Russell Lea, NSW: suburb profile

The population of Russell Lea NSW is 4,920 according to the 2021 Census. The median personal income in Russell Lea is $1,133 per week ($58,916 per year). Median rent in Russell Lea is $520 per week ($2,253 per month). Russell Lea has a median age of 43 years, older than the national median of 38. Russell Lea has a population density of 4,898 people per km².

The most common overseas birthplace in Russell Lea is Italy. The most common religion is Catholic (42.2% of residents). After English, the most spoken language is Italian. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Russell Lea is $3,290.

There were 11 recorded offences in Russell Lea in 2025-26, a rate of 2 offences per 1,000 people. The most common offence category was theft (5 offences).

Population
4,920
Census 2021
Median income
$1,133/wk
Personal, Census 2021
Median rent
$520/wk
Weekly, Census 2021
Median age
43years
Census 2021

Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing 2021; offences from NSW BOCSAR (bocsar.nsw.gov.au), 2025-26.

Russell Lea vs the typical NSW suburb

The median personal income in Russell Lea is $1,133 a week, 48% above the typical NSW suburb ($765). That ranks 191st of 2,150 NSW suburbs with 200 or more residents. Median rent is $520 a week, $135 more than the typical NSW suburb. Rent takes 19.6% of the median household income here, against 22.6% in the typical NSW suburb. The median resident is 43, the same age as in the typical NSW suburb.

The typical suburb is the median across suburbs with 200 or more residents. ABS Census 2021, calculated by GDP.com.au.
MeasureRussell LeaTypical NSWDifferenceTypical Australia
Personal income$1,133/wk$765/wk +48%$766/wk
Household income$2,658/wk$1,704/wk +56%$1,637/wk
Rent$520/wk$385/wk +35%$330/wk
Mortgage repayment$3,290/mo$1,965/mo +67%$1,733/mo
Median age4343 0 yrs42
Rent share of household income19.6%22.6% −3.0 pts20.3%
Income, rent and mortgage against the typical suburb Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS, calculated by GDP.com.au
Bar chart of median income, rent and mortgage repayment in Russell Lea, the typical NSW suburb and the typical Australian suburb.

Russell Lea Population

4,920 residents at the 2021 Census.

Russell Lea Median Income & Rent

Median Income
$1,133/wk
$58,916 per year
Ranked 599 of 14,663
Median Rent
$520/wk
$2,253 per month
Ranked 502 of 14,663
Median Age
43years
5 years older than the national median
Mortgage
$3,290/mo
Avg household size: 2.6 · 0.9 per bedroom

Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing.

Russell Lea Rent Prices & Affordability

20% of median household income goes on median rent

Marks at 25% and 35%. Band: affordable.

Household income $2,658/wk
Median rent $520/wk
Rent to income 19.6%

Rent is under 25% of household income, generally considered affordable.

Median rent in Russell Lea against your income

About $11,518 a month
Median rent $520/wk
Left after rent $2,138/wk
Rent share 19.6%

Russell Lea Schools

41
schools nearby
21
government
1122
avg ICSEA score
18,982
total students
St Columba's Catholic Primary School Catholic
Primary · K-6 · 180 students
1167
ICSEA
St Brendan's Catholic Primary School Catholic
Primary · K-6 · 155 students
1166
ICSEA
Villa Maria Catholic Primary School Catholic
Primary · K-6 · 360 students
1166
ICSEA
Rozelle Public School Government
Primary · P-6 · 507 students
1162
ICSEA
Presbyterian Ladies' College Sydney Independent
Combined · K-12 · 1,495 students
1160
ICSEA
St Mark's Catholic Primary School Catholic
Primary · K-6 · 310 students
1156
ICSEA
St Fiacre's Catholic Primary School Catholic
Primary · K-6 · 91 students
1151
ICSEA
Dobroyd Point Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 116 students
1149
ICSEA
Hunters Hill Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 228 students
1149
ICSEA
Annandale North Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 359 students
1148
ICSEA
Annandale Public School Government
Primary · P-6 · 363 students
1145
ICSEA
Russell Lea Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 428 students
1140
ICSEA
Drummoyne Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 427 students
1137
ICSEA
Orange Grove Public School Government
Primary · P-6 · 519 students
1132
ICSEA
St Joseph's College Independent
Secondary · 7-12 · 1,100 students
1130
ICSEA

Showing 15 of 41 schools.

Source: Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA), 2025. ICSEA is the Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage (national average 1000).

