Young Professionals

Summary: A suburb of extreme contrasts, a single street in Rhodes is all that separates one of Sydney’s highest-density concentrations of modern apartment living with light industry and spacious, older freestanding properties right on the waterfront. It’s a spot that continues to see rapid construction which has brought with it an array of restaurants and other amenities, and it’s got nice waterfront parkland areas plus good city connectivity. It’s a bit pricey and noisy, however, and all these modern constructions have made traffic a non-starter. Read Review

Summary: Sydney’s north shore base for a lot of tech and other big-business, Macquarie Park mixes modern urban planning with a reasonably central location. It’s the focal point for many daily commuters – both workers and students alike – and has seen near-constant redevelopment over the past few years. Everything here feels very modern and well-kept, and its recent shopping and public transport additions are a plus, yet its traffic issues and lack of character make it feel a little sterile. It can be good value for apartment-dwellers, however. Read Review

Summary: One of Sydney’s true “dining capitals”, Leichhardt is a hub of activity that’s home to some of the city’s best restaurants and cafes. Its longstanding Italian heritage remains obvious, and it boasts one of the most interesting mixes of architecture of any suburb. Despite a lack of a heavy rail station, it’s still very well-serviced by public transport and has a great mix of amenities to offer families as well. Its main downsides are traffic, price, and noise – both at ground level and from the air – that make it an amazing place to visit, but a mixed bag for living. Read Review

Summary: Boasting a solid mix of reasonably centralised location, variety of dining opportunities, and convenience versus greenery, Kogarah is an underrated “sleeper” suburb that’s closer to Sydney city than you’d think. It’s a hotspot for educational facilities while still providing a good selection of housing types that offers the chance at a reasonably affordable place to live without having to endure a massive commute. It’s got some traffic issues and isn’t exactly “beautiful”, but it’s a good all-rounder without many other weaknesses. Read Review

Summary: An incredibly well-equipped suburb in terms of amenities, shopping and services, Ryde on the North Shore is a true “hub” that’s central to almost everything – except the Sydney CBD. While as-the-crow-flies the city isn’t too far away, some traffic issues and the lack of a dedicated train station hurt the suburb somewhat; however its extensive variety in both homes and services as well as proximity to popular non-CBD work hotspots make Ryde far more self-sufficient (and enticing) than many other busy suburbs in Sydney. Read Review

Summary: Mostly known for being home to Sydney Airport, Mascot has become a hotspot for mass, high-density residential development that has markedly changed its face, both for better and for worse. It has such a wide variance in its positive and negative factors – good location, bad traffic, great amenities, plenty of noise, et al – that its appeal as a place to live will likely depend on individual tastes perhaps more than any other suburb in inner Sydney at this point. These wild contrasts between highs and lows make it nothing if not interesting; it’s a living case-study in rapid Sydney urban planning and development. Read Review

Summary: Heavy with new constructions and faced with ongoing traffic issues, Alexandria has some challenges to face. It’s a shame, as it boasts an ultra-convenient location for those looking to access the Sydney CBD, has a well-connected rail station nearby, and is a hub for a lot of startup and creative industry types that’s quite cool. Add in a duo of large, great parks and varied food and dining options and there’s plenty to like – if you can deal with its core, base-level cons. Read Review

Summary: Situated in a convenient location within easy distance relative to the Sydney CBD, Zetland is a rapidly-developed “pop-up suburb” packed with modern, high-density apartments and with a very modern-day design layout. It mixes together nice public spaces with clean roads and shopping facilities to feel fresh overall.

Almost everything in the suburb is shiny and new, however how long this will last – and the quality of its constructions – remains to be seen. It also faces some major traffic issues, and is quite sterile as a whole while also lacking in character or nightlife.
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Summary: Edgecliff is an inner eastern suburb of Sydney that feels a little like a “bridging” suburb without much individual identity, yet a great centralised location. Sandwiched between the high-end Rushcutter’s Bay and Double Bay and the grit of Kings Cross, it has some positive and negative elements of both. It’s got all the amenities one could need for daily life and good connectivity to the CBD, and those who can deal with a bit of traffic noise can snag themselves a very practical spot within easy reach of multiple attractions, shopping options and career opportunities nearby. Read Review

Summary: An excellent all-rounder of a suburb with close to no major faults, Artarmon addresses so many of the needs one could want in a place to live – to the point that we crowned it #1 on our list of “Sydney’s 10 Most Underrated Suburbs”.

Oriented around a frequently-serviced train station on a main line, with a plethora of both budget and expensive accommodation options, and both bigger-box warehouse type shopping and smaller boutique sections of stores and cafes, it can thus fit the needs of many kinds of residents looking for a home on Sydney’s North Shore. Price of property is its only major limiting factor. Read Review