Sydney
NSWSydney is a growing suburb in NSW with 16,667 residents.
- SAL code
- 13730
- SA2
- 117031644
- Population
- 16,667
- LGA
- Sydney
Sydney, NSW had 16,667 residents at the 2021 Census, with the broader statistical area showing a 6.4% growth over the last five years. The predominant age group is 25-34 years, and the median age sits at 32. Households are most often couples without children, and those with a mortgage repay a median of $2,691 a month. Around 24.2% of homes are owner-occupied, with the largest single tenure being rented at 72.0%. Most dwellings are flats or apartments, making up 99.9% of the suburb's housing stock. The suburb has 36 parks and reserves mapped within its boundary. Source: ABS Census 2021 and Estimated Resident Population, with amenity counts from state Open Data and OpenStreetMap.
Suburb analysis
Sydney, NSW at a glance
Sydney (SAL) is the CBD core itself — Hyde Park, Martin Place, Town Hall, Pitt Street Mall, Circular Quay walking distance. Almost entirely high-rise apartments: studios, one- and two-bedders in towers above retail and office podiums. The data tiles below cover the demographic baseline; this card adds the live market, lifestyle and council-pipeline context.
For homebuyers
This is apartment living at the centre of the city — strata towers, building amenities (pools, gyms, concierge), and your front door minutes from Pitt Street Mall, Hyde Park and the QVB. The pedestrianised George Street boulevard runs through the suburb's spine, with light rail along it and Town Hall, Martin Place, Wynyard and the new Pitt Street Metro (operational since August 2024) all on foot. Hyde Park and The Domain are the green lungs; Darling Harbour, Barangaroo and Circular Quay are walkable for weekends. Sydney Grammar and St Andrew's Cathedral School sit inside the suburb; SCEGGS Darlinghurst and Sydney Boys / Girls High are a short ride east. Day-to-day groceries lean on Coles and Woolworths Metro formats; nightlife and dining options are essentially limitless. In short: zero-commute, amenity-saturated apartment living — best if you value walkability and tower convenience over a backyard.
For investors
Sydney CBD is a unit-only market that's been rebasing. Median unit sale $947,500 with median rent $1,000/wk gives a ~4.72% gross yield (Your Investment Property, May 2026) — strong for inner Sydney. Capital growth has been negative: -5.25% over 12 months and only +1.34% the past quarter, with 349 unit sales and ~72 days on market. Sydney metro vacancy was 1.6% in March 2026 (SQM); inner-ring CBD typically runs slightly looser.
Strengths
- Yields among the best in inner Sydney (~4.7% on units at $1,000/wk rent, YIP May 2026) — well above the Sydney metro ~3% unit average.
- Deep, liquid market — 349 unit sales in 12 months means easy entry/exit and reliable comps.
- Tenant pool is structural: CBD office workers, students (UTS, USyd close), short-stay-adjacent demand.
- Pitt Street Metro live since August 2024 plus George Street pedestrian boulevard reset the walkability premium for towers along the spine.
Trade-offs
- Capital growth weak — units -5.25% over 12 months (YIP May 2026); CBD apartment values have lagged the wider Sydney recovery.
- Days-on-market 72 (YIP May 2026) — sellers wait, and pricing power sits with buyers.
- Strata costs are high in tower stock (pools, lifts, concierge, facade remediation exposure) and eat into the headline yield.
- Supply overhang from the post-2017 apartment cycle still works through the rental market; new towers around the metro stations add to medium-term competition.
What's coming
City of Sydney's 2025/26 budget allocates $276M+ across 400 projects. The headline is Town Hall Square — draft designs out for consultation in 2026, construction from 2028 — plus a $35M paving, furniture and lighting upgrade between St Andrew's Cathedral and Town Hall in 2027. The George Street pedestrianisation continues to extend, reshaping retail frontages along the spine.
