$555 ▲ +122.0%
Higher than 99% of federal electorate areas.
- 2011: $250
- 2016: $571
- 2021: $555
Median weekly rent paid by households renting their home.
Sydney · Federal Electorate
Housing & Dwellings in Sydney
Where and how people live — the homes, how they are held, and what they cost.
High living costs define the housing market in Sydney, where the typical weekly rent of $555 is well above the national figure. This area has seen a dramatic shift over the last decade, moving from a place of home ownership to one dominated by renters. Most residents now live in apartments and flats rather than traditional houses.
$555
▲ +122.0%
- $200–$214: 2 areas
- $214–$229: 1 area
- $229–$243: 4 areas
- $243–$257: 7 areas
- $257–$271: 5 areas
- $271–$286: 3 areas
- $286–$300: 2 areas
- $300–$314: 8 areas
- $314–$329: 12 areas
- $329–$343: 5 areas
- $343–$357: 14 areas
- $357–$371: 9 areas
- $371–$386: 14 areas
- $386–$400: 8 areas
- $400–$414: 18 areas
- $414–$429: 8 areas
- $429–$443: 9 areas
- $443–$457: 4 areas
- $457–$471: 1 area
- $471–$486: 3 areas
- $486–$500: 2 areas
- $500–$514: 3 areas
- $514–$529: 0 areas
- $529–$543: 0 areas
- $543–$557: 4 areas
- $557–$571: 2 areas
- $571–$586: 0 areas
- $586–$600: 3 areas
All federal electorate areas, 2021. The marker is Sydney — higher than 99% of areas.
| Sydney | $555 |
|---|---|
| Rest of NSW | $330 |
| New South Wales | $420 |
| Australia | $375 |
Housing costs
Rents, mortgages and crowding.
Housing costs are among the highest for similar areas, with typical weekly rents of $555 and typical monthly mortgage payments of $2,700. Both figures are well above the national average, and the usual monthly mortgage payment has risen by $967 since 2011.
$2,700 ▲ +55.8%
Higher than 93% of federal electorate areas.
- 2011: $1,733
- 2016: $2,500
- 2021: $2,700
Median monthly mortgage repayment for households with a mortgage.
Weekly rent distribution
View on map →Sydney splits fairly evenly between $550–$749 (34%) and $350–$549 (29%), with $750 or more at 20%.
Monthly mortgage distribution
View on map →In Sydney, the largest group is $3,000 or more at 45%, followed by $1,800–$2,999 (31%) and $1,000–$1,799 (14%).
Owning & renting
How homes are owned or rented.
Renting is far more common here than in the rest of the country, with 64.2% of households renting compared to 30.6% nationally. Meanwhile, the share of homes owned outright has fallen 26 points since 2011 to just 13.8%, which is far below the New South Wales figure.
64.2% ▲ +165.2%
Higher than 99% of federal electorate areas.
- 2011: 24.2%
- 2016: 62.2%
- 2021: 64.2%
Share of occupied private dwellings that are rented.
13.8% ▼ -65.1%
Lower than 99% of federal electorate areas.
- 2011: 39.4%
- 2016: 13.7%
- 2021: 13.8%
Share of occupied private dwellings owned outright (no mortgage).
How homes are owned or rented
View on map →In Sydney, Rented is the majority at 64%; Owned with a mortgage is next at 19%.
Types of homes
Houses, townhouses, apartments and bedrooms.
Flats and apartments make up 77.1% of homes, and separate houses have plummeted to just 2.4% since 2011. Because there are so few large homes—with only 20.7% having three or more bedrooms—the number of people per bedroom is well above the national figure.
1.10 → 0.0%
Higher than 99% of federal electorate areas.
- 2011: 1.10
- 2016: 1.20
- 2021: 1.10
Average number of usual residents per bedroom — a crowding measure.
2.4% ▼ -97.3%
Lower than 99% of federal electorate areas.
- 2011: 85.8%
- 2016: 2.2%
- 2021: 2.4%
Share of occupied private dwellings that are separate houses.
20.7% ▼ -72.3%
Lower than 99% of federal electorate areas.
- 2011: 74.5%
- 2016: 20.9%
- 2021: 20.7%
Share of occupied private dwellings with three or more bedrooms.
Types of homes
View on map →In Sydney, Flat or apartment is the majority at 77%; Townhouse / semi-detached is next at 20%.
Bedrooms per home
View on map →In Sydney, the largest group is 2 bedrooms at 43%, followed by 1 bedroom (31%) and 3 bedrooms (16%).
Sources
- Census of Population and Housing — Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2021 (CC BY 4.0).
More for Sydney
Cite this page
Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). Housing & Dwellings in Sydney [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/region/ced/CED142/sydney/topic/housing-dwellings