Northmead NSW 2152
Northmead is a suburb in New South Wales, 27 km from Sydney CBD, around 29 minutes by car. Population is 11,261; the median age is 39 and the median household income is $100,048 per year. On socioeconomic measures it sits in the top 20% nationally. The 2021 Census recorded a median rent of $420 per week and a median monthly mortgage of $2,300. Of 3 schools within the suburb boundary, 1 ranks above the state average, and walkability is high.
Is Northmead a good suburb?
Northmead scores a A (70/100) on SuburbScan's Liveability grade — strong on transit and community, weaker on prices.
Mixed results
3 schools · 1 above peer schools
Very walkable
Walkability 84/100 · 27.2 km · 29 min drive to Sydney
Above the state median
Median $1.71M · Less affordable than 75% of NSW
Moderate crime risk
Fire 24/100 · Crime 51/100
Very advantaged
SEIFA decile 9/10 · median age 39 · 11,261 residents
Liveability Rating
70 / 100 · Ranked #302 in NSWEach bar is Northmead's rank among NSW suburbs, from 0 to 100 (higher is better).
No flood data is published for New South Wales — a blank here means we hold no data, not that there is no risk.
How do you rate the liveability in Northmead?
Local knowledge beats any dataset. Rate it and see what other residents think.
Our score
70 / 100
From schools, safety and socio-economic data — not opinion.
Residents say
…
Median House Price
Public listings dataNorthmead's house market is moving lower: the median sale price reached $1.71 million, 0.5% below where it sat a year earlier.
Houses
$1,705,000
10% below its 8 neighbours (median $1,898,250)
Based on 128 recorded sales in the last 24 months.
Typically sold in 28 days — median across 98 sales that recorded a listing period
By bedrooms
- 2 bed 7 sales $1.42M
- 3 bed 47 sales $1.55M
- 4 bed 56 sales $1.74M
- 5 bed 14 sales $1.85M
Units
$602,500
3% above its 5 neighbours (median $585,000)
Based on 106 recorded sales in the last 24 months.
Typically sold in 20 days — median across 48 sales that recorded a listing period
By bedrooms
- 1 bed 11 sales $433K
- 2 bed 66 sales $594K
- 3 bed 26 sales $762K
Currently for Sale
Last 6 monthsHouses in Northmead are currently listed at around $1.4 million on average. Based on 22 houses listed in the past six months.
Houses
$1.4M
22 houses listed in the last 6 months.
Units
$605K
13 units listed in the last 6 months.
35 of the suburb's 4,351 dwellings (0.8%) were listed for sale in the last 6 months.
Rental Market
Advertised rents · last 6 monthsHouses in Northmead rent for around $850 a week on average, based on 27 houses listed for rent in the past six months.
Houses
$850/wk
6% above its 6 neighbours (median $800/wk)
27 houses advertised for rent in the last 6 months.
Units
$640/wk
In line with its 4 neighbours (median $650/wk)
37 units advertised for rent in the last 6 months.
64 rentals advertised against an estimated 1,501 rented homes (4.3%) in the last 6 months.
Rent agreed on new leases
Jul–Sep 2026- 3-bed houses
- $780/wk
- 11 bonds
- +49% since 2021
- 2-bed units
- $640/wk
- 19 bonds
- +54% since 2021
Median weekly rent on bonds lodged for new tenancies across postcode 2152 (NSW publishes bonds by postcode, which can cover several suburbs). Change since 2021 compares the median of the first four quarters with the last four. Asking rents above come from advertised listings.
Rental affordability
June quarter 2025122 Acceptable · the average rental household in this region would pay about 25% of its income on the median rent in postcode 2152.
SGS Rental Affordability Index: a score of 100 means rent takes 30% of income, the usual housing-stress line; lower scores are less affordable. "Region" is the capital city or the rest of the state.
Gross rental yield
Indicative$850/week ($44,000 a year) on a $1.4 million median
$640/week ($33,000 a year) on a $605,000 median
Gross yield — before strata, rates, management, insurance and vacancy. Calculated from median advertised rents and median asking prices over the last 6 months. How we calculate.
Short-Stay Rentals
8 active Airbnb listings: 7 whole homes and 1 room. Whole homes are about 0.1% of the suburb's homes.
