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Suburb profile ·North Sydney LGA · NSW ·2089

Neutral Bay NSW 2089

Neutral Bay is in North Sydney LGA, NSW, postcode 2089, with population 10,090.

The read

Premium-market

There are enough stretched or weaker signals here that you should assume trade-offs rather than a clean story. Use compare mode to see whether the downside is price, local quality, or weaker momentum before treating it as a target suburb.

$820/wk
Rising
+8.3% YoY
Jun 2025 → Jun 2026 · 13 periods
NSW Fair Trading · postcode 2089 · Jun 2026
$880
$750
Jun 2025Jun 2026
Why it fits

Transport coverage adds a practical access signal. Higher SEIFA context supports a stronger local-quality read.

What to check

Premium pricing raises the bar for yield, affordability, and downside checks. Gross yield looks low for an income-first use case.

Median house
$2.9M
House median, latest period
2.5%YoY D10 vs AU
Median rent
$820/wk
Income-stretched rent market
8.3%YoY D10 vs AU
Gross yield
1.5%
Low yield band
D3 vs AU
Population
10,090
10K local footprint
D10 vs AU
Schools
1
Matched school context
D1 vs AU
Drive to city
7 min
4.8 km to Sydney CBD · free-flow
Transit to city
31 min
Public transport to Sydney CBD · weekday 8am
Solar
209
25 added 12mo · 2MW
Price cycleRecovering
LowPeak

14.0% below peak · 571.3% above its low

See trend depth →

Price history

Houses to Q4'25 · Units to Q2'26 — house and unit medians are released on separate cycles, so their latest period can differ.

Trend & investor depth

Cycle positionRecovering
Low · 2002Peak · 2023

14.0% below peak · 571.3% above its low

Price growth (compound)% per year
3-yr
-4.9%
5-yr
-1.2%
10-yr
+2.9%
Affordability trajectoryWorsening
Price
+4.0%/yr
Income
+2.8%/yr

Growth in median price vs median household income — worsening — prices outgrowing incomes.

Indicative cashflow-$2,260/wk (-$117,524/yr) · interest-only @ 6.4%, 80% LVR
Market turnover3.1% of homes traded/yr (157 sales · -49% vs 3-yr avg)
Rent stabilitytypical — rents vary ±4.1% around trend (short window, 13 pts)
Value vs advantage+84% vs suburbs of similar SEIFA advantage (decile 10)

Indicative cashflow is interest-only and excludes tax — use the calculator for a full projection. Turnover divides recorded sales by an estimated household count (population over average household size).

Investment grade

Fgrade · 2/100 · top 98% of 3,604AU suburbs
Peer distributionstronger than 2% of AU suburbs
WeakerTypicalStronger
Capital growth6
Rental yield7
Stability6
Volatility-30.7ppCycle+1.5Affordability-1.5

Bar = this suburb's percentile · tick = typical (median) peer · stability drivers signed (+ = steadier)

Relative grade across Australian suburbs, combining qp's capital-growth (multi-year CAGR + cycle timing), rental-yield, and stability (price volatility + cycle + affordability) metrics via a three-pillar property-scoring method with an imbalance penalty. Within-Australia relative, indicative only — not financial advice.

Investor profile

Who invests in Neutral Bay

Owner-occupied 47%Rented 53%
Investor activityATO
Negatively geared7.9%
695 of 1,562 landlords
Avg rental loss$15,583/yr
Landlords (rental income)1,562
Reported capital gains1,609
Investor exposure index(moderate vs national)69.1/100
The read

Renter-heavy market

46% of homes here are owner-occupied and 52% rented, with 8% of landlords negatively geared.

What to check

52% rented — renter-heavy areas turn over faster and are more exposed to rate moves and investor sentiment. Gross yield 1.5% is thin for a rental-led market.

ABS Census 2021 tenure (G37), ATO postcode rental statistics, and QuickProperty's investor-exposure index. Owner-occupied = owned outright + with a mortgage.

