Villawood
Median house prices reached $1,000,000 in 2025, yet household income sits in the 11th percentile nationally, one of the widest affordability gaps in this dataset. That tension defines Villawood. At 53.9% born overseas, the migrant share runs 32.3 points above the national figure, with Lebanese (1,143) and Vietnamese (1,022) ancestries leading and Arabic (831 speakers) the dominant non-English language. The 3.0 average household size, 0.5 above national, reflects multi-generational migrant families sharing detached homes, with separate houses making up 73.1% of stock. A mortgage-to-income ratio of 52.6% flags acute stress, the direct result of $1M values meeting a $951 weekly household income.
Population
7,051
Median Age
34.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$951/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
48
Median House
$980K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The median house price climbed from $967,000 in 2024 to $1,000,000 in 2025, a 3.4% annual gain. For local buyers this is steep, because monthly mortgage repayments of $2,167 consume 52.6% of household income, well above the 30% stress threshold and a flag the data marks explicitly. Stock favours families: separate houses are 73.1% of dwellings, three-bedroom homes make up 40.7% and four-plus bedrooms another 26.3%, so two-thirds of properties are sized for the 3.0 person average household. Apartments are just 17.9%. Only 16.6% of residents own outright while 22.4% carry a mortgage, leaving entry buyers competing against a 60.9% renter base rather than a deep owner-occupier market.
For Buyers
The median house price climbed from $967,000 in 2024 to $1,000,000 in 2025, a 3.4% annual gain. For local buyers this is steep, because monthly mortgage repayments of $2,167 consume 52.6% of household income, well above the 30% stress threshold and a flag the data marks explicitly. Stock favours families: separate houses are 73.1% of dwellings, three-bedroom homes make up 40.7% and four-plus bedrooms another 26.3%, so two-thirds of properties are sized for the 3.0 person average household. Apartments are just 17.9%. Only 16.6% of residents own outright while 22.4% carry a mortgage, leaving entry buyers competing against a 60.9% renter base rather than a deep owner-occupier market.
For Investors
A 60.9% renter share gives Villawood one of the deeper tenant pools in this dataset, well above the owner-occupier majority typical of detached suburbs. The catch is yield: weekly rent of $210 against a $1,000,000 median produces a gross yield near 1.1%, very low because rents have not tracked the run-up in values. The 8.6% vacancy rate is elevated and signals softer rental demand than the headline tenure suggests. Development activity is active, with 47 applications lodged in the past 12 months including secondary dwellings and a residential flat building demolition, pointing to densification interest. Migrant inflow underpins demand, with 53.9% born overseas, 32.3 points above national, but the thin yield makes this a capital-growth play rather than a cashflow one.
Development Activity
Total DAs
294
Last 12 Months
48
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-12.7%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Villawood iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School
K-6 · 226 students
Villawood East Public School
P-6 · 301 students
Demographics
The median age of 34 is 6 years below the national figure, and overseas-born residents at 53.9% run 32.3 points above national, marking Villawood as strongly migrant-shaped. Lebanese ancestry leads at 1,143, followed by Vietnamese (1,022) and Chinese (643), and Islam is the largest religion at 2,311 followers ahead of Christianity (1,796) and Buddhism (741). Arabic is the top non-English language with 831 speakers, far ahead of Mandarin (131) and Cantonese (96). University qualifications at 22.3% sit 7.8 points below the national rate, consistent with a manual and service workforce rather than a professional one. The 3.0 average household size, 0.5 above national, reflects larger family and multi-generational living, reinforced by couples with children (2,304) heavily outnumbering couples without (645).
