Sylvania Waters
With a $2,150,000 median house price and household income in the 89.7th percentile nationally, Sylvania Waters occupies a narrow slice of Sydney's southern waterfront premium market. The suburb packs 3,200 residents into just 1.06 square kilometres, a density of 3,019 per km2. Owner-occupiers dominate at 84.5% of households, with only 15.4% renting, far below the national average. The stock is overwhelmingly detached: 80.3% separate houses and 54.5% of dwellings have 4 or more bedrooms. Residents rely almost entirely on cars, with 88.9% commuting as drivers and just 1.2% using public transport.
Population
3,200
Median Age
43.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,371/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
28
Median House
$2.1M
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The median house price of $2,150,000 places Sylvania Waters well above most Sydney suburbs, and prices have moved sharply: from $2,017,500 in 2024 to $2,180,000 in 2025, an 8.1% rise in one year. The stock is dominated by large detached homes, with 80.3% separate houses and 54.5% of dwellings having 4 or more bedrooms, which means buyers compete for a limited range of property types. Monthly mortgage repayments average $3,000, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 29.2% sits just below the 30% stress threshold despite house prices in the multi-million dollar range, reflecting the high income base. Outright owners at 44% outnumber mortgage holders at 40.5%, a sign of established, long-held wealth rather than a churn of recent purchasers.
For Buyers
The median house price of $2,150,000 places Sylvania Waters well above most Sydney suburbs, and prices have moved sharply: from $2,017,500 in 2024 to $2,180,000 in 2025, an 8.1% rise in one year. The stock is dominated by large detached homes, with 80.3% separate houses and 54.5% of dwellings having 4 or more bedrooms, which means buyers compete for a limited range of property types. Monthly mortgage repayments average $3,000, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 29.2% sits just below the 30% stress threshold despite house prices in the multi-million dollar range, reflecting the high income base. Outright owners at 44% outnumber mortgage holders at 40.5%, a sign of established, long-held wealth rather than a churn of recent purchasers.
For Investors
The investor case here is more about capital preservation than yield. With weekly rent at $600 against a $2,150,000 median, gross yield is below 1.5%, low even by Sydney waterfront standards. The 15.4% renter share is significantly below average, limiting the tenant pool. The vacancy rate of 6.2% adds further caution, indicating real softness in the rental segment. On the positive side, prices rose 8.1% year-on-year and there were 27 development applications in the past 12 months, mostly alterations and dwelling work consistent with an established owner-occupier suburb. Net demand drivers are thin: the suburb covers only 1.06 km2 with limited room for new supply, and the high ownership rate of 84.5% means rental-seeking buyers have few competing properties to choose from.
Development Activity
Total DAs
138
Last 12 Months
28
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-9.7%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
The median age of 43 is 3 years above the national figure, consistent with an established, family-settled suburb with low turnover. Only 17.5% of residents moved in the past year, meaning 82.5% stayed, well above typical suburban mobility rates. Overseas-born residents make up 32.7% of the population, which is 11.1 percentage points above the national figure. The Greek community is the most visible non-English-speaking group, with 443 residents of Greek ancestry and 143 Greek speakers. Chinese ancestry (431) and Cantonese (86) and Mandarin (81) speakers reflect a significant East Asian presence. University qualifications reach 39.7%, which is 9.6 percentage points above the national average. Average household size is 2.9, which is 0.4 above the national figure, driven by the prevalence of couples-with-children households.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
80.3%
Houses
10.5%
Townhouse
9.2%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure is split 44% outright, 40.5% mortgage and 15.4% renting, with outright owners narrowly outnumbering mortgage holders, a profile typical of areas where original buyers have paid down their debt over decades. The stock is almost entirely detached: 80.3% separate houses, 10.5% semi-detached and 9.2% apartments. Bedroom size skews large, with 54.5% of dwellings having 4 or more bedrooms and 36.4% having 3 bedrooms. Prices moved from $2,017,500 in 2024 to $2,180,000 in 2025, an 8.1% annual gain. The vacancy rate of 6.2% is elevated relative to typical low-density owner-occupier suburbs, suggesting some investment stock is not being rented out rather than a structural demand problem. Rent-to-income at 25.3% stays below the 30% stress threshold for tenants.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$3,000
Rent / wk
$600
HH Size
2.9
Personal Income / wk
$920
