Ashfield (NSW)
NSWAshfield (NSW) is a growing suburb in NSW with 23,012 residents.
- SAL code
- 10099
- SA2
- 120031676
- Population
- 23,012
Ashfield (NSW), NSW had 23,012 residents at the 2021 Census, with the broader statistical area showing a 3.1% growth over the last five years. The predominant age group is 25-34 years, and the median age sits at 36. Households are most often couples without children, and those with a mortgage repay a median of $2,210 a month. Around 45.1% of homes are owner-occupied, with the largest single tenure being rented at 50.5%. Most dwellings are flats or apartments, making up 70.3% of the suburb's housing stock. The suburb has 30 parks and reserves mapped within its boundary. Source: ABS Census 2021 and Estimated Resident Population, with amenity counts from state Open Data and OpenStreetMap.
Suburb analysis
Ashfield (NSW), NSW at a glance
Ashfield is an established inner-west Sydney suburb ~8 km west of the CBD in the Inner West Council area. The streetscape mixes Victorian and Federation houses with post-war walk-up flats, and the Liverpool Road strip is one of Sydney's most prominent Chinese commercial precincts. The data tiles below cover the demographic baseline; this card adds the live market + lifestyle context.
For homebuyers
Ashfield reads denser and more urban than most of Sydney's inner-west neighbours. Houses are dominantly Federation and Victorian-era detached on small-to-mid lots, interspersed with post-war low-rise unit blocks; renters make up about half the dwellings, so the feel is closer to a town centre than a quiet pocket. Liverpool Road and Ashfield Mall anchor everyday shopping, with the Chinese restaurant and grocery cluster around the station drawing weekend trade from across Sydney. Ashfield Park is the central green; Hammond Park is mid-upgrade. Ashfield station sits on the T2 Leppington and T3 Liverpool lines — direct CBD access in under 20 minutes. School standouts include Ashfield Boys High School and Bethlehem College, with three primary schools inside the suburb. In short: an established, walkable inner-west suburb with strong rail access and a distinctive food-led main street, if you can wear the unit-heavy density.
For investors
Ashfield is a low-yield, capital-growth-led market with deep liquidity in units. Median house sale ~$2.30M against ~$992/week rent gives a ~2.12% gross yield; units sit at ~$876,000 with $650/week rent for ~4.06% gross yield (Your Investment Property May 2026). 12-month house growth +4.55%; units +5.38%. About 106 house sales and 308 unit sales over the past 12 months. Houses average 38 days on market, units 29 (htag.com.au May 2026). Vacancy ~1.27% (SQM).
Strengths
- Strong rental demand — vacancy ~1.27% (SQM May 2026) against ~51% renter share underpins consistent occupancy.
- Deep unit market — 308 unit sales in 12 months gives genuine liquidity for entry and exit.
- Direct CBD rail (T2/T3, ~20 min) keeps tenant demand structurally tied to Sydney CBD employment.
- Steady unit growth (+5.38% YoY) at a sub-$900k entry point relative to neighbouring inner-west suburbs.
Trade-offs
- Very low house yield (~2.12%) — negative-gear territory at typical LVRs against a $2.30M median.
- Houses sit on market 38 days — slower clearance than the inner-ring average, so exit timing matters.
- Inner West Council's Our Fairer Future plan flags new housing capacity around Ashfield town centre, which means meaningful unit supply in the medium term and potential yield compression.
- Heritage streetscapes limit value-add scope on older houses — many are conservation-listed.
What's coming
Inner West Council is delivering ~$119.6M in capital works in 2025/26, with several Ashfield projects in train: the Ashfield Town Centre Upgrade around the station, the $1.7M Hammond Park Sporting Ground Upgrade (due March 2026), $1M for Elizabeth Street between Bland Street and Liverpool Road, and Ashfield Aquatic Centre carpark and shade works. The Our Fairer Future housing plan also flags Ashfield as a node for new dwellings.
Bottom line
For homebuyers: an urban, well-connected inner-west suburb if you want the food strip and rail over the quiet street. For investors: a unit-led liquidity and growth play, not a yield play.
