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

Telopea is a quiet, leafy suburb in the City of Parramatta, situated between Carlingford and Dundas. It is primarily residential, with streets of post-war bungalows and timber cottages alongside pockets of newer townhouses that give the area a settled feel. Many residents are families and long-term locals; the suburb is home to 5,356 people with a median age of 40 and a median household income of $1,465 a week.

Everyday needs are met by a compact shopping strip and local community facilities, and several parks and reserves provide space for walking and sport. Public transport includes a stop on the Parramatta Light Rail L4 Westmead–Carlingford line and regular bus services, with local roads giving straightforward access toward Parramatta and Ryde. The suburb is also part of a major renewal program under the Communities Plus banner, with masterplans for new homes, upgraded community facilities and an upgrade to the local public school; whether that suits you depends on what you are looking for in a suburb.

Housing costs in Telopea sit well above local incomes as recorded at the most recent Census. The median house price of $1,930,000 is about 25.3 times a typical local annual household income at the last Census (weekly household income $1,465, annualised to $76,180). On the rental side, a house at $800 a week would take about 54.6% of that weekly household income and a unit at $610 a week would take about 41.6%—both are a large share of a typical local household's income at the last Census.

Which measure matters depends on whether you plan to rent or buy; on these figures buying sits far above what local households earned at the last Census, while renting would use a large portion of a typical local weekly income.

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

The most notable story in Telopea over the past year is the strong rise in house values, up 16.2%. House rents also rose, by a solid 6.7%, so on the houses side capital growth outpaced rental income growth. Units saw a solid 6.0% lift in value while unit rents edged up 1.7%.

Put simply, houses delivered the bigger gains for both price and rent over the year, while units showed more modest rent movement relative to price. Which of those patterns matters to you depends on whether your priority is capital growth or rental income and on your own goals 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.