Rushcutters Bay
One of the smallest suburbs in Sydney at just 0.16 square kilometres, Rushcutters Bay packs a population of 2,335 into a density of 14,835 people per square kilometre, placing it among the most intensely settled pockets in the country. That density is sustained almost entirely by apartments, which make up 98.6% of dwellings, compared to a national separate-house majority. Renters hold 64.7% of tenancies, double the national ownership rate. Weekly household income of $1,877 sits at the 70.2nd percentile nationally, and 61% of residents hold university qualifications, which is 30.9 percentage points above the national figure. With a median age of 38, two years below national, and 40.4% born overseas, the suburb draws a highly mobile, well-educated professional cohort.
Local council: Sydney
Population
2,335
Median Age
38.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,877/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
9
Buyers chasing a detached home will look elsewhere, since the stock is overwhelmingly studio and one-bedroom units, which make up 60.3% of dwellings. Two-bedroom apartments account for 31.3%, and three-bedroom or larger units are rare at 8.3% combined. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,600, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 32%, above the standard stress threshold, even at the 70.2nd-percentile income level. Only 16.9% of dwellings carry a mortgage, because 64.7% are rented.
For Buyers
Buyers chasing a detached home will look elsewhere, since the stock is overwhelmingly studio and one-bedroom units, which make up 60.3% of dwellings. Two-bedroom apartments account for 31.3%, and three-bedroom or larger units are rare at 8.3% combined. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,600, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 32%, above the standard stress threshold, even at the 70.2nd-percentile income level. Only 16.9% of dwellings carry a mortgage, because 64.7% are rented.
For Investors
Rushcutters Bay presents a mixed investor picture. Weekly rent averages $450 and the renter share of 64.7% is well above state norms, giving landlords a large and stable tenant pool. However, a 17.8% vacancy rate is a significant concern, above what most inner-Sydney markets carry, and it signals that supply in the studio and one-bedroom segment outpaces demand at any given point. Development activity is moderate at 11 applications in the past 12 months, with recent lodgements covering residential flat building alterations and complying development for multi-dwelling housing, suggesting incremental densification rather than large new supply. Household income at the 70.2nd percentile nationally and a 40.4% overseas-born share, well above the national rate, support underlying rental demand from transient professional and international residents.
Development Activity
Total DAs
46
Last 12 Months
9
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+12.5%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
The suburb's 2,335 residents tilt younger than the national median, averaging 38 years, two years below national. The overseas-born share of 40.4% runs 18.8 percentage points above the national figure, reflecting the appeal to international professionals and graduates. Ancestry is led by English (817), Irish (325) and Scottish (282), alongside a sizeable French-speaking community (22 speakers) and Italian (16) and Mandarin (13) speakers, pointing to a European and Asian international mix. University qualifications at 61% are 30.9 points above national, the highest educational attainment band. Average household size of 1.5 is 1.0 below national, consistent with a suburb of studio apartments occupied by single professionals and couples without children. Couples with no children (598 families) outnumber couples with children (238) at a 62.5% share of family households.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
0.5%
Houses
0.6%
Townhouse
98.6%
Apartment
Tenure
The stock here is defined by its uniformity: 98.6% apartments with studios and one-bedroom units comprising 60.3% of dwellings and two-bedroom apartments a further 31.3%. Separate houses are effectively absent at 0.5%. Tenure is overwhelmingly rented at 64.7%, with outright owners at 18.3% and mortgage holders at just 16.9%, a low ownership rate that reflects the transient professional demographic rather than low prices per se. Rent-to-income sits at 24%, below the 30% stress threshold, meaning current renters are not under severe pressure at $450 per week. Mortgage holders face a 32% ratio, above the stress line.
Mortgage / mo
$2,600
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (April to June 2026), NSW Rental Bond Board (DCJ). Census 2021 median: $450.
