Top 10 Safest Suburbs in Sydney

Sydney is one of the most sought-after cities in the world, constantly landing in “best” and “most liveable” city lists.

It’s one of the most It boasts stunning beaches, a spectacular harbour, world heritage listed parklands, and natural attractions, set against a cosmopolitan city backdrop – but not all suburbs and areas are created equal.

But when it comes to choosing where to call home, or where to buy a top-performing investment property safety is paramount.

So, if you’re seeking a haven of peace and security, look no further – this blog unveils the top 10 safest suburbs in Sydney!

But let’s first start with the big picture…

Is Sydney a safe place to live?

By global standards, yes.

In fact, it was ranked the 4th safest city in the world in 2021 by The Economist Intelligence Unit, beating out ongoing rival Melbourne, which secured joint-8th place with Hong Kong.

Sydney ranked best in the world for digital security, in 9th place for infrastructure security, 10th place for health security, 11th place for personal security, and 16th place for environmental security.

But, even within a city that is generally considered quite safe, there’s bound to be pockets of crime and disorder.

So, what are the safest Sydney suburbs for homeowners and renters these days?

What are the safest suburbs in Sydney?

Crime statistics compiled by Find My Rates look at data on the total number of criminal incidents recorded per 100 people in suburbs with a population of 1,500 or greater.

Criminal incidents refer to any crime against a person or property, drug offenses, public order and security offenses, and justice procedures offenses.

The list includes anything from assault, stalking, and theft to arson, drug dealing or manufacture, and even breaches of orders.

Here’s what they found:

1. Springvale (Lithgow)

Number of incidences recorded for the year ending June 2022: 1

Population: 46

Criminal incidents recorded per 100 people: 0.054

While technically not a suburb located within the city, Springvale – a small town south of the southern suburb of Wagga Wagga, New South Wales – has a remarkably low crime rate for the year to June 2022, taking the crown as the safest suburb in NSW.

The number of criminal incidents recorded by NSW Police was just 1 (a property and deception offense), up 100% from 0 incidents recorded in the same period last year.

There were no criminal incidents of burglary, theft, homicide, or robbery recorded.

2. Grasmere

Number of incidences recorded for the year ending June 2022: 12

Population: 2,105

Criminal incidents recorded per 100 people: 0.57

Grasmere, a suburb in the Macarthur region of Sydney, southwest of the CBD, recorded just 12 crime incidents for the year to June 2022 which is a 57% decrease (-16 incidences) from the year before.

The number of theft incidents fell 14% to 6 – there were no criminal incidents of burglary, homicide, or robbery recorded.

3. Willoughby East

Number of incidences recorded for the year ending June 2022: 10

Population: 1,864

Criminal incidents recorded per 100 people: 0.57

Willoughby East, a suburb on the lower North Shore of Sydney around 9km north of the CBD, has just 10 recorded incidents of crime in the 12 months to June 2022 which is a 48% decrease from the prior year.

The number of theft incidents decreased by 81% to just 3 over the period, while the number of burglary incidents remained steady at just 1, but there are 5 additional incidents of assault and sexual offenses.

There were no criminal incidents of homicide or robbery recorded.

4. Westleigh

Number of incidences recorded for the year ending June 2022: 30

Population: 4,501

Criminal incidents recorded per 100 people: 0.667

Westleigh, another northern suburb of Sydney, reported just 30 crime incidents among its 4,501-strong population for the 12-month period, which is 50% less than the prior year.

The suburb had 1 case of burglary (down 67%) and 15 cases of theft (down 48%) over the year however there were 3 cases of domestic violence and 4 cases of intimidation, stalking, and harassment.

There were no criminal incidents of homicide or robbery recorded.

5. Gledswood Hills

Number of incidences recorded for the year ending June 2022: 47

Population: 6,112

Criminal incidents recorded per 100 people: 0.769

The crime rate in Gledswood Hills, in Sydney’s Macarthur region southwest of the CBD, has remained steady year-on-year at 47 incidents.

The number of burglary incidents fell 50% to just 3 over the 12-month period and the number of theft incidents decreased 26% to 17.

But the declines were offset by an uptick in assault incidents (7), liquor offenses (7), and malicious property damage (3).

