Dulwich Hill vs Earlwood

Dulwich Hill is the younger of the two, with a median age of 38 against 44 in Earlwood. In Dulwich Hill, about half of households rent, most homes are flats or apartments, and about half of households are people living alone. In Earlwood, the large majority of households own their home, the large majority of homes are detached houses, and about half of households are couple families. Houses cost more in Dulwich Hill: a median of $2.36 million, against $2.08 million in Earlwood, though rent is higher in Earlwood. Dulwich Hill is closer to the city centre: 10 km, against 12.7 km. On these figures, Dulwich Hill tends to suit renters and people living alone, while Earlwood 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

Earlwood

ahead on 5 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more separate houses rather than flats (80% vs 29%)
  • has more parks and reserves (16 vs 10)
  • is already more of a family suburb (70% vs 44%)
  • But Dulwich Hill has more schools rated above their peers (2 vs 1)

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

First-home buyers

Earlwood

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($2,080,000 vs $2,361,000)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Dulwich Hill

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (47% vs 21%)
  • has cheaper rent ($470/wk vs $570/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Dulwich Hill

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • has a shorter drive in (19 min vs 25 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (10 km vs 12.7 km)

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

Downsizers and retirees

Earlwood

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (6 vs 1)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (21% vs 14%)
  • carries lower crime risk (33/100 vs 47/100)
  • But Dulwich Hill has more units and townhouses to downsize into (71% vs 20%)

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

Investors

Dulwich Hill

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • returns a higher gross yield on units (4.4% vs 3.9%)

Weighs house yield, unit yield, and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Dulwich Hill Earlwood
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.

Dulwich Hill Earlwood
Walkability 93 / 91
Dulwich Hill — Walkability: 93/100 Earlwood — Walkability: 91/100
Safety 53 / 67
Dulwich Hill — Safety: 53/100 Earlwood — Safety: 67/100
Low fire risk 100 / 79
Dulwich Hill — Low fire risk: 100/100 Earlwood — Low fire risk: 79/100

Demographics

Earlwood has more residents (18,053 vs 14,046); Earlwood rents higher ($570/wk vs $470/wk).

Dulwich Hill Earlwood
Population 14,046 18,053
+29% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +2.4% +1.8%
Median age 38 44
Median household income $108,940/yr $112,528/yr
+3% vs other
Median weekly rent $470/wk $570/wk
+21% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Dulwich Hill Earlwood
0-4 4.7% / 4.8%
Dulwich Hill — 0-4: 4.7% Earlwood — 0-4: 4.8%
5-14 9.4% / 11.8%
Dulwich Hill — 5-14: 9.4% Earlwood — 5-14: 11.8%
15-19 4.4% / 6.1%
Dulwich Hill — 15-19: 4.4% Earlwood — 15-19: 6.1%
20-24 5.5% / 5.4%
Dulwich Hill — 20-24: 5.5% Earlwood — 20-24: 5.4%
25-34 19.4% / 10.2%
Dulwich Hill — 25-34: 19.4% Earlwood — 25-34: 10.2%
35-44 17.2% / 12.6%
Dulwich Hill — 35-44: 17.2% Earlwood — 35-44: 12.6%
45-54 14.6% / 15.7%
Dulwich Hill — 45-54: 14.6% Earlwood — 45-54: 15.7%
55-64 11.2% / 12.6%
Dulwich Hill — 55-64: 11.2% Earlwood — 55-64: 12.6%
65-74 7.0% / 9.5%
Dulwich Hill — 65-74: 7.0% Earlwood — 65-74: 9.5%
75-84 4.6% / 7.6%
Dulwich Hill — 75-84: 4.6% Earlwood — 75-84: 7.6%
85+ 2.0% / 3.5%
Dulwich Hill — 85+: 2.0% Earlwood — 85+: 3.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (19.4%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Dulwich Hill 31.2% couple families
Dulwich Hill — Couple Families: 31.2% Dulwich Hill — Lone Person: 45.5% Dulwich Hill — One Parent Families: 13.2% Dulwich Hill — Group Household: 8.6% Dulwich Hill — Other Families: 1.6%
Earlwood 54.3% couple families
Earlwood — Couple Families: 54.3% Earlwood — Lone Person: 24.8% Earlwood — One Parent Families: 16.0% Earlwood — Group Household: 3.4% Earlwood — Other Families: 1.5%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Dulwich Hill 46.9% renting
Dulwich Hill — Owned Outright: 25.4% Dulwich Hill — Mortgage: 27.7% Dulwich Hill — Renting: 46.9%
Earlwood 21.1% renting
Earlwood — Owned Outright: 45.6% Earlwood — Mortgage: 33.3% Earlwood — Renting: 21.1%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Dulwich Hill Earlwood
Bachelor Degree 24.4% / 16.4%
Dulwich Hill — Bachelor Degree: 24.4% Earlwood — Bachelor Degree: 16.4%
Certificate III & IV 7.3% / 9.4%
Dulwich Hill — Certificate III & IV: 7.3% Earlwood — Certificate III & IV: 9.4%
Postgraduate Degree 10.4% / 6.0%
Dulwich Hill — Postgraduate Degree: 10.4% Earlwood — Postgraduate Degree: 6.0%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.4% / 7.8%
Dulwich Hill — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.4% Earlwood — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.8%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 3.6% / 1.8%
Dulwich Hill — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.6% Earlwood — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (24.4%).

