Marrickville vs Wolli Creek

Wolli Creek is the younger of the two, with a median age of 30 against 37 in Marrickville. In Marrickville, about half of households rent and about half of homes are flats or apartments. In Wolli Creek, most households rent and the large majority of homes are flats or apartments. Units cost more in Marrickville: a median of $950,000, against $825,000 in Wolli Creek, though rent is higher in Wolli Creek. Marrickville is closer to the city centre: 10.2 km, against 17.1 km. On these figures, Wolli Creek tends to suit 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

Marrickville

ahead on 5 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more separate houses rather than flats (32% vs 1%)
  • has more childcare (22 vs 0)
  • has more schools inside the suburb (9 vs 0)
  • But Wolli Creek carries lower crime risk (65/100 vs 78/100)

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

First-home buyers

Wolli Creek

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper units ($825,000 vs $950,000)

Weighs unit prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

They split

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

  • Marrickville has cheaper rent ($480/wk vs $540/wk)
  • Wolli Creek has a bigger rental market to choose from (65% vs 48%)

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

Commuting to the city

They split

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

  • Marrickville sits closer to the CBD (10.2 km vs 17.1 km)
  • Wolli Creek gets more of its commuters onto trains and trams (22% vs 6%)

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

Downsizers and retirees

They split

one each way, out of the 5 things we measure here

  • Marrickville has more residents already 65 and over (14% vs 3%)
  • Wolli Creek has more units and townhouses to downsize into (99% vs 68%)

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

Investors

Wolli Creek

ahead on 2 of the 2 things we measure here

  • is growing faster (66.6% vs -0.1%)
  • returns a higher gross yield on units (5.4% vs 4.0%)

Weighs unit yield and population growth.

Where they sit

Marrickville and Wolli Creek 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 Wolli Creek
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 Wolli Creek
Walkability 99 / 96
Marrickville — Walkability: 99/100 Wolli Creek — Walkability: 96/100
Safety 22 / 35
Marrickville — Safety: 22/100 Wolli Creek — Safety: 35/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Marrickville — Low fire risk: 100/100 Wolli Creek — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Marrickville has more residents (26,570 vs 10,654); Marrickville skews older (37 vs 30).

Marrickville Wolli Creek
Population 26,570
+60% vs other
 10,654
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -0.1% +66.6%
Median age 37 30
Median household income $112,840/yr $112,476/yr
Median weekly rent $480/wk $540/wk
+12% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Marrickville Wolli Creek
0-4 4.7% / 5.1%
Marrickville — 0-4: 4.7% Wolli Creek — 0-4: 5.1%
5-14 8.7% / 2.9%
Marrickville — 5-14: 8.7% Wolli Creek — 5-14: 2.9%
15-19 3.7% / 1.6%
Marrickville — 15-19: 3.7% Wolli Creek — 15-19: 1.6%
20-24 6.0% / 12.8%
Marrickville — 20-24: 6.0% Wolli Creek — 20-24: 12.8%
25-34 22.0% / 46.7%
Marrickville — 25-34: 22.0% Wolli Creek — 25-34: 46.7%
35-44 16.8% / 18.2%
Marrickville — 35-44: 16.8% Wolli Creek — 35-44: 18.2%
45-54 13.7% / 5.6%
Marrickville — 45-54: 13.7% Wolli Creek — 45-54: 5.6%
55-64 10.4% / 4.0%
Marrickville — 55-64: 10.4% Wolli Creek — 55-64: 4.0%
65-74 7.3% / 2.3%
Marrickville — 65-74: 7.3% Wolli Creek — 65-74: 2.3%
75-84 4.8% / 0.8%
Marrickville — 75-84: 4.8% Wolli Creek — 75-84: 0.8%
85+ 1.9% / 0.1%
Marrickville — 85+: 1.9% Wolli Creek — 85+: 0.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (46.7%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Marrickville 40.1% lone person
Marrickville — Lone Person: 40.1% Marrickville — Couple Families: 31.8% Marrickville — Group Household: 12.4% Marrickville — One Parent Families: 13.6% Marrickville — Other Families: 2.2%
Wolli Creek 41.8% lone person
Wolli Creek — Lone Person: 41.8% Wolli Creek — Couple Families: 22.8% Wolli Creek — Group Household: 24.8% Wolli Creek — One Parent Families: 6.1% Wolli Creek — Other Families: 4.6%
Lone Person Couple Families Group Household One Parent Families 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%
Wolli Creek 64.6% renting
Wolli Creek — Owned Outright: 7.3% Wolli Creek — Mortgage: 28.1% Wolli Creek — Renting: 64.6%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Marrickville Wolli Creek
Bachelor Degree 24.5% / 32.3%
Marrickville — Bachelor Degree: 24.5% Wolli Creek — Bachelor Degree: 32.3%
Postgraduate Degree 10.2% / 17.4%
Marrickville — Postgraduate Degree: 10.2% Wolli Creek — Postgraduate Degree: 17.4%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.5% / 8.9%
Marrickville — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.5% Wolli Creek — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.9%
Certificate III & IV 7.5% / 5.3%
Marrickville — Certificate III & IV: 7.5% Wolli Creek — Certificate III & IV: 5.3%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.7% / 2.0%
Marrickville — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.7% Wolli Creek — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (32.3%).

