Paddington zoning & planning overlays
A planning-constraint profile of Paddington
(Woollahra, NSW) - 1.64 km², mapped from live council and
state overlay data. This suburb is relatively unconstrained on the overlays we could measure - no flood mapping covers this suburb, so this is not a suburb-wide verdict.
Profile updated 3 October 2026.
Suburb-wide figures; the free map shows which overlays touch your lot.
Constraint readout
1.64 km² - this suburb is relatively unconstrained on the overlays we could measure - no flood mapping covers this suburb, so this is not a suburb-wide verdict.
Elevation hillshade with street names, clipped to Paddington's boundary, with the bushfire and environmental overlays drawn on top. Magenta is where aircraft were observed in the sampled period, brightest below 3,000 ft. No flood layer is drawn because we hold no flood mapping for this area.
Nearby suburbs, nearest first
Aircraft noise and flight paths over Paddington
Two different things, kept apart on purpose. The ANEF contour is the planning instrument - a forecast published per airport that planning schemes use to control noise-sensitive development. Observed overflight is what a sampled aircraft-tracking feed actually recorded over the suburb - where aircraft flew, how low and how often.
Observed overflight - sampled 4 Sep to 2 Oct 2026
typical observed square 4 a day
Night movements: observed, lowest 3,000 ft - night is sampled as often as day, but night traffic is light, so this is a floor and no rate can be put on it.
Traffic is sampled rather than watched continuously, so every figure is a floor: aircraft not captured between samples are not represented. Rates are per 500 m square - the busiest square in the suburb, not a count of flights over the suburb - and a square is only rated where enough traffic was seen to measure it. Altitudes are above mean sea level. Flight paths change with runway use, weather, season and airspace design. This is a record of observed traffic; it is not a noise contour and not a planning control.
Paddington at a glance
How Paddington is zoned
Buying in Paddington? 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 1.64 km², Paddington 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 138 heritage-listed sites on record, and the dominant land-use zone is Low Density Residential. The median lot measures about 130 m² across 5,018 parcels.
Who lives in Paddington
Census 2021 figures published by the ABS for the Paddington 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 1178, and decile 10 within New South Wales. The national average is 1000.
Age profile
Share of Paddington's 12,701 residents in each ABS age band.
Population trend, 2001 to 2025
Estimated resident population of Paddington - Moore Park, the wider ABS statistical area containing Paddington. There is no annual population series published at suburb level, so this describes the surrounding area rather than Paddington itself.
14,368 in 2001 to 15,694 in 2025, up 9%.
Source: ABS Census 2021 and SEIFA 2021 (Suburbs and Localities), Regional Population (SA2), CC BY 4.0. Small counts are randomly adjusted by the ABS.
Paddington data sources and coverage
“Not mapped” means we hold no source layer for this suburb - never an all-clear.
| 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 |
| Aircraft noise contours (ANEF) | Not held | NSW Government spatial services, NSW ePlanning and published council flood studies, Defence |
| Observed flight paths | Observed | adsb.lol, under the Open Database License |
| Demographics | Available | Australian Bureau of Statistics (2021 Census and SEIFA) |
Profile last materially updated 3 October 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 Paddington 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.
Aircraft have been seen below 3,000 ft over about 97% of Paddington. The report's Aircraft Overflight page narrows that to the address itself: how many aircraft a day, how low, and at what heights.
Published flood models are held over parts of Paddington. The free check tells you whether one reaches an address; where it does, a Flood Model Report is +$9 with the planning report.
Building or pricing a slab? The $119 geotechnical desktop report covers geology, soils, bores and an indicative AS 2870 site class for a Paddington lot.
See what's in the $9 report →Paddington planning - frequently asked
Is Paddington flood-prone?
We don't yet hold flood mapping covering Paddington, 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. Woollahra is the authority to check for flood mapping in this area. Published flood models are held over parts of Paddington; the free check on the Flood Model Report page says whether one reaches a given address.
Is Paddington bushfire-prone?
Bushfire mapping covers Paddington and little to none of it is mapped as bushfire-prone.
Is Paddington under a flight path?
Aircraft were observed below 3,000 ft over about 97% of Paddington, and over about 100% at any altitude up to 10,000 ft, in the period sampled (4 Sep 2026 to 2 Oct 2026). The lowest measured aircraft was at 500 ft, with an average of 2,500 ft. At the busiest point in the suburb about 44 aircraft a day were recorded passing over one 500 m square. Traffic is sampled rather than watched continuously and flight paths change with runway use, weather and season; the ANEF contour is the planning instrument.
What is the zoning in Paddington?
The dominant planning zone in Paddington is Low Density Residential, though the suburb also includes General Residential and Special Activities.
Does Paddington have heritage-listed places?
Paddington has 138 heritage-listed places on record.
What is the typical lot size in Paddington?
Across 5,018 surveyed parcels in Paddington, the median lot size is about 130 m². There are also 2 registered easements mapped in the suburb.
Does Paddington have a train station?
There is no train station inside Paddington itself. The suburb is served by 52 bus stops.
What is the population of Paddington?
At the 2021 Census Paddington had 12,701 usual residents, with a median age of 38 and an average household size of 2.1 people. The wider Paddington - Moore Park statistical area, which contains Paddington, went from 14,368 people in 2001 to 15,694 in 2025, up 9%.
Is Paddington an advantaged suburb?
On the ABS SEIFA 2021 index of relative socio-economic advantage and disadvantage (IRSAD), Paddington scores 1178 and sits in decile 10 of 10 nationally and decile 10 within New South Wales (decile 1 is the most disadvantaged tenth, decile 10 the least).
What is the median household income in Paddington?
Median household income in Paddington was $3,131 a week at the 2021 Census, against $3,104 for the typical suburb in Woollahra. Median rent was $650 a week and the median mortgage repayment $4,000 a month.
Compare nearby suburbs
| Nearby suburb | Distance | Flood mapped | Bushfire-prone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Darlinghurst Sydney |
0.9 km | Not mapped | 0% |
| Rushcutters Bay Sydney |
1.0 km | Not mapped | 0% |
| Edgecliff | 1.0 km | Not mapped | 0% |
| Woollahra | 1.3 km | 0% | 0% |
| Elizabeth Bay Sydney |
1.3 km | Not mapped | 0% |
| Moore Park Sydney |
1.4 km | Not mapped | 0% |
| Surry Hills Sydney |
1.4 km | Not mapped | 0% |
| Double Bay | 1.5 km | Not mapped | 0% |
| Darling Point | 1.5 km | Not mapped | 0% |
| Woolloomooloo Sydney |
1.6 km | Not mapped | 0% |