Top Suburbs for Public Housing in Sydney

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Across New South Wales, 4.7% of households are public housing. In Greater Sydney, public housing distribution varies significantly; certain suburbs display a notably higher concentration, where up to 70% of residences are publicly owned.

You may be wondering, where is public housing located in Sydney? Is your property at risk? Which suburbs should you avoid in Sydney? On this page, we will take a look at the Top 10 Suburbs in Sydney which have the highest proportion of public housing, and other public housing trends in Sydney Suburbs. 

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Top 10 Suburbs: Highest Proportion of Public Housing in Sydney

1. Daceyville: 69% 

Daceyville, located in Sydney’s south-east, was constructed in 1912 as Australia’s first public housing scheme. Public housing in Daceyville consists of charming-yet-modest cottages, red-brick apartment blocks, and semi-detached houses on tree-lined streets. Many houses have their own garden. Public housing is distributed throughout the small suburb, which consists of only 16 streets. 

Daceyville has low crime rates relating to theft, violence, and domestic assault, but is in Sydney’s bottom 13% for night time safety. According to the 2021 census, 7.7% of residents were Indigenous, higher than the national average of 3.2%. Daceyville has a substantial ageing population, with 38.5% of residents being over 65 years old, compared to national average of 17.2%. Daceyville residents had a median household weekly income of $651, well below the national median of $1,746.

2. Airds: 58.9%

Historically, Airds had Sydney’s largest proportion of public housing. The suburb is situated in south-west Sydney. The community currently experiences a range of social issues, including high unemployment, poor health, low income, a high percentage of single parent families, high crime rates, and a lack of access to educational opportunities. Airds is home to many young families, with 36% of the population being younger than 19, compared to the national average of 23.9%.

To address disadvantage, Airds is undergoing substantial redevelopment. Airds is set to become a contemporary, mixed community of around 2,100 modern homes, with 30% set aside for public housing. The suburb will be characterised by modern homes surrounded by plenty of green and open spaces. The development includes units built for senior housing and contemporary detached homes for new public housing. The redevelopment of Airds is expected to be completed in mid-2026.

3. Bidwill: 58.7%

Bidwill is located in the western suburbs of Sydney, and was built in the mid-1960s as one of the largest concentrations of public housing in NSW. It is primarily residential with extremely limited commercial activity. Most residents travel to nearby suburbs of Mount Druitt and St Marys for shopping centres and facilities. Public housing consists of freestanding fibro houses, terrace-style complexes, semi-detached homes and units. Houses are gradually transferring to private ownership as public houses are replaced with privately-built, modern homes.

Bidwill ranks in Sydney's top 1% for number of welfare recipients per suburb. Bidwill is home to many young families, with 36.1% of the population being younger than 19, compared to the national average of 23.9%. Bidwill’s residents had a median household weekly income of $899, well below the national median of $1,746. People in Bidwill are mostly Australian (28.6%), English (23.7%), Australian Aboriginal (13.4%), Samoan (7.2%), and Irish (4.1%). 

4. Claymore: 41.3%

Situated in the southwestern part of Sydney, Claymore is a socially-disadvantaged area that consists of a high proportion of public housing. Many homes have been boarded-up due to years of neglect or are soon to be demolished. In 2015, Claymore was listed as one of the most socially disadvantaged areas in New South Wales by the ABC. In the 2021 census, Claymore was one of Sydney’s poorest suburbs, with the median weekly household income being $1,020, compared to $1,829 across the state. The concentration of highly disadvantaged people has resulted in high levels of crime in the area.

Claymore is undergoing development that is expected to be completed in 2028. The development will result in 1,010 new privately owned homes and 450 homes for public housing, close to upgraded community facilities. 150 new units are being built for older social housing tenants.

5. Miller: 41.3%

Miller, in Sydney's southwest, epitomises Australia's public housing efforts. Established in the late 1960s, public housing consists of townhouses, low-rise apartments, and single-family homes. Public housing units, spread across its streets, make up about 41% of the housing stock. The area is socially disadvantaged, characterised by low education levels, unemployment, poverty, family dysfunction, and mental health and drug and alcohol problems. It recently was subject to media attention, when a teenager was shot down and killed outside his home in 2020.

According to the 2021 census, 4.7% of Miller's residents identified as Indigenous, higher than the national average of 3.2%. Many young families live in Miller, with 29.8% of the population under 19 years old, compared to the national average of 23.9%  Miller residents reported a median household weekly income of $825, below the national median of $1,746.

