Leichhardt (NSW)

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

As of Feb 2026, the population of the suburb of Leichhardt (NSW) is estimated at around 15,933, reflecting an increase of 775 people since the 2021 Census. This growth represents a 5.1% increase from the previous population count of 15,158. The change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population at 15,840 in June 2024, based on examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS, combined with an additional 222 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population results in a density ratio of 6,128 persons per square kilometer, placing Leichhardt in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The suburb's growth rate exceeded that of its SA3 area (3.8%) during this period, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 62.0% of overall population gains for Leichhardt recently.

AreaSearch adopts 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 where applicable, released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Growth rates by age group are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Based on these aggregations, Leichhardt is expected to increase by approximately 1,503 persons to 2041, reflecting an 8.8% total increase over the 17-year period.

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

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers shows Leichhardt averaged around 71 new dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated 359 homes. As of FY26, 19 approvals have been recorded. Between FY21 and FY25, an average of 0.4 people moved to the area for each dwelling built. New construction has matched or outpaced demand, offering buyers more options while enabling population growth that could exceed current expectations.

The average value of new dwellings is $779,000, indicating a focus on the premium segment with upmarket properties. In FY26, $1.5 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded, suggesting minimal commercial development activity. Compared to Greater Sydney, Leichhardt shows 55.0% higher building activity per person, offering buyers greater choice though construction activity has eased recently. New development consists of 58.0% standalone homes and 42.0% medium and high-density housing, featuring an increasing blend of attached housing types across price ranges.

Notably, developers are constructing more detached housing than the existing pattern implies (37.0% at Census), reflecting strong demand for family homes amid densification trends. With around 530 people per dwelling approval, Leichhardt shows a developed market. Population forecasts indicate Leichardt will gain 1,410 residents by 2041, with current development rates comfortably meeting demand and potentially supporting growth beyond current projections.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 32 projects that may affect this region. Notable initiatives include the renovation of Leichhardt Park Aquatic Centre, redevelopment of Leichhardt Oval, Oria Annandale near Lilyfield border, and William Street Redevelopment (40-76). The following list details those most likely to be relevant.

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

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The labour market in Leichhardt demonstrates typical performance when compared to similar areas across Australia

Leichhardt has an educated workforce with the technology sector well-represented. Its unemployment rate is 4.1%, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data. As of December 2025, 9790 residents are employed, aligning with Greater Sydney's 4.2% unemployment rate.

Workforce participation stands at 77.6%. Census responses indicate 62.6% work from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. Dominant sectors include professional & technical (1.5 times regional average), health care & social assistance, and education & training. Construction is under-represented at 5.6%, compared to Greater Sydney's 8.6%.

Many residents commute elsewhere for work. Between December 2024 and 2025, labour force levels decreased by 1.6% while employment declined by 2.3%, raising unemployment by 0.7 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Sydney saw employment rise by 2.2%. 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 Leichhardt's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.3% over five years and 14.7% over ten years, though this is a simplified extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

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

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of the latest postcode level ATO data released on June 30, 2023, the suburb of Leichhardt had a median income among taxpayers of $78,986 with the average level standing at $110,287. Nationally, this is exceptionally high compared to levels of $60,817 and $83,003 across Greater Sydney respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $85,984 (median) and $120,058 (average) as of September 2025. Census 2021 income data shows household, family and personal incomes all rank highly in Leichhardt, between the 93rd and 96th percentiles nationally. Looking at income distribution, 32.4% of locals (5,162 people) fall into the $4000+ category, diverging from the surrounding region where the $1,500 - 2,999 category predominates at 30.9%. The locality demonstrates considerable affluence with 45.9% earning over $3,000 per week. High housing costs consume 19.4% of income, though strong earnings still place disposable income at the 90th percentile and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 10th decile.

