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Summary: A suburb with plenty of character and one of the best dining scenes in all of Sydney, Marrickville is trendy without being pretentious. It’s still got a bit of authentic grit despite its large ongoing developments, and offers a solid balance between city access, diversity of housing types and enjoyable public spaces. Rising prices and some noise issues at both air and ground levels hamper it a little, but for the younger and establishing crowd it’s an excellent choice in the Inner West. Read Review

Summary: To describe Stanmore in a mathematical equation might go something like this: Stanmore : Petersham as Erskineville : St Peters. That is to say, it’s a little like Petersham’s slightly wealthier brother, but really there’s little to differentiate the two overall. It’s a little more charming, a little more green, and a little more expensive, with some better amenities for families in particular. Its aircraft noise is always going to be the main negative point, however, and although it’s charming and home to some lovely architecture, there’s not much to do in the suburb itself. Read Review

Summary: Ashfield is a well-balanced suburb in the Inner West which boasts good public transport connectivity, school access and overall amenities, as well as a range of housing options. It’s become a darling of the Chinese community and much of its small-scale retail reflects this almost mono-cultural bent, while it also suffers from some significant traffic and parking issues for drivers. It can feel a little crowded and soulless at times, and its price is no longer a major selling point as property prices have continued to climb. Read Review

Summary: Centrally located, convenient and well-equipped with amenities, if there was any one word to describe St Leonards, “functional” would probably be it. This is a North Shore Sydney suburb that has everything you’ll need for daily life should you be happy with small-scale apartment living, yet is almost entirely lacking in other character or any kind of personality. While it has no real negatives other than a lack of affordable standalone housing and some noise and traffic issues, St Leonards is fairly bland overall; its main saving grace is its access to the city, and proximity to the suburbs which surround it. Read Review

Summary: As a suburb, St Peters feels almost directly like Erskineville’s slightly rougher, grittier little brother. Conveniently located and with good city connectivity, the suburb offers a (slightly) more affordable smattering of terrace and high-density housing, a range of drinking and dining opportunities, and streets dotted with colourful murals and other bohemian art. There’s an overall edgy feeling here and some noise issues that may not appeal to all, but its positives in terms of location and convenience can generally outweigh its relative lack of full-blown gentrification. Read Review

Summary: The Lower North Shore’s go-to venue for selection when it comes to a quality meal, Crows Nest is a trendy hub for dining and drinking that feels a little like a “cleaner” version of Newtown down south. Centered around its main street lined with all sorts of cuisine and takeout areas as well as small-scale retail, the suburb is energetic – although a little noisy in places – and has some traffic issues. Its lack of train connectivity is a negative as well, as is a general lack of parking, but it’s still a great night out. Read Review

Summary: This high-end, hilly inner eastern suburb is renowned for both its lovely waterfront views and its high property prices. Often jokingly referred to as “Double Pay”, Double Bay has a multi-million-dollar barrier to entry in return for its lovely aspect, extremely pet-friendly main parkland area, and connectivity to the CBD via ferry. It’s pretty and upmarket, although there’s not too much to do and accessing its nearest train station will put a burn in the calves due to the hilly topography of most of the suburb. Read Review

Summary: Full of greenery, home to some truly impressive houses, and highly peaceful, Wollstonecraft is an unassuming Lower North Shore suburb that’s seldom discussed. This is largely because it’s a highly “utilitarian” suburb in that it skews highly towards the “good place to live” as opposed to “good place to visit” end of the spectrum. It’s connected to heavy rail, offers a range of housing types and… that’s about it. There’s almost zero to do here, and as a result it’s only a place you’d want to use for resting your head. Read Review

Summary: Formerly home solely to streets lined with grand old homes from the glory years of the mid to late 1900s, Caringbah like many other higher-end Sutherland Shire suburbs remains pretty, yet is also modernising and losing some of its character.

It’s got plenty going for it for families however, with quality schools nearby, nice leafy roads, peace and quiet, plenty of parkland, and a heavy rail station for city access. It’s a versatile & largely scenic suburb in parts, however its price has ballooned in recent years & now ranks on the pricier side in return for its liveability. Read Review

Summary: One of the most family and pet-friendly suburbs still within striking distance of the Sydney CBD, Annandale’s wide streets and greenery along with several notable highlights make it pretty much ideal for family life. Inner West in name only, the suburb has a “white picket fence” feel entirely different to its grittier neighbours that would help it rank near the top of our “liveability” rankings – if only it had a damn train station, avoided the flight paths, and was priced quite a bit lower. Read Review