Sydney NSW — Suburb Profile

Population, median income, rent prices, housing costs and demographics for Sydney, New South Wales. ABS Census 2021.

The population of Sydney NSW is 16,667 according to the 2021 Census. The median personal income in Sydney is $971 per week ($50,492 per year). Median rent in Sydney is $600 per week ($2,600 per month). Sydney has a median age of 32 years, younger than the national median of 38. Sydney has a population density of 5669.8 people per km².

The most common overseas birthplace in Sydney is Indonesia. The most common religion is No Religion (39% of residents). After English, the most spoken language is SAL Tot. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Sydney is $2,691.

There were 1,974 recorded offences in Sydney in 2025-26, a rate of 118 offences per 1,000 people. The most common offence category was theft (763 offences).

Sydney Map

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Sydney Population

0
residents (Census 2021)

Sydney Median Income & Rent

💰
Median Income
$971/wk
$50,492 per year
#1423 of 14,663
🏠
Median Rent
$600/wk
$2,600 per month
#202 of 14,663
👤
Median Age
32years
6 years younger than national median
🏡
Mortgage
$2,691/mo
Avg household size: 2.1 · 1.3 per bedroom

Sydney Demographics

Gender Split

Male 51.6% (8,592) Female 48.4% (8,071)

Population Density

5669.8
people per km²
16,667 people · 2.9 km²

Households

2.1
Avg household size
1.3
Persons per bedroom
$2,342
Family income/wk

Sydney 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 & Locality (SAL)

Sydney Housing Tenure

🏠
Owned outright
54.8% 945 dwellings
🏦
Owned with mortgage
45.2% 778 dwellings

Source: ABS Census 2021 — Suburb & Locality (SAL)

Sydney Country of Birth

Australia
44.9%
Indonesia
22.0%
China
12.3%
India
7.2%
England
5.5%
Hong Kong
3.2%
Brazil
1.7%
France
1.5%
Iran
1.1%
Germany
0.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G09 — Country of Birth by SAL

Sydney Religion

No Religion
39.0%
Buddhism
23.1%
Catholic
14.8%
Not stated
9.7%
Christian (other)
3.9%
Anglican
3.8%
Hinduism
3.5%
Islam
2.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G14 — Religion by SAL

Sydney Education Level

Year 12 or equivalent
92.6%
Year 10 or equivalent
3.6%
Year 11 or equivalent
2.7%
Year 9 or equivalent
1.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G16 — Highest Year of School by SAL

Sydney Languages Spoken at Home

SAL Tot
23.0%
Mandarin
19.4%
SAL Indon
18.2%
Thai
17.3%
Cantonese
8.1%
Korean
5.0%
Spanish
4.5%
Other
4.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G13 — Language Spoken at Home by SAL

Sydney Employment

💼
Employed full-time
38.7% 5,160 people
Employed part-time
24.6% 3,287 people
🔍
Unemployed
5.3% 707 people
🏠
Not in labour force
31.4% 4,189 people

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

Sydney Qualifications

Bachelor Degree
47.4%
Advanced Diploma/Diploma
22.0%
Postgraduate Degree
20.5%
Certificate III/IV
6.5%
Graduate Diploma/Certificate
2.8%
Certificate I/II
0.8%

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

Sydney Occupation

Professionals
36.8%
Managers
16.2%
Technicians & Trade Workers
9.8%
Community & Personal Service
9.8%
Clerical & Administrative
9.2%
Labourers
8.9%
Sales Workers
7.0%
Machinery Operators & Drivers
2.3%

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

Sydney Field of Study

Management & Commerce
42.8%
Society & Culture
13.1%
Information Technology
9.5%
Engineering
8.3%
Food, Hospitality & Personal Services
7.1%
Creative Arts
5.8%
Health
5.4%
Natural & Physical Sciences
3.0%
Architecture & Building
2.5%
Education
2.2%
Agriculture & Environment
0.5%

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

Sydney Dwelling Types

Separate house
100.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G36 — Dwelling Structure by SAL

Sydney Weekly Household Income

Nil/Negative/wk
4.1%
$1-$149/wk
0.8%
$150-$299/wk
0.9%
$300-$399/wk
1.1%
$400-$499/wk
2.0%
$500-$649/wk
2.1%
$650-$799/wk
3.0%
$800-$999/wk
4.1%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
5.2%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
6.8%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
6.5%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
6.3%
$2,000-$2,499/wk
16.1%
$2,500-$2,999/wk
6.3%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
8.5%
$3,500-$3,999/wk
4.5%
$4,000+/wk
21.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G33 — Household Income by SAL

Sydney Marital Status

💍
Married
30.6% 4,844
↔️
Separated
2.3% 360
📋
Divorced
7.1% 1,121
🕊️
Widowed
1.5% 235
👤
Never married
58.5% 9,260

