Zetland
Statistical Area - sa2

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 is approximately 15,671 as of August 2025. This figure represents an increase of 3,049 people, a rise of 24.2% since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 12,622 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 14,313 in June 2024 and an additional 1,102 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 19,588 persons per square kilometer, placing Zetland among the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch, making its land highly sought after. Zetland's growth rate of 24.2% since the 2021 Census exceeds both the state average (6.4%) and metropolitan area, positioning it as a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 80.2% of overall population gains during recent periods, driving this growth.

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 years 2032 to 2041. Based on projected demographic shifts, Zetland is forecasted to experience significant population growth, increasing by 4,632 persons by 2041 and recording a total gain of 20.9% over the 17-year period.

The level of residential development activity in Zetland was found to be higher than 90% of real estate markets across the country

Zetland has seen approximately 393 new homes approved annually. Development approval data is produced by the ABS on a financial year basis, with 1,969 homes approved over the past five financial years from FY20 to FY25, and no approvals yet in FY26. On average, 1.0 new resident arrives per new home each year over these five financial years, suggesting supply meets or exceeds demand. The average construction cost value of new homes is $554,000.

In the current financial year, $6.7 million in commercial approvals have been registered, indicating limited commercial development focus compared to residential activity. Relative to Greater Sydney, Zetland records 605% more development activity per person, reflecting robust developer interest in the area. Recent development has comprised entirely of townhouses or apartments, offering affordable entry pathways and attracting downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers. Currently, there are approximately 58 people per approval in Zetland, indicating a developing area with population forecasts expecting an increase of 3,274 residents by 2041. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

Population forecasts indicate Zetland will gain 3,274 residents through to 2041. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

Zetland has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 10% nationally

Local infrastructure changes significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 38 projects likely impacting the area. Notable ones are Green Square Town Centre, Green Square Public School and Community Spaces, The Kingsborough, and Alba. The following details projects expected to be most relevant.

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

AreaSearch analysis of employment trends sees Zetland performing better than 90% of local markets assessed across Australia

Zetland has an educated workforce, with the technology sector prominent. Its unemployment rate was 1.9% as of June 2025.

Over the past year, employment stability was relative. There were 9,814 residents employed in June 2025, with an unemployment rate of 2.3%, below Greater Sydney's 4.2%. Workforce participation was high at 72.2% compared to Greater Sydney's 60.0%. Key industries included professional & technical, finance & insurance, and health care & social assistance.

Zetland had a high specialization in professional & technical employment, at 1.5 times the regional level, while health care & social assistance employed just 9.0% of local workers, below Greater Sydney's 14.1%. Employment opportunities locally appeared limited based on Census data analysis by AreaSearch. From June 2024 to June 2025, employment levels increased by 0.2%, and labour force grew by 0.6%, raising the unemployment rate by 0.4 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Sydney saw employment rise by 2.6% and unemployment increase by 0.3 percentage points. Statewide in NSW as of Sep-25, employment contracted by 0.41%, with an unemployment rate of 4.3%. Nationally, the unemployment rate was 4.5%, with employment growth of 0.26%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 project a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Zetland's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 7.1% over five years and 14.1% over ten years, though these are simple extrapolations for illustrative purposes only.

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

Zetland had a median taxpayer income of $69,129 and an average of $84,315 according to postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for the 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 of 10.6% between financial years 2022 and 2025 (March), estimated current incomes are approximately $76,457 median and $93,252 average. Census data shows individual earnings at the 94th percentile nationally were $1,262 weekly. Income brackets indicate that 35.6% of Zetland residents earned between $1,500 to $2,999 weekly (5,578 individuals), slightly higher than the broader area's 30.9%. High-earning households (exceeding $3,000 weekly) comprised 32.8%, supporting strong consumer spending despite high housing costs consuming 25.4% of income. Despite this, disposable income ranks at the 62nd percentile nationally, and Zetland's SEIFA income ranking places it in 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 was at 7.6%, with mortgaged dwellings at 20.2% and rented ones at 72.2%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,642, below Sydney metro's $2,705. Median weekly rent in Zetland was $600, compared to Sydney metro's $550. Nationally, Zetland's mortgage repayments were higher at $1,863 and 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% of all households, including 11.4% couples with children, 35.4% couples without children, and 4.3% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 46.9%, with lone person households at 31.7% and group households making up 15.3% 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

Zetland's educational attainment is notably high, with 61.7% of residents aged 15 and above holding university qualifications. This is significantly higher than the national average of 30.4% and the NSW average of 32.2%. 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 and above, with advanced diplomas making up 9.6% and certificates 9.5%.

Educational participation is high in Zetland, 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. Educational facilities are not located within the immediate catchment boundaries, requiring families to access schools in neighboring areas.

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 operating within its boundaries. These stops serve a mix of bus routes, totaling 11 individual routes. Together, they facilitate 6,881 weekly passenger trips.

The accessibility of these services is rated as excellent, with residents typically residing just 111 meters from their nearest transport stop. On average, there are 983 trips daily across all routes, translating to around 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. The prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups is very low. Approximately 62% (9,778 people) have private health cover, compared to Greater Sydney's 69.7%.

Nationally, the average is 55.3%. Mental health issues and asthma are the most common medical conditions, affecting 5.6% and 5.5% of residents respectively. 85.1% report no medical ailments, compared to 77.4% in Greater Sydney. Zetland has 4.0% (634 people) aged 65 and over, lower than Greater Sydney's 9.7%. Seniors' health outcomes are strong and align with the general population's 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's population shows significant cultural diversity, with 52.4% speaking a language other than English at home and 66.1% born overseas. Christianity is the predominant religion, accounting for 30.5%. Judaism is slightly overrepresented at 1.2%, compared to 1.1% in Greater Sydney.

The top ancestry groups are Chinese (27.3%), Other (16.5%), and English (14.9%). Some ethnicities show notable variations: Russian (0.9% vs regional 0.8%), Spanish (0.9% vs 1.0%), and Korean (1.4% vs 1.1%) are more prevalent in Zetland than the Greater Sydney average.

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%. Post-2021 Census data shows that the proportion of Zetland's population aged 35 to 44 has grown from 17.7% to 19.8%, while the proportion of those aged 25 to 34 has declined from 42.4% to 41.1%. By 2041, demographic modeling projects that Zetland's age profile will change significantly. The number of residents aged 25-34 is expected to grow by 1,073 people (17%), reaching a total of 7,516. Conversely, the number of residents aged 35-44 is projected to decrease by 196.