Haberfield vs Summer Hill

Summer Hill is the younger of the two, with a median age of 36 against 46 in Haberfield. In Haberfield, the large majority of households own their home, the large majority of homes are detached houses, and most households are couple families. In Summer Hill, about half of households rent, most homes are flats or apartments, and about half of households are people living alone. Houses cost more in Haberfield: a median of $3.05 million, against $2.5 million in Summer Hill, and rent is higher there too. Haberfield is closer to the city centre: 8.8 km, against 9.9 km. On these figures, Haberfield tends to suit couples and older residents, while Summer Hill suits renters, young adults, and 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

Haberfield

ahead on 4 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more separate houses rather than flats (80% vs 20%)
  • has more schools inside the suburb (3 vs 0)
  • is already more of a family suburb (70% vs 43%)

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

First-home buyers

They split

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

  • Haberfield has cheaper units ($657,750 vs $985,000)
  • Summer Hill has cheaper houses ($2,500,000 vs $3,050,000)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Summer Hill

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (50% vs 18%)
  • has cheaper rent ($460/wk vs $530/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Summer Hill

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • gets more of its commuters onto trains and trams (8% vs 2%)

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

Downsizers and retirees

They split

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

  • Haberfield has more residents already 65 and over (22% vs 12%)
  • Summer Hill has more units and townhouses to downsize into (80% vs 20%)

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

Investors

Summer Hill

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • returns a higher gross yield on houses (2.1% vs 1.5%)

Weighs house yield and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Haberfield Summer Hill
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.

Haberfield Summer Hill
Walkability 88 / 94
Haberfield — Walkability: 88/100 Summer Hill — Walkability: 94/100
Low fire risk 100 / 67
Haberfield — Low fire risk: 100/100 Summer Hill — Low fire risk: 67/100

Demographics

Haberfield skews older (46 vs 36); Haberfield has higher household incomes ($143,572 vs $117,520).

Haberfield Summer Hill
Population 6,480 7,288
+12% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +0.4% -0.3%
Median age 46 36
Median household income $143,572/yr
+18% vs other
 $117,520/yr
Median weekly rent $530/wk
+13% vs other
 $460/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Haberfield Summer Hill
0-4 3.8% / 5.2%
Haberfield — 0-4: 3.8% Summer Hill — 0-4: 5.2%
5-14 12.7% / 8.6%
Haberfield — 5-14: 12.7% Summer Hill — 5-14: 8.6%
15-19 7.3% / 3.5%
Haberfield — 15-19: 7.3% Summer Hill — 15-19: 3.5%
20-24 5.6% / 6.4%
Haberfield — 20-24: 5.6% Summer Hill — 20-24: 6.4%
25-34 7.8% / 22.5%
Haberfield — 25-34: 7.8% Summer Hill — 25-34: 22.5%
35-44 10.2% / 17.3%
Haberfield — 35-44: 10.2% Summer Hill — 35-44: 17.3%
45-54 16.0% / 13.7%
Haberfield — 45-54: 16.0% Summer Hill — 45-54: 13.7%
55-64 14.5% / 10.5%
Haberfield — 55-64: 14.5% Summer Hill — 55-64: 10.5%
65-74 10.9% / 7.1%
Haberfield — 65-74: 10.9% Summer Hill — 65-74: 7.1%
75-84 6.9% / 3.3%
Haberfield — 75-84: 6.9% Summer Hill — 75-84: 3.3%
85+ 4.5% / 2.0%
Haberfield — 85+: 4.5% Summer Hill — 85+: 2.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (22.5%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Haberfield 56.7% couple families
Haberfield — Couple Families: 56.7% Haberfield — Lone Person: 25.9% Haberfield — One Parent Families: 13.6% Haberfield — Group Household: 2.6% Haberfield — Other Families: 1.2%
Summer Hill 31.5% couple families
Summer Hill — Couple Families: 31.5% Summer Hill — Lone Person: 46.2% Summer Hill — One Parent Families: 11.4% Summer Hill — Group Household: 9.0% Summer Hill — Other Families: 1.9%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Haberfield 17.5% renting
Haberfield — Owned Outright: 50.7% Haberfield — Mortgage: 31.8% Haberfield — Renting: 17.5%
Summer Hill 50.3% renting
Summer Hill — Owned Outright: 21.4% Summer Hill — Mortgage: 28.2% Summer Hill — Renting: 50.3%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Haberfield Summer Hill
Bachelor Degree 20.3% / 28.9%
Haberfield — Bachelor Degree: 20.3% Summer Hill — Bachelor Degree: 28.9%
Postgraduate Degree 9.3% / 13.6%
Haberfield — Postgraduate Degree: 9.3% Summer Hill — Postgraduate Degree: 13.6%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.0% / 7.5%
Haberfield — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.0% Summer Hill — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.5%
Certificate III & IV 7.9% / 6.4%
Haberfield — Certificate III & IV: 7.9% Summer Hill — Certificate III & IV: 6.4%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.4% / 3.5%
Haberfield — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.4% Summer Hill — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (28.9%).

