Woolloomooloo
At 10,188.1 people per sq km, Woolloomooloo compresses 3,792 residents into 0.37 sq km, giving it a much denser profile than most suburban markets. Renting dominates at 71.4%, while 43.0% were born overseas and 55.4% have university qualifications, 25.3 percentage points above the national comparison. The 39-year median age is 1 year below national, yet the area is on an aging trajectory. Its compact apartment character is closer to nearby Potts Point than to low-density parts of the City of Sydney, with small households averaging 1.7 people.
Population
3,792
Median Age
39.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,001/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
34
Buyers need to approach Woolloomooloo as an apartment-led market rather than a conventional house suburb. Apartments account for 73.1% of dwellings and separate houses only 0.5%, while 39.7% have 0 or 1 bedroom and 37.9% have 2 bedrooms. Mortgage stress is flagged at 34.6% of income, higher than the 25.0% rent-to-income measure. Household income sits at the 75.1 percentile, but a high-rent, low-space setting can still narrow choices compared with larger homes in neighbouring Darlinghurst.
For Buyers
Buyers need to approach Woolloomooloo as an apartment-led market rather than a conventional house suburb. Apartments account for 73.1% of dwellings and separate houses only 0.5%, while 39.7% have 0 or 1 bedroom and 37.9% have 2 bedrooms. Mortgage stress is flagged at 34.6% of income, higher than the 25.0% rent-to-income measure. Household income sits at the 75.1 percentile, but a high-rent, low-space setting can still narrow choices compared with larger homes in neighbouring Darlinghurst.
For Investors
Investor demand is supported by a renter share of 71.4%, well above the 13.2% owning outright and 14.1% paying a mortgage, but the 21.6% vacancy rate signals a highly fluid market. Weekly rent is $500, while 34 development applications were recorded over 12 months, including education, commercial and office changes. That pipeline may improve amenity, yet it can also add competition for tenants. Overseas migration is the primary growth driver, although the annual trend is -0.19%, so income selection and vacancy management matter more than assuming automatic capital growth. The gentrification score is 10 and the stage is Not gentrifying, below a clear renewal-led profile.
Development Activity
Total DAs
191
Last 12 Months
34
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-17.1%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Woolloomooloo
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Demographics
Woolloomooloo has a 39-year median age, 1 year below the national comparison, but its profile is highly educated and internationally connected. University qualification reaches 55.4%, 25.3 percentage points above the national comparison, and 43.0% were born overseas, 21.4 points above national. Small households average 1.7 people, 0.8 below the national figure, helping explain the concentration of studios and one-bedroom dwellings. English ancestry is recorded for 1,097 people and Irish ancestry for 470, while no religion is the largest recorded affiliation at 1,769. A 37.2% turnover rate helps explain why 62.8% stayed, pointing to a more mobile population than established family suburbs around Darlinghurst and Potts Point.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
0.5%
Houses
26.2%
Townhouse
73.1%
Apartment
Tenure
Housing stock is overwhelmingly compact: 73.1% of dwellings are apartments and 26.2% are semi-detached, compared with only 0.5% separate houses. The bedroom mix reinforces that pattern, with 39.7% containing 0 or 1 bedroom, 37.9% containing 2, 18.0% containing 3 and 4.5% containing 4 or more. Tenure is renter-heavy at 71.4%, versus 13.2% owned outright and 14.1% mortgaged. Vacancy is 21.6%, higher than either ownership share, which suggests a market shaped by smaller investor-held or flexible-use dwellings. Woolloomooloo is more apartment-oriented than neighbouring Potts Point, while the $500 weekly rent reflects central-city access rather than family-sized supply.
Mortgage / mo
$3,000
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (April to June 2026), NSW Rental Bond Board (DCJ). Census 2021 median: $500.
$730
Bond data Jun 2026 · houses $950 · units $730
HH Size
1.7
Personal Income / wk
$1,368
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
21.6%
Unoccupied
529
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
25.0%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
34.6% stressed
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
17.2%
Couples with children
63.7%
Couples, no children
16.9%
Single parent
786
Total families
Economy & Employment
Professional/Tech leads local employment at 22.8% or 389 workers, followed by Finance at 13.7% or 234 and Public Admin at 9.8% or 167. This white-collar base aligns with 831 Professionals and 513 Managers, while full-time employment is 72.6% and unemployment is 5.8%. Weekly household income is $2,001, at the 75.1 percentile, and participation is 62.5%. SEIFA is uneven: education and occupation sits in decile 10, IRSAD also reaches decile 10, but economic resources is decile 1 and disadvantage is decile 8. The split is consistent with strong qualifications alongside high renting at 71.4%, which can limit retained wealth compared with owner-heavy areas.
