Balmain
Statistical Area - sa2

Balmain is positioned among the lower quartile of areas assessed nationally for population growth based on AreaSearch's assessment of recent, and medium term trends

As of Aug 2025, Balmain's population is approximately 15,957. Between the 2021 Census and June 2024, it grew by 378 people to reach an estimated resident population of 15,985. This increase represents a 2.4% rise from the Census figure of 15,579, with 13 validated new addresses contributing to this change. Balmain's population density is around 6,184 persons per square kilometer, placing it in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The area has experienced a 2.4% growth since the Census, comparable to its SA3 area's 3.4%, indicating strong growth fundamentals. Overseas migration accounted for approximately 72.4% of Balmain's recent population gains.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data, NSW State Government's SA2 level projections from 2022 (base year: 2021) are applied. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are used for all areas from 2032 to 2041. By 2041, Balmain is projected to increase by approximately 1,072 persons, representing a 6.9% total growth over the 17 years.

The level of residential development activity in Balmain is very low in comparison to the average area assessed nationally by AreaSearch

Balmain has recorded approximately 12 residential properties granted approval each year. Development approval data is produced by the Australian Bureau of Statistics on a financial year basis. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, around 61 homes have been approved in total. In the current financial year, FY26, two approvals have been recorded so far.

Despite population decline during this period, new supply has likely kept pace with demand, providing good choice for buyers. The average expected construction cost of new properties is $1,278,000, indicating a focus on the premium segment and upmarket properties. Commercial development in Balmain is moderate, with $16.0 million in approvals registered this financial year. Compared to Greater Sydney, Balmain has significantly less development activity, at 74.0% below the regional average per person. This scarcity of new dwellings typically strengthens demand and prices for existing properties.

Additionally, development activity is under the national average, indicating the area's established nature and suggesting potential planning limitations. New development in Balmain consists of 83.0% detached dwellings and 17.0% attached dwellings, maintaining the area's traditional suburban character with a focus on family homes appealing to those seeking space. Interestingly, developers are building more traditional houses than the current mix suggests (22.0% at Census), indicating continued strong demand for family homes. With around 1984 people per dwelling approval, Balmain reflects a highly mature market. Looking ahead, Balmain is expected to grow by 1,094 residents through to 2041. At current development rates, housing supply may struggle to match population growth, potentially heightening buyer competition and supporting price increases.

Balmain has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 10% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 27 projects likely impacting the area. Notable projects include Western Harbour Tunnel, White Bay Power Station Redevelopment, Blackwattle Bay Precinct Development, and Barangaroo Precinct. The following details those considered most relevant.

Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.

AreaSearch analysis places Balmain well above average for employment performance across multiple indicators

Balmain has an educated workforce with 3.1% unemployment as of June 2025. Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 3.9%.

Residents' employment rate is 67.5%, exceeding Greater Sydney's 60.0%. Key industries include professional & technical, finance & insurance, and health care & social assistance. Professional & technical has a particularly strong presence with an employment share of 1.8 times the regional level, while retail trade has limited presence at 6.0% compared to 9.3% regionally. Over the year ending June 2025, employment increased by 3.9%, labour force by 4.2%, raising unemployment rate by 0.3 percentage points.

In comparison, Greater Sydney saw employment grow by 2.6% and unemployment rise by 0.3 percentage points. State-level data to Sep-25 shows NSW employment contracted by 0.41%, with an unemployment rate of 4.3%. National forecasts project employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, varying by industry sector. Applying these projections to Balmain's mix suggests local growth of approximately 7.5% over five years and 14.9% over ten years.

The economic profile demonstrates exceptional strength, placing the area among the top 10% nationally based on comprehensive AreaSearch income analysis

AreaSearch's aggregation of latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 shows Balmain had a median income among taxpayers of $87,396 and an average income of $162,783. These figures place Balmain in the top percentile nationally, compared to Greater Sydney's median and average incomes of $56,994 and $80,856 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.6% since financial year 2022, current estimates for March 2025 would be approximately $96,660 (median) and $180,038 (average). Census data reveals household, family, and personal incomes in Balmain rank highly nationally, between the 98th and 99th percentiles. The earnings profile shows that 41.8% of residents (6,670 people) fall into the $4,000+ bracket, unlike surrounding regions where 30.9% earn between $1,500 - $2,999 weekly. A substantial proportion of high earners (51.8% above $3,000/week) indicates strong economic capacity in the district. High housing costs consume 16.3% of income, but strong earnings still place disposable income at the 97th percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 10th decile.

