Chatswood vs Roseville

Chatswood is the younger of the two, with a median age of 37 against 40 in Roseville. In Chatswood, about half of households rent and most homes are flats or apartments. In Roseville, most households own their home, most homes are detached houses, and most households are couple families. Houses cost more in Roseville: a median of $3.99 million, against $3.57 million in Chatswood. On these figures, Chatswood tends to suit renters and people living alone, while Roseville suits couples.

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 schools rated above their peers (5 vs 2)
  • Roseville carries lower crime risk (27/100 vs 79/100)

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

First-home buyers

Chatswood

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($3,570,000 vs $3,990,000)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

They split

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

  • Chatswood has a bigger rental market to choose from (52% vs 26%)
  • Roseville leaves renters under less rental stress (19% vs 27%)

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

Commuting to the city

Chatswood

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (99/100 vs 80/100)

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 2)
  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (72% vs 31%)
  • is more walkable (99/100 vs 80/100)
  • But Roseville carries lower crime risk (27/100 vs 79/100)

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

Investors

Too close to call

Nothing among the 3 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs house yield, unit yield, and population growth.

Where they sit

Chatswood and Roseville 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 Roseville
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 Roseville
Walkability 99 / 80
Chatswood — Walkability: 99/100 Roseville — Walkability: 80/100
Safety 21 / 73
Chatswood — Safety: 21/100 Roseville — Safety: 73/100
Low fire risk 57 / 48
Chatswood — Low fire risk: 57/100 Roseville — Low fire risk: 48/100

Demographics

Chatswood has more residents (25,553 vs 10,340); Roseville has higher household incomes ($166,400 vs $112,216).

Chatswood Roseville
Population 25,553
+60% vs other
 10,340
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +2.6%
same for both
Median age 37 40
Median household income $112,216/yr $166,400/yr
+48% vs other
Median weekly rent $577/wk $600/wk
+4% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Chatswood Roseville
0-4 5.0% / 4.7%
Chatswood — 0-4: 5.0% Roseville — 0-4: 4.7%
5-14 11.7% / 15.4%
Chatswood — 5-14: 11.7% Roseville — 5-14: 15.4%
15-19 4.8% / 7.4%
Chatswood — 15-19: 4.8% Roseville — 15-19: 7.4%
20-24 6.2% / 5.9%
Chatswood — 20-24: 6.2% Roseville — 20-24: 5.9%
25-34 16.6% / 9.5%
Chatswood — 25-34: 16.6% Roseville — 25-34: 9.5%
35-44 18.1% / 14.3%
Chatswood — 35-44: 18.1% Roseville — 35-44: 14.3%
45-54 12.9% / 14.7%
Chatswood — 45-54: 12.9% Roseville — 45-54: 14.7%
55-64 9.5% / 11.2%
Chatswood — 55-64: 9.5% Roseville — 55-64: 11.2%
65-74 8.2% / 9.5%
Chatswood — 65-74: 8.2% Roseville — 65-74: 9.5%
75-84 4.4% / 5.2%
Chatswood — 75-84: 4.4% Roseville — 75-84: 5.2%
85+ 2.4% / 2.3%
Chatswood — 85+: 2.4% Roseville — 85+: 2.3%

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%
Roseville 61.6% couple families
Roseville — Couple Families: 61.6% Roseville — Lone Person: 21.8% Roseville — One Parent Families: 12.0% Roseville — Group Household: 3.7% Roseville — Other Families: 0.9%
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%
Roseville 26.3% renting
Roseville — Owned Outright: 39.6% Roseville — Mortgage: 34.0% Roseville — Renting: 26.3%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Chatswood Roseville
Bachelor Degree 26.9% / 27.4%
Chatswood — Bachelor Degree: 26.9% Roseville — Bachelor Degree: 27.4%
Postgraduate Degree 14.8% / 15.0%
Chatswood — Postgraduate Degree: 14.8% Roseville — Postgraduate Degree: 15.0%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.7% / 6.8%
Chatswood — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.7% Roseville — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.8%
Certificate III & IV 3.8% / 3.3%
Chatswood — Certificate III & IV: 3.8% Roseville — Certificate III & IV: 3.3%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.1% / 3.0%
Chatswood — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.1% Roseville — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (27.4%).

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 Roseville
China 20.1% / 9.9%
Chatswood — China: 20.1% Roseville — China: 9.9%
England 2.1% / 4.3%
Chatswood — England: 2.1% Roseville — England: 4.3%
India 4.0% / 1.4%
Chatswood — India: 4.0% Roseville — India: 1.4%
Malaysia 2.4% / 1.5%
Chatswood — Malaysia: 2.4% Roseville — Malaysia: 1.5%
Taiwan 2.4% / 1.0%
Chatswood — Taiwan: 2.4% Roseville — Taiwan: 1.0%
Japan 2.5% / —
Chatswood — Japan: 2.5% Roseville — Japan: not among its largest
New Zealand — / 1.9%
Chatswood — New Zealand: not among its largest Roseville — New Zealand: 1.9%

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

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Chatswood 27.9% houses
Chatswood — Houses: 27.9% Chatswood — Flats / Apartments: 67.7% Chatswood — Townhouses: 4.3%
Roseville 68.8% houses
Roseville — Houses: 68.8% Roseville — Flats / Apartments: 28.4% Roseville — Townhouses: 2.8%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Chatswood Roseville
Median house price $3,570,000 $3,990,000
Median unit price $1,180,000 $1,075,000
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 29 days
from 77 sales
 23 days
from 94 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 Roseville
3 bed $3.2M / $3.1M
Chatswood — 3 bed: $3.2M (29 sales) Roseville — 3 bed: $3.1M (24 sales)