Bottom line
For homebuyers: an amenity-rich, zero-commute apartment lifestyle if tower living suits you. For investors: a yield play with a soft growth backdrop — buy on cashflow, not capital gain expectations.
Population
?16,667
Suburb · Census 2021
5-Year Growth
+6.4%
3yr: +13.2% · 10yr: +7.1%
SA2 · 5yr
Household Income
$2,227/wk
Suburb · Census 2021 median
Median Age
32
Suburb · Census 2021
Socio-Economic Index
?8/10
SA2 · least disadvantaged
Unemployment
?3.6%
SA2 · Q4 2025
Schools
1
1 secondary
Hospitals
?1
Within suburb
Childcare services
?12
10 long day, 3 OSHC
Parks & green space
?36
Parks, reserves
Transport stops
?84
GTFS stops
Dwelling approvals
?146
Sydney · Feb 2026
Median Weekly Rent
Based on NSW rental bond lodgements, aggregated at postcode level. All SALs sharing this postcode show the same median.
Median House Sale Price
Source: state Valuer-General (suburb-level quarterly medians).
→ Calculate stamp duty on this suburb's median price→ Estimate mortgage repayments→ Calculate rental yield (price + median rent)
Safety & Crime
2025 Q4Reported incidents from NSW police. Offence rates may not reflect all crime.
Population over time — Sydney (North) - Millers Point (SA2)
ABS publishes annual estimates only at SA2; Sydney suburb alone is ~16,667 (Census 2021).
Source: ABS ERP (latest release · 2025) · Census 2021. Numbers refreshed quarterly.
Growth at a Glance
Population grew from 5,088 to 9,305 over 24 years, averaging 2.5% per year.
Schools
1 in suburbSector
1 public
Type
1 secondary
Total enrolment
153
Avg per school
153
Government school catchment
Intake zonePrimary
Fort St PS87.1%
- Ultimo PS 10.1%
- Crown St PS 1.7%
- Plunkett St PS 0.8%
Secondary
Inner Sydney HS89.9%
- SSC Blackwattle Bay 10.1%
- SSC Balmain 10.1%
Source: NSW Department of Education — School Intake Zones. Boundaries can be amended without notice; confirm with the school before relying on enrolment.
Profile
Census snapshot
Housing
Public housing 0.1%Almost entirely apartments (99.9%), rental-heavy (72% renting), built for families (49% are 2 bed).
Dwelling mix
Tenure
NSW 33%
Number of bedrooms
Bushfire risk
This suburb falls outside every bushfire polygon mapped by the relevant authority. Always confirm at the property address — local conditions and unmapped overlays can still apply.
Overlap is the percentage of the suburb's land area inside the mapped bushfire polygons. Always verify the exact property address with the relevant authority before making decisions. Source when available: NSW Rural Fire Service (BFPL) and NSW DPHI EPI Flood.
Flood risk
This suburb falls outside every flood polygon mapped by the relevant authority. Always confirm at the property address — local conditions and unmapped overlays can still apply.
Overlap is the percentage of the suburb's land area inside the mapped flood polygons. Always verify the exact property address with the relevant authority before making decisions. Source when available: NSW Rural Fire Service (BFPL) and NSW DPHI EPI Flood.
Planning zones
5 zones in suburb| Code | Zone | % covered | Area |
|---|---|---|---|
| SP5 | ZoneSpecial use | 50.6% | 1.49 km² |
| RE1 | ZoneRecreation | 30.7% | 0.90 km² |
| SP2 | ZoneSpecial use | 3.7% | 0.11 km² |
| MU1 | ZoneBusiness | 0.5% | 0.01 km² |
| B4 | ZoneBusiness | 0.1% | 3,847 m² |
Source: NSW DPHI EPI Land Zoning (ZONE_NSW/2026-04-29/1eccf1a530fa1be5) · As of Apr 2026. Zone boundaries are amended periodically; verify the exact property with the relevant council before relying on permitted use.