Sydenham vs Tempe

Sydenham is the younger of the two, with a median age of 36 against 39 in Tempe. In both, most households own their home. In Tempe, most homes are detached houses and about half of households are couple families. Sydenham is closer to the city centre: 8.5 km, against 32.7 km. On these figures, Sydenham tends to suit young adults, people living alone, and share households, while Tempe suits families with children and 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

Tempe

ahead on 5 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more childcare (5 vs 0)
  • has more schools inside the suburb (2 vs 0)
  • has more separate houses rather than flats (68% vs 34%)

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

First-home buyers

Sydenham

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper units ($780,000 vs $897,000)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Sydenham

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (38% vs 26%)

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

Commuting to the city

Sydenham

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • sits closer to the CBD (8.5 km vs 32.7 km)
  • has a shorter drive in (20 min vs 33 min)

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

Downsizers and retirees

They split

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

  • Sydenham has more units and townhouses to downsize into (66% vs 32%)
  • Tempe carries lower crime risk (70/100 vs 93/100)

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

Investors

Sydenham

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • returns a higher gross yield on houses (5.4% vs 4.1%)

Weighs house yield and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Sydenham Tempe
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.

Sydenham Tempe
Walkability 81 / 86
Sydenham — Walkability: 81/100 Tempe — Walkability: 86/100
Safety 7 / 30
Sydenham — Safety: 7/100 Tempe — Safety: 30/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Sydenham — Low fire risk: 100/100 Tempe — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Tempe has more residents (3,550 vs 1,100); Tempe skews older (39 vs 36).

Sydenham Tempe
Population 1,100 3,550
+223% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -3.9% -0.2%
Median age 36 39
Median household income $116,740/yr $127,504/yr
+9% vs other
Median weekly rent $580/wk $600/wk
+3% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Sydenham Tempe
0-4 4.5% / 6.3%
Sydenham — 0-4: 4.5% Tempe — 0-4: 6.3%
5-14 7.0% / 11.9%
Sydenham — 5-14: 7.0% Tempe — 5-14: 11.9%
15-19 2.4% / 4.8%
Sydenham — 15-19: 2.4% Tempe — 15-19: 4.8%
20-24 8.3% / 4.9%
Sydenham — 20-24: 8.3% Tempe — 20-24: 4.9%
25-34 25.0% / 14.8%
Sydenham — 25-34: 25.0% Tempe — 25-34: 14.8%
35-44 18.7% / 17.4%
Sydenham — 35-44: 18.7% Tempe — 35-44: 17.4%
45-54 11.5% / 14.6%
Sydenham — 45-54: 11.5% Tempe — 45-54: 14.6%
55-64 8.5% / 10.8%
Sydenham — 55-64: 8.5% Tempe — 55-64: 10.8%
65-74 8.3% / 8.6%
Sydenham — 65-74: 8.3% Tempe — 65-74: 8.6%
75-84 3.6% / 4.6%
Sydenham — 75-84: 3.6% Tempe — 75-84: 4.6%
85+ 2.1% / 1.3%
Sydenham — 85+: 2.1% Tempe — 85+: 1.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (25.0%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Sydenham 29.9% couple families
Sydenham — Couple Families: 29.9% Sydenham — Lone Person: 36.6% Sydenham — One Parent Families: 13.8% Sydenham — Group Household: 16.8% Sydenham — Other Families: 3.0%
Tempe 46.7% couple families
Tempe — Couple Families: 46.7% Tempe — Lone Person: 24.7% Tempe — One Parent Families: 17.0% Tempe — Group Household: 9.3% Tempe — Other Families: 2.3%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Sydenham 37.8% renting
Sydenham — Owned Outright: 27.9% Sydenham — Mortgage: 34.3% Sydenham — Renting: 37.8%
Tempe 26.1% renting
Tempe — Owned Outright: 30.8% Tempe — Mortgage: 43.1% Tempe — Renting: 26.1%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Sydenham Tempe
Bachelor Degree 24.5% / 21.0%
Sydenham — Bachelor Degree: 24.5% Tempe — Bachelor Degree: 21.0%
Certificate III & IV 9.8% / 8.4%
Sydenham — Certificate III & IV: 9.8% Tempe — Certificate III & IV: 8.4%
Postgraduate Degree 8.6% / 8.4%
Sydenham — Postgraduate Degree: 8.6% Tempe — Postgraduate Degree: 8.4%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.2% / 6.6%
Sydenham — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.2% Tempe — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.6%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.7% / 1.8%
Sydenham — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.7% Tempe — 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.

