Statistical Area 2 (SA2) · Area profile
Surry Hills
1 km²
A shift towards a more affluent and educated population has marked Surry Hills since 2011. It is a young and professional inner-city community where over half of the residents are aged between 25 and 44. The area is distinctive for its high proportion of university-educated renters and people living alone, creating a fast-paced urban character. With a high number of overseas arrivals and a very low number of children, it serves as a primary hub for working professionals in the city.
Surry Hills's schools draw a community as advantaged as its high household incomes suggest.
Surry Hills is well supplied with schools for its relatively small share of children.
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The typical resident is 35, making the area noticeably younger than the national figure. It is a community of young adults, with 52.4% aged 25–44 and a very low proportion of children under 15, which is far below the state average.
Born overseas, 44.2% of residents come from other countries, a figure far above the national average. English, Australian, and Irish are the most common ancestries.
About 25.6% of people use a language other than English at home, which is well above the national figure. Mandarin and Cantonese are the most common non-English languages spoken.
The area has one of the highest proportions of people with no religion at 56.6%, a figure that has risen by 20 points since 2011.
Residents are highly qualified, with 54.9% holding a bachelor degree or higher, which is far above the national average. This trend has grown, with a 13 point increase since 2011.
Incomes are very high here, with 30.5% of people earning $2,000 or more a week. Typical weekly family income is $3,551, which is far above the state figure.
People here are generally healthier than in other areas, with fewer long-term health conditions. However, 10.4% of residents have a mental health condition, which is a little above the national average.
Unpaid care and housework are much less common here than in other areas, with only 8.6% of people caring for children. Volunteering is at a moderate level, with 13.5% of people pitching in.
There are 149 First Nations people in the area. They are far older than the state average with a typical age of 36, and 50% have completed Year 12, which is far above the national figure.
Single living is very common, with 46.8% of people living alone. This is far above the national figure and helps explain why typical homes are small, often housing just 1.8 people.
Renters dominate the market at 65.4%, and typical weekly rent is $550, well above the national average. Most people live in flats or apartments, as separate houses make up only 1.1% of homes.
The area is a hub for working from home, with 57% of people doing so. Nearly half of all homes have no motor vehicle, as 100% of residents are within a 10 minute walk of public transport.
The community is highly mobile, with 60% of people moving in the last five years. Recent arrivals from overseas make up 26% of the population.
Employment is strong, with 70.9% of adults working or looking for work. Many residents are professionals (45.9%) or managers (20.2%) working in technical and financial fields.
Surry Hills is ranked as highly advantaged, with an overall score of 1,138. It is a major commercial hub with 5,892 businesses.
The area receives an average annual rainfall of 1,390mm, which is far above the state average. Minimum temperatures are also well above the state figure.
Described as a walker's paradise, every single home is within a 15-minute walk of parks, groceries, health services, and schools.