Warrawee
At a median house price of $2,345,000, Warrawee sits in the top tier of Sydney's Upper North Shore, yet it covers just 1.34 square kilometres and holds only 3,170 residents. Household income ranks in the 98.8th percentile nationally, and the suburb scores decile 10 on all four SEIFA indexes, placing it among the most advantaged communities in Australia. University qualifications reach 69.7%, which is 39.6 percentage points above the national figure. The profile is aging: the senior share grew 3.2 points over the decade while the working-age share fell 1.0 point, consistent with the established-wealth identity signals the data carries.
Population
3,170
Median Age
42.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$3,388/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
13
Median House
$2.3M
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The $2,345,000 median house price is the headline, but the stock composition matters too: 64.4% of dwellings are separate houses, above average for a suburb this expensive, and 52.7% have four or more bedrooms. Apartments make up 30.8% and semi-detached just 4.8%. Prices moved from $2,375,000 in 2024 to $2,329,000 in 2025, a 1.9% decline from peak, which is modest given the broader market. Monthly mortgage repayments average $3,500, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 23.9%, below the 30% stress threshold despite a purchase price well above the state median. Outright owners at 41.1% outnumber mortgage holders at 39.7%, pointing to significant established, debt-free wealth rather than a suburb driven by recent leveraged buying.
For Buyers
The $2,345,000 median house price is the headline, but the stock composition matters too: 64.4% of dwellings are separate houses, above average for a suburb this expensive, and 52.7% have four or more bedrooms. Apartments make up 30.8% and semi-detached just 4.8%. Prices moved from $2,375,000 in 2024 to $2,329,000 in 2025, a 1.9% decline from peak, which is modest given the broader market. Monthly mortgage repayments average $3,500, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 23.9%, below the 30% stress threshold despite a purchase price well above the state median. Outright owners at 41.1% outnumber mortgage holders at 39.7%, pointing to significant established, debt-free wealth rather than a suburb driven by recent leveraged buying.
For Investors
Renters account for 19.2% of households, below the national average, so the tenant pool is thin relative to the price point. Weekly rent of $650 against a $2,345,000 median implies a gross yield under 1.5%, which is low even by premium Sydney standards. The vacancy rate of 5.9% adds caution: supply is not being absorbed quickly. Development activity ran at 12 applications in the past 12 months, low for a suburb of this size, reinforcing the slow-churn, established character. Overseas migration adds 236 residents to the broader area annually while internal migration removes 201, meaning demand support exists but is not dramatic. The investment case rests on capital preservation in a top-decile address rather than yield or rental growth.
Development Activity
Total DAs
125
Last 12 Months
13
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-38.1%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
The median age of 42 is 2.0 years above the national figure, and the aging trajectory is clear in the data. Overseas-born residents reach 41.0%, which is 19.4 percentage points above national, driven partly by significant Chinese and Korean communities: English ancestry leads at 1,078 residents, Chinese at 640, Scottish at 342. Top non-English languages are Mandarin at 186 speakers, Korean at 53 and Cantonese at 47. University qualifications sit at 69.7%, compared to the national figure of around 30%, a gap of 39.6 points. Average household size of 2.9 is 0.4 above national, consistent with the 1,176 couples-with-children families and the large-house, four-plus bedroom profile. Volunteering at 22.2% suggests strong community participation for a suburb this wealthy.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
64.4%
Houses
4.8%
Townhouse
30.8%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure is relatively balanced between outright owners at 41.1% and mortgage holders at 39.7%, with renters at 19.2%. The dominance of outright ownership compared to the state and national averages reflects long-held wealth rather than a churning buyer market. Separate houses dominate at 64.4%, with apartments at 30.8%. The bedroom profile skews large: 52.7% have four or more bedrooms and 28.1% have three, so two-bedroom or smaller stock is rare at just 19.3% combined. Price history shows $2,375,000 in 2024 falling to $2,329,000 in 2025, a 1.9% decline, modest for a market at this price level. Rent at $650 per week and mortgage repayments averaging $3,500 per month keep both housing stress ratios below the 30% threshold, a distinction that separates Warrawee from many high-price suburbs.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$3,500
Rent / wk
$650
HH Size
2.9
Personal Income / wk
$1,153
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
5.9%
Unoccupied
66
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.2%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.9%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
23.1%
Couples, no children
2,798
Total families
Economy & Employment
Professional and knowledge sectors dominate: Professional/Tech leads at 20.7% of workers (257), Healthcare at 15.7% (195) and Finance at 14.3% (177), with Education at 10.0% (124). By occupation, Professionals account for 692 jobs and Managers 335, together representing more than half the workforce. The unemployment rate of 3.5% and full-time employment rate of 66.3% are both solid, though the participation rate of 56.7% is lower than the national average, because 932 residents are not in the labour force, consistent with early retirement or investment-income lifestyles at high-income levels. The suburb scores decile 10 on IEO (education and occupation) and IRSAD, confirming top-tier advantage. Real income grew 8.3% over the decade, above inflation.