Sydenham Tempe
Vietnam 4.4% / 3.4%
Sydenham — Vietnam: 4.4% Tempe — Vietnam: 3.4%
England 3.2% / 3.3%
Sydenham — England: 3.2% Tempe — England: 3.3%
China 3.7% / 1.8%
Sydenham — China: 3.7% Tempe — China: 1.8%
New Zealand 2.3% / 2.1%
Sydenham — New Zealand: 2.3% Tempe — New Zealand: 2.1%
Thailand 3.0% / 1.3%
Sydenham — Thailand: 3.0% Tempe — Thailand: 1.3%
Greece 1.8% / 1.9%
Sydenham — Greece: 1.8% Tempe — Greece: 1.9%
Philippines — / 1.9%
Sydenham — Philippines: not among its largest Tempe — Philippines: 1.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (4.4%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Sydenham 34.0% houses
Sydenham — Houses: 34.0% Sydenham — Townhouses: 53.6% Sydenham — Flats / Apartments: 12.4%
Tempe 67.5% houses
Tempe — Houses: 67.5% Tempe — Townhouses: 26.6% Tempe — Flats / Apartments: 5.9%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Sydenham Tempe
Median house price $1,700,000 $1,800,000
Median unit price $780,000 $897,000
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 23 days
from 16 sales
 24 days
from 19 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.

Sydenham Tempe
2 bed $1.52M / $1.6M
Sydenham — 2 bed: $1.52M (14 sales) Tempe — 2 bed: $1.6M (13 sales)

14 vs 13 sales

3 bed $1.77M / $1.78M
Sydenham — 3 bed: $1.77M (16 sales) Tempe — 3 bed: $1.78M (23 sales)

16 vs 23 sales

4 bed $2.21M / $2.05M
Sydenham — 4 bed: $2.21M (9 sales) Tempe — 4 bed: $2.05M (12 sales)

9 vs 12 sales

Zoning mix

Tempe has more industrially zoned land (30% vs 9%).

Sydenham Tempe
Residential 48% 28%
Industrial 9% 30%
Infrastructure and transport 20% 13%
Parks and recreation 18% 19%
Environmental 0% 9%
Commercial 5% 0%
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

Sydenham Tempe
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.

Sydenham Tempe
Houses 5.4%
$1,500/wk on $1.45M
 4.1%
$1,275/wk on $1.6M
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Sydenham Tempe
House price Higher than 79% of NSW Higher than 81% of NSW
Income Higher than 80% of NSW Higher than 88% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 92% of NSW Higher than 95% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 37% of NSW Higher than 41% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 94% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 82% of NSW Higher than 83% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 98% of NSW Higher than 79% of NSW

Liveability

Tempe scores higher overall (74 vs 68).

Sydenham Tempe
Grade B A
Score 68/100 74/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
same for both

Risk profile

Sydenham carries more crime risk (93 vs 70).

Sydenham Tempe
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime High
93/100
 High
70/100
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
 9
within 5 km

Schools

Sydenham Tempe
Inside the suburb 0 2
Rated above peers 0 1
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0 1
Universities within 10 km 3
The University of Sydney, 3.4 km
 3
The University of Sydney, 4.4 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 3.0% 1.7%

Schools in Sydenham

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

Schools in Tempe

  • Tempe High School Government · Secondary above peers
  • Tempe Public School Government · Primary below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Sydenham Tempe
Cafes & restaurants 2 3
Parks & reserves 6 5
Childcare 0 5
Fuel stations 0 2

Mobility

Tempe sits further from the CBD (32.7 km vs 8.5 km).

Sydenham Tempe
Walkability score 81/100 86/100
Distance to Sydney 8.5 km 32.7 km
+285% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 20 min 33 min
Public transport score 94/100
Rail · Bus
 80/100
Rail · Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 182.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
 64.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
 1 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 2.1%
postcode 2044
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 22
postcode 2044
same for both

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.

Sydenham Tempe
Worked from Home 47.5% / 54.3%
Sydenham — Worked from Home: 47.5% Tempe — Worked from Home: 54.3%
Car (driver) 29.1% / 29.1%
Sydenham — Car (driver): 29.1% Tempe — Car (driver): 29.1%
Train 12.2% / 7.5%
Sydenham — Train: 12.2% Tempe — Train: 7.5%
Walked Only 5.5% / 3.7%
Sydenham — Walked Only: 5.5% Tempe — Walked Only: 3.7%
Car (passenger) 2.3% / 1.9%
Sydenham — Car (passenger): 2.3% Tempe — Car (passenger): 1.9%
Bus 1.9% / 1.9%
Sydenham — Bus: 1.9% Tempe — Bus: 1.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (54.3%).

Setting

Sydenham Tempe
Elevation 7 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 12 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 3.4 km 2.5 km

NBN connectivity

Sydenham Tempe
Connectivity score 75/100
same for both
Most common technology Hybrid fibre-coaxial
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
516 premises
 1%
1,533 premises

Climate

Sydenham Tempe
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)

Sydenham Tempe
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

Sydenham Tempe
Average residential rate $1,342/yr
same for both
Council Inner West
same for both

Federal electorate

Sydenham Tempe
Division Grayndler
same for both
Member Anthony Albanese
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Sydenham Tempe
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Sydenham

Easy Commute Inner Parks Professionals Townhouses Trains Transport Hub Urban

Tempe

Coastal Inner Parks Professionals Townhouses Trains Transport Hub

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Sydenham

Sydenham vs Marrickville Sydenham vs St Peters

Other comparisons with Tempe

Tempe vs Marrickville Tempe vs Mascot Tempe vs Arncliffe Tempe vs Wolli Creek Tempe vs St Peters
Full data on Sydenham Full data on Tempe
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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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