Surry Hills
NSW 2010 · Sydney
15,828 (2021) → 16,936 est. (2025) · Moderate Growth
Part of the Sydney local government area (est. 247,372 residents)
Based on transport, liveability & education. Safety is scored separately below.
Surry Hills is a moderate growth suburb in Sydney, NSW 2010, about 1km from Sydney CBD. Its median house price of $2.38M is more expensive than the NSW average. The suburb has 5 schools, a transport score of 96/100, and is a short drive from the coast. Surry Hills has an overall score of 96/100, based on transport, liveability and education, plus a separate residential safety score of 11/100.
Demographics
Age distribution
ATO 2023-24, postcode 2010 area — postcode-level, not suburb-specific.
Top countries of birth: England (6.36%), New Zealand (3.39%), China (3.27%), Thailand (2.96%), USA (2.08%)
Top languages: Mandarin (3.23%), Thai (2.71%), Spanish (2.31%), Cantonese (2.27%), French (1.36%)
Source: ABS Census 2021
Property
Median price history
Source: NSW Valuer General · Updated Q1 2026
Residential Safety
Commercial & services hub. This suburb is a major employment and services centre, drawing a significant daily influx of workers and visitors from surrounding areas. Crime figures are recorded by incident location and include offences involving commuters and visitors, not just residents, so the per-resident crime rates below may overstate the risk for people who live here.
Nightlife hub. This suburb has a high concentration of licensed venues. Crime figures include incidents involving visitors to the nightlife area, not just residents.
Recorded residential incidents (latest year), with rate per 100,000 residents:
Includes street and public-place assaults — supplementary context, not part of the safety score.
Residential incidents over time
Sum of the five residential categories above — not all recorded crime.
Area crime context
Totals include incidents involving commuters and visitors, not just residents.
An independent score — crime data quality varies by state, so safety is shown separately and is not part of the overall score.
Source: BOCSAR · Updated March 2026
Schools
Outstanding school access
Top 20% nationally — strong, high-ICSEA schools nearby with genuine choice. An excellent suburb for families prioritising education.
Average ICSEA of schools within 10km 1107 (above the national average of 1000).
In suburb
- Bourke Street Public SchoolPrimary · GovernmentICSEA 1135
- Crown Street Public SchoolPrimary · GovernmentICSEA 1114
- Inner Sydney High SchoolSecondary · GovernmentICSEA 1104
- Sydney Distance Education Primary SchoolPrimary · GovernmentICSEA 1094
- Oasis College Surry HillsSecondary · Independent
Nearby (within 10km)
- Sydney Boys High SchoolSecondary · Government · 1kmICSEA 1189
- Sydney Girls High SchoolSecondary · Government · 1.2kmICSEA 1193
- Sydney Grammar SchoolSecondary · Independent · 1.2kmICSEA 1274
- SCEGGS DarlinghurstCombined · Independent · 1.2kmICSEA 1209
- Redfern Jarjum CollegePrimary · Independent · 1.2kmICSEA 667
- Darlinghurst Public SchoolPrimary · Government · 1.3kmICSEA 1156
- Australian International High SchoolSecondary · Independent · 1.3kmICSEA 1028
- GOAL CollegeSecondary · Independent · 1.3kmICSEA 1027
- William Street CampusSecondary · Catholic · 1.3km
- St Andrew's Cathedral SchoolCombined · Independent · 1.4kmICSEA 1189
- Westbourne College SydneySecondary · Independent · 1.4kmICSEA 1153
- Key CollegeSecondary · Independent · 1.5kmICSEA 909
Source: ACARA MySchool · Updated 2025
Transport
Source: TfNSW GTFS
Employment & Economy
Top local industries
Source: DEWR SALM / ABS Census 2021 · Updated SALM Mar 2026 / 2021 Census
Liveability
Amenities within 2–3km
Counted within a short distance of the suburb centre (so nearby facilities count), with the in-boundary count shown beneath.
In this suburb
Source: Bureau of Meteorology · OpenStreetMap · Healthdirect NHSD (via Geoscience Australia)
Fitness
Plenty of options
Well above average — a good spread of gyms and sports facilities within easy reach.
Facilities within 3km of the suburb centre. The Fitness Score is a national percentile of these counts per resident.
Source: OpenStreetMap
Outdoors
Outdoor paradise
Top 20% nationally — abundant parks and green space, plus trails, bike paths and places to enjoy the outdoors.
Within 3km of the suburb centre. The Outdoor Score is a national percentile led by parks and green space.
Source: OpenStreetMap
Culture
Cultural hotspot
Top 20% nationally — theatres, museums, galleries, libraries and landmarks all within reach. A genuinely vibrant cultural scene.
Within 3km of the suburb centre. The Culture Score is a national percentile weighting theatres, museums, galleries, libraries and arts centres most heavily.
Source: OpenStreetMap
Entertainment Scene
Entertainment paradise
A seriously impressive licensed venue scene — top 20% nationally for density of pubs, bars, clubs and dining.
Nightlife hub. High licensed-venue density drives a significant evening economy here — incidents near the venues are recorded by location, so crime figures include visitors, not just residents.
View nearby venues on the Entertainment Map →
Source: Liquor & Gaming NSW · Updated June 2024
Childcare
Limited options
Below average for childcare access — fewer services nearby, and families may need to travel further for preferred options.
View childcare centres on the map →
Source: ACECQA National Quality Framework Register · Updated July 2026
Aged Care
Government-subsidised aged care services located in this suburb. Star Ratings are the official ratings for residential aged care homes.
Source: Dept of Health, Disability and Ageing · Updated May 2026 Star Ratings
Places of Worship
Mapped places of worship within 3km of the suburb centre, grouped by religion where recorded. Community mapping may not capture every congregation.
Source: OpenStreetMap
Population & Growth
Moderate GrowthSource: ABS ERP & NSW DPHI
Nearby suburbs in Sydney
Compare Surry Hills with another suburb
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Frequently asked questions about Surry Hills
Is Surry Hills safe?
Surry Hills has a residential safety score of 11/100, based on residential crime (break-ins, theft from dwellings, vehicle theft, domestic assault and robbery) per resident relative to the NSW median. Its total recorded incident rate is 19,472 per 100,000 across all categories.
What are property prices in Surry Hills?
In Surry Hills, the median house price is $2.38M and the median unit price is $888K. Median weekly house rent is $1,200.
How far is Surry Hills from Sydney CBD?
Surry Hills is about 1.5 km from Sydney CBD, an estimated 16 minutes by public transport.
What schools are in Surry Hills?
Surry Hills has 5 schools, with an average ICSEA of 1112 (the national average is 1000). Schools are listed factually, not ranked.
What is public transport like in Surry Hills?
Surry Hills has a transport score of 96/100 and 31 bus stops.