Telopea
More than half of Telopea's 5,356 residents were born overseas: 54.1%, or 32.5 percentage points above the national figure. The compact 1.46 sq km suburb reaches 3,656.5 people per sq km, and its 12.9% vacancy rate points to a mobile rental market. Compared with nearby Dundas and Carlingford, buyers should pay particular attention to Telopea's 34.4% apartment and 30.6% semi-detached shares. A 47.4% work-from-home rate adds flexibility, while the 45.5% car-driver share keeps daily life tied to road access.
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
46
Homebuyers need to price Telopea as a mixed-format suburb rather than assuming a detached-house market. Compared with a detached-house-only search, the suburb provides 34.9% separate houses, 34.4% apartments and 30.6% semi-detached dwellings. Two-bedroom homes account for 34.5% and three-bedroom homes 33.2%, while 24.4% have 4 or more bedrooms. A $2,300 monthly mortgage and 36.3% mortgage-to-income ratio point to tighter budgeting than the 25.3% rent-to-income ratio. Buyers should confirm current prices, strata costs and borrowing buffers for the exact property.
For Buyers
Homebuyers need to price Telopea as a mixed-format suburb rather than assuming a detached-house market. Compared with a detached-house-only search, the suburb provides 34.9% separate houses, 34.4% apartments and 30.6% semi-detached dwellings. Two-bedroom homes account for 34.5% and three-bedroom homes 33.2%, while 24.4% have 4 or more bedrooms. A $2,300 monthly mortgage and 36.3% mortgage-to-income ratio point to tighter budgeting than the 25.3% rent-to-income ratio. Buyers should confirm current prices, strata costs and borrowing buffers for the exact property.
For Investors
Telopea has a substantial rental base, with 47.6% of occupied dwellings rented and weekly rent at $370. Compared with a tightly supplied rental market, the 12.9% vacancy rate creates more letting competition, so investors should allow for longer marketing periods and sharper property presentation. The 47 development applications recorded over 12 months indicate an active supply pipeline, including a dual occupancy sample with 2 dwellings, subdivision and co-living proposals. A 21.0% turnover rate alongside 79.0% of residents staying at the same address suggests both tenant movement and a stable resident base.
Development Activity
Total DAs
195
Last 12 Months
46
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+84.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Telopea
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Demographics
Telopea has a migrant-majority population: 54.1% of residents were born overseas, 32.5 percentage points above the national share. University participation is also strong at 49.6%, which is 19.5 percentage points above the national comparison. The median age of 40 and average household size of 2.5 are both level with national benchmarks, pointing to an age profile that is not younger or older than average. Chinese ancestry counts 1,554 residents and Korean ancestry 536, while Mandarin, Korean and Cantonese are spoken by 424, 253 and 222 residents respectively. This language pattern helps explain demand for services that work across several cultural groups.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
34.9%
Houses
30.6%
Townhouse
34.4%
Apartment
Tenure
Telopea's tenure profile is more rental-oriented than an owner-occupier suburb, with 47.6% renting compared with 30.4% paying a mortgage and 21.1% owning outright. The dwelling mix is similarly divided: 34.9% separate houses, 34.4% apartments and 30.6% semi-detached homes. Compared with a traditional detached-house market, buyers and renters have a broader choice of formats, with 34.5% of homes containing 2 bedrooms, 33.2% containing 3 and 24.4% containing 4 or more. The $1,465 weekly household income sits near the 45th percentile, while mortgage costs equal 36.3% of income, making property type and repayment size important household trade-offs.
Mortgage / mo
$2,300
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (April to June 2026), NSW Rental Bond Board (DCJ). Census 2021 median: $370.
$720
Bond data Jun 2026 · houses $900 · units $580
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
46.9%
Couples with children
33.1%
Couples, no children
18.4%
Single parent
1,432
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is Telopea's largest recorded industry at 18.7%, employing 304 people, followed by Professional and Technical services at 10.8% with 176 workers, Education at 10.1% with 165, Construction at 8.5% with 138 and Retail at 6.7% with 110. The occupation profile is led by 668 Professionals, 330 Clerical and Administrative workers and 282 Managers. A 54.3% participation rate and 5.7% unemployment rate point to a moderate labour-market base, while 54.6% of workers are full-time. Household income at the 45th percentile is below a median benchmark, despite the substantial professional and healthcare presence.
Unemployment
5.7%
Labour Force
2,385
Unemployed
137
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
54.6%
Part-time
28.9%
Participation
54.3%
Employed
2,248
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
49.6%
Postgraduate
16.5%
Born Overseas
54.1%
Dwellings
2,065
Transport to Work
Telopea is better suited to residents with flexible or car-based routines than to a transit-first lifestyle. A substantial 47.4% work from home, while 45.5% travel as car drivers; only 2.7% use public transport and 1.0% walk or cycle to work. Compared with a highly transit-dependent suburb, road access and parking choices deserve closer attention. Telopea Public School is a government primary school within the suburb, giving families 1 local school option to investigate. Check enrolment zones and current capacity against the exact address. Safety decisions should use current NSW Police incident information, particularly in a dense 1.46 sq km suburb with 5,356 residents.
Drive
45.5%
Public Transport
2.7%
Walk / Cycle
1.0%
Work from Home
47.4%
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 may suit households seeking mixed housing and a migrant-majority setting. Overseas-born residents make up 54.1% of the population, while apartments account for 34.4% and semi-detached homes 30.6%. The 47.4% work-from-home rate adds flexibility, but the 45.5% car-driver share means transport needs should be considered.
What is the median house price in Telopea?
A current median house price should be confirmed through recent settled sales. Telopea's housing mix includes 34.9% separate houses, 34.4% apartments and 30.6% semi-detached dwellings, so one suburb-wide figure can hide meaningful differences by property type, bedroom count and strata arrangements.
What schools are in Telopea?
Telopea Public School is the identified local school, and it is a government primary school. Families should check enrolment zones and current capacity at the exact address. Telopea covers 1.46 sq km and has 5,356 residents, so school access can vary depending on the property's location and catchment.
Is Telopea safe?
Use current NSW Police incident information and inspect the exact street before deciding, because conditions can vary across a dense 1.46 sq km suburb. Telopea has 5,356 residents and a density of 3,656.5 people per sq km, making local surroundings, building security and evening activity relevant to a personal safety assessment.
Is Telopea good for property investment?
Telopea may appeal to investors targeting rental demand, with 47.6% of occupied dwellings rented and weekly rent of $370. The 12.9% vacancy rate is high, so leasing competition needs attention. A further 47 development applications in 12 months could add supply and make dwelling selection, condition and pricing especially important.
How is Telopea's population changing?
Telopea currently has 5,356 residents, with 47 development applications recorded over 12 months. The 21.0% turnover rate and 79.0% same-address stability indicate a combination of renewal and an established resident base. New dual occupancy, subdivision and co-living proposals could gradually change the housing mix.
What languages are spoken in Telopea?
Telopea has a strong multilingual profile, with 54.1% of residents born overseas. Mandarin is spoken by 424 residents, Korean by 253 and Cantonese by 222. Arabic accounts for 98 residents and Persian for 57, so local services and communications may need to work across several language groups.
What development is happening in Telopea?
There were 47 development applications over 12 months. The examples include demolition and subdivision, a new dual occupancy with 2 dwellings, and a co-living or non-standard housing proposal. This points to ongoing redevelopment activity, although the final effect will depend on approvals, construction and completed dwelling 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 education open registers (school locations), 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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