Sydenham, VIC: suburb profile

The population of Sydenham VIC is 10,578 according to the 2021 Census. The median personal income in Sydenham is $724 per week ($37,648 per year). Median rent in Sydenham is $369 per week ($1,599 per month). Sydenham has a median age of 37 years, younger than the national median of 38. Sydenham has a population density of 2,972 people per km².

The most common overseas birthplace in Sydenham is India. The most common religion is Catholic (33.0% of residents). After English, the most spoken language is Punjabi. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Sydenham is $1,680.

There were 681 recorded offences in Sydenham in 2025-25, a rate of 64 offences per 1,000 people. The most common offence category was theft (263 offences).

Population
10,578
Census 2021
Median income
$724/wk
Personal, Census 2021
Median rent
$369/wk
Weekly, Census 2021
Median age
37years
Census 2021

Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing 2021; offences from Crime Statistics Agency Victoria (crimestatistics.vic.gov.au), 2025-25.

Sydenham vs the typical VIC suburb

The median personal income in Sydenham is $724 a week, 6% below the typical VIC suburb ($767). That ranks 784th of 1,274 VIC suburbs with 200 or more residents. Median rent is $369 a week, $53 more than the typical VIC suburb. Rent takes 20.4% of the median household income here, against 19.1% in the typical VIC suburb. The median resident is 37, 6 years younger than in the typical VIC suburb (43).

The typical suburb is the median across suburbs with 200 or more residents. ABS Census 2021, calculated by GDP.com.au.
MeasureSydenhamTypical VICDifferenceTypical Australia
Personal income$724/wk$767/wk −6%$766/wk
Household income$1,813/wk$1,687/wk +7%$1,637/wk
Rent$369/wk$316/wk +17%$330/wk
Mortgage repayment$1,680/mo$1,723/mo −2%$1,733/mo
Median age3743 −6 yrs42
Rent share of household income20.4%19.1% +1.3 pts20.3%
Income, rent and mortgage against the typical suburb Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS, calculated by GDP.com.au
Bar chart of median income, rent and mortgage repayment in Sydenham, the typical VIC suburb and the typical Australian suburb.

Sydenham Population

10,578 residents at the 2021 Census.

Sydenham Median Income & Rent

Median Income
$724/wk
$37,648 per year
Ranked 5,059 of 14,663
Median Rent
$369/wk
$1,599 per month
Ranked 2,806 of 14,663
Median Age
37years
1 years younger than the national median
Mortgage
$1,680/mo
Avg household size: 2.8 · 0.8 per bedroom

Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing.

Sydenham Rent Prices & Affordability

20% of median household income goes on median rent

Marks at 25% and 35%. Band: affordable.

Household income $1,813/wk
Median rent $369/wk
Rent to income 20.4%

Rent is under 25% of household income, generally considered affordable.

Median rent in Sydenham against your income

About $7,856 a month
Median rent $369/wk
Left after rent $1,444/wk
Rent share 20.4%

Sydenham Schools

15
schools nearby
9
government
1029
avg ICSEA score
10,311
total students
Southern Cross Grammar Independent
Combined · Prep-12 · 904 students
1136
ICSEA
Gilson College Independent
Combined · Prep-12 · 1,102 students
1073
ICSEA
Emmaus Catholic Primary School Catholic
Primary · Prep-6 · 476 students
1067
ICSEA
Cana Catholic Primary School Catholic
Primary · Prep-6 · 508 students
1039
ICSEA
Taylors Lakes Primary School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 678 students
1029
ICSEA
Catholic Regional College Sydenham Catholic
Secondary · 11-12 · 974 students
1028
ICSEA
Taylors Hill Primary School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 575 students
1027
ICSEA
Parkwood Green Primary School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 495 students
1014
ICSEA
Sydenham Primary School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 993 students
1012
ICSEA
Taylors Lakes Secondary College Government
Secondary · 7-12 · 1,280 students
1007
ICSEA
Mackellar Primary School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 300 students
993
ICSEA
Monmia Primary School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 180 students
985
ICSEA
Copperfield College Government
Secondary · 7-12 · 1,846 students
962
ICSEA
Overnewton Anglican Community College - Canowindra Campus Independent
Combined
Copperfield College-Sydenham Junior Campus Government
Secondary

Source: Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA), 2025. ICSEA is the Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage (national average 1000).

