Lewisham vs Summer Hill

In both, about half of households rent and most homes are flats or apartments. In Summer Hill, about half of households are 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

Summer Hill

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (6 vs 2)
  • has more childcare (7 vs 4)
  • But Lewisham has more schools inside the suburb (5 vs 0)

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

First-home buyers

Too close to call

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

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Summer Hill

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($460/wk vs $520/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Too close to call

Nothing among the 4 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

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

Downsizers and retirees

Summer Hill

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has more GPs (2 vs 0)

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

Investors

Lewisham

ahead on 2 of the 2 things we measure here

  • is growing faster (28.3% vs -0.3%)
  • returns a higher gross yield on units (5.1% vs 3.9%)

Weighs unit yield and population growth.

Where they sit

Lewisham 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.

Lewisham 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.

Lewisham Summer Hill
Walkability 99 / 94
Lewisham — Walkability: 99/100 Summer Hill — Walkability: 94/100
Low fire risk 100 / 67
Lewisham — Low fire risk: 100/100 Summer Hill — Low fire risk: 67/100

Demographics

Summer Hill has more residents (7,288 vs 4,060); Lewisham rents higher ($520/wk vs $460/wk).

Lewisham Summer Hill
Population 4,060 7,288
+80% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +28.3% -0.3%
Median age 34 36
Median household income $125,060/yr
+6% vs other
 $117,520/yr
Median weekly rent $520/wk
+12% vs other
 $460/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Lewisham Summer Hill
0-4 5.2% / 5.2%
Lewisham — 0-4: 5.2% Summer Hill — 0-4: 5.2%
5-14 8.3% / 8.6%
Lewisham — 5-14: 8.3% Summer Hill — 5-14: 8.6%
15-19 3.2% / 3.5%
Lewisham — 15-19: 3.2% Summer Hill — 15-19: 3.5%
20-24 7.2% / 6.4%
Lewisham — 20-24: 7.2% Summer Hill — 20-24: 6.4%
25-34 27.0% / 22.5%
Lewisham — 25-34: 27.0% Summer Hill — 25-34: 22.5%
35-44 17.8% / 17.3%
Lewisham — 35-44: 17.8% Summer Hill — 35-44: 17.3%
45-54 11.1% / 13.7%
Lewisham — 45-54: 11.1% Summer Hill — 45-54: 13.7%
55-64 8.6% / 10.5%
Lewisham — 55-64: 8.6% Summer Hill — 55-64: 10.5%
65-74 6.2% / 7.1%
Lewisham — 65-74: 6.2% Summer Hill — 65-74: 7.1%
75-84 3.3% / 3.3%
Lewisham — 75-84: 3.3% Summer Hill — 75-84: 3.3%
85+ 2.3% / 2.0%
Lewisham — 85+: 2.3% Summer Hill — 85+: 2.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (27.0%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Lewisham 42.8% lone person
Lewisham — Lone Person: 42.8% Lewisham — Couple Families: 31.5% Lewisham — One Parent Families: 11.0% Lewisham — Group Household: 13.3% Lewisham — Other Families: 1.5%
Summer Hill 46.2% lone person
Summer Hill — Lone Person: 46.2% Summer Hill — Couple Families: 31.5% Summer Hill — One Parent Families: 11.4% Summer Hill — Group Household: 9.0% Summer Hill — Other Families: 1.9%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Lewisham 48.1% renting
Lewisham — Owned Outright: 19.3% Lewisham — Mortgage: 32.6% Lewisham — Renting: 48.1%
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.

Lewisham Summer Hill
Bachelor Degree 28.8% / 28.9%
Lewisham — Bachelor Degree: 28.8% Summer Hill — Bachelor Degree: 28.9%
Postgraduate Degree 13.4% / 13.6%
Lewisham — Postgraduate Degree: 13.4% Summer Hill — Postgraduate Degree: 13.6%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.0% / 7.5%
Lewisham — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.0% Summer Hill — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.5%
Certificate III & IV 5.7% / 6.4%
Lewisham — Certificate III & IV: 5.7% Summer Hill — Certificate III & IV: 6.4%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 3.4% / 3.5%
Lewisham — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.4% 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.

Lewisham Summer Hill
China 4.1% / 3.7%
Lewisham — China: 4.1% Summer Hill — China: 3.7%
England 3.7% / 3.5%
Lewisham — England: 3.7% Summer Hill — England: 3.5%
New Zealand 2.2% / 1.9%
Lewisham — New Zealand: 2.2% Summer Hill — New Zealand: 1.9%
Italy 1.7% / 1.0%
Lewisham — Italy: 1.7% Summer Hill — Italy: 1.0%
Philippines 1.2% / 1.5%
Lewisham — Philippines: 1.2% Summer Hill — Philippines: 1.5%
India 1.1% / 1.3%
Lewisham — India: 1.1% Summer Hill — India: 1.3%
Vietnam 1.2% / —
Lewisham — Vietnam: 1.2% Summer Hill — Vietnam: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (4.1%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Lewisham 58.2% flats / apartments
Lewisham — Flats / Apartments: 58.2% Lewisham — Houses: 28.6% Lewisham — Townhouses: 13.2%
Summer Hill 63.4% flats / apartments
Summer Hill — Flats / Apartments: 63.4% Summer Hill — Houses: 19.6% Summer Hill — Townhouses: 17.0%
Flats / Apartments Houses Townhouses

Property market

Lewisham Summer Hill
Median house price $2,355,000 $2,500,000
Median unit price $915,000 $985,000
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 26 days
from 10 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.

