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Sydney - City and Inner South vs Sydney - Northern Beaches
Region (SA4) comparison ≈ 26 km apart · Sydney - City and Inner South profile · Sydney - Northern Beaches profile
Sydney - City and Inner South Sydney - Northern Beaches
Sydney - City and Inner South and Sydney - Northern Beaches are two distinct parts of the city. Sydney - City and Inner South is a highly mobile and diverse hub where 45.5% of people were born overseas and 57.8% have moved house in the last five years. It is dominated by apartments, with 58.9% of homes being rented and 32.5% of households owning no motor vehicle. In contrast, Sydney - Northern Beaches is more family-oriented and settled; it has a much higher share of separate houses (57.3%) and homes owned outright (34.8%). This area is also older, with a typical resident aged 41 compared to 34 in Sydney - City and Inner South.
Both areas share a very similar typical weekly personal income, with Sydney - City and Inner South at $1,174 and Sydney - Northern Beaches at $1,109. While they are alike in earning power, other gaps have widened since 2011. The difference in the share of people born overseas has grown, and the gap in home ownership has increased. Sydney - City and Inner South remains much more walkable, particularly for health services, where 97.7% of homes are within a 15-minute walk compared to 76.1% in Sydney - Northern Beaches.
Where they differ most
Demographics & Identity
- First area, 2011: 264,544
- First area, 2016: 315,551
- First area, 2021: 331,340
- Second area, 2011: 237,640
- Second area, 2016: 252,878
- Second area, 2021: 263,554
- First area, 2011: 33 yrs
- First area, 2016: 33 yrs
- First area, 2021: 34 yrs
- Second area, 2011: 39 yrs
- Second area, 2016: 40 yrs
- Second area, 2021: 41 yrs
Age structure
Marital status
Age & sex structure
Bars show the share of each area's own population, so differently sized areas stay comparable.
- 85+ in Sydney - City and Inner South: 0.5% males, 0.7% females; 85+ in Sydney - Northern Beaches: 1.0% males, 1.7% females
- 80–84 in Sydney - City and Inner South: 0.6% males, 0.7% females; 80–84 in Sydney - Northern Beaches: 1.2% males, 1.4% females
- 75–79 in Sydney - City and Inner South: 0.9% males, 1.0% females; 75–79 in Sydney - Northern Beaches: 1.7% males, 2.0% females
- 70–74 in Sydney - City and Inner South: 1.4% males, 1.4% females; 70–74 in Sydney - Northern Beaches: 2.1% males, 2.3% females
- 65–69 in Sydney - City and Inner South: 1.6% males, 1.7% females; 65–69 in Sydney - Northern Beaches: 2.3% males, 2.5% females
- 60–64 in Sydney - City and Inner South: 2.1% males, 1.9% females; 60–64 in Sydney - Northern Beaches: 2.8% males, 2.9% females
- 55–59 in Sydney - City and Inner South: 2.6% males, 2.2% females; 55–59 in Sydney - Northern Beaches: 3.3% males, 3.4% females
- 50–54 in Sydney - City and Inner South: 2.9% males, 2.5% females; 50–54 in Sydney - Northern Beaches: 3.6% males, 3.8% females
- 45–49 in Sydney - City and Inner South: 3.3% males, 2.8% females; 45–49 in Sydney - Northern Beaches: 3.8% males, 4.0% females
- 40–44 in Sydney - City and Inner South: 4.0% males, 3.4% females; 40–44 in Sydney - Northern Beaches: 3.4% males, 3.6% females
- 35–39 in Sydney - City and Inner South: 5.6% males, 4.9% females; 35–39 in Sydney - Northern Beaches: 3.0% males, 3.4% females
- 30–34 in Sydney - City and Inner South: 7.4% males, 6.9% females; 30–34 in Sydney - Northern Beaches: 2.8% males, 3.1% females
- 25–29 in Sydney - City and Inner South: 7.3% males, 7.3% females; 25–29 in Sydney - Northern Beaches: 2.5% males, 2.6% females
- 20–24 in Sydney - City and Inner South: 4.6% males, 4.8% females; 20–24 in Sydney - Northern Beaches: 2.7% males, 2.5% females
- 15–19 in Sydney - City and Inner South: 1.5% males, 1.6% females; 15–19 in Sydney - Northern Beaches: 3.2% males, 3.0% females
- 10–14 in Sydney - City and Inner South: 1.4% males, 1.3% females; 10–14 in Sydney - Northern Beaches: 3.6% males, 3.4% females
- 5–9 in Sydney - City and Inner South: 1.6% males, 1.5% females; 5–9 in Sydney - Northern Beaches: 3.2% males, 3.0% females
- 0–4 in Sydney - City and Inner South: 2.1% males, 2.0% females; 0–4 in Sydney - Northern Beaches: 2.7% males, 2.6% females
Ancestry & Birthplace
Country of birth
Ancestry
Language
Language used at home
Religion
Religious affiliation
Education & Qualifications
Highest year of school
Highest qualification level
Field of qualification
Income
- First area, 2011: $797
- First area, 2016: $904
- First area, 2021: $1,174
- Second area, 2011: $779
- Second area, 2016: $916
- Second area, 2021: $1,109
- First area, 2011: $1,569
- First area, 2016: $1,894
- First area, 2021: $2,207
- Second area, 2011: $1,812
- Second area, 2016: $2,178
- Second area, 2021: $2,592
- First area, 2011: $2,039
- First area, 2016: $2,369
- First area, 2021: $2,887
- Second area, 2011: $2,188
- Second area, 2016: $2,528
- Second area, 2021: $3,131
Household income distribution
Personal income distribution
Health & Disability
Long-term health conditions reported
Number of long-term health conditions
Community Participation
First Nations
Family & Households
- First area, 2011: 2.1
- First area, 2016: 2.2
- First area, 2021: 2.1
- Second area, 2011: 2.6
- Second area, 2016: 2.7
- Second area, 2021: 2.7
Family composition
Household size
Housing & Dwellings
- First area, 2011: $430
- First area, 2016: $550
- First area, 2021: $550
- Second area, 2011: $460
- Second area, 2016: $565
- Second area, 2021: $625
- First area, 2011: $2,500
- First area, 2016: $2,500
- First area, 2021: $2,700
- Second area, 2011: $2,800
- Second area, 2016: $2,800
- Second area, 2021: $3,124
- First area, 2011: 1.20
- First area, 2016: 1.10
- First area, 2021: 1.10
- Second area, 2011: 1.10
- Second area, 2016: 0.90
- Second area, 2021: 0.90
How homes are owned or rented
Types of homes
Bedrooms per home
Weekly rent distribution
Monthly mortgage distribution
Transport & Vehicles
How people get to work
Motor vehicles per home
Migration & Movement
Jobs & Industry
Industries people work in
Occupations people work in
Economy & Advantage
Environment & Climate
Walkability
Compare Sydney - City and Inner South with nearby areas
Compare Sydney - Northern Beaches with nearby areas
Cite this page
Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). Sydney - City and Inner South vs Sydney - Northern Beaches [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/compare/sa4/117/sydney-city-and-inner-south/vs/122/sydney-northern-beaches