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 reported a population of 17,948. The change is inferred from ABS estimates of 18,682 in June 2024 and an additional 195 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 7,049 persons per square kilometer, placing Dulwich Hill-Lewisham in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Over the past decade, ending in June 2024, Dulwich Hill-Lewisham has shown resilient growth patterns with an average annual growth rate of 0.8%, outperforming its SA4 region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 73.2% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 using 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered by this data, NSW State Government's SA2 level projections released in 2022 with a 2021 base year are used. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Based on current demographic trends and latest population numbers, Dulwich Hill-Lewisham is expected to grow by 315 persons by the year 2041, with an anticipated reduction of 0.2% in total over this period.

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 111 new homes approved annually. The Australian Bureau of Statistics produces development approval data on a financial year basis, showing 558 homes over the past five financial years from FY-20 to FY-25, and 136 so far in FY-26. On average, 1.4 new residents have arrived per new home each year over the past five financial years, indicating balanced supply and demand. However, recent data shows an intensification to 31.2 people per dwelling over the past two financial years, suggesting growing popularity and potential undersupply. New homes are being built at an average expected construction cost value of $443,000, in line with regional trends.

There have been $5.7 million in commercial approvals this financial year, reflecting 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, which typically reinforces demand and pricing for existing dwellings. This activity is also lower than the national average, indicating market maturity and possible development constraints. New building activity shows 12.0% detached houses and 88.0% medium to high-density housing, offering affordable entry pathways and attracting downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers. This represents a shift from the area's existing housing composition of 29.0% houses, reflecting decreasing availability of developable sites and changing lifestyles. With around 1962 people per dwelling approval, Dulwich Hill - Lewisham reflects a highly mature market. Population projections showing stability or decline suggest reduced housing demand pressures, benefiting potential buyers in the area.

With population projections showing stability or decline, Dulwich Hill - Lewisham 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 to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 32 projects likely impacting the area. Notable ones include Cooks to Cove GreenWay, Jack Shanahan Reserve Skatepark Upgrade, Johnson Park Upgrade, and JF Laxton Reserve Upgrade. The following list 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 a highly educated workforce with notable representation in the technology sector. The unemployment rate was 4.9% as of June 2025.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 3.8%. There are 12,221 residents employed, with an unemployment rate of 5.6%, which is 1.4 percentage points higher than Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%. Workforce participation is high at 68.8% compared to Greater Sydney's 60.0%. The leading employment industries among residents are professional & technical, health care & social assistance, and education & training.

The area has a particularly strong specialization in professional & technical services with an employment share of 1.3 times the regional level. Conversely, construction shows lower representation at 5.5% versus the regional average of 8.6%. Over the 12 months to June 2025, employment increased by 3.8% while labour force increased by 4.2%, resulting in an unemployment rise of 0.4 percentage points. In comparison, Greater Sydney recorded employment growth of 2.6%, labour force growth of 2.9%, with unemployment rising by 0.3 percentage points. As of Sep-25, NSW employment contracted by 0.41% (losing 19,270 jobs), with the state unemployment rate at 4.3%. This compares favourably to the national unemployment rate of 4.5%, which is lagging behind the national employment growth of 0.26%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 suggest that while national employment is forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, growth rates differ significantly between industry sectors. 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

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 shows Dulwich Hill - Lewisham had a median income among taxpayers of $68,733 and an average of $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, estimated incomes for March 2025 would be approximately $76,019 (median) and $99,411 (average). According to Census 2021 income data, Dulwich Hill - Lewisham ranks highly nationally for household, family, and personal incomes, between the 76th and 91st percentiles. Income analysis reveals that 32.3% of residents earn $1,500-$2,999 weekly, which is similar to the metropolitan region at 30.9%. A substantial proportion, 34.2%, earns above $3,000 per week, indicating strong economic capacity in 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

The dwelling structure in Dulwich Hill - Lewisham, as per the latest Census, was composed of 28.7% houses and 71.4% other dwellings. This compares to Sydney metro's figures of 33.5% houses and 66.5% other dwellings. The home ownership rate in Dulwich Hill - Lewisham stood at 24.0%, with mortgaged dwellings at 28.9% and rented dwellings at 47.2%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,600, higher than Sydney metro's average of $2,436. The median weekly rent figure was recorded at $480, compared to Sydney metro's $465. Nationally, Dulwich Hill - Lewisham's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were 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 account for 59.2% of all households, consisting of 23.2% couples with children, 25.5% couples without children, and 9.3% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 40.8%, with lone person households at 33.6% and group households comprising 7.2% of the total. 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

Educational attainment in Dulwich Hill - Lewisham is notably higher than national averages. Among residents aged 15 and above, 52.0% hold university qualifications, compared to 30.4% nationally and 32.2% in NSW. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 33.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (14.4%) and graduate diplomas (4.6%). Vocational pathways account for 22.0% of qualifications, with advanced diplomas at 10.5% and certificates at 11.5%.

Current educational participation is high, with 28.5% of residents enrolled in formal education. This includes 8.3% in tertiary, 7.5% in primary, and 6.3% pursuing secondary education. Dulwich Hill - Lewisham hosts a robust network of 7 schools serving approximately 2,858 students. The area demonstrates above-average socio-educational conditions with an ICSEA score of 1066. The educational mix includes 3 primary, 2 secondary, and 2 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, serving a mix of train, light rail, and bus services. These stops are covered by 40 individual routes, collectively facilitating 11,455 weekly passenger trips. Residents enjoy excellent transport accessibility, with an average distance of 131 meters to the nearest stop.

Service frequency averages 1,636 trips daily across all routes, translating to 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 better-than-average health results for both young and elderly residents. Common health conditions have low prevalence rates here. Around 67% of its total population (12,695 people) has private health cover, higher than Greater Sydney's 57.3% and the national average of 55.3%.

Mental health issues affect 10.9% of residents, while asthma impacts 8.5%. About 69.8% claim to be free from medical ailments, compared to 77.0% in Greater Sydney. The area has 13.1% of seniors aged 65 and over (2,489 people), less than Greater Sydney's 14.5%. Health outcomes among seniors are good, matching 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 has a higher cultural diversity than most local areas, with 33.5% of its residents born overseas and 27.9% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Dulwich Hill-Lewisham, composing 38.9% of the population. However, Judaism stands out as it makes up 0.4%, higher than the Greater Sydney average of 0.2%.

In terms of ancestry, the top groups are English (20.6%), Australian (17.8%), and Other (12.9%). Notably, Hungarian (0.5%) and Greek (4.4%) are overrepresented compared to regional averages of 0.3% and 2.9%, respectively. Lebanese residents make up 2.0%, slightly below the regional average of 3.1%.

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

Dulwich Hill - Lewisham has a median age of 37, which is equal to Greater Sydney's figure and comparable to Australia's median age of 38 years. The 25-34 age group constitutes 20.9% of the population in Dulwich Hill - Lewisham, higher than Greater Sydney's percentage but lower than the national average of 14.5%. Meanwhile, the 5-14 cohort is less prevalent at 8.1%. Between 2021 and present, the population aged 15 to 24 has grown from 10.0% to 11.2%, while those aged 35 to 44 have increased from 17.4% to 18.5%. Conversely, the 5-14 age group has declined from 9.2% to 8.1%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Dulwich Hill - Lewisham's age structure. The 75-84 age group is expected to grow by 41%, increasing from 824 to 1,160 people. Those aged 65 and above will comprise 86% of the projected population growth. However, the 55-64 and 15-24 cohorts are projected to experience population declines.