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
6.2%
Unoccupied
70
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
25.3%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
29.2%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
22.6%
Couples, no children
2,808
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the leading industry at 15.5% of workers (163 people), followed by Construction at 12.3% (129) and Professional/Tech at 11.2% (118). Education and Retail each account for around 8% and 7.6% respectively. By occupation, Managers (358) and Professionals (331) together represent the largest segments, with Clerical/Admin (235) and Sales (179) also significant. Full-time employment runs at 60%, with an unemployment rate of 3.5%, below the national average. The participation rate of 52.8% is moderate, partly because 971 residents are not in the labour force, consistent with the older median age of 43. Weekly household income of $2,371 sits in the 89.7th percentile nationally, reflecting the high concentration of managerial and professional workers in the labour force.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
60.0%
Part-time
36.5%
Participation
52.8%
Employed
1,360
Occupations
Top Industries
University
39.7%
Postgraduate
9.9%
Born Overseas
32.7%
Dwellings
1,061
Transport to Work
Car dependency defines daily life here, with 88.9% of residents commuting as drivers and only 1.2% using public transport, well below NSW state averages. This reflects the waterfront peninsula geography rather than a deficiency in local amenity. At 1.06 km2 with a density of 3,019 per km2, the suburb is walkable in scale but limited in commercial and transport infrastructure. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary in this dataset, so families rely on nearby institutions in the broader Sutherland Shire. The need-for-assistance rate of 4.5% is moderate, with 139 residents requiring daily support. Housing stress indicators are benign: mortgage-to-income at 29.2% stays just below the 30% threshold and rent-to-income at 25.3% is comfortable for tenants, both lower than many comparable premium suburbs.
Drive
88.9%
Public Transport
1.2%
Walk / Cycle
3.0%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Sylvania Waters compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sylvania Waters a good suburb to live in?
Sylvania Waters suits established owner-occupier families well. Household income sits in the 89.7th percentile nationally, the mortgage-to-income ratio of 29.2% is just below the stress threshold, and 82.5% of residents choose to stay year to year. The main trade-off is near-total car dependency, with only 1.2% using public transport.
What is the median house price in Sylvania Waters?
The median house price is $2,150,000, based on 2024-2025 PSI data. Prices rose 8.1% from $2,017,500 in 2024 to $2,180,000 in 2025. Monthly mortgage repayments average $3,000 and weekly rent averages $600.
What schools are in Sylvania Waters?
No schools are recorded inside the Sylvania Waters boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs across the broader Sutherland Shire. The local population is well-educated, with 39.7% holding university qualifications, which is 9.6 percentage points above the national average.
Is Sylvania Waters safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Sylvania Waters in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb records an unemployment rate of 3.5% below the national average, a housing stress rate well below standard thresholds, and only 4.5% of its 3,200 residents require daily assistance, all consistent with a low-disadvantage area.
Is Sylvania Waters good for property investment?
Capital growth looks promising at 8.1% year-on-year, but yield is weak: $600 weekly rent against a $2,150,000 median gives a gross yield below 1.5%. The 6.2% vacancy rate and the low 15.4% renter share limit tenant demand. Investment here suits buyers prioritising capital preservation over income return.
How is Sylvania Waters's population changing?
The suburb has a stable, low-turnover profile, with 82.5% of residents remaining year to year against a turnover rate of just 17.5%. The median age of 43 is 3 years above the national figure, pointing to an aging, owner-occupier base. Population sits at 3,200 across 1.06 km2, giving a density of 3,019 per km2.
What languages are spoken in Sylvania Waters?
About 32.7% of residents were born overseas, which is 11.1 percentage points above the national figure. The main non-English languages are Greek (143 speakers), Cantonese (86) and Mandarin (81), reflecting strong Greek and Chinese communities, each with over 430 residents by ancestry.
How much development is happening in Sylvania Waters?
There were 27 development applications lodged in the past 12 months, mostly dwelling alterations, additions and complying development certificates for single houses. This pattern is typical of an established, low-density owner-occupier suburb where owners improve existing homes rather than subdivide or build new supply.
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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