Redfern

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

Redfern's population, as of May 2026, is approximately 15,732. This figure represents an increase of 2,062 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 13,670. The growth was inferred from ABS data showing an estimated resident population of 15,731 in June 2025 and an additional 188 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 9,254 persons per square kilometer, placing Redfern in the top 10% of locations assessed by AreaSearch, indicating high demand for land in the area. Redfern's growth rate of 15.1% since the 2021 Census exceeded both the state (7.1%) and Greater Sydney averages. Overseas migration contributed approximately 94.5% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch uses 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. Future population trends indicate above median growth, with Redfern projected to grow by 3,159 persons to 2041 based on latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting a total increase of 20.1% over the 16-year period.

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

Redfern has received approximately four dwelling approvals per year over the past five financial years, totalling 21 homes. No approvals have been recorded so far in FY-26. An average of 15.5 people moved to the area annually for each dwelling built between FY-21 and FY-25, indicating supply lagging behind demand, which often leads to heightened buyer competition and pricing pressures. New properties are constructed at an average value of $100,000, reflecting more affordable housing options.

In this financial year, $31.9 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded, demonstrating high levels of local commercial activity. However, compared to Greater Sydney and nationally, Redfern has significantly less development activity, potentially reinforcing demand and pricing for existing dwellings due to constrained new construction. Recent building activity has focused entirely on townhouses or apartments, creating more affordable entry points for downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers. According to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate, Redfern is expected to grow by 3,158 residents through to 2041. At current development rates, housing supply may struggle to match population growth, potentially heightening buyer competition and supporting price increases.

Looking ahead, Redfern is expected to grow by 3,158 residents through to 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). At current development rates, housing supply may struggle to match population growth, potentially heightening buyer competition and supporting price increases.

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

Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 53 projects that could impact this region. Notable ones include Redfern Place, Redfern Co-Living Housing, Redfern North Eveleigh Precinct Renewal, and Hudson Vine Mixed Use Redevelopment. The following list details 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 assessment indicates Redfern faces employment challenges relative to the majority of Australian markets

Redfern has a highly educated workforce with notable representation in the technology sector. Its unemployment rate was 10.7% as of December 2025. In this month, 8,711 residents were employed while the unemployment rate stood at 6.5%, which is above Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%.

Workforce participation in Redfern is similar to Greater Sydney's figure of 68.8%. According to Census responses, 60.7% of residents worked 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 sectors. Redfern has a particular employment specialization in professional & technical jobs, with an employment share 1.8 times the regional level.

Conversely, construction shows lower representation at 4.4% compared to the regional average of 8.6%. As of the Census, there are 1.5 workers for every resident, indicating that Redfern functions as an employment hub hosting more jobs than residents and attracting workers from surrounding areas. Between December 2024 and December 2025, the labour force decreased by 0.3% while employment decreased by 1.4%, resulting in a rise of 1.0 percentage points in the unemployment rate. In contrast, Greater Sydney saw employment rise by 2.2% and the labour force grow by 2.3%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that national employment is forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. However, growth rates differ significantly between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Redfern's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.4% over five years and 14.7% over ten years, though it is noted that 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

The median income among taxpayers in Redfern SA2 was $70,078 in financial year 2023. The average income stood at $96,382 during the same period. These figures compare to those for Greater Sydney of $60,817 and $83,003 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.32% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $77,310 (median) and $106,329 (average) as of March 2026. Individual earnings in Redfern stand out at the 89th percentile nationally with a weekly income of $1,178. In terms of income distribution, 24.9% of the population (3,917 individuals) fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 income range, which is consistent with broader trends across regional levels showing 30.9% in the same category. A substantial proportion of high earners, 36.5%, have incomes above $3,000 per week, indicating strong economic capacity throughout Redfern. High housing costs consume 21.6% of income, however strong earnings still place disposable income at the 64th percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

