Canterbury, NSW: suburb profile

The population of Canterbury NSW is 9,430 according to the 2021 Census. The median personal income in Canterbury is $852 per week ($44,304 per year). Median rent in Canterbury is $470 per week ($2,037 per month). Canterbury has a median age of 34 years, younger than the national median of 38. Canterbury has a population density of 4,802 people per km².

The most common overseas birthplace in Canterbury is China. The most common religion is No religion (34.5% of residents). After English, the most spoken language is Mandarin. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Canterbury is $2,200.

There were 86 recorded offences in Canterbury in 2025-26, a rate of 9 offences per 1,000 people. The most common offence category was theft (48 offences).

Population
9,430
Census 2021
Median income
$852/wk
Personal, Census 2021
Median rent
$470/wk
Weekly, Census 2021
Median age
34years
Census 2021

Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing 2021; offences from NSW BOCSAR (bocsar.nsw.gov.au), 2025-26.

Canterbury vs the typical NSW suburb

The median personal income in Canterbury is $852 a week, 11% above the typical NSW suburb ($765). That ranks 742nd of 2,150 NSW suburbs with 200 or more residents. Median rent is $470 a week, $85 more than the typical NSW suburb. Rent takes 25.0% of the median household income here, against 22.6% in the typical NSW suburb. The median resident is 34, 9 years younger than in the typical NSW suburb (43).

The typical suburb is the median across suburbs with 200 or more residents. ABS Census 2021, calculated by GDP.com.au.
MeasureCanterburyTypical NSWDifferenceTypical Australia
Personal income$852/wk$765/wk +11%$766/wk
Household income$1,882/wk$1,704/wk +10%$1,637/wk
Rent$470/wk$385/wk +22%$330/wk
Mortgage repayment$2,200/mo$1,965/mo +12%$1,733/mo
Median age3443 −9 yrs42
Rent share of household income25.0%22.6% +2.4 pts20.3%
Income, rent and mortgage against the typical suburb Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS, calculated by GDP.com.au
Bar chart of median income, rent and mortgage repayment in Canterbury, the typical NSW suburb and the typical Australian suburb.

Canterbury Population

9,430 residents at the 2021 Census.

Canterbury Median Income & Rent

Median Income
$852/wk
$44,304 per year
Ranked 2,739 of 14,663
Median Rent
$470/wk
$2,037 per month
Ranked 852 of 14,663
Median Age
34years
4 years younger than the national median
Mortgage
$2,200/mo
Avg household size: 2.5 · 1.1 per bedroom

Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing.

Canterbury Rent Prices & Affordability

25% of median household income goes on median rent

Marks at 25% and 35%. Band: affordable.

Household income $1,882/wk
Median rent $470/wk
Rent to income 25.0%

Rent is under 25% of household income, generally considered affordable.

Median rent in Canterbury against your income

About $8,155 a month
Median rent $470/wk
Left after rent $1,412/wk
Rent share 25.0%

Canterbury Schools

51
schools nearby
30
government
1070
avg ICSEA score
21,496
total students
Trinity Grammar School Independent
Combined · K-12 · 2,296 students
1168
ICSEA
Summer Hill Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 662 students
1167
ICSEA
Yeo Park Infants School Government
Primary · K-2 · 48 students
1144
ICSEA
St Patrick's Catholic Primary School Catholic
Primary · K-6 · 163 students
1136
ICSEA
Lewisham Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 198 students
1121
ICSEA
Kegworth Public School Government
Primary · P-6 · 252 students
1117
ICSEA
Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Primary School Catholic
Primary · K-6 · 439 students
1113
ICSEA
Ashbury Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 356 students
1111
ICSEA
Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Primary School Catholic
Primary · K-6 · 374 students
1110
ICSEA
Earlwood Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 600 students
1107
ICSEA
St Francis Xavier Catholic School Ashbury Catholic
Primary · K-6 · 378 students
1102
ICSEA
Dulwich Hill Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 358 students
1099
ICSEA
Ashfield Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 474 students
1096
ICSEA
St Ursula's College Catholic
Secondary · 7-12 · 1,110 students
1095
ICSEA
St Paul of the Cross Catholic Primary School Catholic
Primary · K-6 · 118 students
1094
ICSEA

Showing 15 of 51 schools.

Source: Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA), 2025. ICSEA is the Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage (national average 1000).

