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Greater Sydney vs Rest of NSW

Name: Greater Sydney vs Rest of NSW — 2021 Census comparison
Creator: Australian Bureau of Statistics
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Capital City comparison ≈ 411 km apart · Greater Sydney profile · Rest of NSW profile

Greater Sydney Rest of NSW

Greater Sydney and Rest of NSW are two very different parts of the state. Greater Sydney is far more multicultural and educated, with 38.6% of people born overseas and 33.3% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. It is also a hub for professional work, as 38.9% of people work from home and 30.2% of households earn $3,000 or more a week. In contrast, Rest of NSW has a much higher share of detached houses at 82.3% and a larger proportion of homes owned outright at 38.0%.

Since 2011, the gap in high-income households and university qualifications has widened, while the difference in typical age has narrowed slightly. Both areas share similar patterns for children under 15 and unemployment rates. However, they differ greatly in accessibility; Greater Sydney is very walkable with a score of 7.2, while Rest of NSW is somewhat walkable at 4.6. This is consistent with Greater Sydney's much higher access to nearby shops, schools, and health services.

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Where they differ most

Born overseas: 26.5 pts higher in Greater Sydney Other language: 30.8 pts higher in Greater Sydney Separate houses: 26.5 pts higher in Rest of NSW Work from home: 23.2 pts higher in Greater Sydney Year 12: 22.4 pts higher in Greater Sydney

Demographics & Identity

Population in Greater Sydney in Rest of NSW +2,401,510 larger in Greater Sydney gap steady

5,231,147 100th pct 2,829,637 89th pct

Median age in Greater Sydney in Rest of NSW +6 yrs older in Rest of NSW gap narrowing

37 yrs 23rd pct 43 yrs 71st pct

Age structure

30.4% Young adults (25–44) ◂ +7.3 pts 23.0%

23.8% Older adults (45–64) +1.9 pts ▸ 25.8%

15.2% Seniors (65+) +7.0 pts ▸ 22.2%

18.4% Children (0–14) ◂ +0.5 pts 17.9%

12.2% Youth (15–24) ◂ +1.1 pts 11.1%

Marital status

48.3% Married ◂ +2.7 pts 45.6%

36.4% Never married ◂ +2.1 pts 34.3%

7.8% Divorced +2.3 pts ▸ 10.1%

4.5% Widowed +1.9 pts ▸ 6.4%

2.9% Separated +0.6 pts ▸ 3.6%

Age & sex structure

Greater Sydney Rest of NSW

Bars show the share of each area's own population, so differently sized areas stay comparable.

