Darlington
At 0.38 square kilometres, Darlington packs 2,597 residents at a density of 6,820 per km2, one of Sydney's most compressed inner-city footprints. The most striking number is the median age of 27, which is 13 years below the national average, reflecting proximity to the University of Sydney and a renter majority of 60.9%. Despite that youthful, transient character, median house prices reached $1,527,500 in 2024-2025. Household income sits at the 90.5th percentile nationally, driven by a university qualification rate of 69.1%, which is 39 percentage points above the national average and among the highest concentrations of degree holders in any Australian suburb.
Population
2,597
Median Age
27.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,392/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
26
Median House
$1.5M
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The $1,527,500 median house price is the central challenge for buyers, and it rose 6.8% from $1,445,000 in 2024 to $1,543,000 in 2025. Stock composition adds another constraint: 76.5% of dwellings are semi-detached terraces and only 3.8% are separate houses, making detached homes scarce and competitive. Two-bedroom dwellings account for 33.1% of stock and three-bedroom for 25.3%, with four-plus bedroom homes at 23.0%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $3,200, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 30.9%, above the 30% stress threshold. Outright owners represent only 17.7% of occupiers, well below the national norm, indicating the suburb is dominated by renters and recent purchasers rather than established debt-free owners.
For Buyers
The $1,527,500 median house price is the central challenge for buyers, and it rose 6.8% from $1,445,000 in 2024 to $1,543,000 in 2025. Stock composition adds another constraint: 76.5% of dwellings are semi-detached terraces and only 3.8% are separate houses, making detached homes scarce and competitive. Two-bedroom dwellings account for 33.1% of stock and three-bedroom for 25.3%, with four-plus bedroom homes at 23.0%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $3,200, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 30.9%, above the 30% stress threshold. Outright owners represent only 17.7% of occupiers, well below the national norm, indicating the suburb is dominated by renters and recent purchasers rather than established debt-free owners.
For Investors
Darlington's 60.9% renter share is significantly higher than the national average, providing landlords a deep and consistent demand pool driven by students and young professionals near the University of Sydney. Weekly rent of $650 against the $1,527,500 median implies a gross yield around 2.2%, modest but above comparable premium inner-Sydney markets. The 20.1% vacancy rate is a meaningful caution signal, indicating surplus rental stock particularly during semester breaks. Rent-to-income at 27.2% stays below the 30% stress threshold, suggesting tenants are not financially strained and turnover from affordability pressure is limited. Development activity sits at 18 applications over 12 months, including tertiary institution expansions that sustain longer-term rental demand.
Development Activity
Total DAs
147
Last 12 Months
26
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+18.2%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
The median age of 27 sits 13 years below the national average, an exceptional gap that ranks Darlington among Australia's youngest suburbs. Overseas-born residents account for 43.8%, which is 22.2 percentage points above the national figure, reflecting strong international student and professional migration. English ancestry leads at 717 residents, followed by Chinese at 482 and Irish at 333, with Mandarin the most spoken non-English language at 141 speakers. The university qualification rate of 69.1% is 39 points above national. Average household size is 2.3, marginally below the national figure, consistent with the dominance of couples without children, who make up 52.1% of families. Volunteering is active at 23.1% of residents.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
3.8%
Houses
76.5%
Townhouse
19.2%
Apartment
Tenure
Darlington's stock is dominated by semi-detached terraces at 76.5%, a legacy of Victorian-era inner-Sydney construction, with apartments at 19.2% and separate houses at just 3.8%, lower than nearly any comparable Sydney suburb. Tenure patterns reflect the student-dominated character: 60.9% rent, 21.4% carry a mortgage and only 17.7% own outright, well below the national outright-ownership rate. Bedroom distribution shows 33.1% two-bedroom and 25.3% three-bedroom dwellings, alongside a notable 23.0% share of four-plus bedroom homes, likely large terraces shared by multiple occupants. Prices moved from $1,445,000 in 2024 to $1,543,000 in 2025, a 6.8% annual gain. The 20.1% vacancy rate is high compared to broader Sydney, tied to the university semester calendar.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$3,200
Rent / wk
$650
HH Size
2.3
Personal Income / wk
$780
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
20.1%
Unoccupied
206
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
