Surry Hills

An assessment of population growth drivers in Surry Hills reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

The population of Surry Hills, estimated as of November 2025, is around 17,165. This figure reflects an increase of 1,337 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 15,828. The latest estimate is based on AreaSearch's validation of new addresses and examination of the ABS's ERP data release from June 2024, showing a resident population of 17,099. This increase results in a density ratio of 13,003 persons per square kilometer, placing Surry Hills in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The suburb's growth rate of 8.4% since the 2021 Census exceeded both the state (6.7%) and metropolitan area averages. Overseas migration contributed approximately 99.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

For future projections, AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. By 2041, the suburb's population is projected to expand by 2,694 persons, reflecting a gain of 15.3% 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 shows Surry Hills recorded approximately 8 residential properties granted approval each year over the past five financial years ending June 2021, totalling an estimated 40 homes. By June 2026, 1 approval had been recorded. The area has experienced population decline, with housing supply remaining adequate relative to demand, creating a balanced market with good buyer choice.

In the current financial year, $178.8 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded, 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 homes, being 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 2,628 residents by 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.

Looking ahead, Surry Hills is expected to grow by 2,628 residents through to 2041 (from 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.

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

Infrastructure changes significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 63 projects likely to impact the area. Notable projects include Sydney Jewish Museum Redevelopment, Marlborough House Redevelopment, The Post House, and Mariyung Fleet (New Intercity Fleet). The following list details 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.

The employment landscape in Surry Hills shows performance that lags behind national averages across key labour market indicators

Surry Hills has a highly educated workforce with notable representation in the technology sector. Its unemployment rate was 5.7% as of June 2025.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 0.6%. As of June 2025, 11,777 residents were employed, with an unemployment rate of 6.2%, 1.5% higher than Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%. Workforce participation in Surry Hills was 70.9%, compared to Greater Sydney's 60.0%. The dominant employment sectors among residents include professional & technical services, finance & insurance, and health care & social assistance.

Professional & technical services had an employment share of 2.0 times the regional level. Construction had limited presence with 3.3% employment compared to 8.6% regionally. There were 2.0 workers for every resident as at the Census, indicating Surry Hills functions as an employment hub hosting more jobs than residents and attracting workers from surrounding areas. During the year to June 2025, employment levels increased by 0.6%, labour force increased by 0.4%, resulting in a decrease of unemployment by 0.2 percentage points. By comparison, Greater Sydney recorded employment growth of 2.6%, labour force growth of 2.9%, with an increase in unemployment by 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 suggest potential future demand within Surry Hills could see local employment increase by 7.4% over five years and 14.7% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation of industry-specific projections against the local employment mix.

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

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of ATO data released for financial year 2022, Surry Hills had a median income among taxpayers of $70,916. The average income level stood at $111,705. Nationally, these figures are exceptionally high compared to the Greater Sydney levels of $56,994 and $80,856 respectively. As of September 2025, current estimates based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% would be approximately $79,859 for median income and $125,791 for average income. Census data shows that household, family, and personal incomes in Surry Hills rank highly nationally, between the 83rd and 97th percentiles. The predominant income cohort spans 29.2% of locals (5,012 people) earning between $1,500 - 2,999 per week, similar to the surrounding region at 30.9%. The district demonstrates considerable affluence with 39.6% earning over $3,000 per week, supporting premium retail and service offerings. 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 evaluation, 1.1% of dwellings were houses while 98.9% were other types such as semi-detached units, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. This contrasts with Sydney metropolitan area's figures of 2.3% houses and 97.7% other dwellings. The home ownership rate in Surry Hills was 14.1%, similar to Sydney metro's figure, with mortgaged dwellings at 18.9% and rented dwellings at 67.0%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,839, higher than Sydney metro's average of $2,705. The median weekly rent in Surry Hills was $550, matching Sydney metro's figure but significantly higher than the national average of $375. Nationally, Surry Hills' mortgage repayments were notably higher at $1,863.

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 1.9.

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 national and state averages. Among residents aged 15 and above, 62.8% hold university qualifications, compared to 30.4% nationally and 32.2% in NSW. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 41.1%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (18.1%) and graduate diplomas (3.6%). Vocational pathways account for 18.2% of qualifications, with advanced diplomas at 9.9% and certificates at 8.3%.

A significant portion of the population, 24.7%, is actively pursuing formal education, including 10.9% in tertiary education, 3.1% in primary education, and 2.0% in secondary education. The five schools in Surry Hills have a combined enrollment of 1,900 students, with the area showing strong socio-educational advantages and academic achievement (ICSEA: 1120). There are three primary and two secondary schools serving distinct age groups, with school capacity exceeding typical residential needs (11.1 places per 100 residents compared to 7.7 regionally), indicating that Surry Hills serves as an educational center for the broader region. Note: where schools show 'n/a' for enrolments, please refer to the parent campus.

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

Surry Hills has 34 operational public transport stops. These include train, light rail, and bus services. There are 25 different routes serving these stops, providing a total of 14,902 weekly passenger trips.

The average distance from residents to the nearest stop is 118 meters. On average, there are 2,128 daily trips across all routes, equating to about 438 weekly trips per individual stop.

Surry Hills's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Surry Hills shows excellent health outcomes, with both young and elderly populations experiencing low rates of common health conditions. Approximately 71% of its total population of 12,173 has private health cover, compared to the national average of 55.3%.

Mental health issues affect 10.1% of residents, while asthma impacts 7.0%. A significant majority, 74.6%, report no medical ailments, slightly lower than Greater Sydney's 77.4%. The area has 10.1% of residents aged 65 and over (1,733 people), with seniors' health outcomes aligning well with the general population's profile.

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 predominant religion in Surry Hills, making up 28.0% of the population. However, Judaism is overrepresented compared to Greater Sydney, comprising 1.3% of Surry Hills' population versus 1.1%.

The top three ancestry groups are English at 22.8%, Other at 15.1%, and Australian at 14.7%. Notably, French (1.6%), Spanish (1.2%), and Russian (0.9%) ethnicities are overrepresented compared to regional averages of 1.1%, 1.0%, and 0.8% respectively.

Surry Hills's population is younger than the national pattern

Surry Hills' median age of 35 years is slightly younger than Greater Sydney's 37 and somewhat younger than Australia's 38-year national average. The 25-34 age group constitutes 32.2%, higher than Greater Sydney, while the 5-14 cohort makes up 2.8%. This 25-34 concentration is well above the national 14.5%. Between 2021 and present, the 15 to 24 age group has grown from 9.4% to 11.4%, while the 45 to 54 cohort has declined from 12.7% to 11.3%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate significant demographic changes in Surry Hills. The 45-54 age group is projected to increase substantially by 775 people (40%), growing from 1,939 to 2,715. Conversely, the 25-34 cohort is expected to grow modestly by 0%, adding only 6 people.