All schools near Russell Lea, with a map

Russell Lea Map

Russell Lea, New South Wales Map data: OpenStreetMap
Loading map…

Russell Lea, New South Wales: 33.8584°S, 151.1420°E

Russell Lea Circle size: offences per 1,000 residents Schools (41)

People in Russell Lea

Demographics

Gender Split

Male 48.3% (2,374) Female 51.7% (2,542)

Population Density

4,898
people per km²
4,920 people · 1.0 km²

Households

2.6
Avg household size
0.9
Persons per bedroom
$3,256
Family income/wk

Age Distribution

0-4
5-9
10-14
15-19
20-24
25-29
30-34
35-39
40-44
45-49
50-54
55-59
60-64
65-69
70-74
75-79
80-84
85+
Male Female

Source: ABS Census 2021, Suburb and Locality (SAL)

Most common overseas birthplaces

Italy
6.3%
England
3.3%
China
1.8%
Greece
1.7%
New Zealand
1.5%
Vietnam
0.9%
Ireland
0.8%

Shares are of all residents. Source: ABS Census 2021, G09 Country of Birth by SAL

Most common languages at home other than English

Italian
9.8%
Greek
3.7%
Mandarin
1.9%
Cantonese
1.6%
Vietnamese
1.1%
Spanish
1.1%
Arabic
0.9%

Shares are of all residents. Source: ABS Census 2021, G13 Language Used at Home by SAL

Ancestry

English
24.0%
Italian
23.5%
Australian
23.4%
Irish
11.2%
Chinese
6.7%
Scottish
6.4%
Greek
6.4%
Lebanese
2.4%
German
2.1%
Croatian
1.8%
Vietnamese
1.7%

Shares are of the suburb population. People can report up to two ancestries, so shares add to more than 100%. Source: ABS Census 2021, G08 Ancestry by SAL

Religion

Catholic
42.2%
No religion
28.0%
Anglican
7.5%
Eastern Orthodox
6.9%
Not stated
4.4%
Presbyterian and Reformed
1.9%
Buddhism
1.7%
Christian (other)
1.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G14 Religion by SAL

Indigenous Population

0.5%
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander

Source: ABS Census 2021, G07 Indigenous Status by SAL

Marital Status

Married
52.1% 2,088
Separated
1.8% 74
Divorced
7.1% 283
Widowed
6.0% 242
Never married
33.0% 1,322

Source: ABS Census 2021, G05 Marital Status by SAL

Family Structure

Couple: children under 15
45.5%
Couple: no children
23.6%
Couple: no children under 15
21.2%
One parent: no children under 15
6.2%
One parent: children under 15
3.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G29 Family Composition by SAL

Household Size

1 person
22.7%
2 persons
31.0%
3 persons
16.5%
4 persons
21.1%
5 persons
7.0%
6+ persons
1.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G35 Household Size by SAL

Homes in Russell Lea

Housing Tenure

Of the 1,780 occupied private dwellings in Russell Lea at the 2021 Census, 25.6% were rented, 37.5% owned outright and 35.1% owned with a mortgage.

Other tenure type
0.9% 16 dwellings
Owned outright
37.5% 667 dwellings
Owned with mortgage
35.1% 624 dwellings
Rented
25.6% 456 dwellings
Tenure type not stated
0.8% 14 dwellings

Source: ABS Census 2021, Suburb and Locality (SAL)

Dwelling Types

Separate house
90.1%
Semi-detached (2+ storey)
5.2%
Semi-detached (1 storey)
4.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G36 Dwelling Structure by SAL

Number of Bedrooms

1 bedroom
4.4%
2 bedrooms
25.3%
3 bedrooms
38.2%
4 bedrooms
23.1%
5 bedrooms
7.7%
6+ bedrooms
1.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G41 Number of Bedrooms by SAL

Monthly Mortgage Repayments

$0-$299/mo
9.4%
$300-$449/mo
4.3%
$450-$599/mo
3.1%
$600-$799/mo
2.0%
$800-$999/mo
6.3%
$1,000-$1,399/mo
6.3%
$1,400-$1,799/mo
7.1%
$1,800-$2,399/mo
18.2%
$2,400-$2,999/mo
12.0%
$3,000-$3,999/mo
31.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G38 Mortgage Repayment by SAL

Car Ownership

0 vehicles
9.0%
1 vehicle
34.6%
2 vehicles
38.9%
3 vehicles
11.3%
4+ vehicles
6.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G34 Motor Vehicles per Dwelling by SAL

