Surry Hills zoning & planning overlays
A planning-constraint profile of Surry Hills (Sydney, NSW) - 1.33 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
1.33 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 Surry Hills'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.
Surry Hills at a glance
How Surry Hills is zoned
Buying in Surry Hills? 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 1.33 km², Surry Hills 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 292 heritage-listed sites on record, and the dominant land-use zone is Mixed Use. The median lot measures about 115 m² across 3,428 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 Surry Hills
Census 2021 figures published by the ABS for the Surry Hills 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 1138, and decile 10 within New South Wales. The national average is 1000.
Age profile
Share of Surry Hills's 15,828 residents in each ABS age band.
Population trend, 2001 to 2025
Estimated resident population of Surry Hills, the wider ABS statistical area containing Surry Hills. There is no annual population series published at suburb level, so this describes the surrounding area rather than Surry Hills itself.
13,909 in 2001 to 17,184 in 2025, up 24%.
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.
Surry Hills 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 Surry Hills 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 →Surry Hills planning - frequently asked
Is Surry Hills flood-prone?
We don't yet hold flood mapping covering Surry Hills, 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. Sydney 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 Surry Hills bushfire-prone?
Bushfire mapping covers Surry Hills 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 Surry Hills?
The dominant planning zone in Surry Hills is Mixed Use, though the suburb also includes General Residential and Public Recreation. Zoning sets what you can build and do on a site, and can differ lot by lot.
Does Surry Hills have heritage-listed places?
Surry Hills has 292 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 Surry Hills?
Across 3,428 surveyed parcels in Surry Hills, the median lot size is about 115 m². There are also 3 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 Surry Hills have a train station?
Yes - Surry Hills has 2 train stations: Central Chalmers Street Light Rail, Surry Hills Light Rail. It is also served by 55 bus stops.
What is the population of Surry Hills?
At the 2021 Census Surry Hills had 15,828 usual residents, with a median age of 35 and an average household size of 1.8 people. The wider Surry Hills statistical area, which contains Surry Hills, went from 13,909 people in 2001 to 17,184 in 2025, up 24%. ABS publishes no annual population series for individual suburbs, so that trend describes the surrounding area rather than Surry Hills alone.
Is Surry Hills an advantaged suburb?
On the ABS SEIFA 2021 index of relative socio-economic advantage and disadvantage (IRSAD), Surry Hills scores 1138 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 Surry Hills?
Median household income in Surry Hills was $2,308 a week at the 2021 Census, against $2,276 for the typical suburb in Sydney. Median rent was $550 a week and the median mortgage repayment $2,839 a month. These are 2021 Census figures and have not been indexed to today.
Do I need a planning report for a Surry Hills property?
A Surry Hills 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Haymarket | 0.8 km | Not mapped | 0% |
| Darlinghurst | 0.8 km | Not mapped | 0% |
| Redfern | 1.1 km | Not mapped | 0% |
| Chippendale | 1.2 km | Not mapped | 0% |
| Paddington Woollahra |
1.4 km | Not mapped | 0% |
| Moore Park | 1.5 km | Not mapped | 0% |
| Ultimo | 1.5 km | Not mapped | 0% |
| Woolloomooloo | 1.7 km | Not mapped | 0% |
| Waterloo | 1.8 km | Not mapped | 0% |
| Rushcutters Bay | 1.8 km | Not mapped | 0% |