Surry Hills

Surry Hills is positioned among the lower quartile of areas assessed nationally for population growth based on AreaSearch's assessment of recent, and medium term trends

The estimated population of the suburb of Surry Hills is around 17,194 as of Feb 2026. This figure reflects an increase of 1,366 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 15,828. The latest estimate by AreaSearch, based on ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 and additional validated new addresses, is 17,099 residents. This results in a population density ratio of 13,025 persons per square kilometer, placing Surry Hills in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The suburb's population growth of 8.6% since the 2021 census exceeded the state average of 7.8%. Overseas migration contributed approximately 99.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is using ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data, NSW State Government's SA2 level projections released in 2022 with a base year of 2021 are used. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Future population trends project an above median growth, with the suburb expected to increase by 2,694 persons to 2041, reflecting a total increase of 15.1% over the 17-year period.

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

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers, allocated from statistical area data, shows Surry Hills averaged around 8 new dwelling approvals per year over the past 5 financial years to June 2021, totalling an estimated 40 homes. By May 2026, 5 approvals have been recorded. The area has experienced population decline, with housing supply remaining adequate relative to demand, creating a well-balanced market with good buyer choice.

This year, $178.8 million in commercial approvals have been registered, indicating high levels of local commercial activity. Compared to Greater Sydney, Surry Hills shows substantially reduced construction (92.0% below regional average per person), which typically reinforces demand and pricing for existing dwellings. This level is also under the national average, suggesting the area's established nature and potential planning limitations. Recent building activity consists entirely of medium and high-density housing, appealing to downsizers, investors, and entry-level buyers. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Surry Hills is expected to grow by 2,599 residents through to 2041.

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

Surry Hills 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 63 projects likely impacting the area. Notable projects include Sydney Jewish Museum Redevelopment, Marlborough House Redevelopment, The Post House, and Mariyung Fleet (New Intercity Fleet). Relevant projects are detailed below.

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

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Employment conditions in Surry Hills remain below the national average according to AreaSearch analysis

Surry Hills has a highly educated workforce with the technology sector being well-represented. Its unemployment rate is 5.8%, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data. As of September 2025, there are 11,289 residents in work and the unemployment rate is 1.6% higher than Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%.

Workforce participation stands at 74.1%, slightly above Greater Sydney's 70.0%. Census responses indicate that 63.2% of residents work from home, although Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered. The key industries for employment among residents are professional & technical, finance & insurance, and health care & social assistance. Surry Hills has a particular specialization in professional & technical jobs, with an employment share twice the regional level.

Conversely, construction is under-represented, with only 3.3% of Surry Hills's workforce compared to Greater Sydney's 8.6%. There are approximately two workers for every resident, indicating that the area functions as an employment hub hosting more jobs than residents and attracting workers from surrounding areas. Between September 2024 and September 2025, the labour force decreased by 1.6% while employment decreased by 1.1%, resulting in a fall of 0.4 percentage points in the unemployment rate. In comparison, Greater Sydney recorded employment growth of 2.1% and labour force growth of 2.4%, with an increase of 0.2 percentage points in unemployment. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 provide further insight into potential future demand within Surry Hills. These projections suggest that national employment is forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with growth rates differing significantly between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to Surry Hills's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.4% over five years and 14.7% over ten years.

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

The suburb of Surry Hills has one of the highest income levels nationally according to AreaSearch's aggregation of latest ATO data for financial year 2023. The median income among taxpayers in Surry Hills is $70,916 and the average income stands at $111,705. This compares with Greater Sydney's figures of $60,817 and $83,003 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since financial year 2023, current estimates for Surry Hills would be approximately $77,199 (median) and $121,602 (average) as of September 2025. According to Census 2021 income data, household, family and personal incomes in Surry Hills rank highly nationally, between the 83rd and 97th percentiles. Distribution data shows that 29.2% of individuals in Surry Hills earn between $1,500 and $2,999 per week, consistent with broader trends across regional levels showing 30.9% in the same category. A substantial proportion of high earners (39.6%) have incomes above $3,000 per week, indicating strong economic capacity throughout the locality. High housing costs consume 21.3% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 75th percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