$730
Bond data Jun 2026 · houses $950 · units $730
HH Size
1.5
Personal Income / wk
$1,480
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
17.8%
Unoccupied
288
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.0%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
32.0% stressed
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
19.1%
Couples with children
70.1%
Couples, no children
9.4%
Single parent
425
Total families
Economy & Employment
Rushcutters Bay's workforce is concentrated in knowledge-economy industries, with Professional and Technical services leading at 23.5% of employed residents (291 workers), followed by Finance at 11.9% (147) and Healthcare at 10.3% (127). Education employs 7.3% and Public Administration 6.6%. By occupation, Professionals dominate (649 workers) followed by Managers (299) and Clerical and Administrative staff (174). The full-time employment rate of 77.1% is high, and the unemployment rate of 5.4% is above average, likely reflecting the transient student and short-term overseas resident population that reduces the denominator. Participation runs at 66.0%. Personal weekly income averages $1,480 and family weekly income reaches $3,413, well above national medians, placing the suburb at the 70.2nd percentile for household income nationally.
Unemployment
5.1%
Labour Force
1,544
Unemployed
79
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
72.3%
Part-time
21.4%
Participation
70.1%
Employed
1,465
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
61.0%
Postgraduate
19.1%
Born Overseas
40.4%
Dwellings
1,333
Transport to Work
The most distinctive transport characteristic is the share walking or cycling to work: 42.8% of commuters, far above national averages, enabled by the suburb's proximity to the Sydney CBD and harbour foreshore. Public transport accounts for 22.4% and car drivers for 33.2%, below the national car-dependency norm. No schools are recorded within the 0.16 square kilometre boundary, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring suburbs. With 61% holding university qualifications, 30.9 points above national, the resident base is among the most educated in NSW. Crime statistics are not available for this suburb in the dataset. The volunteering rate of 17.6% and a need-for-assistance rate of just 3.3% (69 people) indicate a healthy, relatively independent population. Rent-to-income at 24% keeps renters comfortable relative to incomes at the 70.2nd percentile nationally.
Drive
10.9%
Public Transport
7.3%
Walk / Cycle
14.0%
Work from Home
67.2%
Growth Outlook
Development applications ran at 11 in the past 12 months, modest for an inner suburb, with activity focused on alterations and additions to existing residential flat buildings rather than greenfield construction. Resident mobility is high: 43.7% of the population turned over in the reference period, compared to a stayed rate of only 56.3%, well above typical suburban turnover. That churn is consistent with a renter-majority, high-density suburb drawing short-cycle professional and international residents rather than long-term owner-occupiers. Population is small at 2,335 and area is fixed at 0.16 square kilometres, so future growth is constrained by capacity rather than demand.
Population trend: Sydney council area
Rushcutters Bay sits in the Sydney council area. These are the council area's residents, not Rushcutters Bay's.
Residents 2025
241,797
Growth, 5 yr average
+1.2%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+1.8%
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 Rushcutters Bay compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Rushcutters Bay a good suburb to live in?
Rushcutters Bay suits professionals who want to walk or cycle to the Sydney CBD, with 42.8% of residents using active transport for their commute. University qualifications reach 61%, which is 30.9 points above the national figure. The trade-offs are a 17.8% vacancy rate, limited family-sized housing, and no schools within the 0.16 square kilometre boundary.
What schools are in Rushcutters Bay?
No schools are recorded within the Rushcutters Bay boundary in this dataset. The suburb covers only 0.16 square kilometres, so families use schools in adjacent suburbs. The resident population is highly educated, with 61% holding university qualifications, which is 30.9 percentage points above the national average.
Is Rushcutters Bay safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Rushcutters Bay in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, household income sits at the 70.2nd percentile nationally and the university-qualified share at 61% is 30.9 points above national, both consistent with a low-disadvantage inner-Sydney pocket. Only 3.3% of residents (69 people) need daily assistance.
Is Rushcutters Bay good for property investment?
The 64.7% renter share is a strong demand signal, well above state norms. However, a 17.8% vacancy rate indicates competition among landlords, particularly in the studio and one-bedroom segment that makes up 60.3% of dwellings.
How is Rushcutters Bay's population changing?
Rushcutters Bay has a population of 2,335 in a fixed area of 0.16 square kilometres, leaving little room for physical expansion. Resident mobility is high, with a 43.7% turnover rate in the reference period, driven by the renter-majority, transient professional and international resident base. Overseas-born residents make up 40.4%, which is 18.8 points above national.
What languages are spoken in Rushcutters Bay?
About 40.4% of residents were born overseas, which is 18.8 percentage points above the national figure. The top non-English languages are French (22 speakers), Italian (16), Mandarin (13) and Portuguese (12), reflecting a European and international professional mix alongside the English-speaking majority.
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).
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