Darlington (Sydney - NSW)

Darlington has seen population growth performance typically on par with national averages when looking at short and medium term trends

Based on analysis of ABS population updates for the broader area, and new addresses validated by AreaSearch, the suburb of Darlington (Sydney - NSW) had an estimated population of around 2,958 as of Feb 2026. This reflected an increase of 361 people (13.9%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 2,597 people. The change was inferred from the resident population of 2,938 estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 and an additional one validated new address since the Census date. This level of population equated to a density ratio of 7,784 persons per square kilometer, placing it in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch, indicating high demand for land in the area. Darlington's growth of 13.9% since the 2021 Census exceeded both the state average (7.8%) and Greater Sydney, positioning it as a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 94.0% of overall population gains during recent periods, driving primary population growth for the area.

AreaSearch adopted ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year, and utilised 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 from these aggregations were applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Future population trends forecast a significant increase in the top quartile of Australian statistical areas, with the suburb expected to increase by 1,149 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting an overall increase of 42.5% over the 17 years.

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

Darlington has seen minimal dwelling approvals in recent years. Between financial year 2017 and 2021, an estimated four homes were approved. As of June 2022, no dwelling approvals have been recorded for the current financial year.

Population decline in Darlington has led to adequate housing supply relative to demand, resulting in a balanced market with varied buyer choices. The average construction cost value of new dwellings is $625,000, indicating developer focus on premium properties. Compared to Greater Sydney, Darlington exhibits significantly reduced construction activity, which typically supports stronger demand and values for established dwellings. This trend is below national averages, suggesting the area's maturity and potential planning constraints.

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

The performance of an area can significantly be influenced by changes in local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. A total of 12 projects have been identified by AreaSearch as potentially impacting the area. Notable projects include the University of Sydney Campus Transformation, Redfern North Eveleigh Paint Shop Sub-Precinct, University of Sydney Biomedical Accelerator (SBA), and Royal Prince Alfred Hospital Redevelopment. The following list details those projects likely to be most relevant.

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

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Darlington has seen below average employment performance when compared to national benchmarks

Darlington's workforce is highly educated, with the technology sector prominent. Its unemployment rate was 5.2% as per AreaSearch's statistical area data aggregation in September 2025. In this month, 1,869 residents were employed, an unemployment rate of 1.0% higher than Greater Sydney's 4.2%.

Workforce participation was similar to Greater Sydney's 70.0%. Census responses indicated that 59.1% of residents worked from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. Employment is concentrated in professional & technical services (1.7 times the regional level), education & training, and health care & social assistance. Construction employment was limited at 5.2%, compared to the regional average of 8.6%.

The area hosts more jobs than residents, with a ratio of 1.6 workers per resident, attracting workers from surrounding areas. Between September 2024 and September 2025, Darlington's labour force decreased by 1.4% and employment by 1.3%, keeping unemployment relatively stable at 5.2%. In contrast, Greater Sydney saw employment rise by 2.1% and the labour force grow by 2.4%, with unemployment increasing to 4.4%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project overall growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Darlington's employment mix suggests local employment could increase by 7.2% over five years and 14.5% over ten years, assuming constant population projections.

The economic profile demonstrates above-average performance, with income metrics exceeding national benchmarks based on AreaSearch comparative assessment

The suburb of Darlington had a median income among taxpayers of $50,267 and an average income of $65,974 in financial year 2023, according to the latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch. These figures compare to Greater Sydney's median income of $60,817 and average income of $83,003 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since financial year 2023, current estimates for Darlington would be approximately $54,721 (median) and $71,819 (average) as of September 2025. Census 2021 income data shows household incomes in Darlington rank at the 87th percentile ($2,392 weekly), while personal incomes rank lower at the 44th percentile. Income analysis reveals that 30.7% of Darlington's population (908 individuals) fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 income range, reflecting regional patterns where 30.9% similarly occupy this range. The suburb demonstrates affluence with 41.4% earning over $3,000 per week. High housing costs consume 23.0% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 77th percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