All schools near Canterbury, with a map

Canterbury Map

Canterbury, New South Wales Map data: OpenStreetMap
Loading map…

Canterbury, New South Wales: 33.9130°S, 151.1171°E

Canterbury Circle size: offences per 1,000 residents Schools (51)

People in Canterbury

Demographics

Gender Split

Male 49.4% (4,659) Female 50.6% (4,768)

Population Density

4,802
people per km²
9,430 people · 2.0 km²

Households

2.5
Avg household size
1.1
Persons per bedroom
$2,101
Family income/wk

Age Distribution

0-4
5-9
10-14
15-19
20-24
25-29
30-34
35-39
40-44
45-49
50-54
55-59
60-64
65-69
70-74
75-79
80-84
85+
Male Female

Source: ABS Census 2021, Suburb and Locality (SAL)

Most common overseas birthplaces

China
8.0%
Vietnam
5.0%
Nepal
2.9%
Philippines
2.7%
Greece
2.4%
India
1.7%
Lebanon
1.6%

Shares are of all residents. Source: ABS Census 2021, G09 Country of Birth by SAL

Most common languages at home other than English

Mandarin
8.9%
Greek
5.8%
Vietnamese
5.4%
Arabic
4.2%
Cantonese
3.4%
Portuguese
3.1%
Nepali
2.9%

Shares are of all residents. Source: ABS Census 2021, G13 Language Used at Home by SAL

Ancestry

Chinese
16.4%
English
13.0%
Australian
12.4%
Greek
7.5%
Irish
5.4%
Vietnamese
5.3%
Italian
4.8%
Lebanese
4.4%
Scottish
3.7%
Filipino
3.5%
Indian
2.1%

Shares are of the suburb population. People can report up to two ancestries, so shares add to more than 100%. Source: ABS Census 2021, G08 Ancestry by SAL

Religion

No religion
34.5%
Catholic
22.1%
Eastern Orthodox
8.3%
Buddhism
7.7%
Not stated
7.3%
Islam
4.7%
Hinduism
4.3%
Anglican
3.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G14 Religion by SAL

Indigenous Population

0.9%
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander

Source: ABS Census 2021, G07 Indigenous Status by SAL

Marital Status

Married
44.0% 3,537
Separated
3.3% 269
Divorced
8.3% 668
Widowed
3.1% 246
Never married
41.3% 3,327

Source: ABS Census 2021, G05 Marital Status by SAL

Family Structure

Couple: children under 15
39.2%
Couple: no children
31.1%
Couple: no children under 15
15.6%
One parent: no children under 15
8.4%
One parent: children under 15
5.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G29 Family Composition by SAL

Household Size

1 person
24.4%
2 persons
36.1%
3 persons
18.8%
4 persons
13.2%
5 persons
5.3%
6+ persons
2.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G35 Household Size by SAL

Homes in Canterbury

Housing Tenure

Of the 3,613 occupied private dwellings in Canterbury at the 2021 Census, 47.9% were rented, 21.1% owned outright and 28.8% owned with a mortgage.

Other tenure type
0.9% 31 dwellings
Owned outright
21.1% 763 dwellings
Owned with mortgage
28.8% 1,040 dwellings
Rented
47.9% 1,731 dwellings
Tenure type not stated
1.3% 46 dwellings

Source: ABS Census 2021, Suburb and Locality (SAL)

Dwelling Types

Separate house
82.0%
Semi-detached (2+ storey)
9.1%
Semi-detached (1 storey)
8.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G36 Dwelling Structure by SAL

Number of Bedrooms

1 bedroom
15.2%
2 bedrooms
49.4%
3 bedrooms
22.9%
4 bedrooms
9.1%
5 bedrooms
2.7%
6+ bedrooms
0.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G41 Number of Bedrooms by SAL

Monthly Mortgage Repayments

$0-$299/mo
3.5%
$300-$449/mo
1.8%
$450-$599/mo
1.3%
$600-$799/mo
1.6%
$800-$999/mo
2.1%
$1,000-$1,399/mo
8.9%
$1,400-$1,799/mo
13.5%
$1,800-$2,399/mo
30.4%
$2,400-$2,999/mo
19.3%
$3,000-$3,999/mo
17.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G38 Mortgage Repayment by SAL

Car Ownership

0 vehicles
14.5%
1 vehicle
52.6%
2 vehicles
25.1%
3 vehicles
5.1%
4+ vehicles
2.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G34 Motor Vehicles per Dwelling by SAL

Work, income and education in Canterbury

Employment

Employed full-time
35.9% 2,403 people
Employed part-time
18.2% 1,220 people
Unemployed
4.0% 270 people
Not in labour force
41.8% 2,792 people

