Darlinghurst vs Edgecliff

In both, most homes are flats or apartments and most households are people living alone. In Darlinghurst, most households rent. In Edgecliff, about half of households rent. Units cost more in Edgecliff: a median of $1.32 million, against $960,000 in Darlinghurst, and rent is higher there too. Darlinghurst is closer to the city centre: 3.3 km, against 4.3 km. On these figures, Darlinghurst tends to suit renters, young adults, and people living alone, while Edgecliff suits older residents.

Which one suits you?

There is no overall winner — the suburb that suits a family with school-age kids is routinely the wrong one for someone commuting into the city. So each of these answers its own question, against a checklist you can see, using the same figures in the tables below.

Families with school-age kids

They split

one each way, out of the 6 things we measure here

  • Darlinghurst has more parks and reserves (17 vs 2)
  • Edgecliff is already more of a family suburb (29% vs 14%)

Weighs schools, house stock, crime, parks, childcare, and who already lives there.

First-home buyers

Darlinghurst

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper units ($960,000 vs $1,322,500)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Darlinghurst

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (63% vs 52%)
  • has cheaper rent ($550/wk vs $600/wk)

Weighs rent, rental stress, and how much is for rent.

Commuting to the city

Too close to call

Nothing among the 4 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs distance, drive time, rail access, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Edgecliff

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has more residents already 65 and over (22% vs 11%)

Weighs smaller dwellings, who already lives there, GPs, walkability, and crime.

Investors

Too close to call

Nothing among the 1 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

Darlinghurst and Edgecliff drawn to the same scale. Both outlines are shown together, so the map answers whether they share a border and how their areas compare.

Darlinghurst Edgecliff
Hides rows where both suburbs match

Bars start at zero. Scores, risks and rankings are drawn against their full 0–100 range; other rows are drawn in proportion to the larger of the two.

Side by side, out of 100

Risks are inverted — shown as safety and low exposure — so a longer bar always means better.

Darlinghurst Edgecliff
Walkability 99 / 99
Darlinghurst — Walkability: 99/100 Edgecliff — Walkability: 99/100
Safety 8 / 17
Darlinghurst — Safety: 8/100 Edgecliff — Safety: 17/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Darlinghurst — Low fire risk: 100/100 Edgecliff — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Darlinghurst has more residents (10,615 vs 2,499); Edgecliff skews older (39 vs 37).

Darlinghurst Edgecliff
Population 10,615
+76% vs other
 2,499
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -6.2% -3.1%
Median age 37 39
Median household income $118,508/yr $120,692/yr
+2% vs other
Median weekly rent $550/wk $600/wk
+9% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Darlinghurst Edgecliff
0-4 2.2% / 3.3%
Darlinghurst — 0-4: 2.2% Edgecliff — 0-4: 3.3%
5-14 3.0% / 7.8%
Darlinghurst — 5-14: 3.0% Edgecliff — 5-14: 7.8%
15-19 1.5% / 3.0%
Darlinghurst — 15-19: 1.5% Edgecliff — 15-19: 3.0%
20-24 6.6% / 5.5%
Darlinghurst — 20-24: 6.6% Edgecliff — 20-24: 5.5%
25-34 30.8% / 21.3%
Darlinghurst — 25-34: 30.8% Edgecliff — 25-34: 21.3%
35-44 20.0% / 16.0%
Darlinghurst — 35-44: 20.0% Edgecliff — 35-44: 16.0%
45-54 13.2% / 10.6%
Darlinghurst — 45-54: 13.2% Edgecliff — 45-54: 10.6%
55-64 11.3% / 9.6%
Darlinghurst — 55-64: 11.3% Edgecliff — 55-64: 9.6%
65-74 7.1% / 9.3%
Darlinghurst — 65-74: 7.1% Edgecliff — 65-74: 9.3%
75-84 3.3% / 8.2%
Darlinghurst — 75-84: 3.3% Edgecliff — 75-84: 8.2%
85+ 0.9% / 5.0%
Darlinghurst — 85+: 0.9% Edgecliff — 85+: 5.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (30.8%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Darlinghurst 72.6% lone person
Darlinghurst — Lone Person: 72.6% Darlinghurst — Couple Families: 9.2% Darlinghurst — Group Household: 12.8% Darlinghurst — One Parent Families: 4.5% Darlinghurst — Other Families: 0.9%
Edgecliff 60.0% lone person
Edgecliff — Lone Person: 60.0% Edgecliff — Couple Families: 20.8% Edgecliff — Group Household: 9.5% Edgecliff — One Parent Families: 8.2% Edgecliff — Other Families: 1.5%
Lone Person Couple Families Group Household One Parent Families Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Darlinghurst 63.1% renting
Darlinghurst — Owned Outright: 17.2% Darlinghurst — Mortgage: 19.7% Darlinghurst — Renting: 63.1%
Edgecliff 52.4% renting
Edgecliff — Owned Outright: 29.3% Edgecliff — Mortgage: 18.3% Edgecliff — Renting: 52.4%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

Highest non-school qualification, residents 15+, 2021 Census.

