Best Places to Live in Sydney: Where Will You Choose?

Sydney is known as Australia’s “Emerald City” and is one of the most liveable cities in the world. There are over 600 suburbs in the Sydney region, each with unique character and appeal. When choosing the best place to live in Sydney, we usually consider a combination of factors such as price, scenery, schools, safety, nature, and transport.

“The City Livability Index, created by research organisation McCrindle, ranks Sydney’s neighbourhoods based on many measures, including diversity, climate, business performance and more, to list the best suburbs in Sydney.

Best Places to Live in Sydney: Measures of Livability

What makes a neighbourhood ‘liveable’? What are the measures of liveability?

Let’s start with the algorithm of the City Livability Index – which looks at five key aspects of livability, each scoring 20 points out of a total of 100:

• Accessibility (physical environment)
• Affordability (financial level)
• Comfort (human environment)
• Community Condition (Social Environment)
• Employment (career development)

Best Places to Live in Sydney: Convenience

The first to be discussed is the level of accessibility, which includes accessibility to significant facilities, public transport, and walking in the neighbourhood. Our primary focus is on the physical conditions, e.g., is it easy to commute? Is it possible to commute on foot? What is the population density of the area? Is transport (public transport and private car travel) accessible?

After evaluating the key indicators, the table below shows the areas of Sydney with the highest accessibility scores (all areas that received a score out of 20).

Suburbs with the Highest Level of Convenience

Ranking	Suburb	Accessibility Score
1	Auburn	20
1	Burwood – Croydon	20
-1	Ashfield	20
1	Hurstville	20
1	Leichhardt- Annandale	20
1	Petersham – Stanmore	20
1	Marrickville	20
1	Glebe – Forest Lodge	20
1	Newtown – Camperdown- Darlington	20
1	Redfern – Chippendale	20
1	Waterloo- Beaconsfield	20
1	Surry Hills	20
1	Sydney – Haymarket – The Rocks	20
1	Potts Point -Woolloomooloo	20
1	Kensington – Kingsford	20
1	Randwick	20
1	Coogee-Clovelly	20
1	Bondi -Tamarama – Bronte	20
1	Bondi Junction – Waverly	20
1	Bondi Beach – North Bondi	20
1	Double Bay – Bellevue Hill	20
1	Neutral Bay – Kirribilli	20
1	CrowsNest – Waverton	20
1	Chatswood (East)- Artarmon	20

Like most inner cities in all Australian states, Sydney is ‘dominated’ by its central areas. The city centre (and the Sydney CBD) brings together key nearby amenities and provides excellent commuting convenience.

Maverick

1. Three areas in Sydney’s Northern Quarter received perfect scores for convenience:

• Crows Nest – Waverton
• Neutral Bay – Kirribilli
• Chatswood (East) – Artarmon

2. while the Central and Western region has only one area, Auburn, with a perfect score.

Best Places to Live in Sydney: Affordability

Affordability is self-explanatory and measures the overall cost of housing (both buying and renting) in the area and how the median house price compares to the Sydney average. Attention is also given to the rental population and average household income (based on the Australian average).

The table below shows the affordability rankings for each area of Sydney, and it is worth emphasising that this ranking’s results are very different from previous ones.

Most Affordable Suburbs

Ranking	Suburb	Affordability Score
1	St. Clair	17
1	Blaxland – Warrimoo -Lapstone	17
1	Springwood -Winmalee	17
1	Kurrajong Heights – Ebenezer	17
5	Lawson- Hazelbrook-Linden	16
5	Warragamba – Silverdale	16
5	Mulgoa -Luddenham- Orchard Hills	16
5	Claymore – Eagle Vale – Raby	16
5	Castlereagh -Cranebrook	16
5	Erskine Park	16
5	Bonnyrigg Heights – Bonnyrigg	16
5	Cambridge Park	16
13	Galston – Laughtondale	15
13	Pitt Town – McGraths Hill	15
13	Yarramundi -Londonderry	15
13	Lalor Park – Kings Langley	15
13	Rooty Hill -Minchinbury	15
13	Bossley Park – Abbotsbury	15
13	Edensor Park	15
13	Green Valley – Cecil Hills	15
13	Ingleburn – Denham Court	15
13	Menai- Lucas Heights-Woronora	15
13	Minto – St Andrews	15
13	Leumeah – Minto Heights	15
13	Rosemeadow – Glen Alpine	15

As you can see from the table, most of Sydney’s most affordable neighbourhoods are in the West End, with St. Clair, Blaxland – Warrimoo – Lapstone, Springwood – Winmalee and Kurrajong Heights – Ebenezer topping the list with a total of 17 points.

