Newtown (NSW) is well-off — but expensive to rent
Newtown (NSW) 2042 · Sydney Inner City, Greater Sydney, NSW
Newtown (NSW) is among the more advantaged parts of Australia (SEIFA decile 10 of 10); a young, family-heavy area (median age 34). The trade-offs: renting is expensive, a median of $770 a week (DCJ, 2026-Q1); the population is barely moving.
A mix of houses and units, with a median age of 34 and households on a median $2,325 a week at the 2021 Census.
Compiled from ABS regional population (SA2), the 2021 Census, SEIFA 2021, NSW DCJ median rents, NSW DCJ median sale prices, OpenStreetMap and ACARA Schools NSW / NSW Dept of Education · figures current to September 2026.
What it costs to buy
NSW DCJ Rent and Sales Report · 2025-Q4Median sale price from the NSW Department of Communities and Justice's recorded property sales. Compare year-on-year — quarter-to-quarter moves are mostly seasonal noise.
By dwelling type — 2025-Q4 quarter
| Type | Median sale price |
|---|---|
| House | $1,988,000n=70 |
| Unit / flat | $820,000n=37 |
The median sale price across all dwellings in Newtown (NSW) was $1,735,000, based on sales in postcode 2042, for the 2025-Q4 quarter. That is $535,000 above the Greater Sydney median. By type: a house $1,988,000 and a unit / flat $820,000.
This is the median price of properties recorded as sold this quarter — settlement can lag a purchase decision by weeks, so the most recent quarter can revise slightly as more sales are recorded.
Show every quarter, with the year-on-year change
| Quarter | Median price | Year on year | Greater Sydney |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-Q4 | $1,735,000 | — | $1,200,000 |
Sale price data © NSW Department of Communities and Justice, Rent and Sales Report, based on sales in postcode 2042, December 2025 release. Figures are the median for properties sold in the quarter. DCJ suppresses a median where too few properties sold.
What it costs to rent
NSW DCJ Rent and Sales Report · 2026-Q1Median weekly rent for new tenancies, from the NSW Department of Communities and Justice's bond lodgements. Compare year-on-year — quarter-to-quarter moves are mostly seasonal noise.
By dwelling type — 2026-Q1 quarter
| Type | Studio | 1 bed | 2 bed | 3 bed | 4+ bed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| House | — | $440low sample | $900n=47 | $1,188n=56 | $1,545low sample |
| Townhouse | — | — | $900low sample | — | — |
| Unit / flat | $535low sample | $650n=119 | $820n=67 | $1,100low sample | — |
n is the number of new bonds behind each median — treat a figure marked low sample as indicative only.
The median weekly rent across all dwellings in Newtown (NSW) was $770, based on new bonds lodged in postcode 2042, for the 2026-Q1 quarter. That is $10 a week below the Greater Sydney median. By type: a 3-bedroom house $1,188 and a 2-bedroom unit $820.
This is the median rent on new leases signed this quarter, not what existing tenants pay. It usually runs higher than the Census figure.
Show every quarter, with the year-on-year change
| Quarter | Median rent | Year on year | Greater Sydney |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-Q1 | $770 | — | $930 |
Rent data © NSW Department of Communities and Justice, Rent and Sales Report, based on new bonds in postcode 2042, March 2026 release. Figures are the median for new bonds lodged in the quarter, not all tenancies. DCJ suppresses a median where too few bonds were lodged.
Newtown (NSW) on the map
The Australian Bureau of Statistics Statistical Area 2 outline for Newtown (NSW), NSW.
Map tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors. Boundary: ABS SA2 (ASGS 2021), simplified — an SA2 can differ from the gazetted suburb, and detached parts such as islands may not all be shown.
How the population has changed
Newtown (NSW) against the New South Wales average, both set to 100 in the first year shown so the growth rates compare.
Newtown (NSW) population grew from 15,932 in 2016 to 15,576 in 2025, a change of -2.2% over the period, against the New South Wales average.
Show the data table
| Year | Newtown (NSW) | New South Wales average |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 15,932 | 7,732,858 |
| 2017 | 16,384 | 7,855,316 |
| 2018 | 16,466 | 7,954,476 |
| 2019 | 16,303 | 8,046,748 |
| 2020 | 15,979 | 8,110,610 |
| 2021 | 14,864 | 8,097,062 |
| 2022 | 14,897 | 8,182,098 |
| 2023 | 15,441 | 8,356,387 |
| 2024 | 15,569 | 8,492,050 |
| 2025 | 15,576 | 8,592,524 |
Where the growth is coming from
Newtown (NSW) gained 1,548 residents from internal migration and 689 from overseas in the year to June 2025, while 2,318 people moved away — a net addition of -81 before natural increase.
- Internal migration in+1,548
- Internal migration out+1,763
- Overseas migration in+689
- Natural increase+88
Components of population change over the sample year. Natural increase is shown apart from migration so the two are not read as one figure.
How it has changed
Census · five-yearlyThe 2016 Census against 2021. Older figures are mapped onto today's boundaries via the ABS Time Series Profile, so comparisons are approximate where borders moved.
| Measure | 2016 | 2021 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 15,016 | 14,667 | -2.3% |
| Median age | 33 | 34 | +1 yr |
| Median household income | $2,082/wk | $2,325/wk | +12% |
| Median weekly rent | $526/wk | $550/wk | +4.6% |
| Born overseas | 35.5% | 32.3% | -3.1 pts |
Who lives here
Census · five-yearlyFrom the 2021 Census — the most recent available; 2026 Census data isn't expected until mid-2027. Each figure carries its definition, so you know what is being counted.
