Five Dock vs Burwood

Burwood is the younger of the two, with a median age of 32 against 41 in Five Dock. In Five Dock, most households own their home and about half of households are couple families. In Burwood, most households rent and most homes are flats or apartments. Five Dock is closer to the city centre: 9.7 km, against 12.7 km. On these figures, Five Dock tends to suit couples, while Burwood suits renters, young adults, and share households.

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

Five Dock

ahead on 4 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more separate houses rather than flats (45% vs 21%)
  • has more parks and reserves (10 vs 7)
  • is already more of a family suburb (59% vs 43%)

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

First-home buyers

Burwood

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper units ($890,000 vs $1,130,000)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Burwood

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (62% vs 38%)
  • has cheaper rent ($500/wk vs $570/wk)
  • But Five Dock leaves renters under less rental stress (24% vs 30%)

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

Commuting to the city

Burwood

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • gets more of its commuters onto trains and trams (23% vs 1%)
  • is more walkable (96/100 vs 87/100)
  • But Five Dock sits closer to the CBD (9.7 km vs 12.7 km)

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

Downsizers and retirees

Burwood

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (10 vs 6)
  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (79% vs 55%)
  • is more walkable (96/100 vs 87/100)
  • But Five Dock carries lower crime risk (64/100 vs 85/100)

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

Investors

Burwood

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is growing faster (13.7% vs 5.0%)
  • returns a higher gross yield on units (5.2% vs 3.9%)

Weighs house yield, unit yield, and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Five Dock Burwood
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.

Five Dock Burwood
Walkability 87 / 96
Five Dock — Walkability: 87/100 Burwood — Walkability: 96/100
Safety 36 / 15
Five Dock — Safety: 36/100 Burwood — Safety: 15/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Five Dock — Low fire risk: 100/100 Burwood — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Burwood has more residents (18,224 vs 9,823); Five Dock has higher household incomes ($121,056 vs $86,892).

Five Dock Burwood
Population 9,823 18,224
+86% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +5.0% +13.7%
Median age 41 32
Median household income $121,056/yr
+28% vs other
 $86,892/yr
Median weekly rent $570/wk
+12% vs other
 $500/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Five Dock Burwood
0-4 6.0% / 3.5%
Five Dock — 0-4: 6.0% Burwood — 0-4: 3.5%
5-14 11.9% / 6.0%
Five Dock — 5-14: 11.9% Burwood — 5-14: 6.0%
15-19 5.0% / 3.5%
Five Dock — 15-19: 5.0% Burwood — 15-19: 3.5%
20-24 4.1% / 14.9%
Five Dock — 20-24: 4.1% Burwood — 20-24: 14.9%
25-34 12.6% / 28.1%
Five Dock — 25-34: 12.6% Burwood — 25-34: 28.1%
35-44 16.4% / 12.7%
Five Dock — 35-44: 16.4% Burwood — 35-44: 12.7%
45-54 14.6% / 9.6%
Five Dock — 45-54: 14.6% Burwood — 45-54: 9.6%
55-64 12.5% / 9.1%
Five Dock — 55-64: 12.5% Burwood — 55-64: 9.1%
65-74 8.8% / 6.5%
Five Dock — 65-74: 8.8% Burwood — 65-74: 6.5%
75-84 5.6% / 3.7%
Five Dock — 75-84: 5.6% Burwood — 75-84: 3.7%
85+ 2.5% / 2.3%
Five Dock — 85+: 2.5% Burwood — 85+: 2.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (28.1%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Five Dock 45.6% couple families
Five Dock — Couple Families: 45.6% Five Dock — Lone Person: 35.1% Five Dock — One Parent Families: 13.7% Five Dock — Group Household: 4.0% Five Dock — Other Families: 1.6%
Burwood 30.1% couple families
Burwood — Couple Families: 30.1% Burwood — Lone Person: 32.8% Burwood — One Parent Families: 12.8% Burwood — Group Household: 20.0% Burwood — Other Families: 4.3%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Five Dock 37.7% renting
Five Dock — Owned Outright: 32.2% Five Dock — Mortgage: 30.1% Five Dock — Renting: 37.7%
Burwood 61.6% renting
Burwood — Owned Outright: 20.8% Burwood — Mortgage: 17.7% Burwood — Renting: 61.6%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Five Dock Burwood
Bachelor Degree 20.2% / 22.8%
Five Dock — Bachelor Degree: 20.2% Burwood — Bachelor Degree: 22.8%
Postgraduate Degree 8.3% / 11.7%
Five Dock — Postgraduate Degree: 8.3% Burwood — Postgraduate Degree: 11.7%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.1% / 9.7%
Five Dock — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.1% Burwood — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.7%
Certificate III & IV 9.3% / 4.6%
Five Dock — Certificate III & IV: 9.3% Burwood — Certificate III & IV: 4.6%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.0% / 1.5%
Five Dock — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.0% Burwood — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (22.8%).

