Milsons Point
At 0.2 square kilometres, Milsons Point packs 2,529 residents into one of Sydney's smallest and most compressed footprints, giving a density of 12,766 people per km2 that rivals the most urbanised pockets in Australia. University qualifications reach 68.1%, which is 38 percentage points above the national figure, and 54% of residents were born overseas, more than double the national average. The suburb is defined by affluence and transience together: high earners passing through rather than putting down roots.
Local council: North Sydney
Population
2,529
Median Age
44.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$3,267/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
10
The stock is almost entirely apartments at 99.5%, with semi-detached at just 0.5% and no separate houses, so buyers are competing for apartment supply only. Two-bedroom dwellings lead at 36.4%, followed by three-bedroom at 29.1% and studio or one-bedroom units at 32.6%, while four-bedroom plus homes sit at just 1.9%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,800, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 19.8%, below stress levels despite the premium price point because household incomes are in the 98.6th percentile nationally.
For Buyers
The stock is almost entirely apartments at 99.5%, with semi-detached at just 0.5% and no separate houses, so buyers are competing for apartment supply only. Two-bedroom dwellings lead at 36.4%, followed by three-bedroom at 29.1% and studio or one-bedroom units at 32.6%, while four-bedroom plus homes sit at just 1.9%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,800, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 19.8%, below stress levels despite the premium price point because household incomes are in the 98.6th percentile nationally.
For Investors
With 56.7% of residents renting, Milsons Point delivers one of the deepest tenant pools in NSW, well above the national renter average. The vacancy rate of 20.9% is a significant caution signal, well above what most markets would consider healthy, suggesting meaningful oversupply in the apartment segment that makes up 99.5% of stock. Development activity is light, with 6 applications in the past 12 months, limiting new supply pressure. With 54% of residents born overseas and a highly mobile population, demand is sustained by international arrivals more than domestic churn, but investors should price the vacancy risk carefully.
Development Activity
Total DAs
40
Last 12 Months
10
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+150.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
The median age of 44 is 4 years above the national median, and average household size of 1.8 is 0.7 below the national figure, together painting a picture of small, mature households. University qualifications at 68.1% run 38 percentage points above the national rate, one of the highest concentrations of tertiary-educated residents anywhere in Australia. Overseas-born residents at 54% are 32.4 percentage points above national. The leading ancestries are English (630), Chinese (519), Irish (254) and Scottish (197). Cantonese (91 speakers), Mandarin (78), Japanese (27) and Hindi (22) are the main non-English languages. Couples without children account for 57% of families, consistent with the older profile and small household sizes.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
0.0%
Houses
0.5%
Townhouse
99.5%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure is skewed strongly toward renting: 56.7% rent, 29.4% own outright and just 13.9% carry a mortgage. The unusually low share of mortgage holders compared to outright owners reflects both long-held investment properties and wealthy residents who have paid off debt. The stock is 99.5% apartments, making Milsons Point one of the most apartment-concentrated suburbs in NSW. Studio and one-bedroom units make up 32.6% and two-bedroom dwellings 36.4%, which is typical for a harbour-adjacent suburb attracting couples and single professionals. Rent-to-income at 23% stays below the 30% stress threshold despite the $750 weekly rent.
Mortgage / mo
$2,800
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (April to June 2026), NSW Rental Bond Board (DCJ). Census 2021 median: $750.
$853
Bond data Jun 2026 · houses $900 · units $850
HH Size
1.8
Personal Income / wk
$1,866
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
20.9%
Unoccupied
335
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.0%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.8%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
21.5%
Couples with children
66.3%
Couples, no children
10.7%
Single parent
726
Total families
Economy & Employment
Professional and technical services lead local employment at 24.6% (315 workers), followed by Finance at 18% (230 workers) and Healthcare at 10.9% (139 workers), a mix that reflects proximity to the Sydney CBD, less than 2 kilometres across the Harbour Bridge. Professionals (675) and Managers (432) together dominate the occupation profile, with clerical and admin workers (175) a distant third. The full-time employment rate of 75.8% is high compared to national norms, and the unemployment rate of 3.5% sits close to the national average. Participation rate of 61.8% is moderate, partly because 654 residents are not in the labour force, consistent with a population that includes wealthy retirees alongside working professionals.