Darlinghurst Edgecliff
Bachelor Degree 34.8% / 33.3%
Darlinghurst — Bachelor Degree: 34.8% Edgecliff — Bachelor Degree: 33.3%
Postgraduate Degree 15.4% / 14.0%
Darlinghurst — Postgraduate Degree: 15.4% Edgecliff — Postgraduate Degree: 14.0%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.3% / 8.0%
Darlinghurst — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.3% Edgecliff — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.0%
Certificate III & IV 5.4% / 4.2%
Darlinghurst — Certificate III & IV: 5.4% Edgecliff — Certificate III & IV: 4.2%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 3.1% / 3.1%
Darlinghurst — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.1% Edgecliff — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (34.8%).

Where residents were born

Largest overseas birthplaces, as a share of all residents, 2021 Census. A dash means that country is not among the suburb's own eight largest.

Darlinghurst Edgecliff
England 6.3% / 6.9%
Darlinghurst — England: 6.3% Edgecliff — England: 6.9%
New Zealand 4.0% / 2.9%
Darlinghurst — New Zealand: 4.0% Edgecliff — New Zealand: 2.9%
South Africa 1.3% / 2.7%
Darlinghurst — South Africa: 1.3% Edgecliff — South Africa: 2.7%
China 1.6% / 2.2%
Darlinghurst — China: 1.6% Edgecliff — China: 2.2%
Thailand 2.1% / —
Darlinghurst — Thailand: 2.1% Edgecliff — Thailand: not among its largest
Brazil — / 1.4%
Darlinghurst — Brazil: not among its largest Edgecliff — Brazil: 1.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (6.9%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Darlinghurst 79.5% flats / apartments
Darlinghurst — Flats / Apartments: 79.5% Darlinghurst — Townhouses: 19.6% Darlinghurst — Houses: 0.9%
Edgecliff 70.5% flats / apartments
Edgecliff — Flats / Apartments: 70.5% Edgecliff — Townhouses: 23.6% Edgecliff — Houses: 5.8%
Flats / Apartments Townhouses Houses

Property market

Darlinghurst Edgecliff
Median house price $2,862,500 $3,000,000
Median unit price $960,000 $1,322,500
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 31 days
from 31 sales
 —

Unit price by bedroom count

Only bed counts both suburbs published enough sales for. Sale counts are shown because the buckets differ in depth.

Darlinghurst Edgecliff
1 bed $730K / $758K
Darlinghurst — 1 bed: $730K (169 sales) Edgecliff — 1 bed: $758K (20 sales)

169 vs 20 sales

2 bed $1.72M / $1.4M
Darlinghurst — 2 bed: $1.72M (102 sales) Edgecliff — 2 bed: $1.4M (33 sales)

102 vs 33 sales

3 bed $4.2M / $3.12M
Darlinghurst — 3 bed: $4.2M (12 sales) Edgecliff — 3 bed: $3.12M (18 sales)

12 vs 18 sales

Zoning mix

Darlinghurst Edgecliff
Residential 75% 76%
Infrastructure and transport 16% 12%
Commercial 7% 10%
Parks and recreation 2%
same for both
Planning zones cover 99% of Darlinghurst and 99% of Edgecliff. The rest is unzoned land such as water or road reserve.
Zoning sets what may be built, not what is there today. A single address can sit in a different zone to the suburb around it. Zones as at 2026-09.

Development activity

Darlinghurst Edgecliff
New dwellings approved 2,350
across Sydney
 222
across Woollahra
Approvals change year on year +929% -21%

Gross rental yield

Gross — before strata, rates, management, insurance and vacancy. From median advertised rents and median asking prices over the last 6 months. How we calculate.

Darlinghurst Edgecliff
Houses 2.5%
$1,200/wk on $2.5M
 —
Units 5.3%
$880/wk on $860K
 —

Ranking within NSW

Darlinghurst Edgecliff
House price Higher than 93% of NSW
same for both
Income Higher than 83% of NSW Higher than 84% of NSW
Schools Higher than 20% of NSW —
Walkability Higher than 100% of NSW Higher than 99% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 10% of NSW
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 97% of NSW Higher than 99% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 78% of NSW
same for both
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 7% of NSW —
Rental yield (units) Higher than 78% of NSW —

Liveability

Edgecliff scores higher overall (83 vs 65).

