$475 —
Higher than 99% of urban area areas.
- 2016: $275
- 2021: $475
Median weekly rent paid by households renting their home.
Sydney · Urban Area
Housing & Dwellings in Sydney
Where and how people live — the homes, how they are held, and what they cost.
Well above the national figures for housing costs, Sydney is a place where living expenses are significantly higher than in other parts of the country. Typical monthly mortgage payments and weekly rents are both among the highest for areas of this size. This financial pressure is reflected in the shift toward renting and a decline in outright home ownership.
$475
—
- $150–$161: 1 area
- $161–$171: 0 areas
- $171–$182: 1 area
- $182–$193: 1 area
- $193–$204: 3 areas
- $204–$214: 0 areas
- $214–$225: 4 areas
- $225–$236: 2 areas
- $236–$246: 4 areas
- $246–$257: 8 areas
- $257–$268: 6 areas
- $268–$279: 5 areas
- $279–$289: 8 areas
- $289–$300: 6 areas
- $300–$311: 15 areas
- $311–$321: 5 areas
- $321–$332: 6 areas
- $332–$343: 3 areas
- $343–$354: 7 areas
- $354–$364: 3 areas
- $364–$375: 2 areas
- $375–$386: 7 areas
- $386–$396: 3 areas
- $396–$407: 3 areas
- $407–$418: 0 areas
- $418–$429: 2 areas
- $429–$439: 1 area
- $439–$450: 5 areas
All urban area areas, 2021. The marker is Sydney — higher than 99% of areas.
| Sydney | $475 |
|---|---|
| 2761, NSW | $430 |
| New South Wales | $420 |
| Australia | $375 |
Housing costs
Rents, mortgages and crowding.
Typical monthly mortgage payments are $2,500, which is well above the national figure of $1,863. Rent is also high, with the usual weekly cost of $475 sitting well above the Australian average of $375.
$2,500 ▲ +72.4%
Higher than 99% of urban area areas.
- 2011: $1,450
- 2016: $1,500
- 2021: $2,500
Median monthly mortgage repayment for households with a mortgage.
Weekly rent distribution
View on map →In Sydney, the largest group is $350–$549 at 44%, followed by $550–$749 (24%) and $200–$349 (12%).
Monthly mortgage distribution
View on map →Sydney splits fairly evenly between $3,000 or more (38%) and $1,800–$2,999 (34%), with $1,000–$1,799 at 17%.
Owning & renting
How homes are owned or rented.
Renting is much more common here than in most areas, with 36.8% of households renting. Meanwhile, the share of homes owned outright is well below the national figure of 31.0%.
36.8% ▲ +8.7%
Higher than 83% of urban area areas.
- 2011: 33.9%
- 2016: 36.5%
- 2021: 36.8%
Share of occupied private dwellings that are rented.
27.2% ▼ -13.4%
Lower than 83% of urban area areas.
- 2011: 31.4%
- 2016: 30.4%
- 2021: 27.2%
Share of occupied private dwellings owned outright (no mortgage).
How homes are owned or rented
View on map →Sydney splits fairly evenly between Rented (37%) and Owned with a mortgage (33%), with Owned outright at 27%.
Types of homes
Houses, townhouses, apartments and bedrooms.
Separate houses are far less common than in the rest of Australia, making up 53.6% of homes. This is consistent with a lower share of large homes, as those with three or more bedrooms are far below the national figure.
0.90 ▼ -18.2%
Higher than 99% of urban area areas.
- 2011: 1.10
- 2016: 0.80
- 2021: 0.90
Average number of usual residents per bedroom — a crowding measure.
53.6% ▼ -36.4%
Lower than 99% of urban area areas.
- 2011: 84.3%
- 2016: 83.0%
- 2021: 53.6%
Share of occupied private dwellings that are separate houses.
62.9% ▼ -18.9%
Lower than 99% of urban area areas.
- 2011: 77.5%
- 2016: 78.0%
- 2021: 62.9%
Share of occupied private dwellings with three or more bedrooms.
Types of homes
View on map →In Sydney, Separate house is the majority at 54%; Flat or apartment is next at 33%.
Bedrooms per home
View on map →Sydney splits fairly evenly between 3 bedrooms (31%) and 2 bedrooms (27%), with 4 bedrooms at 24%.
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/sua/1031/sydney/topic/housing-dwellings