Outram
Shophouses, temples, and increasingly, freehold condo developments.
Central-South · Chinatown's historic core
- total resident population
- 18,340 (2020 census)
- HDB-resident population
- Not separately published — falls under HDB's combined 'Central Area' figure of 24,990 (as at 31 Mar 2025), not broken out by subzone.
- housing mix
- HDB 7,605 · Condo/apt 420 · Landed 0 (of 8,053 total households, 2020 census)
2020 census, most recent full breakdown
31 Mar 2025, HDB Annual Report — most recent available, but counts HDB residents only, not private property
2020 census
Singapore only publishes a full per-area population breakdown every 10 years at the census. The HDB figure above is the most recent official update available, but it only covers HDB residents — it can't be directly compared to the total population figure.
What it's like to live here
Outram is Chinatown's historic core, dense with shophouses and temples, increasingly threaded through with freehold condo development pushing in from the edges.
Who it suits
Heritage-minded buyers and investors chasing freehold tenure near the CBD. Food lovers — this is genuinely one of the best-fed planning areas on the island.
Popular schools
Primary
- Cantonment Primary School
- Radin Mas Primary School (nearby)
Secondary
- Gan Eng Seng School (nearby)
Must-try food
- Chinatown Complex Food Centre
- Maxwell Food Centre — Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice
Nature spots
- Hong Lim Park
- Pearl's Hill City Park
Interesting fact
Chinatown Complex Food Centre, in the Outram planning area, is Singapore's largest hawker centre by stall count — home to the famous Hawker Chan, the world's first hawker stall to earn a Michelin star.
MG's honest take
"Buyers near Outram are almost always thinking long-term freehold hold — it's not a starter market, it's a legacy one."
Thinking about Outram? Let's talk through whether it actually fits what you need.
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