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.

Dulwich Hill Earlwood
Greece 2.7% / 7.4%
Dulwich Hill — Greece: 2.7% Earlwood — Greece: 7.4%
England 3.5% / 1.8%
Dulwich Hill — England: 3.5% Earlwood — England: 1.8%
China 1.4% / 3.0%
Dulwich Hill — China: 1.4% Earlwood — China: 3.0%
Vietnam 1.9% / 2.4%
Dulwich Hill — Vietnam: 1.9% Earlwood — Vietnam: 2.4%
Lebanon 1.5% / 2.4%
Dulwich Hill — Lebanon: 1.5% Earlwood — Lebanon: 2.4%
Italy 1.0% / 2.2%
Dulwich Hill — Italy: 1.0% Earlwood — Italy: 2.2%
New Zealand 1.8% / 1.1%
Dulwich Hill — New Zealand: 1.8% Earlwood — New Zealand: 1.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (7.4%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Dulwich Hill 28.8% houses
Dulwich Hill — Houses: 28.8% Dulwich Hill — Flats / Apartments: 60.3% Dulwich Hill — Townhouses: 10.8%
Earlwood 80.1% houses
Earlwood — Houses: 80.1% Earlwood — Flats / Apartments: 11.6% Earlwood — Townhouses: 8.3%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Dulwich Hill Earlwood
Median house price $2,361,000 $2,080,000
Median unit price $935,000 $881,000
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 24 days
from 76 sales
 24 days
from 166 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.

Dulwich Hill Earlwood
2 bed $990K / $870K
Dulwich Hill — 2 bed: $990K (132 sales) Earlwood — 2 bed: $870K (29 sales)

132 vs 29 sales

3 bed $1.1M / $1.24M
Dulwich Hill — 3 bed: $1.1M (7 sales) Earlwood — 3 bed: $1.24M (6 sales)

7 vs 6 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.

Dulwich Hill Earlwood
2 bed $1.89M / $1.77M
Dulwich Hill — 2 bed: $1.89M (20 sales) Earlwood — 2 bed: $1.77M (26 sales)

20 vs 26 sales

3 bed $2.29M / $2M
Dulwich Hill — 3 bed: $2.29M (68 sales) Earlwood — 3 bed: $2M (131 sales)

68 vs 131 sales

4 bed $2.95M / $2.4M
Dulwich Hill — 4 bed: $2.95M (28 sales) Earlwood — 4 bed: $2.4M (44 sales)

28 vs 44 sales

5 bed $3.5M / $2.8M
Dulwich Hill — 5 bed: $3.5M (6 sales) Earlwood — 5 bed: $2.8M (25 sales)

6 vs 25 sales

Zoning mix

Dulwich Hill Earlwood
Residential 80% 74%
Infrastructure and transport 11% 2%
Parks and recreation 4% 11%
Environmental 0% 10%
Commercial 4% 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

Dulwich Hill Earlwood
New dwellings approved 849
across Inner West
 1,785
across Canterbury-Bankstown
Approvals change year on year -25% +50%

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.

Dulwich Hill Earlwood
Houses 2.5%
$1,100/wk on $2.3M
 2.8%
$1,140/wk on $2.1M
Units 4.4%
$692/wk on $825K
 3.9%
$640/wk on $848K

Ranking within NSW

Dulwich Hill Earlwood
House price Higher than 89% of NSW Higher than 86% of NSW
Income Higher than 74% of NSW Higher than 78% of NSW
Schools Higher than 86% of NSW Higher than 69% of NSW
Walkability Higher than 98% of NSW Higher than 97% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 13% of NSW Higher than 21% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 92% of NSW Higher than 86% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 86% of NSW
same for both
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 7% of NSW Higher than 15% of NSW
Rental yield (units) Higher than 39% of NSW Higher than 21% of NSW

Liveability

Dulwich Hill scores higher overall (85 vs 77).

