Surry Hills
Statistical Area - sa2

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 17,151 as of August 2025. This figure represents an increase of 1,323 people, an 8.4% rise since the 2021 Census which recorded a population of 15,828. The change was inferred from the estimated resident population of 17,099 in June 2024 and an additional 51 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 12,993 persons per square kilometer, placing Surry Hills in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The area's growth of 8.4% since the 2021 census exceeded both state (6.4%) and metropolitan area averages, positioning it as a growth leader. Overseas migration contributed approximately 99.3% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch uses NSW State Government's SA2 level projections released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Growth rates by age group 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, with an anticipated expansion of 2,694 persons by 2041, representing a total increase of 15.4% over the 17-year period.

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 FY-26, one approval has been recorded so far. The area's population decline suggests that new supply has likely kept pace with demand, providing good choice for buyers.

In this financial year, $178.8 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded, indicating robust local business investment. Compared to Greater Sydney, Surry Hills records significantly lower building activity, 92.0% below the regional average per person. This constrained new construction typically reinforces demand and pricing for existing homes. Nationally, this level is also below average, 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.

By 2041, Surry Hills is projected to grow by 2,642 residents. 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. Major initiatives include Crown Street Upgrade, The Rathbone, Crown Street Commercial Redevelopment, and Surry Hills Village. Below is a list of projects likely to have the most relevance.

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 the technology sector well-represented. Its unemployment rate was 5.7% in June 2025, with an estimated employment growth of 0.6% over the past year.

As of this date, 11,777 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 1.5% higher than Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%. Workforce participation was at 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. Notably, professional & technical jobs were at 2.0 times the regional average.

Conversely, construction showed lower representation at 3.3% versus the regional average of 8.6%. With a ratio of 2.0 workers per resident as at the Census, Surry Hills functions as an employment hub hosting more jobs than residents and 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 a fall in unemployment rate of 0.2 percentage points. In comparison, Greater Sydney recorded employment growth of 2.6%, labour force growth of 2.9%, with unemployment rising 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 suggest potential future demand within Surry Hills. These projections estimate national employment expansion by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with varying growth rates between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Surry Hills's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 7.4% over five years and 14.7% over ten years, though these are simple extrapolations for illustrative purposes and do 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' median income among taxpayers is $70,916, with an average of $111,705. This places Surry Hills in the top percentile nationally. Comparatively, Greater Sydney has a median income of $56,994 and an average of $80,856. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% since financial year 2022, current estimates for Surry Hills would be approximately $79,859 (median) and $125,791 (average) as of September 2025. Census data indicates that household, family, and personal incomes in Surry Hills rank highly nationally, between the 84th and 97th percentiles. Income distribution shows that 29.2% of Surry Hills residents earn between $1,500 and $2,999 per week (5,008 individuals), similar to the surrounding region where 30.9% fall into this earnings band. A significant portion, 39.6%, earn over $3,000 per week, contributing to the area's affluence and supporting premium retail and service offerings. High housing costs consume 21.3% of income in Surry Hills, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 76th 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 conducted in 2016, comprised 1.1% houses and 98.9% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Sydney metropolitan area had 2.3% houses and 97.7% other dwellings. Home ownership in Surry Hills was at 14.1%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged (18.9%) or rented (67.0%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in Surry Hills was $2,839, above Sydney metro's average of $2,705. Median weekly rent in Surry Hills was recorded at $550, matching Sydney metro's figure of $550. Nationally, Surry Hills's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were 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 account for the remaining 59.1%, with lone person households at 46.8% and group households comprising 12.2%. 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

Educational attainment in Surry Hills is notably higher than broader averages. 62.8% of residents aged 15 and above hold university qualifications, compared to 30.4% nationally and 32.2% in NSW. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 41.1%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (18.1%) and graduate diplomas (3.6%). Vocational pathways account for 18.2% of qualifications among those aged 15 and above, with advanced diplomas making up 9.9% and certificates 8.3%.

A significant portion, 24.7%, of the population is actively pursuing formal education. This includes 10.9% in tertiary education, 3.1% in primary education, and 2.0% pursuing secondary education. Surry Hills has five schools with a combined enrollment of 1,900 students as of the latest data. The area's ICSEA score is 1120, indicating significant socio-educational advantages and academic achievement. Education provision is balanced with three primary and two secondary schools serving distinct age groups. School capacity exceeds typical residential needs, with 11.1 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 7.7, suggesting Surry Hills serves as an educational hub for the broader region. Note that where school enrollments are marked 'n/a', please refer to the parent campus for accurate figures.

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

Transport analysis shows 34 active stops operating in Surry Hills, serving a mix of train, light rail, and bus services. These stops are covered by 25 unique routes, collectively facilitating 14,902 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents typically located 118 meters from the nearest stop.

Service frequency averages 2,128 trips per day across all routes, translating 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 data shows excellent results, with younger cohorts having a very low prevalence of common health conditions. Approximately 76% of Surry Hills' total population of 13,069 has private health cover, compared to Greater Sydney's 69.7%. Nationally, the average is 55.3%.

Mental health issues and asthma were the most common medical conditions in the area, affecting 10.1% and 7.0% of residents respectively. 74.6% of residents declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to Greater Sydney's 77.4%. As of 2021, 10.1% of Surry Hills' residents are aged 65 and over (1,737 people). While health outcomes among seniors require more attention than the broader population, they remain strong in the area.

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 compared to Greater Sydney, making up 1.3% of Surry Hills' population.

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%) ethnicities are notably overrepresented compared to regional averages.

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 the national average of 38. The 25-34 age group makes up 32.2% of Surry Hills' population, compared to Greater Sydney's percentage, while the 5-14 cohort is less prevalent at 2.8%. This concentration of the 25-34 age group is well above 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 cohort has declined from 12.7% to 11.3%. Population forecasts for the year 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes for Surry Hills. The 45-54 age cohort is projected to increase significantly, expanding by 771 people (40%) from 1,943 to 2,715. Meanwhile, the 25-34 cohort is forecasted to grow by a modest 0%, adding only 12 people.