Airbnb only, as at Jun 2026; other platforms are not included. Active means reviewed in the past 12 months. The share is against private dwellings at the 2021 Census.
Is Northmead safe? Crime statistics
2025Crime in Northmead sits in the moderate band, with 374 incidents recorded in 2025 — down roughly 26% on the prior year.
374 offences
25.9% since 2024Crime Trend
Serious Road Crashes
2021–202528 crashes
where someone was killed or admitted to hospital
Where they happened
Crashes are counted where they happened, so a main road through the suburb carries people passing through; this is not a measure of risk to residents. Roads are listed with 3 or more serious crashes.
Council Flood Studies
City Of Parramatta Council has published 5 flood studies on the NSW Flood Data Portal. The mapped flood areas are in those studies; SuburbScan does not hold them.
Schools
Three schools serve Northmead, and the cohort skews above peer-suburb performance. Northmead Creative and Performing Arts High School leads the pack.
- • 1,965 students across 3 schools (avg 655)
- • ICSEA 1046-1082, median 1069 (above the national baseline of 1000)
- • Largest: Northmead Creative and Performing Arts High School (1,239 students)
Primary
Secondary
Combined
Universities nearby
- 3.2 kmWestern Sydney University - ParramattaWestern Sydney University · 193 courses
- 3.2 kmWestern Sydney University - Parramatta CityWestern Sydney University · 78 courses
2.5% of residents here are full-time university students aged 15–24.
Distance is measured to the suburb centre. A campus nearby does not by itself mean a student rental market — most suburbs within a few kilometres of one have a student share close to the national norm, and the figure above is what tells them apart.
Walkability
Northmead is very walkable on foot — at 84/100, most daily errands can be done on foot.
Public transport
Weekday and weekend service frequency across every stop inside Northmead.
- Peak (7-9am + 5-7pm)
- 304.2 arrivals/hr
- Off-peak weekday
- 212.0 arrivals/hr
- Saturday
- 123.4 arrivals/hr
- Median peak wait
- 0 min
- Span of service
- 19.7 hours
Scheduled service only, based on the 21 October 2026 timetable. Reliability (delays, cancellations) not measured.
NBN connectivity
The internet access technology available across NBN premises in Northmead.
- Full-fibre (FTTP) share
- 10%
- Premises covered
- 5,264
NBN Co fixed-line and fixed-wireless premises, as at 30 December 2025. Higher-quality technologies (full fibre) score above copper, wireless, and satellite. Actual speeds depend on your plan.
Amenities
Parramatta: council population
The three add up to the change above. These are council-wide figures from the ABS, not figures for this suburb alone — this suburb's own population is in the census section above.
Socio-economic profile
The ABS scores 28 small areas inside this suburb and averages them into the single decile above. They fall into 7 different deciles — a wide range, so parts of this suburb rank well above the average and parts well below it.
Northmead is home to about 11,300 residents, with a median age of 39, broadly in line with the national figure. Median household income runs at $100,000 a year, with unemployment at 4.6%.
2021 Census · change since 2016
Population
11,261
Median Age
39
Median Household Income
$100,048/yr
Census Median Rent
$420/wk
Census Median Mortgage
$2,300/mo
Avg Household Size
2.5
Median Personal Income
$48,932/yr
Unemployment Rate
4.6%
Unoccupied Dwellings
9.7%
Total Dwellings
4,351
Owner-Occupier Rate
65.5%
Houses
49.0%
Rental Stress
21.8%
Mortgage Stress
27.6%
Work From Home
52.9%
Dwelling Types
Property Ownership
162 rented from a state or territory housing authority and 70 from a community housing provider, as a share of the 1,400 rented dwellings above — not of all dwellings.
Demographics
- Born in Australia
- 61.5%
- English Spoken at Home
- 62.8%
- Employment Rate
- 58.2%
- Completed Year 12
- 53.3%
Occupations
Religion
Country of Birth (overseas)
Largest overseas birthplaces, as a share of all residents.
When They Arrived
Share of all residents by the year they arrived in Australia. Periods cover different numbers of years, so compare the shape rather than the bar widths.
562 residents (5.0%) arrived since 2016. Australia’s borders were closed to most arrivals from March 2020, so the last two years of that period are much smaller than the ones before them — nationally 260,799 people arrived in 2019 against 28,521 in 2021.
