Chippendale
With 67.3% of residents born overseas and a median age of 28, Chippendale functions as Sydney's densest migrant-student gateway at 16,810 people per square kilometre. The 78% renter rate and 58.4% of dwellings being studios or 1-bedroom apartments make it structurally different from almost any other Sydney suburb. Despite sitting in IRSAD decile 10, the IER (economic resources) decile is just 1, an extreme divergence that reflects high education attainment alongside low current wealth, the classic signature of a transient professional population.
Population
7,803
Median Age
28.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,606/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
47
Median House
$800K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The median of $800,000 dropped 5.4% year-on-year to $785,000 in 2025, and with 89.1% apartments, buyers are almost exclusively entering the unit market. Only 9.0% of dwellings are owned outright, reflecting the transient nature of the population. Mortgage stress is real at 34.6% of income, above the 30% threshold. Walkability and cycling access (38.5% walk or cycle to work) partially compensate for the compact living, and Darlington Public School (ICSEA 1030, 147 enrolled) sits within the suburb. Buyers should note the 16.7% vacancy rate, which creates downward pressure on resale values.
For Buyers
The median of $800,000 dropped 5.4% year-on-year to $785,000 in 2025, and with 89.1% apartments, buyers are almost exclusively entering the unit market. Only 9.0% of dwellings are owned outright, reflecting the transient nature of the population. Mortgage stress is real at 34.6% of income, above the 30% threshold. Walkability and cycling access (38.5% walk or cycle to work) partially compensate for the compact living, and Darlington Public School (ICSEA 1030, 147 enrolled) sits within the suburb. Buyers should note the 16.7% vacancy rate, which creates downward pressure on resale values.
For Investors
The 78% rental rate is among the highest in metropolitan Sydney, and weekly rent of $520 against an $800,000 median yields approximately 3.4% gross. However, the 16.7% vacancy rate is a red flag, nearly 5x the healthy benchmark, suggesting oversupply in the apartment segment. Development activity is heavy with 46 applications in 12 months. Net overseas migration of +711/year drives tenant demand, but internal migration runs at -366/year, meaning domestic residents are leaving. The net effect is population churn (58.6% turnover) rather than stable tenancy.
Development Activity
Total DAs
254
Last 12 Months
47
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+2.2%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Chippendale iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Darlington Public School
P-6 · 147 students
Demographics
The median age of 28 is 12 years below the national median, the starkest age skew of any inner Sydney suburb. University attainment at 67.4% is 37.3 percentage points above the national average, reflecting proximity to the University of Sydney and UTS. Chinese ancestry (2,735) is the largest group, exceeding English (1,214), and Mandarin (705 speakers) plus Cantonese (177) dominate non-English languages. The 10.4% unemployment rate, higher than the national average, reflects the student population rather than structural joblessness, since the IEO (education/occupation) decile is 10.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
0.1%
Houses
9.9%
Townhouse
89.1%
Apartment
Tenure
Apartments dominate at 89.1%, with semi-detached at 9.9% and separate houses at just 0.1%. The bedroom mix skews heavily small: 58.4% studio or 1-bedroom, 29.3% 2-bedroom, and only 3.2% have 4+ bedrooms. Only 22% of residents are owners (9.0% outright, 13.0% mortgaged), making this overwhelmingly a rental market. The price-to-income ratio sits high, with mortgage costs consuming 34.6% of household income. Average household size is 1.8, well below the national 2.5, consistent with the solo-occupant and couple-without-children profile (65.4% of families).
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,409
Rent / wk
$520
HH Size
1.8
Personal Income / wk
$882
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
16.7%
Unoccupied
749
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
32.4% stressed
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
34.6% stressed
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
65.4%
Couples, no children
3,157
Total families
Economy & Employment
Professional/tech services employ 22.1% of workers, more than double the national average, followed by education (10.6%) and hospitality (10.2%). The hospitality concentration reflects the inner-city food and entertainment precinct. Professionals make up the largest occupation group (1,825), with managers distant second (612). Finance (10.0%) is notable for a suburb this size. The SEIFA paradox is striking: IEO decile 10 (highest education) but IER decile 1 (lowest economic resources), which occurs when highly educated residents have not yet converted credentials into asset accumulation.
