Surry Hills

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

According to data from AreaSearch, Surry Hills is home to approximately 17,184 people as of May 2026. This represents a growth of 1,356 residents (8.6%) relative to the 15,828 people recorded in the 2021 Census. The calculation is based on the June 2025 ABS estimated resident population of 17,184 combined with 46 validated new addresses identified since the Census. This population level translates to a density of 13,018 persons per square kilometer, placing the locality within the highest 10% of all areas nationwide evaluated by AreaSearch and highlighting the extreme demand for local land. The area's 8.6% expansion since the 2021 census outpaced the state average of 7.1% as well as the wider Greater Sydney region, positioning it as a regional growth leader. This population rise was almost entirely fueled by overseas migration, which served as the sole source of population increases in recent times.

AreaSearch incorporates population projections from the ABS and Geoscience Australia published in 2024 using 2022 as the base year. In instances where SA2 areas are excluded from this dataset, projections from the NSW State Government released in 2022 with a 2021 base year are applied. Age bracket growth rates derived from these sources are extended to cover all localities from 2032 to 2041. Based on these anticipated demographic trends, the area is projected to experience population expansion exceeding the national median, with an estimated rise of 2,260 residents by 2041 compared to the most recent annual ERP statistics, representing a total increase of 13.2% over this 16-year timeframe.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development drivers sees a low level of activity in Surry Hills, placing the area among the bottom 25% of areas assessed nationally

Surry Hills has recorded an average of approximately 8 new residential approvals annually, totaling 40 dwellings during the last 5 financial years from FY-21 to FY-25, with an additional 5 approvals registered during FY-26. Because 3.6 individuals have moved to the locality for every new home built during the 5 financial years from FY-21 to FY-25, residential demand is far outstripping new supply, which typically intensifies buyer competition and elevates property prices. Meanwhile, the average expected construction cost for these new dwellings stands at $121,000, which is below the regional benchmark and offers relatively affordable options for purchasers. Furthermore, commercial building approvals have reached $178.8 million in the current financial year, pointing to significant business investment in the local economy.

Construction activity in Surry Hills is remarkably low compared to Greater Sydney, sitting 92.0% below the regional per capita average. This minimal volume of new building typically sustains demand and reinforces pricing for the existing housing stock. The level of building is also below the national average, reflecting the established nature of the suburb and suggesting potential regulatory constraints on planning. Additionally, all recent residential development has consisted of attached dwellings, a shift toward higher-density housing that offers accessible entry points for first-time buyers, downsizers, and property investors.

Looking forward, the population of Surry Hills is projected to expand by 2,260 residents by 2041, according to the latest quarterly estimates from AreaSearch. Should current construction rates persist, the supply of new housing may fail to meet the needs of this growing population, potentially driving up competition among buyers and encouraging stronger price appreciation.

Surry Hills has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 30% nationally

Local infrastructure projects, major developments, and urban planning decisions are key factors influencing the performance of an area. AreaSearch has tracked a total of 61 projects expected to impact the local community. Prominent projects include the Sydney Jewish Museum Redevelopment, Marlborough House Redevelopment, Central Place Sydney, and The Post House, with further details on the most relevant schemes provided below.

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.

Employment conditions in Surry Hills remain below the national average according to AreaSearch analysis

Surry Hills is characterized by a highly qualified labor force, with a notable concentration of workers in the technology industry. The local unemployment rate stands at 5.0%, and employment expanded by an estimated 2.3% over the past year. In March 2026, there were 11,572 employed residents. The unemployment rate is 0.9% higher than the Greater Sydney average of 4.1%, while workforce participation is exceptionally high at 74.9% compared to the 69.1% recorded across Greater Sydney. Census data indicates that a substantial 63.2% of the working population operated from home, though this figure may have been influenced by COVID-19 pandemic restrictions.

The primary employment sectors for local residents are professional & technical services, finance & insurance, and health care & social assistance. The professional & technical services sector is particularly dominant, employing residents at 2.0 times the average rate for the wider region. Conversely, construction accounts for only 3.3% of the local workforce, which is lower than the Greater Sydney proportion of 8.6%. With 2.0 workers residing in the area for every local job at the time of the Census, the suburb serves as a major employment center, attracting commuting workers from surrounding regions due to its surplus of jobs relative to residents.

Analysis of SALM and ABS data by AreaSearch indicates that the 12-month period experienced a 2.3% increase in employment and a 1.3% rise in the labour force, which resulted in a 1.0 percentage point decline in the unemployment rate. In contrast, Greater Sydney reported employment growth of 1.9%, labour force growth of 1.9%, and only a marginal reduction in unemployment. For additional context on future demand within Surry Hills, Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 provide useful insight. These projections span five and ten-year horizons and have been overlaid on the local employment profile to estimate growth trajectories. Although national employment is projected to grow by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, expansion rates vary considerably across industry sectors. When these sector-specific forecasts are applied to Surry Hills's current employment mix, local employment is expected to rise by 7.4% over five years and 14.7% 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

Based on AreaSearch's compilation of postcode-level ATO statistics for the 2023 financial year, taxpayers in the Surry Hills SA2 recorded a median income of $72,371 and an average income of $110,107. These figures represent the highest national percentiles and compare to $60,817 median and $83,003 average values across Greater Sydney. Factoring in Wage Price Index growth of 10.32% since the 2023 financial year, estimated current figures are approximately $79,840 for the median and $121,470 for the average as of March 2026. The 2021 Census shows that household, family, and individual incomes in the area are high, ranking between the 83rd and 97th percentiles nationally. The largest income group consists of the 29.2% of households earning $1,500 - 2,999 weekly, which represents 5,017 residents and mirrors the regional pattern where 30.9% of households fall into this bracket. High-earning households are also prominent, with 39.6% earning more than $3,000 weekly, indicating substantial purchasing capacity. Even though high housing costs consume 21.3% of income, strong earnings place disposable income at the 75th percentile, and the area's SEIFA income index ranks in the 9th decile.