Where New Residents Came From
Where residents aged five and over lived five years before the 2021 Census, for those who lived somewhere else.
Top places newcomers came from, as a share of the 10,561 residents aged five and over. Areas are ABS statistical regions. Small counts are approximate: the ABS adjusts every figure slightly to protect privacy.
Languages Spoken at Home
Top languages other than English, as a share of all residents.
Age Distribution
Family & Household Composition
Commute to Work
13% of employed residents work in a capital's city centre (679 of 5,295).
City centre: the ABS area around each capital's CBD, such as Sydney Inner City or Perth City (which takes in Subiaco and Leederville). 2021 Census place of work.
Local Jobs
People who work in this suburb against employed people who live here, 2021 Census.
About 4,158 people work here; 5,295 employed residents live here.
Roughly as many jobs as working residents (0.8 per resident). At least 17% of employed residents must work outside the suburb.
Counts are by place of work and place of usual residence. The ABS counts jobs in zones; where a zone spans several places, its jobs are shared out by land use. The ABS also adjusts every figure slightly to protect privacy.
Education
Cars per Dwelling
Council Rates
Households face an average residential rates bill of $1,103 a year through Parramatta based on 2024 figures.
How this land is zoned
- Residential 65%
- Environmental 15%
- Industrial 9%
- Parks and recreation 5%
- Infrastructure and transport 4%
- Zones under 1% 1%
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 — the property page shows the zone for one address.
Building Approvals: Parramatta
In the year to August 2026, 2,888 new dwellings were approved across Parramatta. That mix is 307 houses and 2,581 units. Approvals are up 154.3% on the same period a year earlier.
Aboriginal Land Council
Aboriginal land in this area is administered by the Deerubbin Local Aboriginal Land Council.
Local Aboriginal Land Councils are statutory bodies under the Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1983, responsible for land claims and land management for their members. Their boundaries are administrative and are not a statement of whose Country this is. NSW does not publish a register of Aboriginal parties by area — they are registered for each project.
Air Quality
MODERATEPM2.5 averaged 6.1 µg/m³ in 2025 — below Australia's NEPM annual standard (8 µg/m³), slightly above the stricter WHO guideline (5 µg/m³).
PM10 averaged 16.9 µg/m³ · NO₂ averaged 0.83 pphm. Days over the limit in 2025: PM10 1 · NO₂ 0 · ozone 0.
From the Parramatta North monitoring station, 1.4 km away.
Climate & Setting
from Parramatta North (Masons Drive), 2.3 kmHigh rainfall — hot summers, mild winters.
- Elevation
- 49 m
- above sea level, at the suburb centre
- Distance to the ocean
- 23.5 km
- Near high-voltage lines
- 2.9% of addresses
- 164 within 100 m of an overhead line of 110 kV or more
- Annual rainfall
- 1,021 mm
- 94 rainy days
- Summer max (Jan)
- 28.4°C
- 13 days ≥ 35°C
- Winter min (Jul)
- 7.2°C
- 0 frost days ≤ 0°C
Elevation is the ground at the suburb centre, from Geoscience Australia's National Digital Elevation Model. Approximate — it reads high in dense built-up areas. It is a measure of height above sea level and not an indicator of flood risk, which depends on height above nearby waterways.
Industrial Emissions Nearby
8 facilities within 5 km- 1.5 kmSoft Drink, Cordial and Syrup ManufacturingTop reported: Oxides of Nitrogen · Carbon monoxide · Particulate Matter ≤2.5 µm (PM2.5)
- 2.0 kmOther Non-Metallic Mineral Mining and QuarryingTop reported: Particulate Matter ≤10.0 µm (PM10) · Oxides of Nitrogen · Carbon monoxide
- 2.0 kmLaundry and Dry-Cleaning ServicesTop reported: Carbon monoxide · Oxides of Nitrogen · Particulate Matter ≤2.5 µm (PM2.5)
- 2.4 kmCleaning Compound ManufacturingTop reported: Total Volatile Organic Compounds · Ethanol · Carbon monoxide
- 4.0 kmOther Metal Container ManufacturingTop reported: Total Volatile Organic Compounds · Toluene (methylbenzene) · Oxides of Nitrogen
EV adoption
In postcode 2152, 120 of 7,671 registered light vehicles are battery-electric on 31 January 2025. A further 6.2% (478 vehicles) are hybrid or plug-in hybrid, taking the non-petrol, non-diesel share to 7.8%.