Dulwich Hill Earlwood
Grade A
same for both
Score 85/100 77/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
 very advantaged area
decile 9/10

Risk profile

Earlwood carries more bushfire risk (21 vs 0); Dulwich Hill carries more crime risk (47 vs 33).

Dulwich Hill Earlwood
Bushfire None
0/100
 Low
21/100
Crime Moderate
47/100
 Low
33/100
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
 6
within 5 km

Schools

Dulwich Hill Earlwood
Inside the suburb 4 3
Rated above peers 2 1
Rated at peers 2
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both
Universities within 10 km 3
The University of Sydney, 4.3 km
 3
The University of Sydney, 6.4 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 2.1% 2.8%

Schools in Dulwich Hill

  • Dulwich High School of Visual Arts and Design Government · Secondary above peers
  • St Paul of the Cross Catholic Primary School Catholic · Primary above peers
  • Dulwich Hill Public School Government · Primary at peers
  • St Maroun's College Independent · Combined at peers

Schools in Earlwood

  • Earlwood Public School Government · Primary above peers
  • Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Primary School Catholic · Primary at peers
  • Undercliffe Public School Government · Primary at peers

Amenities in the suburb

Dulwich Hill Earlwood
Supermarkets 1
same for both
Cafes & restaurants 8
same for both
Parks & reserves 10 16
Childcare 8 11
GPs 1 6
Pharmacies 3 6
Banks & Bank@Post 2 1
Fuel stations 1 0
Waterways 1 3

Mobility

Earlwood sits further from the CBD (12.7 km vs 10 km).

Dulwich Hill Earlwood
Walkability score 93/100 91/100
Distance to Sydney 10 km 12.7 km
+27% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 19 min 25 min
Public transport score 79/100
Tram · Bus
 79/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 211.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
 448.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 1.8%
postcode 2203
 1.3%
postcode 2206
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 12
postcode 2203
 25
postcode 2206

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.

Dulwich Hill Earlwood
Worked from Home 60.2% / 57.6%
Dulwich Hill — Worked from Home: 60.2% Earlwood — Worked from Home: 57.6%
Car (driver) 27.0% / 33.9%
Dulwich Hill — Car (driver): 27.0% Earlwood — Car (driver): 33.9%
Train 4.8% / 3.0%
Dulwich Hill — Train: 4.8% Earlwood — Train: 3.0%
Car (passenger) 1.8% / 2.6%
Dulwich Hill — Car (passenger): 1.8% Earlwood — Car (passenger): 2.6%
Walked Only 2.3% / 1.4%
Dulwich Hill — Walked Only: 2.3% Earlwood — Walked Only: 1.4%
Bus 2.0% / 1.0%
Dulwich Hill — Bus: 2.0% Earlwood — Bus: 1.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (60.2%).

Setting

Dulwich Hill Earlwood
Elevation 32 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 48 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 5.4 km 4.5 km

NBN connectivity

Dulwich Hill Earlwood
Connectivity score 76/100 77/100
Most common technology Hybrid fibre-coaxial
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 8%
7,282 premises
 12%
7,143 premises

Climate

Dulwich Hill Earlwood
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)

Dulwich Hill Earlwood
PM2.5 6.5 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 16.1 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.79 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Dulwich Hill Earlwood
Average residential rate $1,342/yr $1,322/yr
Council Inner West Canterbury-Bankstown

Federal electorate

Dulwich Hill Earlwood
Division Grayndler Barton
Member Anthony Albanese Ash Ambihaipahar
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Dulwich Hill Earlwood
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Dulwich Hill

Apartments Gentrifying Inner Parks Professionals Trams Transport Hub Urban

Earlwood

Middle-Ring Multicultural Parks Premium Professionals Urban

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Dulwich Hill

Dulwich Hill vs Marrickville Dulwich Hill vs Ashfield Dulwich Hill vs Petersham Dulwich Hill vs Summer Hill Dulwich Hill vs Hurlstone Park Dulwich Hill vs Lewisham

Other comparisons with Earlwood

Earlwood vs Marrickville Earlwood vs Campsie Earlwood vs Kingsgrove Earlwood vs Wolli Creek Earlwood vs Canterbury Earlwood vs Hurlstone Park
Full data on Dulwich Hill Full data on Earlwood
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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