Balmain East

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

As of Feb 2026, the estimated population of the suburb of Balmain East is around 1,944. This reflects an increase of 44 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 1,900 people. The current resident population estimate of 1,925 was inferred from AreaSearch's examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 and address validation since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 5,717 persons per square kilometer, placing Balmain East in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Overseas migration contributed approximately 72.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is utilising ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 with a base year of 2022, and NSW State Government's SA2 level projections released in 2022 with a base year of 2021 for areas not covered by this data. Applying growth rates by age group from these aggregations to all areas for years 2032 to 2041, the suburb is expected to increase its population by 167 persons to 2041, reflecting an increase of 8.7% over the 17-year period.

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

Balmain East has seen minimal dwelling approvals in recent years. Over the past five financial years, from 2017 to 2021 inclusive, an estimated three homes were approved for construction. As of June 2022, no dwelling approvals have been recorded in Balmain East during the current financial year, FY-26. Despite population decline in the area, housing supply has remained adequate relative to demand, resulting in a balanced property market with good buyer choice. In contrast, commercial development approvals totalled $1.5 million in FY-26, indicating a residential focus for development in Balmain East.

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

Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified three major projects expected to impact the region. Key projects are Western Harbour Tunnel, Barangaroo Precinct, Central Barangaroo, and White Bay Power Station Redevelopment.

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

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Employment performance in Balmain East exceeds national averages across key labour market indicators

Balmain East has a highly educated workforce with significant representation in the technology sector. Its unemployment rate is 2.7%. Over the past year, it has shown relative employment stability.

As of September 2025, 1,179 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 2.7%, which is 1.5% lower than Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%. Workforce participation in Balmain East is 72.3%, compared to Greater Sydney's 70.0%. According to Census responses, 67.9% of residents work from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. The leading employment industries are professional & technical, finance & insurance, and health care & social assistance.

Balmain East has a notably high concentration in professional & technical services, with employment levels at 1.9 times the regional average. Manufacturing employs only 2.2% of local workers, below Greater Sydney's 5.7%. Many residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census data comparing working population to local population. Between September 2024 and September 2025, labour force levels increased by 0.2%, while employment decreased by 0.2% in Balmain East, leading to a rise in unemployment rate of 0.3 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Sydney saw employment rise by 2.1% and the labour force grow by 2.4%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that national employment will expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Balmain East's employment mix indicates potential local employment growth of 7.7% over five years and 15.1% over ten years, though these are simple extrapolations for illustrative purposes only and do not account for localized population projections.

The economic profile demonstrates exceptional strength, placing the area among the top 10% nationally based on comprehensive AreaSearch income analysis

The latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year 2023 shows that Balmain East's median income among taxpayers is $85,006 with an average of $158,389. Nationally, this is exceptionally high compared to Greater Sydney's median of $60,817 and average of $83,003. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since financial year 2023, current estimates for Balmain East would be approximately $92,538 (median) and $172,422 (average) as of September 2025. According to the 2021 Census figures, household, family and personal incomes in Balmain East rank highly nationally, between the 97th and 98th percentiles. In terms of income distribution, the $4000+ bracket dominates with 41.2% of residents (800 people), unlike regional trends where 30.9% fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 range. This suburb demonstrates considerable affluence with 51.6% earning over $3,000 per week, supporting premium retail and service offerings. High housing costs consume 16.5% of income, though strong earnings still place disposable income at the 96th percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 10th decile.

Balmain East displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

In Balmain East, as per the latest Census data, 15.8% of dwellings were houses while 84.2% consisted of semi-detached homes, apartments, and other types. This differed from Sydney metropolitan areas where 55.9% of dwellings were houses and 44.1% were other types. Home ownership in Balmain East stood at 34.6%, with mortgaged properties at 24.5% and rented ones at 40.9%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $4,333, higher than the Sydney metro average of $2,427. Weekly rent median in Balmain East was $617 compared to Sydney's $470. Nationally, Balmain East's mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $4,333 versus Australia's average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Balmain East features high concentrations of lone person households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 64.0% of all households, including 24.5% couples with children, 32.3% couples without children, and 6.5% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 36.0%, with lone person households at 33.0% and group households making up 3.6%. The median household size is 2.2 people, which is smaller than the Greater Sydney average of 2.7.

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

Balmain East has a notably high level of educational attainment among its residents aged 15 and above, with 62.7% holding university qualifications. This figure surpasses the national average of 30.4% and the New South Wales (NSW) average of 32.2%. The area's strong educational advantage is reflected in various qualification types: bachelor degrees lead at 37.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 21.4% and graduate diplomas at 4.1%. Vocational pathways account for 17.1% of qualifications, with advanced diplomas at 8.2% and certificates at 8.9%.

Educational participation in the area is significantly high, with 26.9% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 8.2% enrolled in primary education, 8.2% in secondary education, and 6.3% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Balmain East has 15 active public transport stops offering a mix of ferry and bus services. These stops are served by 6 different routes, collectively facilitating 3875 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents typically residing 136 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward daily. Car remains the dominant mode of transportation at 65%, while walking and bus usage stands at 6% each. Vehicle ownership averages 0.8 per dwelling, lower than the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, a high 67.9% of residents work from home, potentially due to COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency across all routes averages 553 trips per day, equating to approximately 258 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Balmain East's health outcomes show excellent results based on AreaSearch's assessment. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence were very low across all age groups. Approximately 89% of the total population (1,733 people) had private health cover, compared to 59.9% in Greater Sydney and a national average of 55.7%.

The most prevalent medical conditions were asthma (8.1%) and mental health issues (7.3%). A majority, 73.4%, reported being completely clear of medical ailments, slightly lower than the 74.6% across Greater Sydney. The under-65 population had better-than-average health outcomes. As of 2021, 22.1% of residents were aged 65 and over (429 people), higher than Greater Sydney's 15.4%. Despite this, seniors' health outcomes ranked broadly in line with the general population nationally.

The level of cultural diversity witnessed in Balmain East was found to be slightly above average when compared nationally for a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Balmain East's cultural diversity was above average, with 11.2% speaking a language other than English at home and 29.5% born overseas. Christianity was the main religion, comprising 42.2%. Judaism was overrepresented at 0.6%, compared to Greater Sydney's 0.8%.

In ancestry, English (30.3%) and Irish (12.6%) were substantially higher than regional averages of 19.0% and 6.1% respectively. Welsh (0.9%), French (1.0%), and Russian (0.5%) were notably overrepresented compared to regional figures of 0.4%, 0.5%, and 0.4%.

Balmain East hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

The median age in Balmain East is 46 years, notably higher than Greater Sydney's average of 37 years and also above Australia's median age of 38 years. The 55-64 age cohort is over-represented in Balmain East at 15.2%, compared to the Greater Sydney average, while the 25-34 age group is under-represented at 10.9%. Between the 2021 Census and the latest data, the 15-24 age group has increased from 9.2% to 11.1%, and the 75-84 cohort has risen from 6.2% to 7.9%. Conversely, the 0-4 age group has declined from 4.0% to 2.6%, and the 5-14 age group has dropped from 10.0% to 8.7%. Population forecasts for Balmain East indicate significant demographic changes by 2041. The 85+ age cohort is projected to grow dramatically, increasing by 55 people (119%) from 46 to 102. The aging population trend is evident, with those aged 65 and above comprising 75% of the projected growth. Conversely, the 15-24 and 0-4 age cohorts are expected to experience population declines.