Sydenham
With 56% of residents holding university qualifications, 25.9 percentage points above the national average, Sydenham ranks among the most educated pockets in Sydney's inner south. The suburb packs 1,100 people into just 0.27 km2, yielding a density of 4,068 per km2, yet 33.8% of dwellings are separate houses in a postcode where the median house price has reached $1.65 million. Household income sits in the 84.8th percentile nationally, while the IRSAD decile of 10 places Sydenham in the top tier for advantage. The population is aging slowly, with the senior share rising 6.6 points over the decade, and overseas migration is the main driver of what little growth exists.
Population
1,100
Median Age
36.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,245/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
22
Median House
$1.6M
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The median house price rose from $1,545,000 in 2024 to $1,651,500 in 2025, a 6.9% increase in one year. Separate houses make up 33.8% of stock and semi-detached dwellings dominate at 53.3%, so genuine house opportunities are scarce. Three-bedroom dwellings are the most common at 38.0%, with two-bedroom at 36.7% and four-plus at 13.1%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,817, and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 29.0%, just below the 30% stress threshold even at income levels in the 84.8th percentile nationally. Outright owners at 27.9% are outnumbered by renters at 37.8%, suggesting the market skews toward high-income professionals who rent rather than buy, which keeps price competition focused on a limited detached-house pool.
For Buyers
The median house price rose from $1,545,000 in 2024 to $1,651,500 in 2025, a 6.9% increase in one year. Separate houses make up 33.8% of stock and semi-detached dwellings dominate at 53.3%, so genuine house opportunities are scarce. Three-bedroom dwellings are the most common at 38.0%, with two-bedroom at 36.7% and four-plus at 13.1%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,817, and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 29.0%, just below the 30% stress threshold even at income levels in the 84.8th percentile nationally. Outright owners at 27.9% are outnumbered by renters at 37.8%, suggesting the market skews toward high-income professionals who rent rather than buy, which keeps price competition focused on a limited detached-house pool.
For Investors
The 37.8% renter share is above average for inner-Sydney suburbs and weekly rent of $580 is competitive at that price point. Against the $1,651,500 median, the gross yield sits near 1.8%, modest but broadly in line with comparable inner-west postcodes. The 10.4% vacancy rate is elevated and should be monitored, as it indicates meaningful competition among rental listings. Overseas migration adds 283 residents per year to the broader SA2, providing a structural demand floor that tends to favour rentals over owner-occupier supply. Development activity ran to 21 applications in 12 months, mostly alterations and semi-detached additions rather than new stock, so supply pressure remains constrained. Rent growth of 22% over the recent period outpaced real income growth of negative 3.9%, improving yield trajectories for existing landlords.
Development Activity
Total DAs
81
Last 12 Months
22
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+100.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
The median age of 36 is 4.0 years below the national figure, making Sydenham noticeably younger than Australia overall. University qualifications at 56.0% run 25.9 percentage points above national, consistent with the high-professional workforce profile. Overseas-born residents reach 39.4%, which is 17.8 points above the national figure, with English (288) and Irish (123) ancestries leading and Chinese (104) and Scottish (87) rounding out the top four. The average household size of 2.5 matches the national figure, and 37.2% of families are couples without children. Non-English languages include Cantonese, Greek and Nepali, reflecting a small but internationally varied cohort. The aging trajectory is present, with the senior share up 6.6 points over a decade, even as the median age remains below national.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
33.8%
Houses
53.3%
Townhouse
9.0%
Apartment
Tenure
The stock profile is dominated by semi-detached terraces at 53.3%, well above what most Sydney postcodes show, with separate houses at 33.8% and apartments at just 9.0%. This skew toward terraces explains why three-bedroom dwellings (38.0%) and two-bedroom dwellings (36.7%) dominate the bedroom mix. Tenure divides into 27.9% owning outright, 34.3% on a mortgage and 37.8% renting. The median house price moved from $1,545,000 in 2024 to $1,651,500 in 2025, a 6.9% annual gain. Rent at $580 per week gives a rent-to-income ratio of 25.8%, below the 30% stress threshold, so renters are better positioned than buyers given the purchase-price level. The 10.4% vacancy rate is worth watching as it points to some oversupply relative to current demand.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,817
Rent / wk
$580
HH Size
2.5
Personal Income / wk
$954
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
10.4%
Unoccupied
49
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
25.8%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
29.0%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
37.2%
Couples, no children
718
Total families
Economy & Employment
Professional and technical services lead the local industry mix at 13.8%, followed by Healthcare at 11.5% and Education at 10.2%, a classic inner-city knowledge-worker pattern. Hospitality at 8.8% and Retail at 7.1% fill the service layer. By occupation, Professionals (199 workers) dominate, followed by Managers (99), Clerical and Admin (61) and Community and Personal Services (56). The unemployment rate is 4.8%, slightly above the tight national market conditions, while the full-time employment rate of 67.0% is healthy. Participation at 61.7% is moderate, with 278 residents not in the labour force, partly explained by the student and early-career cohort in a high-university-education area. The IRSAD decile of 10 and IEO decile of 9 confirm top-tier advantage across education, occupation and income dimensions.
