Sydney vs Woolloomooloo

Sydney is the younger of the two, with a median age of 32 against 39 in 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 $1.05 million in Sydney, though rent is higher in Sydney. Sydney is closer to the city centre: 1.1 km, against 2.3 km. On these figures, Sydney tends to suit young adults, share households, and buyers on a tighter budget, while Woolloomooloo suits people living alone.

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

Sydney

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (36 vs 8)
  • has more childcare (11 vs 3)
  • has more schools inside the suburb (7 vs 3)

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

First-home buyers

Sydney

ahead on 3 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper houses ($650,000 vs $1,570,000)
  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (28% vs 35%)
  • has cheaper units ($1,050,000 vs $1,250,000)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Woolloomooloo

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($500/wk vs $600/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Sydney

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • gets more of its commuters onto trains and trams (14% vs 4%)

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

Downsizers and retirees

They split

one each way, out of the 5 things we measure here

  • Sydney has more GPs (27 vs 3)
  • Woolloomooloo has more residents already 65 and over (15% vs 7%)

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

Investors

Sydney

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • returns a higher gross yield on units (4.0% vs 2.9%)

Weighs unit yield and population growth.

Where they sit

Sydney 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.

Sydney 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.

Sydney Woolloomooloo
Walkability 100 / 100
Sydney — Walkability: 100/100 Woolloomooloo — Walkability: 100/100
Safety 2 / 7
Sydney — Safety: 2/100 Woolloomooloo — Safety: 7/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Sydney — Low fire risk: 100/100 Woolloomooloo — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Sydney has more residents (16,667 vs 3,792); Woolloomooloo skews older (39 vs 32).

Sydney Woolloomooloo
Population 16,667
+77% vs other
 3,792
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -3.4% -5.5%
Median age 32 39
Median household income $115,804/yr
+10% vs other
 $104,052/yr
Median weekly rent $600/wk
+17% vs other
 $500/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Sydney Woolloomooloo
0-4 2.5% / 3.1%
Sydney — 0-4: 2.5% Woolloomooloo — 0-4: 3.1%
5-14 2.6% / 4.1%
Sydney — 5-14: 2.6% Woolloomooloo — 5-14: 4.1%
15-19 1.8% / 2.0%
Sydney — 15-19: 1.8% Woolloomooloo — 15-19: 2.0%
20-24 11.0% / 5.1%
Sydney — 20-24: 11.0% Woolloomooloo — 20-24: 5.1%
25-34 39.3% / 27.9%
Sydney — 25-34: 39.3% Woolloomooloo — 25-34: 27.9%
35-44 20.6% / 17.6%
Sydney — 35-44: 20.6% Woolloomooloo — 35-44: 17.6%
45-54 8.9% / 13.3%
Sydney — 45-54: 8.9% Woolloomooloo — 45-54: 13.3%
55-64 6.2% / 12.4%
Sydney — 55-64: 6.2% Woolloomooloo — 55-64: 12.4%
65-74 4.2% / 9.3%
Sydney — 65-74: 4.2% Woolloomooloo — 65-74: 9.3%
75-84 2.2% / 4.4%
Sydney — 75-84: 2.2% Woolloomooloo — 75-84: 4.4%
85+ 0.7% / 1.3%
Sydney — 85+: 0.7% Woolloomooloo — 85+: 1.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (39.3%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Sydney 56.1% lone person
Sydney — Lone Person: 56.1% Sydney — Group Household: 21.0% Sydney — Couple Families: 13.0% Sydney — One Parent Families: 6.2% Sydney — Other Families: 3.8%
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.

Sydney 74.8% renting
Sydney — Owned Outright: 13.8% Sydney — Mortgage: 11.4% Sydney — Renting: 74.8%
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.

Sydney Woolloomooloo
Bachelor Degree 31.3% / 27.3%
Sydney — Bachelor Degree: 31.3% Woolloomooloo — Bachelor Degree: 27.3%
Postgraduate Degree 13.5% / 12.8%
Sydney — Postgraduate Degree: 13.5% Woolloomooloo — Postgraduate Degree: 12.8%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 14.5% / 9.1%
Sydney — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 14.5% Woolloomooloo — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.1%
Certificate III & IV 4.3% / 6.8%
Sydney — Certificate III & IV: 4.3% Woolloomooloo — Certificate III & IV: 6.8%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.8% / 2.9%
Sydney — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.8% Woolloomooloo — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (31.3%).

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.

Sydney Woolloomooloo
Indonesia 12.9% / —
Sydney — Indonesia: 12.9% Woolloomooloo — Indonesia: not among its largest
Thailand 12.4% / —
Sydney — Thailand: 12.4% Woolloomooloo — Thailand: not among its largest
China 9.7% / 2.4%
Sydney — China: 9.7% Woolloomooloo — China: 2.4%
England 2.4% / 5.4%
Sydney — England: 2.4% Woolloomooloo — England: 5.4%
India 3.5% / 1.1%
Sydney — India: 3.5% Woolloomooloo — India: 1.1%
New Zealand — / 3.7%
Sydney — New Zealand: not among its largest Woolloomooloo — New Zealand: 3.7%
Vietnam 1.7% / 1.6%
Sydney — Vietnam: 1.7% Woolloomooloo — Vietnam: 1.6%
Brazil — / 1.2%
Sydney — Brazil: not among its largest Woolloomooloo — Brazil: 1.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (12.9%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Sydney 99.9% flats / apartments
Sydney — Flats / Apartments: 99.9% Sydney — Townhouses: 0.0% Sydney — Houses: 0.1%
Woolloomooloo 73.4% flats / apartments
Woolloomooloo — Flats / Apartments: 73.4% Woolloomooloo — Townhouses: 26.1% Woolloomooloo — Houses: 0.5%
Flats / Apartments Townhouses Houses

Property market

Sydney Woolloomooloo
Median house price $650,000 $1,570,000
Median unit price $1,050,000 $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.

