Potts Point - Woolloomooloo

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

Potts Point - Woolloomooloo's population was 19,657 as of February 2026, according to AreaSearch's analysis. This figure represents an increase of 1,470 people, or 8.1%, since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 18,187. The change is inferred from ABS's estimated resident population of 19,653 in June 2024 and six additional validated addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 13,463 persons per square kilometer, placing Potts Point - Woolloomooloo among the top 10% of locations assessed by AreaSearch, indicating high demand for land in the area. The area's growth rate of 8.1% since the 2021 Census exceeded the state average of 7.8%, positioning it as a growth leader regionally. Overseas migration was the primary driver behind this population growth.

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 from these aggregations are applied to all areas for the years 2032 to 2041. Future population trends indicate a significant increase in the top quartile of Australian statistical areas, with Potts Point - Woolloomooloo expected to increase by 7,404 persons to 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting an overall increase of 37.6% over the 17-year period.

The level of residential development activity in Potts Point - Woolloomooloo is very low in comparison to the average area assessed nationally by AreaSearch

Potts Point-Woolloomooloo has received approximately 22 dwelling approvals per year over the past five financial years, totalling 113 homes. As of FY-26, 16 approvals have been recorded. The area's population decline has maintained adequate housing supply relative to demand, resulting in a balanced market with diverse buyer options. New homes are being constructed at an average cost of $964,000, indicating a focus on premium properties.

This financial year, $16.5 million in commercial approvals have been registered, reflecting steady commercial investment activity. Compared to Greater Sydney, Potts Point-Woolloomooloo has significantly less development activity, with 79.0% below the regional average per person. This scarcity of new properties typically strengthens demand and prices for existing homes. Recent building activity consists entirely of townhouses or apartments, appealing to downsizers, investors, and entry-level buyers. With around 2346 people per dwelling approval, Potts Point-Woolloomooloo reflects a highly mature market. Future projections estimate an addition of 7,400 residents by 2041.

If current construction levels persist, housing supply may lag population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and supporting price growth.

Potts Point - Woolloomooloo has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 30% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 67 projects that may affect this region. Notable initiatives include Minerva Theatre Restoration, The Potts Point Hotel Redevelopment (Queensgate), Holiday Inn Potts Point Redevelopment, and 45-53 Macleay Street Mixed-Use Development (The Chimes). Below is a list of those likely to be 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.

AreaSearch analysis reveals Potts Point - Woolloomooloo recording weaker employment conditions than most comparable areas nationwide

Potts Point - Woolloomooloo has a highly educated workforce with the technology sector prominent. As of September 2025, its unemployment rate is 5.5%. In this month, 13,013 residents are employed while the area's unemployment rate is 1.3% higher than Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%.

Workforce participation in Potts Point - Woolloomooloo is 73.2%, compared to Greater Sydney's 70.0%. According to Census responses, 61.3% of residents work from home. Leading employment industries include professional & technical, finance & insurance, and health care & social assistance. The area has a notable concentration in professional & technical jobs, with levels at 1.9 times the regional average.

Conversely, construction shows lower representation at 3.5% compared to the regional average of 8.6%. The ratio of workers to residents is 0.8, indicating substantial local employment opportunities. Between September 2024 and September 2025, labour force decreased by 1.2%, while employment declined by 1.9%, causing unemployment to rise by 0.6 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Sydney saw employment rise by 2.1% and the labour force grow by 2.4%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Potts Point - Woolloomooloo's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.4% over five years and 14.6% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for localised population projections.

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

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of ATO data released on 30 June 2023 for financial year 2023, Potts Point - Woolloomooloo SA2 had a median income among taxpayers of $75,584 and an average level of $130,103. These figures are exceptionally high nationally compared to the Greater Sydney levels of $60,817 for median income and $83,003 for average income. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $82,281 (median) and $141,630 (average) as of September 2025. According to the 2021 Census, individual earnings rank at the 97th percentile nationally ($1,534 weekly), while household income ranks at the 67th percentile. The predominant income cohort spans 30.4% of locals (5,975 people) in the $1,500 - 2,999 category, similar to the broader area where 30.9% occupy this range. Economic strength is evident with 33.2% of households achieving high weekly earnings exceeding $3,000, supporting elevated consumer spending. High housing costs consume 20.3% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 61st percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

