Chifley vs Malabar

Chifley is the younger of the two, with a median age of 42 against 46 in Malabar. In both, most households own their home and most homes are detached houses. In Chifley, most households are couple families. In Malabar, about half of households are couple families. Houses cost more in Malabar: a median of $3.2 million, against $2.69 million in Chifley, though rent is higher in Chifley. On these figures, Chifley tends to suit families with children, couples, and buyers on a tighter budget, while Malabar suits people living alone.

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

  • Chifley has more childcare (8 vs 5)
  • Malabar has more parks and reserves (10 vs 3)

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

First-home buyers

Chifley

ahead on 2 of the 2 things we measure here

  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (32% vs 50%)
  • has cheaper houses ($2,690,000 vs $3,200,000)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Malabar

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper rent ($150/wk vs $400/wk)
  • leaves renters under less rental stress (8% vs 17%)

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

Commuting to the city

They split

one each way, out of the 4 things we measure here

  • Chifley has a shorter drive in (24 min vs 29 min)
  • Malabar is more walkable (75/100 vs 60/100)

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

Downsizers and retirees

Malabar

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more residents already 65 and over (21% vs 16%)
  • is more walkable (75/100 vs 60/100)

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

Investors

Chifley

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (7.9% vs -13.0%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Chifley Malabar
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.

Chifley Malabar
Walkability 60 / 75
Chifley — Walkability: 60/100 Malabar — Walkability: 75/100
Safety 39 / 37
Chifley — Safety: 39/100 Malabar — Safety: 37/100
Low fire risk 100 / 70
Chifley — Low fire risk: 100/100 Malabar — Low fire risk: 70/100

Demographics

Chifley rents higher ($400/wk vs $150/wk); Malabar has more residents (4,714 vs 3,490).

Chifley Malabar
Population 3,490 4,714
+35% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +7.9% -13.0%
Median age 42 46
Median household income $120,172/yr
+23% vs other
 $93,080/yr
Median weekly rent $400/wk
+62% vs other
 $150/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Chifley Malabar
0-4 6.0% / 3.5%
Chifley — 0-4: 6.0% Malabar — 0-4: 3.5%
5-14 14.6% / 9.4%
Chifley — 5-14: 14.6% Malabar — 5-14: 9.4%
15-19 7.0% / 5.2%
Chifley — 15-19: 7.0% Malabar — 15-19: 5.2%
20-24 6.1% / 5.2%
Chifley — 20-24: 6.1% Malabar — 20-24: 5.2%
25-34 8.0% / 11.0%
Chifley — 25-34: 8.0% Malabar — 25-34: 11.0%
35-44 12.8% / 13.2%
Chifley — 35-44: 12.8% Malabar — 35-44: 13.2%
45-54 15.6% / 16.6%
Chifley — 45-54: 15.6% Malabar — 45-54: 16.6%
55-64 14.0% / 14.5%
Chifley — 55-64: 14.0% Malabar — 55-64: 14.5%
65-74 9.7% / 11.2%
Chifley — 65-74: 9.7% Malabar — 65-74: 11.2%
75-84 4.7% / 7.4%
Chifley — 75-84: 4.7% Malabar — 75-84: 7.4%
85+ 2.0% / 2.8%
Chifley — 85+: 2.0% Malabar — 85+: 2.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.6%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Chifley 55.9% couple families
Chifley — Couple Families: 55.9% Chifley — Lone Person: 24.8% Chifley — One Parent Families: 16.4% Chifley — Group Household: 1.9% Chifley — Other Families: 1.1%
Malabar 45.2% couple families
Malabar — Couple Families: 45.2% Malabar — Lone Person: 37.2% Malabar — One Parent Families: 13.9% Malabar — Group Household: 2.1% Malabar — Other Families: 1.6%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Chifley 31.1% renting
Chifley — Owned Outright: 34.2% Chifley — Mortgage: 34.7% Chifley — Renting: 31.1%
Malabar 35.5% renting
Malabar — Owned Outright: 37.4% Malabar — Mortgage: 27.1% Malabar — Renting: 35.5%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Chifley Malabar
Bachelor Degree 12.6% / 12.2%
Chifley — Bachelor Degree: 12.6% Malabar — Bachelor Degree: 12.2%
Certificate III & IV 12.6% / 9.4%
Chifley — Certificate III & IV: 12.6% Malabar — Certificate III & IV: 9.4%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.0% / 6.2%
Chifley — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.0% Malabar — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.2%
Postgraduate Degree 5.7% / 6.0%
Chifley — Postgraduate Degree: 5.7% Malabar — Postgraduate Degree: 6.0%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.3% / 1.1%
Chifley — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.3% Malabar — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (12.6%).

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.