The rankings also show that the further away you are from Sydney’s CBD, the lower the property prices are, so the remaining high scores went to Sydney’s Inner West and South West.

Galston—Laughtondale, with 15 points, is the only area in Sydney’s North to make the top 25 for affordability.

Best Places to Live in Sydney: Comfort Levels

Access to key amenities in a neighbourhood is one of the most critical factors in real estate, and the same is true regarding livability rankings.

In this regard, essential amenities are one of the most important things to measure—from restaurants and cafes to green spaces and playgrounds to recreational shopping. Attention is also given to the area’s arts and leisure facilities (including sports facilities) and the school attendance of the area’s population.

Below is a list of Sydney’s amenity levels by neighbourhood, with several areas scoring a perfect 20.

Suburbs with the Highest Comfort Level

Ranking	Suburb	Amenity Score
1	Chatswood (East)-Artarmon	20
1	Crows Nest – Waverton	20
1	Sydney – Haymarket – The Rocks	20
1	Pyrmont-Ultimo	20
1	Leichhardt-Annandale	20
1	Surry Hills	20
1	Marrickville	20
1	Waterloo – Beaconsfield	20
1	Maroubra	20
10	Hornsby – Waitara	19
10	Castle Hill	19
10	Parramatta -Rosehill	19
10	Ryde – Putney	19
10	North Sydney – Lavender Bay	19
10	Darlinghurst	19
10	Newtown – Camperdown- Darlington	19
10	Erskineville -Alexandria	19
10	Kensington – Kingsford	19
10	Rockdale – Banskia	19
10	Hurstville	19
10	South Hurstville – Blakehurst	19

Most areas with perfect scores are located in Sydney’s central and eastern districts, which have plenty of amenities such as public and private schools, shopping centres, and restaurants.

Lower North Shore and Upper North Shore both received high scores for their location, while South Central and Central West End also had several areas that received perfect scores.

Best Places to Live in Sydney: Neighbourhoods

Community Condition measures everything in the area, focusing on the social environment closely related to livability.

The four indicators influencing the rankings in this area are community dynamics, linguistic diversity, volunteer jobs, and the overall labour force participation rate.

The table below shows Sydney’s highest-scoring areas (out of 20) regarding community conditions.

Suburbs with the Best Neighbourhoods

Ranking	Suburb	Community Score
1	West Ryde- Meadowbank	17
1	Crows Nest – Waverton	17
1	North Sydney – Lavender Bay	17
1	Pyrmont -Ultimo	17
1	Darlinghurst	17
1	Redfern – Chippendale	17
7	Hornsby – Waitara	16
7	West Pennant Hills	16
7	Carlingford	16
7	Epping – North Epping	16
7	Northmead	16
7	Chatswood (West)-Lane Cove North	16
7	Chatswood(East)-Artarmon	16
7	Manly – Fairlight	16
7	St Leonards – Naremburn	16
7	Neutral Bay – Kirribilli	16
7	Concord West – North Strathfield	16
7	Strathfield	16
7	Ashfield	16
7	Glebe – Forest Lodge	16
7	Potts Point – Woolloomooloo	16
7	Surry Hills	16
7	Bondi -Tamarama – Bronte	16
7	Randwick	16

Similar to the convenience list, the top neighbourhoods are concentrated in Sydney’s central to northern districts; the highest scoring areas are closer to the CBD and densely populated areas.

Meanwhile, several areas in Western Sydney also scored highly, such as Northmead, West Pennant Hills, Carlingford and Epping (Central West) – North Epping, which all scored 16 points.

What are the areas with good neighbourhoods but poor affordability?

In Sydney’s Central and Western districts, some areas scored high for community status but ranked low for affordability, while in Sydney’s Central districts, some areas ranked high for accessibility and community status but did not perform well for affordability.

Best Places to Live in Sydney: Employment Environment

The final dimension is centred around the employment environment. In this area, the main measures are the full-time employment rate and tertiary qualifications of regional residents, the number of young professionals, and the number of employed businesses.

The table below shows the top-ranked areas in terms of employment environment. Unsurprisingly, the area around the CBD has several perfect scores, making it an actual Central Business District.

