Dulwich Hill - Lewisham
Statistical Area - sa2

Dulwich Hill - Lewisham has seen population growth performance typically on par with national averages when looking at short and medium term trends

Dulwich Hill - Lewisham's population is approximately 19,034 as of August 2025. This figure represents an increase of 1,086 people since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 17,948. The increase is inferred from ABS estimates and validated new addresses between June 2024 and the Census date. The population density ratio is 7,049 persons per square kilometer, placing Dulwich Hill - Lewisham in the top 10% nationally. Over the past decade, ending with the 2021 Census, the area exhibited a compound annual growth rate of 0.8%, outperforming its SA4 region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 73.2% of overall population gains during this period.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 with a base year of 2022, and NSW State Government's SA2 level projections for areas not covered by this data, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021. Growth rates by age group are applied to all areas from 2032 to 2041. Based on current demographic trends, the area is expected to grow by 315 persons to 2041, resulting in a total reduction of 0.2%.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development drivers sees a low level of activity in Dulwich Hill - Lewisham, placing the area among the bottom 25% of areas assessed nationally

Dulwich Hill Lewisham has seen approximately 36 new homes approved annually. The Australian Bureau of Statistics produces development approval data on a financial year basis. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, around 184 homes have been approved. As of FY26136 homes have been approved so far. On average, over these five years, about 1.4 new residents arrived per new home built.

However, recent data shows this has increased to 31.2 people per dwelling over the past two financial years, indicating growing popularity and potential undersupply. New homes are being constructed at an average cost of $443,000, in line with regional trends. This year alone, there have been $5.7 million in commercial approvals, suggesting the area's residential character. Compared to Greater Sydney, Dulwich Hill Lewisham has significantly less development activity, 60.0% below the regional average per person. This constrained new construction typically reinforces demand and pricing for existing dwellings. Nationally, this activity is also lower, reflecting market maturity and possible development constraints. The majority of new building activity consists of medium and high-density housing, at 88.0%, with only 12.0% being detached houses.

This shift towards compact living offers affordable entry pathways, attracting downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers. This is a notable change from the area's existing housing composition, currently 29.0% houses, indicating decreasing availability of developable sites and reflecting changing lifestyles and demand for diverse, affordable housing options. Dulwich Hill Lewisham reflects a highly mature market with around 1962 people per dwelling approval. With population projections showing stability or decline, the area should see reduced housing demand pressures, benefiting potential buyers.

Dulwich Hill - Lewisham has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 10% nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 32 projects likely to impact this region. Notable projects include Cooks to Cove GreenWay, Jack Shanahan Reserve Skatepark Upgrade, Johnson Park Upgrade, and JF Laxton Reserve Upgrade. The following details those most relevant.

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

AreaSearch analysis indicates Dulwich Hill - Lewisham maintains employment conditions that align with national benchmarks

Dulwich Hill - Lewisham has an educated workforce with a notable technology sector representation, unemployment rate of 4.9%, and estimated employment growth of 3.8% in the past year as of June 2025. There are 12,221 residents employed, with an unemployment rate at 0.7% above Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%.

Workforce participation is high at 68.8%, compared to Greater Sydney's 60.0%. Leading employment industries include professional & technical (strongly specialized), health care & social assistance, and education & training. Construction shows lower representation at 5.5% versus the regional average of 8.6%. Employment opportunities locally may be limited.

Over June 2024 to June 2025, employment increased by 3.8%, labour force by 4.2%, leading to an unemployment rise of 0.4 percentage points. Greater Sydney recorded employment growth of 2.6% and unemployment rose by 0.3 percentage points. By Sep-25, NSW employment contracted by 0.41%, with the state unemployment rate at 4.3%. National forecasts from May 2025 project national employment to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Dulwich Hill - Lewisham's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 7.1%% over five years and 14.3% over ten years.

