Darlinghurst

An assessment of population growth drivers in Darlinghurst reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

Darlinghurst's population is approximately 11,492 as of February 2026. This figure represents an increase of 877 people, or 8.3%, since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 10,615. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 11,411 in June 2024 and an additional 74 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 13,362 persons per square kilometer, placing Darlinghurst in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch, indicating high demand for land in the area. Darlinghurst's growth rate of 8.3% since the 2021 census exceeds the state average of 7.8%, positioning it as a growth leader regionally. Overseas migration contributed approximately 97.0% of overall population gains during recent periods, driving primary growth.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilises NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Future population trends indicate an increase just below the median of Australian statistical areas, with Darlinghurst expected to grow by 1,427 persons to 2041 based on latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting a total increase of 11.7% over the 17 years.

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

Darlinghurst has received approximately seven dwelling approvals per year over the past five financial years, totalling 37 homes. In FY26 so far, 14 approvals have been recorded. The population decline in recent years has resulted in adequate development activity relative to other areas, benefiting buyers due to more affordable housing options with an average construction cost of $118,000. This financial year, $142.9 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded, indicating high local commercial activity.

Compared to Greater Sydney and nationally, Darlinghurst has significantly less development activity, which typically reinforces demand and pricing for existing dwellings due to constrained new construction. New developments consist of 50% detached houses and 50% townhouses or apartments, offering affordable entry pathways for downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers. However, developers are building more traditional houses than the current mix suggests, indicating strong demand for family homes despite density pressures. By 2041, Darlinghurst is expected to grow by 1,346 residents. At current development rates, housing supply may struggle to match population growth, potentially increasing buyer competition and supporting price increases.

Looking ahead, Darlinghurst is expected to grow by 1,346 residents through to 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). At current development rates, housing supply may struggle to match population growth, potentially heightening buyer competition and supporting price increases.

Darlinghurst has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 30% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified a total of 52 projects likely to impact the area. Notable projects include Oxford & Foley, SCEGGS Darlinghurst Concept and Stage 1, St Vincent's Hospital Darlinghurst Campus Redevelopment, and East Sydney Collection. The following list details those most relevant.

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

Denotes AI-based impression for illustrative purposes only, not to be taken as definitive under any circumstances. Please follow links and conduct other investigations from the project's source for actual imagery. Developers and project owners wishing us to use original imagery please Contact Us and we will do so.

The employment landscape in Darlinghurst shows performance that lags behind national averages across key labour market indicators

Darlinghurst has a highly educated workforce with notable representation in the technology sector. As of September 2025, its unemployment rate is 4.8%, which is 0.6% higher than Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%. Workforce participation in Darlinghurst is 76.3%, compared to Greater Sydney's 70.0%.

According to Census responses, 61.1% of residents work from home. Employment is concentrated in professional & technical (2.1 times the regional level), finance & insurance, and health care & social assistance sectors. Conversely, construction shows lower representation at 2.9% compared to the regional average of 8.6%. The area functions as an employment hub with 1.3 workers per resident.

Between September 2024 and September 2025, Darlinghurst's labour force decreased by 1.4%, while employment decreased by 1.3%, with unemployment remaining essentially unchanged. In contrast, Greater Sydney saw employment rise by 2.1% and the labour force grow by 2.4%. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia, published in May-25, project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Darlinghurst's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.6% over five years and 14.9% over ten years.

Income metrics indicate excellent economic conditions, with the area achieving higher performance than 75% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch

The Darlinghurst SA2 has an exceptionally high income level nationally, according to the latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch. The median income among taxpayers in Darlinghurst SA2 is $77,039 for financial year 2023, with an average income of $117,209. This compares to figures for Greater Sydney's median income of $60,817 and average income of $83,003 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $83,865 (median) and $127,594 (average) as of September 2025. Census data reveals individual earnings stand out at the 98th percentile nationally ($1,535 weekly). Looking at income distribution, 30.2% of the population (3,470 individuals) fall within the $4000+ income range, differing from patterns across regional levels where $1,500 - 2,999 dominates with 30.9%. The substantial proportion of high earners (40.6% above $3,000/week) indicates strong economic capacity throughout Darlinghurst. High housing costs consume 21.2% of income, though strong earnings still place disposable income at the 74th percentile and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 10th decile.

