Strathfield Suburb Review

Price or prettiness - pick your poison.

Summary: One of the most well-located suburbs in Sydney in terms of the access it gives to practically everywhere else, Strathfield is highly convenient for those who want to experience a variety of what Sydney has to offer on a regular basis. It’s got a comprehensive array of amenities and schools, as well as a lot of dining options (although they are almost exclusively Asian, so not very diverse). It’s also a suburb of extremes, with those looking to live here having to choose either between a busy and noisy – yet more affordable – central area, or have very deep pockets to be able to afford its larger, freestanding homes.

Key stats

In terms of location as far as Sydney suburbs go, Strathfield is hard to beat. As the major transport hub for the outer portions of the Inner West, it boasts some truly great connectivity in terms of both public and private transport.

Strathfield Station has express train connections to Sydney city, and sees a huge volume of commuters each day, while its road access allows just a quick jump to the M4.

You’ve got Burwood next door for larger-scale shopping, worker hotspots such as Rhodes and Macquarie Park within easy reach, and Olympic Park and its greenery and facilities not far away.

Add in the 15 minute commute to Central on an express train, and Strathfield makes for a tantalising package for those who want to be able to get where they’re going in Sydney as efficiently as possible.

Demographic-wise, Strathfield has a reputation as a large “Korean town” due to its abundance of Korean restaurants, however statistically it’s still dominated by a mix of Chinese and Indian residents.

It’s home to some of the best Korean and Indian dining options in the city, however its food scene does lack diversity outside of these Asian cuisines so it can get a little repetitive and require travelling elsewhere to mix things up.

In terms of amenities Strathfield is quite well-equipped. Its main central hub isn’t massive but features a decent mix of small-scale dining and retail around the centre, with Strathfield Plaza featuring a pretty good mix of everything you’d need for daily life (including a Woolworths).

Its other stores are mostly smaller family-owned businesses however, so it requires having to go to Burwood Westfield for bigger shopping trips and more renowned brand clothing and the like.

Attractive for Families

It’s also a very solid choice in terms of education options for urban families – it’s home to a multitude of good schools both private and public. While they’re in increasing demand and becoming more and more competitive as a result, there’s enough on offer that entry to at least one should be a viable proposition.

Greenery-wise it’s a mixed bag as well; its central portion can feel a little concrete-jungle-ish and not the most pet-friendly, however both Freshwater Park and Strathfield Park are good public open areas equipped with playground equipment and ample space for kids and dogs to run and play.

Strathfield soon becomes leafy the further south from the station you are

At its core, Strathfield’s central area feels pretty hectic. While its station square area is fairly open and visually nice, it’s almost always crowded and pretty noisy. Its high degree of commuter use and high population in general means there’s a bit of an overpopulated vibe here, with its cafes and restaurants almost always busy and lots of people on the footpaths and in its shopping centres.

Go a little further however, and this crowded town square quickly gives way to wider and pleasant back streets populated with bigger and grander properties. It’s a fairly old suburb, and the red-brick English style is prominent.

The general rule in Strathfield is: the further south you go, the wealthier (and whiter) it gets. While its main mix of young student and professional population live closer to the station in high-density housing, as you travel south both the size of its housing (and the age of its residents) increases proportionally.

“The general rule in Strathfield is: the further south you go, the wealthier (and whiter) it gets.”

This part of Strathfield contains some truly impressive homes that come with some truly high price tags, particularly along its “Golden Mile” stretch where things become truly exorbitant.

And that’s the main problem with Strathfield as a suburb in general; it’s one of two extremes, both of which might not be ideal for many. You can either pick between its cheaper central area where it’s noisy and crowded yet you might actually be able to afford, or pay through the nose for its nicer and very expensive suburban portion.

There’s no real “middle ground” between Strathfield’s two housing options, and that’s an issue for those who fall into the “average” or “middle class” demographics. The newer apartments around the station aren’t cheap either, and bring some of the aforementioned noise issues with them, while the cheaper ones further out in the suburb aren’t great and can feel segregated from the rest of the suburb.

Price-wise, Strathfield’s desirable location and tightly-held range of freestanding homes make for some eye-popping numbers. Don’t expect to have a shot at anything freestanding for less than $2.2 million, while rental prices for a 2-bedroom apartment that’s not terrible hover around the $550 per week mark for something decent.

Those willing to sacrifice the extra bedroom can get themselves a solid apartment within walking distance of the station for $500 as well.

Other factors to consider for Strathfield that round out its offerings in general are that it has good NBN coverage, not as terrible traffic as one might expect given its thoroughfares north and east, is fairly safe, and that it can be a little dirty in some of its central areas.

There’s not much nightlife to speak of at all other than its restaurants, so those seeking a more active suburb will want to look elsewhere.

The Verdict

Strathfield can serve as an ideal choice as a place to live for those who fall into certain categories, and yet exclude a number of others entirely.

As a base for newly-relocated professionals to Sydney who want a commute to the CBD that doesn’t come with some of the inflated times living further out entails and are happy to live in an apartment, it’s hard to beat.

The suburb itself is pretty comprehensive in terms of stores and dining, and it’s either surrounded by – or connected to – others that fill in the gaps it’s lacking very well.

Likewise, for families who have a lot of money to play with yet still don’t want to feel as isolated from the rest of Sydney’s activity as some of the wealthier suburbs on the North Shore or out east, Strathfield allows a great compromise between property size without feeling totally dead of an evening or disconnected. Its schools are an obvious drawcard, as well.

It’s that awkward middle-ground where Strathfield makes things a bit hard for many other people. Families who aren’t loaded with money most likely won’t be able to afford a house with a yard, while young professionals who want nightlife probably will want to look more towards the likes of Newtown, Surry Hills, Darlinghurst etc. (or at least suburbs adjacent to them) for better social options.