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

Westmead is a busy inner-west suburb shaped around a large hospital and medical research precinct, and that health campus gives the area much of its daily rhythm. Around the precinct there is a mix of modern apartment blocks and older detached homes, and the resident profile includes a steady presence of health professionals, young families and long-term residents. The suburb has 16,555 people, a median age of 33 and a median household income of $2,144 a week. Homes are largely rented, with renters comprising 70.4% of dwellings and owner-occupiers 29.6%.

Everyday life centres on practical amenities: small cafes and shops near the train station, riverfront green space and community parks, plus regular train and bus links to Parramatta and the wider west. Light rail now serves the area and a Sydney Metro West station is planned, while the health precinct is in the midst of major works and broader precinct planning is under way. That mix tends to suit health workers, young families and people looking for apartment living close to transport and local services; whether it fits you depends on what you value most in a suburb.

On these figures, buying a unit in Westmead (NSW 2145) sits somewhat above local incomes at the last Census: a $590,000 median unit works out to about 5.3 times a typical local household's annual income as recorded at the most recent Census. Renting is also a significant cost against those incomes — a house rent of $705 a week would take about 32.9% of a typical local household's weekly income at the last Census (a sizeable share), while a unit rent of $640 a week would take about 29.8% (just under 30%, a moderate share). If you are renting rather than buying, the rent share is the figure that will matter most for you.

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 Westmead recorded modest increases in both values and rents. Median house values rose 3.6% and median unit values rose 3.5%, while house rents increased 2.5% and unit rents rose 4.9%.

Put another way, house price growth (3.6%) edged ahead of house rent growth (2.5%), whereas for units the rent increase (4.9%) outpaced unit value growth (3.5%). Which of those outcomes matters to you depends on your goals: if rental income is your priority the unit rent movement is the relevant figure, while those focused on capital growth will note the slightly stronger house value gain this year. Whether that balance suits your plans is for you to decide.

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.