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 November 2025, the population of the Paddington (NSW) statistical area (Lv2) is estimated at around 13,381 people. This reflects an increase of 680 individuals since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 12,701 people. The current resident population estimate of 13,377 is based on AreaSearch's examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS (June 2024) and address validation since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 8,209 persons per square kilometer, placing it within the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The Paddington (NSW) (SA2)'s growth rate of 5.4% since the census is comparable to its SA3 area's growth fundamentals, being within 0.4 percentage points of the latter's 5.8%. Overseas migration contributed approximately 81.0% of overall population gains during recent periods in the Paddington (NSW) (SA2).

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area as 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. These aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. By 2041, the Paddington (NSW) (SA2) is expected to increase by 1,335 persons based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting a gain of 9.8% in total over the 17 years.

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

Paddington averaged approximately 7 new dwelling approvals annually based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers. Between FY-21 and FY-25, an estimated 36 homes were approved, with a further 3 approved so far in FY-26. The population has been declining recently, suggesting that new supply has likely kept pace with demand, offering good choice to buyers.

The average value of new homes being built is $706,000, indicating that developers are targeting the premium market segment with higher-end properties. This financial year has seen $819.8 million in commercial approvals, suggesting robust local business investment. Compared to Greater Sydney, Paddington records significantly lower building activity, which is 81.0% below the regional average per person. This constrained new construction typically reinforces demand and pricing for existing homes, although development activity has increased recently. The area's established nature is also reflected in its development activity being below the national average, potentially indicating planning limitations. New development consists of 38.0% detached dwellings and 62.0% townhouses or apartments, showing a trend towards denser development that appeals to downsizers, investors, and entry-level buyers.

Notably, developers are constructing more detached housing than the existing pattern implies, reflecting strong demand for family homes despite densification trends. Paddington has a population density of around 1059 people per approval, indicating a mature, established area. By 2041, Paddington is projected to grow by 1,314 residents according to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate. 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

The performance of an area can significantly influenced by changes to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has identified a total of 36 such projects likely to impact the area. Notable ones include Hakoah White City Redevelopment, Moore Park Precinct Village, Woollahra Station Activation (Eastern Suburbs Railway), and The Cambrian Paddington. Below is a list detailing 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.

Employment conditions in Paddington demonstrate strong performance, ranking among the top 35% of areas assessed nationally

Paddington has an educated workforce with notable representation in the technology sector. The unemployment rate was 3.5% as of the past year, with estimated employment growth at 2.5%.

As of September 2025, 9,134 residents were employed, with an unemployment rate of 0.6% below Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%, and workforce participation at 72.2% compared to Greater Sydney's 60.0%. Employment is concentrated in professional & technical, finance & insurance, and health care & social assistance sectors. The area has a strong specialization in professional & technical jobs, with an employment share of 2.1 times the regional level. However, construction has limited presence at 4.0% compared to the regional average of 8.6%.

While local employment opportunities exist, many residents commute elsewhere for work. Over the past year, employment increased by 2.5%, while labour force grew by 3.0%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 0.5 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Sydney experienced employment growth of 2.1% and labour force growth of 2.4%, with a smaller increase in unemployment rate. State-level data as of 25-Nov shows NSW employment contracted by 0.03%, with an unemployment rate of 3.9%. National employment forecasts from May-25 suggest national employment will expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but growth rates vary significantly between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Paddington's employment mix indicates local employment should increase by 7.7% over five years and 15.1% over ten years.

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

The suburb of Paddington had its income level ranked among the top percentile nationally according to the latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. The median income among taxpayers was $86,963 and the average income stood at $183,169, which compared to figures for Greater Sydney of $60,817 and $83,003 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $94,668 (median) and $199,398 (average) as of September 2025. Census data revealed that household, family and personal incomes all ranked highly in Paddington, between the 97th and 99th percentiles nationally. Income distribution showed that the predominant cohort spanned 41.9% of locals (5,606 people) in the $4000+ category, contrasting with regional levels where the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket led at 30.9%. Higher earners represented a substantial presence with 51.5% exceeding $3,000 weekly, indicating strong purchasing power within the community. High housing costs consumed 17.3% of income, though strong earnings still placed disposable income at the 96th percentile and the area's SEIFA income ranking placed 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 metro had 18.3% houses and 81.8% other dwellings. Home ownership in Paddington was at 27.8%, with mortgaged dwellings at 26.2% and rented ones at 46.0%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $4,000, higher than Sydney metro's average of $3,600. The median weekly rent figure was recorded at $650, compared to Sydney metro's $670. Nationally, Paddington's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, and 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 constitute 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 account for 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 2.3.

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

Paddington residents aged 15+ have a higher university qualification rate of 67.5% compared to Australia's 30.4% and NSW's 32.2%. This is driven by bachelor degrees (43.9%), postgraduate qualifications (19.8%), and graduate diplomas (3.8%). Technical qualifications make up 14.8%, including advanced diplomas (8.4%) and certificates (6.4%). Educational participation is high, with 25.5% currently enrolled in formal education: 8.0% in tertiary, 6.9% in primary, and 5.4% in secondary education.

Educational participation is notably high, 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 of which are bus stops. These stops are served by six different routes that together facilitate 6,446 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility to these stops is rated excellent, with residents on average being located just 134 meters from the nearest stop.

On a daily basis, there are an average of 920 trips across all routes, which translates 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 demonstrates exceptional health outcomes, with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups. The rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 99% of the total population (13,231 people), compared to 88.6% across Greater Sydney and the national average of 55.7%. The most prevalent medical conditions are asthma and mental health issues, affecting 7.0% and 6.6% of residents respectively, with 76.3% declaring themselves completely clear of medical ailments compared to 77.6% across Greater Sydney.

Paddington has 14.3% of residents aged 65 and over (1,913 people), lower than the 16.4% in Greater Sydney. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, broadly aligning with the general population's health profile.

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 was found to be more culturally diverse than most local markets, with 12.7% speaking a language other than English at home and 32.0% born overseas. Christianity is the main religion in Paddington, comprising 41.2%. Judaism comprises 2.8%, significantly lower than Greater Sydney's average of 16.0%.

The top three ancestry groups are English (28.1%), Australian (18.6%), and Irish (11.7%). French (1.4%) is notably overrepresented compared to the regional figure of 1.5%, while Hungarian (0.5%) and Polish (1.2%) are underrepresented relative to their regional averages of 1.2% and 1.9% respectively.

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

The median age in Paddington is 38 years, close to Greater Sydney's average of 37 and equivalent to Australia's median of 38. Compared to Greater Sydney, Paddington has a higher proportion of residents aged 25-34 (22.3%) but fewer residents aged 5-14 (8.2%). This is notably higher than the national average for the 25-34 age group, which stands at 14.5%. Between the 2021 Census and now, the proportion of residents aged 15-24 has increased from 9.7% to 11.6%, while the proportions of those aged 45-54 have decreased from 13.7% to 12.1% and those aged 65-74 have dropped from 8.1% to 6.6%. By 2041, Paddington's age composition is expected to shift significantly. The 55-64 age group is projected to grow by 24%, increasing from 1,485 to 1,840 residents. Meanwhile, both the 0-4 and 35-44 age groups are expected to decrease in number.