Suburb / Locality · Area profile
Prestons
9 km²
Family life is the heart of Prestons, where large households and a high number of children create a youthful atmosphere. The typical resident is only 34, making the area noticeably younger than the national average. This is a diverse community where many people were born overseas and more than half speak a language other than English at home. Most residents live in spacious detached houses, contributing to a feeling of established suburban living in Greater Sydney.
A family-heavy area that's short on schools per child.
50 schools within reach make Prestons convenient for families.
Explore Prestons by topic
The community is notably young, with children under 15 making up 22.5% of the population, which is well above the national figure. Conversely, seniors aged 65 and over are much less common here than in most other areas.
Birthplace diversity is a defining feature, as 43.1% of residents were born overseas, a figure far above the state and national averages. Australian, English, and Indian are the most common ancestries reported.
More than half of the population (55.4%) use a language other than English at home, which is far above the national average. While English is most common, Arabic, Hindi, and Vietnamese are also widely spoken.
Religious affiliation is strong here, with 46% identifying as Christian and 21.7% as Muslim. This explains why the proportion of people with no religion (11.2%) is far below the national figure.
Education levels are high, with 66.4% of residents completing Year 12, well above the state average. This a helpful foundation for the 21.6% of adults who hold a bachelor degree or higher.
Household incomes are notably high, with the typical household earning $2,310 a week, well above the national figure. About 30.9% of homes earn $3,000 or more weekly, which is much higher than most areas.
Residents generally enjoy good health, with only 20.5% reporting a long-term health condition. This is well below the national average, and the rate of mental health conditions is also much lower than most areas.
Caregiving is common, with 27.6% of people providing unpaid child care, which is higher than the national average. However, volunteering is among the lowest at this level, at just 8%.
There are 249 First Nations people in the area, who are noticeably younger than the state average. While unemployment is higher for this group at 15.8%, Year 12 completion is well above the national figure.
Homes are larger than usual, with an average of 3.6 people per household. This is well above the national average and is reflected by the fact that very few people (8.8%) live alone.
The area is dominated by detached houses, with 94.6% of homes having three or more bedrooms. Most residents own their homes, though 54.8% are still paying off a mortgage with a typical monthly payment of $2,200.
Most residents rely on cars, but the area is well-served by public transport with 79 stops. Interestingly, 29.4% of the workforce works from home, which is well above the national figure.
The population is relatively stable, with only 24.3% of people moving in the last five years. This is far below the national average, suggesting a long-term resident base.
The local workforce is largely employed full-time, though the unemployment rate of 6.2% is a little above the national figure. Many residents work in healthcare, retail, or transport and warehousing.
The area is very walkable, with 96.1% of homes within a 10-minute walk of public transport. Almost every home is also within a 15-minute walk of a park.