As if choosing a suburb to live in Sydney for yourself wasn’t difficult enough, a whole extra layer of complexity and decision-making comes into play once kids come along. Children have a host of extra requirements that adults lack, from schooling to safe public transport, and from play spaces to different medical requirements.
While different families may have slightly different needs, this general pattern of requirements is typically consistent. So what makes a suburb “family friendly” in our book?
Factors we’re looking at include:
- Safety: the suburb’s crime rate and the safety of its public spaces
- Education: access to schools, both sheer quantity and their quality (private and public), as well as availability of childcare
- Public spaces: quantity/quality of playgrounds, parks, and other entertainment amenities suited to kids that are clean and safe
- Commute times: less time needed to commute for parents = more time to spend with the kids; under 1 hour commute to either Sydney CBD, Parramatta, or Macquarie Park
- Affordability: while it’s unavoidable that some of the premium “family” suburbs in Sydney will also command a premium price, we’ve attempted to factor that in as much as possible
That said, here’s our picks for 10 of the best Sydney suburbs for families, updated as of 2025:
10. Kellyville
Median house price: $1,906,500.00
Median apartment price: $815,000.00
As time has gone by and Sydney house prices have continued to climb ever since the pandemic turned the world on its head, people have had to start heading further & further away from the CBD when looking for a suburb to buy in to start their family.
Fortunately, there have been several suburbs that have also been directly catered for during this time courtesy of actual decent infrastructure expansion that makes living further away from the city less painful in this regard.
Kellyville has been one of the prime beneficiaries, with the addition of the Metro having turned what was previously probably too much of a commute for many aspiring parents wanting to spend more time into their kids into a much more viable prospect.
As a result, you can now benefit from the combination of some extra living space + proximity to quality schools that Kellyville (and some of its surrounding Hills suburbs) offers while still having around a 45 minute commute into Central – without having to tackle all the previous traffic. Combine this with the exceptionally-low crime rate that Kellyville experiences (one of the lowest in all of Sydney, clocking in at score of 1/100 on our CrimeScore rankings where lower = better) and you’ve got a great starting point for family-friendliness.
In addition to this, its park-rich nature combines with an abundance of quality schooling options both public and private – including Kellyville Public School & Highschool, Our Lady of the Rosary Primary, Sherwood Ridge Public School and various preschools and childcare options – and it’s a very solid offering overall.
While prices have shot up here just like everywhere else in Sydney post-pandemic, Kellyville has also seen a fair bit of residential development, especially closer to its station. This has resulted in a bit more choice of housing stock versus only its larger, older & more grandiose homes further east, and while these newer areas are a bit more “cookie cutter/generic” houses and on smaller blocks, they’ve helped at least keep somewhat of a cap on affordability.
Throw in the fact that, like with the rest of its adjacent suburbs, it’s largely well-kept and maintained while still providing multiple retail amenities/shops within (Kellyville Village, North Kellyville Square, Kellyville Grove) and nearby (Rouse Hill Town Centre for bigger-scale shopping), and it’s a solid all-rounder in this part of Sydney… especially if you can work nearby, or at least in the CBD.
9. Westmead
Median house price: $1,730,000.00
Median apartment price: $562,000.00
A strong pick of Parramatta-region satellite suburbs for those with kids in tow, Westmead represents more of an affordable option to many of the other family-oriented suburbs listed here further to the east. This comes while still offering a bevy of services and amenities conducive to family life, too.
Westmead offers flexibility in housing options to cater to different budget levels, with the southern side of its train station more lower-density and desirable while its north side is more built-up and oriented around apartment living; at least close to the station itself. Head further to the suburb’s extremities, and more detached, older housing on decent sized blocks becomes available for those who want a yard, too.
The station itself offers the prospect of a 35 to 40 minute commute into the Sydney CBD; alternatively for those working in Parramatta, the tiny drive or hopping on the bus or single stop down the road makes things quick and convenient. Connectivity in general is a huge strength for Westmead as a suburb.
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Westmead offers a cavalcade of schooling options both within and adjacent to its borders. The desirable Westmead Public School presents a highly-regarded public option, with private schooling also available and yet more choices in neighbouring Parramatta and Wentworthville nearby.
