Potts Point vs Woolloomooloo

In both, most households rent, most homes are flats or apartments, and most households are people living alone. Units cost more in Woolloomooloo: a median of $1.25 million, against $920,000 in Potts Point. Woolloomooloo is closer to the city centre: 2.3 km, against 3.3 km. On these figures, Potts Point tends to suit people living alone and buyers on a tighter budget.

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

Woolloomooloo

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more schools inside the suburb (3 vs 1)
  • is already more of a family suburb (19% vs 7%)
  • has more parks and reserves (8 vs 4)

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

First-home buyers

Potts Point

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper units ($920,000 vs $1,250,000)
  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (26% vs 35%)
  • But Woolloomooloo has cheaper houses ($1,570,000 vs $4,140,000)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Too close to call

Nothing among the 3 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

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

Commuting to the city

Potts Point

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • gets more of its commuters onto trains and trams (10% vs 4%)

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

Downsizers and retirees

Too close to call

Nothing among the 5 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

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

Investors

They split

one each way, out of the 2 things we measure here

  • Potts Point returns a higher gross yield on units (4.5% vs 2.9%)
  • Woolloomooloo is growing faster (-5.5% vs -23.8%)

Weighs unit yield and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Potts Point Woolloomooloo
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.

Potts Point Woolloomooloo
Walkability 96 / 100
Potts Point — Walkability: 96/100 Woolloomooloo — Walkability: 100/100
Safety 7 / 7
Potts Point — Safety: 7/100 Woolloomooloo — Safety: 7/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Potts Point — Low fire risk: 100/100 Woolloomooloo — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Potts Point has more residents (7,183 vs 3,792); Woolloomooloo skews older (39 vs 37).

Potts Point Woolloomooloo
Population 7,183
+47% vs other
 3,792
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -23.8% -5.5%
Median age 37 39
Median household income $106,808/yr
+3% vs other
 $104,052/yr
Median weekly rent $490/wk $500/wk
+2% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Potts Point Woolloomooloo
0-4 1.2% / 3.1%
Potts Point — 0-4: 1.2% Woolloomooloo — 0-4: 3.1%
5-14 1.3% / 4.1%
Potts Point — 5-14: 1.3% Woolloomooloo — 5-14: 4.1%
15-19 1.7% / 2.0%
Potts Point — 15-19: 1.7% Woolloomooloo — 15-19: 2.0%
20-24 7.5% / 5.1%
Potts Point — 20-24: 7.5% Woolloomooloo — 20-24: 5.1%
25-34 31.5% / 27.9%
Potts Point — 25-34: 31.5% Woolloomooloo — 25-34: 27.9%
35-44 19.4% / 17.6%
Potts Point — 35-44: 19.4% Woolloomooloo — 35-44: 17.6%
45-54 13.9% / 13.3%
Potts Point — 45-54: 13.9% Woolloomooloo — 45-54: 13.3%
55-64 10.6% / 12.4%
Potts Point — 55-64: 10.6% Woolloomooloo — 55-64: 12.4%
65-74 8.1% / 9.3%
Potts Point — 65-74: 8.1% Woolloomooloo — 65-74: 9.3%
75-84 3.8% / 4.4%
Potts Point — 75-84: 3.8% Woolloomooloo — 75-84: 4.4%
85+ 1.0% / 1.3%
Potts Point — 85+: 1.0% Woolloomooloo — 85+: 1.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (31.5%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Potts Point 84.6% lone person
Potts Point — Lone Person: 84.6% Potts Point — Group Household: 7.6% Potts Point — Couple Families: 4.5% Potts Point — One Parent Families: 2.6% Potts Point — Other Families: 0.7%
Woolloomooloo 69.0% lone person
Woolloomooloo — Lone Person: 69.0% Woolloomooloo — Group Household: 10.7% Woolloomooloo — Couple Families: 9.5% Woolloomooloo — One Parent Families: 9.3% Woolloomooloo — Other Families: 1.5%
Lone Person Group Household Couple Families One Parent Families Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Potts Point 66.2% renting
Potts Point — Owned Outright: 17.7% Potts Point — Mortgage: 16.0% Potts Point — Renting: 66.2%
Woolloomooloo 72.3% renting
Woolloomooloo — Owned Outright: 13.4% Woolloomooloo — Mortgage: 14.3% Woolloomooloo — Renting: 72.3%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Potts Point Woolloomooloo
Bachelor Degree 32.5% / 27.3%
Potts Point — Bachelor Degree: 32.5% Woolloomooloo — Bachelor Degree: 27.3%
Postgraduate Degree 14.8% / 12.8%
Potts Point — Postgraduate Degree: 14.8% Woolloomooloo — Postgraduate Degree: 12.8%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.8% / 9.1%
Potts Point — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.8% Woolloomooloo — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.1%
Certificate III & IV 6.7% / 6.8%
Potts Point — Certificate III & IV: 6.7% Woolloomooloo — Certificate III & IV: 6.8%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 3.2% / 2.9%
Potts Point — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.2% Woolloomooloo — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (32.5%).

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.

