Marrickville vs Earlwood

Marrickville is the younger of the two, with a median age of 37 against 44 in Earlwood. In Marrickville, about half of households rent and about half of homes are flats or apartments. 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. Marrickville is closer to the city centre: 10.2 km, against 12.7 km. On these figures, Marrickville tends to suit renters, young adults, 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

They split

one each way, out of the 6 things we measure here

  • Marrickville has more schools inside the suburb (9 vs 3)
  • Earlwood has more separate houses rather than flats (80% vs 32%)

Weighs schools, house stock, crime, 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

Marrickville

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (48% vs 21%)
  • has cheaper rent ($480/wk vs $570/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Marrickville

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • sits closer to the CBD (10.2 km vs 12.7 km)
  • is more walkable (99/100 vs 91/100)

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

Downsizers and retirees

Marrickville

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (68% vs 20%)
  • has more GPs (10 vs 6)
  • is more walkable (99/100 vs 91/100)
  • But Earlwood carries lower crime risk (33/100 vs 78/100)

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

Investors

Too close to call

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

Weighs house yield, unit yield, and population growth.

Where they sit

Marrickville 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.

Marrickville 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.

Marrickville Earlwood
Walkability 99 / 91
Marrickville — Walkability: 99/100 Earlwood — Walkability: 91/100
Safety 22 / 67
Marrickville — Safety: 22/100 Earlwood — Safety: 67/100
Low fire risk 100 / 79
Marrickville — Low fire risk: 100/100 Earlwood — Low fire risk: 79/100

Demographics

Marrickville has more residents (26,570 vs 18,053); Earlwood skews older (44 vs 37).

Marrickville Earlwood
Population 26,570
+32% vs other
 18,053
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -0.1% +1.8%
Median age 37 44
Median household income $112,840/yr $112,528/yr
Median weekly rent $480/wk $570/wk
+19% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Marrickville Earlwood
0-4 4.7% / 4.8%
Marrickville — 0-4: 4.7% Earlwood — 0-4: 4.8%
5-14 8.7% / 11.8%
Marrickville — 5-14: 8.7% Earlwood — 5-14: 11.8%
15-19 3.7% / 6.1%
Marrickville — 15-19: 3.7% Earlwood — 15-19: 6.1%
20-24 6.0% / 5.4%
Marrickville — 20-24: 6.0% Earlwood — 20-24: 5.4%
25-34 22.0% / 10.2%
Marrickville — 25-34: 22.0% Earlwood — 25-34: 10.2%
35-44 16.8% / 12.6%
Marrickville — 35-44: 16.8% Earlwood — 35-44: 12.6%
45-54 13.7% / 15.7%
Marrickville — 45-54: 13.7% Earlwood — 45-54: 15.7%
55-64 10.4% / 12.6%
Marrickville — 55-64: 10.4% Earlwood — 55-64: 12.6%
65-74 7.3% / 9.5%
Marrickville — 65-74: 7.3% Earlwood — 65-74: 9.5%
75-84 4.8% / 7.6%
Marrickville — 75-84: 4.8% Earlwood — 75-84: 7.6%
85+ 1.9% / 3.5%
Marrickville — 85+: 1.9% Earlwood — 85+: 3.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (22.0%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Marrickville 31.8% couple families
Marrickville — Couple Families: 31.8% Marrickville — Lone Person: 40.1% Marrickville — One Parent Families: 13.6% Marrickville — Group Household: 12.4% Marrickville — Other Families: 2.2%
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.

Marrickville 47.6% renting
Marrickville — Owned Outright: 24.2% Marrickville — Mortgage: 28.2% Marrickville — Renting: 47.6%
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.

Marrickville Earlwood
Bachelor Degree 24.5% / 16.4%
Marrickville — Bachelor Degree: 24.5% Earlwood — Bachelor Degree: 16.4%
Certificate III & IV 7.5% / 9.4%
Marrickville — Certificate III & IV: 7.5% Earlwood — Certificate III & IV: 9.4%
Postgraduate Degree 10.2% / 6.0%
Marrickville — Postgraduate Degree: 10.2% Earlwood — Postgraduate Degree: 6.0%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.5% / 7.8%
Marrickville — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.5% Earlwood — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.8%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.7% / 1.8%
Marrickville — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.7% Earlwood — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (24.5%).

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.

Marrickville Earlwood
Greece 3.9% / 7.4%
Marrickville — Greece: 3.9% Earlwood — Greece: 7.4%
Vietnam 5.6% / 2.4%
Marrickville — Vietnam: 5.6% Earlwood — Vietnam: 2.4%
England 3.4% / 1.8%
Marrickville — England: 3.4% Earlwood — England: 1.8%
China 1.3% / 3.0%
Marrickville — China: 1.3% Earlwood — China: 3.0%
Lebanon 1.1% / 2.4%
Marrickville — Lebanon: 1.1% Earlwood — Lebanon: 2.4%
New Zealand 2.0% / 1.1%
Marrickville — New Zealand: 2.0% Earlwood — New Zealand: 1.1%
Italy — / 2.2%
Marrickville — Italy: not among its largest Earlwood — Italy: 2.2%

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

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Marrickville 32.0% houses
Marrickville — Houses: 32.0% Marrickville — Flats / Apartments: 49.5% Marrickville — Townhouses: 18.5%
Earlwood 80.1% houses
Earlwood — Houses: 80.1% Earlwood — Flats / Apartments: 11.6% Earlwood — Townhouses: 8.3%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Marrickville Earlwood
Median house price $2,110,000 $2,080,000
Median unit price $950,000 $881,000
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 26 days
from 189 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.