Spacious and historic Parramatta Park sits right on its edge and offers a mix of both plenty of open space and a duo of excellent, well-equipped playgrounds for the kids. As one of the leading children’s hospitals in Sydney, Westmead Hospital also serves the purpose for not only giving birth to a child, but a go-to destination for any resulting medical issues as well.
Traffic is its main weak point and its denser sections can be noisy, but the prospect of a sub-median-price freestanding home (and far cheaper selection of apartments) while surrounded by good schools and in a suburb that is again highly safe crime-wise may be hard to pass up – particularly for those willing to live in an apartment or townhouse.
8. Beecroft
Median house price: $2,530,000.00
Median apartment price: $860,000.00
While much of the “Hills District” at which this suburb sits at the entrance to could qualify here, it’s Beecroft (and adjacent Cheltenham, really) which stand out for their schooling options.
Part Hills, part North Shore, Beecroft blends together some of the best elements of both as far as living conditions for families are concerned – it has elements similar to, say, an Epping, but in return for less services you’re garnering more peace and quiet and less of a busy-busy vibe in return.
While more development has hit in recent years, it’s still largely leafy and offers spacious homes and greenery without sacrificing much transport connectivity. Its station was already pretty well-serviced; connectivity to the metro via Epping has provided yet more flexibility for getting from A to B.
This comes with a largely relaxed and almost “country” feel to many of its public centres. While there’s no massive flagship park in Beecroft, those that it does have (including its Village Green) are decked out in playground equipment, while its nature reserves offer some pleasant escapist walks draped in greenery too.
In terms of enviable schooling, Beecroft Public School currently has one of the highest entry score requirements of such schools in Sydney – a testament to its desirability. It’s also well-positioned to provide access to a host of other highly regarded public and private schools in its surrounding areas, most of which are easily accessible without having to travel too far to reach.
A strong sense of community and low crime rates round out its offerings, and while price can be an obvious issue the quality of life in return is significant.
7. Oatley
Median house price: $2,430,000.00
Median apartment price: $979,000.00
One of the many family-oriented suburbs in the region that’s not-quite Sutherland Shire due to its quality schooling options and safety mixed with access to nature, Oatley offers a solid balance between greenery, personal space, educational offerings, and amenities.
While it’s not the greatest suburb for shopping in the world, Oatley still has more than enough to get by on a daily basis, while Hurstville is just a short drive away for bigger-scale retail needs.
Outside of that one concern, the rest of Oatley presents an excellent mix that ticks all the boxes one could want for family life. Perhaps most obvious for the kids is the great Oatley Park Adventure Playground – still-relatively-new addition to the already-lovely Oatley Park that’s decked out in a diverse mix of play equipment including flying foxes, tube slides, and much more. The park itself was already top-notch, with plenty of shade, barbecue and abundant seating as well.
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Oatley also sits in a position that offers many of the benefits of Shire living while being located both physically and connectively closer to Sydney city. Commute-wise, it’s roughly a ~30 minute commute into the CBD by train, without sacrificing for nature or crowds in return.
The waters of the Georges River provide a scenic aspect and opportunities for marine activities, while the space on offer means on-street parking and decent sized backyards for the kids to play in are a key benefit as well.
Oatley also boasts a duo of high-achieving public schools in both Oatley and Oatley West, while nearby offerings in the likes of Hurstville, Peakhurst and Penshurst open up options for education even further.
6. Ashfield
Median house price: $2,105,000.00
Median apartment price: $840,000.00
A popular option for those who don’t mind their family life a little bit busier in exchange for more convenience, Ashfield represents a decent compromise between proximity to Sydney city and affordability of property compared to those Inner West suburbs immediately to its east.
Sure, Ashfield is always going to be noisier, busier and suffer from more traffic issues than some of the other higher-end suburbs on this list – but it also provides a more reasonable commute for city workers, and doesn’t have tumbleweeds blowing through it once the weekends roll around, either.
This translates into an easier time getting to and from school here as well. The suburb boasts a great degree of schooling access in addition to the schools it contains themselves. Sandwiched between Croydon, Summer Hill and Haberfield, Ashfield presents numerous options for both pricey and affordable schooling while not really compromising on quality of education either way.
