Chatswood vs North Willoughby

Chatswood is the younger of the two, with a median age of 37 against 40 in North Willoughby. In Chatswood, about half of households rent and most homes are flats or apartments. In North Willoughby, most households own their home and about half of households are couple families. Houses cost more in North Willoughby: a median of $4 million, against $3.57 million in Chatswood. North Willoughby is closer to the city centre: 9.4 km, against 11.6 km. On these figures, Chatswood tends to suit renters, while North Willoughby suits families with children.

Which one suits you?

There is no overall winner — the suburb that suits a family with school-age kids is routinely the wrong one for someone commuting into the city. So each of these answers its own question, against a checklist you can see, using the same figures in the tables below.

Families with school-age kids

They split

one each way, out of the 6 things we measure here

  • Chatswood has more parks and reserves (22 vs 3)
  • North Willoughby carries lower crime risk (36/100 vs 79/100)

Weighs schools, house stock, crime, parks, childcare, and who already lives there.

First-home buyers

They split

one each way, out of the 3 things we measure here

  • Chatswood has cheaper houses ($3,570,000 vs $4,000,000)
  • North Willoughby has cheaper units ($1,062,500 vs $1,180,000)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Chatswood

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (52% vs 34%)

Weighs rent, rental stress, and how much is for rent.

Commuting to the city

Chatswood

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • gets more of its commuters onto trains and trams (8% vs 1%)
  • is more walkable (99/100 vs 83/100)
  • But North Willoughby sits closer to the CBD (9.4 km vs 11.6 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, rail access, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Chatswood

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (16 vs 0)
  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (72% vs 48%)
  • is more walkable (99/100 vs 83/100)
  • But North Willoughby carries lower crime risk (36/100 vs 79/100)

Weighs smaller dwellings, who already lives there, GPs, walkability, and crime.

Investors

Too close to call

Nothing among the 1 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

Chatswood and North Willoughby drawn to the same scale. Both outlines are shown together, so the map answers whether they share a border and how their areas compare.

Chatswood North Willoughby
Hides rows where both suburbs match

Bars start at zero. Scores, risks and rankings are drawn against their full 0–100 range; other rows are drawn in proportion to the larger of the two.

Side by side, out of 100

Risks are inverted — shown as safety and low exposure — so a longer bar always means better.

Chatswood North Willoughby
Walkability 99 / 83
Chatswood — Walkability: 99/100 North Willoughby — Walkability: 83/100
Safety 21 / 64
Chatswood — Safety: 21/100 North Willoughby — Safety: 64/100
Low fire risk 57 / 100
Chatswood — Low fire risk: 57/100 North Willoughby — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Chatswood has more residents (25,553 vs 4,161); North Willoughby has higher household incomes ($129,376 vs $112,216).

Chatswood North Willoughby
Population 25,553
+84% vs other
 4,161
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +2.6% -0.3%
Median age 37 40
Median household income $112,216/yr $129,376/yr
+15% vs other
Median weekly rent $577/wk $590/wk
+2% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Chatswood North Willoughby
0-4 5.0% / 5.7%
Chatswood — 0-4: 5.0% North Willoughby — 0-4: 5.7%
5-14 11.7% / 16.0%
Chatswood — 5-14: 11.7% North Willoughby — 5-14: 16.0%
15-19 4.8% / 5.6%
Chatswood — 15-19: 4.8% North Willoughby — 15-19: 5.6%
20-24 6.2% / 4.9%
Chatswood — 20-24: 6.2% North Willoughby — 20-24: 4.9%
25-34 16.6% / 9.3%
Chatswood — 25-34: 16.6% North Willoughby — 25-34: 9.3%
35-44 18.1% / 15.7%
Chatswood — 35-44: 18.1% North Willoughby — 35-44: 15.7%
45-54 12.9% / 15.2%
Chatswood — 45-54: 12.9% North Willoughby — 45-54: 15.2%
55-64 9.5% / 11.2%
Chatswood — 55-64: 9.5% North Willoughby — 55-64: 11.2%
65-74 8.2% / 8.4%
Chatswood — 65-74: 8.2% North Willoughby — 65-74: 8.4%
75-84 4.4% / 5.5%
Chatswood — 75-84: 4.4% North Willoughby — 75-84: 5.5%
85+ 2.4% / 2.4%
Chatswood — 85+: 2.4% North Willoughby — 85+: 2.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.1%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Chatswood 44.5% couple families
Chatswood — Couple Families: 44.5% Chatswood — Lone Person: 32.2% Chatswood — One Parent Families: 13.9% Chatswood — Group Household: 7.1% Chatswood — Other Families: 2.3%
North Willoughby 51.0% couple families
North Willoughby — Couple Families: 51.0% North Willoughby — Lone Person: 27.4% North Willoughby — One Parent Families: 16.7% North Willoughby — Group Household: 3.5% North Willoughby — Other Families: 1.4%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Chatswood 52.1% renting
Chatswood — Owned Outright: 27.1% Chatswood — Mortgage: 20.8% Chatswood — Renting: 52.1%
North Willoughby 33.5% renting
North Willoughby — Owned Outright: 39.1% North Willoughby — Mortgage: 27.3% North Willoughby — Renting: 33.5%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

Highest non-school qualification, residents 15+, 2021 Census.

