Potts Point
At 11,494 people per square kilometre across just 0.62 square kilometres, Potts Point is one of the densest residential pockets in Australia, and the stock reflects it: 87.6% of dwellings are apartments and only 0.2% are separate houses. The median price slid from $876,000 in 2024 to $763,600 in 2025, a 12.8% drop that sits against a 20.3% rental vacancy rate, the kind of oversupply that pulls values down. Yet the population remains highly advantaged, with IRSAD in decile 10 and university qualifications at 57.7%, which is 27.6 points above the national average. The contradiction of high prestige and soft pricing defines the postcode 2011 market.
Population
7,183
Median Age
37.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,054/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
71
Median House
$815K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The median price fell from $876,000 in 2024 to $763,600 in 2025, a 12.8% decline that gives buyers more negotiating room than most inner-Sydney postcodes. Apartments make up 87.6% of stock and separate houses just 0.2%, so almost every purchase is a unit, with one-bedroom and studio dwellings at 63.6% and two-bedrooms at 29.5%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,297, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 25.8%, below the 30% stress threshold because personal incomes of $1,534 per week absorb the cost. Only 17.7% of residents own outright and 16.0% carry a mortgage, so buyers join a market where two-thirds rent. Affordability has improved from 36.2% in 2011 to 31.9% in 2021.
For Buyers
The median price fell from $876,000 in 2024 to $763,600 in 2025, a 12.8% decline that gives buyers more negotiating room than most inner-Sydney postcodes. Apartments make up 87.6% of stock and separate houses just 0.2%, so almost every purchase is a unit, with one-bedroom and studio dwellings at 63.6% and two-bedrooms at 29.5%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,297, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 25.8%, below the 30% stress threshold because personal incomes of $1,534 per week absorb the cost. Only 17.7% of residents own outright and 16.0% carry a mortgage, so buyers join a market where two-thirds rent. Affordability has improved from 36.2% in 2011 to 31.9% in 2021.
For Investors
The 66.2% renter share gives landlords one of the deepest tenant pools in Sydney, but the 20.3% vacancy rate signals serious oversupply and weak pricing power. Weekly rent of $490 against the $763,600 median produces a gross yield near 3.3%, higher than many inner-city houses because apartment entry prices are lower. The 12.8% price decline from 2024 to 2025 means capital growth is currently negative, so returns depend on rental income rather than appreciation. Net overseas migration of 717 per year supports demand, but internal outflow of 316 per year erodes it. Development activity at 68 applications in 12 months, many tied to hotels and shop-top housing, points to continued supply pressure that could keep vacancy elevated.
Development Activity
Total DAs
386
Last 12 Months
71
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-2.7%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Potts Point iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Darlinghurst Public School
K-6 · 210 students
St Vincent's College
7-12 · 755 students
Demographics
The median age of 37 sits 3 years below the national figure, consistent with a working professional base rather than families. Overseas-born residents at 43.1% are 21.5 points above national, with English ancestry leading at 2,306, followed by Irish (1,073) and Scottish (776), and French (67) and Italian (45) as the top languages other than English. University qualifications at 57.7% run 27.6 points above the national rate, reflecting a knowledge-economy population. Average household size of 1.4 is 1.1 below national, the clearest signal of the suburb's structure: couples without children make up 75.7% of families (1,939 households) versus only 319 couples with children, so single professionals and childless couples dominate. Christianity (1,960) leads religious affiliation ahead of Buddhism (191).
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
0.2%
Houses
10.9%
Townhouse
87.6%
Apartment
Tenure
Renters at 66.2% dominate tenure, with mortgage holders at 16.0% and outright owners at 17.7%, an unusually low ownership base. The stock is 87.6% apartments and only 0.2% separate houses, with one-bedroom and studio dwellings at 63.6% and two-bedrooms at 29.5%, so larger family homes barely exist here. The median price dropped from $876,000 in 2024 to $763,600 in 2025, a 12.8% fall, while the IER decile of 1 sits far below the IRSAD decile of 10. That gap is not poverty: it reflects renter-heavy tenure, because aggregate household wealth is low when most residents do not own property despite high incomes. Mortgage-to-income at 25.8% and rent-to-income at 23.9% both fall below stress thresholds.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,297
Rent / wk
$490
HH Size
1.4
Personal Income / wk
$1,534
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
20.3%
Unoccupied
1,001
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.9%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
25.8%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
75.7%
Couples, no children
2,560
Total families
Economy & Employment
Professional and technical services lead employment at 23.8% (906 workers), followed by Finance at 12.3% (467), Public Admin at 10.4% (396), Healthcare at 10.0% (380) and Hospitality at 6.2% (238). This knowledge and finance concentration is consistent with an IEO decile of 10, the top national tier. Professionals (1,904) outnumber Managers (1,005) nearly two to one, with clerical and administrative roles a distant third at 483. The full-time employment rate of 78.1% is strong and unemployment at 5.5% is around average, though the participation rate of 63.8% is held down by retirees and students. Real incomes grew 13.0% over the decade, and household income sits at the 77th percentile nationally.
