can absorb.
Population
7,212
Median Age
34.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,475/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
69
Median House
$1.1M
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The median house price of $1,120,000 understates the buying reality here because separate houses are almost nonexistent at 2.8% of stock, so most purchasers are buying into the 96.8% apartment market. Recent pricing softened, with the median moving from $1,159,000 in 2024 to $1,055,000 in 2025, a 9.0% peak-to-latest decline that has improved entry conditions for buyers. Stock skews small: 43.1% of dwellings have zero to one bedrooms and 41.2% have two, while three-bedroom homes are just 14.1% and four-plus only 1.6%, so family buyers face thin supply. Monthly mortgage repayments of $2,600 produce a mortgage-to-income ratio of 24.3%, below the 30% stress threshold because personal incomes of $1,627 per week, well above the national average, absorb the cost. Only 12.4% of residents own outright and 17.9% carry a mortgage.
For Buyers
The median house price of $1,120,000 understates the buying reality here because separate houses are almost nonexistent at 2.8% of stock, so most purchasers are buying into the 96.8% apartment market. Recent pricing softened, with the median moving from $1,159,000 in 2024 to $1,055,000 in 2025, a 9.0% peak-to-latest decline that has improved entry conditions for buyers. Stock skews small: 43.1% of dwellings have zero to one bedrooms and 41.2% have two, while three-bedroom homes are just 14.1% and four-plus only 1.6%, so family buyers face thin supply. Monthly mortgage repayments of $2,600 produce a mortgage-to-income ratio of 24.3%, below the 30% stress threshold because personal incomes of $1,627 per week, well above the national average, absorb the cost. Only 12.4% of residents own outright and 17.9% carry a mortgage.
For Investors
With 69.6% of residents renting, St Leonards offers one of the deepest tenant pools available, supported by weekly rent of $600 against a $1,120,000 median. That combination produces a gross yield near 2.8%, modest for the price point. The clearest caution is the 11.2% vacancy rate, well above a balanced market and consistent with an apartment-dominant suburb where 96.8% of stock competes for the same tenants. Development activity reinforces the supply story, with 63 development applications lodged in the past 12 months adding further pipeline. Rent-to-income sits at 24.2%, below the 30% stress line, suggesting tenants have headroom but also that landlords have limited room to push rents. The recent 9.0% price decline from 2024 to 2025 means capital growth cannot be assumed, so the investment case here leans on rental demand from the 72.1% university-qualified professional base rather than near-term price appreciation.
Development Activity
Total DAs
446
Last 12 Months
69
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-23.3%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in St Leonards iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
International Chinese School
K-6 · 116 students
Bradfield College
11-12 · 322 students
Demographics
St Leonards is younger and more international than the country as a whole. The median age of 34 is 6 years below national, and 61.4% of residents were born overseas, 39.8 points above the national share. Chinese ancestry leads at 1,889, ahead of English at 1,294, Indian at 537 and Irish at 445, while Mandarin (336), Cantonese (240) and Japanese (178) top the non-English languages. University qualifications reach 72.1%, a remarkable 42 points above national, which explains the professional household profile. Couples without children dominate at 49.8% (2,338 families) against 1,640 couples with children, and the average household size of 1.9 is 0.6 below national. This composition reflects small apartments filling with career-stage migrants and young professionals rather than families, because the housing stock simply does not offer family-sized homes.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
2.8%
Houses
0.3%
Townhouse
96.8%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure here is renter-dominated: 69.6% rent, 17.9% hold a mortgage and only 12.4% own outright, a profile driven by the 96.8% apartment stock that suits transient professional tenants over long-term owners. Dwelling size compounds this, with 43.1% of homes at zero to one bedrooms and 41.2% at two, leaving family-scale three and four-plus bedroom homes at just 14.1% and 1.6%. The price series shows recent softening, from $1,159,000 in 2024 to $1,055,000 in 2025, a 9.0% decline. The IER decile of 5 sits well below the IRSAD decile of 10, an anomaly explained by tenure: aggregate household wealth measures lower because most residents rent rather than own equity, even though incomes rank in the 92nd percentile. Both rent-to-income (24.2%) and mortgage-to-income (24.3%) stay below stress thresholds because high incomes carry the high prices.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,600
Rent / wk
$600
HH Size
1.9
Personal Income / wk
$1,627
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
11.2%
Unoccupied
450