Chatswood North Willoughby
Bachelor Degree 26.9% / 24.9%
Chatswood — Bachelor Degree: 26.9% North Willoughby — Bachelor Degree: 24.9%
Postgraduate Degree 14.8% / 9.6%
Chatswood — Postgraduate Degree: 14.8% North Willoughby — Postgraduate Degree: 9.6%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.7% / 8.1%
Chatswood — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.7% North Willoughby — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.1%
Certificate III & IV 3.8% / 5.5%
Chatswood — Certificate III & IV: 3.8% North Willoughby — Certificate III & IV: 5.5%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.1% / 2.7%
Chatswood — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.1% North Willoughby — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (26.9%).

Where residents were born

Largest overseas birthplaces, as a share of all residents, 2021 Census. A dash means that country is not among the suburb's own eight largest.

Chatswood North Willoughby
China 20.1% / 6.0%
Chatswood — China: 20.1% North Willoughby — China: 6.0%
England 2.1% / 3.4%
Chatswood — England: 2.1% North Willoughby — England: 3.4%
India 4.0% / 1.1%
Chatswood — India: 4.0% North Willoughby — India: 1.1%
Japan 2.5% / 1.4%
Chatswood — Japan: 2.5% North Willoughby — Japan: 1.4%
Philippines 2.0% / 1.6%
Chatswood — Philippines: 2.0% North Willoughby — Philippines: 1.6%
Malaysia 2.4% / —
Chatswood — Malaysia: 2.4% North Willoughby — Malaysia: not among its largest
Taiwan 2.4% / —
Chatswood — Taiwan: 2.4% North Willoughby — Taiwan: not among its largest
New Zealand — / 1.7%
Chatswood — New Zealand: not among its largest North Willoughby — New Zealand: 1.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (20.1%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Chatswood 67.7% flats / apartments
Chatswood — Flats / Apartments: 67.7% Chatswood — Houses: 27.9% Chatswood — Townhouses: 4.3%
North Willoughby 30.8% flats / apartments
North Willoughby — Flats / Apartments: 30.8% North Willoughby — Houses: 52.2% North Willoughby — Townhouses: 16.9%
Flats / Apartments Houses Townhouses

Property market

Chatswood North Willoughby
Median house price $3,570,000 $4,000,000
Median unit price $1,180,000 $1,062,500
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 29 days
from 77 sales
 —

House price by bedroom count

Only bed counts both suburbs published enough sales for. Sale counts are shown because the buckets differ in depth.

Chatswood North Willoughby
3 bed $3.2M / $4.18M
Chatswood — 3 bed: $3.2M (29 sales) North Willoughby — 3 bed: $4.18M (13 sales)

29 vs 13 sales

4 bed $3.33M / $3.95M
Chatswood — 4 bed: $3.33M (28 sales) North Willoughby — 4 bed: $3.95M (9 sales)

28 vs 9 sales

Unit price by bedroom count

Only bed counts both suburbs published enough sales for. Sale counts are shown because the buckets differ in depth.

Chatswood North Willoughby
1 bed $830K / $880K
Chatswood — 1 bed: $830K (47 sales) North Willoughby — 1 bed: $880K (5 sales)

47 vs 5 sales

2 bed $1.18M / $1.07M
Chatswood — 2 bed: $1.18M (93 sales) North Willoughby — 2 bed: $1.07M (9 sales)

93 vs 9 sales

Zoning mix

Chatswood has more land zoned for conservation (13% vs 0%).

Chatswood North Willoughby
Residential 61% 89%
Environmental 13% 0%
Parks and recreation 9% 5%
Commercial 7% 4%
Industrial 5% 0%
Infrastructure and transport 5% 3%
Zoning sets what may be built, not what is there today. A single address can sit in a different zone to the suburb around it. Zones as at 2026-09.

Development activity

Chatswood North Willoughby
New dwellings approved 249
across Willoughby
same for both
Approvals change year on year +458%
same for both

Gross rental yield

Gross — before strata, rates, management, insurance and vacancy. From median advertised rents and median asking prices over the last 6 months. How we calculate.