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 Wolli Creek
China 1.3% / 20.2%
Marrickville — China: 1.3% Wolli Creek — China: 20.2%
Vietnam 5.6% / 2.3%
Marrickville — Vietnam: 5.6% Wolli Creek — Vietnam: 2.3%
Indonesia — / 4.3%
Marrickville — Indonesia: not among its largest Wolli Creek — Indonesia: 4.3%
Greece 3.9% / —
Marrickville — Greece: 3.9% Wolli Creek — Greece: not among its largest
Brazil — / 3.7%
Marrickville — Brazil: not among its largest Wolli Creek — Brazil: 3.7%
Philippines 1.1% / 2.6%
Marrickville — Philippines: 1.1% Wolli Creek — Philippines: 2.6%
England 3.4% / —
Marrickville — England: 3.4% Wolli Creek — England: not among its largest
India — / 2.5%
Marrickville — India: not among its largest Wolli Creek — India: 2.5%
New Zealand 2.0% / —
Marrickville — New Zealand: 2.0% Wolli Creek — New Zealand: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (20.2%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Marrickville 49.5% flats / apartments
Marrickville — Flats / Apartments: 49.5% Marrickville — Houses: 32.0% Marrickville — Townhouses: 18.5%
Wolli Creek 99.1% flats / apartments
Wolli Creek — Flats / Apartments: 99.1% Wolli Creek — Houses: 0.7% Wolli Creek — Townhouses: 0.2%
Flats / Apartments Houses Townhouses

Property market

Marrickville Wolli Creek
Median house price $2,110,000 —
Median unit price $950,000 $825,000
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 26 days
from 189 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 Wolli Creek
1 bed $775K / $630K
Marrickville — 1 bed: $775K (94 sales) Wolli Creek — 1 bed: $630K (79 sales)

94 vs 79 sales

2 bed $1.04M / $867K
Marrickville — 2 bed: $1.04M (173 sales) Wolli Creek — 2 bed: $867K (192 sales)

173 vs 192 sales

3 bed $1.7M / $1.07M
Marrickville — 3 bed: $1.7M (13 sales) Wolli Creek — 3 bed: $1.07M (26 sales)

13 vs 26 sales

Zoning mix

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

Marrickville Wolli Creek
Residential 55% 57%
Infrastructure and transport 10% 22%
Parks and recreation 11% 18%
Industrial 18% 0%
Commercial 4% 0%
Environmental 2%
same for both
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 Wolli Creek
New dwellings approved 849
across Inner West
 857
across Bayside (NSW)
Approvals change year on year -25% +98%

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 Wolli Creek
Houses 3.0%
$1,100/wk on $1.91M
 —
Units 4.0%
$700/wk on $900K
 5.4%
$890/wk on $850K

