Dulwich Hill - Lewisham

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

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, Dulwich Hill - Lewisham's population is around 19,119 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 1,171 people (6.5%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 17,948 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 18,681 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 196 validated new addresses since the Census date. This population level equates to a density ratio of 7,081 persons per square kilometer, which lies in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch, making land in the area a highly sought resource. Over the past decade, Dulwich Hill - Lewisham has demonstrated resilient growth patterns with a 0.8% compound annual growth rate, outpacing the SA4 region. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration, which contributed approximately 73.2% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For any SA2 areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch is utilising the NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, as released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are also applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Regarding demographic trends, lower quartile growth of national areas is anticipated, with the area expected to grow by 315 persons to 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting a reduction of 0.6% in total over the 17 years.

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 around 36 new homes approved each year, with 184 homes approved over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25) and 146 so far in FY-26. With an average of 1.4 people per year moving to the area for each dwelling built over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25), supply and demand appear well-balanced, creating stable market conditions, though recent data shows this has intensified to 31.2 people per dwelling over the past 2 financial years, indicating growing popularity and potential undersupply. New homes are being built at an average construction cost of $291,000, consistent with regional patterns. Additionally, $5.7 million in commercial approvals have been registered this financial year, supporting the area's residential character.

When measured against Greater Sydney, Dulwich Hill - Lewisham has significantly less development activity (60.0% below regional average per person). This constrained new construction usually reinforces demand and pricing for existing dwellings. This activity is likewise lower than nationally, reflecting market maturity and pointing to possible development constraints. New building activity shows 12.0% detached houses and 88.0% medium and high-density housing. This skew toward compact living offers affordable entry pathways and attracts downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers. This represents a notable shift from the area's existing housing (currently 29.0% houses), indicating decreasing availability of developable sites and reflecting changing lifestyles and the need for more diverse, affordable housing options. With around 1962 people per dwelling approval, Dulwich Hill - Lewisham reflects a highly mature market.

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

Nothing can influence an area's performance as much as changes to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. In total 37 projects have been identified by AreaSearch that are likely to have an impact on the area. Key projects include Cooks to Cove GreenWay, JF Laxton Reserve Upgrade, Sydney Metro Sydenham to Bankstown Conversion, and Dulwich Hill Village Master Plan, with the list below detailing those likely to be of most relevance.

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 Dulwich Hill - Lewisham shows performance that lags behind national averages across key labour market indicators

Dulwich Hill - Lewisham features a highly educated workforce, with the technology sector a particular standout in terms of representation, and an unemployment rate of 5.0%. As of December 2025, 11,778 residents are in work while the unemployment rate is 0.8% above Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%, and workforce participation is well beyond standard (76.2% compared to Greater Sydney's 70.2%). Based on Census responses, a high 60.4% of residents were found to work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered.

Employment among residents is concentrated in professional & technical, health care & social assistance, and education & training. The area has particular employment specialization in professional & technical, 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%. The predominantly residential area appears to offer limited employment opportunities locally, as indicated by the count of Census working population vs resident population.

Based on AreaSearch analysis of SALM and ABS data, over the 12 months to December 2025, labour force levels decreased by 1.7% alongside a 2.2% employment decline, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 0.5 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Sydney experienced employment growth of 2.2% and labour force growth of 2.3%, with a marginal rise. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 can offer further insight into potential future demand within Dulwich Hill - Lewisham. These projections, covering five and ten-year periods, have been mapped against the local employment profile to estimate growth patterns. 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 industry-specific projections to Dulwich Hill - Lewisham's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.1% over five years and 14.3% over ten years (please note this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections).