Unemployment
5.5%
Labour Force
13,810
Unemployed
760
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
78.1%
Part-time
16.4%
Participation
63.8%
Employed
4,223
Occupations
Top Industries
University
57.7%
Postgraduate
18.1%
Born Overseas
43.1%
Dwellings
3,904
Transport to Work
Active transport defines daily life here: 44.1% of residents walk or cycle to work, far above the national average, while only 29.1% drive, reflecting the dense urban form and CBD proximity. Public transport adds another 23.4%, so the majority of commutes avoid a car entirely. The IRSAD decile of 10 confirms top-tier socioeconomic advantage, and the IEO decile of 10 places residents in the highest education band nationally. The 41.5% residential turnover rate, well above what settled family suburbs record, shows a high-churn population of renters and young professionals moving frequently. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary, so families with children rely on nearby catchments, consistent with the low 319 couples-with-children count.
Drive
29.1%
Public Transport
23.4%
Walk / Cycle
44.1%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
-0.19%/yr
(-37 people/yr)
EstablishedPopulation is contracting at 0.19% per year, a loss of roughly 37 people annually, and the 10-year change of 0.8% is effectively flat against a national average of steady growth. Medium forecasts project a gentle decline from 19,901 in 2026 to 19,714 by 2031 for the wider catchment. The drivers split sharply: net overseas migration of 717 per year adds residents, while net internal migration of 316 per year removes them, leaving little net change. The trajectory is aging, with the senior share up 4.8 points and the working-age share down 1.1 points over the decade. The gentrification score of 10 marks the suburb as not gentrifying, an already-mature, high-amenity market rather than one in transition.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+717
Net Internal / yr
-316
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Net internal outflow -316/yr, Strong overseas inflow +717/yr
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Potts Point compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Potts Point a good suburb to live in?
It suits professionals who value walkability, with 44.1% walking or cycling and only 29.1% driving. The IRSAD decile of 10 is the top national tier and university qualifications at 57.7% are 27.6 points above average. The trade-off is a 20.3% rental vacancy rate and a 41.5% turnover rate, so it is high-churn rather than settled.
What is the median house price in Potts Point?
The median is $763,600 in 2025, down 12.8% from $876,000 in 2024 as rental oversupply weighed on values. Almost all stock is apartments at 87.6%, with weekly rent of $490 and average monthly mortgage repayments of $2,297. Gross rental yield works out near 3.3%.
What schools are in Potts Point?
No schools are recorded inside the 0.62 square kilometre suburb boundary, which fits a population where only 319 families are couples with children versus 1,939 without. Families with school-age kids rely on neighbouring catchments. The median age of 37 reflects this professional, largely childless profile.
Is Potts Point safe?
Verified suburb-level crime statistics are not available in this dataset, so a crime rate cannot be quoted. Context that matters: the area sits in IRSAD decile 10, the highest socioeconomic tier, with university qualifications at 57.7% and high incomes at the 77th percentile, factors usually associated with lower deprivation-driven crime.
Is Potts Point good for property investment?
The 66.2% renter share offers a deep tenant pool and yields near 3.3% from $490 weekly rent. But the 20.3% vacancy rate signals oversupply and the 12.8% price fall from 2024 to 2025 means negative capital growth. With 68 development applications in 12 months, supply pressure may persist, so returns lean on rent not appreciation.
How is Potts Point's population changing?
Population is shrinking at 0.19% per year, about 37 fewer people annually, with a flat 0.8% change over 10 years. Net overseas migration of 717 per year is offset by internal outflow of 316 per year. The trajectory is aging, with the senior share up 4.8 points and the working-age share down 1.1 points.
Why are so many residents renters in Potts Point?
Two-thirds of residents rent, at 66.2%, because the stock is 87.6% apartments and 63.6% are one-bedroom or studio dwellings, which attract single professionals and young couples rather than owner-occupiers. Only 17.7% own outright and 16.0% hold a mortgage, the inverse of family suburbs.
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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