Putney
Statistical Area - sa2

Putney is positioned among the lower quartile of areas assessed nationally for population growth based on AreaSearch's assessment of recent, and medium term trends

Putney's population was around 4,163 as per the 2021 Census. By Aug 2025, it is estimated to be approximately 4,190, reflecting an increase of 27 people (0.6%) since the census. This increase is inferred from the ABS's estimated resident population of 4,181 as of June 2024 and an additional 13 validated new addresses since the Census date. The population density is approximately 2,756 persons per square kilometer, placing Putney in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Recent population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration, contributing around 77.0% of overall population gains.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilises NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, 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. Examining future trends, Putney is expected to increase by approximately 201 persons by 2041 based on the latest population numbers, reflecting an increase of around 4.6% in total over the 17-year period.

Residential development activity is slightly higher than average within Putney when compared nationally

Putney has received approximately 50 dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years. This totals 252 homes from FY18 to FY23. As of FY26, 18 dwellings have been approved. Despite population decline in Putney, housing supply has remained adequate relative to demand, resulting in a balanced market with good buyer choice.

New homes are being constructed at an average value of $1,314,000, indicating developer focus on the premium segment. In FY26, $6.2 million in commercial approvals have been registered, suggesting limited commercial development activity. Compared to Greater Sydney, Putney has slightly more development per person over the past five years (13.0% above average), maintaining good buyer choice while supporting existing property values. This is significantly higher than the national average, reflecting strong developer confidence in the area. New development consists of 26.0% detached dwellings and 74.0% townhouses or apartments, marking a significant shift from the current housing pattern of 84.0% houses. This shift may be due to diminishing developable land availability and evolving lifestyle preferences.

With approximately 78 people per dwelling approval, Putney is characterized as a low density area. Future projections indicate Putney adding 192 residents by 2041. Given current construction levels, housing supply should adequately meet demand, creating favorable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling population growth that exceeds current forecasts.

Putney 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 has identified seven projects likely to impact the area. Notable projects are Mortlake Ferry Upgrade, Putney Wharf, Shepherds Bay Kingston Quarter, and Ryde Hospital Redevelopment. The following list details those most relevant:.

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

The exceptional employment performance in Putney places it among Australia's strongest labour markets

Putney has a highly educated workforce with strong professional services representation. Its unemployment rate is 1.6%, lower than Greater Sydney's 4.2%.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 12.6%. As of June 2025, 2,707 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 2.6% below Greater Sydney's rate. Workforce participation is 64.3%, similar to Greater Sydney's 60.0%. Employment is concentrated in professional & technical (1.3 times the regional average), health care & social assistance, and education & training.

Accommodation & food services have limited presence at 3.3% compared to the regional average of 5.8%. Over a 12-month period, employment increased by 12.6% while labour force grew by 11.3%, reducing the unemployment rate by 1.1 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Sydney saw employment rise by 2.6%, with unemployment rising by 0.3 percentage points. As of Sep-25, NSW's employment contracted by 0.41% (losing 19,270 jobs), with the state unemployment rate at 4.3%. National forecasts from May 2025 project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Putney's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 7.2% over five years and 14.5% over ten years.

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

Putney's median income among taxpayers was $56,112 in financial year 2022. The average income stood at $76,771 during the same period. These figures compare to Greater Sydney's median and average incomes of $56,994 and $80,856 respectively. By March 2025, estimates suggest Putney's median income could be approximately $62,060 and the average could reach $84,909, based on a 10.6% growth in wages since financial year 2022. Census data shows household, family, and personal incomes in Putney rank between the 85th and 97th percentiles nationally. The earnings profile indicates that 37.7% of residents (1,579 people) earn above $4,000 weekly, differing from the broader area where the $1,500 - 2,999 category is predominant at 30.9%. Notably, 50.3% of Putney's residents earn above $3,000 weekly. Housing expenses account for 13.4% of income. Strong earnings place residents within the 97th percentile for disposable income. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 10th decile.

Putney is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

As per the latest Census evaluation, Putney's dwelling structure comprised 84.2% houses and 15.7% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Sydney metro had 42.9% houses and 57.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Putney was 47.1%, with mortgaged dwellings at 37.2% and rented ones at 15.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $3,467, higher than Sydney metro's average of $2,600. The median weekly rent figure in Putney was recorded at $700, compared to Sydney metro's $460. Nationally, Putney's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Putney features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 83.9% of all households, including 47.6% couples with children, 26.9% couples without children, and 8.2% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 16.1%, with lone person households at 14.4% and group households making up 1.3%. The median household size is 3.0 people, which is larger than the Greater Sydney average of 2.5.

Putney shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

Putney's educational attainment is notably high, with 42.4% of residents aged 15 and above holding university qualifications, compared to Australia's 30.4%. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 29.4%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (10.8%) and graduate diplomas (2.2%). Vocational credentials are also common, with 27.1% of residents aged 15 and above holding such qualifications, including advanced diplomas (11.4%) and certificates (15.7%). Educational participation is high, with 29.8% of residents currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes 9.3% in primary education, 9.1% in secondary education, and 6.9% pursuing tertiary education. Putney Public School serves the local area, enrolling 398 students as of a specified date. The school focuses exclusively on primary education, with secondary options available in nearby areas. School places per 100 residents stand at 9.5, below the regional average of 13.2. Some students may attend schools in adjacent areas due to this difference. Putney demonstrates significant socio-educational advantages and academic achievement, with an ICSEA score of 1110.

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

The analysis of public transportation in Putney shows that there are currently 29 active transport stops operating within the area. These stops consist of a mix of ferry and bus services. The analysis further reveals that these stops are serviced by 15 individual routes which collectively provide 3,613 weekly passenger trips.

Transport accessibility is rated as excellent in Putney with residents typically located approximately 143 meters from the nearest transport stop. On average, service frequency across all routes amounts to 516 trips per day, equating to roughly 124 weekly trips per individual stop.

Putney's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Health outcomes data shows Putney has very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups. The rate of private health cover is approximately 58% of the total population (2,421 people), compared to 62.1% across Greater Sydney.

The most common medical conditions are arthritis and asthma, affecting 6.3 and 5.9% of residents respectively. 75.4% of residents declare they are completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 77.6% across Greater Sydney. Putney has 21.9% of residents aged 65 and over (917 people), higher than the 16.3% in Greater Sydney. Health outcomes among seniors are strong, broadly in line with the general population's health profile.

Putney 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

Putney's population was found to be more culturally diverse than most local markets, with 31.9% born overseas and 32.1% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Putney, accounting for 67.3%, compared to 48.2% across Greater Sydney. The top three ancestry groups were English (16.6%), Australian (16.5%), and Chinese (11.6%), with Chinese being notably lower than the regional average of 20.9%.

Some ethnic groups had notable differences in representation: Italian was overrepresented at 11.0% in Putney compared to 5.1% regionally, Lebanese were at 3.8% versus 1.5%, and Croatian at 1.4% versus 0.6%.

Putney hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

The median age in Putney is 43 years, which is higher than Greater Sydney's average of 37 years and exceeds the national average of 38 years. The age profile shows that individuals aged 55-64 make up 14.9% of the population, while those aged 25-34 constitute only 8.4%. Between 2021 and present, the 75 to 84 age group has increased from 4.7% to 6.9% of the population. Conversely, the 45 to 54 age cohort has decreased from 14.6% to 12.3%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Putney's age structure. The 75 to 84 age group is projected to rise substantially, increasing by 209 people (72%) from 289 to 499. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups are expected to account for 91% of total population growth. Meanwhile, the 25 to 34 and 0 to 4 age cohorts are projected to experience population declines.