Unemployment
5.8%
Labour Force
2,201
Unemployed
128
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
72.6%
Part-time
18.9%
Participation
62.5%
Employed
2,073
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
55.4%
Postgraduate
17.7%
Born Overseas
43.0%
Dwellings
1,917
Transport to Work
Daily life suits residents who value walking, work-from-home flexibility and central access. Reported walking or cycling accounts for 19.5% of travel, higher than public transport at 4.8% and car driving at 12.0%, while 62.7% work from home. The school mix includes 2 government options, 1 primary and 1 secondary, so families should check enrolment zones and travel times against the exact address. Woolloomooloo's density of 10,188.1 people per sq km supports nearby services but also means limited private outdoor space. IRSAD is in decile 10, above the national midpoint, although safety should be checked at the individual street and building level.
Drive
12.0%
Public Transport
4.8%
Walk / Cycle
19.5%
Work from Home
62.7%
Population Forecast
-0.19%/yr
(-37 people/yr)
EstablishedGrowth is subdued rather than expansionary. The annual trend is -0.19%, below zero, while population change across the wider area is 0.8% over 10 years. Overseas migration is the primary driver, so incoming demand can remain present even as the established suburb's total trajectory stays slow. The shift profile is labelled Aging, with the senior share up 4.8 percentage points and the working share down 1.1 points. Gentrification is marked Not gentrifying, with a score of 10, and the separate shift score is 16. Affordability improved from 36.2 in 2011 to 31.9 in 2021, but rent growth of 22.5% still pressures households.
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 Woolloomooloo compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Woolloomooloo a good suburb to live in?
Woolloomooloo suits residents who prioritise central access, apartment living and a low-car routine. It has 3,792 residents in 0.37 sq km, with 71.4% renting and 62.7% working from home. The trade-off is density, a 21.6% vacancy rate and limited detached housing, so it compares better with inner-city apartment areas than family-oriented suburbs.
What is the median house price in Woolloomooloo?
No dependable suburb-wide house median can be quoted because only 0.5% of dwellings are separate houses, while 73.1% are apartments and 26.2% are semi-detached. Check recent settled sales for the exact property type and compare them with the $500 weekly rent and current apartment listings rather than applying a detached-house benchmark.
What schools are in Woolloomooloo?
The local school mix includes 2 government options: 1 primary and 1 secondary. The primary option is Plunkett Street Public School, while the secondary option is Sydney Distance Education High School. Access depends on the address, enrolment zone and programme format, so compare travel time and eligibility before choosing.
Is Woolloomooloo safe?
Safety is best assessed at the exact block rather than through a suburb-wide label. Woolloomooloo has 3,792 residents at a density of 10,188.1 people per sq km, so activity can vary by street, building and time. Inspect the address after dark and check current incident information before deciding.
Is Woolloomooloo good for property investment?
It can suit an investor seeking a deep tenant pool, because 71.4% of residents rent and weekly rent is $500. The caution is a 21.6% vacancy rate, 34 development applications in 12 months and an annual growth trend of -0.19%. Overseas migration is the primary driver, but the numbers favour careful vacancy, furnishing and building-cost assumptions over relying on capital growth alone.
How is Woolloomooloo's population changing?
Woolloomooloo is changing slowly and ageing. The annual trend is -0.19%, while population change across the wider area is 0.8% over 10 years. The trajectory is labelled Aging, with the senior share up 4.8 percentage points and the working share down 1.1 points. Overseas migration remains the primary driver, so demand may be refreshed even as total growth stays below faster-expanding areas.
What languages are spoken in Woolloomooloo?
Woolloomooloo has an overseas-born share of 43.0%, above the national comparison. Languages listed locally include Mandarin at 39 people, French at 31, Italian at 24, Cantonese at 22 and Greek at 18. The mix supports a more internationally connected profile than many lower-density suburban areas.
What development is occurring in Woolloomooloo?
Development activity is active, with 34 applications in the past 12 months. Recent examples include an educational establishment, commercial alterations and office-premise changes. Because dwelling counts are not specified, buyers and investors should verify whether each proposal changes homes, services, traffic or construction conditions before committing.
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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