Chifley Malabar
England 3.1% / 4.0%
Chifley — England: 3.1% Malabar — England: 4.0%
New Zealand 1.9% / 1.6%
Chifley — New Zealand: 1.9% Malabar — New Zealand: 1.6%
China 1.6% / 1.5%
Chifley — China: 1.6% Malabar — China: 1.5%
Ireland 1.5% / 0.9%
Chifley — Ireland: 1.5% Malabar — Ireland: 0.9%
France 1.1% / 1.0%
Chifley — France: 1.1% Malabar — France: 1.0%
Malaysia 0.9% / 1.0%
Chifley — Malaysia: 0.9% Malabar — Malaysia: 1.0%
South Africa 1.2% / —
Chifley — South Africa: 1.2% Malabar — South Africa: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (4.0%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Chifley 58.8% houses
Chifley — Houses: 58.8% Chifley — Flats / Apartments: 15.8% Chifley — Townhouses: 25.4%
Malabar 61.8% houses
Malabar — Houses: 61.8% Malabar — Flats / Apartments: 26.1% Malabar — Townhouses: 12.1%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Chifley Malabar
Median house price $2,690,000 $3,200,000
Median unit price — $2,157,500
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 26 days
from 22 sales
 28 days
from 11 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.

Chifley Malabar
3 bed $2.31M / $3.29M
Chifley — 3 bed: $2.31M (16 sales) Malabar — 3 bed: $3.29M (8 sales)

16 vs 8 sales

4 bed $2.7M / $2.83M
Chifley — 4 bed: $2.7M (23 sales) Malabar — 4 bed: $2.83M (13 sales)

23 vs 13 sales

Zoning mix

Malabar has more land zoned for conservation (20% vs 6%).

Chifley Malabar
Residential 70% 23%
Parks and recreation 11% 39%
Environmental 6% 20%
Infrastructure and transport 13% 18%
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

Chifley Malabar
New dwellings approved 455
across Randwick
same for both
Approvals change year on year -26%
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Chifley Malabar
House price Higher than 92% of NSW Higher than 95% of NSW
Income Higher than 84% of NSW Higher than 60% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 85% of NSW Higher than 90% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 12% of NSW Higher than 3% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 90% of NSW Higher than 91% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 93% of NSW Higher than 94% of NSW

Liveability

Malabar is more walkable (75 vs 60); Chifley scores higher overall (71 vs 63).

Chifley Malabar
Grade A B
Score 71/100 63/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 9/10
same for both

Risk profile

Malabar carries more bushfire risk (30 vs 0).

Chifley Malabar
Bushfire None
0/100
 Low
30/100
Crime Moderate
61/100
 Moderate
63/100
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 22
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Chifley Malabar
Inside the suburb 2
same for both
Rated above peers 1 2
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 1 0
Universities within 10 km 2
The University of New South Wales, 6.5 km
 2
The University of New South Wales, 6.2 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 2.8% 2.1%

Schools in Chifley

  • Chifley Public School Government · Primary above peers
  • Matraville Sports High School Government · Secondary below peers

Schools in Malabar

  • Malabar Public School Government · Primary above peers
  • St Andrew's Catholic Primary School Catholic · Primary above peers

Amenities in the suburb

Chifley Malabar
Supermarkets 0 1
Cafes & restaurants 0 4
Parks & reserves 3 10
Childcare 8 5
GPs 0 1
Pharmacies 0 1
Hospitals 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 1
EV chargers 1 0
Beaches 0 1

Mobility

Chifley Malabar
Walkability score 60/100 75/100
Distance to Sydney 15.3 km 16.4 km
+7% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 24 min 29 min
Public transport score 79/100
Bus
same for both
Peak arrivals per hour 126.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
 198.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 1.6%
postcode 2036
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 19
postcode 2036
same for both

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.

Chifley Malabar
Worked from Home 42.5% / 48.6%
Chifley — Worked from Home: 42.5% Malabar — Worked from Home: 48.6%
Car (driver) 46.1% / 43.2%
Chifley — Car (driver): 46.1% Malabar — Car (driver): 43.2%
Car (passenger) 4.9% / 3.0%
Chifley — Car (passenger): 4.9% Malabar — Car (passenger): 3.0%
Bus 3.5% / 2.7%
Chifley — Bus: 3.5% Malabar — Bus: 2.7%
Walked Only 2.0% / 1.4%
Chifley — Walked Only: 2.0% Malabar — Walked Only: 1.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (48.6%).

Setting

Chifley Malabar
Elevation 30 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 16 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 1.2 km
1.3 km to a named beach
 125 m
144 m to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Chifley Malabar
Connectivity score 87/100 88/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises Fibre to the curb
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 40%
1,321 premises
 41%
1,595 premises

Climate

Chifley Malabar
Annual rainfall 1,129 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 27.5°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 9.5°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Chifley Malabar
PM2.5 6.1 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 16.8 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.64 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Chifley Malabar
Average residential rate $1,641/yr
same for both
Council Randwick
same for both

Federal electorate

Chifley Malabar
Division Kingsford Smith
same for both
Member Matt Thistlethwaite
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Chifley Malabar
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Chifley

Beach Coastal Middle-Ring Parks Premium Townhouses Urban

Malabar

Beach Beachfront Coastal Middle-Ring Multicultural Parks Premium

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Chifley

Chifley vs Matraville Chifley vs Little Bay

Other comparisons with Malabar

Malabar vs Maroubra Malabar vs Matraville Malabar vs Little Bay
Full data on Chifley Full data on Malabar
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.

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