Mortgage affordability

135%
of household income to service a new loan
30.6 yrs
to save a 20% deposit
Severe
housing-stress band
Rent vs buyRenting cheaper

New-loan repayment $14,307/mo vs median rent $3,553/mo (+303% · +$2482/wk)

If rates move

At 4.2%: $11,423/mo (-2,884) · at 6.2% (current): $14,307/mo · at 8.2%: $17,468/mo (+3,160)

Assumes a 20% deposit and a 30-year principal-and-interest loan at the current RBA new owner-occupier variable rate, against median weekly household income (ABS Census 2021). Stress bands follow the 30% / 45%-of-income thresholds used in ANZ-CoreLogic and AIHW reporting. Rent vs buy compares that repayment with the suburb's median advertised rent; it excludes rates, insurance, maintenance and deposit opportunity cost.

Stronger alternatives nearby

Higher yield

similar price · cross-LGA

Stronger 5-yr growth

similar price · cross-LGA

More affordable

lower price-to-income

Alternatives are similar-priced suburbs (0.7–1.4x this suburb's median) in other council areas that exceed it on the named metric. Indicative — not financial advice.

Affordability

Buying
23.0x
median home price as a multiple of annual household income
Stretched
Renting
34%
median weekly rent as a share of gross household income (the 30% rule)
Stretched

Owners with a mortgage repay a median of $2,895/mo, while renters pay about $3,553/mo — renting runs $658/mo higher on these medians.

Median price
$2.92M
Household income · yr
$127K
Median rent · wk
$820
Owner mortgage · mo
$2,895
Gross yield
1.5%

Household income

$127K household · yr+54.3% vs NSW suburb median
Personal
$81K
Family
$187K
Household
$127K
Household income distribution (ABS Census 2021 · weekly)fewer than 31% could service the median house
Under $300
152
$300-649
281
$650-999
311
$1,000-1,499
462
$1,500-1,999
533
$2,000-2,999
879
$3,000-3,999
535
$4,000+
1,390

Serviceability line: a household needs about $11,006/wk to hold a new loan on the median house at 30% of income (20% deposit, 30-year P&I, current RBA rate).

At the median asking rent, about 54% of households here would spend more than 30% of income on rent (rent stress line: $2,733/wk income).

Median taxable income trend (ATO, 2018-19 – 2022-23)$77K → $86K

Housing stock and tenure

Tenure (4,728 households)
Owned outright
24%
Owned with mortgage
22%
Rented
52%
Dwelling structure13.2% of dwellings unoccupied on census night
Separate house
8%
Townhouse / semi
11%
Flat / apartment
80%

Getting to work: 21% drive, 5% public transport, 6% walk or cycle, 65% worked from home (2021 Census, taken during COVID-era work-from-home arrangements).

Schools

Total1
Avg ICSEA1169
Students641
Government1
  • Neutral Bay Public SchoolPrimary · Government · ICSEA 1169

Livability

77/ 100 livability index

Top 23% most liveable of 4,565Australian suburbs.

Peer distributionstronger than 77% of Australian suburbs
WeakerTypicalStronger
Everyday access94
Public transport (29 stops)67
Schools & hospitals25

Bar = this suburb's percentile · tick = typical (median) peer

Suburb-level access-density index (not an address-level walk-time score), normalised within Australian suburbs. Method based on the Urban Liveability Index (Higgs et al. 2019) and Walk Score — three equal-weighted domains combined with an imbalance penalty.

Crime April 2025 - March 2026
1,253
1,718 per 100k
D2 vs AU

Crime

Rate · per 100k1,718
Total incidents1,253· April 2025 - March 2026
  • Assault23251%
  • Sexual Offences8519%
  • Robbery41%
  • Break And Enter13830%

Development screen

Could a secondary dwelling be worth investigating?

secondary dwelling / granny flat screening context High broad constraint context

Policy position

Official policy reviewed

Permitted in residential zones under the Housing SEPP; may be approved by consent or as complying development when Housing SEPP and Codes SEPP standards are met.

