Moving to Redfern NSW 2016
What the official numbers say about living in Redfern — before you pack a box.
At a glance
Housing: buy or rent
Renting? The census median is $500 a week, against a median household income of $2,145 a week.
About 36% of homes are owner-occupied and 63% rented, and the most common dwelling type is the apartment.
Who you'll be living with
Redfern grew 9% between the 2011 and 2021 censuses (12,034 → 13,072 people).
Around 45% of households are families, averaging 1.9 people per home.
Largest overseas birthplaces: England, China, New Zealand; most spoken languages besides English: Mandarin, Spanish, Cantonese.
On the ABS advantage scale (SEIFA), Redfern sits in the country’s more advantaged bracket (decile 10 of 10).
The commute
The most common way to work is by car (16% of workers), while 64% work from home.
Nearest train station: Redfern, 700 m west.
Nearest metro station: Waterloo, 750 m south-west.
Nearest light rail stop: Surry Hills, 750 m north-east.
Nearest bus interchange: Maritime Museum (389 terminus), 2.7 km north.
Nearest ferry wharf: Darling Harbour Wharf 9, 2.7 km north.
Nearest airport: Rose Bay Seaplane Base, 5.9 km north-east.
The Sydney CBD is roughly 3 km away in a straight line.
Daily life
Mapped locally so far: 118 schools · 1,445 cafes & restaurants · 72 supermarkets · 221 parks — see them all on the Redfern profile.
What's actually nearby
Schools: Inner Sydney High School 450 m · Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Primary School 700 m · Bourke Street Public School 900 m · Sydney Distance Education Primary School 1000 m · Sydney Boys High School 1.2 km · Yudi Gunyi School 1.2 km · ABILITY Education 1.3 km · Alexandria Park Community School 1.3 km
Groceries: R & R Providores 100 m · Woolworths 200 m · Harris Farm 550 m · Foodworks 600 m · Spar 650 m · IGA 700 m · MGM Spices 750 m · Aldi 750 m
Parks and reserves: Redfern Park 150 m · Douglas St Peoples Playground 300 m · Great Buckingham Street Reserve 350 m · Hansom Cab Place 400 m · Reconciliation Park 450 m · Marriott Street Reserve 500 m · Waterloo Green 500 m · TJ Hickey Park 550 m
What you'll see in the garden
Birds recorded around Redfern, most often seen first: Rainbow Lorikeet · Australian White Ibis · Noisy Miner · Rock Dove · Silver Gull · Australian Magpie.
How the neighbours compare
The suburbs nearest to Redfern, side by side.
| Suburb | People | Median house | Advantage | Canopy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Redfern here | 13,072 | — | 10/10 | 13% |
| Waterloo | 16,379 | — | 10/10 | 13% |
| Chippendale | 7,803 | — | 10/10 | 7% |
| Surry Hills | 15,828 | — | 10/10 | 10% |
| Darlington | 2,597 | — | 10/10 | 13% |
| Haymarket | 8,305 | — | 10/10 | 4% |
| Zetland | 12,622 | — | 10/10 | 8% |
Before you move — quick checklist
- Your council will be Sydney — bins, rates, pets and permits live there.
- You'll vote in the federal electorate of Sydney — update your enrolment address.
- The postcode is 2016 — handy for utility sign-ups and quotes.
- Check street-level details on the full Redfern profile (map, streets, amenities, wildlife).
In short
Renters pay a median $500 a week, and about 63% of homes here are rented.
The population grew 9% between the 2011 and 2021 censuses, from 12,034 people to 13,072. It sits about 3 km from the Sydney CBD in a straight line, and Redfern station is roughly 0.7 km away. Local government is Sydney council, and the federal seat is Sydney.
Weighing up alternatives?
Side-by-side: Redfern vs Waterloo · Redfern vs Chippendale.
Nearby guides: Waterloo · Chippendale · Surry Hills · Darlington · Haymarket · Zetland.
Keep an eye on Redfern
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