Rhodes was once the butt of jokes.

In the 1970s school boys passing on the train would hold their noses and snigger at the industrial stench wafting from the suburb’s paint factories and chemical plants.

But times have changed. The Domain Liveable Sydney 2016 study ranks Rhodes just a notch below exclusive Point Piper – the harbour-front setting for some of Sydney’s most expensive mansions.

Since the early 1980s, Rhodes has gradually transformed from an industrial hub into a high density, high-quality residential suburb.

It scored highly for its river views, low crime rate and proximity to shops and cafes. Rhodes also has that most valuable of assets in gridlocked Sydney – easy access to public transport, both rail and ferry. View the full list of Sydney’s most livable suburbs for 2016.

The study – authored by Tract Consultants and Deloitte Access Economics – drew on a wealth of data to rank quality of life in neighborhoods across Greater Sydney.

Rhodes and Point Piper (rated 91 and 92 out of 555 suburbs) were among the many suburban “odd couples” that ended up side-by-side on the study’s liveability league table.

* Article from domain.com

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