Westleigh
A 45-year median age, 97.1% separate-house share and household income at the 97.3rd percentile give Westleigh a settled, affluent profile. Residents are 5.0 years older than the national median, while 61.1% work from home, helping explain the suburb's quiet, family-focused character. Compared with nearby Thornleigh, Westleigh is more strongly defined by detached housing and larger homes, with 72.8% containing four or more bedrooms. Its population is 4,501 across 3.82 square kilometres, so the area feels established rather than rapidly intensifying.
Population
4,501
Median Age
45.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$3,021/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
31
Westleigh suits buyers prioritising space, privacy and a long-term family setting over apartment choice. Separate houses account for 97.1% of dwellings, while 72.8% have four or more bedrooms and 25.6% have three bedrooms. The typical mortgage payment is $3,000 per month, with mortgage costs equal to 22.9% of household income, below the level usually associated with mortgage stress. Weekly rent is $705 and rent absorbs 23.3% of income. Compared with a unit-led market, the limited 0.2% apartment share means buyers should focus on recent house sales and allow for a narrower range of dwelling types.
For Buyers
Westleigh suits buyers prioritising space, privacy and a long-term family setting over apartment choice. Separate houses account for 97.1% of dwellings, while 72.8% have four or more bedrooms and 25.6% have three bedrooms. The typical mortgage payment is $3,000 per month, with mortgage costs equal to 22.9% of household income, below the level usually associated with mortgage stress. Weekly rent is $705 and rent absorbs 23.3% of income. Compared with a unit-led market, the limited 0.2% apartment share means buyers should focus on recent house sales and allow for a narrower range of dwelling types.
For Investors
Westleigh offers a low-turnover rental market with limited investor stock. Only 7.0% of occupied dwellings are rented, the vacancy rate is 2.1% and 97.1% are separate houses, suggesting demand is concentrated in family-sized homes rather than apartments. Weekly rent of $705 provides a substantial income stream, while rent growth of 34.1% indicates strong recent repricing. Compared with suburbs where renting is more common, the tenant pool may be smaller, but longer resident stays can support retention. Thirty-one development applications in 12 months point to ongoing renovation and small-scale building activity. Overseas migration is the primary forecast growth driver, which may add demand over time.
Development Activity
Total DAs
154
Last 12 Months
31
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+10.7%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
Westleigh has an older and more highly educated profile than national benchmarks. The median age is 45, or 5.0 years above the national median, and 57.6% of residents have university qualifications, 27.5 percentage points higher than nationally. Overseas-born residents account for 34.0%, which is 12.4 points above the national share. English ancestry is recorded for 1,568 people and Chinese ancestry for 554, while Mandarin is spoken by 138 residents and Canton by 61. Couples with children make up 57.8% of families, compared with 33.3% for couples without children. The average household size is 3.0, 0.5 above the national figure, and 88.1% stayed at the same address over the relevant period, supporting a stable resident base.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
97.1%
Houses
2.7%
Townhouse
0.2%
Apartment
Tenure
Westleigh is more detached and owner-occupied than apartment-heavy areas. Separate houses represent 97.1% of dwellings, compared with only 0.2% apartments and 2.7% semi-detached homes. Tenure is split between 45.5% owned outright and 47.0% with a mortgage, while just 7.0% rent. This structure reflects a mortgage-belt suburb where households tend to remain for longer periods, reinforced by an 88.1% stay rate and a 2.1% vacancy rate. Larger properties dominate: 72.8% have four or more bedrooms, 25.6% have three and only 1.7% have two or fewer. Compared with smaller-home markets, buyers should allow for higher entry costs and check current settled sales because no median purchase price or price-to-income ratio is stated.
Mortgage / mo
$3,000
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (April to June 2026), NSW Rental Bond Board (DCJ). Census 2021 median: $705.
$730
Bond data Jun 2026 · houses $963 · units $650
HH Size
3.0
Personal Income / wk
$1,022
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
2.1%
Unoccupied
32
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.3%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.9%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
57.8%
Couples with children
33.3%
Couples, no children
7.8%
Single parent
1,326
Total families
Economy & Employment
Westleigh has a high-income, professional employment base. Household income is $3,021 per week, ranking at the 97.3rd percentile and sitting well above the national median; family income is $3,305 and personal income is $1,022. Healthcare and education each account for 15.9% of employment, followed by professional and technical services at 15.5%, finance at 8.2% and public administration at 6.5%. The leading occupations are professionals with 875 workers, managers with 445 and clerical or administrative staff with 335. Labour-force participation is 65.0%, unemployment is 3.2% and 57.9% work full time. Compared with lower-income suburbs, this earnings base helps explain why mortgage stress is low at 22.9% of household income and why 61.1% can work from home.