Rental use: Secondary dwelling rental use is allowed as a dwelling use, subject to planning and tenancy rules.

Open official policy source

Separate houses

7.2%

Suburb share of occupied private dwellings recorded as separate houses.

70.3 pp below the state median

State median 77.5% · 1,253 valid suburbs

Residential-zone context

79.5%

Broad suburb sampling only; the property zoning and overlays can differ.

37.2 pp above the state median

State median 42.3% · 1,245 valid suburbs

Rental households

52.4%

Demand context only; it does not establish permission to rent a secondary dwelling.

26.5 pp above the state median

State median 25.9% · 1,253 valid suburbs

Mapped hazards

No mapped bushfire exposure

The staged suburb layer shows no mapped exposure; this is not a property-level clearance. No broad-area layer staged for this suburb.

Approval pathway

Four checks, each with a different evidence threshold.

This is an investigation sequence, not a guarantee that every step applies or that approval will be granted.

  1. 01 Source reviewed

    State policy position

    QuickProperty reviewed the official secondary dwelling / granny flat policy source.

  2. 02 Property dependent

    Planning pathway

    Test consent or complying-development eligibility, including the 450 m² lot marker and all other standards.

  3. 03 Design dependent

    Building approval

    Confirm the building approval route after the design, site classifications, services and construction requirements are known.

  4. 04 Check separately

    Intended use

    Confirm long-term rental, short-stay or family-use rules separately from permission to construct the dwelling.

Property due diligence

Turn the suburb screen into a property checklist.

Every check starts unconfirmed. Progress stays in this browser and suburb evidence never clears an address-level requirement.

0evidence acquired
0evidence missing
0reviews due
0consultant questions

Active record: Neutral Bay unnamed property

0/14checked
0issues found

Site controls

Lot area and dimensions

Confirm title dimensions, usable site area and any minimum lot threshold.

Status for Lot area and dimensions
Evidence packMissing

Metadata only. QuickProperty does not store or upload the underlying document.

Setbacks and site coverage

Test setbacks, private open space, landscaping and maximum site coverage against a concept plan.

Status for Setbacks and site coverage
Evidence packMissing

Metadata only. QuickProperty does not store or upload the underlying document.

Slope and ground conditions

Check survey levels, soil classification, retaining needs and likely earthworks.

Status for Slope and ground conditions
Evidence packMissing

Metadata only. QuickProperty does not store or upload the underlying document.

Title and planning

Zoning and overlays

Obtain current property-level zoning, overlays and applicable planning controls.

Status for Zoning and overlays
Evidence packMissing

Metadata only. QuickProperty does not store or upload the underlying document.

Title, easements and covenants

Review the title for easements, covenants, restrictions and common property.

Status for Title, easements and covenants
Evidence packMissing

Metadata only. QuickProperty does not store or upload the underlying document.

Services and access

Sewer and stormwater

Locate assets and connection points, then confirm capacity, clearances and discharge requirements.

Status for Sewer and stormwater
Evidence packMissing

Metadata only. QuickProperty does not store or upload the underlying document.

Power, water and metering

Confirm service routes, upgrade needs and whether separate metering is permitted or practical.

Status for Power, water and metering
Evidence packMissing

Metadata only. QuickProperty does not store or upload the underlying document.

Vehicle access and parking

Test driveway width, gradients, turning, parking and emergency access requirements.

Status for Vehicle access and parking
Evidence packMissing

Metadata only. QuickProperty does not store or upload the underlying document.

Construction constraints

Bushfire exposure

Order an address-level bushfire assessment and determine any BAL construction response.

Status for Bushfire exposure
Evidence packMissing

Metadata only. QuickProperty does not store or upload the underlying document.

Flood and overland flow

Obtain property flood information and check floor levels, flow paths and drainage constraints.

Status for Flood and overland flow
Evidence packMissing

Metadata only. QuickProperty does not store or upload the underlying document.

Wind, corrosion and termite

Confirm site classifications that affect structural design, materials and durability.

Status for Wind, corrosion and termite
Evidence packMissing

Metadata only. QuickProperty does not store or upload the underlying document.

