Redfern

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

Redfern has an estimated population of approximately 15,732 in May 2026, according to analysis by AreaSearch. Compared to the 13,670 residents recorded in the 2021 Census, this represents a growth of 2,062 individuals (15.1%). The figure is calculated using the ABS June 2025 estimated resident population of 15,731 alongside 188 validated new addresses registered since the Census. This population level results in a density of 9,254 persons per square kilometer, placing the locality within the top 10% of all national areas analyzed and indicating intense demand for local land. The 15.1% increase since the 2021 census outpaced the state average of 7.1% and the wider Greater Sydney region, positioning the suburb as a leader in regional growth. The expansion was largely fueled by overseas migration, which accounted for roughly 94.5% of the total population growth during recent times.

Projections from ABS and Geoscience Australia, published in 2024 using 2022 as a base, are utilized by AreaSearch for each SA2. For locations where this data is unavailable, projections from the NSW State Government released in 2022 using a 2021 baseline are applied. Age bracket growth trends derived from these sources are extended to cover the period from 2032 to 2041. Looking forward, the population is predicted to expand at a rate exceeding the national median for statistical areas, with a projected increase of 3,159 residents by 2041 based on the most recent annual ERP data, representing a overall growth of 20.1% over the 16 years.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Redfern according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

The area has recorded an average of approximately 4 new residential approvals annually, representing a total of 21 dwellings over the last 5 financial years. In the current FY-26 period, 1 approvals have been documented so far. With an average of 46 new residents arriving per completed dwelling over the past 5 financial years (from FY-21 to FY-25), demand far outstrips new construction, a trend that typically drives up prices and intensifies buyer competition, even as new dwellings are built with an average cost of $100,000—which is below the regional average—offering relatively economical options for purchasers. Additionally, commercial development approvals have reached $31.9 million this financial year, showing robust local business investment.

Compared to the broader Greater Sydney area, Redfern experiences a very low level of building activity. This restricted volume of new supply generally sustains demand and prices for the current housing stock. Activity is also lower than the national average, indicating a mature market and potential developmental barriers. Furthermore, all recent residential construction has consisted of medium and high-density formats. This concentration on compact housing types provides more accessible entry points for buyers and draws interest from downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers.

Future estimates indicate that Redfern will add 3,158 residents by 2041, based on the latest quarterly calculations from AreaSearch. If current building trends persist, the supply of housing may fall short of population gains, which could heighten competition among buyers and foster faster price growth.

Redfern has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 20% nationally

Local infrastructure projects, major developments, and urban planning policies significantly impact regional performance. A total of 53 key projects have been identified by AreaSearch as having a potential impact on the locality. Notable developments include Redfern Place, Redfern Co-Living Housing, the Redfern North Eveleigh Precinct Renewal, and the Hudson Vine Mixed Use Redevelopment, with the primary relevant projects detailed in the list below.

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Redfern shows employment indicators that trail behind approximately 70% of regions assessed across Australia

A highly educated labor force characterizes Redfern, with the technology sector showing particularly strong representation, alongside an unemployment rate of 9.5% and an estimated 1.7% growth in jobs over the past year. In March 2026, there were 8,940 employed residents, while the unemployment rate stood 5.3% higher than the Greater Sydney average of 4.1%, highlighting opportunities for local labor market progress, and the participation rate was close to the Greater Sydney average of 69.1%. Census records show that a high proportion of residents, 60.7%, worked from home, though this may have been influenced by COVID-19 restrictions.

Resident employment is heavily weighted toward professional & technical services, health care & social assistance, and education & training. The professional & technical services sector is especially prominent, showing employment levels 1.8 times the regional average. In contrast, the construction sector has a small footprint, accounting for 4.4% of jobs compared to 8.6% across the region. With a ratio of 1.5 workers for every local resident at the time of the Census, the locality serves as a major employment center, offering more jobs than it has resident workers and drawing commuters from neighboring areas.

AreaSearch analysis of SALM and ABS statistics shows that for the year ending March 2026, local employment grew by 1.7% and the total labor force expanded by 1.0%, resulting in a 0.6 percentage point decrease in the unemployment rate. This differed from Greater Sydney, which recorded a 1.9% rise in employment, a 1.9% expansion of the labor force, and a minor reduction in unemployment. National employment projections from Jobs and Skills Australia as of May-25 provide further context for future demand trends in Redfern. These five and ten-year forecasts have been aligned with the local workforce distribution to project future growth. Nationally, employment is expected to grow by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, though rates vary widely by industry. Applying these sectoral projections to the employment structure of Redfern suggests local employment will rise by 7.4% over five years and 14.7% over ten years (note that this is a basic weighted projection for illustration and does not incorporate local population forecasts).

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

According to the latest postcode ATO statistics for the 2023 financial year, taxpayers in the Redfern SA2 have a median income of $70,078 and an average income of $96,382. This places the area in the top percentile nationally, comparing to a median of $60,817 and an average of $83,003 in Greater Sydney. Accounting for a 10.32% rise in the Wage Price Index since the 2023 financial year, current figures are estimated at roughly $77,310 for the median and $106,329 for the average as of March 2026. Census statistics show individual earnings are in the 89th national percentile, with a weekly median of $1,178. The weekly earnings distribution is led by the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket, containing 24.9% of residents (3,917 people), which is similar to the wider region where 30.9% of people fall into this category. The suburb exhibits high levels of wealth, with 36.5% of individuals earning more than $3,000 weekly, which helps sustain high-end retail and services. Although high housing costs account for 21.6% of income, strong local wages keep disposable income at the 64th percentile, and the SEIFA index ranks the area in the 8th decile for income.