Unemployment
4.0%
Labour Force
9,484
Unemployed
380
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
66.3%
Part-time
30.2%
Participation
56.7%
Employed
1,422
Occupations
Top Industries
University
69.7%
Postgraduate
25.7%
Born Overseas
41.0%
Dwellings
1,048
Transport to Work
Public transport use at 10.5% is moderate, while 81.4% drive, typical for the Upper North Shore geography where train access exists but car dependence is high. Only 2.0% walk or cycle. The suburb scores decile 10 on IRSAD, the top advantage tier nationally, and decile 10 on IRSD for relative disadvantage, meaning very few residents face material hardship. Only 3.0% of residents (92 people) need daily assistance despite the older median age of 42. Rent-to-income at 19.2% and mortgage-to-income at 23.9% are both below the 30% stress threshold, making Warrawee one of the few premium Sydney suburbs where housing costs stay manageable relative to local incomes. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary in this dataset, so families draw on institutions in adjoining suburbs.
Drive
81.4%
Public Transport
10.5%
Walk / Cycle
2.0%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.27%/yr
(+50 people/yr)
EstablishedPopulation growth is modest at 0.27% annually, adding roughly 50 persons per year, and the 10-year change was 5.5%, below the national growth pace for major city suburbs. The medium forecast holds the broader area between 18,521 and 18,773 through 2031, representing slow but stable expansion. Overseas migration is the primary driver, adding 236 residents annually while net internal outflow removes 201, so the net gain is thin. The gentrification score of 10 and stage of not gentrifying fits a suburb already at decile 10 advantage with no further upward reclassification possible. Affordability improved from 66.1% in 2011 to 58.7% in 2021, a genuine relative improvement. The aging trajectory, with senior share up 3.2 points and young share down 1.4 points, will likely continue as the established ownership base ages in place.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+236
Net Internal / yr
-201
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Net internal outflow -201/yr, Strong overseas inflow +236/yr
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Warrawee compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Warrawee a good suburb to live in?
Warrawee scores decile 10 on all four SEIFA indexes, the top advantage tier nationally, with household income in the 98.8th percentile. University qualifications reach 69.7%, which is 39.6 points above the national figure. Housing stress ratios sit below 30% for both owners and renters, a rare combination at this price level.
What is the median house price in Warrawee?
The median house price is $2,345,000, placing Warrawee among Sydney's most expensive Upper North Shore suburbs. Prices eased 1.9% from $2,375,000 in 2024 to $2,329,000 in 2025. Weekly rent averages $650 and monthly mortgage repayments average $3,500, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 23.9%.
What schools are in Warrawee?
No schools are recorded inside the Warrawee suburb boundary in this dataset. The local population is highly educated, with 69.7% holding university qualifications, which is 39.6 percentage points above the national average. Families typically use schools in adjoining Upper North Shore suburbs.
Is Warrawee safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Warrawee in this dataset. As an indirect measure, the suburb scores decile 10 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage, the highest advantage tier nationally, and only 3.0% of its 3,170 residents need daily assistance, both consistent with a low-disadvantage, low-deprivation setting.
Is Warrawee good for property investment?
Weekly rent of $650 against a $2,345,000 median implies a gross yield under 1.5%, low by any standard. The vacancy rate of 5.9% and a 19.2% renter share mean the tenant pool is thin. Overseas migration adds 236 residents annually to the area, but net annual population growth is only 0.27%, so returns depend on long-term capital preservation at a top-decile address rather than yield.
How is Warrawee's population changing?
The population of 3,170 is growing at 0.27% annually, adding about 50 people per year, with a 5.5% rise over the past decade. Overseas migration is the primary driver, adding 236 residents a year while internal migration removes 201. The profile is aging, with the senior share up 3.2 points and the young share down 1.4 points over the decade.
What languages are spoken in Warrawee?
About 41.0% of residents were born overseas, which is 19.4 percentage points above the national figure. Top non-English languages are Mandarin at 186 speakers, Korean at 53 and Cantonese at 47, reflecting a significant East Asian community alongside the English and Scottish-ancestry majority.
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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