Greater Sydney

Market characteristics

Greater Sydney has a higher proportion of households in the medium to high income category compared to New South Wales.

The people who live in an area are one of the most important resources that an economy draws upon, both as a market that consumes goods and services and as a source of labour.

This table provides an overview of Greater Sydney's population demographics, and how their characteristics compare to those of the broader region.

More detailed information about Greater Sydney's resident population, including neighbourhood profiles, can be found in the Community Profile.

Data source

Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) – Census 2011 and 2016 – by usual residence

Current area:
Current benchmark:
reset
Market characteristics
Greater Sydney20162011Change
NameNumber%. New South WalesNumber%. New South Wales2016 - 2011
Population summary--------------
Total residents4,496,196100.0100.04,079,428100.0100.0+416,768
Males2,217,97749.349.32,011,50949.349.3+206,468
Females2,278,21650.750.72,067,91950.750.7+210,297
Age structure--------------
0 - 14 years839,86518.718.5782,48319.219.3+57,382
15 - 24 years591,01413.112.5544,80113.412.9+46,213
25 - 54 years1,979,68344.040.81,809,84544.441.4+169,838
55 - 64 Years481,63010.711.9437,16810.711.7+44,462
65 years and over603,99713.416.3505,13112.414.7+98,866
Education institute attending--------------
Primary school364,2008.18.1317,1427.87.9+47,058
Secondary school283,0976.36.2261,9116.46.5+21,186
TAFE86,5041.91.998,4452.42.4-11,941
University283,7706.35.0220,3695.44.4+63,401
Diversity--------------
Total overseas born1,721,64438.327.61,457,33635.725.7+264,308
Speaks language other than English at home1,706,40038.025.11,409,52434.622.4+296,876
Speaks another language, and English not well or not at all311,0256.94.5250,8956.23.9+60,130
Qualifications--------------
Bachelor or higher degree1,073,59029.423.4827,54925.119.9+246,041
Advanced Diploma or Diploma341,3179.38.9298,9349.18.3+42,383
Certificate level525,52414.418.1479,77414.617.7+45,750
No qualification1,367,27937.439.11,321,22340.142.8+46,056
Household income--------------
Nill to $649223,10314.717.8--------
$650 to $1,499358,45423.627.5--------
$1,500 to $2,449338,52522.321.2--------
$2,500 or more 443,21929.223.1--------
Housing tenure--------------
Owned433,52527.230.7424,48228.731.9+9,043
Purchasing500,92931.530.4491,65833.231.9+9,271
Renting527,33333.130.3455,46530.829.1+71,868
Dwelling structure--------------
Separate house910,45253.264.9904,91557.267.9+5,537
Medium house349,81720.417.9313,87419.917.4+35,943
High density431,93325.215.3351,69822.213.3+80,235

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2011 and 2016. Compiled and presented by .id (informed decisions). Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics,

Greater Sydney

economic profile