Suburbs with the Best Employment Environment

Ranking	Suburb	Employability Score
1	St Leonards – Naremburn	20
1	Crows Nest-Waverton	20
1	North Sydney -Lavender Bay	20
1	Neutral Bay- Kirribilli	20
1	Pyrmont-Ultimo	20
1	Surry Hills	20
1	Leichhardt-Annandale	20
1	Erskineville -Alexandria	20
1	Randwick	20
1	Manly – Fairlight	20
11	Chatswood (East)-Artarmon	19
11	Lane Cove – Greenwich	19
11	Cremorne- Cammeray	19
11	Mosman	19
11	Balmain	19
11	Potts Point-Woolloomooloo	19
11	Double Bay- Bellevue Hill	19
11	Bondi Beach – North Bondi	19
11	Bondi Junction-Waverly	19
11	Coogee-Clovelly	19
11	Newtown- Camperdown- Darlington	19

Sydney’s city centre area is vital in the Employment Climate list due to high demand and ample job opportunities around the CBD.

The Outer Rim and Remote Suburbs, despite having more open space, lower property prices, a slower pace of life and being more family-friendly, fell due to the “drag” on the employment environment.

The areas on the list, mainly in the Central and North Districts, all scored highly in terms of convenience, amenities, neighbourhoods and employment, with only affordability falling short.

10 Best Suburbs in Sydney

The 10 best suburbs in Sydney have been ranked according to the Sydney Suburbs Rating System. Of course, choosing the top 10 most liveable areas out of more than 600 suburbs is difficult, but this is also just a reference, as areas can change over time. Next up is the ranking of the top 10 best suburbs in Sydney.

1. Best Suburbs in Sydney for Families-Hornsby

Why I like it: good shopping and amenities, great for families, reasonable house prices, greenery and national parks, access to trains

Disliked: relative lack of restaurants and bars, transport to CITY.

No one should imagine that Hornsby is ranked 1. It is the best suburb in Sydney. Because it’s not particularly great in any way, but when all aspects of the composite index are considered, you get one of the best all-round areas of Sydney. Hornsby is a tiny area with so many amenities that there’s almost no need to go anywhere else: a large shopping mall, Westfield, many large shops and homeware shops,
parks, swimming pools, cafes and restaurants …… Hornsby is almost a self-contained mini-town in this respect. Hornsby is also excellent value for money, with a wide range of housing types. Despite its growing popularity, some properties of good value are still available. It is an excellent area for families.

2. Best Suburbs to Live in Sydney-Oatley

Why I like it: Nice street scene, great parks, clean, green, peaceful, great for families and pets

Disliked: Too few trains, lack of a more extensive shopping mall

Oatley is the best compromise for those who have always longed for a quieter lifestyle but don’t want to live far from the city. It is one of the best suburbs in Sydney for families. This is especially true for families. Its perfect blend of parks, schools, and living spaces makes it ideal for raising children. Oatley Park is another one of the best places to visit, offering top-notch rides for kids as well. Trains in Oatley are rarely seen outside of rush hour, and most Oatley residents choose to travel by car.

3. Good Suburbs in Sydney-Dulwich Hill

Why I like it: nice street scene, nice park, lovely buildings, central location, good cafes, train available

Disliked: prices, lack of large shopping centres.

Dulwich Hill is conveniently located for public transport, not only the Dulwich, as mentioned above, Hill train station, but also several light rail links and bus routes, and is only a 20-minute drive from the CBD. It is a nice suburb in Sydney. It is close to Marrickville, where you can enjoy Vietnamese food, and Ashfield, where you can enjoy Vietnamese food. Dulwich Hill is close to Marrickville for Vietnamese food and Ashfield for Asian food. It is also close to Petersham for Greek and Portuguese cuisine, meaning you have plenty to choose from.

4. Most Affordable Suburbs in Sydney-Jannali

Why I like it: peace, train station, amenities, reasonable prices, good size neighbourhoods, clean streets and lush greenery

Disliked: lack of large shopping malls, few restaurants

It has a lot to offer families, several excellent schools, and the streets are wide and quiet. It is one of the safest suburbs in Sydney. It is one of the most affordable suburbs in Sydney. The Royal National Park and all the nature and greenery of the Woronora area are right on your doorstep.