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

Leichhardt's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 36.6% houses and 63.5% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), contrasting with Sydney metro's 55.9% houses and 44.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Leichhardt stood at 24.3%, with mortgaged dwellings at 34.8% and rented ones at 40.9%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $3,400, surpassing Sydney metro's average of $2,427. Median weekly rent in Leichhardt was $600, higher than Sydney metro's $470. Nationally, Leichardt's mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $3,400 compared to the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 67.6% of all households, including 30.9% couples with children, 25.7% couples without children, and 9.8% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 32.4%, with lone person households at 26.4% and group households comprising 6.1%. The median household size is 2.4 people, which is smaller than the Greater Sydney average of 2.7.

Leichhardt demonstrates exceptional educational outcomes, ranking among the top 5% of areas nationally based on AreaSearch's comprehensive analysis of qualification and performance metrics

Leichhardt's educational attainment significantly exceeds broader benchmarks. Among residents aged 15+, 53.8% hold university qualifications, compared to 30.4% nationally and 32.2% in NSW. This educational advantage positions the area well for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees are most common at 33.6%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (15.7%) and graduate diplomas (4.5%).

Vocational pathways account for 22.5% of qualifications among those aged 15+, with advanced diplomas at 10.8% and certificates at 11.7%. Educational participation is notably high, with 29.4% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.0% in primary education, 7.2% in tertiary education, and 6.3% pursuing secondary education.

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

Leichhardt has 80 operational public transport stops, offering a mix of light rail and bus services. These are served by 31 unique routes, facilitating 7,776 weekly passenger trips in total. The average distance to the nearest stop for residents is 161 meters, indicating excellent accessibility. As a predominantly residential area, most commutes are outward-bound. Cars remain the primary mode of transport at 66%, with walking and bus use each accounting for 10%. On average, there are 0.7 vehicles per dwelling, lower than the regional norm.

According to the 2021 Census, 62.6% of residents work from home, a figure potentially influenced by COVID-19 conditions. Daily service frequency across all routes averages 1,110 trips, translating to approximately 97 weekly trips per individual stop.

Leichhardt's residents are extremely healthy with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Analysis of health metrics shows strong performance throughout Leichhardt. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence were assessed by AreaSearch to be low across both young and old age cohorts. Approximately 70% of the total population (11,212 people) had private health cover, compared to 59.9% across Greater Sydney and a national average of 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions were mental health issues affecting 8.9% of residents and asthma impacting 7.3%. A total of 73.5% declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 74.6% across Greater Sydney. Working-age residents had low chronic condition prevalence. The area had 14.0% of residents aged 65 and over (2,230 people), lower than the 15.4% in Greater Sydney. Health outcomes among seniors were above average, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

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

Leichhardt's population showed high cultural diversity, with 29.8% born overseas and 20.5% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Leichhardt, comprising 41.4%. Judaism, however, was more prevalent in Leichhardt compared to Greater Sydney, representing 0.5% versus 0.8%.

The top three ancestry groups were English (22.7%), Australian (19.0%), and Irish (10.4%). Notably, Spanish (1.0% vs regional 0.6%), French (0.8% vs 0.5%), and Hungarian (0.4% vs 0.3%) ethnicities were overrepresented in Leichhardt compared to the Greater Sydney region.

Leichhardt's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

Leichhardt has a median age of 37, matching Greater Sydney's figure of 37 and closely resembling Australia's median age of 38 years. The age group of 35-44 is strongly represented at 18.0%, higher than Greater Sydney's percentage. Conversely, the 15-24 cohort is less prevalent in Leichhardt at 11.1%. Between 2021 and present, the 15-24 age group has increased from 9.3% to 11.1% of the population, while the 75-84 cohort has risen from 3.6% to 5.1%. However, the 25-34 age group has decreased from 16.4% to 15.2% during this period. Looking ahead to 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Leichhardt's age structure. Notably, the 75-84 age group is projected to grow by 54%, adding 438 people and reaching a total of 1,251 from the previous figure of 812. The aging population trend is evident, with those aged 65 and above accounting for 65% of the projected growth. Meanwhile, both the 15-24 and 35-44 age cohorts are expected to experience population declines.