Darlington displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Dwelling structure in Darlington, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 3.8% houses and 96.2% other dwellings. In comparison, Sydney metro had 55.9% houses and 44.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Darlington was 18.2%, with mortgaged dwellings at 21.2% and rented at 60.5%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $3,200, above Sydney metro's average of $2,427. Median weekly rent in Darlington was $650, compared to Sydney metro's $470. Nationally, Darlington's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Darlington features high concentrations of group households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 46.8% of all households, including 11.3% couples with children, 28.8% couples without children, and 5.3% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 53.2%, composed of 29.3% lone person households and 23.6% group households. The median household size is 2.3 people, which is smaller than the Greater Sydney average of 2.7.

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

Darlington's educational attainment is notably higher than broader averages. Among residents aged 15+, 57.5% hold university qualifications, compared to Australia's 30.4% and NSW's 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 37.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (16.5%) and graduate diplomas (3.1%). Technical qualifications account for 12.8%, with advanced diplomas at 6.2% and certificates at 6.6%.

Educational participation is high, with 48.6% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 39.6% in tertiary education, 2.4% in primary education, and 2.0% pursuing secondary education.

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

Darlington has eight active public transport stops serving a mix of bus routes. These stops are covered by 14 different routes, collectively facilitating 4630 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents typically located 226 meters from the nearest stop. Most commutes in this primarily residential area are outward-bound. Car remains the dominant mode at 35%, followed by train at 24% and walking at 22%. Vehicle ownership averages 0.5 per dwelling, below the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, a high 59.1% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 661 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 578 weekly trips per individual stop.

Darlington's residents are extremely healthy with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Analysis of health metrics shows strong performance throughout Darlington. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence were very low across all age groups.

Private health cover was approximately 53% of the total population (~1,568 people), leading that of the average SA2 area but lower than Greater Sydney's 59.9%. The most common medical conditions were mental health issues (11.8%) and asthma (7.7%). 75.9% of residents declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 74.6% across Greater Sydney. Working-age residents had low chronic condition prevalence. Darlington had 5.2% of residents aged 65 and over (153 people), lower than Greater Sydney's 15.4%. Health outcomes among seniors were particularly strong, ranking higher than the general population nationally.

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

Darlington has high cultural diversity, with 32.4% speaking a language other than English at home and 43.8% born overseas. Christianity is the main religion, comprising 19.8%. Judaism is overrepresented at 1.2%, compared to Greater Sydney's 0.8%.

Top ancestry groups are English (20.4%), Australian (17.2%), and Chinese (13.7%), higher than regional averages of 16.5% for English, 14.9% for Australian, and 8.4% for Chinese. French (1.0%) is notably overrepresented compared to the region's 0.5%. Russian is also slightly overrepresented at 0.5%, versus 0.4% regionally. New Zealand has a higher representation in Darlington, at 1.0% versus 0.5% regionally.

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

Darlington has a median age of 25 years, which is significantly lower than Greater Sydney's average of 37 years and the national average of 38 years. Compared to Greater Sydney, Darlington has a higher proportion of residents aged 15-24 (39.1%) but fewer residents aged 5-14 (1.3%). This concentration of 15-24 year-olds is significantly higher than the national average of 12.5%. According to the 2021 Census, Darlington's median age has decreased by 1.6 years to 25 years from its previous figure of 27 years. The proportion of residents aged 15-24 has grown from 34.3% to 39.1%, while the proportion of residents aged 35-44 has declined from 10.9% to 8.9%. Additionally, the proportion of residents aged 5-14 has dropped from 3.1% to 1.3%. Looking forward to 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Darlington's age structure, with the strongest projected growth in the 15-24 age group, which is expected to increase by 35%, adding 400 residents and reaching a total of 1,557.