5. Most Expensive Suburbs in Sydney-Waverton

Why I like it: good city connectivity, peace, amazing views, safe and clean, not very traffic

Disliked: expensive, lack of amenities

Of all the ‘elite’ Sydney suburbs we covered, only Waverton offered other advantages strong enough to balance its high prices
to balance out its high prices. It is one of the most expensive suburbs in Sydney. Straddling Sydney Harbour and the rest of the water, it doesn’t have a lot of traffic, can walk to work in North Sydney, and is within 10 minutes of the CBD. It lacks amenities besides a few mini coffee shops and a small supermarket. But it’s worth the small sacrifice when you have the whole of Sydney at your fingertips without the hectic atmosphere that the city needs.

6. Safest Suburbs in Sydney-Concord

Why I like it: nice streetscape, very clean and well-maintained retail area, great parks, safe, family-friendly, upcoming infrastructure expansion

Disliked: price, current lack of rail links, lack of property diversity

Concord overlooks the Parramatta River and offers some great views of the greenery. Its location means that Sydney’s east and west are easily accessible. It is a good suburb in Sydney and one of the safest suburbs in Sydney. Fifteen kilometres to the west and a 25-minute drive to the Sydney CBD. Nearby is the famous Concord Golf Course, one of the oldest golf clubs in Australia. Most of its detached homes are very large, combining nature, security, amenities and location, making it an ideal place to live for many years.

7. Richest Suburbs in Sydney-Summer Hill

Why I like it: Easy access; beautiful streets; art deco architecture.

Disliked: The high price tag. It is one of the richest suburbs in Sydney.

Charming” is a bit of an understatement to describe Summer Hill, but it fits Summer Hill’s and the Inner West’s vibe. The Victorian buildings that dot the area give Summer Hill a very British flavour, and walking through the streets is like stepping back into Victorian Australia.

Although Summer Hill is a small area, it has all the amenities of a complete community, including a railway station, shopping streets, restaurants, cafes and parks. Living here, you can enjoy the peace and quiet of the local community while being 15 minutes away from Sydney’s CBD by train. last but not least, Summer Hill has excellent educational resources, with the Summer Public School being one of the top public schools in NSW for teaching quality.

8. Most Affluent Suburbs in Sydney-Artarmon

Why I like it: Characteristic architectural style; convenient transport; high-quality education resources.

Disliked: high price; boring nightlife. It is one of the most expensive suburbs in Sydney.

Located on Sydney’s Lower North Shore, close to Chatswood, Lane Cove, and St Leonards, Artarmon is one of the lesser-heard-of areas in the North and has been labelled as one of the ‘most underrated’. But here, you’ll find all the essentials for a great life.

There are trains, parks, good schools, supermarkets, good food, safe and beautiful streets and much more. If you prefer flat living, the flats on the Artarmon side of the train station will suit your needs; if you choose freedom, the detached houses on the other side offer another option.

9. Most Affordable Suburb in Sydney-Putney

Why I like it: charming streets to linger in, great water views and waterfront walkways, quiet neighbourhood setting, and excellent coffee restaurants.

Disliked: overpriced properties; no train station.

If you’re not rich but love waterfront property, Putney is probably the best neighbourhood for the average family to choose. It is the most affordable suburb in Sydney. You don’t have to pay sky-high prices for property here to enjoy the same wonderful comfort. For residents living in Putney, three steps to a park and five steps to a water feature are commonplace. The parks are also well equipped with play equipment and are a favourite for families with children. The cafes and restaurants in the area are also very special, small but sophisticated, with a great sense of atmosphere. Although there are no trains in Putney, it is good to know that Meadowbank is not far away and there are buses and ferries available for travellers.

10. Safest Suburbs in Sydney-Croydon

Why I like it: It offers better value for money compared to other inner-west areas, peace of mind with better security, and is one of the safest suburbs in Sydney. It also has easy access to Sydney’s city centre by train in 20 minutes, charming streets, and great community facilities.

Disliked: hardly any nightlife venues; above median Sydney price.

Croydon may not have the iconic hustle and bustle of the inner west, but it is more of a peaceful and relaxing area, with the Sydney CBD just a 20-minute drive away. The proximity to Ashfield and Burwood makes it easy for residents to shop, and the concentration of quality schools may set Croydon apart from other inner-west neighbourhoods that are more popular with young people, attracting more families with children. It is one of the best suburbs in Sydney.

The city’s streets are also very distinctive, with a mix of Victorian, Federal and modern architecture, a street that epitomises a piece of history. There are affordable properties and century-old luxury homes, so there is something for every budget!

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