Telopea
More than half of Telopea's 5,356 residents were born overseas, a 54.1% share that runs 32.5 points above the national figure and reshapes everything from housing demand to language. The median house price sits at $1,134,000 but has fallen 10.9% in a single year, from $1,235,000 in 2024 to $1,100,000 in 2025, one of the few Sydney pockets to give back ground. Renters make up 48.0% of households against a 12.9% vacancy rate, a combination that points to recent apartment supply in this dense 1.46 km2 footprint of 3,656 people per km2. University qualifications reach 49.6%, which is 19.5 points above national, yet household income sits only in the 45th percentile, below the national midpoint.
Population
5,356
Median Age
40.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,465/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
49
Median House
$1.1M
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The $1,134,000 median reflects a market that has cooled, with prices down 10.9% from a 2024 peak of $1,235,000, so buyers in 2025 face less competition than a year earlier. Stock is unusually balanced for an inner-ring suburb: separate houses are 34.9% of dwellings, apartments 34.4% and semi-detached homes 30.6%, meaning a freestanding house competes against denser alternatives rather than dominating. Two-bedroom dwellings lead at 34.5% and three-bedroom at 33.2%, with 4-plus bedroom homes at 24.4%, so larger families have limited choice. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,300, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 36.3%, above the 30% stress threshold because household income sits in only the 45th percentile nationally. That gap between high entry prices and mid-range incomes is the main hurdle for owner-occupiers.
For Buyers
The $1,134,000 median reflects a market that has cooled, with prices down 10.9% from a 2024 peak of $1,235,000, so buyers in 2025 face less competition than a year earlier. Stock is unusually balanced for an inner-ring suburb: separate houses are 34.9% of dwellings, apartments 34.4% and semi-detached homes 30.6%, meaning a freestanding house competes against denser alternatives rather than dominating. Two-bedroom dwellings lead at 34.5% and three-bedroom at 33.2%, with 4-plus bedroom homes at 24.4%, so larger families have limited choice. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,300, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 36.3%, above the 30% stress threshold because household income sits in only the 45th percentile nationally. That gap between high entry prices and mid-range incomes is the main hurdle for owner-occupiers.
For Investors
A 48.0% renter share gives landlords a deep tenant pool, but the 12.9% vacancy rate signals real oversupply that weighs on returns. Weekly rent of $370 against the $1,134,000 median implies a gross yield near 1.7%, low even by Sydney standards, so the investment case leans on capital growth rather than income. That case is complicated by prices falling 10.9% over the year. Demand support comes from the migrant base, with 54.1% of residents born overseas, 32.5 points above national, and resident turnover at 21.0% leaves a steady stream of incoming tenants. Development activity is moderate at 48 applications in 12 months, mostly complying-development works such as pools and structural alterations rather than new dwellings, so near-term supply pressure on the existing apartment stock is limited.
Development Activity
Total DAs
189
Last 12 Months
49
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+96.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Telopea iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Telopea Public School
K-6 · 139 students
Demographics
Telopea is a migrant-majority suburb where 54.1% of residents were born overseas, 32.5 points above the national figure, and that shows in ancestry and language. Chinese ancestry leads at 1,554 residents, ahead of English at 819 and Korean at 536, while the top languages other than English are Mandarin (424 speakers), Korean (253) and Cantonese (222). University qualifications reach 49.6%, which is 19.5 points above national, pointing to a skilled migrant intake rather than a transient one. The median age of 40 is in line with the national figure, and average household size at 2.5 also matches national, consistent with a family-oriented profile: 1,845 of the 4,173 families are couples with children against 970 couples with no children. Buddhism (277) and Islam (272) feature behind Christianity (2,347), reflecting the East and South Asian mix.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
34.9%
Houses
30.6%
Townhouse
34.4%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure tilts toward renting, with 48.0% of households renting, 30.7% carrying a mortgage and just 21.3% owning outright, a renter-heavy split that is unusual and helps explain the 12.9% vacancy rate. The stock is split almost evenly between separate houses (34.9%), apartments (34.4%) and semi-detached homes (30.6%), so detached living is no longer the default here. Two-bedroom dwellings account for 34.5% and three-bedroom 33.2%, while 4-plus bedroom homes are 24.4%. The median house price fell 10.9% from $1,235,000 in 2024 to $1,100,000 in 2025, with the current median at $1,134,000. Mortgage-to-income at 36.3% sits well above the 30% stress threshold while rent-to-income at 25.3% stays manageable, a divergence that reflects how steep purchase prices are relative to the 45th-percentile local incomes.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,300