Rooftop solar
In postcode 2152, 1,086 rooftop-solar systems totalling 8.5 MW have been installed since 2001, against 4,775 dwellings recorded in the 2021 Census. 99 went up in the last year.
Counts every system certified since 2001, so a roof re-fitted with a newer system is counted twice, and small commercial systems are included alongside houses — useful for comparing postcodes, not an estimate of how many homes have working panels today.
2026 covers part of the year only, to 2026-07.
First Home Owner Grant
FY2026-27$10,000 for new homes priced up to $600,000.
Off-the-plan or contracted-build value cap is $750,000 (vs $600,000 for completed new homes). Stamp duty concessions are a separate scheme (First Home Buyers Assistance).
Mortgage repayments
3 mortgage brokers are registered in this suburb.
Transfer duty at the owner-occupier rate, and it excludes first home buyer concessions — those can cut it substantially or remove it entirely. Excludes legal, inspection and lender fees. Check with Revenue NSW
The First Home Owner Grant applies to newly built homes only, so it isn't available on an established purchase. A first home buyer building or buying new under $600,000 may qualify for $10,000 — see what qualifies with Revenue NSW.
At $1,705,000 this is $1,105,000 above the $600,000 First Home Owner Grant cap. A first home buyer may qualify for $10,000 on a newly built home — check eligibility with Revenue NSW.
A deposit under 20% usually attracts Lenders Mortgage Insurance, which this doesn't include.
Principal and interest over 30 years, fixed rate. Excludes fees, offset, redraw and LMI. Default rate is the median comparison rate across 1788 advertised products as at 2026-10-26 — indicative only, and not an offer. Your rate depends on the lender, your deposit and your circumstances. Not financial advice.
Federal Electorate
Currently held by Alex Hawke Liberal
| Year | Winner | 2PP ALP | 2PP LNP | Swing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Alex Hawke | 46.2% | 53.8% | +6.7 |
| 2022 | Alex Hawke | 39.3% | 60.7% | -7.9 |
| 2019 | Alex Hawke | 31.4% | 68.6% | +0.8 |
Results are per division — federal electoral boundaries are redrawn periodically, so the history reflects this division's past, not necessarily the exact suburb's voters across time.
State Electorate
Currently held by Mark Taylor Liberal
Next state election: 13 March 2027.
| Year | Winner | Won with |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Mark Taylor LP | 51.8% |
Results are per district. Districts were last redrawn in 2021, so results from before then describe the district of that name, not necessarily this suburb's voters. Results: © State of New South Wales through the NSW Electoral Commission, CC BY 4.0, adapted.
Looking at a specific address in Northmead?
Every figure above is a suburb average, and an average smooths over the difference between a street of family homes and a block of flats. Look up one address and you get the census for the few hundred people around it, its own nearest schools and stops, and what the state has mapped for that block.
- The census for a few hundred neighbours, not all 11,261 residents
- Nearest and zoned schools, with the walk from that door
- Flood, bushfire and noise mapping, where the state publishes it
Free to look up. Subscribers see every section in full — $29/month.
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Checking the whole city?
Suburbs to avoid in Sydney There is no list of bad suburbs, but there are hazards the state measures and publishes — recorded crime, bushfire exposure, flood overlays and aircraft noise. Sydney suburbs ranked on them, with what the numbers do and don't mean.Nearby suburbs
Baulkham Hills NSW 2153
Westmead NSW 2145
Wentworthville NSW 2145
Winston Hills NSW 2153
North Parramatta NSW 2151
North Rocks NSW 2151
Compare Northmead to another suburb
Side-by-side stats for any other NSW suburb — type a name and pick one.
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Common questions about Northmead
Is Northmead a safe place to live?
Recorded crime in Northmead is moderate (51/100, ranked against other NSW suburbs on offences per resident).
What natural hazards affect Northmead?
Northmead has a low recorded bushfire history (24/100, ranked against every Australian suburb with any fire history). These are suburb-wide figures; check the address, as flood and bushfire exposure change street by street.
Is Northmead a good place to live?