Unemployment
5.7%
Labour Force
7,191
Unemployed
410
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
67.0%
Part-time
28.2%
Participation
61.7%
Employed
570
Occupations
Top Industries
University
56.0%
Postgraduate
14.6%
Born Overseas
39.4%
Dwellings
420
Transport to Work
Public transport is well used at 24.1%, above many comparable suburbs, and 13.9% walk or cycle, reflecting the compact 0.27 km2 footprint and proximity to Sydenham Station on the T3 Bankstown and T8 Airport lines. Car dependency at 57.5% is lower than the national average. The IRSAD decile of 10 places the suburb in the top tier for socioeconomic advantage nationally. Rent-to-income at 25.8% and mortgage-to-income at 29.0% both sit below the 30% stress threshold, keeping housing costs manageable relative to income. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary in this dataset, so families draw on neighbouring Marrickville and St Peters institutions. The volunteering rate of 12.1% and the 5.7% needing daily assistance are broadly in line with comparable advantage-tier suburbs.
Drive
57.5%
Public Transport
24.1%
Walk / Cycle
13.9%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.1%/yr
(+12 people/yr)
EstablishedAnnual population growth is effectively flat at 0.1%, adding about 12 people per year to the 0.27 km2 suburb. The broader SA2 population of roughly 12,000 is forecast to reach 12,195 by 2031 under the medium scenario, a slow continuation of current trends. The 10-year population change was 1.7%, modest for inner Sydney. The migration dynamic is distinctive: net overseas migration brings 283 residents a year while net internal migration removes 252, leaving a thin net inflow driven entirely by international arrivals. This pattern is typical of high-cost, high-amenity inner suburbs where locals relocate to cheaper markets while overseas arrivals anchor demand. The gentrification score is low because the suburb already sits at IRSAD decile 10, leaving little room to climb further up the advantage ladder.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+283
Net Internal / yr
-252
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Net internal outflow -252/yr, Strong overseas inflow +283/yr
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Sydenham compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sydenham a good suburb to live in?
Sydenham scores IRSAD decile 10, the top national advantage tier, and household income sits in the 84.8th percentile nationally. University qualifications reach 56%, which is 25.9 points above the national average. Public transport use is strong at 24.1% given direct access to the T3 and T8 rail lines, and housing costs remain below the 30% stress threshold for both renters and buyers.
What is the median house price in Sydenham?
The median house price is $1,651,500 as of 2025, up 6.9% from $1,545,000 in 2024. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,817 and weekly rent is $580. The mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 29.0%, just below the 30% stress level despite household incomes in the 84.8th percentile nationally.
What schools are in Sydenham?
No schools are recorded within the Sydenham 2044 boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs including Marrickville and St Peters. The suburb's own education profile is strong, with 56.0% of residents holding university qualifications, which is 25.9 percentage points above the national figure.
Is Sydenham safe?
Specific crime statistics are not available for Sydenham in this dataset. As a proxy, the suburb scores IRSD decile 8 on the index of relative disadvantage, indicating a low-disadvantage area nationally. The IRSAD decile of 10 confirms top-tier socioeconomic advantage, and only 5.7% of residents (about 60 people) need daily assistance.
Is Sydenham good for property investment?
Rent of $580 per week against a $1,651,500 median gives a gross yield near 1.8%. The 37.8% renter share is above inner-Sydney norms, and overseas migration of 283 arrivals per year supports ongoing rental demand. The 10.4% vacancy rate is elevated, so investors should focus on the terrace and house segment rather than the thin apartment market, which is only 9.0% of stock.
How is Sydenham's population changing?
Population growth is 0.1% annually, adding roughly 12 people per year. The 10-year change was 1.7%. Net overseas migration brings 283 residents a year to the area while internal migration removes 252, so international arrivals are the only growth driver. The senior share rose 6.6 points over the decade, pointing to a gradual aging trajectory.
What languages are spoken in Sydenham?
About 39.4% of Sydenham residents were born overseas, which is 17.8 percentage points above the national average. The most common non-English languages are Cantonese (23 speakers), Greek (21), Nepali (13) and Portuguese (11), reflecting the suburb's diverse overseas-born population alongside its dominant Anglo-Celtic ancestry groups.
How much development is happening in Sydenham?
There were 21 development applications lodged in the past 12 months, covering dwelling house alterations, semi-detached additions and residential accommodation. Most are renovation and extension works on the existing terrace and semi-detached stock rather than new dwellings, consistent with the suburb's slow 0.1% annual population growth and tight 0.27 km2 footprint.
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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