Source: ABS Census 2021 G05 — Marital Status by SAL

Sydney Ancestry

Other
32.0%
Chinese
27.6%
English
12.6%
Australian
7.0%
Irish
3.8%
Indian
3.6%
Korean
3.1%
Scottish
2.7%
Italian
2.4%
Vietnamese
2.0%
Filipino
1.8%
German
1.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G08 — Ancestry by SAL

Sydney School & University Attendance

Vocational Education
68.6%
Primary — Government
8.3%
Pre-school
6.1%
Secondary — Government
5.0%
Secondary — Other Non-Govt
4.5%
Primary — Other Non-Govt
4.2%
Primary — Catholic
1.7%
Secondary — Catholic
1.5%

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

Sydney Need for Assistance

Needs assistance
1.7% 539
No need for assistance
98.3% 30,335

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

Sydney Volunteering

🤝
Volunteer
8.8% 1,274
Not a volunteer
91.2% 13,218

Source: ABS Census 2021 G23 — Voluntary Work by SAL

Sydney Monthly Mortgage Repayments

$0-$299/mo
9.9%
$300-$449/mo
1.5%
$600-$799/mo
1.5%
$800-$999/mo
2.5%
$1,000-$1,399/mo
13.2%
$1,400-$1,799/mo
10.5%
$1,800-$2,399/mo
19.3%
$2,400-$2,999/mo
19.1%
$3,000-$3,999/mo
22.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G38 — Mortgage Repayment by SAL

Sydney How People Get to Work

Walked only
31.9%
Did not go to work
22.4%
Train
13.9%
Car (driver)
12.4%
Bus
9.5%
Tram/Light Rail
2.2%
Bicycle
2.2%
Car (passenger)
2.0%
Other
1.4%
Motorbike/Scooter
1.3%
Taxi/Rideshare
0.4%
Truck
0.1%
Ferry
0.1%

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

Sydney Car Ownership

0 vehicles
60.4%
1 vehicle
33.6%
2 vehicles
5.3%
3 vehicles
0.6%
4+ vehicles
0.2%

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

Sydney Number of Bedrooms

1 bedroom
38.9%
2 bedrooms
49.3%
3 bedrooms
11.0%
4 bedrooms
0.7%
5 bedrooms
0.1%
6+ bedrooms
0.0%

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

Sydney Population Mobility

39.2%
moved in the last year
75.5%
moved in the last 5 years
6.8%
unemployment rate (Census)
65.9%
labour force participation

Source: ABS Census 2021 G43 — Summary by SAL

Sydney Indigenous Population

0.3%
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander
83
Indigenous residents
31,107
Non-Indigenous residents

Source: ABS Census 2021 G07 — Indigenous Status by SAL

Sydney Long-term Health Conditions

Mental health
592
Asthma
322
Diabetes
194
Heart disease
162
Arthritis
135
Cancer
102
Lung condition
57
Kidney disease
53
Stroke
40
Dementia
10

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

Sydney Personal Weekly Income Distribution

$0 or less/wk
10.2%
$1-$149/wk
1.4%
$150-$299/wk
2.6%
$300-$399/wk
1.8%
$400-$499/wk
2.9%
$500-$649/wk
4.3%
$650-$799/wk
10.4%
$800-$999/wk
11.7%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
11.4%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
7.6%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
6.3%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
5.2%
$2,000-$2,999/wk
11.6%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
3.5%
$3,500+/wk
9.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G17 — Personal Income by SAL

Sydney Family Structure

Couple — no children
64.0%
Couple — children under 15
21.6%
Couple — no children under 15
5.8%
One parent — no children under 15
5.1%
One parent — children under 15
3.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G29 — Family Composition by SAL

Sydney Military Service

🎖️
Current ADF — Regular
0.7% 101
🛡️
Current ADF — Reserves
0.2% 23
🏅
Previously served
0.6% 85
👤
Never served
98.6% 14,353

Source: ABS Census 2021 G22 — ADF Service by SAL

Sydney Unpaid Carers

🤲
Provided unpaid assistance
4.5% 656
Did not provide
95.5% 13,812

Source: ABS Census 2021 G25 — Unpaid Assistance by SAL

Sydney Children Ever Born

No children
75.1%
1 child
12.8%
2 children
8.5%
3 children
2.6%
4 children
1.0%

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

Sydney When Migrants Arrived

Before 1951
20
1951–1960
63
1961–1970
133
1971–1980
247
1981–1990
594
1991–2000
921
2001–2010
2,044
2011–2015
2,524
2016
887
2017
908
2018
987
2019
1,392
2020
560
2021
227