Source: ABS Census 2021, G46 Labour Force Status by SAL

Occupation

Professionals
35.5%
Clerical & Administrative
14.7%
Managers
13.2%
Technicians & Trade Workers
10.5%
Community & Personal Service
10.4%
Sales Workers
6.5%
Labourers
5.8%
Machinery Operators & Drivers
3.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G51 Industry of Employment by Occupation

Weekly Household Income

Nil/Negative/wk
2.7%
$1-$149/wk
0.6%
$150-$299/wk
1.1%
$300-$399/wk
1.9%
$400-$499/wk
3.9%
$500-$649/wk
3.1%
$650-$799/wk
5.1%
$800-$999/wk
5.6%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
7.3%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
7.9%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
6.9%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
7.4%
$2,000-$2,499/wk
14.8%
$2,500-$2,999/wk
8.9%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
6.7%
$3,500-$3,999/wk
4.5%
$4,000+/wk
11.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G33 Household Income by SAL

Personal Weekly Income Distribution

$0 or less/wk
12.8%
$1-$149/wk
2.5%
$150-$299/wk
4.8%
$300-$399/wk
3.7%
$400-$499/wk
3.0%
$500-$649/wk
3.7%
$650-$799/wk
9.3%
$800-$999/wk
10.8%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
12.0%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
9.5%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
7.8%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
6.0%
$2,000-$2,999/wk
10.1%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
1.7%
$3,500+/wk
2.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G17 Personal Income by SAL

How People Get to Work

Car (driver)
46.4%
Did not go to work
33.6%
Train
9.0%
Car (passenger)
3.3%
Walked only
2.6%
Bus
2.0%
Motorbike/Scooter
0.8%
Truck
0.7%
Bicycle
0.6%
Other
0.4%
Taxi/Rideshare
0.3%
Tram/Light Rail
0.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G62 Method of Travel to Work by SAL

Education Level

Year 12 or equivalent
81.8%
Year 10 or equivalent
11.6%
Year 11 or equivalent
4.3%
Year 9 or equivalent
2.3%

Shares are of people whose highest year of school is Year 9 to 12 only. Source: ABS Census 2021, G16 Highest Year of School by SAL

Qualifications

Bachelor Degree
42.8%
Postgraduate Degree
18.3%
Advanced Diploma/Diploma
17.8%
Certificate III/IV
16.0%
Graduate Diploma/Certificate
3.6%
Certificate I/II
1.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G49 Non-School Qualification by SAL

Field of Study

Management & Commerce
30.9%
Society & Culture
15.4%
Engineering
9.9%
Health
9.7%
Information Technology
8.3%
Creative Arts
7.5%
Education
5.6%
Food, Hospitality & Personal Services
4.7%
Architecture & Building
4.0%
Natural & Physical Sciences
3.2%
Agriculture & Environment
0.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G51 Field of Study by SAL

School & University Attendance

Primary: Government
25.7%
Vocational Education
25.5%
Secondary: Government
17.7%
Pre-school
11.4%
Secondary: Catholic
8.6%
Primary: Catholic
7.8%
Secondary: Other Non-Govt
2.0%
Primary: Other Non-Govt
1.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G15 Type of Educational Institution by SAL

More from the 2021 Census

Need for Assistance

Does not have need for assistance
89.4%
Has need for assistance
4.3%
Need for assistance not stated
6.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G18 Core Activity Need for Assistance by SAL

Long-term Health Conditions

Mental health
581
Asthma
236
Diabetes
191
Heart disease
133
Arthritis
129
Lung condition
62
Cancer
54
Kidney disease
48
Stroke
42
Dementia
18

Source: ABS Census 2021, G19 Long-term Health Conditions by SAL

Unpaid Carers

Provided unpaid assistance
8.8% 657
Did not provide
91.2% 6,851

Source: ABS Census 2021, G25 Unpaid Assistance by SAL

Volunteering

Volunteer
10.3% 775
Not a volunteer
89.7% 6,758

Source: ABS Census 2021, G23 Voluntary Work by SAL

Military Service

Current ADF: Regular
0.0% 3
Current ADF: Reserves
0.1% 8
Previously served
0.5% 41
Never served
99.3% 7,508

Source: ABS Census 2021, G22 ADF Service by SAL

Children Ever Born

No children
47.8%
1 child
20.1%
2 children
20.5%
3 children
8.6%
4 children
2.5%
5+ children
0.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G28 Children Ever Born by SAL

