Zetland

Zetland lies within the top 10% of areas nationally in terms of population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of short and medium-term trends

Zetland's population, as of November 2025, is approximately 15,689 people. This figure represents a 24.3% increase since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 12,622 people. The growth is inferred from the estimated resident population of 14,313 in June 2024 and an additional 1,111 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 19,611 persons per square kilometer, placing Zetland in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch, indicating high demand for land in the area. Zetland's growth rate surpassed both the state's (6.7%) and metropolitan area's rates, making it a regional growth leader. Overseas migration contributed approximately 80.2% of overall population gains during recent periods.

For projections, AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia data released in 2024 with a base year of 2022 for covered SA2 areas and NSW State Government's SA2 level projections released in 2022 with a base year of 2021 for uncovered areas. Growth rates by age group are applied to all areas from 2032 to 2041. Based on these projections, Zetland is forecasted to experience significant population growth, increasing by 4,632 persons by 2041 and recording a total gain of 20.8% over the 17-year period.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Zetland among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

Zetland has seen approximately 416 new homes approved annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, around 2084 homes have been approved, with none yet approved in FY26. On average, each new home attracts one new resident per year during these years, indicating that supply meets or exceeds demand.

The average construction cost of new properties is $554,000. In the current financial year, $6.7 million worth of commercial approvals have been registered, reflecting Zetland's predominantly residential nature. Compared to Greater Sydney, Zetland shows a 455% higher rate of new home approvals per capita. Recent development activity consists solely of townhouses and apartments, suggesting a trend towards denser development that caters to downsizers, investors, and first-time buyers. With approximately 58 people moving in for each dwelling approved, Zetland exhibits characteristics of a growth area. According to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate, Zetland is projected to add 3256 residents by 2041.

Given current development patterns, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing favourable conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond existing projections.

Zetland 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 32 projects that may impact this region. Notable projects include Green Square Town Centre, The Kingsborough, Zetland Square, and Meriton Green Square Stage 2 Development.

Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.

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The labour market strength in Zetland positions it well ahead of most Australian regions

Zetland has an educated workforce with 1.9% unemployment as of June 2025. It has a workforce participation rate of 72.2%, higher than Greater Sydney's 60.0%.

Employment is concentrated in professional & technical (1.5 times regional level), finance & insurance, and health care & social assistance (9.0%). Over the year to June 2025, employment increased by 0.2% while labour force rose by 0.6%, raising unemployment to 2.3%. In comparison, Greater Sydney's employment grew by 2.6% with a 0.3 percentage point unemployment increase. Statewide in NSW, employment contracted by 0.03% (losing 2,260 jobs) by Nov-25, with an unemployment rate of 3.9%.

National forecasts from May-25 project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Zetland's industry mix suggests local employment could increase by 7.1% in five years and 14.1% in ten years, though this is a simplified extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

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

The median taxpayer income in Zetland SA2 was $69,129 and the average was $84,315 according to AreaSearch's aggregated postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022. This is notably higher than Greater Sydney's median income of $56,994 and average income of $80,856. Based on Wage Price Index growth from June 2022 to September 2025 (12.61%), estimated incomes for Zetland SA2 would be approximately $77,846 median and $94,947 average as of September 2025. In the 2021 Census, individual earnings in Zetland SA2 reached the 93rd percentile nationally at $1,262 weekly. Distribution data shows that 35.6% of residents earned between $1,500 and $2,999 weekly (5,585 residents), aligning with broader regional trends where 30.9% fell into the same category. High household earnings, with 32.8% exceeding $3,000 weekly, contribute to elevated consumer spending in the area. Despite high housing costs consuming 25.4% of income, strong earnings place disposable income at the 62nd percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it within the 10th decile.

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

Zetland's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 0.3% houses and 99.6% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Sydney metro had 2.3% houses and 97.7% other dwellings. Home ownership in Zetland stood at 7.6%, with the remaining dwellings either mortgaged (20.2%) or rented (72.2%). The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,642, below Sydney metro's average of $2,705. Median weekly rent in Zetland was $600, compared to Sydney metro's $550. Nationally, Zetland's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 53.1 percent of all households, including 11.4 percent couples with children, 35.4 percent couples without children, and 4.3 percent single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 46.9 percent, with lone person households at 31.7 percent and group households making up 15.3 percent of the total. The median household size is 2.0 people, larger than the Greater Sydney average of 1.9.

Zetland performs slightly above the national average for education, showing competitive qualification levels and steady academic outcomes

Educational attainment in Zetland is notably high, with 61.7% of residents aged 15+ holding university qualifications. This compares to national figures of 30.4% for Australia and 32.2% for NSW. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 38.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (20.4%) and graduate diplomas (2.6%). Vocational pathways account for 19.1% of qualifications among those aged 15+, with advanced diplomas making up 9.6% and certificates 9.5%.

Educational participation is high, with 30.6% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 18.1% in tertiary education, 2.9% in primary education, and 1.6% pursuing secondary education.

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

Zetland has 18 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 11 different routes that together facilitate 6,881 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of these services is rated excellent, with residents on average being located just 111 meters from the nearest stop.

On a daily basis, there are an average of 983 trips across all routes, which translates to approximately 382 weekly trips per individual stop.

Zetland's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Health outcomes data shows excellent results across Zetland, with a very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups. Approximately 62% of the total population (9,789 people) have private health cover, compared to 69.7% in Greater Sydney and a national average of 55.3%. The most prevalent medical conditions are mental health issues and asthma, affecting 5.6% and 5.5% of residents respectively.

A total of 85.1% of residents report being completely free of medical ailments, compared to 77.4% in Greater Sydney. Zetland has 4.0% (635 people) of its population aged 65 and over, which is lower than the 9.7% in Greater Sydney. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, broadly aligning with the general population's health profile.

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

Zetland has a population where 52.4% speak languages other than English at home, and 66.1% were born overseas. Christianity is the predominant religion in Zetland, with 30.5%. Judaism is slightly overrepresented compared to Greater Sydney, comprising 1.2% versus 1.1%.

The top three ancestry groups are Chinese (27.3%), Other (16.5%), and English (14.9%). Notably, Russian (0.9%), Spanish (0.9%), and French (0.9%) ethnicities show slight overrepresentation in Zetland compared to regional averages.

Zetland hosts a very young demographic, ranking in the bottom 10% of areas nationwide

Zetland's median age is 30 years, which is younger than Greater Sydney's average of 37 and Australia's median of 38. Compared to Greater Sydney, Zetland has a higher proportion of residents aged 25-34 (41.1%) but fewer residents aged 5-14 (3.7%). This concentration of 25-34 year-olds is significantly higher than the national average of 14.5%. According to post-2021 Census data, the proportion of Zetland's population aged 35-44 has grown from 17.7% to 19.8%, while the proportion of those aged 25-34 has declined from 42.4% to 41.1%. Demographic projections suggest that by 2041, Zetland's age profile will change significantly. The number of residents aged 45-54 is expected to increase substantially, rising from 1,005 to 2,072, an expansion of 1,066 people (106%). Conversely, the population in the 35-44 age range is projected to decrease by 199.