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.

Haberfield Summer Hill
Italy 10.6% / 1.0%
Haberfield — Italy: 10.6% Summer Hill — Italy: 1.0%
England 3.0% / 3.5%
Haberfield — England: 3.0% Summer Hill — England: 3.5%
China 1.0% / 3.7%
Haberfield — China: 1.0% Summer Hill — China: 3.7%
New Zealand 1.5% / 1.9%
Haberfield — New Zealand: 1.5% Summer Hill — New Zealand: 1.9%
Philippines — / 1.5%
Haberfield — Philippines: not among its largest Summer Hill — Philippines: 1.5%
India — / 1.3%
Haberfield — India: not among its largest Summer Hill — India: 1.3%
Greece 0.8% / —
Haberfield — Greece: 0.8% Summer Hill — Greece: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (10.6%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Haberfield 79.7% houses
Haberfield — Houses: 79.7% Haberfield — Flats / Apartments: 8.0% Haberfield — Townhouses: 12.3%
Summer Hill 19.6% houses
Summer Hill — Houses: 19.6% Summer Hill — Flats / Apartments: 63.4% Summer Hill — Townhouses: 17.0%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Haberfield Summer Hill
Median house price $3,050,000 $2,500,000
Median unit price $657,750 $985,000
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 30 days
from 32 sales
 18 days
from 21 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.

Haberfield Summer Hill
1 bed $595K / $800K
Haberfield — 1 bed: $595K (5 sales) Summer Hill — 1 bed: $800K (28 sales)

5 vs 28 sales

2 bed $1.2M / $1.09M
Haberfield — 2 bed: $1.2M (5 sales) Summer Hill — 2 bed: $1.09M (85 sales)

5 vs 85 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.

Haberfield Summer Hill
2 bed $1.9M / $1.99M
Haberfield — 2 bed: $1.9M (15 sales) Summer Hill — 2 bed: $1.99M (5 sales)

15 vs 5 sales

3 bed $2.62M / $2.38M
Haberfield — 3 bed: $2.62M (32 sales) Summer Hill — 3 bed: $2.38M (24 sales)

32 vs 24 sales

4 bed $3.55M / $2.8M
Haberfield — 4 bed: $3.55M (48 sales) Summer Hill — 4 bed: $2.8M (12 sales)

48 vs 12 sales

Zoning mix

Haberfield Summer Hill
Residential 80% 73%
Infrastructure and transport 6% 13%
Parks and recreation 9% 3%
Industrial 4% 6%
Commercial 2% 5%
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

Haberfield Summer Hill
New dwellings approved 849
across Inner West
same for both
Approvals change year on year -25%
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.

Haberfield Summer Hill
Houses 1.5%
$1,400/wk on $4.82M
 2.1%
$1,000/wk on $2.48M
Units — 3.9%
$675/wk on $900K

Ranking within NSW

Haberfield Summer Hill
House price Higher than 93% of NSW Higher than 90% of NSW
Income Higher than 94% of NSW —
Schools Higher than 90% of NSW —
Walkability Higher than 95% of NSW Higher than 98% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 15% of NSW —
EV adoption Higher than 100% of NSW Higher than 92% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 82% of NSW Higher than 87% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 1% of NSW Higher than 3% of NSW
Rental yield (units) — Higher than 20% of NSW

Liveability

Haberfield scores higher overall (89 vs 83).