There were no criminal incidents of homicide or robbery recorded.

6. East Ryde

Number of incidences recorded for the year ending June 2022: 20

Population: 2,522

Criminal incidents recorded per 100 people: 0.793

There were 20 incidents of crime recorded in East Ryde in the year to June 2022, which was a 35% decrease year-on-year.

The Northern Sydney suburb had the same number of burglaries (2) over the year while the number of theft incidents increased by 11 (22%) and there was 1 reported incident of robbery with a weapon.

There were no criminal incidents of homicide recorded.

7. Wamboin

Number of incidences recorded for the year ending June 2022: 15

Population: 1,805

Criminal incidents recorded per 100 people: 0.831

Wamboin, a rural-residential area in the Southern Tablelands of NSW and just north of Canberra, is another suburb located outside of the Sydney city area, but with a low crime rate of just 15 incidents for its population of 1,805 people, it deserves a spot on the top 10 safest list.

The suburb has 12% fewer incidents (-2) in the year to June 2022 than the prior 12 months, mainly thanks to a 56% drop in the number of theft incidents to just 4 over the period.

There were no criminal incidents of burglary, robbery, or homicide recorded.

8. North Balgowlah

Number of incidences recorded for the year ending June 2022: 32

Population: 3,816

Criminal incidents recorded per 100 people: 0.839

North Balgowlah, another northern Sydney suburb, recorded 32 crime incidents over the 12-month period, which is 53% less (-36 incidents) year-on-year.

There was a significant drop in the number of reported burglaries (down 86% to just 1 incident) for the year and also a big drop in the theft rate (down 47% to 18 incidents).

There were no criminal incidents of robbery or homicide recorded.

9. Woronora Heights

Number of incidences recorded for the year ending June 2022: 24

Population: 2,781

Criminal incidents recorded per 100 people: 0.863

Woronora Heights, a Sydney suburb in the Sutherland Shire 29km south of the CBD, reported 24 incidents during the year, down 38% (-15 incidents).

There was 1 burglary keeping the data unchanged year-on-year but theft incidents dropped 29% to 10 over the year.

There were no criminal incidents of robbery or homicide recorded.

10. Camden Park

Number of incidences recorded for the year ending June 2022: 20

Population: 2,233

Criminal incidents recorded per 100 people: 0.896

Camden Park, 60km southwest of Sydney’s CBD, comes in 10th place on Sydney’s safest suburbs list with 20 reported incidents over the 12 months to June 2022, an 11% decrease year-on-year (or 2 fewer incidents).

There was 1 burglary over the 12-month period, up from 0 the year prior, and the same number of theft incidents (5).

There was the biggest uptick in malicious damage to property – at 4 cases, up from 0 the year before.

There were no criminal incidents of robbery or homicide recorded.

Bonus Tip: When researching specific suburbs, check out resources like the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSAR) for the latest crime data.

Investment-grade properties are key

Remember, safety is subjective and depends on individual priorities and needs.

These suburbs have all been identified as being “low risk” when it comes to crime statistics, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that any property in these locations would automatically be considered a good investment.

Across the country, there are more than 10.5 million dwellings and it’s my honest opinion that only around 4% of the properties on the market at any given time are “investment grade”.

We’ve written plenty of articles and voiced many podcasts over time to share what I consider an investment-grade property is (more here and here if you’d like to explore), so I won’t go into the characteristics of a great investment or the type of properties that fit these criteria.

As you consider your investment journey and the types of assets you’d like to add to your portfolio, I encourage you to consider:

• What are your long-term investment goals?
• Why do you want to invest in property as opposed to other investments?
• How long do you plan to own your investment portfolio?
• What kind of budget are you working with?

These are all the kinds of questions we encourage our clients to consider when we work together to build their investment portfolio.

Whether you plan to own one investment property or 5 (or more!), the ideal investment strategy for you will be personal, as it’s based on your unique risk profile, income, expenses, and goals.

When you take all of these things into consideration, you can work out your long-term “goal”, and break it down into smaller, more achievable goals that you aim to tick off one year to the next.

Having unclear goals can cost you a small fortune, so getting super clear on what it is you want to achieve is the first step towards building real and lasting wealth in your life.