Balmain displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

In Balmain, as per the latest Census evaluation, 22.3% of dwellings were houses while 77.7% were other types such as semi-detached homes, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. This compares to Sydney metropolitan areas which had 30.0% houses and 70.0% other dwellings. Home ownership in Balmain stood at 32.3%, with mortgaged properties at 28.5% and rented ones at 39.2%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $4,000, higher than Sydney metro's average of $3,500. The median weekly rent figure for Balmain was $640, compared to Sydney metro's $600. Nationally, Balmain's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Balmain features high concentrations of lone person households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 65.4% of all households, including 27.9% couples with children, 29.1% couples without children, and 7.5% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 34.6%, with lone person households at 31.7% and group households comprising 3.1%. The median household size is 2.2 people, which is smaller than the Greater Sydney average of 2.3.

Educational achievement in Balmain places it within the top 10% nationally, reflecting strong academic performance and high qualification levels across the community

Educational attainment in Balmain is notably high, with 61.2% of residents aged 15 and above holding university qualifications compared to 30.4% nationally and 32.2% in NSW. The area's educational advantage is evident from the distribution of qualifications: Bachelor degrees lead at 36.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (19.7%) and graduate diplomas (4.7%). Vocational pathways account for 18.3%, with advanced diplomas making up 9.4% and certificates 8.9%. Educational participation is high, with 26.6% of residents currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes 8.8% in primary education, 6.9% in secondary education, and 5.9% pursuing tertiary education. Balmain's four schools have a combined enrollment of 1,019 students as of the most recent data point. The area demonstrates exceptional educational performance with an ICSEA score of 1160, placing its schools among the most advantaged nationally. All four schools focus exclusively on primary education, with secondary options available in surrounding areas. As of the latest figures, school places per 100 residents stand at 6.4, below the regional average of 10.3, indicating some students may attend schools in nearby areas.

Transport servicing is high compared to other areas nationally based on assessment of service frequency, route connectivity and accessibility

The analysis shows 46 active transport stops operating in Balmain. These comprise a mix of ferry and bus services. The stops are served by 15 different routes, collectively providing 6,129 weekly passenger trips.

Transport accessibility is rated excellent with residents typically located 150 meters from the nearest stop. Service frequency averages 875 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 133 weekly trips per individual stop.

Balmain's residents are extremely healthy with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Analysis shows strong health performance in Balmain with very low prevalence of common conditions across all ages. Private health cover stands at approximately 88%, compared to 80.5% in Greater Sydney and a national average of 55.3%. Mental health issues affect 7.8% of residents, while asthma impacts 7.1%.

A total of 73.1% report no medical ailments, similar to the 73.2% across Greater Sydney. Balmain has 19.3% seniors (aged 65 and over), higher than Greater Sydney's 15.4%. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, surpassing those of the general population in health metrics.

Balmain was found to be more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets in Australia, upon assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Balmain's cultural diversity is notable, with 12.0% speaking a language other than English at home and 31.4% born overseas. Christianity dominates Balmain's religious landscape at 41.1%. While Judaism comprises only 0.8%, this is slightly higher than Greater Sydney's 0.7%.

Ancestry-wise, the top three groups are English (29.1%), Australian (19.4%), and Irish (12.7%). Some ethnic groups show slight variations: French at 0.8% in Balmain matches regionally, Russian also stands at 0.5%, and Scottish is slightly higher at 9.0%.

Balmain hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

The median age in Balmain is 43 years, notably higher than Greater Sydney's average of 37 years and the national average of 38 years. The age profile shows a prominent group aged 55-64 (14.3%) and a smaller group aged 25-34 (11.5%). Between 2021 and present, the 15 to 24 age group grew from 8.1% to 10.0%, while the 75 to 84 cohort increased from 5.4% to 7.0%. Conversely, the 5 to 14 age group declined from 11.3% to 9.8% and the 35 to 44 group dropped from 15.8% to 14.7%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Balmain's age structure. The 85+ age cohort is projected to grow by 410 people (142%), from 288 to 699. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups are expected to account for 77% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. Conversely, the 15 to 24 and 0 to 4 cohorts are projected to experience population declines.