Unemployment
4.9%
Labour Force
6,151
Unemployed
300
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
67.0%
Part-time
22.6%
Participation
56.2%
Employed
3,792
Occupations
Top Industries
University
67.4%
Postgraduate
23.1%
Born Overseas
67.3%
Dwellings
3,705
Transport to Work
Public transport usage at 29.8% and walking/cycling at 38.5% mean the majority of residents do not drive to work, a rarity in Sydney. Darlington Public School (Government, ICSEA 1030, 147 enrolled) is the sole school within the suburb, adequate for primary but secondary students must travel. The 1.2% disability assistance rate is the lowest in the dataset, consistent with the young population. Volunteering at 13.5% is below the national average, partly because the transient population has weaker community ties. IRSAD decile 10 indicates high overall socio-economic advantage.
Drive
27.8%
Public Transport
29.8%
Walk / Cycle
38.5%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+2.71%/yr
(+258 people/yr)
High GrowthPopulation is forecast to reach 11,340 by 2031 from 9,505 in 2025, growing at 2.71% annually. The suburb lost 11.7% of its population during COVID (from 9,041 to 7,983) but has since recovered by 18.9%. Overseas migration (+711/year) is the primary driver, while domestic residents leave at -366/year. Population grew 92.4% over the past decade, one of the fastest rates in Sydney. Gentrification score is 0 (New development stage) because the growth comes from new apartment construction rather than socio-economic displacement of existing residents.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+711
Net Internal / yr
-366
Gentrification Signal
New development
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Chippendale compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Chippendale a good suburb to live in?
For young professionals and students wanting walkable inner-city living, it ranks highly: 38.5% walk or cycle to work, and the median age of 28 creates a youthful social environment. However, it suits renters and compact-living buyers rather than families. The 89.1% apartment stock and 16.7% vacancy rate are key considerations.
What is the median house price in Chippendale?
The median is $800,000 (PSI-derived 2024-2025), though the latest annual figure shows $785,000 in 2025, a 5.4% decline from $830,000 in 2024. This reflects predominantly apartment transactions in a suburb with just 0.1% separate houses.
What schools are in Chippendale?
Darlington Public School (Government, Primary, ICSEA 1030, 147 students) is the only school within the suburb boundary. Its ICSEA score is above the national median of 1000, indicating above-average educational advantage. Secondary students typically attend schools in nearby Surry Hills or Newtown.
Is Chippendale safe?
Crime data is not available at the suburb level for Chippendale in the current dataset. The IRSD decile of 6 suggests moderate socio-economic conditions, and the inner-city location means higher foot traffic and nightlife-related incidents are typical compared to suburban areas.
Is Chippendale good for property investment?
The 78% renter rate guarantees tenant demand, and $520/week rent yields roughly 3.4% gross on an $800,000 median. The risk is the 16.7% vacancy rate and 46 new development applications in 12 months, which indicate ongoing supply additions. Overseas migration (+711/year) sustains demand, but the 5.4% price decline in 2025 warrants caution on capital growth expectations.
How is Chippendale's population changing?
Population grew 92.4% over the past decade and is forecast to reach 11,340 by 2031. Growth is entirely overseas-migration-driven (+711/year), while domestic residents leave at -366/year. The COVID dip of 11.7% has fully recovered. The suburb is densifying rather than gentrifying, with new apartment stock absorbing international arrivals.
What languages are spoken in Chippendale?
With 67.3% born overseas, Chippendale is highly multilingual. Mandarin (705 speakers) and Cantonese (177) are the most common non-English languages, followed by Hindi (56), Korean (53), and French (38). Chinese ancestry (2,735) is the largest ethnic group, exceeding English ancestry (1,214).
How active is development in Chippendale?
Very active: 46 development applications were lodged in the past 12 months, including hotel/motel conversions and food-and-drink premises. This is higher than most suburban areas and reflects ongoing commercial and residential densification in the inner-city precinct.
How to read these comparisons
Phrases like "above the national average" reference the unweighted median across Australian suburbs with more than 1,000 residents, not population-weighted national figures. Suburb-level medians are more useful for ranking suburbs against each other; ABS census headlines are population-weighted (so dominated by Sydney and Melbourne) and can read very differently.
Current baseline (refreshed 2026-05-10): median age 40, university-educated 30.1%, born overseas 21.6%, average household size 2.5 people.
Data sources: ABS 2021 Census (demographics, income, tenure), state Valuer-General (house prices), Department of Jobs SALM (unemployment), ACARA (school ICSEA), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications). Population forecasts use a Hamilton-Perry cohort model calibrated to ABS ERP.
Explore Chippendale on the Map
View parcels, zoning overlays, DA applications, schools and more.
Open Interactive Map