Stickybeak

Paddington 2021 suburb insights

Thinking about buying in Paddington (2021)? This page consolidates 16 data cards from NSW government, the ABS, and Transport for NSW to help you build a complete picture of what ownership and life in the City of Sydney suburb actually looks like. The analysis covers affordability signals — median sale prices, rental yield, and first home buyer eligibility — alongside lifestyle indicators including school catchments and walkability, risk factors such as flood and bushfire exposure, and suburb-change metrics covering the development pipeline and price trajectory. Jump between the four sections using the sticky navigation above, or scroll through the full analysis below.

Last refreshed April 2026 (most cards). Per-card sources show exact dates.

All data has limits. See our data caveats.

Affordability

Can I afford Paddington?

Can I afford Paddington?

Serviceability check

What would a typical mortgage look like in Paddington? Based on the suburb median of $955,000 (units) and the local median household income.

Monthly repayment
$4,714/mo

6.3% variable · Apr 2026

Repayment-to-income
34.7%

Tight

Loan assumptions
$764,000 loan
20% deposit ($191,000)
30-year P&I

Repayments here would take 35% of the typical local household's gross income. Possible, but tight.

Repayment burden vs Sydney median income
Paddington34.7%
Sydney median income52.6%
30% stress line

Assumes a 20% deposit and a 30-year P&I owner-occupier loan at the current Sydney variable rate. Your actual rate, deposit, and income will differ.

Sources: RBA Table F6 (rate), ABS Census 2021 G02 (income), suburb median sale.
Can I afford Paddington?

Rental market in Paddington

Median weekly rent from lodged bonds. Sep 2025. Based on 66 new bond lodgements this quarter.

Rents here are at the higher end for Sydney. Higher holding costs for investors; higher savings pressure for renters.

Median weekly rent · Unit · 2 bed
$850per week
Sep 2025 · 66 bonds lodged
Quarterly trend · last 12 quarters
Dec 22: $715 per week (39 bonds)Mar 23: $800 per week (36 bonds)Jun 23: $800 per week (41 bonds)Sep 23: $790 per week (63 bonds)Dec 23: $825 per week (47 bonds)Mar 24: $853 per week (50 bonds)Jun 24: $850 per week (61 bonds)Sep 24: $860 per week (67 bonds)Dec 24: $875 per week (65 bonds)Mar 25: $898 per week (58 bonds)Jun 25: $890 per week (63 bonds)Sep 25: $850 per week (66 bonds)Dec 22Jun 24Sep 25

Nearby suburbs · same combination

Darlinghurst2010
$1,000▲$150
1.5 km away
Woollahra2025
$900▲$50
1.6 km away
Double Bay2028
$990▲$140
1.9 km away
Redfern2016
$945▲$95
2.0 km away
NSW DCJ Rental Bond Board · Sep 2025 · CC BY. Cells with 10 or fewer bond lodgements are suppressed; cells with 30 or fewer have the bond count suppressed but rent published. Figures are transacted rents, not asking rents.

Lifestyle

Paddington Lifestyle

Source: ABS Census 2021, Postal Areas (CC BY 4.0).

Dealbreakers

Any dealbreakers?

Any dealbreakers?

Air quality in Paddington

34
FairAQI · NSW DCCEEW
04:19 AEST
Cook and Phillip station · 2.5 km from centroid
12-month median: AQI 27 · Good

Air quality is acceptable but sensitive groups may notice effects.

Pollutants
nearest station
PM2.5i
4.9µg/m³
24-hr avg
PM10i
17.2µg/m³
24-hr avg
NO₂i
0.6pphm
1hr reading
AQI · last 12 months · daily mean
Cook and Phillip station · 365 daily points
Source: NSW DCCEEW Air Quality API (CC BY 4.0). Historical data updated weekly; live readings cached 60 minutes.
View dealbreakers as a standalone report →

Change

How might Paddington change?

DEVELOPMENT PIPELINE · NSW PLANNING PORTAL · 2021

What’s in the pipeline

NSW Planning Portal feed paused at the source for postcode 2021. Expected back by Q3 2026.

NSW PLANNING PORTAL
How might Paddington change?

Investor activity in Paddington

2021 · ATO Taxation Statistics · ~18-month lag
Source: ATO Taxation Statistics (CC BY 2.5 AU).

What to do next

Three steps to move from research to action.

1
Get pre-approved

Know your budget before you inspect. A pre-approval letter strengthens your offer.

Read our guides
2
Set a listings alert

See new listings in Paddington under the median ($955,000).

Search on Domain
3
Join the contract-review waitlist

Have your Section 66W reviewed before you sign.

Join the waitlist

Track Paddington.

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Compare Paddington with another suburb

Also in City of Sydney

Comparing suburbs in the same area can sharpen your decision. Browse suburb insights for other City of Sydney postcodes, or explore the full City of Sydney suburb index.

Alexandria 2015Camperdown 2050Chippendale 2008Darlinghurst 2010

Other Inner East suburbs

Bondi 2026Bondi Junction 2022Coogee 2034Kingsford 2032Maroubra 2035Pyrmont 2009Randwick 2031Rose Bay 2029Surry Hills 2010Sydney 2000Vaucluse 2030

Frequently asked questions

What suburb is postcode 2021?
Paddington is the primary suburb with postcode 2021 in New South Wales. In some cases multiple suburbs share the same postcode — Paddington is the main locality.
Which local government area is Paddington in?
Paddington (2021) is located in the City of Sydney local government area in New South Wales.
What data does Stickybeak show for Paddington?
Stickybeak shows 16 data cards for Paddington (2021) covering affordability (median sale prices, rental yield, first home buyer eligibility), lifestyle (schools, childcare, walkability, commute times), risk factors (flood zones, bushfire prone land, air quality, traffic volume), and suburb growth signals (development pipeline, price trajectory, demographics).
Is Paddington flood prone?
Flood risk varies street by street in Paddington. Check the Dealbreakers section on this page for the latest NSW flood zone mapping sourced from official state government data. Always verify at the property level with a Section 10.7 certificate before purchasing.
What are the best schools near Paddington?
The Schools card on this page lists primary and secondary schools within the catchment area for Paddington (2021), including their NAPLAN performance data and distance from the suburb centre.
Is Paddington (2021) eligible for the First Home Buyer scheme?
The First Home Buyer eligibility card on this page shows which NSW and federal government schemes — including the First Home Guarantee, stamp duty exemptions, and the First Home Super Saver scheme — apply to purchases in Paddington (2021). Eligibility depends on the purchase price and your individual circumstances.
How is Paddington changing?
The Change section on this page covers new housing supply from the development pipeline, historical price trajectory, and demographic shifts for Paddington (2021) using data from NSW Planning, the ATO, and the ABS.

Explore Paddington in depth

Dig deeper into specific topics for Paddington 2021: see flood risk, schools, walkability, and rental market as standalone pages. Or browse the full City of Sydney suburb index to compare nearby options.