Unemployment
3.3%
Labour Force
1,554
Unemployed
51
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
71.1%
Part-time
22.8%
Participation
65.7%
Employed
1,503
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
68.1%
Postgraduate
24.4%
Born Overseas
54.0%
Dwellings
1,256
Transport to Work
Public transport use at 24.5% is above average nationally, expected given walking distance to Milsons Point station and ferries connecting directly to Circular Quay. Walkers and cyclists account for 13.1% of commuters, high for a residential suburb, reflecting the compact, pedestrian-scaled streetscape. No schools are recorded within the 0.2 km2 boundary, so families rely on schools in neighbouring North Sydney and Kirribilli. Crime statistics are not available in this dataset; as an indirect indicator, household income in the 98.6th percentile and a highly educated population are broadly associated with low-disadvantage environments. Rent-to-income at 23% and mortgage-to-income at 19.8% both stay below stress thresholds, indicating residents are not financially stretched relative to their income levels.
Drive
15.3%
Public Transport
6.8%
Walk / Cycle
3.6%
Work from Home
72.4%
Growth Outlook
Population at 2,529 is constrained by the 0.2 km2 footprint, leaving little room for new supply or population growth in absolute terms. The 6 development applications in the past 12 months are mostly alterations and additions rather than new dwellings, confirming that Milsons Point is a fully built-out suburb with minimal greenfield opportunity. Demand is anchored by the suburb's harbour views and CBD proximity rather than affordability. The high 20.9% vacancy rate suggests the current market is more supply-heavy than the premium price point implies, which may moderate growth if vacancy persists.
Population trend: North Sydney council area
Milsons Point sits in the North Sydney council area. These are the council area's residents, not Milsons Point's.
Residents 2025
73,705
Growth, 5 yr average
+0.6%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+0.8%
2024 to 2025
ABS Estimated Resident Population by LGA, 30 June each year; council area, not this suburb
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Milsons Point compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Milsons Point a good suburb to live in?
Milsons Point offers harbour-adjacent living with household income at the 98.6th percentile nationally, a 24.5% public transport commuter share and walking distance to the Sydney CBD.
What schools are in Milsons Point?
No schools are recorded within the 0.2 km2 Milsons Point boundary in this dataset. Families access schools in neighbouring North Sydney and Kirribilli. The local adult population is highly educated, with 68.1% holding university qualifications, which is 38 percentage points above the national average.
Is Milsons Point safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Milsons Point in this dataset. As indirect indicators, household income sits at the 98.6th percentile nationally and 68.1% of residents hold university qualifications, both consistent with a low-disadvantage, low-crime profile. Only 2.9% of residents (68 people) need daily assistance.
Is Milsons Point good for property investment?
The 56.7% renter share creates a deep tenant pool, but the 20.9% vacancy rate signals oversupply in the apartment segment. Price growth of 6.7% over 2024-2025 shows the market moves when conditions tighten.
How is Milsons Point's population changing?
With a 0.2 km2 footprint and 99.5% apartment stock, the population of 2,529 is essentially fixed by geography. The 20.9% vacancy rate and 34.6% resident turnover rate indicate high churn rather than growth. The suburb attracts mobile, highly educated overseas-born residents, with 54% born abroad compared to the 21.6% national figure.
What languages are spoken in Milsons Point?
About 54% of residents were born overseas, which is 32.4 percentage points above the national figure. The main non-English languages are Cantonese (91 speakers), Mandarin (78), Japanese (27), Hindi (22) and Korean (15), reflecting a strongly international resident base alongside English, Irish and Scottish ancestry groups.
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 education open registers (school locations), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications).
Explore Milsons Point on the Map
View parcels, zoning overlays, DA applications, schools and more.
Open Interactive Map