6. Villawood: 36%

Situated near Liverpool in Sydney’s west, Villawood is home to a large public housing estate constructed in the 1950s-1970s. Public housing consists of free-standing cottages, semi-detached townhouses, and apartments. Villawood has been known for serious social issues, such as drugs and anti-social youth crime.

Villawood is undergoing development. The development aims to deliver more outdoor spaces and better connect the town centre with residential areas. The program will deliver 3,000m2 park and 365 apartments, 55 which will be social housing. Part of this includes upgrades to parks, roads and other key amenities. In 2021, 27.8% of the population were aged 19 years and younger, compared to the national average of 23.9%. The median weekly household income in Villawood was $951, below the national median of $1,746.

7. Tregear: 32.9%

Tregear is located in the western suburbs of Sydney, it was constructed in the 1960s as part of the Mount Druitt public housing development. Public housing consists of free standing cottages, semi-detached homes and units. Tregear is home to a very large park, Tregear Reserve, with lots of green space and open air. Tregear ranks poorly for crime and safety. It ranks in the bottom 3% of Sydney for Night Time Safety and in the top 38% for number of thefts per resident.

In the 2021 census, 15.9% of residents were Indigenous, higher than the national average of 3.2%. Tregear has a substantial young population, with 33.7% of residents being under 19 years old, compared to the national average of 23.9%. Only 11.7% of residents are over 65 years old, compared to the national average of 17.2%. Tregear residents had a median household weekly income of $1,103, below the national median of $1,746.

8. Shalvey: 31.3%

Another Mount Druitt satellite suburb, Shalvey is characterised by public housing and social disadvantage. The suburb was developed in the 1960s and 1970s for public housing, consisting mostly of extensive terrace-style complexes. Gradually, public housing is transferring to private ownership as the government replaces public housing with privately-built, modern homes. 

Shalvey boasts high unemployment rates (9.4% compared to the national average of 5.1%), little commercial activity, and a high proportion of welfare distribution. In 2021, 33.3% of the population was under 19 years of age, compared to the national average of 23.9%. 26.3% of people were Australian, 23.4% were English and 12.0% of the population were Indigenous, compared to the national average of 3.2%. Other reported nationalities include Samoan (6.3%) and Irish (5.4%). 

9. Willmot: 31%

Willmot is located in the western suburbs of Sydney, it was initially developed to provide social housing for working-class families during post-war urban planning initiatives. Public housing is distributed throughout Willmot, with clusters of housing units situated across the suburb's streets and residential areas. Public housing in Willmot includes detached houses, townhouses, and low-rise apartment buildings.

The streets of Willmot are characterised by rubbish, graffiti, and overgrown backyards. Crime, drug abuse, and unemployment rates are high, with the night time safety rate in Sydney’s bottom 3%.  The number of welfare recipients in Willmot is in Sydney’s top 1%. The median weekly household income in Willmot is $1,036, well below the national median of $1,746. 14.7% of residents are Indigenous compared to 3.7% nationally. The highest age bracket is 20-29 years, with 16.4% of residents in this age bracket compared to 13.2% nationally. 

10. Sadleir: 29%

‍Sadleir is a suburb in the southwestern suburbs of Sydney. Constructed in the 1960s, Sadleir was built as part of the Green Valley Housing Project, which aimed to provide affordable housing for 30,000 residents. Public housing consists of free-standing houses and large, brick unit complexes. Sadleir contains several green, open spaces enjoyed by residents.

However, Sadleir ranks poorly for crime and disadvantage, ranking in the bottom 3% in Sydney for Night Time Safety and bottom 3% in Sydney for Alcoholics. Many residents receive welfare as income, ranking in the top 6% in Sydney for Welfare Recipients per postcode. The median weekly household income in Willmot is $946, below the national median of $1,746. In 2021, 3,243 people and 736 families lived in Sadleir. Sadleir has a young population, with 32.3% of the population being under 19 years of age, compared to the national average of 23.9%.

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Every single suburb’s public housing figure is available here to subscribers, along with a zoomable Sydney-wide heat map.

Does this really matter?

None of the above should mean you completely avoid any of these LGAs for buying a property. It just means you have to do your research. Our analysis shows though that, from the point of view of investors, home owners and tenants, what really matters is public housing within 100-200 metres of your property. Merely having public housing in your local government area or even the other side of the suburb does not affect your capital growth and in most cases not your lifestyle either. To get pocket level public housing, as well as other risk factors like bushfire, mobile blackspots, high turnover rates and growth on a hyperlocal pocket level, see our suburb reports.

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