Paddington Suburb Review

Summary: Trendy, stylish & bustling – and one of the more versatile of all Sydney’s inner-central suburbs – Paddington strikes a balance between location, greenery, food and shopping, and action vs. quiet, depending on where in the suburb you live.

It’s a historic slice of Sydney with a lot going on, as well as a solid mix of mid-and-higher density housing types able to cater for a fairly wide range of income levels and demographics (for those willing to rent, anyway), some great spots for a drink, and its myriad of heritage buildings & boutiques give it an extra dose of character that other suburbs lack.

Expensive prices this close to the city are always a major factor however, and Paddington in particular costs a pretty penny for all but the smallest of living spaces, while noise can also be a black mark for those who don’t live in its leafier back streets.

Key stats

Paddington ranks as one of the more “brand-name” of Sydney’s suburbs for both living and visiting alike, which isn’t much of a surprise given how an active and buzzing slice of inner Sydney it is that still manages to retain some charming historic aspects as well.

The suburb sort of subtly flows on from Darlinghurst “down the road” (although Oxford Street is one truly massive road), yet the character and atmosphere it offers is substantially different despite the relatively short physical distance between them – as the gritty clubs and stores gradually evolve into higher-end boutique storefronts and more expensive cafes on the Paddington side.

There’s plenty of “old money” in and around Paddington, and it shows. Many of its buildings are impressive to behold and date back to the 1800s – a number of these are on the National Heritage Register. This is reflected in many of its multi-storey terraces as well; Paddo’s streets are home to many such buildings as this, nearly all of which ooze wealth.

A prime example is its Palace Verona Cinema; housed in an old-style building adorned with its signature clocktower, it makes for a highly atmospheric moviegoing experience and is reflective of the differences in streetscape Paddington offers over many other suburbs as a whole.

Paddington is abundant with restaurants and cafes along Oxford Street and which bleed out into some of its back streets and hubs such as around Glenmore Road as well, and is also home to a range of cool pubs and hotels both large and small. Several of its hotels are quite historic as well and make for a great hangout spot in summer, or a cosy place to enjoy a drink on a cold night.

As a result, Paddington’s probably one of the best suburbs in all of inner Sydney for younger professionals who looking for somewhere to rent & who want to be able to enjoy some great hangout spots, while still having an easy commute to the CBD for work purposes – assuming you’re willing to live in somewhere compact like a 1-bedder or studio apartment, or in a sharehouse, of course.

The Price of Paddington

Walk back into its side streets and you’ll find an entirely different atmosphere. They’re incredibly leafy and green (albeit quite narrow), and quite quiet given their proximity to a main arterial road, while the housing along most of them is charming to boot.

As mentioned, Paddington is home to an abundance of terrace homes both large and small, with relatively little truly detached housing as one would expect of its city-adjacent location & past working class history.

Many of these are some truly towering Victorian-style triple-story works which are impressive to behold and sell for multiple millions of dollars; yet one more road across on the opposite side of Gordon Street and you’ve got some more “affordable” options for higher-density apartment living as well. We say “affordable”, as in “affordable by inner-Sydney standards”, not overall.

While its renovated terraces are a reach to obtain for anything under the $3 million mark these days, Paddington’s 1-bedroom apartment market is relatively robust and a $600 per week rental rate is sometimes doable, which can be a boon in terms of time-savings given its proximity to the Sydney CBD for those who don’t mind compact living arrangements.

Prime for Pets

Despite its fairly highish-density accommodation leanings, Paddington as a suburb is actually highly pet-friendly, with the majority of its streets’ footpaths grassed and the abundance of greenery in general being a plus for those with animals. Its flagship standout in this regard however is the enormous Centennial Park; located on Paddington’s south-eastern corner, this massive grounds is a pet’s paradise and is large enough to almost be considered a suburb in itself.

It’s perpetually full of dogs and dog-owners, and offers ample green space and a historic bent with plenty of old statues, pieces of heritage military equipment, and countless walking and bike tracks and even sports fields all contained within.

Families also benefit not only from this ample greenspace as a spot for kids to burn off energy, but by Paddington’s healthy array of schools; there’s an array of both public and private options within Paddington (as well as its immediate neighbouring suburbs) that are all generally well-regarded.

Things to Do

There are a couple of other interesting quirks to be discovered that add extra flavour too. Paddington’s Reservoir situated randomly down a flight of stairs on the main street is a surprising bit of architectural design that somehow feels like both a modern art piece and a Roman aqueduct.

Its Paddington Markets, meanwhile, offer a niche little place to browse some quality handcrafted foods and goods within the Paddington Public School grounds on Saturdays.

“There’s plenty of “old money” in and around Paddington, and it shows.”

Location-wise Paddington also excels, as its physical location strikes a good balance of both access to the Sydney CBD in one direction, and the beachside suburbs of the east in the other. Add in Allianz Stadium for sporting events and the proximity of Kings Cross, and there’s quite a bit of variety nearby.

A Flawed Gem

The suburb’s not wholly without its flaws, however. Price is obviously a concern for anyone who wants a home with some living space, and its main street area is not what anyone would call “quiet”. Safety-wise Paddington is generally ok, although its direct proximity to Darlinghurst and range of alcohol-dispensing spots means there are often a fair few unsavoury characters about as well.

Perhaps its most glaring weakness is a lack of a train station. While it’s possible to walk the ~20 minutes or so from Edgecliff, that’s a fair hike in and of itself, and you’re looking at around a half-hour walk to Town Hall if going the whole way on foot. Paddington’s serviced by a high volume of buses for CBD access, but they’re subject to the same traffic congestion as regular cars on the Oxford Street thoroughfare.

Parking is likewise an eternal issue here as its high number of terraces with no garage means that street parking is very scarce, with residents and visitors alike competing for spots. If you can survive without a car here, then great – but you’ll be subject to the associated inconsistency of bus transport and all the randomness that entails, and if you do have a car, both parking & navigating the city’s traffic can be a pain.

It’s also generally lacking in any kind of larger-scale retail or department stores, as well as bigger supermarkets for buying more reasonably-priced groceries in bulk. For bigger-box style shopping, you pretty much have to head down to Westfield at Bondi Junction, or simply make do with the city’s more metro-like shopping offerings.

The Verdict

So who should live in Paddington? It’s a fair bit more flexible than a lot of other high-end suburbs in what it offers due to its decent array of apartments and semi-detached homes, however even then its prices mean that it’s mostly suited to moneyed professionals and professional couples looking for a balance of CBD access for work, while feeling a little cleaner and more upmarket than some of the alternative central and inner-west suburbs.

Cashed-up buyers who can afford a terrace and aren’t a pedant for waterfront views can likewise find plenty to like about Paddington as it’s quite different to terrace-heavy suburbs that require similar budgets on elsewhere in Sydney. Centennial Park is such a great drawcard for some downtime on the weekends, and there are quality schools nearby as well for families with a bit more money to throw around.

In all it’s an excellent all-rounder for high-end living with a dose of activity thrown in, and an underrated suburb for visiting on weekends for those who live elsewhere in Sydney.

Whether it’s for a night out and a quality drink, a look at its cool architecture, or a base to commute to the city, “Paddo” can check a wider array of boxes than most other suburbs. This also includes for living – as long as you’ve got the coin to pay for it, because it’s pricier than ever in the present day for those looking to actually buy a place, and those on average incomes will likely have no chance outside of an apartment.