Sydney Woolloomooloo
1 bed $790K / $820K
Sydney — 1 bed: $790K (145 sales) Woolloomooloo — 1 bed: $820K (52 sales)

145 vs 52 sales

2 bed $1.26M / $1.6M
Sydney — 2 bed: $1.26M (125 sales) Woolloomooloo — 2 bed: $1.6M (41 sales)

125 vs 41 sales

3 bed $2.81M / $3.4M
Sydney — 3 bed: $2.81M (33 sales) Woolloomooloo — 3 bed: $3.4M (10 sales)

33 vs 10 sales

Zoning mix

Sydney has more commercially zoned land (51% vs 2%).

Sydney Woolloomooloo
Residential 1% 82%
Commercial 51% 2%
Parks and recreation 30% 6%
Infrastructure and transport 4% 9%
Planning zones cover 85% of Sydney 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

Sydney 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.

Sydney Woolloomooloo
Houses —
same for both
Units 4.0%
$1,050/wk on $1.35M
 2.9%
$900/wk on $1.6M

Ranking within NSW

Sydney Woolloomooloo
House price Higher than 99% of NSW Higher than 88% of NSW
Income Higher than 80% of NSW Higher than 71% of NSW
Schools Higher than 60% of NSW Higher than 63% of NSW
Walkability Higher than 100% of NSW
same for both
Affordability Higher than 1% of NSW Higher than 12% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 100% of NSW Higher than 98% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 75% of NSW Higher than 77% of NSW
Rental yield (units) Higher than 25% of NSW Higher than 4% of NSW

Liveability

Sydney Woolloomooloo
Grade A
same for both
Score 71/100 73/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
same for both

Risk profile

Sydney Woolloomooloo
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime High
98/100
 High
93/100
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
 5
within 5 km

Schools

Sydney Woolloomooloo
Inside the suburb 7 3
Rated above peers 2 1
Rated at peers 3 0
Rated below peers 0 1
Universities within 10 km 3
Sydney C.Q.U. Campus, 0.0 km
 3
Sydney C.Q.U. Campus, 1.0 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 2.9% 0.9%

Schools in Sydney

  • St Andrew's Cathedral Gawura School Independent · Primary above peers
  • St Andrew's Cathedral School Independent · Combined above peers
  • Conservatorium High School Government · Secondary at peers
  • Macquarie Grammar School Independent · Secondary at peers
  • St Mary's Cathedral College Catholic · Combined at peers
  • Australian International High School Independent · Secondary

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

Sydney Woolloomooloo
Supermarkets 17 1
Cafes & restaurants 465 16
Parks & reserves 36 8
Childcare 11 3
GPs 27 3
Pharmacies 33 1
Hospitals 1
same for both
Police stations 2 1
Banks & Bank@Post 48 0
Fuel stations 0 1
EV chargers 1 0
Waterways 4 0

Mobility

Sydney Woolloomooloo
Walkability score 100/100
same for both
Distance to Sydney 1.1 km 2.3 km
+109% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 4 min 7 min
Public transport score 95/100
Rail · Tram · Bus · Ferry
 94/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 2139.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
 53.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
 1 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 7.1%
postcode 2000
 3.4%
postcode 2011
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 0
postcode 2000
 1
postcode 2011

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.

Sydney Woolloomooloo
Worked from Home 46.7% / 61.6%
Sydney — Worked from Home: 46.7% Woolloomooloo — Worked from Home: 61.6%
Walked Only 21.1% / 17.9%
Sydney — Walked Only: 21.1% Woolloomooloo — Walked Only: 17.9%
Car (driver) 8.2% / 11.7%
Sydney — Car (driver): 8.2% Woolloomooloo — Car (driver): 11.7%
Train 13.0% / 4.3%
Sydney — Train: 13.0% Woolloomooloo — Train: 4.3%
Bus 6.7% / 2.3%
Sydney — Bus: 6.7% Woolloomooloo — Bus: 2.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (61.6%).

Setting

Sydney Woolloomooloo
Elevation 66 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 9 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 5.0 km
3.0 km to a named beach
 4.5 km
2.3 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Sydney Woolloomooloo
Connectivity score 68/100 71/100
Most common technology Fibre to the building Hybrid fibre-coaxial
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 7%
33,598 premises
 4%
3,309 premises

Climate

Sydney 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)

Sydney 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

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

Federal electorate

Sydney Woolloomooloo
Division Sydney Wentworth
Member Tanya Plibersek Allegra Spender
Party Australian Labor Party Independent

First Home Owner Grant

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

Tags

Sydney

Apartments Arts Cafe Culture Easy Commute Inner Multicultural Nightlife Parks Professionals River Trains Trams Transport Hub Urban

Woolloomooloo

Apartments Easy Commute Inner Parks Professionals Townhouses Transport Hub Urban

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Sydney

Sydney vs Surry Hills Sydney vs Pyrmont Sydney vs Darlinghurst Sydney vs Haymarket Sydney vs Ultimo Sydney vs Millers Point

Other comparisons with Woolloomooloo

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

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