Compare
Sydney - City and Inner South vs Melbourne - Inner
Region (SA4) comparison ≈ 708 km apart · Sydney - City and Inner South profile · Melbourne - Inner profile
Sydney - City and Inner South Melbourne - Inner
Melbourne - Inner and Sydney - City and Inner South are both high-density urban hubs, but they differ in scale and makeup. Melbourne - Inner is far larger, with 147 schools and a population of 617,018. It has a higher share of detached houses at 20.3% compared to 10.0% in Sydney - City and Inner South. Cultural differences are also evident; 45.5% of Sydney - City and Inner South residents were born overseas, well higher than the 35.9% seen in Melbourne - Inner. Additionally, typical weekly rents are well higher in Sydney - City and Inner South at $550, compared to $401 in Melbourne - Inner.
Since 2011, several gaps between these two areas have widened, particularly in rent costs and the proportion of people born overseas. However, they share a similar demographic profile, with both having a typical resident age of 34 and nearly identical typical weekly personal incomes. Both areas are also well above the national figure for households that rent, though this is more common in Sydney - City and Inner South at 58.9% than in Melbourne - Inner at 52.5%.
Where they differ most
Demographics & Identity
- First area, 2011: 264,544
- First area, 2016: 315,551
- First area, 2021: 331,340
- Second area, 2011: 501,990
- Second area, 2016: 591,679
- Second area, 2021: 617,018
- First area, 2011: 33 yrs
- First area, 2016: 33 yrs
- First area, 2021: 34 yrs
- Second area, 2011: 33 yrs
- Second area, 2016: 33 yrs
- Second area, 2021: 34 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 Melbourne - Inner: 0.6% males, 1.0% females
- 80–84 in Sydney - City and Inner South: 0.6% males, 0.7% females; 80–84 in Melbourne - Inner: 0.7% males, 0.9% females
- 75–79 in Sydney - City and Inner South: 0.9% males, 1.0% females; 75–79 in Melbourne - Inner: 1.0% males, 1.1% females
- 70–74 in Sydney - City and Inner South: 1.4% males, 1.4% females; 70–74 in Melbourne - Inner: 1.4% males, 1.6% females
- 65–69 in Sydney - City and Inner South: 1.6% males, 1.7% females; 65–69 in Melbourne - Inner: 1.7% males, 1.9% females
- 60–64 in Sydney - City and Inner South: 2.1% males, 1.9% females; 60–64 in Melbourne - Inner: 2.1% males, 2.2% females
- 55–59 in Sydney - City and Inner South: 2.6% males, 2.2% females; 55–59 in Melbourne - Inner: 2.4% males, 2.5% females
- 50–54 in Sydney - City and Inner South: 2.9% males, 2.5% females; 50–54 in Melbourne - Inner: 2.8% males, 2.9% females
- 45–49 in Sydney - City and Inner South: 3.3% males, 2.8% females; 45–49 in Melbourne - Inner: 3.0% males, 3.0% females
- 40–44 in Sydney - City and Inner South: 4.0% males, 3.4% females; 40–44 in Melbourne - Inner: 3.5% males, 3.4% females
- 35–39 in Sydney - City and Inner South: 5.6% males, 4.9% females; 35–39 in Melbourne - Inner: 4.8% males, 4.7% females
- 30–34 in Sydney - City and Inner South: 7.4% males, 6.9% females; 30–34 in Melbourne - Inner: 6.4% males, 6.5% females
- 25–29 in Sydney - City and Inner South: 7.3% males, 7.3% females; 25–29 in Melbourne - Inner: 6.6% males, 7.3% females
- 20–24 in Sydney - City and Inner South: 4.6% males, 4.8% females; 20–24 in Melbourne - Inner: 4.3% males, 5.0% females
- 15–19 in Sydney - City and Inner South: 1.5% males, 1.6% females; 15–19 in Melbourne - Inner: 1.8% males, 2.0% females
- 10–14 in Sydney - City and Inner South: 1.4% males, 1.3% females; 10–14 in Melbourne - Inner: 1.7% males, 1.7% females
- 5–9 in Sydney - City and Inner South: 1.6% males, 1.5% females; 5–9 in Melbourne - Inner: 1.8% males, 1.7% females
- 0–4 in Sydney - City and Inner South: 2.1% males, 2.0% females; 0–4 in Melbourne - Inner: 2.0% males, 1.9% 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: $796
- Second area, 2016: $883
- Second area, 2021: $1,137
- First area, 2011: $1,569
- First area, 2016: $1,894
- First area, 2021: $2,207
- Second area, 2011: $1,506
- Second area, 2016: $1,699
- Second area, 2021: $2,006
- First area, 2011: $2,039
- First area, 2016: $2,369
- First area, 2021: $2,887
- Second area, 2011: $2,070
- Second area, 2016: $2,323
- Second area, 2021: $2,833
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: 2.1
- Second area, 2016: 2.1
- Second area, 2021: 2.0
Family composition
Household size
Housing & Dwellings
- First area, 2011: $430
- First area, 2016: $550
- First area, 2021: $550
- Second area, 2011: $356
- Second area, 2016: $401
- Second area, 2021: $401
- First area, 2011: $2,500
- First area, 2016: $2,500
- First area, 2021: $2,700
- Second area, 2011: $2,167
- Second area, 2016: $2,100
- Second area, 2021: $2,167
- First area, 2011: 1.20
- First area, 2016: 1.10
- First area, 2021: 1.10
- Second area, 2011: 1.20
- Second area, 2016: 1.00
- Second area, 2021: 1.00
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 Melbourne - Inner with nearby areas
Cite this page
Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). Sydney - City and Inner South vs Melbourne - Inner [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/compare/sa4/117/sydney-city-and-inner-south/vs/206/melbourne-inner