Get a property report and suburb profile for any property in Oatley

Oatley sits on the Georges River and is known for its parkland setting and accessible foreshore. The suburb centres on a compact village shopping strip by the train station, where cafes and local shops neighbour older federation and weatherboard homes, some waterfront houses and low-rise apartments. Oatley Park and surrounding bush reserves provide walking tracks and river lookouts, and the local station on the Illawarra line gives straightforward rail links to the city.

About 10,664 people live in Oatley; the median age is 43 and the typical household income is $2,537 a week. The area leans to owner-occupation, with around 79.3% of dwellings owner-occupied, and households are largely couple families with and without children alongside retirees. Local projects under way include a park master plan and park upgrades, a station accessibility upgrade proposing a pedestrian footbridge, foreshore and biodiversity planning, and investigation of a shared pathway. Whether that mix suits you depends on whether you’re after a quieter riverside suburb with village amenities and rail access.

Buying sits much more stretched against local incomes in Oatley, when compared with what a typical household earned at the last Census. The median house price of $2,316,475 is about 17.6 times a typical local household's annual income; average rents are lower relative to that same benchmark: $1,000 a week for a house would take about 39.5% of a typical household's weekly income, while $680 a week for a unit would take about 26.8%.

On these figures, buying is well above local incomes, renting a house would take a sizeable share of income and renting a unit would be a more moderate share. Whether that feels expensive depends on your own income and circumstances.

Everyone's financial situation is different, so it's important to consider your own circumstances when deciding which suburb is right for you.

Over the past 12 months in Oatley, unit values climbed 11.5%, a strong rise, while house values increased 5.6%, a solid gain. On the income side, unit rents rose 7.9% and house rents rose 5.3%, both solid increases. Put simply, units outperformed houses this year on both capital growth and rental income.

For someone weighing Oatley up as an investment, the value figures relate to capital growth and the rent figures relate to rental income. If rental income is your priority, the unit-side rent movement is the most relevant number; if capital growth matters more, unit values were the larger mover over the year. Whether that makes Oatley the right investment depends on your own objectives and circumstances.

This information has been prepared without taking your objectives, needs and overall financial situation into account. It is not meant to be a substitute for professional financial advice. For this reason, you should consider the appropriateness of the information and, if necessary, seek appropriate professional advice.