Ashfield’s public transport connectivity makes getting to and from schools for kids once they’re of age a breeze, alleviating much of the necessity for parents to soak up hours of their day stuck in the “school traffic nightmare” suburbs with less connectivity endure.
It also doesn’t hurt that the suburb sits a mere 8km from the Sydney CBD, and has express train connectivity to boot; again, more time of a morning or evening for parents to spend time with the kids.
With both solid public schools and acclaimed options such as Trinity Grammar, St Vincents and more all here, combined with its robust shopping facilities and wide public spaces, Ashfield is versatile and can suit a more diverse range of demographics other than just the truly cashed-up.
5. Normanhurst
Median house price: $1,900,000.00
Median apartment price: $915,000.00
It may not get as much of a mention as some of the bigger “brand name” North Shore suburbs in Sydney, but Normanhurst offers a wide range of advantages for families looking for somewhere in the area that’s (slightly) more affordable.
The suburb boasts all the signature and desirable characteristics of this region – being highly leafy and green, low crime rates, and replete with nice public spaces – along with one of the greatest selections of education options as well. Its parks aren’t amazing but are still well-kept and functional, and offer a smattering of playground equipment as well
Normanhurst’s demographic is largely a mix of of families and retired couples, and its lack of a main shopping area or district means while it lacks slightly in convenience, it stays cleaner and less busy compared to some of its more developed neighbours. With Hornsby only a very short drive away, larger shopping opportunities are within easy reach as well.
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The main drawcard for families will be its schools, however. Normanhurst is home to not only highly-regarded selective schools (Normanhurst Boys High School) for the boys, as well as Loreto Normanhurst (an acclaimed Catholic option) for the girls, but also a duo of public schooling options and preschool.
Throw in more great options in neighbouring Thornleigh as well, and you’ll be spoiled for choice in terms of quality education here.
Given it’s only around 25 minutes to Parramatta and still under an hour (by train) into the Sydney CBD, you’re not sacrificing too much distance for all of these benefits, either.
4. St Ives
Median house price: $3,000,000.00
Median apartment price: $895,000.00
An ideal choice of suburbs for families who love the bush and nature in general – as long as you’re going to take advantage of it and not stay home all the time – St Ives offers a huge amount of greenery both maintained and rugged at your doorstep. Even the beach isn’t too far away.
Wildlife can be spotted here aplenty, from wide arrays of bird life to possums and more, without being ridiculously far from the Sydney CBD (still under 20km away).
As a result, it’s great for those with outdoors-y kids, not only because of its proximity to national parks but due to its other amenities as well. Skate parks, off-road bike tracks, numerous sporting facilities and more all round out St Ives’ active offerings, and it’s all wrapped up in a package that is still largely peaceful despite some increased recent development.
While it’s mostly one for those with larger real estate budgets only, the quality of overall environment you get in return for the investment makes it worth it.
Its shopping village offers a good blend of essentials and mixed retail, and it’s as safe and clean as a whole as one might expect given its upmarket nature. There’s also a communal aspect to St Ives both in terms of attitudes and frequent community events.
Schooling-wise, it delivers in spades as well. St Ives is home to three separate public primary schools that all historically achieve well in terms of academics, with associated preschools near each. Add in its prep school, Catholic and college private options, and coverage for education here is excellent.
While it’s mostly one for those with larger real estate budgets only, the quality of overall environment you get in return for the investment, and with around one quarter of the suburb’s housing inventory these days now made up of apartments, this may be a spot worth considering downsized living given all the positives.
3. Menai
Median house price: $1,540,000.00
Median apartment price: $950,000.00
While a handful of Sutherland Shire suburbs are all viable enough for families to make this list given the region’s general overall bent towards safety/greenery/solid schooling options, in the present day Menai presents probably the best overall balance of all of these when also factoring in price of admission.
This is a long-established, leafy suburb that’s both rock-bottom in the crime rankings while also offering several strong schools. Meanwhile its tendency towards decently-sized, well-built homes that have stood the test of time over decades make for plenty of opportunity for the kids to have at least somewhat of a backyard to play in.
This well-established, communal nature (the suburb skews slightly older) creates a strong and safe community environment, while its heavily residential-leaning bent means mostly quiet streetscapes that can help those with little kids in particular in getting a good night’s sleep. The suburb only has a couple of major through-roads resulting in a relative lack of congestion compared to other, busier ‘Shire’ suburbs.