Marrickville Earlwood
2 bed $1.04M / $870K
Marrickville — 2 bed: $1.04M (173 sales) Earlwood — 2 bed: $870K (29 sales)

173 vs 29 sales

3 bed $1.7M / $1.24M
Marrickville — 3 bed: $1.7M (13 sales) Earlwood — 3 bed: $1.24M (6 sales)

13 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.

Marrickville Earlwood
2 bed $1.87M / $1.77M
Marrickville — 2 bed: $1.87M (75 sales) Earlwood — 2 bed: $1.77M (26 sales)

75 vs 26 sales

3 bed $2.11M / $2M
Marrickville — 3 bed: $2.11M (121 sales) Earlwood — 3 bed: $2M (131 sales)

121 vs 131 sales

4 bed $2.71M / $2.4M
Marrickville — 4 bed: $2.71M (59 sales) Earlwood — 4 bed: $2.4M (44 sales)

59 vs 44 sales

5 bed $3.48M / $2.8M
Marrickville — 5 bed: $3.48M (8 sales) Earlwood — 5 bed: $2.8M (25 sales)

8 vs 25 sales

Zoning mix

Marrickville has more industrially zoned land (18% vs 0%).

Marrickville Earlwood
Residential 55% 74%
Industrial 18% 0%
Parks and recreation 11%
same for both
Environmental 2% 10%
Infrastructure and transport 10% 2%
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

Marrickville 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.

Marrickville Earlwood
Houses 3.0%
$1,100/wk on $1.91M
 2.8%
$1,140/wk on $2.1M
Units 4.0%
$700/wk on $900K
 3.9%
$640/wk on $848K

Ranking within NSW

Marrickville Earlwood
House price Higher than 87% of NSW Higher than 86% of NSW
Income Higher than 78% of NSW
same for both
Schools Higher than 48% of NSW Higher than 69% of NSW
Walkability Higher than 99% of NSW Higher than 97% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 18% of NSW Higher than 21% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 89% of NSW Higher than 86% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 85% of NSW Higher than 86% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 21% of NSW Higher than 15% of NSW
Rental yield (units) Higher than 25% of NSW Higher than 21% of NSW

Liveability

Earlwood scores higher overall (77 vs 70); Marrickville is more walkable (99 vs 91).

Marrickville Earlwood
Grade A
same for both
Score 70/100 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); Marrickville carries more crime risk (78 vs 33).

Marrickville Earlwood
Bushfire None
0/100
 Low
21/100
Crime High
78/100
 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 8
within 5 km
 6
within 5 km

Schools

Marrickville Earlwood
Inside the suburb 9 3
Rated above peers 2 1
Rated at peers 3 2
Rated below peers 2 0
Universities within 10 km 3
The University of Sydney, 3.5 km
 3
The University of Sydney, 6.4 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 2.3% 2.8%

Schools in Marrickville

  • Casimir Catholic College Catholic · Secondary above peers
  • Wilkins Public School Government · Primary above peers
  • Ferncourt Public School Government · Primary at peers
  • Marrickville Public School Government · Primary at peers
  • St Brigid's Catholic Primary School Catholic · Primary at peers
  • Marrickville High School Government · Secondary below 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

Marrickville Earlwood
Supermarkets 13 1
Cafes & restaurants 100 8
Parks & reserves 24 16
Childcare 22 11
GPs 10 6
Pharmacies 9 6
Police stations 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 8 1
Fuel stations 4 0
EV chargers 1 0
Waterways 4 3

Mobility

Earlwood sits further from the CBD (12.7 km vs 10.2 km).

Marrickville Earlwood
Walkability score 99/100 91/100
Distance to Sydney 10.2 km 12.7 km
+25% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 21 min 25 min
Public transport score 79/100
Rail · Bus
 79/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 583.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
 448.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 1.5%
postcode 2204
 1.3%
postcode 2206
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 15
postcode 2204
 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.

Marrickville Earlwood
Worked from Home 58.3% / 57.6%
Marrickville — Worked from Home: 58.3% Earlwood — Worked from Home: 57.6%
Car (driver) 25.6% / 33.9%
Marrickville — Car (driver): 25.6% Earlwood — Car (driver): 33.9%
Train 6.1% / 3.0%
Marrickville — Train: 6.1% Earlwood — Train: 3.0%
Walked Only 4.3% / 1.4%
Marrickville — Walked Only: 4.3% Earlwood — Walked Only: 1.4%
Car (passenger) 1.8% / 2.6%
Marrickville — Car (passenger): 1.8% Earlwood — Car (passenger): 2.6%
Bus 2.2% / 1.0%
Marrickville — Bus: 2.2% Earlwood — Bus: 1.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (58.3%).

Setting

Marrickville Earlwood
Elevation 16 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 48 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 4.2 km 4.5 km

NBN connectivity

Marrickville Earlwood
Connectivity score 76/100 77/100
Most common technology Hybrid fibre-coaxial
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 9%
14,558 premises
 12%
7,143 premises

Climate

Marrickville 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)

Marrickville 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

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

Federal electorate

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

First Home Owner Grant

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

Tags

Marrickville

Apartments Cafe Culture Gentrifying Inner Nightlife Parks Premium Professionals Urban

Earlwood

Middle-Ring Multicultural Parks Premium Professionals Urban

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Marrickville

Marrickville vs Newtown Marrickville vs Dulwich Hill Marrickville vs Wolli Creek Marrickville vs Petersham Marrickville vs Stanmore Marrickville vs Lewisham

Other comparisons with Earlwood

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

Save this page for later

We'll email you a link to this page so you can finish reading it on any device. We use your address once to send it and don't keep it.

or