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

In Potts Point - Woolloomooloo, as per the latest Census evaluation, 0.3% of dwellings were houses while 99.7% were other types such as semi-detached units and apartments. This is in contrast to Sydney metropolitan areas which had 55.9% houses and 44.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Potts Point - Woolloomooloo stood at 18.4%, with mortgaged properties at 16.1% and rented ones at 65.5%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,500, surpassing Sydney metro's average of $2,427. Weekly rent median was recorded at $490, slightly higher than Sydney metro's $470. Nationally, Potts Point - Woolloomooloo's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 33.5% of all households, including 4.8% couples with children, 25.1% couples without children, and 3.1% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 66.5%, with lone person households at 60.6% and group households comprising 5.9%. The median household size is 1.5 people, which is smaller than the Greater Sydney average of 2.7.

The educational profile of Potts Point - Woolloomooloo exceeds national averages, with above-average qualification levels and academic performance metrics

Educational attainment in Potts Point-Woolloomooloo is notably higher than national averages. As of 2016 census data, 61.9% of residents aged 15 and above held university qualifications, compared to the Australian average of 30.4% and the New South Wales average of 32.2%. This high level of educational attainment is predominantly due to bachelor degrees (39.4%), followed by postgraduate qualifications (18.5%) and graduate diplomas (4.0%). Vocational pathways, including advanced diplomas (11.0%) and certificates (10.0%), make up 21.0% of qualifications among those aged 15 and above.

Furthermore, a significant portion of the population is actively engaged in education, with 22.0% pursuing formal learning. This includes 9.7% in tertiary education, 2.6% in primary education, and 1.9% in secondary education, as recorded in the 2016 census.

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

Potts Point - Woolloomooloo has 53 active public transport stops serving a mix of train and bus routes. These stops are serviced by 12 individual routes that collectively provide 9,157 weekly passenger trips. Residents have excellent transport accessibility, with an average distance of 101 meters to the nearest stop. The area is primarily residential, with most residents commuting outward. Walking is notably common at 31%, while train use accounts for 22%. Vehicle ownership averages 0.2 per dwelling, below the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, a high 61.3% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 1,308 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 172 weekly trips per individual stop.

Potts Point - Woolloomooloo's residents are healthier than average in comparison to broader Australia with prevalence of common health conditions quite low across both younger and older age cohorts

Health data shows relatively positive outcomes for Potts Point - Woolloomooloo residents. AreaSearch's analysis of mortality rates and health conditions indicates results broadly in line with national benchmarks. The prevalence of common health conditions is quite low across both younger and older age cohorts.

Private health cover is exceptionally high, at approximately 80% of the total population (15,804 people), compared to 59.9% across Greater Sydney and a national average of 55.7%. The most common medical conditions are mental health issues and asthma, impacting 10.1 and 6.9% of residents respectively, while 71.4% declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments compared to 74.6% across Greater Sydney. The under-65 population demonstrates better than average health outcomes. The area has 17.9% of residents aged 65 and over (3,514 people), which is higher than the 15.4% in Greater Sydney. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, with national rankings even higher than the general population.

Potts Point - Woolloomooloo 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

Potts Point-Woolloomooloo, surveyed in August 2016, had a higher cultural diversity than most local areas, with 20.1% speaking a language other than English at home and 40.9% born overseas. Christianity was the predominant religion (34.4%), but Judaism was notably overrepresented at 2.1%, compared to Greater Sydney's 0.8%. In ancestry, the top groups were English (25.2%), Australian (14.6%), and Other (13.1%).

French (1.8% vs regional 0.5%), Spanish (1.1% vs 0.6%), and Russian (0.8% vs 0.4%) were overrepresented.

Potts Point - Woolloomooloo's population aligns closely with national norms in age terms

The median age in Potts Point-Woolloomooloo is 39 years, which is higher than Greater Sydney's average of 37 and close to the national average of 38. The 25-34 cohort is notably over-represented at 27.3%, compared to Greater Sydney's average, while those aged 5-14 are under-represented at 2.2%. This concentration of the 25-34 age group is well above the national average of 14.4%. Post-2021 Census data shows that the 15-24 age group grew from 6.8% to 8.4%, and the 75-84 cohort increased from 4.8% to 6.3%. Conversely, the 25-34 cohort declined from 28.6% to 27.3%, and the 45-54 group dropped from 13.4% to 12.1%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes in Potts Point-Woolloomooloo, with the 25-34 age group expected to grow by 29%, reaching 6,931 people from 5,368.