Unemployment
3.2%
Labour Force
2,371
Unemployed
75
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
57.9%
Part-time
33.7%
Participation
65.0%
Employed
2,296
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
57.6%
Postgraduate
18.7%
Born Overseas
34.0%
Dwellings
1,498
Transport to Work
Westleigh is better suited to residents who value home space and quiet routines than those seeking strong public-transport dependence. Work from home is unusually common at 61.1%, while 34.1% drive to work, only 2.0% use public transport and 1.1% walk or cycle. Compared with a transit-rich suburb, daily travel is more likely to require a car, although remote work reduces commuting pressure for many households. Families should verify school catchments, travel times and the sector mix of nearby government, Catholic and independent campuses against the exact address. Community participation is notable at 20.6% volunteering, while 3.4% need assistance. A current NSW Police crime map check is advisable before purchase or renting, rather than relying on housing stability alone.
Drive
34.1%
Public Transport
2.0%
Walk / Cycle
1.1%
Work from Home
61.1%
Population Forecast
+0.41%/yr
(+82 people/yr)
EstablishedWestleigh is tracking as a slow-growth, established suburb rather than a rapid expansion area. The forecast annual trend is 0.41%, while population change across the wider area is 6.2% over 10 years, slower than a high-growth corridor. Overseas migration is the primary driver, but the trajectory is labelled Mixed. The age shift supports an aging-resident pattern, with the senior share up 2.3 percentage points and the young share down 1.5 points. Forecast gentrification is scored 10 and classified as Not gentrifying, although a separate shift measure records a score of 33 and Early signs. Rent growth of 34.1% and real income growth of 15.0% may support property values, but the 0.41% annual trend points to gradual change rather than a sharp population surge.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+239
Net Internal / yr
-86
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Strong overseas inflow +239/yr
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Westleigh compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Westleigh a good suburb to live in?
Westleigh can suit households seeking larger detached homes, quiet streets and high work-from-home capacity. The median age is 45, 97.1% of dwellings are separate houses and 61.1% work from home. Compared with a high-density or transit-led suburb, it is better aligned with family space and car-based routines.
What is the median house price in Westleigh?
A current median house price should be checked against recent settled sales rather than inferred from rent. Westleigh is 97.1% separate houses, with 72.8% containing four or more bedrooms, so house-market comparisons are more relevant than apartment medians. Weekly rent is $705 and the typical mortgage payment is $3,000 per month.
What schools are in Westleigh?
School access is address-specific, so families should check nearby government, Catholic and independent campuses, enrolment zones and travel times before committing. Westleigh has a strong family profile, with couples with children representing 57.8% of families and average household size at 3.0 people. Catchment boundaries can matter more than suburb names.
Is Westleigh safe?
Check current NSW Police crime mapping and recent incident patterns for the exact streets being considered. Westleigh has a low 2.1% vacancy rate and 88.1% of residents stayed at the same address, indicating a settled housing market, but those figures are not a substitute for crime data. Compare local conditions street by street before deciding.
Is Westleigh good for property investment?
Westleigh may suit investors seeking family houses and lower rental turnover, but the tenant pool is smaller than in suburbs where renting is more common because only 7.0% of dwellings are rented. Weekly rent is $705, vacancy is 2.1% and rent growth is 34.1%. Thirty-one development applications in 12 months also indicate ongoing property activity.
How is Westleigh's population changing?
Change is gradual rather than rapid. The annual growth trend is 0.41%, and population change across the wider area is 6.2% over 10 years. Overseas migration is the primary driver, while the trajectory is Mixed. The senior share has increased by 2.3 percentage points and the young share has fallen by 1.5 points, consistent with an aging resident base.
Is there development happening in Westleigh?
Yes. Thirty-one development applications were recorded over 12 months, with examples including dwelling-house alterations and additions plus balcony, deck or patio modifications. This is more consistent with established-suburb renewal than a large apartment-led expansion. The 97.1% separate-house share and 2.1% vacancy rate reinforce that pattern.
What languages are spoken in Westleigh?
Westleigh has an overseas-born share of 34.0%, which is 12.4 percentage points above the national figure. Mandarin is spoken by 138 residents, Canton by 61, and Hindi and Korean by 29 each, followed by Arabic at 25. Compared with the national profile, these figures point to meaningful Asian-language representation alongside English-speaking households.
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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