Approval and use

Planning approval pathway

Confirm exemption, complying pathway or permit requirements with the responsible authority.

Status for Planning approval pathway
Evidence packMissing

Metadata only. QuickProperty does not store or upload the underlying document.

Building approval and consultants

Identify required survey, design, engineering, energy, certification and inspection evidence.

Status for Building approval and consultants
Evidence packMissing

Metadata only. QuickProperty does not store or upload the underlying document.

Rental and intended use

Confirm occupation, rental, short-stay and family-use rules plus insurance and tax implications.

Status for Rental and intended use
Evidence packMissing

Metadata only. QuickProperty does not store or upload the underlying document.

Neutral Bay, NSW 2089 · Local browser record

Investigation aid only. Confirm current planning, building, title, service and hazard requirements with qualified professionals and responsible authorities.

Building due diligence

Construction requirements can change by location.

The National Construction Code is the baseline. Local hazards and site classifications can change the required structure, materials, fixings, insulation and detailing.

Known here

SUBURB CONTEXT

Bushfire-prone land

No mapped bushfire exposure

About 0.0% of the suburb intersects mapped bushfire-prone land.

May affect: External construction · Roof and wall systems · Openings, screens and decks

Check the property

ADDRESS + DESIGN

NCC climate zone

Check the property

Confirm the NCC climate zone used for the building design and energy provisions.

May affect: Insulation and glazing · Condensation control · Roof-space ventilation

Wind class and BAL

Site assessment required

A suburb layer cannot determine the site wind classification or Bushfire Attack Level.

May affect: Structure and tie-downs · Cladding and fixings · Openings and bushfire detailing

Corrosion and termite exposure

Check the property

Confirm marine or corrosive exposure and the applicable termite-management requirements.

May affect: Fasteners and connectors · Roofing and coatings · Termite management

This screen identifies investigation triggers, not building quality or property compliance. Confirm the address, design and current jurisdiction rules with the council, building surveyor or certifier, designer and engineer.

NCC 2022 Housing Provisions: how to use · NCC 2022 Volume Two and Housing Provisions

Bushfire exposure

No mapped exposure ~0.0%
~0.0% of the suburb is Bush Fire Prone Land

Estimated exposure to NSW RFS Bush Fire Prone Land (CC BY), point-sampled across the suburb. This shows how much of the suburb sits within the official hazard layer — it is not a Bushfire Attack Level (BAL) rating or a property-level assessment. Obtain a BAL assessment (AS 3959) for an individual property.

Short-term rentals

99
active listings · ~9.8 per 1,000 residents
82%
entire homes (vs private rooms)
52%
run by multi-listing operators

Active Airbnb listings point-mapped to this suburb from Inside Airbnb (CC BY 4.0). Occupancy and revenue are estimates from Inside Airbnb's San Francisco model (review-rate proxy, minimum-stay assumption, occupancy capped at 70%) — they are gross, indicative, and not a guarantee of returns. Short-stay letting is subject to state and local regulation.

Planning zones

Dominant zone Low Density Residential
Residential 51% Other 11% Commercial / Mixed 8% Public / Open space 4%
Residential density: Low · 15% growth-zoned

Land-use mix estimated by point-sampling the suburb against NSW EPI Land Zoning polygons (CC BY 4.0). This is a suburb-level snapshot of planning zones, not a parcel-level zoning certificate or development advice. Check the relevant planning scheme for an individual property.

Population outlook

17,213 people · 202217,571 by 2032 (+2.1%)

ABS population projection (2022 base) for the Neutral Bay - Kirribilli SA2 statistical area — the finest official projection grain available; suburb-level projections do not exist.

