Dulwich Hill

Dulwich Hill 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, Dulwich Hill's population is estimated at around 15,004. This reflects an increase of 958 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 14,046. The change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population at 14,668 following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 and an additional 128 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 7,077 persons per square kilometer, placing Dulwich Hill in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Overseas migration contributed approximately 73.0% of overall population gains during recent periods, driving primary growth for the suburb. AreaSearch is adopting 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 for areas not covered by this data, 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 aggregated SA2-level projections, Dulwich Hill is expected to expand by 312 persons to 2041, reflecting a decrease of 0.2% in total over the 17-year period.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development drivers sees a low level of activity in Dulwich Hill, placing the area among the bottom 25% of areas assessed nationally

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers, allocated from statistical area data, indicates Dulwich Hill recorded around 26 residential properties granted approval each year over the past five financial years. This totals an estimated 130 homes. So far in FY-26115 approvals have been recorded. Over these five years (FY-21 to FY-25), an average of 1.3 new residents per year per dwelling constructed was observed. However, recent data shows this has intensified to 31.9 people per dwelling over the past two financial years.

New homes are being built at an average expected construction cost value of $443,000, slightly above the regional average. In FY-26, there have been $4.9 million in commercial approvals, indicating limited commercial development focus. Recent construction comprises 12.0% standalone homes and 88.0% attached dwellings, marking a significant departure from existing housing patterns (currently 29.0% houses). Dulwich Hill shows a mature, established area with around 2076 people per approval.

With population expected to remain stable or decline, reduced pressure on housing is anticipated, potentially creating opportunities for buyers.

Dulwich Hill 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 has identified 26 projects that could impact this region. Notable ones include JF Laxton Reserve Upgrade, Cooks to Cove GreenWay, Sydney Metro Sydenham to Bankstown Conversion, and Marrickville Station Metro Upgrade. The following list details 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 Dulwich Hill shows performance that lags behind national averages across key labour market indicators

Dulwich Hill has a highly educated workforce with significant representation in the technology sector. Its unemployment rate was 5.2% according to AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data. As of December 2025, 9,026 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 1.0% higher than Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%.

Workforce participation stood at 74.3%, slightly above Greater Sydney's 70.2%. Census responses showed that 58.7% of residents worked from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. Employment is concentrated in professional & technical, health care & social assistance, and education & training sectors. Dulwich Hill has a particularly strong specialization in education & training, with an employment share 1.4 times the regional level.

Conversely, construction has limited presence at 5.6% compared to the regional average of 8.6%. The predominantly residential area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities. Over the 12 months to December 2025, labour force levels decreased by 1.6% and employment declined by 2.1%, leading to a rise in unemployment rate by 0.5 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Sydney saw employment growth of 2.2%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project overall employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Dulwich Hill's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.0% over five years and 14.2% over ten years, though these are simple extrapolations for illustrative purposes and do not account for localized population projections.

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

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of latest postcode level ATO data released on June 30, 2023, Dulwich Hill suburb had a median income among taxpayers of $66,520 and an average level of $86,972. These figures are significantly higher than the national averages of $60,817 and $83,003 for Greater Sydney respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since financial year 2023, estimated median income as of September 2025 would be approximately $72,414, with average income at around $94,678. Census 2021 data indicates individual earnings in Dulwich Hill stand at the 88th percentile nationally, with weekly earnings of $1,157. Income analysis reveals that 32.9% of residents earn between $1,500 and $2,999 weekly, which is similar to the broader area where 30.9% fall into this range. The suburb shows considerable affluence with 32.2% earning over $3,000 per week. High housing costs consume 18.1% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 68th percentile nationally, and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

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

At Dulwich Hill's latest Census evaluation, 28.9% of dwellings were houses while 71.2% consisted of semi-detached properties, apartments, and other dwellings. In comparison, Sydney metro had 55.9% houses and 44.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Dulwich Hill stood at 25.5%, with mortgaged dwellings at 27.7% and rented ones at 46.9%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,500, exceeding Sydney metro's average of $2,427. The median weekly rent in Dulwich Hill was $470, matching Sydney metro's figure but significantly higher than the national average of $375. Nationally, Dulwich Hill's mortgage repayments were higher at $1,863.

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

Family households comprise 59.1% of all households, including 23.4% couples with children, 24.7% couples without children, and 9.8% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 40.9%, with lone person households at 34.4% and group households making up 6.5%. The median household size is 2.2 people, smaller than the Greater Sydney average of 2.7.

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

Dulwich Hill's educational attainment is notably higher than Australian averages. Among residents aged 15+, 49.4% hold university qualifications, compared to 30.4% nationally and 32.2% in NSW. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 31.4%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (13.4%) and graduate diplomas (4.6%). Vocational pathways account for 22.7%, with advanced diplomas at 10.8% and certificates at 11.9%.

Educational participation is high, with 27.7% currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 7.6% in primary, 7.5% in tertiary, and 6.5% in secondary education.

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

Dulwich Hill has 60 active public transport stops offering a mix of lightrail and bus services. These are covered by 27 routes providing 8,547 weekly passenger trips. Residents enjoy excellent transport accessibility, with an average distance of 139 meters to the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward from this primarily residential area. Cars remain the dominant mode at 64%, followed by train at 15% and bus at 8%. Vehicle ownership averages 0.6 per dwelling, below the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, a high 58.7% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 1,221 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 142 weekly trips per individual stop.

Dulwich Hill's residents are healthier than average in comparison to broader Australia with prevalence of common health conditions quite low across both younger and older age cohorts

Dulwich Hill residents have relatively positive health outcomes based on AreaSearch's analysis of mortality rates and health conditions. The prevalence of common health conditions is low across both younger and older age cohorts, aligning with national benchmarks.

Private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 61% of the total population (9,188 people), compared to the national average of 55.7%. Mental health issues and asthma are the most common medical conditions in the area, impacting 10.9 and 8.3% of residents respectively. A total of 69.0% of residents declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 74.6% across Greater Sydney. Health outcomes among the working-age population are typical. The area has 14.1% of residents aged 65 and over (2,115 people), lower than the 15.4% in Greater Sydney. Health outcomes among seniors are above average, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

Dulwich Hill was found to be more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets in Australia, upon assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Dulwich Hill's population showed higher cultural diversity than most local areas, with 33.7% born overseas and 29.2% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity was the dominant religion in Dulwich Hill, accounting for 40.9% of its population. However, Judaism was overrepresented compared to Greater Sydney, making up 0.4% versus 0.8%.

The top three ancestral groups were English (20.5%), Australian (17.4%), and Other (13.4%). Notably, Hungarian (0.5%) and Greek (5.0%) were overrepresented in Dulwich Hill compared to regional averages of 0.3% and 1.9%, respectively.

Dulwich Hill's population aligns closely with national norms in age terms

The median age in Dulwich Hill is 38 years, closely matching Greater Sydney's average of 37 years and Australia's median of 38 years. Compared to Greater Sydney, Dulwich Hill has a higher proportion of residents aged 35-44 (18.3%) but fewer residents aged 5-14 (8.2%). Between the 2021 Census and now, the population aged 15-24 has increased from 9.8% to 11.4%, while the 35-44 age group has risen from 17.2% to 18.3%. Conversely, the 5-14 age group has decreased from 9.4% to 8.2%. By 2041, Dulwich Hill's age composition is expected to change significantly. The 85+ age group is projected to grow by 92%, reaching 546 people from 285. The aging population trend is evident, with those aged 65 and above comprising 85% of the projected growth. Conversely, population declines are projected for the 55-64 and 15-24 age cohorts.