Moving to Balmain NSW 2041
What the official numbers say about living in Balmain — before you pack a box.
At a glance
Housing: buy or rent
Renting? The census median is $625 a week, against a median household income of $3,039 a week.
About 57% of homes are owner-occupied and 42% rented, and the most common dwelling type is the townhouse.
Who you'll be living with
Balmain grew 7% between the 2011 and 2021 censuses (9,783 → 10,454 people).
Around 64% of households are families, averaging 2.2 people per home.
Largest overseas birthplaces: England, New Zealand, United States; most spoken languages besides English: Mandarin, Italian, Spanish.
On the ABS advantage scale (SEIFA), Balmain sits in the country’s more advantaged bracket (decile 10 of 10).
The commute
The most common way to work is by car (22% of workers), while 70% work from home.
Nearest train station: Wynyard, 2.6 km east.
Nearest metro station: Barangaroo, 2.2 km east.
Nearest light rail stop: John Street Square, 1.6 km south-east.
Nearest bus interchange: Mount St (501), 1.9 km south-east.
Nearest ferry wharf: Balmain, 800 m north-east.
Nearest airport: Rose Bay Seaplane Base, 7.9 km east.
The Sydney CBD is roughly 3 km away in a straight line.
Daily life
Mapped locally so far: 112 schools · 506 cafes & restaurants · 30 supermarkets · 197 parks · 3 beaches — see them all on the Balmain profile.
What's actually nearby
Schools: Balmain Public School 400 m · Fr John Therry Catholic Primary School 500 m · Inner Sydney Montessori School 550 m · Birchgrove Public School 600 m · Sydney Secondary College Balmain Campus 850 m · Rozelle Public School 1000 m · Nicholson Street Public School 1.3 km · St Scholastica's College 2 km
Groceries: QE Foodstores 200 m · Woolworths 200 m · Woolworths Metro 800 m · Balmain East Liquor & Deli 1.3 km · ALDI 1.5 km · Coles 1.5 km · Woolworths Metro 1.9 km · Supamart 2 km
Parks and reserves: Issy Wyner Reserve 300 m · Punch Park 300 m · Gladstone Park 350 m · Ann Cashman Reserve 400 m · College Street Playground 400 m · Vanardi Green 500 m · Goodsir Street Reserve 550 m · Birrung Park 550 m
What you'll see in the garden
Birds recorded around Balmain, most often seen first: Rainbow Lorikeet · Noisy Miner · Australian White Ibis · Silver Gull · Rock Dove · Australian Magpie.
How the neighbours compare
The suburbs nearest to Balmain, side by side.
| Suburb | People | Median house | Advantage | Canopy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Balmain here | 10,454 | — | 10/10 | 14% |
| Birchgrove | 3,228 | — | 10/10 | 16% |
| Rozelle | 8,553 | — | 10/10 | 8% |
| Balmain East | 1,900 | — | 10/10 | 19% |
| Pyrmont | 12,658 | — | 10/10 | 8% |
| Forest Lodge | 4,965 | — | 10/10 | 14% |
| Glebe | 11,680 | — | 10/10 | 15% |
Before you move — quick checklist
- Your council will be Inner West — bins, rates, pets and permits live there.
- You'll vote in the federal electorate of Grayndler — update your enrolment address.
- The postcode is 2041 — handy for utility sign-ups and quotes.
- Check street-level details on the full Balmain profile (map, streets, amenities, wildlife).
In short
Renters pay a median $625 a week, and about 42% of homes here are rented.
The population grew 7% between the 2011 and 2021 censuses, from 9,783 people to 10,454. It sits about 3 km from the Sydney CBD in a straight line, and Wynyard station is roughly 2.6 km away. Local government is Inner West council, and the federal seat is Grayndler.
Weighing up alternatives?
Side-by-side: Balmain vs Rozelle · Balmain vs Pyrmont.
Nearby guides: Birchgrove · Rozelle · Balmain East · Pyrmont · Forest Lodge · Glebe.
Keep an eye on Balmain
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