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

As per AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data released for FY-23, the Dulwich Hill - Lewisham SA2's median income among taxpayers is $72,831, with an average of $92,254. This is extremely high nationally, and compares to Greater Sydney's median of $60,817 and average of $83,003. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since FY-23, current estimates would be approximately $79,284 (median) and $100,428 (average) as of September 2025. Census 2021 income data shows household, family and personal incomes all rank highly in Dulwich Hill - Lewisham, between the 75th and 90th percentiles nationally. Income analysis reveals the largest segment comprises 32.3% earning $1,500 - 2,999 weekly (6,175 residents), mirroring the metropolitan region where 30.9% occupy this bracket. The substantial proportion of high earners (34.2% above $3,000/week) indicates strong economic capacity throughout this suburb. High housing costs consume 18.5% of income, though strong earnings still place disposable income at the 72nd percentile and 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 within Dulwich Hill - Lewisham, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 28.7% houses and 71.4% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), in comparison to Sydney metro's 55.9% houses and 44.1% other dwellings. Meanwhile, the level of home ownership within Dulwich Hill - Lewisham lagged that of Sydney metro, at 24.0%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged (28.9%) or rented (47.2%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was above the Sydney metro average at $2,600, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded at $480, compared to Sydney metro's $2,427 and $470. Nationally, Dulwich Hill - Lewisham's mortgage repayments are significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents are 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 dominate at 59.2% of all households, comprising 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 of 2.2 people is smaller than the Greater Sydney average of 2.7.

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 significantly surpasses broader benchmarks, with 52.0% of residents aged 15+ holding university qualifications compared to 30.4% in Australia and 32.2% in NSW. This substantial educational advantage positions the area strongly for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees lead at 33.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (14.4%) and graduate diplomas (4.6%). Vocational pathways account for 22.0% of qualifications among those aged 15+ – advanced diplomas (10.5%) and certificates (11.5%).

Educational participation is notably high, with 28.5% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 8.3% in tertiary education, 7.5% in primary education, and 6.3% pursuing secondary education.

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

Public transport analysis reveals 85 active transport stops operating within Dulwich Hill - Lewisham, comprising a mix of train, light rail, and buses. These stops are serviced by 47 individual routes, collectively providing 12,759 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically located 131 meters from the nearest transport stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward; the car remains the dominant mode at 63%, with 17% by train and 7% by bus. Vehicle ownership averages 0.6 per dwelling, which is below the regional average. A high 60.4% of residents work from home (2021 Census; may reflect COVID-19 conditions).

Service frequency averages 1,822 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 150 weekly trips per individual 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 demonstrates above-average health outcomes, based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Both young and old age cohorts see a low prevalence of common health conditions, and the rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 67% of the total population (12,771 people). This compares to 59.9% across Greater Sydney and a national average of 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions in the area are mental health issues and asthma, impacting 10.9% and 8.5% of residents, respectively, while 69.8% declared themselves as completely clear of medical ailments compared to 74.6% across Greater Sydney. Health outcomes among the working-age population are broadly typical. The area has 13.5% of residents aged 65 and over (2,573 people), which is lower than the 15.4% in Greater Sydney. Health outcomes among seniors are above average, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

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 the vast majority of local markets, with 33.5% of its population born overseas and 27.9% speaking a language other than English at home. The main religion in Dulwich Hill - Lewisham is Christianity, which makes up 38.9% of the population. However, the most apparent overrepresentation was in Judaism, which comprises 0.4% of the population, compared to 0.8% across Greater Sydney.

In terms of ancestry (country of birth of parents), the top three represented groups in Dulwich Hill - Lewisham are English, comprising 20.6% of the population, Australian, comprising 17.8% of the population, and Other, comprising 12.9% of the population. Additionally, there are notable divergences in the representation of certain other ethnic groups: Hungarian is notably overrepresented at 0.5% of Dulwich Hill - Lewisham (vs 0.3% regionally), Greek at 4.4% (vs 1.9%) and Lebanese at 2.0% (vs 2.6%).

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

With a median age of 37, Dulwich Hill - Lewisham is equal to the Greater Sydney figure of 37 and remains comparable to Australia's 38 years. The 25 - 34 age group shows strong representation at 20.4% compared to Greater Sydney, whereas the 5 - 14 cohort is less prevalent at 8.0%. This 25 - 34 concentration is well above the national 14.4%. In the period since 2021, the 15 to 24 age group has grown from 10.0% to 11.3% of the population, 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 8.0%. Looking ahead to 2041, demographic projections reveal significant shifts in Dulwich Hill - Lewisham's age structure. Leading the demographic shift, the 85+ group will grow by 89% (324 people), reaching 690 from 365. The aging population dynamic is clear, with those 65+ comprising 85% of projected growth. On the other hand, the 55 to 64 and 15 to 24 cohorts are expected to experience population declines.