Sydney
Few Australian suburbs are as vertical as Sydney, with 99.8% apartments, 74.8% renters and density of 5,669.8 people per sqkm. The population is young for Australia, with a median age of 32, which is 8.0 years below the national figure. Compared with nearby Surry Hills or Pyrmont, the housing mix is even more CBD-style because detached houses are almost absent at 0.1%. Its 76.1% overseas-born share sits 54.5 percentage points above the national level, shaping a fast-moving, multilingual rental market.
Population
16,667
Median Age
32.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,227/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
1,388
Median House
$1.1M
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
For buyers, Sydney is mainly an apartment decision: 99.8% of dwellings are apartments and only 0.1% are separate houses. The listed median house price is $1,100,000, while the latest price series sits at $1,070,000, down 7.0% from the 2024 peak of $1,150,000. Smaller layouts dominate, with 42.8% of homes having 0 or 1 bedrooms and 46.1% having 2 bedrooms. Mortgage costs are 27.9% of income, below stress settings, helped by household income in the 84.4 percentile.
For Buyers
For buyers, Sydney is mainly an apartment decision: 99.8% of dwellings are apartments and only 0.1% are separate houses. The listed median house price is $1,100,000, while the latest price series sits at $1,070,000, down 7.0% from the 2024 peak of $1,150,000. Smaller layouts dominate, with 42.8% of homes having 0 or 1 bedrooms and 46.1% having 2 bedrooms. Mortgage costs are 27.9% of income, below stress settings, helped by household income in the 84.4 percentile.
For Investors
Investors get deep tenant demand but must price vacancy risk carefully. Renting covers 74.8% of households, far higher than ownership with a mortgage at 11.4%, and median rent is $600 per week. The 26.2% vacancy rate is the key caution because it sits against heavy supply churn, including 1,278 development lodgements in 12 months. Demand is supported by overseas migration averaging 418 people a year and rent growth of 6.2%, but stock selection matters more than broad suburb exposure.
Development Activity
Total DAs
7,272
Last 12 Months
1,388
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-4.9%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Sydney iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Conservatorium High School
7-12 · 156 students
St Andrew's Cathedral School
K-12 · 1436 students
St Mary's Cathedral College
K-12 · 937 students
Fort Street Public School
K-6 · 284 students
Australian International High School
Demographics
Sydney's residents are younger, more educated and more internationally connected than the national average. Median age is 32, which is 8.0 years below national, while university attainment is 58.1%, 28.0 percentage points above national. Overseas-born residents make up 76.1%, 54.5 points above national, so languages and settlement patterns shape daily life. Chinese ancestry is recorded for 4,840 people, Mandarin for 854 speakers and Cantonese for 359. Average household size is 2.1, lower than national by 0.4.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
0.1%
Houses
N/A
Townhouse
99.8%
Apartment
Tenure
Housing is almost entirely high-rise and rental-led. Apartments account for 99.8% of dwellings, compared with 0.1% separate houses, so scarcity of land rather than suburban block size drives pricing. Ownership is low: 13.8% own outright, 11.4% have a mortgage and 74.8% rent. The price series moved from $1,150,000 in 2024 to $1,070,000 in 2025, a 7.0% fall from peak to latest. With 42.8% of homes at 0 or 1 bedrooms and 46.1% at 2 bedrooms, the market is built for singles, couples and city workers.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,691
Rent / wk
$600
HH Size
2.1
Personal Income / wk
$971
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
26.2%
Unoccupied
2,517
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
26.9%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
27.9%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
60.9%
Couples, no children
8,085
Total families
Economy & Employment
Sydney's economy ranks high on skills but uneven on household resources. Hospitality employs 18.1%, Professional/Tech 18.0%, Finance 14.3%, Retail 7.8% and Healthcare 7.0%, so jobs cluster around CBD services and knowledge work. Professionals number 3,124 and managers 1,513, supporting IEO decile 10 and IRSAD decile 10. The anomaly is IER decile 1 against IRSD decile 5, because renter-heavy, smaller households can have weaker economic resources even while education and occupation scores sit in the top decile. Unemployment is 7.7% and full-time work is 61.1%.
Unemployment
3.6%
Labour Force
5,982
Unemployed
217
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
61.1%
Part-time
31.2%
Participation
57.8%
Employed
8,441
Occupations
Top Industries
University
58.1%
Postgraduate
17.5%
Born Overseas
76.1%
Dwellings
7,062
Transport to Work
Livability is strongest for people who can use the city without a car: 47.4% walked or cycled to work, above the 17.3% who drove, and 32.5% used public transport. School choice is central-city rather than suburban, with 7 schools across government, independent and Catholic sectors. The top ICSEA anchors are Conservatorium High School at 1194, St Andrew's Cathedral School at 1189 and St Mary's Cathedral College at 1125, while the full range runs from 817 to 1194. IRSAD decile 10 points to above-average advantage, reinforcing access to services and education.
Drive
17.3%
Public Transport
32.5%
Walk / Cycle
47.4%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+5.56%/yr
(+1,382 people/yr)
High GrowthSydney is on a high-growth path, with the forecast trend adding 5.56% a year, equal to 1,382 people annually. The medium scenario rises from 26,093 in 2026 to 33,003 in 2031, which is a much higher trajectory than a stable inner suburb. Migration is the main engine: overseas migration is the primary driver, averaging 418 net people a year, with internal migration adding 226. The shift signals are mixed, with rent growth at 6.2% and affordability stable from 42.7 in 2011 to 44.3 in 2021. Gentrification score is 0, with stage marked New development.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+418
Net Internal / yr
+226
Gentrification Signal
New development
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Sydney compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sydney a good suburb to live in?
Yes, for residents who want CBD access and apartment living. Sydney has 99.8% apartments, 47.4% walk or cycle commuting and a median age of 32, so it suits urban routines more than detached-house living.
What is the median house price in Sydney?
The listed median house price is $1,100,000. The latest price series records $1,070,000 in 2025, down 7.0% from the 2024 peak of $1,150,000, so recent pricing is below its short-term high.
What schools are in Sydney?
Sydney has 7 local schools. The highest ICSEA results are Conservatorium High School at 1194, St Andrew's Cathedral School at 1189 and St Mary's Cathedral College at 1125, with government, independent and Catholic sectors represented.
Is Sydney safe?
Safety varies by street and building in a 2.94 sqkm CBD setting, especially where late-night, retail and office activity mix. With 47.4% walking or cycling to work, residents should inspect lighting, entry security and after-hours activity.
Is Sydney good for property investment?
Sydney has strong rental depth, with 74.8% of households renting and median rent at $600 per week. The caution is vacancy at 26.2%, so investors need to compare building quality, lease terms and competing new supply carefully.
How is Sydney's population changing?
The forecast path is fast: 24,852 people in 2025 is projected to reach 33,003 by 2031 under the medium trend. Annual growth is 5.56%, or 1,382 people, led by overseas migration averaging 418 net people a year.
What languages are spoken in Sydney?
Sydney is highly multilingual, with 76.1% of residents born overseas. Common non-English language groups include Mandarin with 854 speakers, Cantonese with 359, Korean with 221, Hindi with 152 and Japanese with 105.
Is there much development in Sydney?
Yes. Sydney recorded 1,278 development lodgements in 12 months, well above the 20-lodgement threshold for a high-activity market. That level of activity helps explain vacancy risk and the ongoing new-development growth stage.
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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