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

The composition of dwellings in Redfern at the latest Census showed 1.4% houses and 98.6% other dwelling types (including semi-detached properties, apartments, and alternative structures), compared to 55.9% houses and 44.1% other dwellings across the Sydney metropolitan area. Home ownership in Redfern was lower than the Sydney metropolitan average, standing at 14.7%, while the remaining properties were held with a mortgage (21.0%) or occupied by tenants (64.3%). The median monthly mortgage payment was $2,789, which is higher than the Sydney metropolitan average of $2,427, and the median weekly rent was $500, compared to the metropolitan average of $470. On a national level, Redfern's mortgage payments are notably higher than the Australian average of $1,863, and weekly rents are also well above the national median of $375.

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

Families make up 45.3% of all households, consisting of couples with children at 11.6%, couples without children at 27.2%, and single parent families at 5.2%. The remaining 54.7% are non-family households, with single-person households representing 42.1% and group households making up 12.6% of the total. The median household size is 1.9 people, which is smaller than the Greater Sydney average of 2.7.

Educational outcomes in Redfern fall within the lower quartile nationally, indicating opportunities for improvement in qualification attainment

The level of education in Redfern is significantly higher than broader averages, with 56.5% of residents aged 15+ holding a university degree, compared to 30.4% nationally and 32.2% across NSW. This high level of educational attainment positions the suburb well for opportunities in knowledge-intensive industries. Bachelor degrees are the most common qualification at 36.7%, followed by postgraduate degrees (16.4%) and graduate diplomas (3.4%). Vocational education accounts for 20.0% of qualifications among residents aged 15 and over, comprising advanced diplomas (9.8%) and certificates (10.2%).

Participation in study is quite high, with 28.8% of the population currently enrolled in an educational program. This includes 12.3% attending tertiary institutions, 4.6% in primary schools, and 3.0% enrolled in secondary education.

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

Analysis of local public transport shows 61 active stops in Redfern, incorporating a combination of rail and bus services. These stops are served by 32 distinct routes, which together accommodate 26,439 weekly passenger journeys. Transport accessibility is ranked as excellent, with residents living an average of 128 meters from their nearest stop. Since it is a predominantly residential suburb, most residents travel outwards for work, with cars being the most common mode of transport at 37%, followed by trains at 23%, and walking at 18%. Vehicle ownership is low, averaging 0.3 cars per home, which is below the regional average. A high proportion of residents, 60.7%, worked from home according to the 2021 Census, which may reflect pandemic-era conditions.

The average frequency of transit services is 3,777 daily trips across all routes, which translates to approximately 433 weekly trips for each transport stop.

Redfern's residents are healthier than average in comparison to broader Australia with prevalence of common health conditions quite low among the general population though higher than the nation's average across older, at risk cohorts

Health indicators show favorable trends for Redfern residents, with AreaSearch analysis of mortality rates and medical conditions showing results that align with national averages, and the occurrence of common health conditions is low among the general public, though it is higher than the national average within older, vulnerable age groups. Additionally, private health insurance coverage is high, at approximately 70% of the population (10,965 people), compared to 59.9% in Greater Sydney and a national average of 55.7%.

Mental health concerns and asthma represent the most frequent medical issues in the suburb, affecting 11.0% and 7.4% of residents, respectively, while 70.5% of the population reported having no chronic medical conditions, compared to 74.6% in Greater Sydney. Health indicators for the working-age population are generally standard. Residents aged 65 and over make up 13.4% of the local population (2,101 people), which is lower than the 15.5% share in Greater Sydney, though this cohort ranks lower nationally compared to the broader local population.

Redfern is among the most culturally diverse areas in the country based on AreaSearch assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Redfern displays a high level of cultural variety, with 29.4% of the population speaking a non-English language at home and 43.5% of residents born outside Australia. Christianity is the largest religious affiliation, representing 30.3% of the local population. However, the most distinct religious concentration is Judaism, which accounts for 1.6% of residents compared to 0.8% across Greater Sydney.

Regarding ancestral backgrounds based on parents' place of birth, the three largest groups in Redfern are English (21.7%), Australian (15.7%), and Other (14.2%). There are also notable differences in the concentration of other backgrounds, with French ancestry overrepresented at 1.4% (compared to 0.5% regionally), Spanish at 1.1% (compared to 0.6%), and Russian at 0.9% (compared to 0.4%).

Redfern's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

The median age of 35 years in Redfern is slightly below the Greater Sydney average of 37 and the national average of 38. The 25 - 34 age bracket is highly represented at 27.4% compared to Greater Sydney, while children in the 5 - 14 group are less common at 5.0%. The concentration of residents aged 25 - 34 is also much higher than the national average of 14.6%. Since 2021, the proportion of residents aged 15 to 24 grew from 10.3% to 13.7%. In contrast, the 45 to 54 cohort fell from 12.6% to 11.1%, and the 55 to 64 group decreased from 10.6% to 9.3%. Population projections for 2041 suggest major demographic shifts, with the 25 to 34 age group expected to increase significantly, growing by 3,834 people (89%) from 4,304 to 8,139, while declines are projected for the 0 to 4 and 5 to 14 cohorts.