Paddington (NSW)

Paddington 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 May 2026, Paddington's population is estimated at around 13,495. This reflects an increase of 794 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 12,701. The current estimate is based on AreaSearch's analysis of ABS population updates and new addresses validated since June 2025. Paddington's population density stands at 8,279 persons per square kilometer, ranking it in the top 10% nationally. This high density has made land in the suburb a highly-sought resource. Between 2021 and May 2026, Paddington's growth rate of 6.3% exceeded that of its SA3 area at 5.6%, positioning it as a growth leader.

Overseas migration contributed approximately 81.0% of overall population gains during this period. AreaSearch projects the suburb's population to increase by 1,115 persons to reach 2041, reflecting an 8.2% gain over the 16 years based on aggregated SA2-level projections from ABS/Geoscience Australia (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).

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

AreaSearch analysis shows Paddington averaged around 7 new dwelling approvals annually from statistical area data. Between FY21-FY25, an estimated 36 homes were approved, with 4 more in FY26 to date. Population decline suggests demand has been met by supply, offering buyers good choice, while average construction value of $706,000 indicates developers target premium market segment.

This year saw $819.8 million in commercial approvals, indicating robust local business investment. Compared to Greater Sydney, Paddington's building activity is 81.0% below the regional average per person. Recent development activity has picked up but remains under national average, suggesting established area and potential planning limitations. New development consists of 38.0% detached dwellings and 62.0% townhouses or apartments, appealing to downsizers, investors, and entry-level buyers. At around 1061 people per approval, Paddington is a mature, established area. By 2041, it's expected to grow by 1,111 residents.

If current development rates continue, housing supply may not keep pace with population growth, potentially increasing competition among buyers and supporting stronger price growth.

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

Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 36 projects likely to impact the area. Key projects include Hakoah White City Redevelopment, Moore Park Precinct Village, Woollahra Station Activation, and The Cambrian Paddington. The following list details those most relevant.

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

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Employment performance in Paddington exceeds national averages across key labour market indicators

Paddington has a highly educated workforce. The technology sector is particularly well-represented. Its unemployment rate was 3.5% in the past year.

Employment growth was estimated at 2.8%. This is based on AreaSearch aggregation of statistical area data. As of December 2025, 9,201 residents were employed. The unemployment rate was 0.7% below Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%.

Workforce participation was 80.8%, compared to Greater Sydney's 68.8%. According to Census responses, 67.3% of residents worked from home. However, Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered. Employment is concentrated in professional & technical, finance & insurance, and health care & social assistance sectors. Paddington has a strong specialization in professional & technical, with an employment share 2.1 times the regional level. Construction has limited presence, with 4.0% employment compared to 8.6% regionally. Many residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census data. In the 12-month period ending December 2025, employment increased by 2.8%, while labour force grew by 3.4%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 0.5 percentage points. Greater Sydney experienced employment growth of 2.2% and labour force growth of 2.3%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 offer insights into potential future demand within Paddington. National employment is forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with varying growth rates between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Paddington's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.7% over five years and 15.1% over ten years. This is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections.

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

The suburb of Paddington has one of the highest income levels nationally, according to AreaSearch data from the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) for the financial year 2023. The median income among taxpayers in Paddington is $86,963, with an average income of $183,169. This compares to Greater Sydney's figures of $60,817 and $83,003 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.32% since financial year 2023, estimated incomes as of March 2026 would be approximately $95,938 (median) and $202,072 (average). Census data shows that household, family, and personal incomes in Paddington rank highly nationally, between the 97th and 99th percentiles. Income distribution reveals that 41.9% of locals (5,654 people) fall into the $4000+ category, contrasting with regional levels where the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket leads at 30.9%. A substantial portion, 51.5%, exceeds $3,000 weekly in income. High housing costs consume 17.3% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 96th percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 10th decile.

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

Paddington's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 6.6% houses and 93.5% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Sydney metropolitan area had 55.9% houses and 44.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Paddington was at 27.8%, similar to Sydney metro's level. Dwellings were either mortgaged (26.2%) or rented (46.0%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $4,000, higher than Sydney metro's average of $2,427. Median weekly rent was recorded at $650, compared to Sydney metro's $470. Nationally, Paddington's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 54.6% of all households, including 20.2% couples with children, 27.2% couples without children, and 6.2% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 45.4%, with lone person households at 37.1% and group households comprising 8.4%. The median household size is 2.1 people, which is smaller than the Greater Sydney average of 2.7.

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

Paddington's educational attainment is notably higher than national and state averages. 67.5% of residents aged 15 years and above have university qualifications, compared to the Australian average of 30.4% and New South Wales' average of 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 43.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (19.8%) and graduate diplomas (3.8%). Technical qualifications make up 14.8% of educational achievements, with advanced diplomas at 8.4% and certificates at 6.4%.

Educational participation is high in Paddington, with 25.5% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 8.0% in tertiary education, 6.9% in primary education, and 5.4% pursuing secondary education.

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

Paddington has 36 active public transport stops, all serving buses. Six routes operate collectively providing 6,446 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is excellent with residents typically located 134 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward, with car being dominant at 48%, followed by walking at 25% and bus at 13%. Vehicle ownership averages 0.6 per dwelling, below the regional average. According to the 2021 Census, 67.3% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions.

Service frequency averages 920 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 179 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Paddington's health outcomes show excellent results based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. The area has a very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups. Approximately 99% of Paddington's total population (13,343 people) have private health cover, compared to 59.9% in Greater Sydney and the national average of 55.7%.

Asthma and mental health issues are the most common medical conditions, affecting 7.0 and 6.6% of residents respectively. A total of 76.3% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 74.6% in Greater Sydney. Paddington has 14.2% of residents aged 65 and over (1,916 people), which is lower than the 15.5% in Greater Sydney. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, broadly in line with national rankings for the general population.

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

Paddington, surveyed in June 2016, had a higher cultural diversity than most local areas. 12.7% of its population spoke languages other than English at home, while 32.0% were born overseas. Christianity was the dominant religion, comprising 41.2%.

However, Judaism was notably overrepresented at 2.8%, compared to Greater Sydney's 0.8%. In terms of ancestry, English (28.1%), Australian (18.6%), and Irish (11.7%) were the top groups, all higher than regional averages. French (1.4%), Hungarian (0.5%), and Polish (1.2%) ethnicities were also notably overrepresented compared to regional figures.

Paddington's population aligns closely with national norms in age terms

The median age in Paddington is close to Greater Sydney's average of 37 years and equivalent to Australia's median of 38 years. Compared to Greater Sydney, Paddington has a higher proportion of residents aged 25-34 (22.8%) but fewer residents aged 5-14 (7.9%). This concentration of 25-34 year-olds is significantly higher than the national average of 14.6%. Between the 2021 Census and now, the proportion of Paddington's population aged 15-24 has increased from 9.7% to 11.4%, while the 45-54 age group has decreased from 13.7% to 11.9%. The 65-74 age group has also dropped, from 8.1% to 6.5%. By 2041, Paddington's age composition is expected to shift notably. Leading this change, the 55-64 age group is projected to grow by 19%, reaching 1,840 people from a current total of 1,551. Meanwhile, both the 5-14 and 0-4 age groups are expected to decrease in number.