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.

Five Dock Burwood
China 3.7% / 28.8%
Five Dock — China: 3.7% Burwood — China: 28.8%
Nepal — / 8.2%
Five Dock — Nepal: not among its largest Burwood — Nepal: 8.2%
Italy 7.1% / —
Five Dock — Italy: 7.1% Burwood — Italy: not among its largest
Vietnam 0.8% / 3.3%
Five Dock — Vietnam: 0.8% Burwood — Vietnam: 3.3%
India 0.9% / 2.8%
Five Dock — India: 0.9% Burwood — India: 2.8%
Malaysia — / 3.1%
Five Dock — Malaysia: not among its largest Burwood — Malaysia: 3.1%
England 2.7% / —
Five Dock — England: 2.7% Burwood — England: not among its largest
New Zealand 1.8% / —
Five Dock — New Zealand: 1.8% Burwood — New Zealand: not among its largest
Ireland 1.0% / —
Five Dock — Ireland: 1.0% Burwood — Ireland: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (28.8%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Five Dock 39.6% flats / apartments
Five Dock — Flats / Apartments: 39.6% Five Dock — Houses: 45.3% Five Dock — Townhouses: 15.1%
Burwood 69.4% flats / apartments
Burwood — Flats / Apartments: 69.4% Burwood — Houses: 21.2% Burwood — Townhouses: 9.4%
Flats / Apartments Houses Townhouses

Property market

Five Dock Burwood
Median house price $2,905,000 $3,100,000
Median unit price $1,130,000 $890,000
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 24 days
from 26 sales
 36 days
from 67 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.

Five Dock Burwood
1 bed $800K / $710K
Five Dock — 1 bed: $800K (10 sales) Burwood — 1 bed: $710K (73 sales)

10 vs 73 sales

2 bed $1.12M / $915K
Five Dock — 2 bed: $1.12M (49 sales) Burwood — 2 bed: $915K (175 sales)

49 vs 175 sales

3 bed $1.57M / $1.33M
Five Dock — 3 bed: $1.57M (15 sales) Burwood — 3 bed: $1.33M (31 sales)

15 vs 31 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.

Five Dock Burwood
2 bed $2.65M / $1.59M
Five Dock — 2 bed: $2.65M (12 sales) Burwood — 2 bed: $1.59M (8 sales)

12 vs 8 sales

3 bed $2.55M / $2.64M
Five Dock — 3 bed: $2.55M (22 sales) Burwood — 3 bed: $2.64M (39 sales)

22 vs 39 sales

4 bed $3.26M / $3.3M
Five Dock — 4 bed: $3.26M (9 sales) Burwood — 4 bed: $3.3M (33 sales)

9 vs 33 sales

5 bed $3.5M / $4.05M
Five Dock — 5 bed: $3.5M (7 sales) Burwood — 5 bed: $4.05M (10 sales)

7 vs 10 sales

Zoning mix

Five Dock Burwood
Residential 81% 92%
Parks and recreation 16% 3%
Industrial 1% 2%
Infrastructure and transport 1% 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

Five Dock Burwood
New dwellings approved 1,600
across Canada Bay
 295
across Burwood
Approvals change year on year +72% +765%

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.

Five Dock Burwood
Houses 2.0%
$1,000/wk on $2.65M
 2.2%
$1,195/wk on $2.8M
Units 3.9%
$792/wk on $1.04M
 5.2%
$850/wk on $845K

Ranking within NSW

Five Dock Burwood
House price Higher than 92% of NSW Higher than 93% of NSW
Income Higher than 84% of NSW Higher than 55% of NSW
Schools Higher than 43% of NSW Higher than 46% of NSW
Walkability Higher than 95% of NSW Higher than 99% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 11% of NSW Higher than 4% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 94% of NSW Higher than 95% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 91% of NSW Higher than 88% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 2% of NSW Higher than 3% of NSW
Rental yield (units) Higher than 22% of NSW Higher than 76% of NSW

Liveability

Five Dock scores higher overall (71 vs 63); Burwood is more walkable (96 vs 87).