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

According to the latest Census, the housing stock in Surry Hills was composed of 1.1% houses and 98.9% other dwellings, such as apartments, semi-detached properties, and alternative structures, compared to 55.9% houses and 44.1% other dwellings across the broader Sydney metropolitan area. Home ownership rates in the suburb were lower than the Sydney metro average, standing at 14.1%, with the remaining properties occupied by residents with a mortgage (18.9%) or renters (67.0%). The median monthly mortgage payment was $2,839, which is higher than the Sydney metro average of $2,427. The median weekly rent was $550, compared to $470 for the wider metro area. Nationally, mortgage payments in the suburb are higher than the Australian average of $1,863, and weekly rents are above the national median of $375.

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

Family households represent 40.9% of all local households, consisting of couples with children at 7.4%, couples without children at 29.3%, and single parents at 3.1%. The remaining 59.1% are non-family households, with single-person households making up 46.8% and group households accounting for 12.2%. The median household size is 1.8 persons, which is lower than the Greater Sydney average of 2.7.

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

The level of education in Surry Hills is high compared to broader benchmarks, with 62.8% of residents aged 15 and over holding a university degree, compared to 30.4% nationally and 32.2% across NSW. This high level of educational achievement positions the local workforce well for knowledge-based employment. Bachelor degrees represent the most common qualification at 41.1%, followed by postgraduate degrees at 18.1% and graduate diplomas at 3.6%. Vocational training is held by 18.2% of residents aged 15 and over, comprising advanced diplomas at 9.9% and certificate qualifications at 8.3%.

A total of 24.7% of the local population is enrolled in formal education programs. Within this student cohort, 10.9% attend tertiary institutions, 3.1% are in primary school, and 2.0% are enrolled in secondary education.

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

An analysis of public transport reveals that Surry Hills is served by 47 active transit stops, comprising a network of train, light rail, and bus services. These stops accommodate 28 separate transit routes, generating a total of 23,681 weekly passenger journeys. Transport access is classified as excellent, with residents living an average of 114 meters from the nearest stop. Because the suburb is primarily residential, the majority of working residents travel out of the area to work, with 31% walking and 18% commuting by train. Vehicle ownership averages 0.2 cars per household, which is lower than the regional average. A high proportion of residents, 63.2%, worked from home according to the 2021 Census, which may reflect pandemic-related conditions.

The public transport network provides an average of 3,383 services daily across all routes, which corresponds to approximately 503 weekly services for each transport stop in the area.

Health performance in Surry Hills is lower than average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts

Surry Hills exhibits notable health indicators based on AreaSearch's evaluation of mortality data and the prevalence of chronic illnesses, with typical health issues observed across both younger and older cohorts, alongside an exceptionally high rate of private health insurance held by approximately 75% of the population, representing 12,939 people. This rate is higher than the Greater Sydney average of 59.9% and the national benchmark of 55.7%.

Mental health conditions and asthma are the most common medical issues reported, affecting 10.1% and 7.0% of the population respectively. Meanwhile, 74.6% of residents reported having no chronic medical conditions, matching the 74.6% recorded across Greater Sydney. Health indicators for residents under 65 are better than average. Residents aged 65 and over make up 9.8% of the local population, totaling 1,690 people, which is lower than the 15.5% average for Greater Sydney. Senior residents show particularly strong health outcomes, ranking higher than the general population relative to national averages.

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

Surry Hills exhibits a high degree of cultural diversity, with 27.7% of residents speaking a language other than English in their homes and 47.5% of the population born outside Australia. Christianity is the most common religion, practiced by 28.0% of the population. The most prominent religious overrepresentation is Judaism, which accounts for 1.3% of residents compared to the Greater Sydney average of 0.8%.

The primary ancestries reported in Surry Hills are English at 22.8%, Other at 15.1%, and Australian at 14.7%. There are also distinct differences in the representation of other ethnic groups: French ancestry is reported by 1.6% of the population compared to 0.5% regionally, Spanish ancestry stands at 1.2% compared to 0.6%, and Russian ancestry is 0.9% compared to 0.4%.

Surry Hills's population is younger than the national pattern

The median age of Surry Hills residents is 34 years, which is lower than the Greater Sydney average of 37 and the national average of 38 years. Compared to the wider Sydney region, the suburb has a larger proportion of young adults aged 25 to 34, who make up 32.9% of the population, but fewer children aged 5 to 14, at 2.9%. The concentration of residents aged 25 to 34 is higher than the national average of 14.6%. Since the 2021 Census, the proportion of residents aged 15 to 24 grew from 9.4% to 11.2%, while the 45 to 54 cohort decreased from 12.7% to 11.3%. By 2041, demographic shifts are projected to alter the local age profile, with the 45 to 54 group expected to grow by 34%, adding 665 people to reach a total of 2,606, while the number of residents aged 35 to 44 is projected to decrease by 9.