Work, income and education in Russell Lea

Employment

Employed full-time
42.9% 1,543 people
Employed part-time
19.4% 696 people
Unemployed
2.1% 76 people
Not in labour force
35.6% 1,279 people

Source: ABS Census 2021, G46 Labour Force Status by SAL

Occupation

Professionals
40.4%
Managers
24.9%
Clerical & Administrative
12.1%
Technicians & Trade Workers
9.0%
Sales Workers
5.5%
Community & Personal Service
5.1%
Labourers
2.1%
Machinery Operators & Drivers
1.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G51 Industry of Employment by Occupation

Weekly Household Income

Nil/Negative/wk
2.4%
$1-$149/wk
0.7%
$150-$299/wk
1.2%
$300-$399/wk
2.3%
$400-$499/wk
4.2%
$500-$649/wk
2.6%
$650-$799/wk
4.1%
$800-$999/wk
4.3%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
4.2%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
4.2%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
4.5%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
3.8%
$2,000-$2,499/wk
8.8%
$2,500-$2,999/wk
7.4%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
7.5%
$3,500-$3,999/wk
5.3%
$4,000+/wk
32.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G33 Household Income by SAL

Personal Weekly Income Distribution

$0 or less/wk
9.9%
$1-$149/wk
3.6%
$150-$299/wk
4.2%
$300-$399/wk
3.0%
$400-$499/wk
2.9%
$500-$649/wk
1.9%
$650-$799/wk
6.3%
$800-$999/wk
6.6%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
9.7%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
6.9%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
7.7%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
6.7%
$2,000-$2,999/wk
13.0%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
5.0%
$3,500+/wk
12.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G17 Personal Income by SAL

How People Get to Work

Car (driver)
61.8%
Did not go to work
23.8%
Car (passenger)
3.4%
Bus
3.0%
Walked only
2.4%
Motorbike/Scooter
1.5%
Truck
1.3%
Bicycle
1.0%
Taxi/Rideshare
0.8%
Other
0.5%
Ferry
0.3%
Train
0.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G62 Method of Travel to Work by SAL

Education Level

Year 12 or equivalent
78.6%
Year 10 or equivalent
14.9%
Year 9 or equivalent
3.5%
Year 11 or equivalent
3.0%

Shares are of people whose highest year of school is Year 9 to 12 only. Source: ABS Census 2021, G16 Highest Year of School by SAL

Qualifications

Bachelor Degree
43.6%
Certificate III/IV
18.2%
Advanced Diploma/Diploma
16.0%
Postgraduate Degree
15.6%
Graduate Diploma/Certificate
5.3%
Certificate I/II
1.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G49 Non-School Qualification by SAL

Field of Study

Management & Commerce
32.8%
Society & Culture
15.3%
Engineering
11.2%
Health
9.0%
Education
7.6%
Architecture & Building
7.1%
Creative Arts
6.6%
Natural & Physical Sciences
3.6%
Information Technology
3.3%
Food, Hospitality & Personal Services
3.1%
Agriculture & Environment
0.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G51 Field of Study by SAL

School & University Attendance

Primary: Government
23.5%
Secondary: Catholic
18.2%
Primary: Catholic
16.5%
Secondary: Other Non-Govt
14.0%
Pre-school
10.9%
Secondary: Government
6.8%
Vocational Education
6.7%
Primary: Other Non-Govt
3.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G15 Type of Educational Institution by SAL

More from the 2021 Census

Need for Assistance

Does not have need for assistance
90.2%
Has need for assistance
5.9%
Need for assistance not stated
3.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G18 Core Activity Need for Assistance by SAL

Long-term Health Conditions

Mental health
320
Asthma
154
Arthritis
121
Diabetes
108
Heart disease
104
Cancer
70
Lung condition
52
Kidney disease
32
Dementia
30
Stroke
27

Source: ABS Census 2021, G19 Long-term Health Conditions by SAL

Unpaid Carers

Provided unpaid assistance
14.8% 566
Did not provide
85.2% 3,271

Source: ABS Census 2021, G25 Unpaid Assistance by SAL

Volunteering

Volunteer
13.9% 536
Not a volunteer
86.1% 3,308

Source: ABS Census 2021, G23 Voluntary Work by SAL

Military Service

Current ADF: Regular
0.1% 5
Current ADF: Reserves
0.1% 3
Previously served
1.1% 43
Never served
98.7% 3,804

