Leichhardt (NSW)

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

As of May 2026, the estimated population of the suburb of Leichhardt (NSW) is around 15,973. This reflects an increase from the 2021 Census figure of 15,158 people, marking a growth of 815 individuals or approximately 5.4%. The change was inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population at 15,969 following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2025 and an additional 223 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 6,143 persons per square kilometer, placing Leichhardt among the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The suburb's growth since the 2021 census exceeded that of its SA3 area (4.1%), making it a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 62.0% of overall population gains during recent periods, driving primary growth for the area.

Population projections for Leichhardt are based on ABS/Geoscience Australia aggregations released in 2024 with a base year of 2022, and NSW State Government's SA2-level projections released in 2022 with a base year of 2021 for areas not covered by the former data. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. By 2041, Leichhardt is expected to increase by approximately 1,361 persons, reflecting an overall increase of around 8.5% over the 16-year period.

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

Based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers, Leichhardt averaged approximately 71 new dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated 359 homes. As of FY26 so far, 26 approvals have been recorded. Between FY21 and FY25, an average of 0.7 people moved to Leichhardt per year for each new dwelling built. This indicates that new construction is meeting or exceeding demand, providing buyers with more options and potentially supporting population growth beyond current expectations.

The average expected construction cost value of new dwellings in Leichhardt is $779,000, suggesting a focus on the premium segment with upmarket properties. In FY26 so far, $1.5 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded, indicating minimal commercial development activity compared to residential. Relative to Greater Sydney, Leichhardt shows 56.0% 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 to offer choices 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 533 people per dwelling approval, Leichhardt shows a developed market. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Leichhardt is forecasted to gain 1,357 residents by 2041. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

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

Thirty-one infrastructure projects have been identified by AreaSearch as potentially impacting the area. Key projects include: Leichhardt Park Aquatic Centre Renovation, Leichhardt Oval Redevelopment, Oria Annandale (Lilyfield border), and Redevelopment of 40-76 William Street, Leichhardt. 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 4.1% unemployment rate as of AreaSearch's statistical aggregation. As of December 2025, 9,856 residents are employed, matching Greater Sydney's 4.2% unemployment rate, but with higher participation at 76.8%. According to Census responses, 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 based on Census data comparison of working population to local population. Between December 2024 and December 2025, Leichhardt's labour force decreased by 1.5% and employment declined by 2.2%, raising unemployment rate by 0.7 percentage points.

In contrast, Greater Sydney saw employment rise by 2.2%. Jobs and Skills Australia forecasts national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Leichhardt's employment mix suggests local employment could increase by 7.3% over five years and 14.7% over ten years, based on simple weighting 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

AreaSearch's aggregation of ATO data for financial year 2023 shows Leichhardt had a median taxpayer income of $78,986 and an average income of $110,287. Nationally, these figures are exceptionally high, compared to Greater Sydney's median of $60,817 and average of $83,003. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.32% since financial year 2023, estimated incomes for March 2026 would be approximately $87,137 (median) and $121,669 (average). Census 2021 data ranks Leichhardt's household, family, and personal incomes highly, between the 93rd and 96th percentiles nationally. Income distribution shows 32.4% of locals (5,175 people) earn over $4,000 weekly, differing from the surrounding region where 30.9% earn $1,500 - $2,999 weekly. The suburb's affluence is evident with 45.9% earning over $3,000 weekly, supporting premium retail and services. High housing costs consume 19.4% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 90th percentile. Leichhardt'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). This compares to 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, higher than Sydney metro's average of $2,427. Median weekly rent in Leichhardt was $600, compared to Sydney metro's $470. Nationally, Leichhardt's mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $1,863, and rents substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 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 constitute 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 residents aged 15+ have a notably high educational attainment, with 53.8% holding university qualifications, compared to Australia's 30.4% and NSW's 32.2%. This advantage is driven by bachelor degrees (33.6%), followed by postgraduate qualifications (15.7%) and graduate diplomas (4.5%). Vocational pathways account for 22.5%, with advanced diplomas at 10.8% and certificates at 11.7%. Educational participation is high, with 29.4% currently enrolled in formal education: 10.0% in primary, 7.2% in tertiary, and 6.3% pursuing secondary education.

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 active public transport stops offering a mix of light rail and bus services. These stops are served by 31 different routes, collectively providing 7,776 weekly passenger trips. Residents have excellent transport accessibility, with an average distance of 161 meters to the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward from this primarily residential area. Car remains the dominant mode of transport at 66%, with 10% walking and 10% using buses. Vehicle ownership averages 0.7 per dwelling, below the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, a high 62.6% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency across all routes averages 1,110 trips per day, equating 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 shows strong health performance in Leichhardt. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence were low across both young and old age cohorts. Private health cover was exceptionally high at approximately 70% of the total population (11,240 people), compared to 59.9% in Greater Sydney and a national average of 55.7%.

The most common conditions were mental health issues (8.9%) and asthma (7.3%), with 73.5% reporting no medical ailments, compared to 74.6% in Greater Sydney. Working-age residents had low chronic condition prevalence. The area has 14.0% of residents aged 65 and over (2,236 people), lower than the 15.5% in Greater Sydney. Health outcomes among seniors were above average, broadly in line with national rankings.

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, as per the ABS Census 2016 data, showed a higher level of cultural diversity than most local areas. Overseas-born residents constituted 29.8%, with 20.5% speaking languages other than English at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, accounting for 41.4%.

Notably, Judaism's representation in Leichhardt was 0.5%, slightly higher than Greater Sydney's 0.8%. The top three ancestry groups were English (22.7%), Australian (19.0%), and Irish (10.4%). Some ethnic groups showed significant differences: Spanish residents made up 1.0% in Leichhardt compared to the regional average of 0.6%, French residents were at 0.8% versus 0.5%, and Hungarian residents stood at 0.4% compared to 0.3%.

Leichhardt's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

Leichhardt's median age is 37, matching Greater Sydney's figure and closely resembling Australia's median age of 38. The 35-44 age group constitutes 17.8% of Leichhardt's population, higher than Greater Sydney's percentage. Conversely, the 15-24 cohort makes up 11.1%, lower than Greater Sydney's figure. Between 2021 and present, the 15-24 age group has increased from 9.3% to 11.1%. The 75-84 cohort also grew during this period, from 3.6% to 5.2%. However, the 0-4 cohort decreased from 6.7% to 5.4%, and the 5-14 group dropped from 12.4% to 11.3%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant changes in Leichhardt's age structure. The 75-84 group is expected to grow by 51%, reaching 1,257 people from the current 830. Those aged 65 and above are projected to contribute 64% of this growth. Conversely, the 15-24 and 35-44 age groups are anticipated to experience population declines.