People
Income
Housing
Work
Household
Country of birth
Language at home
How homes are held
- Owned outright 17.1%
- Mortgaged 23.4%
- Rented 57.7%
- Other / not stated 1.8%
How well-off the area is
Census · five-yearlyThe ABS SEIFA indexes rank every area by relative advantage and disadvantage. Decile 1 is the lowest tenth of Australia; decile 10 is the highest.
- Relative disadvantage (IRSD)Lower decile means more relative disadvantageDecile 9score 1,065
- Advantage & disadvantage (IRSAD)Higher decile means more relative advantageDecile 10score 1,143
- Economic resources (IER)Income and housing capacityDecile 2score 936
- Education & occupation (IEO)Education and occupational skill levelsDecile 10score 1,170
Getting around, and what's nearby
OpenStreetMap · quarterlyWhat OpenStreetMap records inside the suburb boundary. Counts reflect what is tagged in OSM and can undercount a real but less-mapped area. The park count here is OpenStreetMap green space of any kind, including privately held land — it is a different measure from the council parks below.
Within the Newtown (NSW) SA2, OpenStreetMap records 6 schools, 5 GP or clinic locations, 8 supermarkets and 22 green spaces. For families: 1 library and 14 playgrounds. Eating out and socialising: 33 cafés, 71 restaurants and 25 pubs and bars. Staying active: 1 gym and 5 sports fields. Also 1 cinema and 1 shopping centre. The nearest train station, Newtown, is about 100 m from the suburb centre. OpenStreetMap also maps 24 bus stops here.
List every mapped place
Schools
- Newtown High School of the Performing Arts
- Newtown Public School
- Australia Street Infants School
- The Athena School
- Camdenville Public School
- Newtown North Public School
Libraries
- Newtown Library
Gyms & fitness
- Fitness First
Cinemas
- Dendy Newtown
Shopping centres
- Newtown Central
GPs & clinics
- Newtown Medical Practice
- Newtown Chiropractic Clinic
- Church Street Medical Practice
- Alice St GP Rooms
- Enmore Medical Practice
Supermarkets
- ALDI Corner Store
- QE Foodstores
- Woolworths Metro
- IGA
- Greens Supermarket
- Lloyd's IGA
- Miracle
Green spaces
- Lillian Fowler Reserve
- Salmon Playground
- Mrs Isabella Hill Rest Area
- Gowrie Street Reserve
- Oxford Street Reserve
- Camperdown Memorial Rest Park
- Union Street Reserve
- Peace Reserve
Train stations
- Newtown
Schools
Every open NSW school whose campus sits inside the SA2 boundary, with the average ICSEA across them. Open a school for its own ICSEA, student background and a link to My School.
The Newtown (NSW) SA2 contains 6 schools — 4 primary schools, 1 secondary school and 1 combined school, of which 5 are government and 1 non-government. Its schools with a published ICSEA average 1122 (1000 is the national average); each school's own figure and student background are on its page. NAPLAN results for each school are on its My School profile (ACARA). For area context, Newtown (NSW) sits in decile 10 of the ABS SEIFA index of education and occupation nationally and 87% of adults here completed Year 12 (Census 2021).
The centre of this SA2 is zoned for Newtown Public School (primary), Newtown High School of Performing Arts (secondary).
Parts of this SA2 also fall in the catchment of Newtown North Public School (primary), Darlington Public School (primary), Erskineville Public School (primary), Australia Street Infants School (primary), Camdenville Public School (primary), Marrickville High School (secondary), Alexandria Park Community School (secondary).
Catchments can divide a suburb — confirm your address on EdMap.
Want another suburb? Search the catchment finder.
Show school list
- Australia Street Infants School · State
- Camdenville Public School · State
- Newtown North Public School · State
- Newtown Public School · State
- The Athena School · Non-Government
School list: NSW Government open data — ACARA Schools NSW, via the NSW data portal, CC BY 4.0. Catchments: NSW Department of Education “School intake zones” dataset, CC BY 4.0. ICSEA: ACARA School Profile. NAPLAN: myschool.edu.au (ACARA).
Nearby, in Sydney Inner City
Others in the same ABS district, by population growth. If this one doesn't fit, one of these might.
- HereNewtown (NSW)+0.0%
- 01Ultimo+4.9%
- 02Zetland+4.8%
- 03Sydney (South) - Haymarket+4.3%
- 04Sydney (North) - Millers Point+4.2%
- 05Rosebery - Beaconsfield+2.9%
- 06Redfern+2.3%
- 07Waterloo+1.8%
- 08Erskineville - Alexandria+1.7%
- 09Camperdown - Darlington+1.4%
- 10Potts Point - Woolloomooloo+0.9%
- 11Surry Hills+0.4%
- 12Darlinghurst+0.2%
- 13Chippendale+0.2%
- 14Glebe - Forest Lodge-0.1%
- 15Pyrmont-0.2%
Dots place each suburb's growth on the same scale, slowest at left.
Newtown (NSW): common questions
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