Northmead has a SuburbScan Liveability grade of A (70/100), ranked against other NSW suburbs on school quality (25%), safety (25%), SEIFA socio-economic advantage (25%), walkability (15%) and CBD access (10%). Whether it suits you depends on what you weigh — each of those is on this page.
What is the population of Northmead?
Northmead, NSW had a population of 11,261 at the 2021 Australian Bureau of Statistics census.
What is the postcode for Northmead, NSW?
The postcode for Northmead, NSW is 2152.
How far is Northmead from Sydney?
Northmead is 27 km from Sydney CBD by road, about 29 minutes by car in normal traffic. Distance is the most-direct driving route, not straight-line.
What is the median household income in Northmead?
At the 2021 ABS Census, median household income in Northmead was $100,048 a year. It is the most recent suburb-level income figure until 2026 Census results are released in 2027.
What is the median weekly rent in Northmead?
The median advertised rent in Northmead is $850 a week for houses (27 listings) and $640 a week for units (37 listings), from rental listings over the last six months.
What is the median age in Northmead?
The median age of residents in Northmead was 39 at the 2021 ABS Census.
Is Northmead at risk of bushfire?
Northmead has a low recorded bushfire history (24/100). The score comes from Geoscience Australia's historical bushfire boundaries, with planned burns excluded: the area of recorded fires touching the suburb relative to its size, ranked against every Australian suburb with any fire history. It records where fire has burned, not a bushfire-prone land designation, which your council's planning scheme sets.
How are the schools in Northmead?
There are 3 schools inside the Northmead boundary: 1 above and 1 at similar schools on NAPLAN, compared with same-state, same-type schools of similar socio-educational advantage (ICSEA).
Is Northmead walkable?
Northmead scores 84/100 on the SuburbScan Walkability Score, making it very walkable. The score is a weighted average of public transport, schools, parks, supermarkets, GPs, pharmacies, childcare, and hospitals within walking distance.
What is the air quality in Northmead?
The nearest government air-quality monitoring station to Northmead (Parramatta North) recorded a 2025 annual mean PM2.5 of 6.1 µg/m³ and PM10 of 16.9 µg/m³. That puts Northmead below the Australian NEPM annual standard of 8 µg/m³ but above the stricter WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.
What is the weather like in Northmead?
At the nearest Bureau of Meteorology station to Northmead, Parramatta North (Masons Drive) (2.3 km away), summer days average 28.4°C, winter nights 7.2°C, 1,021 mm of rain a year over 94 rainy days, and 13 days a year above 35°C over 2006-2026.
Is the First Home Owner Grant available in Northmead?
First-home buyers in NSW may be eligible for $10,000 towards new homes with a purchase price up to $600,000. The grant is administered by Revenue NSW; confirm current eligibility before signing a contract — state rules and amounts can change.
What council does Northmead belong to?
Northmead sits within the Parramatta local government area. Council rates, planning approvals, and waste collection fall under this LGA.
How much are council rates in Northmead?
The average residential rates bill through Parramatta is $1,103 a year (2024). Every suburb in this LGA shares the same schedule — individual bills vary with land value.
How much is being built near Northmead?
Across Parramatta, 2,888 new residential dwellings were approved in the year to August 2026 (source: ABS Building Approvals). That's up 154.3% on the same period a year earlier. These are LGA-level totals — every suburb in the council shares the same figure.
Which federal electorate is Northmead in?
Northmead sits within the federal Division of Mitchell, currently held by Alex Hawke (Liberal).
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Data freshness
- Census · 2021
- Median sale prices · Oct 2026
- For-sale & rental market · Oct 2026
- Council rates · FY 2024–25
- Building approvals · Aug 2026
- Schools · 2025
- Public transport · Oct 2026
- NBN connectivity · Dec 2025
- Crime · 2025
- Road crashes · 2021–2025
- Air quality · 2025
- Climate · 2006–2026
- Socio-economic (SEIFA) · 2021
- EV adoption · Jan 2025
- First Home Owner Grant · Sep 2026
- Federal electorate · 2025
- Short-stay rentals · Jun 2026
- State electorate · 2023
- Amenities · Sep 2026
- Health & emergency facilities · Sep 2026
- Industrial emissions (NPI) · 2024/2025
- Coastal erosion · 1988–2025
- Aircraft noise · 2024
Vintages show when each source's data is from. See all data sources.
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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.