Ancestry & Birthplace

Country of birth

56.8% Australia +24.5 pts ▸ 81.3%

4.6% China ◂ +4.2 pts 0.3%

3.6% India ◂ +2.8 pts 0.7%

2.9% England ◂ +0.2 pts 2.8%

1.8% Vietnam ◂ +1.6 pts 0.1%

1.7% Philippines ◂ +1.2 pts 0.5%

1.6% New Zealand ◂ +0.5 pts 1.2%

1.1% Nepal ◂ +0.9 pts 0.2%

0.8% South Africa ◂ +0.4 pts 0.4%

0.7% Italy ◂ +0.4 pts 0.3%

Ancestry

23.8% English +17.1 pts ▸ 40.9%

22.3% Australian +17.9 pts ▸ 40.2%

7.7% Irish +4.1 pts ▸ 11.8%

6.0% Scottish +4.7 pts ▸ 10.7%

10.6% Chinese ◂ +9.6 pts 1.0%

4.5% Indian ◂ +3.7 pts 0.8%

4.3% Italian ◂ +1.5 pts 2.8%

2.3% German +1.9 pts ▸ 4.2%

2.5% Filipino ◂ +1.7 pts 0.8%

2.4% Greek ◂ +1.8 pts 0.6%

2.3% Vietnamese ◂ +2.1 pts 0.2%

0.9% Dutch +0.4 pts ▸ 1.4%

Language

Language used at home

57.3% English only +29.5 pts ▸ 86.8%

5.0% Mandarin ◂ +4.6 pts 0.4%

4.2% Arabic ◂ +3.9 pts 0.3%

2.8% Cantonese ◂ +2.6 pts 0.2%

2.2% Vietnamese ◂ +2.0 pts 0.2%

1.5% Hindi ◂ +1.3 pts 0.1%

1.4% Greek ◂ +1.2 pts 0.2%

1.0% Italian ◂ +0.6 pts 0.4%

0.9% Tagalog ◂ +0.7 pts 0.2%

0.8% Punjabi ◂ +0.5 pts 0.3%

Religion

Religious affiliation

45.8% Christianity +5.4 pts ▸ 51.1%

30.7% No religion +7.1 pts ▸ 37.8%

6.5% Not stated +1.5 pts ▸ 8.1%

6.3% Islam ◂ +5.6 pts 0.7%

4.8% Hinduism ◂ +4.1 pts 0.7%

3.8% Buddhism ◂ +3.1 pts 0.8%

1.3% Other religions ◂ +0.6 pts 0.7%

0.7% Judaism ◂ +0.6 pts 0.1%

Education & Qualifications

Highest year of school

66.9% Year 12 ◂ +22.4 pts 44.5%

14.8% Year 10 +13.9 pts ▸ 28.7%

8.2% Year 9 or below +3.8 pts ▸ 12.0%

3.9% Year 11 +2.9 pts ▸ 6.7%

Highest qualification level

18.0% Certificate III / IV +15.9 pts ▸ 34.0%

33.2% Bachelor degree ◂ +13.1 pts 20.1%

14.7% Advanced diploma / diploma ◂ +0.4 pts 14.3%

14.3% Postgraduate degree ◂ +8.3 pts 6.0%

3.2% Graduate diploma / certificate ◂ +0.1 pts 3.2%

1.4% Certificate I / II +1.0 pts ▸ 2.4%

Field of qualification

24.6% Management & commerce ◂ +8.5 pts 16.1%

11.9% Engineering & related +3.1 pts ▸ 15.0%

12.2% Society & culture ◂ +1.0 pts 11.2%

8.8% Health +2.3 pts ▸ 11.0%

6.7% Education +2.2 pts ▸ 8.9%

4.9% Architecture & building +1.3 pts ▸ 6.1%

4.0% Food, hospitality & personal services +1.3 pts ▸ 5.3%

5.2% Information technology ◂ +3.6 pts 1.6%

4.8% Creative arts ◂ +1.9 pts 2.9%

3.4% Natural & physical sciences ◂ +1.3 pts 2.1%

1.1% Agriculture & environment +2.1 pts ▸ 3.2%

Income

Personal income in Greater Sydney in Rest of NSW +$159 higher in Greater Sydney gap widening

$881 58th pct $722 16th pct

Household income in Greater Sydney in Rest of NSW +$643 higher in Greater Sydney gap widening

$2,077 79th pct $1,434 17th pct

Family income in Greater Sydney in Rest of NSW +$522 higher in Greater Sydney gap narrowing

$2,374 81st pct $1,852 30th pct

Household income distribution

21.7% $650–$1,499 +7.9 pts ▸ 29.6%

29.2% $1,500–$2,999 ◂ +1.4 pts 27.7%

13.3% Under $650 +5.5 pts ▸ 18.8%

18.5% $4,000 or more ◂ +10.4 pts 8.1%

11.7% $3,000–$3,999 ◂ +3.1 pts 8.6%

Personal income distribution

37.3% Under $650 +4.8 pts ▸ 42.1%

29.4% $650–$1,499 +2.0 pts ▸ 31.5%

19.7% $1,500–$2,999 ◂ +4.7 pts 15.0%

7.1% $3,000 or more ◂ +3.9 pts 3.1%

Health & Disability

Long-term health conditions reported

6.7% Arthritis +4.9 pts ▸ 11.6%

6.6% Mental health +4.0 pts ▸ 10.6%

6.8% Asthma +2.8 pts ▸ 9.6%

7.4% Other condition +1.1 pts ▸ 8.5%

4.6% Diabetes +0.8 pts ▸ 5.3%

3.4% Heart disease +1.6 pts ▸ 5.0%

2.4% Cancer +1.2 pts ▸ 3.6%

1.2% Lung condition +1.4 pts ▸ 2.6%

0.7% Stroke +0.5 pts ▸ 1.2%

0.7% Dementia +0.3 pts ▸ 1.0%

Number of long-term health conditions

69.1% None ◂ +11.7 pts 57.3%

16.7% One condition +4.8 pts ▸ 21.5%

4.6% Two conditions +2.9 pts ▸ 7.5%

2.3% Three or more +2.0 pts ▸ 4.3%

Community Participation

First Nations

First Nations people in Greater Sydney in Rest of NSW +94,934 larger in Rest of NSW