Rent / wk
$370
HH Size
2.5
Personal Income / wk
$699
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
12.9%
Unoccupied
307
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
25.3%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
36.3% stressed
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
23.2%
Couples, no children
4,173
Total families
Economy & Employment
The workforce concentrates in services rather than corporate sectors: Healthcare leads at 18.7% (304 workers), Professional/Tech follows at 10.8% (176) and Education at 10.1% (165), with Construction at 8.5% and Retail at 6.7%. By occupation, Professionals (668) outnumber Clerical and Admin staff (330) and Managers (282), aligning with the 49.6% university qualification rate that runs 19.5 points above national. Unemployment is elevated at 6.8%, higher than the typical metropolitan rate, and the full-time employment rate is 65.4%. Participation reads just 45.9%, low because 1,754 residents are not in the labour force, a figure inflated by students and recent migrants still settling. That low participation, paired with household income in only the 45th percentile, marks this as a working-household rather than high-earning area despite the strong education profile.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
65.4%
Part-time
27.8%
Participation
45.9%
Employed
1,878
Occupations
Top Industries
University
49.6%
Postgraduate
16.5%
Born Overseas
54.1%
Dwellings
2,065
Transport to Work
Telopea leans heavily on cars, with 86.6% of commuters driving against just 5.0% using public transport and 1.8% walking or cycling, a car dependence above the metropolitan norm despite the dense 3,656 people per km2 setting. No schools are recorded inside the 1.46 km2 boundary in this dataset, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring suburbs, a trade-off offset by the area's strong education profile of 49.6% university qualifications, 19.5 points above national. Community engagement is modest, with volunteering at 11.2% and 7.3% of residents (366 people) needing daily assistance. Rent-to-income at 25.3% keeps tenants comfortable, while mortgage holders face a steeper 36.3% ratio, so renting is the more affordable path in a suburb where 48.0% of households already rent.
Drive
86.6%
Public Transport
5.0%
Walk / Cycle
1.8%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Telopea compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Telopea a good suburb to live in?
Telopea suits families and renters who value education access, with university qualifications at 49.6%, which is 19.5 points above national. Average household size matches national at 2.5 and 48.0% of households rent. The main trade-offs are a 12.9% vacancy rate and household income in only the 45th percentile nationally.
What is the median house price in Telopea?
The median house price is $1,134,000. Prices fell 10.9% over the year, from $1,235,000 in 2024 to $1,100,000 in 2025. Weekly rent averages $370 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $2,300, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 36.3%, above the 30% stress threshold.
What schools are in Telopea?
No schools are recorded inside the 1.46 km2 Telopea boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. The resident base is highly educated, with university qualifications at 49.6%, which is 19.5 points above the national figure.
Is Telopea safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Telopea in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, resident stability is moderate, with 79.0% of residents staying put over the period and only 7.3% of the 5,356 residents (366 people) needing daily assistance, both consistent with a settled residential area.
Is Telopea good for property investment?
Rent of $370 a week against a $1,134,000 median gives a gross yield near 1.7%, low even by Sydney standards, and the 12.9% vacancy rate signals oversupply. With prices down 10.9% over the year, returns depend on capital recovery rather than yield, though 48.0% renters give a deep tenant pool.
How is Telopea's population changing?
Telopea is consolidating rather than growing fast, with resident turnover at 21.0% and 79.0% of residents staying over the period. Density is already high at 3,656 people per km2 across 1.46 km2. Migration drives demand, with 54.1% of residents born overseas, 32.5 points above national.
What languages are spoken in Telopea?
About 54.1% of residents were born overseas, 32.5 points above the national figure. English is the main language, with Mandarin (424 speakers), Korean (253) and Cantonese (222) the most common non-English languages, reflecting a strong East Asian resident mix led by 1,554 residents of Chinese ancestry.
How much development is happening in Telopea?
There were 48 development applications lodged in the past 12 months. Most are complying-development works such as pools, retaining walls and structural alterations rather than new dwellings, consistent with a built-up suburb at 3,656 people per km2 across its 1.46 km2 boundary.
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 Telopea on the Map
View parcels, zoning overlays, DA applications, schools and more.
Open Interactive Map