Federal Electorate · Area profile
Bennelong
59 km²
Tucked into the heart of Greater Sydney, Bennelong is a populous and affluent hub that has grown by 29% since 2011. It is a highly educated community where over half the population speaks a language other than English at home. This mix of professional success and cultural diversity creates a fast-paced environment where high household incomes are common. Residents here typically live in smaller, more densely packed homes and enjoy an exceptionally walkable urban setting.
An affluent area whose schools serve an equally well-off community.
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The population is a little younger than the national figure, with a typical resident aged 37. It is a large area of over 191,000 people, though it has a much lower proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander residents than most other areas.
This is a diverse community where 50.5% of people were born overseas, a figure far above the national average. Chinese ancestry is the most common, making up 28.8% of the population.
Language diversity is very high, with 52.4% of residents using a language other than English at home, which is far above the New South Wales average. Mandarin and Cantonese are the most common non-English languages.
About 37.5% of people report having no religion, a figure that has risen by 15 points since 2011. Christianity remains the most common affiliation at 42.9%.
Bennelong is highly qualified, with 46.9% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher, far exceeding the national average. This is reflected in the workforce, where 37.8% of residents are professionals.
Typical incomes are much higher than in most areas; the typical weekly household income is $2,124. This prosperity is striking, with 31.2% of households earning $3,000 or more per week.
Residents here enjoy good health, with only 20.4% reporting a long-term health condition, which is well below the national figure. The proportion of people needing help with daily activities is also much lower than in most areas.
Participation in unpaid care is lower than usual, with only 10.1% of people providing such support. Around 13.2% of the community are volunteers, which is about the same as the national average.
Families tend to be larger than average, with 2.6 people per home. Couples with children make up 63.2% of households, while one-parent families are much less common than in most other areas.
Housing is expensive and dense, with a typical weekly rent of $470 and monthly mortgage payments of $2,600. Flats and apartments are common, and 40.2% of households rent, which is well above the state average.
Working from home is very common here, with 46.7% of the workforce doing so. While car use is still high, 11.5% of homes have no motor vehicle, which is much higher than the national figure.
The area is quite mobile, as 46.9% of residents moved in the last five years. Recent arrivals from overseas also make up a high proportion of the community at 17.7%.
Employment is strong, with 63.0% of adults working or looking for work. Full-time employment is well above the state average at 61.1%, with many residents working in professional, technical, or health roles.
The area is very walkable, with a score of 7.7. Almost every home is within a 15-minute walk of a park, a school, and public transport.