90,939 90th pct 185,873 100th pct

Median age in Greater Sydney in Rest of NSW +1 yrs older in Greater Sydney

24 yrs 29th pct 23 yrs 0th pct

Median income in Greater Sydney in Rest of NSW +$104 higher in Greater Sydney

$674 76th pct $570 58th pct

Household income in Greater Sydney in Rest of NSW +$319 higher in Greater Sydney

$1,779 78th pct $1,460 49th pct

Family & Households

Household size in Greater Sydney in Rest of NSW +0.3 larger in Greater Sydney gap narrowing

2.7 90th pct 2.4 29th pct

Family composition

62.5% Couples with children ◂ +10.3 pts 52.2%

23.3% Couples without children +7.7 pts ▸ 30.9%

13.1% One-parent families +2.8 pts ▸ 15.8%

1.2% Other families ◂ +0.2 pts 1.0%

Household size

30.7% 2 people +5.7 pts ▸ 36.4%

23.2% 1 person +4.7 pts ▸ 27.9%

17.3% 4 people ◂ +4.4 pts 13.0%

17.2% 3 people ◂ +3.1 pts 14.1%

7.3% 5 people ◂ +1.5 pts 5.8%

4.2% 6 or more ◂ +1.3 pts 2.8%

Housing & Dwellings

Rent in Greater Sydney in Rest of NSW +$140 higher in Greater Sydney gap narrowing

$470 100th pct $330 46th pct

Mortgage in Greater Sydney in Rest of NSW +$694 higher in Greater Sydney gap widening

$2,427 100th pct $1,733 57th pct

People / bedroom in Greater Sydney in Rest of NSW +0.10 higher in Greater Sydney gap steady

