$550 ▲ +18.3%
Higher than 99% of council (lga) areas.
- 2011: $465
- 2016: $565
- 2021: $550
Median weekly rent paid by households renting their home.
Sydney · Council (LGA)
Housing & Dwellings in Sydney
Where and how people live — the homes, how they are held, and what they cost.
Nearly 79% of homes in Sydney are flats or apartments, making it a city of high-density living. This shift towards smaller dwellings is mirrored by very high housing costs and a rental market that is far larger than the national norm.
$550
▲ +18.3%
- $0–$21: 0 areas
- $21–$43: 0 areas
- $43–$64: 3 areas
- $64–$86: 15 areas
- $86–$107: 11 areas
- $107–$129: 20 areas
- $129–$150: 15 areas
- $150–$171: 45 areas
- $171–$193: 25 areas
- $193–$214: 57 areas
- $214–$236: 36 areas
- $236–$257: 48 areas
- $257–$279: 36 areas
- $279–$300: 27 areas
- $300–$321: 45 areas
- $321–$343: 28 areas
- $343–$364: 27 areas
- $364–$386: 28 areas
- $386–$407: 26 areas
- $407–$429: 10 areas
- $429–$450: 6 areas
- $450–$471: 12 areas
- $471–$493: 2 areas
- $493–$514: 7 areas
- $514–$536: 5 areas
- $536–$557: 4 areas
- $557–$579: 2 areas
- $579–$600: 7 areas
All council (lga) areas, 2021. The marker is Sydney — higher than 99% of areas.
| Sydney | $550 |
|---|---|
| Greater Sydney | $470 |
| New South Wales | $420 |
| Australia | $375 |
Housing costs
Rents, mortgages and crowding.
Typical weekly rents of $550 and monthly mortgage payments of $2,700 are both among the highest for similar areas. These costs are well above the national figures and have both risen since 2011.
$2,700 ▲ +6.3%
Higher than 95% of council (lga) areas.
- 2011: $2,539
- 2016: $2,499
- 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 (33%) and $350–$549 (30%), 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 elsewhere, with 64.1% of households renting, up 4.3 points since 2011. In contrast, the 14.1% who own their home outright is far below the New South Wales average.
64.1% ▲ +7.1%
Higher than 92% of council (lga) areas.
- 2011: 59.8%
- 2016: 62.2%
- 2021: 64.1%
Share of occupied private dwellings that are rented.
14.1% ▼ 0.0%
Lower than 92% of council (lga) areas.
- 2011: 14.1%
- 2016: 14.0%
- 2021: 14.1%
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.
Separate houses are very rare at just 2.1%, far below the state and national figures. Because so few homes have three or more bedrooms, the number of people per bedroom is a little above the state average.
1.10 ▼ -15.4%
Higher than 93% of council (lga) areas.
- 2011: 1.30
- 2016: 1.20
- 2021: 1.10
Average number of usual residents per bedroom — a crowding measure.
2.1% ▼ -49.0%
Lower than 99% of council (lga) areas.
- 2011: 4.2%
- 2016: 2.0%
- 2021: 2.1%
Share of occupied private dwellings that are separate houses.
20.0% ▼ -4.3%
Lower than 99% of council (lga) areas.
- 2011: 20.9%
- 2016: 20.2%
- 2021: 20.0%
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 79%; Townhouse / semi-detached is next at 18%.
Bedrooms per home
View on map →In Sydney, the largest group is 2 bedrooms at 43%, followed by 1 bedroom (32%) 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/lga/LGA17200/sydney/topic/housing-dwellings