Balmain East zoning & planning overlays
A planning-constraint profile of Balmain East (Inner West, NSW) - 0.26 km², mapped from live council and state overlay data. This suburb is relatively unconstrained on the overlays we hold - no flood mapping covers this suburb, so this is not a suburb-wide verdict.
Everything below is suburb-wide. Overlays change block to block - see which ones actually touch your lot. The map is free.
Constraint readout
0.26 km² - this suburb is relatively unconstrained on the overlays we hold - no flood mapping covers this suburb, so this is not a suburb-wide verdict.
Elevation hillshade with street names, clipped to Balmain East's boundary, with the bushfire and environmental overlays drawn on top. It shows where constraints fall; the interactive map shows them on your exact address. No flood layer is drawn because we hold no flood mapping for this area.
Balmain East at a glance
How Balmain East is zoned
Buying in Balmain East? The zoning, flood and bushfire lines on the section 10.7 certificate attached to the contract are mapped controls - see our s10.7 certificate guide.
Across its 0.26 km², Balmain East is relatively unconstrained by the planning overlays we hold. We hold no flood mapping covering this suburb, so no flood figure is shown - that is a gap in our data, not an all-clear. There are 146 heritage-listed sites on record, and the dominant land-use zone is General Residential. The median lot measures about 237 m² across 604 parcels. These figures are suburb-wide - the overlays that actually apply to a given lot can differ block to block, which is what a property-level check tells you.
Who lives in Balmain East
Census 2021 figures published by the ABS for the Balmain East suburb boundary itself, not a wider region.
Socio-economic standing
ABS SEIFA 2021 ranks every Australian suburb. Decile 1 is the most disadvantaged tenth of the country, decile 10 the least.
Score 1164, and decile 10 within New South Wales. The national average is 1000.
Age profile
Share of Balmain East's 1,900 residents in each ABS age band.
Population trend, 2001 to 2025
Estimated resident population of Balmain, the wider ABS statistical area containing Balmain East. There is no annual population series published at suburb level, so this describes the surrounding area rather than Balmain East itself.
14,708 in 2001 to 16,124 in 2025, up 10%.
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics. Census of Population and Housing 2021 (General Community Profile) and SEIFA 2021, both published at the Suburbs and Localities level; Regional Population (estimated resident population) at Statistical Area Level 2. Used under CC BY 4.0. Census counts of small populations are randomly adjusted by the ABS to protect confidentiality, so figures for small suburbs are indicative.
Balmain East data sources and coverage
Every figure below is an aggregate for the suburb boundary. “Not mapped” means LayeredGeo does not hold a source layer covering this suburb; it is never an all-clear for a particular property.
| Dataset | Coverage | Publisher |
|---|---|---|
| Flood mapping | Not mapped | NSW Government spatial services, NSW ePlanning and published council flood studies |
| Bushfire-prone mapping | Mapped | NSW Government spatial services, NSW ePlanning and published council flood studies |
| Zoning | Mapped | NSW Government spatial services, NSW ePlanning and published council flood studies |
| Heritage and environment | Mapped where published | NSW Government spatial services, NSW ePlanning and published council flood studies |
| Demographics | Available | Australian Bureau of Statistics (2021 Census and SEIFA) |
Profile last materially updated 5 August 2026. See the methodology and full source list. Source data changes over time and critical decisions should be checked with the responsible authority.
Check a specific Balmain East address
See exactly which overlays touch a single property - the interactive map is free. Need it on paper? A full planning PDF is just $9.
See what's in the $9 report →Balmain East planning - frequently asked
Is Balmain East flood-prone?
We don't yet hold flood mapping covering Balmain East, so this page can't say how much of the suburb is flood-affected - that is a gap in our data, not an indication that the suburb is free of flood risk. Inner West is the authority to check for flood mapping in this area. Flood overlays vary block to block, so whether a particular lot is affected needs a property-level check.
Is Balmain East bushfire-prone?
Bushfire mapping covers Balmain East and little to none of it is mapped as bushfire-prone. Always confirm for the exact lot, as mapping can change.
What is the zoning in Balmain East?
The dominant planning zone in Balmain East is General Residential, though the suburb also includes Public Recreation and Local Centre. Zoning sets what you can build and do on a site, and can differ lot by lot.
Does Balmain East have heritage-listed places?
Balmain East has 146 heritage-listed places on record. Heritage listing affects what you can alter or demolish, so confirm whether a specific property is listed or near a heritage place.
What is the typical lot size in Balmain East?
Across 604 surveyed parcels in Balmain East, the median lot size is about 237 m². There are also 8 registered easements mapped in the suburb - an easement can restrict where you can build, so always check the title and overlays for the specific lot.
Does Balmain East have a train station?
There is no train station inside Balmain East itself. The suburb is served by 12 bus stops.
What is the population of Balmain East?
At the 2021 Census Balmain East had 1,900 usual residents, with a median age of 46 and an average household size of 2.2 people. The wider Balmain statistical area, which contains Balmain East, went from 14,708 people in 2001 to 16,124 in 2025, up 10%. ABS publishes no annual population series for individual suburbs, so that trend describes the surrounding area rather than Balmain East alone.
Is Balmain East an advantaged suburb?
On the ABS SEIFA 2021 index of relative socio-economic advantage and disadvantage (IRSAD), Balmain East scores 1164 and sits in decile 10 of 10 nationally and decile 10 within New South Wales - decile 1 being the most disadvantaged tenth of Australian suburbs and decile 10 the least. The national average score is 1000. SEIFA summarises income, education, occupation and housing across the whole suburb, so it describes the area, not any particular household in it.
What is the median household income in Balmain East?
Median household income in Balmain East was $3,020 a week at the 2021 Census, against $2,452 for the typical suburb in Inner West. Median rent was $617 a week and the median mortgage repayment $4,333 a month. These are 2021 Census figures and have not been indexed to today.
Do I need a planning report for a Balmain East property?
A Balmain East planning report pulls every overlay - zoning, flood, bushfire, heritage and environmental - that touches a single lot, on live council and state data. The interactive map preview is free; a full PDF report is $9.
Compare nearby suburbs
| Nearby suburb | Distance | Flood mapped | Bushfire-prone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barangaroo Sydney |
0.9 km | Not mapped | 0% |
| Balmain | 1.0 km | Not mapped | 0% |
| Millers Point Sydney |
1.2 km | Not mapped | 0% |
| Birchgrove | 1.2 km | Not mapped | 0% |
| Pyrmont Sydney |
1.4 km | Not mapped | 0% |
| Dawes Point Sydney |
1.4 km | Not mapped | 0% |
| The Rocks Sydney |
1.5 km | Not mapped | 0% |
| Mcmahons Point North Sydney |
1.6 km | Not mapped | 0% |
| Waverton North Sydney |
1.9 km | Not mapped | 19% |
| Rozelle | 1.9 km | Not mapped | 0% |