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

In AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year 2022, Dulwich Hill - Lewisham's median income among taxpayers is $68,733. The average income in this area is $89,883. Nationally, these figures are extremely high compared to Greater Sydney's median of $56,994 and average of $80,856. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.6% since financial year 2022, current estimates for Dulwich Hill - Lewisham would be approximately $76,019 (median) and $99,411 (average) as of March 2025. According to Census 2021 income data, household, family and personal incomes in Dulwich Hill - Lewisham rank highly nationally, between the 76th and 91st percentiles. Income analysis reveals that the largest segment comprises 32.3% earning $1,500 - 2,999 weekly (6,147 residents), which is similar to the metropolitan region where 30.9% occupy this bracket. A substantial proportion of high earners, at 34.2%, indicates strong economic capacity throughout the suburb. High housing costs consume 18.5% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 73rd percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

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

Dwelling structure in Dulwich Hill-Lewisham, as per the latest Census, had 28.7% houses and 71.4% other dwellings. In comparison, Sydney metro had 33.5% houses and 66.5% other dwellings. Home ownership in Dulwich Hill-Lewisham was 24.0%, with mortgaged dwellings at 28.9% and rented at 47.2%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,600, higher than Sydney metro's average of $2,436. Median weekly rent was $480, compared to Sydney metro's $465. Nationally, Dulwich Hill-Lewisham's mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $1,863 and rents substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households compose 59.2% of all households, including 23.2% couples with children, 25.5% couples without children, and 9.3% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 40.8%, comprising 33.6% lone person households and 7.2% group households. The median household size is 2.2 people, which is smaller than the Greater Sydney average of 2.5.

Dulwich Hill - Lewisham shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

Dulwich Hill - Lewisham's educational attainment is notably higher than national averages. Among residents aged 15+, 52% hold university qualifications, compared to Australia's 30.4% and New South Wales' (NSW) 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 33%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 14.4% and graduate diplomas at 4.6%. Vocational pathways account for 22% of qualifications among those aged 15+, with advanced diplomas at 10.5% and certificates at 11.5%.

Educational participation is high, with 28.5% of residents currently enrolled in formal education: 8.3% in tertiary, 7.5% in primary, and 6.3% in secondary education. The area has a robust network of seven schools serving approximately 2,858 students. Dulwich Hill - Lewisham demonstrates above-average socio-educational conditions with an ICSEA score of 1066. The educational mix includes three primary, two secondary, and two K-12 schools.

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

Dulwich Hill-Lewisham has 52 active public transport stops. These include train, light rail, and bus services. There are 40 individual routes operating in total, serving 11,455 weekly passenger trips.

Residents have excellent accessibility to these stops, with an average distance of 131 meters to the nearest one. The service frequency is 1,636 trips per day across all routes, which equals approximately 220 weekly trips per stop.

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

Dulwich Hill-Lewisham shows superior health outcomes for both young and elderly residents, with low prevalence of common conditions. Approximately 67% of its total population of 12,695 has private health cover, higher than Greater Sydney's 57.3% and the national average of 55.3%. The most prevalent medical conditions are mental health issues (10.9%) and asthma (8.5%), with 69.8% reporting no medical ailments, compared to 77.0% in Greater Sydney.

The area has 13.1% residents aged 65 and over (2,489 people), lower than Greater Sydney's 14.5%. Health outcomes for seniors are above average, mirroring the general population's health profile.

Dulwich Hill - Lewisham 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

Dulwich Hill-Lewisham was found to be more culturally diverse than most local areas, with 33.5% of its population born overseas and 27.9% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Dulwich Hill-Lewisham, comprising 38.9% of people. However, Judaism is overrepresented compared to Greater Sydney, making up 0.4% of the population.

The top three ancestry groups are English (20.6%), Australian (17.8%), and Other (12.9%). Some ethnic groups show notable differences: Hungarian at 0.5%, Greek at 4.4%, and Lebanese at 2.0%.

Dulwich Hill - Lewisham's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

Dulwich Hill - Lewisham's median age in 2021 was 37 years, matching Greater Sydney's figure and being comparable to Australia's median of 38 years. The area had a strong representation of the 25-34 age group at 20.9%, higher than Greater Sydney's percentage, while the 5-14 cohort was less prevalent at 8.1%. This concentration of the 25-34 age group is well above the national average of 14.5%. Between 2021 and the present, the 15 to 24 age group has grown from 10.0% to 11.2%, while the 35 to 44 cohort increased from 17.4% to 18.5%. Conversely, the 5 to 14 cohort has declined from 9.2% to 8.1%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Dulwich Hill - Lewisham's age structure. The 75 to 84 group is projected to grow by 41%, reaching 1,160 people from the current 824. This aging population trend is evident, with those aged 65 and above comprising 86% of the projected growth. Meanwhile, the 55 to 64 and 15 to 24 age groups are expected to experience population declines.