27.2%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
30.9% stressed
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
52.1%
Couples, no children
936
Total families
Economy & Employment
Professional and technical services lead employment at 21.7% of workers (240 people), followed by Education at 16.2% (179) and Healthcare at 11.8% (131), a composition mirroring proximity to the University of Sydney and associated research institutions. Public Administration contributes 6.7% and Finance 6.6%. By occupation, Professionals dominate at 714 workers and Managers add 195. The unemployment rate of 9.7% is elevated compared to broader Sydney norms because a significant share of the 2,597 residents are students engaged in part-time or casual work rather than full-time employment, reflected in the 64.2% full-time rate and 59.2% participation rate. Personal weekly income averages $780 and household weekly income of $2,392 ranks at the 90.5th percentile nationally.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
64.2%
Part-time
26.1%
Participation
59.2%
Employed
1,318
Occupations
Top Industries
University
69.1%
Postgraduate
21.0%
Born Overseas
43.8%
Dwellings
816
Transport to Work
Darlington's active transport profile stands out against broader Sydney: 33.9% of residents walk or cycle and 22.7% use public transport, meaning fewer than half rely on a car as driver, well below the national car-dependency norm. This reflects the walkable inner-city grid, adjacency to Central Station and the University of Sydney campus within the 0.38 km2 boundary. No schools are recorded within the suburb, so families with children depend on institutions in neighbouring areas. Crime data is not available for Darlington. Rent-to-income at 27.2% keeps renters below the 30% stress threshold despite a $650 weekly median. The need-for-assistance rate is low at 1.9% (45 residents), consistent with the young median age of 27 and strong health profile of a student-dominated population.
Drive
40.1%
Public Transport
22.7%
Walk / Cycle
33.9%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Darlington compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Darlington a good suburb to live in?
Darlington suits students and young professionals particularly well. The median age is 27, which is 13 years below the national average, and 69.1% of residents hold university qualifications, which is 39 points above national. Walk and cycle commuting is used by 33.9% of residents, well above typical Sydney levels. The main trade-offs are a $1,527,500 median house price and a 20.1% vacancy rate reflecting seasonal student churn.
What is the median house price in Darlington?
The median house price is $1,527,500 as of 2024-2025. Prices grew 6.8% from $1,445,000 in 2024 to $1,543,000 in 2025. Weekly rent averages $650 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $3,200, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 30.9%, just above the 30% stress threshold.
What schools are in Darlington?
No schools are recorded within Darlington's 0.38 km2 boundary in this dataset. The suburb sits adjacent to the University of Sydney campus, so tertiary education is well served locally. Families with primary or secondary school children typically attend schools in neighbouring suburbs such as Redfern or Chippendale, both within 1 km.
Is Darlington safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Darlington in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, household income sits at the 90.5th percentile nationally and the university qualification rate of 69.1% is 39 percentage points above national, characteristics associated with lower-disadvantage areas. Only 1.9% of residents (45 people) require daily assistance.
Is Darlington good for property investment?
Darlington's 60.9% renter share, well above the national average, provides a large and consistent tenant pool anchored by University of Sydney students. Weekly rent of $650 against a $1,527,500 median implies a gross yield around 2.2%. The 20.1% vacancy rate warrants careful timing around university semesters. Price growth of 6.8% over 2024-2025 is a positive capital growth signal for the inner-Sydney corridor.
How is Darlington's population changing?
Darlington's population of 2,597 occupies just 0.38 km2 at a density of 6,820 per km2. The 54.8% annual turnover rate reflects the student-heavy population cycling through rather than stable long-term residents. The median age of 27 is 13 years below the national average, and 43.8% of residents were born overseas, which is 22.2 percentage points above national, pointing to continued strong migration-driven demand.
What languages are spoken in Darlington?
About 43.8% of Darlington residents were born overseas, which is 22.2 percentage points above the national figure. Mandarin is the most common non-English language at 141 speakers, followed by Cantonese at 35, Italian at 16 and Hindi at 15. English (717 residents) and Chinese (482 residents) are the two largest ancestry groups, reflecting the suburb's international student and professional mix.
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.
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