Moving to Surry Hills NSW 2010
What the official numbers say about living in Surry Hills — before you pack a box.
At a glance
Housing: buy or rent
Renting? The census median is $550 a week, against a median household income of $2,308 a week.
About 33% of homes are owner-occupied and 66% rented, and the most common dwelling type is the apartment.
Who you'll be living with
Surry Hills grew 3% between the 2011 and 2021 censuses (15,342 → 15,828 people).
Around 41% of households are families, averaging 1.8 people per home.
Largest overseas birthplaces: England, New Zealand, China; most spoken languages besides English: Mandarin, Thai, Spanish.
On the ABS advantage scale (SEIFA), Surry Hills sits in the country’s more advantaged bracket (decile 10 of 10).
The commute
The most common way to work is by walking (13% of workers), while 66% work from home.
Nearest train station: Museum, 1 km north.
Nearest metro station: Central, 550 m west.
Nearest light rail stop: Surry Hills, 350 m south.
Nearest bus interchange: Maritime Museum (389 terminus), 2.1 km north-west.
Nearest ferry wharf: Darling Harbour Wharf 9, 2 km north-west.
Nearest airport: Rose Bay Seaplane Base, 5 km east.
The Sydney CBD is roughly 2 km away in a straight line.
Daily life
Mapped locally so far: 114 schools · 1,566 cafes & restaurants · 72 supermarkets · 229 parks · 2 beaches — see them all on the Surry Hills profile.
What's actually nearby
Schools: Sydney Distance Education Primary School 150 m · Crown Street Public School 400 m · Bourke Street Public School 700 m · Inner Sydney High School 750 m · ABILITY Education 850 m · Australasia Academy 1 km · Sydney Boys High School 1.1 km · Sydney Grammar School 1.1 km
Groceries: Maloney's 250 m · Woolworths Metro 400 m · About Life 450 m · Harris Farm 750 m · MGM Spices 750 m · Romeo's Food Group 800 m · IGA 800 m · New Yen Yen Supermarket 900 m
Parks and reserves: Cooper Street Reserve 200 m · Frog Hollow Reserve 200 m · Shannon Reserve 250 m · Adelaide Street Reserve 250 m · Tudor Street Reserve 300 m · Foveaux Street Reserve 300 m · Fred Miller Park 400 m · Reservoir Street Reserve 400 m
What you'll see in the garden
Birds recorded around Surry Hills, 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 Surry Hills, side by side.
| Suburb | People | Median house | Advantage | Canopy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Surry Hills here | 15,828 | — | 10/10 | 10% |
| Haymarket | 8,305 | — | 10/10 | 4% |
| Darlinghurst | 10,615 | — | 10/10 | 10% |
| Redfern | 13,072 | — | 10/10 | 13% |
| Chippendale | 7,803 | — | 10/10 | 7% |
| Ultimo | 7,410 | — | 10/10 | 7% |
| Woolloomooloo | 3,792 | — | 10/10 | 10% |
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 2010 — handy for utility sign-ups and quotes.
- Check street-level details on the full Surry Hills profile (map, streets, amenities, wildlife).
In short
Renters pay a median $550 a week, and about 66% of homes here are rented.
The population grew 3% between the 2011 and 2021 censuses, from 15,342 people to 15,828. It sits about 2 km from the Sydney CBD in a straight line, and Museum station is roughly 1 km away. Local government is Sydney council, and the federal seat is Sydney.
Weighing up alternatives?
Side-by-side: Surry Hills vs Haymarket · Surry Hills vs Darlinghurst.
Nearby guides: Haymarket · Darlinghurst · Redfern · Chippendale · Ultimo · Woolloomooloo.
Keep an eye on Surry Hills
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