Darlington (Sydney - NSW)

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

As of November 2025, Darlington's population is estimated at around 2,940, reflecting an increase of 343 people since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 2,597. This growth is inferred from AreaSearch's validation of new addresses and analysis of ABS ERP data released in June 2024, showing a resident population estimate of 2,911. The suburb's population density ratio is 7,736 persons per square kilometer, placing it in the top 10% nationally. Darlington's growth rate of 13.2% since 2021 exceeded both state (6.7%) and metropolitan area averages. Overseas migration contributed approximately 94.0% of overall population gains during recent periods. AreaSearch uses 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 where applicable.

Projected demographic shifts indicate significant growth, with the suburb expected to expand by 1,151 persons to 2041, reflecting a gain of 43.4% over the 17-year period.

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 FY21 and FY25, an estimated 2 homes were approved, with 0 so far in FY26. This limited new supply may indicate that demand is being met by existing stock, offering buyers good choice.

The average construction cost value of new properties is $625,000, which is higher than regional norms, suggesting quality-focused development. In terms of commercial development, $33,000 in approvals have been recorded this financial year, indicating minimal activity. Compared to Greater Sydney, Darlington has significantly less development activity overall. This limited new supply generally supports stronger demand and values for established homes. However, construction activity has intensified recently, though it remains below average nationally. This could reflect the area's maturity and possible 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. AreaSearch has identified a total of 13 projects that are expected to have an impact on the area. Notable projects include the University of Sydney Campus Transformation, Redfern North Eveleigh Paint Shop Sub-Precinct (formerly Clothing Store), University of Sydney Biomedical Accelerator (SBA), and Royal Prince Alfred Hospital Redevelopment. The following list details those projects considered most relevant.

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

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The employment landscape in Darlington shows performance that lags behind national averages across key labour market indicators

Darlington has a highly educated workforce with notable representation in the technology sector. As of June 2025, its unemployment rate was 5.4%.

Over the past year, it maintained relative employment stability. The area had an unemployment rate of 6.4% compared to Greater Sydney's 4.2%, and workforce participation at 66.5% versus Greater Sydney's 60.0%. Key industries for residents were professional & technical, education & training, and health care & social assistance. Darlington specialized in professional & technical jobs with an employment share of 1.7 times the regional level, but had lower construction representation at 5.2% compared to the regional average of 8.6%.

With a worker-to-resident ratio of 1.6, it functioned as an employment hub hosting more jobs than residents and attracting workers from surrounding areas. Between Jun-24 and Jul-25, labour force increased by 0.4%, while employment declined by 0.3%, raising the unemployment rate by 0.7 percentage points. In comparison, Greater Sydney had employment growth of 2.6% and labour force growth of 2.9%, with unemployment rising by 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 estimated national employment growth at 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but industry-specific projections differed significantly. Applying these projections to Darlington's employment mix suggested local employment should increase by 7.2% over five years and 14.5% over ten years.

Income analysis reveals strong economic positioning, with the area outperforming 60% of locations assessed nationally by AreaSearch

Darlington had a median taxpayer income of $50,267 and an average of $65,974 according to postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for the financial year 2022. This was slightly above the national average, contrasting with Greater Sydney's median income of $56,994 and average income of $80,856. Using Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% since financial year 2022, current estimates for Darlington would be approximately $56,606 (median) and $74,293 (average) as of September 2025. According to the 2021 Census, household incomes in Darlington ranked at the 87th percentile ($2,392 weekly), while personal income ranked lower at the 44th percentile. Income distribution showed that 30.7% of individuals earned between $1,500 and $2,999. Economic strength was evident with 41.4% of households achieving high weekly earnings exceeding $3,000, supporting elevated consumer spending. However, high housing costs consumed 23.0% of income. Despite this, disposable income remained at the 77th percentile, and the area's SEIFA income ranking placed it in the 8th decile.

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

Darlington's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 3.8% houses and 96.2% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Sydney metro's 2.3% houses and 97.7% other dwellings. Home ownership in Darlington stood at 18.2%, with mortgaged dwellings at 21.2% and rented ones at 60.5%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $3,200, above Sydney metro's average of $2,705. Median weekly rent in Darlington was $650, compared to Sydney metro's $550. Nationally, Darlington's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, with rents substantially above the national figure of $375.

Darlington features high concentrations of group households, with a higher-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%, with lone person households at 29.3% and group households comprising 23.6%. The median household size is 2.3 people, larger than the Greater Sydney average of 1.9.

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

Darlington's educational attainment exceeds national and state averages. 57.5% of residents aged 15+ have university qualifications, compared to 30.4% in Australia and 32.2% in NSW. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 37.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (16.5%) and graduate diplomas (3.1%). Technical qualifications comprise 12.8% of educational achievements, with advanced diplomas at 6.2% and certificates at 6.6%.

Educational participation is high, with 48.6% currently enrolled in formal education: 39.6% in tertiary, 2.4% in primary, and 2.0% in secondary. Darlington Public School serves the area, enrolling 146 students as of a typical Australian school condition (ICSEA: 1048). The school focuses on primary education, with secondary options available nearby. School places per 100 residents are lower than the regional average at 5.0 compared to 7.7.

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

The public transport analysis shows four active transport stops operating in Darlington. These stops serve a mix of bus routes, with 14 individual routes in total. The combined weekly passenger trips across these routes amount to 4,032.

Transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents typically located 226 meters from the nearest stop. On average, service frequency is 576 trips per day across all routes, which equates to approximately 1008 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Darlington shows excellent health outcomes across all age groups, with very low prevalence of common conditions. Private health cover rate is approximately 53%, higher than the average SA2 area but lower than Greater Sydney's 69.7%.

Mental health issues and asthma are the most prevalent conditions, affecting 11.8% and 7.7% respectively. Around 75.9% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 77.4% in Greater Sydney. Darlington has a lower proportion of seniors (5.1%, or 149 people) than Greater Sydney (9.7%). Senior health outcomes align with the general population's profile.

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's cultural diversity is notable, with 32.4% speaking a language other than English at home and 43.8% born overseas. Christianity is the predominant religion, comprising 19.8%. Judaism, at 1.2%, is slightly overrepresented compared to Greater Sydney's 1.1%.

In terms of ancestry, the top three groups are English (20.4%), Australian (17.2%), and Chinese (13.7%). Some ethnic groups show notable divergences: French (1.0% vs regional 1.1%), Russian (0.5% vs 0.8%), and New Zealand (1.0% vs 0.6%) are overrepresented in Darlington.

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

Darlington's median age is 25 years, which is significantly below Greater Sydney's average of 37 and lower than the national average of 38 years. Compared to Greater Sydney, Darlington has a higher concentration of residents aged 15-24 at 39.4%, but fewer residents aged 5-14 at 1.5%. This concentration of 15-24 year-olds is well above the national average of 12.5%. According to the 2021 Census, Darlington's median age has decreased by 1.8 years to 25 from its previous figure of 27. The population aged 15 to 24 has grown from 34.3% to 39.4%, while the 35 to 44 cohort has declined from 10.9% to 8.8% and the 45 to 54 group has dropped from 7.9% to 6.3%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Darlington's age structure, with the 15 to 24 cohort projected to grow by 34%, adding 396 residents to reach a total of 1,555.