Paddington
At 7,808.3 residents per sq km, Paddington is one of inner Sydney's most space-constrained prestige markets, with 12,701 people fitted into just 1.63 sq km. The $3,000,000 house median sits alongside household incomes in the 97.9 percentile, so prices are high but matched by unusually strong local earning power. Compared with Darlinghurst and Woollahra, its identity is most clearly the terrace belt: 60.6% semi-detached homes, 31.9% apartments and only 6.6% separate houses.
Population
12,701
Median Age
38.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$3,131/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
280
Median House
$3.0M
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
Homebuyers are paying for scarcity as much as location. The median house price is $3,000,000, while the latest recorded price reached $3,102,500 in 2025, 14.9% higher than 2024. Terrace stock dominates because 60.6% of dwellings are semi-detached, and family-sized choices are limited by only 15.0% having 4 or more bedrooms. Mortgage costs sit at 29.5% of income, below stress settings, but the entry price is still far above an average Sydney budget.
For Buyers
Homebuyers are paying for scarcity as much as location. The median house price is $3,000,000, while the latest recorded price reached $3,102,500 in 2025, 14.9% higher than 2024. Terrace stock dominates because 60.6% of dwellings are semi-detached, and family-sized choices are limited by only 15.0% having 4 or more bedrooms. Mortgage costs sit at 29.5% of income, below stress settings, but the entry price is still far above an average Sydney budget.
For Investors
Paddington has a large rental pool, with 45.9% of homes rented and a median weekly rent of $650. The caution is vacancy: 14.6% is higher than a tight inner-city market would normally suggest, so lease-up risk matters more than headline demand. Investor interest is supported by 259 development applications in 12 months, mostly alterations and additions, because value is often created through improving constrained terrace stock rather than adding broad new supply.
Development Activity
Total DAs
1,337
Last 12 Months
280
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+10.2%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Paddington iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Glenmore Road Public School
K-6 · 263 students
St Francis of Assisi Regional Catholic Primary School
K-6 · 151 students
Paddington Public School
K-6 · 147 students
Demographics
Paddington skews educated, mobile and high-income rather than family-heavy. The median age is 38, which is 2.0 years below the national figure, while 70.6% of residents hold a university qualification, 40.5 percentage points above the national level. Overseas-born residents make up 32.0%, or 10.4 points above national, but English and Irish ancestry counts of 5,141 and 2,134 remain prominent. The average household size of 2.1 is 0.4 below national, reflecting terraces, apartments and couples without children.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
6.6%
Houses
60.6%
Townhouse
31.9%
Apartment
Tenure
Housing is tightly held but renter-heavy. Owners comprise 27.9% outright and 26.2% with a mortgage, while 45.9% rent, a higher rental share than many prestige suburbs. Prices rose from $2,700,000 in 2024 to $3,102,500 in 2025, matching the 14.9% one-year CAGR and leaving the latest price at the peak. The price-to-income ratio is about 18.4 times household income, so even with household income in the 97.9 percentile, buyers are competing for scarce 3-bedroom terraces, which account for 34.5% of homes.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$4,000
Rent / wk
$650
HH Size
2.1
Personal Income / wk
$1,698
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
14.6%
Unoccupied
940
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.8%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
29.5%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
38.1%
Couples, no children
7,916
Total families
Economy & Employment
Paddington's economy is driven by high-skill office work. Professional and tech jobs account for 26.4% of workers, followed by finance at 16.5%, healthcare at 10.4%, education at 6.6% and retail at 5.3%. Occupations reinforce this, with 3,731 professionals and 1,798 managers. The unemployment rate is low at 3.9% and full-time work is high at 75.6%. SEIFA is mostly top-decile, with IEO, IRSD and IRSAD all decile 10, while IER is lower at decile 6 because high rents and a 45.9% rental share dilute household resource scores.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
75.6%
Part-time
20.5%
Participation
67.1%
Employed
7,117
Occupations
Top Industries
University
70.6%
Postgraduate
22.0%
Born Overseas
32.0%
Dwellings
5,490
Transport to Work
Paddington works best for buyers who value walkability and schools over large blocks. Commuting patterns show 32.3% walk or cycle, far higher than car-dependent suburbs, while 14.9% use public transport and 48.0% drive. Education is a strength: 3 local primary schools span Government and Catholic sectors, with ICSEA scores from 1155 to 1176. Glenmore Road Public School and St Francis of Assisi sit at the top of that range. IRSAD decile 10 supports strong amenity because local advantage is well above the national average.
Drive
48.0%
Public Transport
14.9%
Walk / Cycle
32.3%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Paddington compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Paddington a good suburb to live in?
Yes, especially for buyers who value inner-city walkability, schools and prestige housing. It has 12,701 residents in 1.63 sq km, 32.3% walking or cycling to work and IRSAD decile 10, placing it well above the national average for advantage.
What is the median house price in Paddington?
Paddington's median house price is $3,000,000, with the latest recorded median at $3,102,500 in 2025. That is 14.9% higher than the 2024 figure of $2,700,000, reflecting a tightly supplied prestige market.
What schools are in Paddington?
Paddington has 3 local primary schools across Government and Catholic sectors. ICSEA scores range from 1155 to 1176, higher than many school markets, with Glenmore Road Public School the largest at 263 enrolments.
Is Paddington safe?
Paddington should be assessed street by street because nightlife, retail strips and terrace lanes can vary. Its 12,701 residents, 32.3% walk or cycle commute share and decile 10 IRSAD profile point to a busy, advantaged suburb compared with lower-density areas.
Is Paddington good for property investment?
It can suit investors seeking premium scarcity, with 45.9% of homes rented and median rent at $650 per week. The 14.6% vacancy rate is higher than a tight market, so tenant demand and property presentation matter more than simply buying any address.
How is Paddington's population changing?
Change is mainly through renewal rather than expansion. The suburb already holds 12,701 people in 1.63 sq km, and 259 development applications in 12 months point to upgrades and alterations rather than broad new housing supply.
What languages are spoken in Paddington?
Paddington is still mostly English-speaking, but overseas-born residents make up 32.0%, which is 10.4 percentage points above the national level. Common non-English languages include Italian with 67 speakers, French with 63 and Greek with 55.
Is there much development in Paddington?
Yes. There were 259 development applications over 12 months, a high level compared with quieter established suburbs. Most activity is alterations, additions and terrace improvements because the suburb covers only 1.63 sq km.
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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