NSW · Inner West Council
Sydenham (NSW), NSW, 2044
Desirability index
#120 among Metro Sydney suburbs
Suburb snapshot
Sydenham (NSW) is a small locality in the Inner West area, home to around 1,100 residents (2021 Census). Recent indicators show 762 offences in Jan 2025 to Dec 2025 with falling year-on-year trends (-22%), roughly 692.7 offences per 1,000 residents, median weekly rent around $990 (flats $820, houses $1,030), strong public transport coverage with many public transport stops, a higher concentration of local shops, services, and recreation amenities, and notable planning and development activity on record. Snapshot data also shows parks or public open space within the suburb.
Population
- Population
- 1,100
- Median age
- 36
- Median household income / week
- $2,245
- Dwelling vacancy
- 10.4%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 49 of 469
- Median monthly mortgage
- $2,817
- Employment rate
- 65.5%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 33 / 224 / 38
Data sources & freshness
- 2021 Census — General Community Profile — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Period: 2021 · Updated on site · 2021 Census release
The 2026 Census runs in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.
Housing
- Flats / units (January to March 2026)
- $820
- Houses (January to March 2026)
- $1,030
- All types (January to March 2026)
- $990
- Rental bonds lodged (January to March 2026)
- 99
Median weekly rent from NSW DCJ rent tables. Figures can be unreliable where few bonds were lodged in the quarter.
Data sources & freshness
- DCJ rent tables — NSW Department of Communities and Justice · Period: January to March 2026 · Updated on site · Quarterly releases
Crime & safety
- Total offences (Jan 2025 to Dec 2025)
- 762
- Against the person
- 140
- Against property
- 317
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 692.7
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 8 residents
- State safety percentile
- 28.4th (lower crime is better)
- Year-on-year change
- -22.2%
Most common offence types
- Fraud85
- Malicious Damage To Property82
- Non-Domestic Violence Related Assault47
- Other Theft43
- Transport Regulatory Offences143
Data sources & freshness
- BOCSAR postcode crime statistics — NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research · Period: Jan 2024 to Dec 2024 → Jan 2025 to Dec 2025; Jan 2025 to Dec 2025 · Updated on site · Rolling 12-month windows
Public transport
32 public transport stops in this suburb
- Concourse
- P6 Concourse
- STR/LFT To P1 S
- STR/LFT To P2/3 S
- Sydenham Station
Data sources & freshness
- GTFS public transport stops — State transport authority open-data feeds · Period: current · Updated on site · GTFS static feed
Planning & development
Development applications from NSW Planning Portal (lodged 2020–2026).
85 planning-related records
2026· 11 proposals
May 2026
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure95 PARK ROAD SYDENHAM 2044Determined
April 2026
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation26 HOGAN AVENUE SYDENHAM 2044Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Semi-detached dwelling; Residential Accommodation6 YELVERTON STREET SYDENHAM 2044Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure56 PARK ROAD SYDENHAM 2044Determined
March 2026
- Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool25 GEORGE STREET SYDENHAM 2044Under Assessment
- Attached dwelling; Demolition; Subdivision; Carport71 PARK ROAD SYDENHAM 2044Additional Information Requested
February 2026
- Demolition; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Minor building alterations (internal); Minor building alterations (external)66 YELVERTON STREET SYDENHAM 2044Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation61 YELVERTON STREET SYDENHAM 2044Determined
- Advertising and signage; Advertising structure375-377 PRINCES HIGHWAY SYDENHAM 2044Under Assessment
- Demolition; Pub; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Erection of a new structure20 SWAIN STREET SYDENHAM 2044Determined
- Secondary dwelling; Erection of a new structure5 WRIGHT STREET SYDENHAM 2044Withdrawn
2025· 11 proposals
November 2025
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure73 GEORGE STREET SYDENHAM 2044Determined
October 2025
- Erection of a new structure; Semi-detached dwelling63 PARK ROAD SYDENHAM 2044Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure38 FREDERICK STREET SYDENHAM 2044Determined
September 2025
- Demolition; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (attached)44 RAILWAY ROAD SYDENHAM 2044Determined
- Demolition; Pub; Advertising and signage; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Erection of a new structure; Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia20 SWAIN STREET SYDENHAM 2044Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Semi-detached dwelling67 YELVERTON STREET SYDENHAM 2044Determined
August 2025
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Semi-detached dwelling134 GEORGE STREET SYDENHAM 2044Determined
July 2025
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure95 PARK ROAD SYDENHAM 2044Determined
- Shop top housing; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure66 RAILWAY ROAD SYDENHAM 2044Determined
June 2025
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Semi-detached dwelling70 YELVERTON STREET SYDENHAM 2044Determined
April 2025