Full data detail Census · ATO · ABS · state datasets
Neutral Bay NSW — Property Data and Demographics

Located in New South Wales within the North Sydney local government area, Neutral Bay is an established suburb (postcode 2089). The area has roughly 10,090 residents and an established family demographic, with a median age of 38. Households earn a median income of $127K per year, with an average household size of 2 people. Recent annual estimates show population movement staying broadly stable across the broader catchment, with population growth running at +0.8% year-on-year at the LGA level. NSW employment has moved +1.2% year-on-year in the official ABS Labour Force trend series, which provides the broader jobs backdrop for this suburb. NSW also had 35 Commonwealth-backed major projects under construction, 17 underway, and 67 in planning as at 2025-09-01, which is useful as a broader delivery backdrop rather than a suburb-specific project count. The most common occupations are professionals, managers, clerical & administrative. Employment in the area leans toward professional services and finance & insurance. The top ancestries reported are English, Australian, Irish.

Median house prices in Neutral Bay stand at $2.9 million, having moved higher by 2.5% over the last twelve months. Units have a median price of $1.3 million (+6.8% YoY). The current median weekly rent is $820. This gives a gross rental yield of approximately 1.5%. The median monthly mortgage repayment is $2,895.

Neutral Bay is served by 1 school, including 1 primary. The average ICSEA score is 1169, which is well above the national average of 1,000. Public transport access includes 1 ferry wharf, 28 bus stops. The crime rate in the North Sydney LGA is low at 1,718 incidents per 100,000 population.

Looking at the investment signals, Gross rental yield sits at around 1.5% (low yield). Property prices are above the state median ($2.9M/$1.5M), placing it in the premium segment. The price-to-income ratio of 23.0x is considered stretched. House prices have moved +2.5% year-on-year. Population growth of +0.8% year-on-year points to stable demand fundamentals. Building approvals have changed +0% year-on-year, indicating steady development activity.

Market & money
Investment signalsHeuristics
Rental Yield1.5% Low Yield
Price vs State$2.9M/$1.5M Above Median
Affordability23.0x Stretched
Price Momentum+2.5%· Stable
Pop. Growth+0.8%· Stable
Development+0%· Steady
InvestmentNSW
Mortgage · mth$2,895
Rent · wk(Census)$550
Market rent · wk(2026-06)$820
Gross yield1.0%
Price / income23.0x
Sales vol (latest Q)(2025-Q4)8
Population growth · North Sydney LGAABS ERP
Population (2025)73,705
5-year growth+0.6% CAGR
YoY change+0.8%
20012025
Development · North Sydney LGAABS Approvals
Approvals (2026)440
Houses 2%Units 98%
YoY change+0%
Employment · North Sydney LGASALM
Unemployment (Dec-25)4%
YoY change+0.5pp
Dec-10Dec-25
Property investors · Postcode 2089ATO
Negatively geared7.9%
695 of filers
Avg rental loss$15,583/yr
Landlords (rental income)1,562
Reported capital gains1,609
People & prosperity
DemographicsCensus 21
Population10,090
Median age38
Household size2
HH income · wk$2,443
Personal income · wk$1,552
Persons / bedroom1
IncomeATO 22-23
Median income$85,896
Mean income$133,721
Earners13,645
YoY change+4.3%
SEIFA indexABS
Advantage (IRSAD)10/10
Education (IEO)10/10
Economic (IER)3/10
Disadvantage (IRSD)10/10
Income momentumCensus 16→21
HH income · wk$2,301 → $2,443
Change+6.2%
vs NSW median-14.4 pp
Median rent+0%
softeningvs NSW 2016–21
Area & amenity
Local amenitiesOSM
Supermarkets3
Pharmacies2
GP / clinics2
Fuel stations2
Cafes & dining44
coles2
woolworths1
TransportGTFS
Bus stops28
Ferry wharves1
Neutral Bay Wharf, Hayes St
Hospitals · North Sydney LGAAIHW
Public1
Private5
Royal North Shore Hospitalpublic
GenesisCare North Shoreprivate
Mater Hospital Sydneyprivate
North Shore Private Hospitalprivate
Ramsay Clinic Cremorneprivate
The Cataract Clinic (Aust)private
Aged care · North Sydney LGAGEN
Facilities3
Residential places262
James Milson Village North Sydney109 places
Lansdowne Gardens on Wycombe87 places · in suburb
Lansdowne Gardens66 places · in suburb
Childcare · North Sydney LGAACECQA
Services55
Approved places4,169
Exceeding NQS13
TeamKids - Anzac Park Public School322 places
Neutral Bay OOSH Incorporated300 places · in suburb
The Nanyima Centre Incorporated250 places
Reddam House Early Learning School St Leonards242 places
TeamKids - North Sydney Public School228 places
Only About Children Cammeray152 places
+49 more in North Sydney LGA
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Current status
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Sources & freshness
Strong evidence

