Surry Hills

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

Surry Hills' population is approximately 17,165 as of November 2025. This figure represents an increase of 1,337 people since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 15,828. The growth is inferred from the estimated resident population of 17,099 in June 2024 and an additional 59 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 13,003 persons per square kilometer, placing Surry Hills among the top 10% of locations assessed by AreaSearch. The area's 8.4% growth since the 2021 census exceeds both state (6.7%) and metropolitan area figures, indicating it as a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 99.3% 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 employs the 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 years 2032 to 2041. Based on projected demographic shifts, Surry Hills is expected to experience above median population growth nationally. By 2041, the area's population is projected to increase by 2,694 persons, reflecting a total increase of 15.3% over the 17-year period, according to the latest annual ERP population numbers.

The level of residential development activity in Surry Hills is very low in comparison to the average area assessed nationally by AreaSearch

Surry Hills has averaged approximately eight new dwelling approvals per year over the past five financial years, totalling 40 homes. As of FY26, one approval has been recorded so far. This rate may indicate that new supply is keeping pace with demand in an area experiencing population decline, providing good choice for buyers.

In terms of commercial development, $178.8 million in approvals have been recorded this financial year, suggesting robust local business investment. However, compared to Greater Sydney, Surry Hills records markedly lower building activity, at 92.0% below the regional average per person. This constrained new construction typically reinforces demand and pricing for existing homes, reflecting the area's maturity and possible planning constraints. Recent building activity consists entirely of attached dwellings, offering affordable entry pathways and attracting downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers. Looking ahead, Surry Hills is expected to grow by 2,628 residents by 2041, according to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate.

If current development rates continue, housing supply may not keep pace with population growth, potentially increasing competition among buyers and supporting stronger price growth.

Surry Hills 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 63 potential impact projects in total. Key initiatives include Sydney Jewish Museum Redevelopment, Marlborough House Redevelopment, The Post House, and Mariyung Fleet (New Intercity Fleet). Below is a list detailing those likely 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.

The employment landscape in Surry Hills shows performance that lags behind national averages across key labour market indicators

Surry Hills has a highly educated workforce with significant representation in the technology sector. Its unemployment rate was 5.7% as of June 2021.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 0.6%. As of June 2025, 11,777 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 1.5% higher than Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%. Workforce participation in Surry Hills was 70.9%, compared to Greater Sydney's 60.0%. The leading employment industries among residents were professional & technical, finance & insurance, and health care & social assistance.

Professional & technical services had particularly notable concentration with employment levels at 2.0 times the regional average. Conversely, construction showed lower representation at 3.3% versus the regional average of 8.6%. There were 2.0 workers for every resident in Surry Hills as per the Census, indicating it functions as an employment hub attracting workers from surrounding areas. Over the 12 months to June 2025, employment increased by 0.6% while labour force increased by 0.4%, causing the unemployment rate to fall by 0.2 percentage points. By comparison, Greater Sydney recorded employment growth of 2.6%, labour force growth of 2.9%, with unemployment rising 0.3 percentage points. State-level data from Nov-25 showed NSW employment contracted by 0.03% (losing 2,260 jobs), with the state unemployment rate at 3.9%. This compared favourably to the national unemployment rate of 4.3%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 projected that national employment would expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Surry Hills's employment mix suggested local employment should increase by 7.4% over five years and 14.7% over ten years, though this was a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and did 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

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 shows Surry Hills SA2 had a median income of $70,916 and an average income of $111,705. This places it in the top percentile nationally. Greater Sydney's median income was $56,994 with an average of $80,856. By September 2025, estimates suggest Surry Hills' median income could be approximately $79,859 and average income around $125,791, based on a 12.61% Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2022. Census data reveals incomes in Surry Hills rank highly nationally, between the 83rd and 97th percentiles for household, family, and personal incomes. The $1,500 - 2,999 earnings band includes 29.2% of Surry Hills residents (5,012 individuals), similar to surrounding regions at 30.9%. Notably, 39.6% earn over $3,000 per week, supporting premium retail and services. High housing costs consume 21.3% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 75th percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it 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

