Compare
Sydney - City and Inner South vs Brisbane - North
Region (SA4) comparison ≈ 750 km apart · Sydney - City and Inner South profile · Brisbane - North profile
Sydney - City and Inner South Brisbane - North
Sydney - City and Inner South and Brisbane - North are very different urban environments. Sydney - City and Inner South is a high-density hub where 69.4% of people live in flats or apartments and 58.9% rent their homes. It is far more diverse, with 45.5% born overseas and 35.0% using another language at home. In contrast, Brisbane - North is dominated by separate houses (69.2%) and a more traditional family feel, with 27.7% of adults caring for children unpaid compared to just 14.7% in Sydney. This shift is seen in the housing, as 74.0% of Brisbane - North homes have three or more bedrooms, while only 27.3% do in Sydney.
Both areas have very similar unemployment rates, sitting around 5%. While they share this stability, their lifestyles diverge sharply. Sydney - City and Inner South is a walker's paradise with 49.4% of people working from home and 32.5% of homes without a car. Brisbane - North is more car-dependent, with 52.7% of people driving to work. Since 2011, the gap in university qualifications has widened, with the share of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher now far higher in Sydney - City and Inner South.
Where they differ most
Demographics & Identity
- First area, 2011: 264,544
- First area, 2016: 315,551
- First area, 2021: 331,340
- Second area, 2011: 191,047
- Second area, 2016: 206,522
- Second area, 2021: 224,598
- First area, 2011: 33 yrs
- First area, 2016: 33 yrs
- First area, 2021: 34 yrs
- Second area, 2011: 37 yrs
- Second area, 2016: 37 yrs
- Second area, 2021: 37 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 Brisbane - North: 0.9% males, 1.6% females
- 80–84 in Sydney - City and Inner South: 0.6% males, 0.7% females; 80–84 in Brisbane - North: 0.9% males, 1.3% females
- 75–79 in Sydney - City and Inner South: 0.9% males, 1.0% females; 75–79 in Brisbane - North: 1.3% males, 1.7% females
- 70–74 in Sydney - City and Inner South: 1.4% males, 1.4% females; 70–74 in Brisbane - North: 1.8% males, 2.1% females
- 65–69 in Sydney - City and Inner South: 1.6% males, 1.7% females; 65–69 in Brisbane - North: 2.1% males, 2.3% females
- 60–64 in Sydney - City and Inner South: 2.1% males, 1.9% females; 60–64 in Brisbane - North: 2.4% males, 2.6% females
- 55–59 in Sydney - City and Inner South: 2.6% males, 2.2% females; 55–59 in Brisbane - North: 2.7% males, 2.9% females
- 50–54 in Sydney - City and Inner South: 2.9% males, 2.5% females; 50–54 in Brisbane - North: 3.1% males, 3.2% females
- 45–49 in Sydney - City and Inner South: 3.3% males, 2.8% females; 45–49 in Brisbane - North: 3.3% males, 3.5% females
- 40–44 in Sydney - City and Inner South: 4.0% males, 3.4% females; 40–44 in Brisbane - North: 3.5% males, 3.6% females
- 35–39 in Sydney - City and Inner South: 5.6% males, 4.9% females; 35–39 in Brisbane - North: 4.0% males, 4.2% females
- 30–34 in Sydney - City and Inner South: 7.4% males, 6.9% females; 30–34 in Brisbane - North: 3.9% males, 4.2% females
- 25–29 in Sydney - City and Inner South: 7.3% males, 7.3% females; 25–29 in Brisbane - North: 3.6% males, 3.8% females
- 20–24 in Sydney - City and Inner South: 4.6% males, 4.8% females; 20–24 in Brisbane - North: 3.1% males, 3.2% females
- 15–19 in Sydney - City and Inner South: 1.5% males, 1.6% females; 15–19 in Brisbane - North: 2.8% males, 2.6% females
- 10–14 in Sydney - City and Inner South: 1.4% males, 1.3% females; 10–14 in Brisbane - North: 3.0% males, 2.8% females
- 5–9 in Sydney - City and Inner South: 1.6% males, 1.5% females; 5–9 in Brisbane - North: 3.1% males, 2.9% females
- 0–4 in Sydney - City and Inner South: 2.1% males, 2.0% females; 0–4 in Brisbane - North: 3.1% males, 2.9% 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: $675
- Second area, 2016: $772
- Second area, 2021: $932
- First area, 2011: $1,569
- First area, 2016: $1,894
- First area, 2021: $2,207
- Second area, 2011: $1,396
- Second area, 2016: $1,622
- Second area, 2021: $1,951
- First area, 2011: $2,039
- First area, 2016: $2,369
- First area, 2021: $2,887
- Second area, 2011: $1,712
- Second area, 2016: $1,977
- Second area, 2021: $2,385
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: 2.5
- Second area, 2016: 2.5
- Second area, 2021: 2.5
Family composition
Household size
Housing & Dwellings
- First area, 2011: $430
- First area, 2016: $550
- First area, 2021: $550
- Second area, 2011: $330
- Second area, 2016: $370
- Second area, 2021: $395
- First area, 2011: $2,500
- First area, 2016: $2,500
- First area, 2021: $2,700
- Second area, 2011: $2,000
- Second area, 2016: $1,950
- Second area, 2021: $1,970
- First area, 2011: 1.20
- First area, 2016: 1.10
- First area, 2021: 1.10
- Second area, 2011: 1.10
- Second area, 2016: 0.80
- Second area, 2021: 0.80
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 Brisbane - North with nearby areas
Cite this page
Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). Sydney - City and Inner South vs Brisbane - North [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/compare/sa4/117/sydney-city-and-inner-south/vs/302/brisbane-north