0.90 86th pct 0.80 29th pct

How homes are owned or rented

27.8% Owned outright +10.2 pts ▸ 38.0%

35.9% Rented ◂ +9.1 pts 26.8%

33.3% Owned with a mortgage ◂ +2.1 pts 31.2%

1.7% Other tenure +0.6 pts ▸ 2.3%

1.3% Not stated +0.4 pts ▸ 1.7%

Types of homes

55.8% Separate house +26.5 pts ▸ 82.3%

30.7% Flat or apartment ◂ +24.4 pts 6.3%

12.8% Townhouse / semi-detached ◂ +2.8 pts 9.9%

0.4% Other dwelling +0.6 pts ▸ 1.0%

Bedrooms per home

30.9% 3 bedrooms +10.2 pts ▸ 41.1%

24.1% 4 bedrooms +4.2 pts ▸ 28.3%

25.7% 2 bedrooms ◂ +8.2 pts 17.5%

9.0% 5 or more ◂ +2.1 pts 6.9%

8.1% 1 bedroom ◂ +4.1 pts 4.0%

0.9% Studio / none ◂ +0.4 pts 0.5%

Weekly rent distribution

43.0% $350–$549 ◂ +6.0 pts 37.0%

12.6% $200–$349 +22.2 pts ▸ 34.8%

22.1% $550–$749 ◂ +15.4 pts 6.7%

8.1% Under $200 +7.7 pts ▸ 15.9%

10.9% $750 or more ◂ +9.3 pts 1.6%

Monthly mortgage distribution

33.7% $3,000 or more ◂ +21.4 pts 12.3%

16.4% $1,000–$1,799 +16.4 pts ▸ 32.8%

32.5% $1,800–$2,999 ◂ +2.0 pts 30.5%

10.9% Under $1,000 +8.0 pts ▸ 18.8%

Transport & Vehicles

PT stops in Greater Sydney in Rest of NSW +11,377 more in Greater Sydney

26,948 100th pct 15,571 86th pct

Stops/1k in Greater Sydney in Rest of NSW +0.35 more in Rest of NSW

5.15 66th pct 5.50 77th pct

Departures/1k in Greater Sydney in Rest of NSW +1,204.1 more in Greater Sydney

1,738.2 91st pct 534.1 43rd pct

PT routes in Greater Sydney in Rest of NSW +30 more in Greater Sydney

809 100th pct 779 98th pct

How people get to work

34.2% Car (driver) +26.1 pts ▸ 60.3%

38.9% Worked at home ◂ +23.2 pts 15.7%

2.6% Car (passenger) +1.6 pts ▸ 4.2%

2.3% Walked +0.6 pts ▸ 2.9%

2.5% Train ◂ +2.4 pts 0.1%

1.2% Bus ◂ +0.7 pts 0.4%

0.4% Bicycle +0.1 pts ▸ 0.4%

Motor vehicles per home

40.0% 1 vehicle ◂ +4.5 pts 35.6%

32.8% 2 vehicles +5.1 pts ▸ 37.8%

10.1% 3 vehicles +3.1 pts ▸ 13.2%

11.3% No vehicle ◂ +5.7 pts 5.6%

5.8% 4 or more +2.0 pts ▸ 7.8%

Migration & Movement

Jobs & Industry

Industries people work in

13.4% Health care & social assistance +2.9 pts ▸ 16.3%

10.9% Professional & technical ◂ +6.0 pts 4.9%

8.8% Retail trade +0.6 pts ▸ 9.4%

8.2% Construction +1.2 pts ▸ 9.4%

8.5% Education & training +0.7 pts ▸ 9.2%

5.5% Accommodation & food +2.0 pts ▸ 7.5%

5.5% Public administration & safety +1.7 pts ▸ 7.2%

7.0% Finance & insurance ◂ +5.0 pts 1.9%

5.4% Manufacturing +0.2 pts ▸ 5.6%

0.4% Agriculture, forestry & fishing +4.7 pts ▸ 5.1%

5.1% Transport & warehousing ◂ +1.3 pts 3.7%

3.2% Other services +0.6 pts ▸ 3.8%

Occupations people work in

29.3% Professionals ◂ +10.1 pts 19.2%

15.2% Managers ◂ +1.8 pts 13.4%

10.5% Technicians & trades +4.1 pts ▸ 14.5%

13.8% Clerical & administrative ◂ +2.1 pts 11.7%

9.3% Community & personal service +4.0 pts ▸ 13.2%

6.8% Labourers +4.1 pts ▸ 10.9%

7.8% Sales workers +0.7 pts ▸ 8.5%

5.6% Machinery operators & drivers +1.3 pts ▸ 6.9%

Economy & Advantage

ERP in Greater Sydney in Rest of NSW +2,685,136 higher in Greater Sydney

5,638,830 100th pct 2,953,694 86th pct

Growth in Greater Sydney in Rest of NSW +3.0 pts higher in Greater Sydney

7.2% 72nd pct 4.2% 29th pct

Environment & Climate

Rainfall in Greater Sydney in Rest of NSW +526 higher in Greater Sydney

1,031 86th pct 505 29th pct

Max temp in Greater Sydney in Rest of NSW +0.1 higher in Greater Sydney

25.3 57th pct 25.2 53rd pct

Min temp in Greater Sydney in Rest of NSW +0.6 higher in Greater Sydney

10.7 46th pct 10.0 43rd pct

Walkability

Walk score in Greater Sydney in Rest of NSW +2.7 higher in Greater Sydney

7.2 100th pct 4.6 47th pct

Types ≤15 min in Greater Sydney in Rest of NSW +2.2 more in Greater Sydney

6.7 100th pct 4.5 48th pct

15-min city in Greater Sydney in Rest of NSW +31.7 pts higher in Greater Sydney

84.1% 100th pct 52.4% 47th pct

Walk to shops in Greater Sydney in Rest of NSW +32.2 pts higher in Greater Sydney

80.2% 94th pct 48.0% 27th pct

Walk to transit in Greater Sydney in Rest of NSW +26.6 pts higher in Greater Sydney

96.0% 97th pct 69.4% 50th pct

Walk to school in Greater Sydney in Rest of NSW +31.2 pts higher in Greater Sydney

88.0% 100th pct 56.8% 43rd pct

Walk to a park in Greater Sydney in Rest of NSW +20.0 pts higher in Greater Sydney

96.7% 88th pct 76.8% 43rd pct

Walk to health in Greater Sydney in Rest of NSW +30.7 pts higher in Greater Sydney

69.0% 95th pct 38.3% 39th pct

Amenities/1k in Greater Sydney in Rest of NSW +3.3 more in Rest of NSW

13.5 10th pct 16.8 46th pct

Intersections/km² in Greater Sydney in Rest of NSW +32 higher in Greater Sydney

32 75th pct 0 26th pct

Mean slope in Greater Sydney in Rest of NSW +0.9 pts higher in Greater Sydney

7.1% 81st pct 6.2% 73rd pct

Compare Greater Sydney with nearby areas

Australian Capital Territory Rest of NSW Greater Melbourne Greater Brisbane Rest of Vic. Rest of Tas. Greater Hobart Greater Adelaide Rest of Qld Rest of SA Rest of NT Greater Darwin

Compare Rest of NSW with nearby areas

Australian Capital Territory Greater Sydney Greater Melbourne Rest of Vic. Greater Brisbane Greater Adelaide Rest of Tas. Rest of Qld Greater Hobart Rest of SA Rest of NT Rest of WA

Cite this page

Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). Greater Sydney vs Rest of NSW [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/compare/gccsa/1GSYD/greater-sydney/vs/1RNSW/rest-of-nsw