All schools near Sydenham, with a map

Sydenham Map

Sydenham, Victoria Map data: OpenStreetMap
Loading map…

Sydenham, Victoria: 37.6961°S, 144.7686°E

Sydenham Circle size: offences per 1,000 residents Schools (15)

People in Sydenham

Demographics

Gender Split

Male 49.7% (5,254) Female 50.3% (5,319)

Population Density

2,972
people per km²
10,578 people · 3.6 km²

Households

2.8
Avg household size
0.8
Persons per bedroom
$2,010
Family income/wk

Age Distribution

0-4
5-9
10-14
15-19
20-24
25-29
30-34
35-39
40-44
45-49
50-54
55-59
60-64
65-69
70-74
75-79
80-84
85+
Male Female

Source: ABS Census 2021, Suburb and Locality (SAL)

Most common overseas birthplaces

India
9.9%
Philippines
3.4%
Vietnam
2.1%
North Macedonia
1.8%
Malta
1.8%
Sri Lanka
1.6%
Italy
1.6%

Shares are of all residents. Source: ABS Census 2021, G09 Country of Birth by SAL

Most common languages at home other than English

Punjabi
5.7%
Vietnamese
3.0%
Macedonian
3.0%
Arabic
2.8%
Italian
2.2%
Croatian
2.0%
Greek
2.0%

Shares are of all residents. Source: ABS Census 2021, G13 Language Used at Home by SAL

Ancestry

Australian
17.2%
English
15.4%
Italian
9.2%
Indian
8.2%
Maltese
6.1%
Filipino
4.7%
Chinese
4.5%
Irish
3.7%
Greek
3.7%
Macedonian
3.6%
Croatian
3.5%

Shares are of the suburb population. People can report up to two ancestries, so shares add to more than 100%. Source: ABS Census 2021, G08 Ancestry by SAL

Religion

Catholic
33.0%
No religion
21.0%
Not stated
6.2%
Eastern Orthodox
6.0%
Islam
5.4%
Other religions
5.1%
Sikhism
5.1%
Christian (other)
4.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G14 Religion by SAL

Indigenous Population

0.5%
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander

Source: ABS Census 2021, G07 Indigenous Status by SAL

Marital Status

Separated
3.7% 327
Divorced
8.1% 710
Widowed
5.5% 485
Never married
36.4% 3,208
Married
46.4% 4,087

Source: ABS Census 2021, G05 Marital Status by SAL

Family Structure

Couple: children under 15
38.9%
Couple: no children under 15
24.5%
Couple: no children
19.3%
One parent: no children under 15
9.4%
One parent: children under 15
7.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G29 Family Composition by SAL

Household Size

1 person
19.9%
2 persons
28.5%
3 persons
19.5%
4 persons
19.7%
5 persons
8.4%
6+ persons
3.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G35 Household Size by SAL

Homes in Sydenham

Housing Tenure

Of the 3,462 occupied private dwellings in Sydenham at the 2021 Census, 31.2% were rented, 28.4% owned outright and 38.1% owned with a mortgage.

Other tenure type
0.9% 31 dwellings
Owned outright
28.4% 984 dwellings
Owned with mortgage
38.1% 1,319 dwellings
Rented
31.2% 1,081 dwellings
Tenure type not stated
1.4% 50 dwellings

Source: ABS Census 2021, Suburb and Locality (SAL)

Dwelling Types

Separate house
66.1%
Semi-detached (1 storey)
17.2%
Semi-detached (2+ storey)
16.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G36 Dwelling Structure by SAL

Number of Bedrooms

1 bedroom
0.7%
2 bedrooms
10.8%
3 bedrooms
56.5%
4 bedrooms
27.4%
5 bedrooms
4.0%
6+ bedrooms
0.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G41 Number of Bedrooms by SAL

Monthly Mortgage Repayments

$0-$299/mo
5.1%
$300-$449/mo
2.0%
$450-$599/mo
1.4%
$600-$799/mo
3.9%
$800-$999/mo
5.4%
$1,000-$1,399/mo
20.2%
$1,400-$1,799/mo
23.2%
$1,800-$2,399/mo
25.5%
$2,400-$2,999/mo
8.7%
$3,000-$3,999/mo
4.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G38 Mortgage Repayment by SAL

Car Ownership

0 vehicles
4.7%
1 vehicle
35.6%
2 vehicles
37.0%
3 vehicles
14.3%
4+ vehicles
8.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G34 Motor Vehicles per Dwelling by SAL

Work, income and education in Sydenham

Employment

Employed full-time
39.0% 3,137 people
Employed part-time
20.5% 1,650 people
Unemployed
4.6% 371 people
Not in labour force
35.9% 2,890 people