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure38 FREDERICK STREET SYDENHAM 2044Determined
2024· 9 proposals
December 2024
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation84 RAILWAY ROAD SYDENHAM 2044Determined
November 2024
- Demolition; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation21 REILLY LANE SYDENHAM 2044Determined
- Pub; Hours of operation and trading20 SWAIN STREET SYDENHAM 2044Determined
August 2024
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Erection of a new structure21 REILLY LANE SYDENHAM 2044Determined
July 2024
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation26 HOGAN AVENUE SYDENHAM 2044Determined
May 2024
- Restaurant or cafe; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia282 UNWINS BRIDGE ROAD SYDENHAM 2044Determined
April 2024
- Medium Density Housing; Erection of a new structure; Semi-detached dwelling; Residential Accommodation22 PARK ROAD SYDENHAM 2044Determined
March 2024
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation84 PARK ROAD SYDENHAM 2044Determined
February 2024
- Demolition; Subdivision; Erection of a new structure; Multi-dwelling housing (terraces)74 YELVERTON STREET SYDENHAM 2044Determined
2023· 9 proposals
October 2023
- Secondary dwelling; Demolition; Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure6 FREDERICK STREET SYDENHAM 2044Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure40 PARK ROAD SYDENHAM 2044Determined
August 2023
- Dwelling; Alterations and additions to residential development190 UNWINS BRIDGE ROAD SYDENHAM 2044Determined
- Semi-attached dwelling75 YELVERTON STREET SYDENHAM 2044Determined
July 2023
- Alterations and additions to residential development115 RAILWAY ROAD SYDENHAM 2044Determined
- Dual occupancy22 PARK ROAD SYDENHAM 2044Determined
May 2023
- Semi-attached dwelling; Subdivision of land134 GEORGE STREET SYDENHAM 2044Determined
February 2023
- Alterations and additions to residential development84 PARK ROAD SYDENHAM 2044Determined
January 2023
- Other5 YELVERTON STREET SYDENHAM 2044Determined
2022· 15 proposals
15 proposals lodged in 2022. Individual listings are kept for the most recent proposals.
2021· 21 proposals
21 proposals lodged in 2021. Individual listings are kept for the most recent proposals.
2020· 9 proposals
9 proposals lodged in 2020. Individual listings are kept for the most recent proposals.
Data sources & freshness
- Online DA development application register — NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure · Period: 2020; 2020–2026; 2021… · Updated on site · Daily open-data feed (applications from Oct 2018)
Amenities
58 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
- Ho's Bakery & CafeBakery
- Bbq (2)
- Bench (7)
- Bicycle Parking (2)
- Princes Hwy at George StBus stop
- Railway Rd opp Sydenham GreenBus stop
- Sydenham Green, Railway RdBus stop
- Sydenham Station, Burrows Av, Stand ABus stop
- Sydenham Station, Gleeson Av, Stand EBus stop
- Sydenham Station, Railway Pde, Stand BBus stop
Names and addresses from OpenStreetMap. Unnamed venues show as their type (e.g. Cafe).
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · Period: current · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
Parks & reserves
6 parks and public open space in this suburb
- Francis PlaygroundPark
- Memory ReservePark
- Sydenham GreenPark
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · Period: current · Updated on site
Socio-economic (SEIFA)
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 10/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 6/10
SEIFA indexes from ABS 2021. Decile 10 = most advantaged / least disadvantaged in Australia.
Data sources & freshness
- SEIFA 2021 (IRSAD / IRSD) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Period: 2021 · Updated on site · 2021 SEIFA release
Heritage
1 state heritage place
- Sydenham Railway Station groupIllawarra railway, SydenhamSHR
Data sources & freshness
- State heritage register — State heritage authority · Period: current · Updated on site
Hazards
- Bushfire planning zone
- No overlay at centroid
Bushfire overlay checked at suburb centroid via NSW bush fire prone land mapping.
Data sources & freshness
- Hazard planning overlays — State government hazard layers · Period: current · Updated on site
Green cover
- Parks & woodland (OSM)
- 7
- Parks (OSM)
- 6
OpenStreetMap parks and natural woodland features mapped within the suburb boundary.
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap green cover features — OpenStreetMap contributors · Period: current · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
Desirability index
- Desirability score
- 83.0/100
- Cohort rank
- #120 among Metro Sydney suburbs
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived score) · Period: current · Updated on site · Derived from source metrics
Recent changes
- Concoursetransport
- P6 Concoursetransport
- STR/LFT To P1 Stransport
- STR/LFT To P2/3 Stransport
- Sydenham Stationtransport
- Sydenham Railway Station groupheritageIllawarra railway, SydenhamSHR
- Francis Playgroundgovernmentpark
- Memory Reservegovernmentpark
- Sydenham Greengovernmentpark
- Sydenham Greengovernmentpark
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · Updated on site
- State heritage register — State heritage authority · Updated on site
- GTFS public transport stops — State transport authority open-data feeds · Updated on site · GTFS static feed
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