When Migrants Arrived

Before 1951
5
1951: 1960
80
1961: 1970
306
1971: 1980
366
1981: 1990
500
1991: 2000
524
2001: 2010
930
2011: 2015
756
2016
263
2017
354
2018
318
2019
334
2020
80
2021
13

Source: ABS Census 2021, G10 Year of Arrival by SAL

Population Mobility

19.1%
moved in the last year
53.6%
moved in the last 5 years
5.6%
unemployment rate (Census)
59.2%
labour force participation

Source: ABS Census 2021, G43 Summary by SAL

Where Residents Moved From

Same address
7,115
Moved from NSW
1,212
Moved: same area (SA2)
326
Moved from overseas
86
Moved from VIC
19
Moved from QLD
10
Moved from SA
7
Moved from ACT
4
Moved from WA
3

Source: ABS Census 2021, G44 Address 1 Year Ago by SAL

Unpaid Domestic Work

Less than 5 hours
20.0%
5: 14 hours
26.3%
15: 29 hours
10.9%
30+ hours
7.7%
Did not do domestic work
35.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G24 Unpaid Domestic Work by SAL

Family Blending

Intact family: no other children
90.9%
Step family: no other children
5.9%
Blended family: no other children
1.5%
Intact family: other children present
1.1%
Other couple: children only
0.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G31 Family Blending by SAL

Canterbury Crime Statistics

86 reported offences in 2025-26, by category.

Theft
48
Assault
11
Other Against Person
8
Property Damage
6
Sexual Offences
4
Other Against Property
4
Drug Offences
2
Weapons
2
Robbery
1

Total offences by year

2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025

Source: NSW BOCSAR (bocsar.nsw.gov.au).

Cheaper alternatives with similar incomes

Kingswood (Penrith - NSW)
Income: $747/wk Rent: $355/wk $115/wk less rent
South Windsor
Income: $763/wk Rent: $360/wk $110/wk less rent
Thurgoona
Income: $906/wk Rent: $360/wk $110/wk less rent
St Marys (NSW)
Income: $754/wk Rent: $365/wk $105/wk less rent
Mayfield West
Income: $808/wk Rent: $370/wk $100/wk less rent
Rosemeadow
Income: $703/wk Rent: $380/wk $90/wk less rent
Warragamba
Income: $866/wk Rent: $380/wk $90/wk less rent
Estella
Income: $916/wk Rent: $380/wk $90/wk less rent

Suburbs near Canterbury

The closest suburb to Canterbury is Hurlstone Park, 1.1 km away.

Hurlstone Park
1.1 km away · income $968/wk · rent $460/wk
Campsie
1.3 km away · income $652/wk · rent $400/wk
Ashbury
1.3 km away · income $892/wk · rent $600/wk
Earlwood
1.9 km away · income $837/wk · rent $570/wk
Clemton Park
1.9 km away · income $634/wk · rent $264/wk
Croydon Park (NSW)
2.2 km away · income $807/wk · rent $410/wk

Compare Canterbury (NSW)

Frequently Asked Questions About Canterbury

What is the population of Canterbury NSW?

The population of Canterbury NSW is 9,430 according to the ABS Census 2021. The suburb has a population density of 4,802 people per km². Canterbury is ranked #706 out of 14,663 suburbs by population.

What is the median income in Canterbury?

The median personal income in Canterbury NSW is $852 per week, or $44,304 per year. The median household income is $1,882 per week. Family income is $2,101 per week. Canterbury is ranked #2,739 by income out of 14,663 Australian suburbs.

How much is rent in Canterbury?

Median rent in Canterbury NSW is $470 per week ($2,037 per month). Rent represents 25.0% of household income, which is considered affordable. Canterbury ranks #852 out of 14,663 suburbs by rent.

What are mortgage repayments in Canterbury?

The median monthly mortgage repayment in Canterbury NSW is $2,200. This data comes from the ABS Census 2021 and reflects mortgage repayments for owner-occupied dwellings.

What is the median age in Canterbury?

The median age in Canterbury NSW is 34 years. This is younger than the national median age of 38 years.

Is Canterbury a good suburb to live in?

Canterbury is a suburb in New South Wales with a population of 9,430. The median income is $852/wk, which is above the typical NSW suburb ($765/wk). Rent affordability is rated as affordable (25.0% of household income). See the full suburb profile above for detailed statistics.

Explore More

Australian Average Salary Australian House Prices Sydney Cost of Living

Data: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2021. SA2 area: 10796. All dollar figures in AUD.