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

The dwelling structure in Surry Hills, as per the latest Census data, consisted of 1.1% houses and 98.9% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In contrast, Sydney metropolitan area had 55.9% houses and 44.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Surry Hills was at 14.1%, with mortgaged dwellings at 18.9% and rented dwellings at 67.0%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,839, compared to Sydney metro's $2,427. The median weekly rent figure for Surry Hills was $550, while it was $470 for Sydney metro. Nationally, Surry Hills' median monthly mortgage repayments were higher at $2,839 compared to the Australian average of $1,863. Meanwhile, median weekly rents in Surry Hills were substantially higher at $550 than the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 40.9% of all households, including 7.4% couples with children, 29.3% couples without children, and 3.1% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 59.1%, with lone person households at 46.8% and group households comprising 12.2%. The median household size is 1.8 people, which is smaller than the Greater Sydney average of 2.7.

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

Surry Hills has a notably higher level of educational attainment than the broader Australian population. Specifically, 62.8% of its residents aged 15 years or above hold university qualifications, compared to the national average of 30.4%. This is also significantly higher than the state average in New South Wales (NSW), which stands at 32.2%. The majority of these qualifications are bachelor degrees (41.1%), followed by postgraduate qualifications (18.1%) and graduate diplomas (3.6%).

Vocational pathways make up 18.2% of qualifications, with advanced diplomas accounting for 9.9% and certificates for 8.3%. Notably, a substantial proportion of Surry Hills' population is actively engaged in formal education, with 24.7% pursuing it. This includes 10.9% in tertiary education, 3.1% in primary education, and 2.0% in secondary education.

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

The analysis of public transport in Surry Hills indicates that there are 47 active transport stops currently operating within the area. These stops cater to a mix of train, light rail, and bus services. The total number of individual routes servicing these stops is 28, collectively facilitating 23,681 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of public transport in Surry Hills is rated as excellent, with residents typically located approximately 114 meters from the nearest transport stop. Given that Surry Hills is primarily residential, most residents commute outward for work or other purposes. Walking is notably common among commuters, with 31% choosing this mode of transportation, while 18% opt for train travel.

The average vehicle ownership in the area is 0.2 per dwelling, which is below the regional average. According to the 2021 Census, a high percentage of residents, specifically 63.2%, work from home, potentially due to COVID-19 conditions. Across all routes, service frequency averages 3,383 trips per day, equating to approximately 503 weekly trips per individual stop.

Surry Hills'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 Surry Hills. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence were low across both young and old age cohorts. Private health cover was exceptionally high at approximately 71% of the total population (12,193 people), compared to 59.9% across Greater Sydney and a national average of 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions in the area were mental health issues and asthma, impacting 10.1 and 7.0% of residents respectively, while 74.6% declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, similar to the 74.6% across Greater Sydney. The under-65 population demonstrated better than average health outcomes. The area has 10.4% of residents aged 65 and over (1,788 people), lower than the 15.4% in Greater Sydney. Health outcomes among seniors were particularly strong, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

Surry Hills is among the most culturally diverse areas in the country based on AreaSearch assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Surry Hills has a high level of cultural diversity, with 27.7% of its population speaking a language other than English at home and 47.5% born overseas. Christianity is the main religion in Surry Hills, comprising 28.0% of the population. Judaism is overrepresented in Surry Hills compared to Greater Sydney, making up 1.3% versus 0.8%.

The top three ancestry groups are English (22.8%), Other (15.1%), and Australian (14.7%). French (1.6%) Spanish (1.2%) and Russian (0.9%) ethnic groups are notably overrepresented in Surry Hills compared to the regional averages of 0.5%, 0.6%, and 0.4% respectively.

Surry Hills's population is younger than the national pattern

Surry Hills has a median age of 35 years, which is slightly younger than Greater Sydney's 37 and somewhat younger than the national average of 38 years. The 25-34 age group makes up 31.4% of Surry Hills' population compared to Greater Sydney, while the 5-14 age group constitutes only 2.9%. This concentration of individuals aged 25-34 is significantly higher than the national average of 14.4%. Between 2021 and present, the 15-24 age group has increased from 9.4% to 11.3%, while the 25-34 cohort has decreased from 32.6% to 31.4% and the 45-54 group has dropped from 12.7% to 11.6%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate significant demographic changes for Surry Hills. The 45-54 age cohort is projected to increase substantially by 720 people (36%) from 1,994 to 2,715. Meanwhile, the 0-4 age group is expected to grow modestly by 3%.