Haberfield Summer Hill
Grade A+ A
Score 89/100 83/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
same for both

Risk profile

Summer Hill carries more bushfire risk (33 vs 0).

Haberfield Summer Hill
Bushfire None
0/100
 Low
33/100
Crime Moderate
40/100
 —
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 2
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Haberfield Summer Hill
Inside the suburb 3 0
Rated above peers 2 0
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 1 0
Universities within 10 km 3
The University of Sydney, 4.0 km
 3
The University of Sydney, 4.2 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 4.0% 2.7%

Schools in Haberfield

  • Dobroyd Point Public School Government · Primary above peers
  • Haberfield Public School Government · Primary above peers
  • St Joan of Arc Catholic Primary School Catholic · Primary below peers

Schools in Summer Hill

  • St Patrick's Catholic Primary School Catholic · Primary above peers
  • Summer Hill Public School Government · Primary above peers
  • Trinity Grammar School Independent · Combined at peers
  • Trinity Grammar School Bishop Chambers House Independent · Combined

Amenities in the suburb

Haberfield Summer Hill
Supermarkets 1 3
Cafes & restaurants 18 20
Parks & reserves 9 6
Childcare 8 7
GPs 1 2
Pharmacies 2 1
Banks & Bank@Post 1
same for both
Fuel stations 4 1
Waterways 1 0

Mobility

Haberfield Summer Hill
Walkability score 88/100 94/100
Distance to Sydney 8.8 km 9.9 km
+12% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 15 min 19 min
Public transport score 79/100
Bus
 94/100
Rail · Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 295.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
 79.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
 1 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 14.7%
postcode 2045
 1.8%
postcode 2130
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 27
postcode 2045
 10
postcode 2130

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.

Haberfield Summer Hill
Worked from Home 57.2% / 64.4%
Haberfield — Worked from Home: 57.2% Summer Hill — Worked from Home: 64.4%
Car (driver) 32.3% / 21.5%
Haberfield — Car (driver): 32.3% Summer Hill — Car (driver): 21.5%
Train 1.2% / 7.8%
Haberfield — Train: 1.2% Summer Hill — Train: 7.8%
Walked Only 2.7% / 3.0%
Haberfield — Walked Only: 2.7% Summer Hill — Walked Only: 3.0%
Car (passenger) 2.8% / 1.2%
Haberfield — Car (passenger): 2.8% Summer Hill — Car (passenger): 1.2%
Bus 2.2% / 1.0%
Haberfield — Bus: 2.2% Summer Hill — Bus: 1.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (64.4%).

Setting

Haberfield Summer Hill
Elevation 21 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 28 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 8.1 km 6.7 km

NBN connectivity

Haberfield Summer Hill
Connectivity score 75/100 78/100
Most common technology Hybrid fibre-coaxial
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
2,664 premises
 11%
4,040 premises

Climate

Haberfield Summer Hill
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)

Haberfield Summer Hill
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

Haberfield Summer Hill
Average residential rate $1,342/yr
same for both
Council Inner West
same for both

Federal electorate

Haberfield Summer Hill
Division Grayndler
same for both
Member Anthony Albanese
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

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

Tags

Haberfield

Inner Parks Premium Professionals

Summer Hill

Apartments Easy Commute Inner Parks Professionals Trains Transport Hub Urban

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Haberfield

Haberfield vs Ashfield Haberfield vs Leichhardt Haberfield vs Croydon Haberfield vs Five Dock Haberfield vs Lilyfield Haberfield vs Lewisham

Other comparisons with Summer Hill

Summer Hill vs Ashfield Summer Hill vs Leichhardt Summer Hill vs Dulwich Hill Summer Hill vs Lewisham
Full data on Haberfield Full data on Summer Hill
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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