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
73.1%
Houses
7.2%
Townhouse
17.9%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure tilts hard toward renting at 60.9%, against just 22.4% with a mortgage and 16.6% owning outright, an unusual split for a suburb where 73.1% of dwellings are separate houses. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 40.7% with four-plus at 26.3%, so 67% of stock is family-sized, while apartments are only 17.9%. Prices rose from $967,000 in 2024 to $1,000,000 in 2025, a 3.4% lift, but the strain shows in a 52.6% mortgage-to-income ratio that the data flags as stressed. Rent-to-income is more contained at 22.1% because weekly rent of $210 is low relative to the $951 household income. The gap between high purchase prices and an 11th-percentile income explains why so few residents transition from renting to ownership.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,167
Rent / wk
$210
HH Size
3.0
Personal Income / wk
$435
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
8.6%
Unoccupied
188
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.1%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
52.6% stressed
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
12.6%
Couples, no children
5,120
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare leads employment at 19.8% (163 workers), followed by Education at 10.4% (86), Construction at 9.2% (76), Manufacturing at 9.1% (75) and Retail at 8.6% (71), a blue-collar and care-sector mix rather than a knowledge economy. Occupations confirm this: Professionals number 260 but Machinery Operators and Drivers (218) and Labourers (202) together exceed them, consistent with university attainment of 22.3% sitting 7.8 points below national. The unemployment rate of 17.1% is markedly above the national average, and full-time employment at 61.6% leaves a large part-time and not-in-labour-force cohort. These labour figures, paired with household income in the 11th percentile, explain the affordability pressure created by $1,000,000 home values.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
61.6%
Part-time
21.3%
Participation
25.9%
Employed
1,203
Occupations
Top Industries
University
22.3%
Postgraduate
5.5%
Born Overseas
53.9%
Dwellings
1,993
Transport to Work
Villawood is heavily car-dependent, with 84.6% driving to work against just 5.3% on public transport and 2.8% walking or cycling, reflecting outer-suburban form where active travel is impractical. Housing is the affordability strain: a 52.6% mortgage-to-income ratio is flagged as stressed, though rent-to-income is easier at 22.1% because weekly rent stays at $210. The community is family-oriented, with average household size of 3.0 running 0.5 above national and couples with children (2,304) dominating. Around 10.7% of residents report needing assistance with daily activities, above the level a younger median age of 34 would suggest, pointing to a cohort with elevated support needs despite the relatively young population.
Drive
84.6%
Public Transport
5.3%
Walk / Cycle
2.8%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Villawood compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Villawood a good suburb to live in?
Villawood suits families seeking detached homes, with 73.1% of dwellings separate houses and an average household size of 3.0, above the national figure. It is strongly multicultural, with 53.9% born overseas, 32.3 points above national. The trade-offs are heavy car dependence (84.6% drive) and affordability strain, with a 52.6% mortgage-to-income ratio.
What is the median house price in Villawood?
The median house price reached $1,000,000 in 2025, up from $967,000 in 2024, a 3.4% annual rise. Against a $951 weekly household income, monthly mortgage repayments of $2,167 absorb 52.6% of income, well above the 30% stress threshold, which is why ownership rates stay low.
What schools are in Villawood?
School-level data is not available in this dataset for Villawood, so specific schools and ICSEA ratings cannot be confirmed here. Education employs 10.4% of local workers (86 people), and the suburb's young median age of 34, 6 years below national, points to demand for family and school services.
Is Villawood safe?
Crime statistics are not available in this dataset for Villawood, so a safety rate cannot be reported here without inventing figures. Context that bears on it: residential turnover is low at 17.4%, with 82.6% of residents staying put, and the average household size of 3.0 is above national, indicating settled family households.
Is Villawood good for property investment?
The 60.9% renter share gives a deep tenant pool, well above the owner-occupier norm for detached suburbs, but gross yield near 1.1% ($210 weekly rent on a $1,000,000 median) is very low. The 8.6% vacancy rate is elevated, so it favours capital growth over cashflow, supported by 47 development applications in 12 months.
How is Villawood's population changing?
Villawood has 7,051 residents at a density of 1,796 per square kilometre. Growth is migration-led, with 53.9% born overseas, 32.3 points above national, and family households dominate, with couples with children (2,304) far outnumbering couples without (645). Development is active, with 47 applications lodged in 12 months.
What languages are spoken in Villawood?
With 53.9% of residents born overseas, 32.3 points above national, Villawood is highly multilingual. Arabic is the leading non-English language with 831 speakers, well ahead of Mandarin (131) and Cantonese (96). Lebanese (1,143) and Vietnamese (1,022) are the largest ancestry groups.
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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