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.2%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.3%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
49.8%
Couples, no children
4,694
Total families
Economy & Employment
St Leonards runs on the knowledge economy. Professional and Technical services lead employment at 24.9% (1,042 workers), followed by Finance at 16.1% (673) and Healthcare at 12.5% (524), with Education at 5.9% and Retail at 4.8%. Professionals dominate the occupation mix at 2,336, more than double the 1,022 Managers, consistent with the IEO decile of 10 that places the suburb in the top national tier for education and occupation. The labour market is tight: full-time employment reaches 80.7%, unemployment sits at 3.9%, below the national rate, and participation runs at 72.7%, above average. This concentration of high-skill, high-income work supports the 92nd percentile household income and underpins demand for the small professional apartments that make up most of the housing stock.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
80.7%
Part-time
15.4%
Participation
72.7%
Employed
4,491
Occupations
Top Industries
University
72.1%
Postgraduate
25.2%
Born Overseas
61.4%
Dwellings
3,541
Transport to Work
Getting around St Leonards rarely requires a car. Public transport carries 24.8% of commuters and walking or cycling another 27.1%, so active and public transport together exceed half of trips, while car driving sits at just 44.6%, below the national norm, a direct result of the dense 9,000 per km2 form and rail access. The IRSAD decile of 10 confirms top-tier socioeconomic advantage, and household income in the 92nd percentile reflects the high-earning professional base. Daily amenity skews toward singles and couples rather than families, consistent with the 1.9 average household size, 0.6 below national, and the apartment-heavy stock. Housing costs stay manageable relative to income, with rent-to-income at 24.2%, below the 30% stress threshold, so residents trade space for proximity and walkability.
Drive
44.6%
Public Transport
24.8%
Walk / Cycle
27.1%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How St Leonards compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is St Leonards a good suburb to live in?
St Leonards suits professionals who value walkability and transit, with 27.1% walking or cycling and 24.8% using public transport. The IRSAD decile of 10 is the top national tier and university qualifications reach 72.1%, 42 points above national. The trade-off is space: 96.8% of homes are apartments and only 2.8% are houses, so it favours singles and couples over families.
What is the median house price in St Leonards?
The median house price is $1,120,000. Recent pricing softened from $1,159,000 in 2024 to $1,055,000 in 2025, a 9.0% decline. Weekly rent averages $600 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $2,600, keeping mortgage-to-income at 24.3%, below the 30% stress threshold thanks to high local incomes.
What schools are in St Leonards?
No primary or secondary schools sit within the St Leonards boundary itself, which fits its profile as a high-density commercial and professional hub where apartments make up 96.8% of dwellings and couples without children at 49.8% outnumber families with children. Buyers with school-age children typically look to neighbouring lower North Shore suburbs for catchment options.
Is St Leonards safe?
Verified suburb-level crime statistics are not available in our current dataset for St Leonards, so a crime rate cannot be quoted. As a guide to context, the suburb sits in IRSAD decile 10, the top socioeconomic tier nationally, and household income ranks in the 92nd percentile, indicators generally associated with lower deprivation-driven crime.
Is St Leonards good for property investment?
The 69.6% renter share gives a deep tenant pool and $600 weekly rent on a $1,120,000 median yields roughly 2.8%. The cautions are real: an 11.2% vacancy rate signals oversupply, 63 development applications in 12 months add more stock, and prices fell 9.0% from 2024 to 2025, so the case rests on rental demand more than capital growth.
How is St Leonards's population changing?
The population stands at 7,212 across just 0.8 km2, a density of 9,000 per km2. Turnover is high, with 43.4% of residents changing in five years against 56.6% who stayed, and overseas-born residents at 61.4% (39.8 points above national) keep the base replenished. Development of 63 applications in 12 months points to continued densification.
What languages are spoken in St Leonards?
With 61.4% of residents born overseas, 39.8 points above national, St Leonards is highly multilingual. The leading non-English languages are Mandarin with 336 speakers, Cantonese with 240 and Japanese with 178, followed by Hindi and Korean, reflecting strong East Asian and South Asian migration.
How much development is happening in St Leonards?
St Leonards is actively densifying, with 63 development applications lodged in the past 12 months including office premises and subdivisions. This pipeline adds to a market already 96.8% apartments and helps explain the elevated 11.2% vacancy rate and the 9.0% price easing from 2024 to 2025.
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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