Lewisham Summer Hill
1 bed $675K / $800K
Lewisham — 1 bed: $675K (11 sales) Summer Hill — 1 bed: $800K (28 sales)

11 vs 28 sales

2 bed $1.01M / $1.09M
Lewisham — 2 bed: $1.01M (29 sales) Summer Hill — 2 bed: $1.09M (85 sales)

29 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.

Lewisham Summer Hill
2 bed $1.61M / $1.99M
Lewisham — 2 bed: $1.61M (5 sales) Summer Hill — 2 bed: $1.99M (5 sales)

5 vs 5 sales

3 bed $2.36M / $2.38M
Lewisham — 3 bed: $2.36M (12 sales) Summer Hill — 3 bed: $2.38M (24 sales)

12 vs 24 sales

4 bed $2.41M / $2.8M
Lewisham — 4 bed: $2.41M (7 sales) Summer Hill — 4 bed: $2.8M (12 sales)

7 vs 12 sales

Zoning mix

Lewisham Summer Hill
Residential 63% 73%
Infrastructure and transport 28% 13%
Industrial 5% 6%
Commercial 1% 5%
Parks and recreation 2% 3%
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

Lewisham 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.

Lewisham Summer Hill
Houses — 2.1%
$1,000/wk on $2.48M
Units 5.1%
$740/wk on $749K
 3.9%
$675/wk on $900K

Ranking within NSW

Lewisham Summer Hill
House price Higher than 87% of NSW Higher than 90% of NSW
Income Higher than 87% of NSW —
Schools Higher than 42% of NSW —
Walkability Higher than 99% of NSW Higher than 98% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 25% of NSW —
EV adoption Higher than 93% of NSW Higher than 92% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 82% of NSW Higher than 87% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 3% of NSW
Rental yield (units) Higher than 71% of NSW Higher than 20% of NSW

Liveability

Summer Hill scores higher overall (83 vs 74).

Lewisham Summer Hill
Grade A
same for both
Score 74/100 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).

Lewisham Summer Hill
Bushfire None
0/100
 Low
33/100
Crime High
71/100
 —
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 6
within 5 km
 2
within 5 km

Schools

Lewisham Summer Hill
Inside the suburb 5 0
Rated above peers 1 0
Rated at peers 2 0
Rated below peers 1 0
Universities within 10 km 3
The University of Sydney, 3.3 km
 3
The University of Sydney, 4.2 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 3.6% 2.7%

Schools in Lewisham

  • Christian Brothers' High School Lewisham Independent · Combined above peers
  • Lewisham Public School Government · Primary at peers
  • Petersham Public School Government · Primary at peers
  • The John Berne School Independent · Secondary · Special school below peers
  • Eileen O'Connor Catholic College Catholic · Combined · Special school

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

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

Mobility

Lewisham Summer Hill
Walkability score 99/100 94/100
Distance to Sydney 9.2 km 9.9 km
+8% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 18 min 19 min
Public transport score 93/100
Rail · Tram · Bus
 94/100
Rail · Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 91.0
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 2.0%
postcode 2049
 1.8%
postcode 2130
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 12
postcode 2049
 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.

Lewisham Summer Hill
Worked from Home 67.1% / 64.4%
Lewisham — Worked from Home: 67.1% Summer Hill — Worked from Home: 64.4%
Car (driver) 20.2% / 21.5%
Lewisham — Car (driver): 20.2% Summer Hill — Car (driver): 21.5%
Train 7.1% / 7.8%
Lewisham — Train: 7.1% Summer Hill — Train: 7.8%
Walked Only 2.1% / 3.0%
Lewisham — Walked Only: 2.1% Summer Hill — Walked Only: 3.0%
Car (passenger) 1.3% / 1.2%
Lewisham — Car (passenger): 1.3% Summer Hill — Car (passenger): 1.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (67.1%).

Setting

Lewisham Summer Hill
Elevation 24 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 28 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 6.1 km 6.7 km

NBN connectivity

Lewisham Summer Hill
Connectivity score 75/100 78/100
Most common technology Hybrid fibre-coaxial
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 14%
1,915 premises
 11%
4,040 premises

Climate

Lewisham 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)

Lewisham Summer Hill
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

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

Federal electorate

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

First Home Owner Grant

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

Tags

Lewisham

Apartments Easy Commute Gentrifying Inner Parks Professionals Trams Transport Hub Urban

Summer Hill

Apartments Easy Commute Inner Parks Professionals Trains Transport Hub Urban

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Lewisham

Lewisham vs Marrickville Lewisham vs Leichhardt Lewisham vs Dulwich Hill Lewisham vs Petersham Lewisham vs Haberfield

Other comparisons with Summer Hill

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