$580 ▲ +190.0%
Higher than 99% of state electorate areas.
- 2011: $200
- 2016: $600
- 2021: $580
Median weekly rent paid by households renting their home.
Sydney · State Electorate
Housing & Dwellings in Sydney
Where and how people live — the homes, how they are held, and what they cost.
Far higher rental rates than the national figure define the housing market in Sydney, where 62.2% of households rent. This shift is part of a dramatic change since 2011, as the area has moved away from detached houses toward a landscape dominated by high-density apartments.
$580
▲ +190.0%
- $100–$118: 6 areas
- $118–$136: 1 area
- $136–$154: 0 areas
- $154–$171: 0 areas
- $171–$189: 4 areas
- $189–$207: 6 areas
- $207–$225: 10 areas
- $225–$243: 10 areas
- $243–$261: 21 areas
- $261–$279: 6 areas
- $279–$296: 16 areas
- $296–$314: 45 areas
- $314–$332: 33 areas
- $332–$350: 16 areas
- $350–$368: 38 areas
- $368–$386: 58 areas
- $386–$404: 44 areas
- $404–$421: 30 areas
- $421–$439: 21 areas
- $439–$457: 18 areas
- $457–$475: 12 areas
- $475–$493: 12 areas
- $493–$511: 6 areas
- $511–$529: 3 areas
- $529–$546: 3 areas
- $546–$564: 2 areas
- $564–$582: 4 areas
- $582–$600: 8 areas
All state electorate areas, 2021. The marker is Sydney — higher than 99% of areas.
| Sydney | $580 |
|---|---|
| Greater Sydney | $470 |
| New South Wales | $420 |
| Australia | $375 |
Housing costs
Rents, mortgages and crowding.
Housing costs are among the highest at this level, with typical weekly rents of $580 and typical monthly mortgage payments of $3,000. Both figures have climbed sharply since 2011, with typical rents rising by $380 per week.
$3,000 ▲ +116.3%
Higher than 99% of state electorate areas.
- 2011: $1,387
- 2016: $2,600
- 2021: $3,000
Median monthly mortgage repayment for households with a mortgage.
Weekly rent distribution
View on map →Sydney splits fairly evenly between $350–$549 (30%) and $550–$749 (29%), with $750 or more at 27%.
Monthly mortgage distribution
View on map →In Sydney, $3,000 or more is the majority at 50%; $1,800–$2,999 is next at 24%.
Owning & renting
How homes are owned or rented.
Renting is the primary way people live here, sitting far above the national figure of 30.6%. Meanwhile, homes owned outright have fallen to 18.1%, which is far below the 31% seen across Australia.
62.2% ▲ +114.1%
Higher than 99% of state electorate areas.
- 2011: 29.0%
- 2016: 60.1%
- 2021: 62.2%
Share of occupied private dwellings that are rented.
18.1% ▼ -49.7%
Lower than 91% of state electorate areas.
- 2011: 35.9%
- 2016: 17.8%
- 2021: 18.1%
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 62%; Owned outright is next at 18%.
Types of homes
Houses, townhouses, apartments and bedrooms.
Apartments make up 80.7% of homes, while separate houses have fallen to just 1.5%, far below the state and national figures. This shift explains why homes with three or more bedrooms are now among the lowest in the country at 20.1%.
1.10 → 0.0%
Higher than 99% of state electorate areas.
- 2011: 1.10
- 2016: 1.20
- 2021: 1.10
Average number of usual residents per bedroom — a crowding measure.
1.5% ▼ -98.3%
Lower than 99% of state electorate areas.
- 2011: 88.1%
- 2016: 1.0%
- 2021: 1.5%
Share of occupied private dwellings that are separate houses.
20.1% ▼ -74.4%
Lower than 99% of state electorate areas.
- 2011: 78.6%
- 2016: 20.2%
- 2021: 20.1%
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 81%; Townhouse / semi-detached is next at 17%.
Bedrooms per home
View on map →Sydney splits fairly evenly between 2 bedrooms (38%) and 1 bedroom (34%), with 3 bedrooms at 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/sed/SED10080/sydney/topic/housing-dwellings