Neutral Bay has enough direct local evidence for a first-pass decision.

QuickProperty mixes release files, Census baselines, and matched local services on this page. Read the status panel before treating every metric as equally fresh.

PRICE POSTURE
NSW price medians are parser-guarded official records.

Official sale records parsed from cached Bulk PSI ZIP files with parser guardrails for token sales, non-house zoning, and low-value strata component records

RENT POSTURE
Rent is using a state market dataset when available.

Use current rent as a starting signal, not as a fixed underwriting truth.

SERVICE POSTURE
Service coverage is matched locally, not inferred nationally.

Schools, transport, and hospitals are useful as presence signals, but they still have different source cadences.

Data status
Property prices
NSW Valuer General · 2025-Q4 · Official sale records parsed from cached Bulk PSI ZIP files with parser guardrails for token sales, non-house zoning, and low-value strata component records
medium stability · automated · every update · weekly
Available
Market rent
NSW Fair Trading · 2026-06 · State market dataset
stable source · automated · every update · monthly
Available
Crime
BOCSAR · April 2025 - March 2026 · Area-level release dataset
medium stability · automated · every update · release-based
Available
Schools
ACARA 2025 · 1 schools matched
stable source · automated · every update · annual
Available
Hospitals
AIHW · No linked local hospital coverage
medium stability · manual file · snapshot · mixed
Missing
Transport
GTFS feeds · 29 matched stops/stations
medium stability · manual file · snapshot · mixed
Available
Population growth
ABS ERP · 2025 · Annual estimate series
stable source · automated · every update · annual
Available
Building approvals
ABS Building Approvals · 2026 · Annual release series
stable source · automated · every update · monthly
Available
Available means a direct local dataset is linked. Verify means coverage exists but freshness or precision is weaker, such as ABS price fallback, Census rent fallback, or low-confidence hospital matching.

Neutral Bay FAQ

Common questions
  1. What LGA is Neutral Bay in?

    Neutral Bay is in the North Sydney Local Government Area, NSW, postcode 2089. Council-level context for North Sydney LGA (suburb mix, population, rent, and price coverage) is available on the QuickProperty LGA page.

  2. What is the median house price in Neutral Bay?

    The current median house price in Neutral Bay, NSW is $2.9M, based on the latest available sales data from state Valuers General offices and ABS Data by Region.

  3. What is the typical weekly rent in Neutral Bay?

    The median weekly rent in Neutral Bay is $820/wk, based on the current market rent dataset. The current rent signal is income-stretched rent market.

  4. What does the rent signal say about Neutral Bay?

    Income-stretched rent market: Weekly rent screens at about 50% of annual income. Use this as a suburb screening signal before comparing candidates or modelling a purchase; the matching rent ranking can provide broader market context.

  5. Is Neutral Bay a good investment?

    QuickProperty's investment signals for Neutral Bay show: Low Yield, Above Median, Stretched. These are computed from price, rent, income, and population data — not an opaque score.

  6. Where does QuickProperty get its data for Neutral Bay?

    Property prices come from state Valuers General offices and ABS Data by Region. Demographics are from ABS Census 2021. School ICSEA scores are from ACARA. Crime statistics are from state police agencies. Transport data is sourced from GTFS feeds.

  7. How often is the Neutral Bay data updated?

    Property prices update quarterly. RBA macro indicators update with each deploy. Demographics are from Census 2021. School ICSEA scores are from ACARA 2025.