Five Dock Burwood
Grade A B
Score 71/100 63/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
 advantaged area
decile 8/10

Risk profile

Burwood carries more crime risk (85 vs 64).

Five Dock Burwood
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime Moderate
64/100
 High
85/100
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 1
within 5 km
 5
within 5 km

Schools

Five Dock Burwood
Inside the suburb 5
same for both
Rated above peers 1
same for both
Rated at peers 3 1
Rated below peers 0 1
Universities within 10 km 3
Strathfield Campus, 4.5 km
 3
Strathfield Campus, 2.0 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 2.3% 7.4%

Schools in Five Dock

  • Rosebank College Independent · Secondary above peers
  • All Hallows Catholic Primary School Catholic · Primary at peers
  • Domremy Catholic College Catholic · Secondary at peers
  • Five Dock Public School Government · Primary at peers
  • Lucas Gardens School Government · Combined · Special school

Schools in Burwood

  • MLC School Independent · Combined above peers
  • Burwood Public School Government · Primary at peers
  • Southern Cross Catholic College Catholic · Secondary below peers
  • MLC School, Art and Design Centre Independent · Combined
  • MLC School, Music Centre Independent · Combined

Amenities in the suburb

Five Dock Burwood
Supermarkets 1 5
Cafes & restaurants 22 42
Parks & reserves 10 7
Childcare 14 12
GPs 6 10
Pharmacies 5 9
Hospitals 0 1
Police stations 1
same for both
Banks & Bank@Post 2 11
Fuel stations 3 2

Mobility

Burwood sits further from the CBD (12.7 km vs 9.7 km).

Five Dock Burwood
Walkability score 87/100 96/100
Distance to Sydney 9.7 km 12.7 km
+31% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 17 min 20 min
Public transport score 79/100
Bus
 94/100
Rail · Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 395.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
 546.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 2.1%
postcode 2046
 2.3%
postcode 2134
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 16
postcode 2046
 8
postcode 2134

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.

Five Dock Burwood
Worked from Home 52.4% / 40.4%
Five Dock — Worked from Home: 52.4% Burwood — Worked from Home: 40.4%
Car (driver) 37.9% / 25.6%
Five Dock — Car (driver): 37.9% Burwood — Car (driver): 25.6%
Train 0.8% / 22.6%
Five Dock — Train: 0.8% Burwood — Train: 22.6%
Walked Only 2.7% / 5.6%
Five Dock — Walked Only: 2.7% Burwood — Walked Only: 5.6%
Bus 3.2% / 2.6%
Five Dock — Bus: 3.2% Burwood — Bus: 2.6%
Car (passenger) 2.6% / 2.8%
Five Dock — Car (passenger): 2.6% Burwood — Car (passenger): 2.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (52.4%).

Setting

Five Dock Burwood
Elevation 25 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 33 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 9.6 km
4.9 km to a named beach
 9.7 km

NBN connectivity

Five Dock Burwood
Connectivity score 84/100 78/100
Most common technology Fibre to the curb Hybrid fibre-coaxial
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 35%
5,062 premises
 24%
9,518 premises

Climate

Five Dock Burwood
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)

Five Dock Burwood
PM2.5 6.5 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 15.7 µg/m³ 16.1 µg/m³
NO₂ 0.62 pphm 0.79 pphm

Council rates

Five Dock Burwood
Average residential rate $1,217/yr $1,663/yr
Council Canada Bay Burwood

Federal electorate

Five Dock Burwood
Division Reid
same for both
Member Sally Sitou
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Five Dock Burwood
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Five Dock

Apartments Inner Parks Professionals Urban

Burwood

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

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Five Dock

Five Dock vs Ashfield Five Dock vs Concord Five Dock vs Croydon Five Dock vs Haberfield Five Dock vs Russell Lea Five Dock vs Wareemba

Other comparisons with Burwood

Burwood vs Strathfield Burwood vs Concord Burwood vs Croydon Burwood vs Enfield Burwood vs Burwood Heights
Full data on Five Dock Full data on Burwood
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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