29 vs 24 sales

4 bed $3.33M / $3.9M
Chatswood — 4 bed: $3.33M (28 sales) Roseville — 4 bed: $3.9M (50 sales)

28 vs 50 sales

5 bed $4.37M / $4.5M
Chatswood — 5 bed: $4.37M (26 sales) Roseville — 5 bed: $4.5M (38 sales)

26 vs 38 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 Roseville
1 bed $830K / $715K
Chatswood — 1 bed: $830K (47 sales) Roseville — 1 bed: $715K (19 sales)

47 vs 19 sales

2 bed $1.18M / $990K
Chatswood — 2 bed: $1.18M (93 sales) Roseville — 2 bed: $990K (71 sales)

93 vs 71 sales

3 bed $1.8M / $1.48M
Chatswood — 3 bed: $1.8M (44 sales) Roseville — 3 bed: $1.48M (27 sales)

44 vs 27 sales

Zoning mix

Chatswood Roseville
Residential 61% 76%
Environmental 13% 9%
Parks and recreation 9% 6%
Commercial 7% 1%
Infrastructure and transport 5%
same for both
Industrial 5% 2%
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 Roseville
New dwellings approved 249
across Willoughby
 908
across Ku-ring-gai
Approvals change year on year +458% +0%

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 Roseville
Houses 2.3%
$1,500/wk on $3.4M
 2.3%
$1,650/wk on $3.67M
Units 4.7%
$850/wk on $950K
 4.8%
$878/wk on $950K

Ranking within NSW

Chatswood Roseville
House price Higher than 96% of NSW Higher than 97% of NSW
Income Higher than 77% of NSW Higher than 97% of NSW
Schools Higher than 97% of NSW —
Walkability Higher than 99% of NSW Higher than 92% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 5% of NSW Higher than 10% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 99% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 79% of NSW Higher than 92% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 4% of NSW Higher than 5% of NSW
Rental yield (units) Higher than 51% of NSW Higher than 58% of NSW

Liveability

Chatswood is more walkable (99 vs 80).

Chatswood Roseville
Grade A
same for both
Score 75/100 79/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
same for both

Risk profile

Chatswood carries more crime risk (79 vs 27).

Chatswood Roseville
Bushfire Moderate
43/100
 Moderate
52/100
Crime High
79/100
 Low
27/100
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
 4
within 5 km

Schools

Chatswood Roseville
Inside the suburb 5 2
Rated above peers 5 2
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
Macquarie University Wallumattagal Campus at North Ryde, 5.1 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 3.9% 4.6%

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 Roseville

  • Roseville College Independent · Combined above peers
  • Roseville Public School Government · Primary above peers

Amenities in the suburb

Chatswood Roseville
Supermarkets 16 0
Cafes & restaurants 187 12
Parks & reserves 22 16
Childcare 21 10
GPs 16 2
Pharmacies 13 2
Hospitals 2 0
Police stations 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 10 1
Fuel stations 3 2
EV chargers 1 0
Waterways 11 7

Mobility

Chatswood Roseville
Walkability score 99/100 80/100
Distance to Sydney 11.6 km 12 km
+3% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 17 min 20 min
Public transport score 94/100
Rail · Bus
same for both
Peak arrivals per hour 604.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
 300.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 4.0%
postcode 2067
 4.7%
postcode 2069
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 11
postcode 2067
 30
postcode 2069

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 Roseville
Worked from Home 57.3% / 64.3%
Chatswood — Worked from Home: 57.3% Roseville — Worked from Home: 64.3%
Car (driver) 21.3% / 26.1%
Chatswood — Car (driver): 21.3% Roseville — Car (driver): 26.1%
Train 7.9% / 4.3%
Chatswood — Train: 7.9% Roseville — Train: 4.3%
Walked Only 8.1% / 1.9%
Chatswood — Walked Only: 8.1% Roseville — Walked Only: 1.9%
Car (passenger) 2.3% / 2.0%
Chatswood — Car (passenger): 2.3% Roseville — Car (passenger): 2.0%
Bus 2.7% / 1.1%
Chatswood — Bus: 2.7% Roseville — Bus: 1.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (64.3%).

Setting

Chatswood Roseville
Elevation 105 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 87 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 6.3 km
4.4 km to a named beach
 6.7 km
4.0 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Chatswood Roseville
Connectivity score 73/100 84/100
Most common technology Hybrid fibre-coaxial Fibre to the premises
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 12%
15,688 premises
 35%
4,339 premises

Climate

Chatswood Roseville
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 Roseville
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 Roseville
Average residential rate $1,275/yr $1,626/yr
Council Willoughby Ku-ring-gai

Federal electorate

Chatswood Roseville
Division Bradfield
same for both
Member Nicolette Boele
same for both
Party Independent
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Chatswood Roseville
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

Roseville

Easy Commute Middle-Ring Parks Professionals River Transport Hub

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Chatswood

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

Other comparisons with Roseville

Roseville vs Lindfield Roseville vs East Lindfield Roseville vs Castle Cove Roseville vs Roseville Chase Roseville vs Chatswood West
Full data on Chatswood Full data on Roseville
Unlock full address-level data — $29/month

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.

Save this page for later

We'll email you a link to this page so you can finish reading it on any device. We use your address once to send it and don't keep it.

or