Source: ABS Census 2021, G46 Labour Force Status by SAL

Occupation

Professionals
24.1%
Technicians & Trade Workers
15.7%
Clerical & Administrative
14.8%
Community & Personal Service
13.6%
Managers
10.8%
Machinery Operators & Drivers
7.3%
Labourers
7.3%
Sales Workers
6.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G51 Industry of Employment by Occupation

Weekly Household Income

Nil/Negative/wk
2.2%
$1-$149/wk
0.9%
$150-$299/wk
1.0%
$300-$399/wk
1.8%
$400-$499/wk
4.2%
$500-$649/wk
3.0%
$650-$799/wk
5.4%
$800-$999/wk
6.0%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
8.0%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
8.7%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
7.0%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
6.8%
$2,000-$2,499/wk
14.1%
$2,500-$2,999/wk
9.7%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
6.6%
$3,500-$3,999/wk
4.8%
$4,000+/wk
9.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G33 Household Income by SAL

Personal Weekly Income Distribution

$0 or less/wk
16.1%
$1-$149/wk
4.4%
$150-$299/wk
5.9%
$300-$399/wk
3.9%
$400-$499/wk
3.8%
$500-$649/wk
3.0%
$650-$799/wk
8.4%
$800-$999/wk
11.6%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
12.8%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
8.6%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
7.1%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
4.9%
$2,000-$2,999/wk
7.0%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
1.0%
$3,500+/wk
1.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G17 Personal Income by SAL

How People Get to Work

Car (driver)
70.4%
Did not go to work
14.7%
Train
5.4%
Car (passenger)
5.2%
Walked only
1.2%
Truck
1.2%
Other
0.6%
Bus
0.6%
Taxi/Rideshare
0.4%
Bicycle
0.1%
Motorbike/Scooter
0.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G62 Method of Travel to Work by SAL

Education Level

Year 12 or equivalent
73.2%
Year 10 or equivalent
11.8%
Year 11 or equivalent
10.2%
Year 9 or equivalent
4.7%

Shares are of people whose highest year of school is Year 9 to 12 only. Source: ABS Census 2021, G16 Highest Year of School by SAL

Qualifications

Bachelor Degree
33.2%
Certificate III/IV
29.3%
Advanced Diploma/Diploma
21.0%
Postgraduate Degree
10.8%
Graduate Diploma/Certificate
3.7%
Certificate I/II
2.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G49 Non-School Qualification by SAL

Field of Study

Management & Commerce
23.7%
Engineering
17.0%
Society & Culture
12.8%
Health
10.1%
Education
8.1%
Information Technology
7.5%
Food, Hospitality & Personal Services
6.8%
Architecture & Building
6.0%
Natural & Physical Sciences
4.1%
Creative Arts
3.1%
Agriculture & Environment
0.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G51 Field of Study by SAL

School & University Attendance

Secondary: Government
25.7%
Primary: Government
25.2%
Vocational Education
14.8%
Pre-school
11.2%
Primary: Catholic
8.9%
Secondary: Catholic
7.3%
Primary: Other Non-Govt
3.6%
Secondary: Other Non-Govt
3.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G15 Type of Educational Institution by SAL

More from the 2021 Census

Need for Assistance

Does not have need for assistance
85.7%
Has need for assistance
9.3%
Need for assistance not stated
4.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G18 Core Activity Need for Assistance by SAL

Long-term Health Conditions

Mental health
910
Diabetes
369
Asthma
364
Arthritis
258
Heart disease
219
Lung condition
128
Stroke
126
Kidney disease
100
Cancer
100
Dementia
93

Source: ABS Census 2021, G19 Long-term Health Conditions by SAL

Unpaid Carers

Provided unpaid assistance
12.9% 1,079
Did not provide
87.1% 7,257

Source: ABS Census 2021, G25 Unpaid Assistance by SAL

Volunteering

Volunteer
7.4% 616
Not a volunteer
92.6% 7,751

Source: ABS Census 2021, G23 Voluntary Work by SAL

Military Service

Current ADF: Reserves
0.0% 3
Previously served
0.9% 72
Never served
99.1% 8,327

Source: ABS Census 2021, G22 ADF Service by SAL

Children Ever Born

No children
35.7%
1 child
14.6%
2 children
28.6%
3 children
14.8%
4 children
4.6%
5+ children
1.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G28 Children Ever Born by SAL

