# Housing & Dwellings — Sydney

Where and how people live — the homes, how they are held, and what they cost.

Area: Sydney (Federal Electorate)

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.

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.

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.

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.

## Statistics

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Median rent (weekly) | $555 | +122.0% since 2011 |
| Median mortgage repayment (monthly) | $2,700 | +55.8% since 2011 |
| Average people per bedroom | 1.10 | +0.0% since 2011 |
| Households renting | 64.2% | +165.2% since 2011 |
| Homes owned outright | 13.8% | -65.1% since 2011 |
| Separate (detached) houses | 2.4% | -97.3% since 2011 |
| Homes with three or more bedrooms | 20.7% | -72.3% since 2011 |

**How homes are owned or rented** — Rented 64.2%, Owned with a mortgage 19.3%, Owned outright 13.8%, Not stated 1.4%, Other tenure 1.3%

**Types of homes** — Flat or apartment 77.1%, Townhouse / semi-detached 19.6%, Separate house 2.4%, Other dwelling 0.6%

**Bedrooms per home** — 2 bedrooms 42.5%, 1 bedroom 30.7%, 3 bedrooms 15.9%, Studio / none 4.7%, 4 bedrooms 3.8%, 5 or more 1.0%

**Weekly rent distribution** — $550–$749 32.7%, $350–$549 28.3%, $750 or more 19.7%, Under $200 8.7%, $200–$349 7.8%

**Monthly mortgage distribution** — $3,000 or more 42.3%, $1,800–$2,999 29.4%, $1,000–$1,799 13.0%, Under $1,000 9.9%

Interactive: https://censusatlas.au/region/ced/CED142/sydney/topic/housing-dwellings