Source: ABS Census 2021, G22 ADF Service by SAL

Children Ever Born

No children
37.3%
1 child
13.7%
2 children
32.1%
3 children
13.3%
4 children
3.1%
5+ children
0.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G28 Children Ever Born by SAL

When Migrants Arrived

Before 1951
24
1951: 1960
173
1961: 1970
284
1971: 1980
167
1981: 1990
173
1991: 2000
153
2001: 2010
156
2011: 2015
96
2016
19
2017
15
2018
24
2019
10
2020
8
2021
3

Source: ABS Census 2021, G10 Year of Arrival by SAL

Population Mobility

12.0%
moved in the last year
31.9%
moved in the last 5 years
2.8%
unemployment rate (Census)
64.3%
labour force participation

Source: ABS Census 2021, G43 Summary by SAL

Where Residents Moved From

Same address
4,144
Moved from NSW
433
Moved: same area (SA2)
78
Moved from overseas
35
Moved from QLD
4
Moved from VIC
3

Source: ABS Census 2021, G44 Address 1 Year Ago by SAL

Unpaid Domestic Work

Less than 5 hours
23.1%
5: 14 hours
32.5%
15: 29 hours
14.4%
30+ hours
8.7%
Did not do domestic work
21.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G24 Unpaid Domestic Work by SAL

Family Blending

Intact family: no other children
92.4%
Step family: no other children
5.5%
Blended family: no other children
1.7%
Intact family: other children present
0.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G31 Family Blending by SAL

Russell Lea Crime Statistics

11 reported offences in 2025-26, by category.

Theft
5
Other Against Property
3
Assault
2
Other Against Person
1

Total offences by year

2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025

Source: NSW BOCSAR (bocsar.nsw.gov.au).

Cheaper alternatives with similar incomes

Millthorpe
Income: $942/wk Rent: $325/wk $195/wk less rent
Holgate
Income: $976/wk Rent: $335/wk $185/wk less rent
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Income: $907/wk Rent: $340/wk $180/wk less rent
Kurrajong Heights
Income: $1,055/wk Rent: $450/wk $70/wk less rent
Lakelands (NSW)
Income: $939/wk Rent: $450/wk $70/wk less rent
Gundaroo
Income: $1,352/wk Rent: $475/wk $45/wk less rent
Pennant Hills
Income: $952/wk Rent: $500/wk $20/wk less rent
South Coogee
Income: $958/wk Rent: $207/wk $313/wk less rent

Suburbs near Russell Lea

The closest suburb to Russell Lea is Rodd Point, 0.8 km away.

Rodd Point
0.8 km away · income $1,099/wk · rent $750/wk
Wareemba
0.9 km away · income $1,027/wk · rent $600/wk
Chiswick
1.0 km away · income $1,447/wk · rent $600/wk
Drummoyne
1.3 km away · income $1,388/wk · rent $600/wk
Abbotsford (NSW)
1.4 km away · income $1,179/wk · rent $550/wk
Five Dock
1.7 km away · income $1,079/wk · rent $570/wk

Compare Russell Lea

Frequently Asked Questions About Russell Lea

What is the population of Russell Lea NSW?

The population of Russell Lea NSW is 4,920 according to the ABS Census 2021. The suburb has a population density of 4,898 people per km². Russell Lea is ranked #1,596 out of 14,663 suburbs by population.

What is the median income in Russell Lea?

The median personal income in Russell Lea NSW is $1,133 per week, or $58,916 per year. The median household income is $2,658 per week. Family income is $3,256 per week. Russell Lea is ranked #599 by income out of 14,663 Australian suburbs.

How much is rent in Russell Lea?

Median rent in Russell Lea NSW is $520 per week ($2,253 per month). Rent represents 19.6% of household income, which is considered affordable. Russell Lea ranks #502 out of 14,663 suburbs by rent.

What are mortgage repayments in Russell Lea?

The median monthly mortgage repayment in Russell Lea NSW is $3,290. This data comes from the ABS Census 2021 and reflects mortgage repayments for owner-occupied dwellings.

What is the median age in Russell Lea?

The median age in Russell Lea NSW is 43 years. This is older than the national median age of 38 years.

Is Russell Lea a good suburb to live in?

Russell Lea is a suburb in New South Wales with a population of 4,920. The median income is $1,133/wk, which is above the typical NSW suburb ($765/wk). Rent affordability is rated as affordable (19.6% of household income). See the full suburb profile above for detailed statistics.

Explore More

Australian Average Salary Australian House Prices Sydney Cost of Living

Data: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2021. SA2 area: 13462. All dollar figures in AUD.