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

Based on analysis of ABS population updates for the broader area, and new addresses validated by AreaSearch, the suburb of Surry Hills' population is estimated at around 17,194 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 1,366 people (8.6%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 15,828 people. The change is inferred from the resident population of 17,099, estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 and an additional 82 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 13,025 persons per square kilometer, placing it in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The suburb's 8.6% growth since the 2021 census exceeded the state's 7.8%, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration, contributing approximately 99.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For any SA2 areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch is utilising NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Examining future population trends, an above median growth is projected for the suburb, with an expected increase of 2,696 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting a total increase of 15.1% over the 17 years.

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 indicates Surry Hills has averaged approximately 8 new dwelling approvals per year over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated 40 homes. As of FY26, 5 approvals have been recorded. The area's population decline has maintained adequate housing supply relative to demand, resulting in a balanced market with good buyer choice.

This financial year, $178.8 million in commercial approvals have been registered, indicating high local commercial activity. Compared to Greater Sydney, Surry Hills shows significantly 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 solely of medium and high-density housing, appealing to downsizers, investors, and entry-level buyers. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Surry Hills is projected to grow by 2,601 residents by 2041.

If current development rates persist, housing supply may not keep pace with population growth, potentially increasing buyer competition 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 impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 63 projects likely affecting this region. Notable ones include Sydney Jewish Museum Redevelopment, Marlborough House Redevelopment, The Post House, and Mariyung Fleet (New Intercity Fleet). Below is a list of 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 Surry Hills remain below the national average according to AreaSearch analysis

Surry Hills has a highly educated workforce with notable representation in the technology sector. The unemployment rate was 5.8% as of an unspecified recent period. Employment stability has been relatively consistent over the past year based on AreaSearch's statistical area data aggregation.

As of December 2025, 11,329 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 6.4%, which is 1.6% higher than Greater Sydney's rate of 4.8%. Workforce participation in Surry Hills was 74.3%, slightly higher than Greater Sydney's 70.2%. According to Census responses, 63.2% of residents worked from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. The primary industries employing Surry Hills residents are professional & technical services, finance & insurance, and health care & social assistance.

Notably, the area has a high specialization in professional & technical services with an employment share double that of the regional level. Conversely, construction is under-represented, with only 3.3% of Surry Hills' workforce compared to Greater Sydney's 8.6%. The ratio of workers to residents was 2.0 as at the Census, indicating that the area functions as an employment hub hosting more jobs than residents and attracting workers from nearby areas. Between December 2024 and December 2025, Surry Hills' labour force decreased by 0.3% alongside a similar decrease in employment, with unemployment remaining largely unchanged. In contrast, Greater Sydney experienced employment growth of 2.2% and labour force growth of 2.3%, with a marginal rise in unemployment. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project overall employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Surry Hills' employment mix suggests local employment could increase by 7.4% over five years and 14.7% over ten years, though these are simple extrapolations for illustrative purposes and do not account for localized population projections.

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 data from the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) for the financial year 2023. The median income among taxpayers in Surry Hills is $70,916, with an average income of $111,705. These figures compare to Greater Sydney's median income of $60,817 and average income of $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. Income distribution shows that 29.2% of individuals earn between $1,500 and $2,999 per week, which is consistent with broader trends across regional levels at 30.9%. A substantial proportion of high earners (39.6%) in Surry Hills have incomes above $3,000 per week, indicating strong economic capacity throughout the suburb. 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

In Surry Hills, as per the latest Census, dwellings consisted of 1.1% houses and 98.9% other types (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Sydney metropolitan's 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 ones at 67.0%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,839, higher than Sydney metro's average of $2,427. Median weekly rent in Surry Hills was $550, compared to Sydney metro's $470. Nationally, Surry Hills' mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $1,863 and rents substantially above 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% that are couples with children, 29.3% that are couples without children, and 3.1% that are single parent families. Non-family households make up 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 educational attainment than national and state averages. As of the latest data, 62.8% of residents aged 15 and above in Surry Hills hold university qualifications, compared to 30.4% nationally and 32.2% in NSW. The area's most common 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 at 9.9% and certificates at 8.3%.

In total, 24.7% of the population is currently engaged in formal education, including 10.9% in tertiary education, 3.1% in primary education, and 2.0% pursuing secondary education.

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

Public transport analysis indicates 47 active transport stops operating within Surry Hills. These include train, light rail, and bus services. There are 28 individual routes collectively providing 23,681 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents typically located 114 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward, with walking being notably common at 31%, followed by train use at 18%. Vehicle ownership averages 0.2 per dwelling, below the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, a high 63.2% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 3,383 trips per day across all routes, 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 shows Surry Hills' health metrics are strong. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence were low across both young and old age groups. Private health cover was high at approximately 71% of the total population (12,193 people), compared to Greater Sydney's 59.9% and the national average of 55.7%.

Common medical conditions included mental health issues affecting 10.1% and asthma impacting 7.0% of residents. 74.6% declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, similar to Greater Sydney's figure. Under-65 population had better than average health outcomes. The area has 10.5% of residents aged 65 and over (1,805 people), lower than Greater Sydney's 15.4%. Health outcomes among seniors were strong, ranking broadly in line with the general population nationally.

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 people. Judaism is overrepresented compared to Greater Sydney, making up 1.3% of Surry Hills' population versus 0.8%.

The top three ancestry groups are English at 22.8%, Other at 15.1%, and Australian at 14.7%. French (1.6%), Spanish (1.2%), and Russian (0.9%) ethnicities are notably overrepresented compared to 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 constitutes 31.4% of Surry Hills' population, higher than Greater Sydney but lower than the national average of 14.4%. The 5-14 cohort makes up only 2.9% of Surry Hills' population. Between 2021 and present, the 15 to 24 age group has increased from 9.4% to 11.4%, while the 25 to 34 cohort has decreased from 32.6% to 31.4%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate significant demographic shifts in Surry Hills. The 45-54 age group is projected to grow by 703 people (35%), from 2,011 to 2,715. Meanwhile, the 0-4 cohort is expected to grow by a modest 3%, adding 12 people.