When Migrants Arrived

Before 1951
29
1951: 1960
172
1961: 1970
448
1971: 1980
379
1981: 1990
590
1991: 2000
463
2001: 2010
878
2011: 2015
566
2016
139
2017
160
2018
196
2019
228
2020
75
2021
32

Source: ABS Census 2021, G10 Year of Arrival by SAL

Population Mobility

11.5%
moved in the last year
36.2%
moved in the last 5 years
6.8%
unemployment rate (Census)
62.5%
labour force participation

Source: ABS Census 2021, G43 Summary by SAL

Where Residents Moved From

Same address
8,830
Moved from VIC
849
Moved: same area (SA2)
167
Moved from overseas
66
Moved from QLD
27
Moved from NSW
8
Moved from SA
7
Moved from ACT
4
Moved from WA
3

Source: ABS Census 2021, G44 Address 1 Year Ago by SAL

Unpaid Domestic Work

Less than 5 hours
19.0%
5: 14 hours
23.0%
15: 29 hours
9.6%
30+ hours
8.1%
Did not do domestic work
40.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G24 Unpaid Domestic Work by SAL

Family Blending

Intact family: no other children
88.8%
Step family: no other children
6.5%
Blended family: no other children
3.0%
Intact family: other children present
1.3%
Blended family: other children present
0.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G31 Family Blending by SAL

Sydenham Crime Statistics

681 reported offences in 2025-25, by category.

Theft
263
Assault
104
Justice Procedures
102
Drug Offences
55
Property Damage
48
Weapons
37
Break & Enter
35
Fraud
21
Public Order
10
Robbery
5
Traffic
1

Total offences by year

2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025

Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria (crimestatistics.vic.gov.au).

Cheaper alternatives with similar incomes

North Bendigo
Income: $707/wk Rent: $285/wk $84/wk less rent
White Hills (Vic.)
Income: $750/wk Rent: $300/wk $69/wk less rent
Canadian
Income: $749/wk Rent: $300/wk $69/wk less rent
Mount Clear
Income: $728/wk Rent: $310/wk $59/wk less rent
Darley
Income: $821/wk Rent: $320/wk $49/wk less rent
Ardeer
Income: $698/wk Rent: $340/wk $29/wk less rent
Lovely Banks
Income: $798/wk Rent: $350/wk $19/wk less rent
Belmont (Vic.)
Income: $802/wk Rent: $350/wk $19/wk less rent

Suburbs near Sydenham

The closest suburb to Sydenham is Taylors Lakes, 1.8 km away.

Taylors Lakes
1.8 km away · income $759/wk · rent $411/wk
Hillside (Melton - Vic.)
2.4 km away · income $805/wk · rent $380/wk
Taylors Hill
2.5 km away · income $796/wk · rent $420/wk
Delahey
2.7 km away · income $611/wk · rent $350/wk
Keilor Lodge
2.8 km away · income $771/wk · rent $421/wk
Fraser Rise
4.0 km away · income $972/wk · rent $431/wk

Compare Sydenham (Vic.)

Frequently Asked Questions About Sydenham

What is the population of Sydenham VIC?

The population of Sydenham VIC is 10,578 according to the ABS Census 2021. The suburb has a population density of 2,972 people per km². Sydenham is ranked #582 out of 14,663 suburbs by population.

What is the median income in Sydenham?

The median personal income in Sydenham VIC is $724 per week, or $37,648 per year. The median household income is $1,813 per week. Family income is $2,010 per week. Sydenham is ranked #5,059 by income out of 14,663 Australian suburbs.

How much is rent in Sydenham?

Median rent in Sydenham VIC is $369 per week ($1,599 per month). Rent represents 20.4% of household income, which is considered affordable. Sydenham ranks #2,806 out of 14,663 suburbs by rent.

What are mortgage repayments in Sydenham?

The median monthly mortgage repayment in Sydenham VIC is $1,680. This data comes from the ABS Census 2021 and reflects mortgage repayments for owner-occupied dwellings.

What is the median age in Sydenham?

The median age in Sydenham VIC is 37 years. This is younger than the national median age of 38 years.

Is Sydenham a good suburb to live in?

Sydenham is a suburb in Victoria with a population of 10,578. The median income is $724/wk, which is below the typical VIC suburb ($767/wk). Rent affordability is rated as affordable (20.4% of household income). See the full suburb profile above for detailed statistics.

Explore More

Australian Average Salary Australian House Prices Melbourne Cost of Living

Data: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2021. SA2 area: 22414. All dollar figures in AUD.