Dwelling structure in Surry Hills, as evaluated at the Census 2016, comprised 1.1% houses and 98.9% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Sydney metro's 2.3% houses and 97.7% other dwellings. Home ownership in Surry Hills was 14.1%, with mortgaged dwellings at 18.9% and rented ones at 67.0%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,839, while the median weekly rent figure was $550. Nationally, Surry Hills's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, with rents substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 40.9% of all households, including 7.4% couples with children, 29.3% couples without children, and 3.1% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 59.1%, with lone person households at 46.8% and group households making up 12.2% of the total. The median household size is 1.8 people, which is smaller than the Greater Sydney average of 1.9.

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

Surry Hills has a notably high level of educational attainment among its residents aged 15 and above. Specifically, 62.8% of these residents possess university qualifications, which is significantly higher than the national average of 30.4% and the NSW average of 32.2%. This indicates a substantial educational advantage for the area that positions it favourably for knowledge-based opportunities. The distribution of university qualifications in Surry Hills shows that bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 41.1%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 18.1% and graduate diplomas at 3.6%.

Vocational pathways account for a notable proportion of qualifications among those aged 15 and above, with advanced diplomas making up 9.9% and certificates accounting for 8.3%. A significant portion of Surry Hills' population is actively engaged in formal education. This includes 24.7% of the total population pursuing various levels of education. Specifically, 10.9% are enrolled in tertiary education, 3.1% in primary education, and 2.0% in secondary education.

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

Surry Hills has 34 active public transport stops. These include train, light rail, and bus services. There are 25 different routes operating from these stops.

Together, they facilitate 14,902 weekly passenger trips. The average distance to the nearest transport stop for residents is 118 meters. On average, there are 2,128 daily trips across all routes. This equates to approximately 438 weekly trips per individual stop.

Surry Hills's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with younger cohorts in particular seeing very low prevalence of common health conditions

Surry Hills' health outcomes show notable results, with younger age groups having a low prevalence of common health conditions. Approximately 76% of Surry Hills residents have private health cover, higher than Greater Sydney's 69.7%, and significantly above the national average of 55.3%. Mental health issues affect 10.1% of residents, while asthma impacts 7.0%.

Around 74.6% report no medical ailments, slightly lower than Greater Sydney's 77.4%. As of a specific date (not provided), Surry Hills has 10.1% of its population aged 65 and over, totaling 1,738 people. Health outcomes among seniors in the area are particularly strong but require more attention than the broader population.

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 has a high level of cultural diversity, with 27.7% of its population speaking a language other than English at home and 47.5% born overseas. Christianity is the main religion in Surry Hills, comprising 28.0% of people. Judaism is overrepresented in Surry Hills compared to Greater Sydney, making up 1.3% versus 1.1%.

The top three ancestry groups are English (22.8%), Other (15.1%), and Australian (14.7%). French (1.6%) Spanish (1.2%) and Russian (0.9%) are notably overrepresented compared to regional percentages of 1.1%, 1.0% and 0.8% respectively.

Surry Hills's population is younger than the national pattern

Surry Hills has a median age of 35 years, which is slightly younger than Greater Sydney's 37 and somewhat younger than Australia's national average of 38 years. The 25-34 age group makes up 32.2% of Surry Hills' population, compared to Greater Sydney, while the 5-14 age group represents only 2.8%. This concentration of young adults is significantly higher than the national average of 14.5%. Between 2021 and present, the 15-24 age group has grown from 9.4% to 11.4% of Surry Hills' population. Conversely, the 45-54 age cohort has decreased from 12.7% to 11.3%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate substantial changes in Surry Hills' population structure. The 45-54 age group is expected to increase significantly, with an addition of 770 people (a 40% rise) from 1,944 to 2,715. Meanwhile, the 25-34 age cohort is projected to grow by a modest 0%, adding only 7 people.