Population
?23,012
Suburb · Census 2021
5-Year Growth
+3.1%
3yr: +10.0% · 10yr: -6.3%
SA2 · 5yr
Household Income
$1,888/wk
Suburb · Census 2021 median
Median Age
36
Suburb · Census 2021
Socio-Economic Index
?5/10
SA2 · middle-range
Unemployment
?4.7%
SA2 · Q4 2025
Schools
3
2 primary, 1 secondary
Hospitals
No data for this suburb
Childcare services
?17
11 long day, 3 OSHC, 1 family
Parks & green space
?30
Parks, reserves
Transport stops
?59
GTFS stops
Dwelling approvals
No data for this suburb
Median Weekly Rent
Based on NSW rental bond lodgements, aggregated at postcode level. All SALs sharing this postcode show the same median.
Median House Sale Price
Source: state Valuer-General (suburb-level quarterly medians).
→ Calculate stamp duty on this suburb's median price→ Estimate mortgage repayments→ Calculate rental yield (price + median rent)
Population over time — Ashfield - North (SA2)
ABS publishes annual estimates only at SA2; Ashfield (NSW) suburb alone is ~23,012 (Census 2021).
Source: ABS ERP (latest release · 2025) · Census 2021. Numbers refreshed quarterly.
Growth at a Glance
Population grew from 11,719 to 12,626 over 24 years, averaging 0.3% per year.
Schools
3 in suburbSector
3 public
Type
2 primary · 1 secondary
Total enrolment
1,273
Avg per school
424
Government school catchment
Intake zonePrimary
Ashfield PS51.6%
- Haberfield PS 30.4%
- Ashbury PS 13.0%
- Summer Hill PS 2.6%
- Canterbury PS 1.4%
- Croydon Park PS 0.8%
- Croydon PS 0.1%
- Five Dock PS 0.0%
Secondary
Ashfield BHS82.9%
- Burwood GHS 82.9%
- Strathfield SHS 52.5%
- Canterbury GHS 17.1%
- Canterbury BHS 17.1%
- Dulwich HS of Visual Arts and Design 15.6%
- Marrickville HS 1.4%
Infants
Yeo Park IS
Source: NSW Department of Education — School Intake Zones. Boundaries can be amended without notice; confirm with the school before relying on enrolment.
Profile
Census snapshot
Housing
Public housing 1.1%Predominantly apartments (70.3%), rental-heavy (50.5% renting), built for families (53% are 2 bed).
Dwelling mix
Tenure
NSW 33%
Number of bedrooms
Bushfire risk
This suburb falls outside every bushfire polygon mapped by the relevant authority. Always confirm at the property address — local conditions and unmapped overlays can still apply.
Overlap is the percentage of the suburb's land area inside the mapped bushfire polygons. Always verify the exact property address with the relevant authority before making decisions. Source when available: NSW Rural Fire Service (BFPL) and NSW DPHI EPI Flood.
Flood risk
This suburb falls outside every flood polygon mapped by the relevant authority. Always confirm at the property address — local conditions and unmapped overlays can still apply.
Overlap is the percentage of the suburb's land area inside the mapped flood polygons. Always verify the exact property address with the relevant authority before making decisions. Source when available: NSW Rural Fire Service (BFPL) and NSW DPHI EPI Flood.
Planning zones
8 zones in suburb| Code | Zone | % covered | Area |
|---|---|---|---|
| R2 | ZoneResidential | 56.5% | 1.93 km² |
| R3 | ZoneResidential | 19.6% | 0.67 km² |
| SP2 | ZoneSpecial use | 8.3% | 0.28 km² |
| RE1 | ZoneRecreation | 6.1% | 0.21 km² |
| E2 | ZoneEnvironmental | 4.8% | 0.16 km² |
| E3 | ZoneEnvironmental | 2.5% | 0.08 km² |
| MU1 | ZoneBusiness | 1.8% | 0.06 km² |
| E1 | ZoneEnvironmental | 0.4% | 0.01 km² |
Source: NSW DPHI EPI Land Zoning (ZONE_NSW/2026-04-29/1eccf1a530fa1be5) · As of Apr 2026. Zone boundaries are amended periodically; verify the exact property with the relevant council before relying on permitted use.