Woollahra
High household income and a compact, apartment-heavy housing mix define Woollahra more than rapid expansion. It has 7,189 residents across 1.23 square kilometres, or 5,841.4 people per square kilometre, while household income ranks at the 97.2nd percentile nationally. Median age is 42, 2.0 years above national, and university attainment is 68.5%, 38.4 points above national. Overseas-born residents make up 34.4%, 12.8 points above national. Compared with nearby Paddington, Woollahra has a smaller 2.2-person average household and a more apartment-oriented profile. Its IRSAD decile is 10, but annual growth is 0.0%, so prestige does not automatically mean population momentum.
Population
7,189
Median Age
42.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$3,013/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
144
Homebuyers face a premium, high-density setting where property choice matters as much as tenure. Separate houses make up 17.9% of dwellings, versus 50.7% apartments and 31.2% semi-detached homes, so detached buyers compete for a narrow slice of supply. Two-bedroom homes are the largest segment at 36.2%, followed by 3-bedroom at 29.1%, matching the 2.2-person average household. A monthly mortgage figure of $4,000 and mortgage costs at 30.7% of household income call for a strong buffer, even though outright ownership is 36.1%, above the 24.5% mortgaged share. Compare each address on strata levies, parking, light and renovation constraints because apartment and semi-detached conditions differ sharply.
For Buyers
Homebuyers face a premium, high-density setting where property choice matters as much as tenure. Separate houses make up 17.9% of dwellings, versus 50.7% apartments and 31.2% semi-detached homes, so detached buyers compete for a narrow slice of supply. Two-bedroom homes are the largest segment at 36.2%, followed by 3-bedroom at 29.1%, matching the 2.2-person average household. A monthly mortgage figure of $4,000 and mortgage costs at 30.7% of household income call for a strong buffer, even though outright ownership is 36.1%, above the 24.5% mortgaged share. Compare each address on strata levies, parking, light and renovation constraints because apartment and semi-detached conditions differ sharply.
For Investors
Investors get a high-rent, high-vacancy profile with meaningful development activity. Weekly rent is $670 and vacancy is 15.2%, so income potential is tempered by a larger risk of reletting gaps and incentives. Renting accounts for 35.3% of households, close to the 36.1% owned outright share, making tenant demand important while apartment quality and location remain decisive. The past 12 months recorded 141 development matters, including alterations, use changes and a hospital application rather than a clear pipeline of new dwellings. Rent growth was 22.7%, and overseas migration is the primary growth driver. Compared with a detached-house market, Woollahra investors should stress-test strata costs, vacancy and compliance before treating $670 weekly rent as durable.
Development Activity
Total DAs
801
Last 12 Months
144
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-3.4%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Woollahra
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Demographics
Woollahra's social profile is older, highly educated and internationally connected. Median age is 42, 2.0 years above the national comparison, while 68.5% of residents have university qualifications, 38.4 percentage points above the national rate. Overseas-born residents account for 34.4%, 12.8 points above national, with Mandarin, French, Greek, Russian and Canton among the recorded languages. English ancestry counts 2,654 people, followed by Irish at 1,053 and Scottish at 809. No religion is recorded for 2,967 people, above Christianity at 2,879. Average household size is 2.2, 0.3 below the national comparison, because couples without children represent 46.1% of households. Compared with nearby Paddington, Woollahra has an older trajectory and a more settled high-income household base, despite 31.5% turnover.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
17.9%
Houses
31.2%
Townhouse
50.7%
Apartment
Tenure
Despite its prestige, Woollahra's housing is predominantly compact and multi-unit rather than detached. Apartments account for 50.7% of dwellings, semi-detached homes 31.2% and separate houses 17.9%; 2-bedroom properties are the largest segment at 36.2%, ahead of 3-bedroom homes at 29.1%. Tenure is split between 36.1% owned outright, 24.5% mortgaged and 35.3% rented, producing a more mixed market than an owner-dominated suburb. The $670 weekly rent and 15.2% vacancy rate make flexibility easier for some renters, but mortgage costs at 30.7% of household income show why leveraged buyers need caution. Compared with nearby Paddington, Woollahra has a denser, more apartment-oriented profile, at 5,841.4 people per square kilometre across 1.23 square kilometres.
Mortgage / mo
$4,000
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (April to June 2026), NSW Rental Bond Board (DCJ). Census 2021 median: $670.
$1,150
Bond data Jun 2026 · houses $2,100 · units $998
HH Size
2.2
Personal Income / wk
$1,638
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
15.2%
Unoccupied
535
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.2%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
30.7% stressed
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
38.3%
Couples with children
46.1%
Couples, no children
13.6%
Single parent
1,814
Total families
Economy & Employment
High incomes and professional employment underpin Woollahra's economic position. Household income is $3,013 a week, at the 97.2nd percentile, while labour-force participation is 63.2% and unemployment is 3.0%. Professional/Tech is the largest industry at 24.4% with 760 workers, followed by Finance at 16.2% and 504, Healthcare at 12.7% and 394, Education at 6.9% and 215, and Retail at 5.2% and 161. Occupations are similarly concentrated: Professionals number 1,818 and Managers 880, compared with 326 in Clerical/Admin. The IEO, IRSD and IRSAD all sit in decile 10, while IER is lower at decile 7, showing that strong education and professional earnings coexist with some variation in economic resources. Compared with the national profile, the 68.5% university rate is 38.4 points higher, helping explain the knowledge-intensive workforce.
