Chippendale

Population growth drivers in Chippendale are slightly above average based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium term trends

As of Feb 2026, the estimated population of Chippendale is around 9,517, reflecting a growth of 1,714 people since the 2021 Census. This increase represents a 22.0% rise from the previous figure of 7,803 residents. The change was inferred from AreaSearch's estimated resident population of 9,490 in June 2024 and an additional 19 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a high population density ratio of 20,689 persons per square kilometer, placing Chippendale within the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The suburb's growth rate exceeded both the state average (7.8%) and Greater Sydney, indicating its status as a regional growth leader. Overseas migration contributed approximately 95.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year, and NSW State Government's SA2 level projections for areas not covered by this data, released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Growth rates by age group are applied to all areas from these aggregations for years 2032 to 2041. By 2041, Chippendale's population is forecasted to increase by 4,843 persons, reflecting a total increase of 50.6% over the 17-year period.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Chippendale according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

Chippendale recorded around 28 residential properties granted approval per year over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated 143 homes. No approvals have been recorded so far in FY-26. On average, 3.1 people moved to Chippendale for each dwelling built between FY-21 and FY-25, indicating supply lagging demand. New dwellings were developed at an average cost of $120,000, below the regional average, suggesting more affordable housing options.

In FY-26, commercial development approvals totalled $62,000, reflecting a predominantly residential focus. Compared to Greater Sydney, Chippendale has approximately 56% of construction activity per person and ranks among the fifth percentile nationally in terms of assessed areas, indicating constrained buyer choice and interest in existing dwellings.

This activity is lower than national levels, suggesting market maturity and possible development constraints. Population forecasts indicate Chippendale will gain 4,816 residents by 2041. At current development rates, housing supply may struggle to match population growth, potentially heightening buyer competition and supporting price increases.

Chippendale 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 identified 23 projects likely impacting the area. Key projects include The Post House, University of Sydney Darlington Terraces Redevelopment, UTS National First Nations College, and Atlassian Central. Below is a list detailing those 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 Chippendale shows performance that lags behind national averages across key labour market indicators

Chippendale has a highly educated workforce with a notable representation in the technology sector. The unemployment rate is 4.9%, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data. As of September 2025, there are 5,836 residents employed, and the unemployment rate is 0.7% higher than Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%.

Workforce participation in Chippendale is lower at 66.8%, compared to Greater Sydney's 70.0%. A high proportion of residents work from home, with 57.8% reporting they do so based on Census responses. Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered when interpreting this figure. The leading employment industries among Chippendale residents are professional & technical services, accommodation & food services, and education & training services.

Notably, the area has a high concentration of professional & technical jobs, with employment levels at 1.8 times the regional average. Conversely, construction employs only 3.3% of local workers, below Greater Sydney's rate of 8.6%. The ratio of 0.7 workers per resident indicates a level of local employment opportunities above the norm. Between September 2024 and September 2025, the labour force decreased by 1.3%, while employment decreased by 1.0% in Chippendale, resulting in a fall of 0.3 percentage points in the unemployment rate. In comparison, Greater Sydney recorded employment growth of 2.1% during the same period. Looking ahead, Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that Chippendale's employment should increase by 7.2% over five years and 14.3% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation of industry-specific projections against the local employment mix.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

The suburb of Chippendale had a median taxpayer income of $47,408 and an average income of $68,064 in the financial year 2023. This was based on postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch. Nationally, the median income was approximately similar at $51,608 (estimated for September 2025). In Greater Sydney, the median income was higher at $60,817 with an average of $83,003 in the same period. According to the 2021 Census, Chippendale's personal income ranked at the 64th percentile ($882 weekly) and household income at the 41st percentile. The $1,500 - 2,999 earnings band captured 30.6% of Chippendale's community (2,912 individuals), similar to the broader area where 30.9% fell within this range. Housing affordability pressures were severe with only 70.3% of income remaining, ranking at the 24th percentile. The suburb's SEIFA income ranking placed it in the 10th decile.

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

Chippendale's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 0.1% houses and 100.0% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), contrasting Sydney metro's 55.9% houses and 44.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Chippendale stood at 9.1%, with mortgaged dwellings at 13.1% and rented ones at 77.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,409, lower than Sydney metro's average of $2,427. The median weekly rent in Chippendale was $520, compared to Sydney metro's $470. Nationally, Chippendale's mortgage repayments were higher at $2,409 versus the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 37.9% of all households, including 5.1% that are couples with children, 27.4% that are couples without children, and 2.7% that are single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 62.1%, with lone person households at 46.2% and group households comprising 16.0%. The median household size is 1.8 people, which is smaller than the Greater Sydney average of 2.7.

Educational achievement in Chippendale places it within the top 10% nationally, reflecting strong academic performance and high qualification levels across the community

Chippendale's educational attainment is notably higher than national averages. Among residents aged 15 and above, 63.4% hold university qualifications, compared to Australia's 30.4% and New South Wales' 32.2%. This high level of educational attainment positions Chippendale favourably for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 40.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (21.0%) and graduate diplomas (2.4%).

Vocational pathways account for 15.1% of qualifications, with advanced diplomas at 9.4% and certificates at 5.7%. Educational participation is high in Chippendale, with 46.2% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 32.6% in tertiary education, 1.3% in primary education, and 1.3% pursuing secondary education.

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

Chippendale has nine active public transport stops operating, serving a mix of bus routes. These stops are served by 42 different routes, collectively facilitating 12,559 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents typically located 143 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward due to Chippendale's primarily residential nature. Walking is common at 24%, with another 24% using trains for their commutes. Vehicle ownership averages 0.1 per dwelling, below the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, 57.8% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 1,794 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 1395 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Chippendale's health outcomes show exceptional results based on AreaSearch's evaluation of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence, with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups. The rate of private health cover is approximately 54% of the total population (~5,124 people), leading that of the average SA2 area but lower than Greater Sydney's 59.9%.

Mental health issues and asthma are the most common medical conditions in the area, affecting 7.7% and 5.4% of residents respectively. A higher proportion, 84.4%, report being completely clear of medical ailments compared to Greater Sydney's 74.6%. The area has a lower percentage of residents aged 65 and over at 4.1% (390 people), compared to Greater Sydney's 15.4%. Health outcomes among seniors in Chippendale are strong, aligning with national rankings for the general population.

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

Chippendale has a diverse population, with 57.3% speaking a language other than English at home and 67.3% born overseas. Christianity is the main religion, comprising 21.0%. Buddhism is overrepresented at 10.3%, compared to Greater Sydney's average of 4.1%.

The top three ancestry groups are Chinese (29.9%), Other (17.6%), and English (13.3%). Notably, Spanish (1.1%) Korean (1.8%), and French (0.9%) groups are overrepresented compared to regional averages of 0.6%, 1.1%, and 0.5% respectively.

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

Chippendale's median age is 28, which is less than Greater Sydney's figure of 37 and also younger than Australia's median age of 38. The age profile indicates that individuals aged 25-34 years are particularly prominent, comprising 39.1% of the population, while those aged 5-14 years make up only 1.4%, which is smaller compared to Greater Sydney. This concentration of 25-34 year-olds is significantly higher than the national figure of 14.4%. Post-Census data from 2021 shows that the 15 to 24 age group has increased from 28.9% to 29.6% of Chippendale's population, while the 55 to 64 cohort has decreased from 4.4% to 3.8%. By 2041, it is projected that the 45 to 54 age cohort will grow significantly, expanding by 1,511 people (252%) from 599 to 2,111. Conversely, numbers in the 25 to 34 age range are expected to decrease by 902.