Ranking within NSW

Marrickville Wolli Creek
House price Higher than 87% of NSW Higher than 91% of NSW
Income Higher than 78% of NSW
same for both
Schools Higher than 48% of NSW —
Walkability Higher than 99% of NSW
same for both
Affordability Higher than 18% of NSW Higher than 11% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 89% of NSW Higher than 91% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 85% of NSW Higher than 92% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 21% of NSW —
Rental yield (units) Higher than 25% of NSW Higher than 83% of NSW

Liveability

Wolli Creek scores higher overall (82 vs 70).

Marrickville Wolli Creek
Grade A
same for both
Score 70/100 82/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
same for both

Risk profile

Marrickville carries more crime risk (78 vs 65).

Marrickville Wolli Creek
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime High
78/100
 Moderate
65/100
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
 7
within 5 km

Schools

Marrickville Wolli Creek
Inside the suburb 9 0
Rated above peers 2 0
Rated at peers 3 0
Rated below peers 2 0
Universities within 10 km 3
The University of Sydney, 3.5 km
 3
The University of Sydney, 5.5 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 2.3% 5.7%

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 Wolli Creek

No schools recorded inside this suburb's boundary. Children here will be zoned to schools nearby.

Amenities in the suburb

Marrickville Wolli Creek
Supermarkets 13 3
Cafes & restaurants 100 19
Parks & reserves 24 8
Childcare 22 0
GPs 10 6
Pharmacies 9 1
Police stations 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 8 0
Fuel stations 4 0
EV chargers 1 0
Waterways 4 1

Mobility

Wolli Creek sits further from the CBD (17.1 km vs 10.2 km).

Marrickville Wolli Creek
Walkability score 99/100 96/100
Distance to Sydney 10.2 km 17.1 km
+68% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 21 min 22 min
Public transport score 79/100
Rail · Bus
 98/100
Rail · Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 583.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
 57.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
 1 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 1.5%
postcode 2204
 1.6%
postcode 2205
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 15
postcode 2204
 8
postcode 2205

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 Wolli Creek
Worked from Home 58.3% / 52.1%
Marrickville — Worked from Home: 58.3% Wolli Creek — Worked from Home: 52.1%
Car (driver) 25.6% / 20.8%
Marrickville — Car (driver): 25.6% Wolli Creek — Car (driver): 20.8%
Train 6.1% / 21.8%
Marrickville — Train: 6.1% Wolli Creek — Train: 21.8%
Walked Only 4.3% / 1.7%
Marrickville — Walked Only: 4.3% Wolli Creek — Walked Only: 1.7%
Car (passenger) 1.8% / 2.0%
Marrickville — Car (passenger): 1.8% Wolli Creek — Car (passenger): 2.0%
Bus 2.2% / 0.9%
Marrickville — Bus: 2.2% Wolli Creek — Bus: 0.9%

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

Setting

Marrickville Wolli Creek
Elevation 16 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 1 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 4.2 km 2.2 km

NBN connectivity

Marrickville Wolli Creek
Connectivity score 76/100 85/100
Most common technology Hybrid fibre-coaxial Fibre to the premises
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 9%
14,558 premises
 59%
5,171 premises

Climate

Marrickville Wolli Creek
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 Wolli Creek
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 Wolli Creek
Average residential rate $1,342/yr $1,217/yr
Council Inner West Bayside (NSW)

Federal electorate

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

First Home Owner Grant

Marrickville Wolli Creek
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

Wolli Creek

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

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Marrickville

Marrickville vs Earlwood Marrickville vs Newtown Marrickville vs Dulwich Hill Marrickville vs Petersham Marrickville vs Stanmore Marrickville vs Lewisham

Other comparisons with Wolli Creek

Wolli Creek vs Earlwood Wolli Creek vs Arncliffe Wolli Creek vs Tempe Wolli Creek vs Turrella
Full data on Marrickville Full data on Wolli Creek
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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