Unemployment
3.0%
Labour Force
3,846
Unemployed
116
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
65.8%
Part-time
27.2%
Participation
63.2%
Employed
3,730
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
68.5%
Postgraduate
21.3%
Born Overseas
34.4%
Dwellings
2,972
Transport to Work
Woollahra's compact footprint supports local errands, but commuting is not dominated by public transport. The suburb covers 1.23 square kilometres at 5,841.4 people per square kilometre; 68.3% work from home, compared with 4.7% using public transport and 6.2% walking or cycling. One local primary school is identified within Woollahra, in the government sector, so families should check enrolment zones and nearby options against the exact address rather than assume suburb boundaries. The social setting is strongly advantaged, with IRSAD and IRSD both in decile 10, while need for assistance is 3.7%. Volunteering is 19.8%, and 36.1% own their homes outright, supporting residential stability. Compared with a larger, more school-dense catchment, Woollahra's appeal rests more on urban amenity, services and proximity than on a broad in-suburb school network. For current safety conditions, check NSW Police crime mapping and visit the street at different times.
Drive
19.0%
Public Transport
4.7%
Walk / Cycle
6.2%
Work from Home
68.3%
Population Forecast
0.0%/yr
EstablishedWoollahra is an established, slow-growth market rather than a suburb in a rapid expansion phase. The forecast annual trend is 0.0%, while population change across the wider area is 3.8% over 10 years, pointing to limited momentum compared with faster-growing Sydney corridors. The shift trajectory is Aging, with the senior share up 4.1 percentage points and the working share down 5.3 points, consistent with a mature housing market and long-held properties. Overseas migration is the primary migration driver, even as the gentrification stage is Not gentrifying and the score is 0. Affordability improved from 48.0 in 2011 to 41.3 in 2021, while rent growth reached 22.7%, so demand remains expensive despite weak volume growth. Development activity at 141 matters may refresh individual sites, but it is unlikely to alter the established profile quickly.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+175
Net Internal / yr
-123
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Net internal outflow -123/yr
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Woollahra compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Woollahra a good suburb to live in?
Woollahra suits households seeking a dense, affluent inner-Sydney setting: household income is at the 97.2nd percentile and IRSAD is decile 10. The trade-off is limited detached housing, with apartments at 50.7%, plus a 15.2% vacancy rate that can make the local feel more changeable than in lower-density suburbs.
What is the median house price in Woollahra?
A current suburb median house price should be checked from a live sales source because Woollahra's housing mix is unusual: only 17.9% of dwellings are separate houses, compared with 50.7% apartments. The $670 weekly rent and $4,000 monthly mortgage figure provide context, but neither replaces a house-sale median.
What schools are in Woollahra?
The local listing includes 1 school, Woollahra Public School, a government primary school. Confirm the enrolment zone for the exact address and compare nearby options, because Woollahra covers only 1.23 square kilometres but has density of 5,841.4 people per square kilometre. School access depends on catchment boundaries as much as distance.
Is Woollahra safe?
Woollahra has strong socioeconomic indicators, including IRSAD decile 10, but that should not be treated as a crime rating. Use NSW Police crime mapping and inspect the exact street at different times. With 7,189 residents and density of 5,841.4 people per square kilometre, activity can vary between busy corridors, residential streets and apartment buildings.
Is Woollahra good for property investment?
Woollahra can suit investors targeting affluent tenants, with weekly rent of $670, renting at 35.3% and overseas migration the primary growth driver. The 15.2% vacancy rate is high, however, and 141 development matters may increase competition or maintenance complexity. Compared with a low-vacancy market, returns should be tested after strata, vacancy and upgrade costs.
How is Woollahra's population changing?
Woollahra is ageing slowly rather than expanding quickly. The forecast annual trend is 0.0%, while population change across the wider area is 3.8% over 10 years. The shift trajectory is Aging, with the senior share up 4.1 percentage points and the working share down 5.3 points. Overseas migration remains the primary driver, so change is more about household composition than rapid growth.
What development is occurring in Woollahra?
Development activity is substantial, with 141 matters recorded over 12 months. Recent examples include a dwelling-house change or addition and a hospital-related application, so the pipeline is not limited to new homes. Buyers and owners should check council records for the exact address, as apartment, heritage and renovation constraints can differ sharply across Woollahra's 1.23 square kilometres.
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). Population forecasts use a Hamilton-Perry cohort model calibrated to ABS ERP.
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