Stanmore Suburb Review

Charm meets noise - which wins?

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.

Key stats

Stanmore is similar to nearby Petersham in many respects, although it feels just a little bit more upmarket in several respects – its streets are a little wider and greener, its heritage houses and terraces are slightly more posh, and it’s got a tiny handful of dining options that its neighbour almost utterly lacks.

Stanmore also represents a strange dichotomy in that its most obvious weakness – noise – doesn’t tell the whole story. Let’s get one thing out of the way first: the suburb lies under a major flight path, with frequent overhead air traffic until the airport curfew kicks in at night. If you’re a light sleeper who prefers to go to bed early, this can automatically rule the suburb out entirely for you in one stroke.

This is counterbalanced both by it being otherwise a quiet suburb in general in terms of its streets. They’re generally quite charming and peaceful overall without much traffic. Plus, the effects of the aircraft noise are one of the few things that have helped keep property prices slightly lower in Stanmore than they would otherwise be – without it, they’d truly be out of control.

Double glazing thus becomes all but mandatory when living here; minimise the aircraft noise and the positives of the suburb do then begin to shine through.

The majority of the neighbourhood around Stanmore is undeniably charming. It’s home to some really unique, grand homes with some interesting architectural designs and colour schemes that are historic without feeling rundown like many other Inner West suburbs.

Green and Grand

Standmore’s streets are quite wide and tree-lined, with a couple of small parks dotted throughout for some extra public breathing room. While it’s not exactly a haven for nature, this is about as “leafy” as the Inner West can expect to get and is thus fairly decent for small pets.

It’s largely house-and-terrace-heavy, as new construction in the area has been limited by heritage laws in place. As a result, it’s also more of a wealthy-family and retiree oriented suburb. Its lack of high-density apartment buildings means that many younger or less well-heeled individuals may also find themselves priced out.

Those heritage restrictions have put a limit on the amount of accommodation that’s actually available in Stanmore, with high property prices to reflect this limited availability. Small, unassuming freestanding homes price around the $1.3 – $1.5 million mark, and that’s for something very basic. Apartment rental-wise, $450 or so per week is about the baseline for a 1-bedder that is relatively liveable.

Stanmore’s architecture is impressive, and its streets are wide

It’s a shame, as families in particular can definitely stand to benefit from living here. Stanmore is quite well situated for families in general. There’s several very good schools and plenty of childcare within easy reach nearby, highlighted by the prestigious Newington Boys College renowned for the quality of its education (if you can afford the pricetag).

Its public schools are also very good, so for those with children of school-going age there’s an obvious appeal for living here.

While the suburb itself doesn’t have a lot going on – there’s not much in the way of retail or shopping opportunities other than a smaller supermarket, and few dining spots – its proximity to both Leichhardt and Newtown nearby helps. Both are within reasonable walking distance and can fill in the gaps Stanmore lacks very well; then afterwards, you can return to Stanmore’s quieter streets after you’ve had your full of dining or entertainment.

“Families in particular can definitely stand to benefit from living here… Stanmore is quite well situated for families in general.”

It’s lucky that it’s fringed by these suburbs with a fair bit going on, as other than spending some time in the local park with the kids or a pet, there’s not much to do here at all. Stanmore could definitely use some added small-scale retail or some kind of miniature “high street” strip to give it a little more purpose other than a place to lay your head.

Traffic here is fairly reasonable as far as inner Sydney suburbs go, with good connectivity to the city for buses. Of course, Stanmore also has its own train station that offers a tantalising 15 minute commute into the city as well.

There’s quite a friendly, communal vibe here on offer, which is pleasing to see. Over the decades it’s become more gentrified and home to higher income earners, but there’s still more of a sense of neighbourly atmosphere here than in many other suburbs we’ve detailed closer to the city.

It’s also heavily white and very old-money heavy, and as a result not exactly the greatest bastion of multicultural or international diversity for which Sydney is renowned. The demographic also trends older, so if you’re the younger type looking for a lively base for your Sydney career or adventures, you may want to look elsewhere nearby.

The Verdict

Stanmore is a bit of a strange mix between high-end properties, city convenience, greenery, family amenities, lack of things to do, and noise. There’s such a mix of extremes in each of its major categories that recommending it as a place to live comes down to more of an “individual taste” question and your current life situation than many of the other inner Sydney suburbs listed here.

Most of the appeal of living in the Inner West is for its vibrance, activity, city access, downsizing and dining and drinking opportunities, yet Stanmore nowadays almost feels a little like something plucked from the North Shore and relocated here. 

It’s hard to recommend to younger types who want to party at Newtown and crash home later, as the aircraft noise will kick in at 6am and ruin chances of a sleep-in. Likewise, its high property prices make it a tough freestanding housing market to break into for those without lots of funds to draw from.

Its best fit is perhaps for professional families with higher incomes who will still commute to the CBD for some time, but need to accommodate for the kids as well – it’s very well situated as far as education, medical and other family needs go.