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

Redfern's dwellings were 1.4% houses and 98.6% other types (semi-detached, apartments, 'other') in the latest Census, compared to Sydney metro's 55.9% houses and 44.1% others. Home ownership in Redfern was 14.7%, with mortgaged dwellings at 21.0% and rented ones at 64.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,789, higher than Sydney metro's average of $2,427. Median weekly rent was $500 in Redfern, compared to Sydney metro's $470. Nationally, Redfern's mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $1,863 and rents substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 45.3% of all households, including 11.6% that are couples with children, 27.2% that are couples without children, and 5.2% that are single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 54.7%, with lone person households at 42.1% and group households comprising 12.6%. 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

Educational attainment in Redfern is significantly higher than broader benchmarks. Among residents aged 15+, 56.5% hold university qualifications, compared to 30.4% nationally and 32.2% statewide (NSW). Bachelor degrees are the most common at 36.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (16.4%) and graduate diplomas (3.4%). Vocational pathways account for 20.0% of qualifications, with advanced diplomas at 9.8% and certificates at 10.2%.

Educational participation is high, with 28.8% currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 12.3% in tertiary education, 4.6% in primary education, and 3.0% pursuing secondary education.

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

Redfern has 61 active public transport stops operating within its boundaries. These include a mix of train and bus services. There are 32 individual routes servicing these stops, collectively providing 26,439 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically located 128 meters from the nearest transport stop. As of the 2021 Census, most residents commute outward. The dominant mode of transport is car at 37%, followed by train at 23% and walking at 18%.

Vehicle ownership averages 0.3 per dwelling, below the regional average. A high 60.7% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 3,777 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 433 weekly trips per individual 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

Redfern's health data shows positive outcomes overall. Mortality rates and health conditions are largely aligned with national benchmarks. Common health conditions' prevalence is low among Redfern's general population, but higher for older, at-risk residents.

Private health cover is exceptionally high in Redfern, at approximately 70% of the total population (10,965 people), compared to Greater Sydney's 59.9% and Australia's national average of 55.7%. Mental health issues and asthma are the most prevalent medical conditions, affecting 11.0% and 7.4% of residents respectively, while 70.5% report being free from medical ailments compared to Greater Sydney's 74.6%. Health outcomes among working-age Redfern residents are typical. The area has a lower proportion of residents aged 65 and over at 13.4%, with 2,101 people in this age group, compared to Greater Sydney's 15.5%. This percentage ranks lower nationally than the broader 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 has a high level of cultural diversity, with 29.4% of its population speaking a language other than English at home and 43.5% born overseas. Christianity is the predominant religion in Redfern, making up 30.3% of people. However, Judaism is overrepresented compared to Greater Sydney, comprising 1.6% versus 0.8%.

The top three ancestry groups are English (21.7%), Australian (15.7%), and Other (14.2%). Notably, French (1.4%) Spanish (1.1%) and Russian (0.9%) ethnicities are overrepresented in Redfern compared to regional averages of 0.5%, 0.6%, and 0.4% respectively.

Redfern's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

Redfern's median age in 2021 was 35 years, slightly younger than Greater Sydney's 37 years and the national average of 38 years. The age group of 25-34 years had a strong representation at 27.4%, compared to Greater Sydney's percentage. However, the 5-14 age cohort was less prevalent in Redfern at 5.0%. This concentration of 25-34 year-olds was well above the national average of 14.6%. From 2021 onwards, the population of those aged 15 to 24 years grew from 10.3% to 13.7%. Conversely, the age group of 45 to 54 years declined from 12.6% to 11.1%, and the 55 to 64 age group dropped from 10.6% to 9.3%. Population forecasts for Redfern in 2041 indicate significant demographic changes. The 25-34 age cohort is projected to rise substantially, with an increase of 3,834 people (89%), from 4,304 to 8,139. Conversely, population declines are projected for the 0-4 and 5-14 age cohorts.