Darlinghurst Edgecliff
Grade B A
Score 65/100 83/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
same for both

Risk profile

Darlinghurst Edgecliff
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime High
92/100
 High
83/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 4
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Darlinghurst Edgecliff
Inside the suburb 3 1
Rated above peers 0 1
Rated at peers 2 0
Rated below peers 1 0
Universities within 10 km 3
1-37 Foveaux Street, Surry Hills NSW 2010, 1.1 km
 3
1-37 Foveaux Street, Surry Hills NSW 2010, 2.4 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 2.2% 2.6%

Schools in Darlinghurst

  • Darlinghurst Public School Government · Primary at peers
  • SCEGGS Darlinghurst Independent · Combined at peers
  • Sydney Grammar School Independent · Secondary below peers

Schools in Edgecliff

  • Ascham School Independent · Combined above peers

Amenities in the suburb

Darlinghurst Edgecliff
Supermarkets 0 3
Cafes & restaurants 105 9
Parks & reserves 17 2
Childcare 3 2
GPs 4 3
Pharmacies 3 4
Hospitals 4 0
Banks & Bank@Post 0 1
Fuel stations 0 1

Mobility

Darlinghurst Edgecliff
Walkability score 99/100
same for both
Distance to Sydney 3.3 km 4.3 km
+30% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 9 min
same for both
Public transport score 94/100
Bus
 80/100
Rail · Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 327.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
 94.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
 1 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 3.1%
postcode 2010
 3.8%
postcode 2027
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 2
postcode 2010
 3
postcode 2027

How people get to work

Method of travel on census day 2021 — which fell during COVID restrictions, so working from home is inflated and every travel mode understated.

Darlinghurst Edgecliff
Worked from Home 62.4% / 64.2%
Darlinghurst — Worked from Home: 62.4% Edgecliff — Worked from Home: 64.2%
Car (driver) 11.6% / 17.7%
Darlinghurst — Car (driver): 11.6% Edgecliff — Car (driver): 17.7%
Walked Only 15.3% / 6.8%
Darlinghurst — Walked Only: 15.3% Edgecliff — Walked Only: 6.8%
Train 4.6% / 9.0%
Darlinghurst — Train: 4.6% Edgecliff — Train: 9.0%
Bus 3.9% / 0.6%
Darlinghurst — Bus: 3.9% Edgecliff — Bus: 0.6%
Car (passenger) 0.8% / 1.2%
Darlinghurst — Car (passenger): 0.8% Edgecliff — Car (passenger): 1.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (64.2%).

Setting

Darlinghurst Edgecliff
Elevation 58 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 44 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 5.0 km
2.3 km to a named beach
 3.8 km
931 m to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Darlinghurst Edgecliff
Connectivity score 71/100 72/100
Most common technology Hybrid fibre-coaxial
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 14%
9,094 premises
 4%
2,001 premises

Climate

Darlinghurst Edgecliff
Annual rainfall 1,129 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 27.5°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 9.5°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Darlinghurst Edgecliff
PM2.5 6.3 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 13.8 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.84 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Darlinghurst Edgecliff
Average residential rate $875/yr $1,812/yr
Council Sydney Woollahra

Federal electorate

Darlinghurst Edgecliff
Division Wentworth
same for both
Member Allegra Spender
same for both
Party Independent
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Darlinghurst Edgecliff
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Darlinghurst

Apartments Arts Cafe Culture Easy Commute Inner Nightlife Parks Professionals Transport Hub Urban

Edgecliff

Apartments Cafe Culture Inner Parks Professionals Townhouses Trains Transport Hub Urban

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Darlinghurst

Darlinghurst vs Sydney Darlinghurst vs Surry Hills Darlinghurst vs Paddington Darlinghurst vs Potts Point Darlinghurst vs Woolloomooloo Darlinghurst vs Rushcutters Bay

Other comparisons with Edgecliff

Edgecliff vs Paddington Edgecliff vs Woollahra Edgecliff vs Double Bay Edgecliff vs Darling Point Edgecliff vs Rushcutters Bay
Full data on Darlinghurst Full data on Edgecliff
Unlock full address-level data — $29/month

Information shown is provided as-is from Australian government and commercial data sources.
Always verify with the relevant authority before making property decisions.
See Data Sources and How We Calculate for details.

Save this page for later

We'll email you a link to this page so you can finish reading it on any device. We use your address once to send it and don't keep it.

or