Thinking about buying your first home in Earlwood (2206)? This page brings together 17 data cards from NSW government, the ABS, Transport for NSW, and Domain auction results to help you decide if Earlwood is the right fit. The analysis covers affordability and FHB scheme eligibility, schools and childcare, dealbreakers like flood and bushfire, and how the suburb is changing. Jump between the four sections using the sticky navigation, or scroll through the full analysis below.
Is Earlwood a good suburb to buy in 2026?
Earlwood (2206) scores a Stickybeak Grade across safety, family fit, financial picture, and lifestyle. Scroll down for the full 17-card analysis, or use the section navigation to jump to what matters most.
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The verdict
Who it is for
Earlwood suits established families and upsizers who can comfortably clear the $2,155,000 house median without leaning on first home buyer schemes, which do not apply here. The suburb is 77% owner-occupied, skews older at a median age of 44, and carries a SEIFA decile of 9 out of 10. The three local primary schools average an ICSEA of 1079, which is solid, and 32 of 34 nearby childcare services meet or exceed the National Quality Standard.
Who would not love it
First home buyers are priced out entirely, and the lifestyle grade of C- reflects real limitations. A walkability score of 31 puts Earlwood in the bottom third of Sydney suburbs, so you will depend on a car for most errands despite two nearby supermarkets. The unit market is effectively flat, down 0.8% year-on-year on only 35 sales, making it a thin and unreliable segment. Anyone wanting a walkable, cafe-rich neighbourhood should look elsewhere.
What to verify before you bid
- Bushfire-prone land covers 16.5% of the postcode. Before bidding, confirm whether the specific lot sits within a bushfire attack level zone and what that means for insurance premiums and any future building works. - The house median moved 13.8% in one year on 150 sales. Request a full contract review and independent valuation to confirm the price is not sitting at the top of a short, sharp run. - Check the Canterbury-Bankstown flood mapping for the specific street, as the data block flags safety as insufficient despite no explicit flood rating being provided.
Refreshed fortnightly; last refresh 12 May 2026. Verify any specific fact against its source card below.
SAFETY
Will I feel safe and comfortable in Earlwood?
BOCSAR · EARLWOOD 2206
Recorded incidents reported to police
12-month rolling total at suburb level, indexed against Greater Sydney.
RATE PER 100K2,37112 mo to Dec 2025
VS GREATER SYDNEY−70%Below Sydney average
5-YR TREND (LGA)Canterbury-Bankstown
Within LGA: Canterbury-Bankstown
TOP OFFENCE CATEGORIES
THEFT62%170 reports
ASSAULT19%53 reports
INTIMIDATION, STALKING AND HARASSMENT18%49 reports
ASSAULT SPLIT (DOMESTIC VS NON-DOMESTIC)
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE FLAGGED65%
NON-DOMESTIC35%
Across 51 assault reports in this window.
DV-flagged assault has risen statewide as reporting has improved. Compare with caution to suburbs whose population has changed materially.
BOCSAR Recorded Criminal Incidents · Updated March 2026 · CC BY 4.0
Air quality
Air quality in Earlwood
23
GoodAQI · NSW DCCEEW
13:50 AEST
Earlwood station · 1.3 km from centroid
12-month median:AQI 30 · Good
Air quality is generally safe for outdoor activity.
Pollutants
nearest station
PM2.5i
5.7µg/m³
24-hr avg
PM10i
10.3µg/m³
24-hr avg
NO₂i
0.6pphm
1hr reading
AQI · last 12 months · daily mean
Earlwood station · 365 daily points
Source: NSW DCCEEW Air Quality API↗ (CC BY 4.0). Historical data updated weekly; live readings cached 60 minutes.
Median weekly rent from lodged bonds. Sep 2025. Bond count suppressed by DCJ (30 or fewer lodgements this quarter).
Rents here sit around the Sydney middle. A balance of rental stock and owner-occupier demand.
Median weekly rent · Unit · 2 bed
Small sample
$690per week
Sep 2025 · bond count suppressed
Quarterly trend · last 12 quarters
Nearby suburbs · same combination
Canterbury2193
$710▲$20
1.8 km away
Arncliffe2205
$860▲$170
2.2 km away
Campsie2194
$590▼$100
2.4 km away
Dulwich Hill2203
$723▲$33
2.5 km away
NSW DCJ Rental Bond Board↗ · Sep 2025 · CC BY. Cells with 10 or fewer bond lodgements are suppressed; cells with 30 or fewer have the bond count suppressed but rent published. Figures are transacted rents, not asking rents.
DEVELOPMENT PIPELINE · NSW PLANNING PORTAL · 2206
What’s in the pipeline
NSW Planning Portal feed paused at the source for postcode 2206. Expected back by Q3 2026.
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Compare Earlwood with another suburb
Also in Canterbury-Bankstown
Comparing suburbs in the same area can sharpen your decision. Browse suburb insights for other Canterbury-Bankstown postcodes, or explore the full Canterbury-Bankstown suburb index.
Earlwood is the primary suburb with postcode 2206 in New South Wales. In some cases multiple suburbs share the same postcode — Earlwood is the main locality.
Which local government area is Earlwood in?
Earlwood (2206) is located in the Canterbury-Bankstown local government area in New South Wales.
What data does Stickybeak show for Earlwood?
Stickybeak shows 16 data cards for Earlwood (2206) covering affordability (median sale prices, rental yield, first home buyer eligibility), lifestyle (schools, childcare, walkability, commute times), risk factors (flood zones, bushfire prone land, air quality, traffic volume), and suburb growth signals (development pipeline, price trajectory, demographics).
Is Earlwood flood prone?
Flood risk varies street by street in Earlwood. Check the Dealbreakers section on this page for the latest NSW flood zone mapping sourced from official state government data. Always verify at the property level with a Section 10.7 certificate before purchasing.
What are the best schools near Earlwood?
The Schools card on this page lists primary and secondary schools within the catchment area for Earlwood (2206), including their NAPLAN performance data and distance from the suburb centre.
Is Earlwood (2206) eligible for the First Home Buyer scheme?
The First Home Buyer eligibility card on this page shows which NSW and federal government schemes — including the First Home Guarantee, stamp duty exemptions, and the First Home Super Saver scheme — apply to purchases in Earlwood (2206). Eligibility depends on the purchase price and your individual circumstances.
How is Earlwood changing?
The Change section on this page covers new housing supply from the development pipeline, historical price trajectory, and demographic shifts for Earlwood (2206) using data from NSW Planning, the ATO, and the ABS.