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

Sydney Unpaid Domestic Work

Less than 5 hours
19.1%
5–14 hours
22.1%
15–29 hours
6.3%
30+ hours
3.8%
Did not do domestic work
48.7%

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

Sydney Household Size

1 person
37.4%
2 persons
37.9%
3 persons
11.2%
4 persons
7.7%
5 persons
3.3%
6+ persons
2.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G35 — Household Size by SAL

Sydney Where Residents Moved From

Same address
9,377
Moved from NSW
3,135
Moved — same area (SA2)
1,677
Moved from overseas
665
Moved from VIC
200
Moved from QLD
134
Moved from ACT
38
Moved from WA
37
Moved from SA
35
Moved from NT
10

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

Sydney Family Blending

Intact family — no other children
88.1%
Step family — no other children
8.4%
Other couple — children only
1.6%
Intact family — other children present
1.1%
Blended family — no other children
0.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G31 — Family Blending by SAL

Sydney Crime Statistics

Reported offences in 2025-26 — 1,974 total

Theft
763
Other Against Property
448
Assault
222
Drug Offences
137
Traffic
119
Other Against Person
92
Property Damage
91
Sexual Offences
51
Weapons
45
Robbery
6

Offence trend by year:

2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025

Source: NSW BOCSAR — bocsar.nsw.gov.au

Sydney Schools

53
schools nearby
23
government
1109
avg ICSEA score
23,354
total students
Sydney Grammar School Independent
Secondary · K-12 · 1,925 students
1274
ICSEA
St Aloysius' College Independent
Secondary · 3-12 · 1,347 students
1223
ICSEA
Ascham School Independent
Combined · K-12 · 1,182 students
1217
ICSEA
SCEGGS Darlinghurst Independent
Combined · K-12 · 936 students
1209
ICSEA
SHORE - Sydney Church of England Grammar School Independent
Secondary · K-12 · 1,724 students
1205
ICSEA
Conservatorium High School Government
Secondary · 7-12 · 156 students
1194
ICSEA
Sydney Girls High School Government
Secondary · 7-12 · 929 students
1193
ICSEA
Loreto Kirribilli Independent
Combined · K-12 · 1,176 students
1189
ICSEA
St Andrew's Cathedral School Independent
Combined · K-12 · 1,436 students
1189
ICSEA
Sydney Boys High School Government
Secondary · 7-12 · 1,205 students
1189
ICSEA
Glenmore Road Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 263 students
1176
ICSEA
Balmain Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 321 students
1172
ICSEA
Fr John Therry Catholic Primary School Balmain - Rozelle Catholic
Primary · K-6 · 349 students
1170
ICSEA
International Grammar School Independent
Combined · K-12 · 1,224 students
1170
ICSEA
St Francis of Assisi Regional Catholic Primary School Catholic
Primary · K-6 · 151 students
1167
ICSEA

Showing 15 of 53 schools

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

View all schools in Sydney with map →

Sydney Rent Prices & Affordability

27%
of income
Moderate
Household Income $2,227/wk
Median Rent $600/wk
Rent-to-Income 26.9%

Rent is between 25–35% of household income — moderate housing costs.

If you earn X in Sydney

≈ $9,650/month
Median rent $600/wk
Left after rent $1,627/wk
Rent share 26.9%

Cheaper alternatives with similar incomes

Sydney vs State & National Average

Nearby Suburbs in NSW

Frequently Asked Questions About Sydney

What is the population of Sydney NSW?

The population of Sydney NSW is 16,667 according to the ABS Census 2021.The suburb has a population density of 5669.8 people per km².Sydney is ranked #220 out of 14,663 suburbs by population.

What is the median income in Sydney?

The median personal income in Sydney NSW is $971 per week, or $50,492 per year.The median household income is $2,227 per week.Family income is $2,342 per week.Sydney is ranked #1,423 by income out of 14,663 Australian suburbs.

How much is rent in Sydney?

Median rent in Sydney NSW is $600 per week ($2,600 per month).Rent represents 26.9% of household income, which is considered moderate.Sydney ranks #202 out of 14,663 suburbs by rent.

What are mortgage repayments in Sydney?

The median monthly mortgage repayment in Sydney NSW is $2,691. This data comes from the ABS Census 2021 and reflects mortgage repayments for owner-occupied dwellings.

What is the median age in Sydney?

The median age in Sydney NSW is 32 years.This is younger than the national median age of 38 years.

Is Sydney a good suburb to live in?

Sydney is a suburb in New South Wales with a population of 16,667.The median income is $971/wk, which is above the NSW average of $781/wk.Rent affordability is rated as moderate (26.9% of household income). See the full suburb profile above for detailed statistics.

Looking for schools, childcare centres, and playgrounds in this area? See kid.com.au for family facilities data.

Data: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2021. SA2 area: 13730. All dollar figures in AUD.