Chatswood North Willoughby
Houses 2.3%
$1,500/wk on $3.4M
 —
Units 4.7%
$850/wk on $950K
 —

Ranking within NSW

Chatswood North Willoughby
House price Higher than 96% of NSW Higher than 95% of NSW
Income Higher than 77% of NSW Higher than 88% of NSW
Schools Higher than 97% of NSW —
Walkability Higher than 99% of NSW Higher than 93% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 5% of NSW Higher than 8% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 99% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 79% of NSW Higher than 89% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 4% of NSW —
Rental yield (units) Higher than 51% of NSW —

Liveability

Chatswood is more walkable (99 vs 83); North Willoughby scores higher overall (87 vs 75).

Chatswood North Willoughby
Grade A A+
Score 75/100 87/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
same for both

Risk profile

Chatswood carries more bushfire risk (43 vs 0); Chatswood carries more crime risk (79 vs 36).

Chatswood North Willoughby
Bushfire Moderate
43/100
 None
0/100
Crime High
79/100
 Low
36/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 5
within 5 km
 3
within 5 km

Schools

Chatswood North Willoughby
Inside the suburb 5 1
Rated above peers 5 1
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both
Universities within 10 km 3
Australian Catholic University-North Sydney Campus, 5.2 km
 3
Australian Catholic University-North Sydney Campus, 4.7 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 3.9% 3.5%

Schools in Chatswood

  • Chatswood High School Government · Secondary above peers
  • Chatswood Public School Government · Primary above peers
  • Mercy Catholic College Catholic · Secondary above peers
  • Our Lady of Dolours Catholic Primary School Catholic · Primary above peers
  • St Pius X College Independent · Combined above peers

Schools in North Willoughby

  • St Thomas' Catholic Primary School Catholic · Primary above peers

Amenities in the suburb

Chatswood North Willoughby
Supermarkets 16 0
Cafes & restaurants 187 10
Parks & reserves 22 3
Childcare 21 5
GPs 16 0
Pharmacies 13 1
Hospitals 2 0
Police stations 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 10 1
Fuel stations 3 2
EV chargers 1 0
Waterways 11 0

Mobility

Chatswood sits further from the CBD (11.6 km vs 9.4 km).

Chatswood North Willoughby
Walkability score 99/100 83/100
Distance to Sydney 11.6 km
+19% vs other
 9.4 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 17 min 15 min
Public transport score 94/100
Rail · Bus
 79/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 604.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
 161.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 4.0%
postcode 2067
 4.5%
postcode 2068
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 11
postcode 2067
 28
postcode 2068

How people get to work

Method of travel on census day 2021 — which fell during COVID restrictions, so working from home is inflated and every travel mode understated.

Chatswood North Willoughby
Worked from Home 57.3% / 60.6%
Chatswood — Worked from Home: 57.3% North Willoughby — Worked from Home: 60.6%
Car (driver) 21.3% / 27.9%
Chatswood — Car (driver): 21.3% North Willoughby — Car (driver): 27.9%
Walked Only 8.1% / 3.5%
Chatswood — Walked Only: 8.1% North Willoughby — Walked Only: 3.5%
Train 7.9% / 1.1%
Chatswood — Train: 7.9% North Willoughby — Train: 1.1%
Bus 2.7% / 4.1%
Chatswood — Bus: 2.7% North Willoughby — Bus: 4.1%
Car (passenger) 2.3% / 2.4%
Chatswood — Car (passenger): 2.3% North Willoughby — Car (passenger): 2.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (60.6%).

Setting

Chatswood North Willoughby
Elevation 105 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 95 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 6.3 km
4.4 km to a named beach
 4.6 km
2.7 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Chatswood North Willoughby
Connectivity score 73/100 80/100
Most common technology Hybrid fibre-coaxial
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 12%
15,688 premises
 17%
1,837 premises

Climate

Chatswood North Willoughby
Annual rainfall 1,176 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Chatswood North Willoughby
PM2.5 5.4 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 14.2 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.23 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Chatswood North Willoughby
Average residential rate $1,275/yr
same for both
Council Willoughby
same for both

Federal electorate

Chatswood North Willoughby
Division Bradfield
same for both
Member Nicolette Boele
same for both
Party Independent
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Chatswood North Willoughby
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Chatswood

Apartments Cafe Culture Easy Commute Middle-Ring Multicultural Parks Professionals Transport Hub Urban

North Willoughby

Luxury Middle-Ring Parks Professionals Urban

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Chatswood

Chatswood vs Lane Cove North Chatswood vs Lindfield Chatswood vs Roseville Chatswood vs Artarmon Chatswood vs Willoughby Chatswood vs Castle Cove

Other comparisons with North Willoughby

North Willoughby vs Willoughby North Willoughby vs Willoughby East North Willoughby vs Middle Cove
Full data on Chatswood Full data on North Willoughby
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Information shown is provided as-is from Australian government and commercial data sources.
Always verify with the relevant authority before making property decisions.
See Data Sources and How We Calculate for details.

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