Potts Point Woolloomooloo
England 5.8% / 5.4%
Potts Point — England: 5.8% Woolloomooloo — England: 5.4%
New Zealand 4.1% / 3.7%
Potts Point — New Zealand: 4.1% Woolloomooloo — New Zealand: 3.7%
China 1.1% / 2.4%
Potts Point — China: 1.1% Woolloomooloo — China: 2.4%
France 1.4% / 1.1%
Potts Point — France: 1.4% Woolloomooloo — France: 1.1%
Brazil 1.2% / 1.2%
Potts Point — Brazil: 1.2% Woolloomooloo — Brazil: 1.2%
Vietnam — / 1.6%
Potts Point — Vietnam: not among its largest Woolloomooloo — Vietnam: 1.6%
Thailand 1.3% / —
Potts Point — Thailand: 1.3% Woolloomooloo — Thailand: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (5.8%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Potts Point 89.0% flats / apartments
Potts Point — Flats / Apartments: 89.0% Potts Point — Townhouses: 10.8% Potts Point — Houses: 0.2%
Woolloomooloo 73.4% flats / apartments
Woolloomooloo — Flats / Apartments: 73.4% Woolloomooloo — Townhouses: 26.1% Woolloomooloo — Houses: 0.5%
Flats / Apartments Townhouses Houses

Property market

Potts Point Woolloomooloo
Median house price $4,140,000 $1,570,000
Median unit price $920,000 $1,250,000
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) — 29 days
from 5 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.

Potts Point Woolloomooloo
1 bed $800K / $820K
Potts Point — 1 bed: $800K (221 sales) Woolloomooloo — 1 bed: $820K (52 sales)

221 vs 52 sales

2 bed $1.65M / $1.6M
Potts Point — 2 bed: $1.65M (77 sales) Woolloomooloo — 2 bed: $1.6M (41 sales)

77 vs 41 sales

3 bed $4.85M / $3.4M
Potts Point — 3 bed: $4.85M (13 sales) Woolloomooloo — 3 bed: $3.4M (10 sales)

13 vs 10 sales

Zoning mix

Potts Point Woolloomooloo
Residential 38% 82%
Infrastructure and transport 48% 9%
Commercial 10% 2%
Parks and recreation 0% 6%
Planning zones cover 96% of Potts Point and 99% of Woolloomooloo. 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

Potts Point Woolloomooloo
New dwellings approved 2,350
across Sydney
same for both
Approvals change year on year +929%
same for both

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.

Potts Point Woolloomooloo
Houses —
same for both
Units 4.5%
$750/wk on $875K
 2.9%
$900/wk on $1.6M

Ranking within NSW

Potts Point Woolloomooloo
House price Higher than 92% of NSW Higher than 88% of NSW
Income Higher than 73% of NSW Higher than 71% of NSW
Schools — Higher than 63% of NSW
Walkability Higher than 98% of NSW Higher than 100% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 8% of NSW Higher than 12% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 98% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 79% of NSW Higher than 77% of NSW
Rental yield (units) Higher than 42% of NSW Higher than 4% of NSW

Liveability

Potts Point scores higher overall (78 vs 73).

Potts Point Woolloomooloo
Grade A
same for both
Score 78/100 73/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
same for both

Risk profile

Potts Point Woolloomooloo
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime High
93/100
same for both
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 2
within 5 km
 5
within 5 km

Schools

Potts Point Woolloomooloo
Inside the suburb 1 3
Rated above peers 0 1
Rated at peers 1 0
Rated below peers 0 1
Universities within 10 km 3
Sydney C.Q.U. Campus, 1.5 km
 3
Sydney C.Q.U. Campus, 1.0 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 1.4% 0.9%

Schools in Potts Point

  • St Vincent's College Independent · Secondary at peers

Schools in Woolloomooloo

  • Sydney Distance Education High School Government · Secondary above peers
  • Plunkett Street Public School Government · Primary below peers
  • William Street Campus Catholic · Secondary

Amenities in the suburb

Potts Point Woolloomooloo
Supermarkets 4 1
Cafes & restaurants 80 16
Parks & reserves 4 8
Childcare 1 3
GPs 4 3
Pharmacies 6 1
Hospitals 0 1
Police stations 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 2 0
Fuel stations 0 1

Mobility

Potts Point Woolloomooloo
Walkability score 96/100 100/100
Distance to Sydney 3.3 km
+30% vs other
 2.3 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 9 min 7 min
Public transport score 96/100
Rail · Bus
 94/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 81.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
 53.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 3.4%
postcode 2011
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 1
postcode 2011
same for both

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.

Potts Point Woolloomooloo
Worked from Home 61.9% / 61.6%
Potts Point — Worked from Home: 61.9% Woolloomooloo — Worked from Home: 61.6%
Walked Only 14.1% / 17.9%
Potts Point — Walked Only: 14.1% Woolloomooloo — Walked Only: 17.9%
Car (driver) 10.2% / 11.7%
Potts Point — Car (driver): 10.2% Woolloomooloo — Car (driver): 11.7%
Train 9.5% / 4.3%
Potts Point — Train: 9.5% Woolloomooloo — Train: 4.3%
Bus 1.7% / 2.3%
Potts Point — Bus: 1.7% Woolloomooloo — Bus: 2.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (61.9%).

Setting

Potts Point Woolloomooloo
Elevation 33 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 9 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 3.7 km
1.9 km to a named beach
 4.5 km
2.3 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Potts Point Woolloomooloo
Connectivity score 73/100 71/100
Most common technology Hybrid fibre-coaxial
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 4%
6,209 premises
 4%
3,309 premises

Climate

Potts Point Woolloomooloo
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)

Potts Point Woolloomooloo
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

Potts Point Woolloomooloo
Average residential rate $875/yr
same for both
Council Sydney
same for both

Federal electorate

Potts Point Woolloomooloo
Division Wentworth
same for both
Member Allegra Spender
same for both
Party Independent
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Potts Point Woolloomooloo
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Potts Point

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

Woolloomooloo

Apartments Easy Commute Inner Parks Professionals Townhouses Transport Hub Urban

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Potts Point

Potts Point vs Darlinghurst Potts Point vs Elizabeth Bay Potts Point vs Rushcutters Bay

Other comparisons with Woolloomooloo

Woolloomooloo vs Sydney Woolloomooloo vs Darlinghurst
Full data on Potts Point Full data on Woolloomooloo
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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.

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