Region (SA4) · Area profile
Sydney - Sutherland
296 km²
Families and older adults make up the heart of Sydney - Sutherland, where the typical resident is 41. This is a prosperous area with a strong focus on home ownership and high typical incomes. It is a stable community with few recent arrivals and a population that is noticeably older than the national figure. With nearly 20% of residents aged 65 or over, it is an established region where many people live in large, family-oriented households.
Sydney - Sutherland's schools draw a community as advantaged as its high household incomes suggest.
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The area is a little older than the state average, with 18.8% of people aged 65 and over, a figure that has risen nearly 4 points since 2011. Children under 15 make up 18.5% of the population, which is higher than most similar areas.
Most residents were born in Australia, and the percentage of people born overseas is well below the national figure at 19.3%. English and Australian are the most common ancestries, accounting for 38% and 35.6% respectively.
English is the main language for 82.9% of the community. Only 13.8% of people use another language at home, which is far below the New South Wales average of 26.6%.
Christianity remains the most common religion at 58.4%. Those reporting no religion make up 33.9% of the population, a figure that has risen by 18 points since 2011.
This is a highly qualified area where 28.1% of adults hold a bachelor degree or higher. Year 12 completion is also well above the national figure at 63.1%.
Incomes are much higher than in most areas, with the typical family earning $2,757 a week. About 35.1% of households earn $3,000 or more weekly, which is far above the national figure.
Residents are generally healthier than those in most other areas, with only 4.5% needing help with daily activities and a much lower rate of mental health conditions at 7.1%.
Unpaid work is common here, as 28.4% of people care for children unpaid, which is well above the state average. However, volunteers make up 13.6% of the population, a figure that has fallen since 2011.
First Nations people in this area have very high outcomes, with a Year 12 completion rate of 55% and an unemployment rate of 5.4%, both of which are far better than the national figures.
Homes tend to be larger than usual, with 2.7 people per home. Couples with children make up 64% of households, while those living alone are much less common than in other areas.
Home ownership is strong, with 36.4% of homes owned outright, though typical mortgage payments are among the highest at $2,618 a month. Only 22.3% of households rent, which is far below the state average.
Working from home has surged to 37.2%, and the area is very car-dependent, with 40% of homes having two vehicles. Use of public transport for commuting has fallen sharply since 2011.
The population is quite stable, with a lower percentage of people moving in the last five years compared to most areas. Recent overseas arrivals are also among the lowest at 7.1%.
The area has a strong workforce, with 64.5% of adults working or looking for work. Unemployment is very low at 3.1%, and many residents work in health care, construction, or education.
The population grew by 4.2% since 2021, which is a little below the New South Wales growth rate of 6.1%.
This area is much wetter than the rest of the state, with average annual rainfall of 1,388mm. Average maximum temperatures are a little lower than the state average at 23.1 degrees.
The area is very walkable, with 98.2% of homes within a 10-minute walk of public transport and 98.8% within 15 minutes of a park.