Outside of its handy and decently-equipped retail hub of Menai Marketplace, it’s otherwise mostly comprised of peaceful residential cul-de-sacs populated with mostly detached homes, and a decent handful of townhouse/villa complexes while having fairly minimal apartment inventory. And even if you do opt for a smaller semi-detached home, Menai comes with such an abundance of roomy parks and sporting facilities dotted with a mix of playgrounds, indoor sports centres, and even a skate park to keep the kids busy.
With a decent array of quality schools considering the suburb’s size/population (Aquinas, Menai High, Holy Family et. al), as well as increasing additions of better little spots for dining out, all of these positives can combine to more than make up for the suburb’s one key flaw – a lack of a train station. Especially seeing Sutherland Station is only a short drive away for CBD commuters, as well.
2. Lane Cove
Median house price: $3,100,000.00
Median apartment price: $885,000.00
It’s easy to see why Lane Cove has absolutely boomed in popularity for families in recent years. The suburb offers a helping of greenery and peace and quiet sandwiched between busier and more built up areas like Epping and Chatswood while still retaining a pretty central location for access to Sydney City, and other popular areas for work and shopping like Ryde and Macquarie Park.
It’s become a something of a meme for younger types without kids to refer to Lane Cove as “Lame Cove” due to its perceived “boring” nature, but that’s a case of people at different life stages wanting entirely different things. In addition, with its recent rise in popularity, Lane Cove has also become more lively as a result. It’s no Newtown, but that’s not the point to living in a place like this anyway.
Much of Lane Cove feels like it has evolved specifically with kids in mind; its shopping areas go out of their way to incorporate play equipment, there’s amenities like aquatic centres, libraries and numerous other classes for kids to learn skills, and a silent understanding between residents to keep things quiet at night even in higher-density areas.
If you want a good night’s for yourself and the kids without living out in the sticks, this is about as good a suburb as any to do so.
Schooling-wise, Lane Cove is more set up for those with younger kids than older teens. It’s got a handful of quality daycare, primary and pre schools to choose from, but its nearest highschool is slightly out of the way from the town centre.
Amenity-wise its village continues to develop with more restaurants and cafes being added, and multiple supermarkets to choose from. All of this within a reasonable drive or bus ride into the city makes for a highly desirable spot to raise kids – and meet fellow, like-minded individuals doing just that.
1. Wahroonga
Median house price: $2,675,000.00
Median apartment price: $942,000.00
Noticing a pattern here? There’s a reason why many parents choose to pay a premium pricetag to live on the Upper North Shore; not only for the obviously upmarket and green living conditions, but the fact they it’s almost completely encircled by quality schooling options.
Wahroonga is perhaps the greatest embodiment of this, with a number of elite private schools all in close proximity wrapped up in a high-end, leafy, and quiet package. Options such as Prouille Catholic School, Abbotsleigh and Knox School all lie among the upper crust of educational options on the north shore and sit within the top ranked of New South Wales as a whole, while Wahroonga Public School is also one of the best of its kind.
Prolific amounts of childcare round out its offerings, making for a cross-section of education that’s hard to match.
Demographically, Wahroonga boasts one of the highest percentages of families with children of any suburb in Sydney, and that’s not simply due to its schools. The suburb itself is largely picturesque – even its train station is pretty – with multiple large parklands, ovals, playing fields and plenty of options for outdoor activity in general. Wahroonga Park right next to the station itself even boasts excellent playground equipment for the kids.
Its inherent “village” atmosphere is both welcoming and safe, and its array of nice coffee shops and restaurants make for pleasant local variety in dining. Streetscape-wise, there’s multiple different pockets to the suburb that each offer something slightly different in terms of housing outside of just its impressive mansions as well.
With good rail connectivity that offers the prospect of a 40 minute train ride into the city, it’s a relatively painless commute that allows for more time to spend with the family. The quality of life for families in Wahroonga does come with a premium pricetag, but it’s very much a “get what you pay for” proposition here.
And in recent years, there’s been a gradual trickle of apartments/units added to the suburb that can help keep a lid on prices for the less-wealthy and make it a more financially viable option as well.