Darlinghurst features a more urban dwelling mix with significant apartment living, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Dwelling structure in Darlinghurst, as evaluated at the latest Census held on 28 August 2016, comprised 0.9% houses and 99.1% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Sydney metropolitan area's 55.9% houses and 44.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Darlinghurst stood at 17.1%, with mortgaged dwellings at 19.7% and rented dwellings at 63.2%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,964, significantly higher than Sydney metro's average of $2,427, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded at $550, compared to Sydney metro's $470. Nationally, Darlinghurst's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households compose 39.2% of all households, including 6.6% couples with children, 28.7% couples without children, and 3.2% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 60.8%, with lone person households at 51.7% and group households comprising 9.1% of the total. The median household size is 1.7 people, which is smaller than the Greater Sydney average of 2.7.

Darlinghurst demonstrates exceptional educational outcomes, ranking among the top 5% of areas nationally based on AreaSearch's comprehensive analysis of qualification and performance metrics

Darlinghurst's educational attainment is notably higher than national averages. Among residents aged 15+, 63.9% have university qualifications, compared to Australia's 30.4% and NSW's 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are the most common (41.7%), followed by postgraduate qualifications (18.5%) and graduate diplomas (3.7%). Vocational pathways account for 18.5%, with advanced diplomas at 10.0% and certificates at 8.5%.

A significant 23.7% of the population is currently engaged in formal education, including 10.1% in tertiary, 3.0% in primary, and 1.8% in secondary education.

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

The analysis of public transport in Darlinghurst indicates that there are currently 42 active transport stops operating within the area. These stops offer a variety of bus services, with 17 individual routes collectively facilitating 11,632 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of these transport options is rated as excellent, with residents typically located just 92 meters from their nearest stop. As Darlinghurst is primarily residential, many residents commute outward for work or other purposes. Walking is a notably common mode of transportation in the area, used by 36% of residents, while 14% use the train. The average vehicle ownership per dwelling in Darlinghurst is 0.2, which is below the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, a high proportion of residents, specifically 61.1%, work from home, which may reflect the conditions related to COVID-19. The service frequency across all routes averages at 1,661 trips per day, equating to approximately 276 weekly trips per individual stop.

The level of general health in Darlinghurst is notably higher than the national average with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Darlinghurst shows above-average health outcomes based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Both young and old age cohorts have low prevalence of common health conditions. The rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 78% of the total population (9,021 people), compared to 59.9% across Greater Sydney and 55.7% nationally.

The most common medical conditions are mental health issues impacting 9.6% of residents and asthma affecting 7.1%. A total of 74.1% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 74.6% across Greater Sydney. Working-age residents have low chronic condition prevalence. The area has 13.3% of residents aged 65 and over (1,529 people), lower than the 15.4% in Greater Sydney. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, with national rankings even higher than the general population.

Darlinghurst 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

Darlinghurst has a high level of cultural diversity, with 22.4% of its population speaking a language other than English at home and 43.4% born overseas. Christianity is the main religion in Darlinghurst, comprising 30.3% of people. Judaism, however, is overrepresented, making up 2.2% of the population compared to 0.8% across Greater Sydney.

The top three ancestry groups in Darlinghurst are English at 25.2%, Australian at 14.6%, and Other at 13.9%. Notably, French, Spanish, and Hungarian ethnic groups have higher representations than regional averages: French is 1.5% versus 0.5%, Spanish is 1.0% versus 0.6%, and Hungarian is 0.5% versus 0.3%.

Darlinghurst's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

Darlinghurst's median age is 36 years, nearly matching Greater Sydney's average of 37 years and slightly below Australia's median of 38 years. Compared to Greater Sydney, Darlinghurst has a higher proportion of residents aged 25-34 (32.2%), but fewer residents aged 5-14 (2.7%). This concentration of 25-34 year-olds is significantly higher than the national average of 14.4%. Between the 2021 Census and the present, Darlinghurst's population has seen an increase in the 25 to 34 age group from 30.8% to 32.2%, while the 75 to 84 cohort has increased from 3.3% to 4.3%. Conversely, the 45 to 54 age group has declined from 13.2% to 11.5%, and the 55 to 64 age group has dropped from 11.3% to 10.2%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests Darlinghurst's age profile will change significantly. The 75 to 84 cohort is projected to grow by 67%, adding 336 residents to reach a total of 835. Meanwhile, the 35 to 44 age group is expected to decrease by 79 residents.