Calga - Kulnura

Calga - Kulnura is positioned among the lower quartile of areas assessed nationally for population growth based on AreaSearch's assessment of recent, and medium term trends

Calga-Kulnura's population is 4,957 as of November 2025, according to AreaSearch's analysis. This represents an increase of 241 people from the 2021 Census figure of 4,716, a growth rate of 5.1%. The change was inferred from the estimated resident population of 4,895 in June 2024 and an additional 51 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 6.5 persons per square kilometer. Calga-Kulnura's growth rate exceeded that of its SA3 area (2.3%) and SA4 region, making it a growth leader. Overseas migration contributed approximately 65.9% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data, NSW State Government's SA2 level projections from 2022 with a base year of 2021 are used. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. By 2041, the population is projected to increase by 423 persons based on latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting a gain of 3.2% over the 17-year period.

The level of residential development activity in Calga - Kulnura is very low in comparison to the average area assessed nationally by AreaSearch

Calga-Kulnura has received approximately 9 dwelling approvals annually over the past 5 financial years, totalling 46 homes. As of FY26, 2 approvals have been recorded. Despite a decline in population during this period, development activity has been adequate relative to the population change, indicating positive conditions for buyers. The average construction cost value of new properties is $211,000, which is below regional norms and offers more affordable housing options for purchasers.

In FY26, commercial approvals totalling $28.9 million have been registered, demonstrating high levels of local commercial activity. Compared to Greater Sydney, Calga-Kulnura shows roughly half the construction activity per person, placing it among the 17th percentile nationally in terms of buyer options while strengthening demand for established properties. This lower level of development activity reflects market maturity and possible development constraints. All new construction in the area consists of standalone homes, preserving its low-density nature and attracting space-seeking buyers.

The estimated population density per dwelling approval is 937 people, indicating a quiet, low-activity development environment. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Calga-Kulnura is projected to gain 160 residents by 2041. With current construction levels, housing supply should adequately meet demand, creating favourable conditions for buyers and potentially enabling population growth that exceeds current forecasts.

Calga - Kulnura has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 41stth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 69 projects likely affecting the region. Notable initiatives include Narara Ecovillage Expansion, West Gosford Village shopping centre refurbishment, Narara Valley Estate development, and Narara Community Centre and Library Redevelopment. The following list details projects most relevant to the area.

Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.

Denotes AI-based impression for illustrative purposes only, not to be taken as definitive under any circumstances. Please follow links and conduct other investigations from the project's source for actual imagery. Developers and project owners wishing us to use original imagery please Contact Us and we will do so.

AreaSearch analysis places Calga - Kulnura well above average for employment performance across multiple indicators

Calga-Kulnura has a skilled workforce with diverse sector representation. Its unemployment rate was 2.4% in June 2025, below Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 2.1%. As of June 2025, 2,634 residents were employed. The key industries are agriculture, forestry & fishing, health care & social assistance, and construction. Agriculture, forestry & fishing is particularly strong, with an employment share 32.0 times the regional level.

Finance & insurance, however, is under-represented at 1.6% compared to Greater Sydney's 7.3%. The area functions as an employment hub with 1.3 workers per resident. Employment levels increased by 2.1% and labour force by 2.6% during the year to June 2025, raising unemployment rate by 0.5 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Sydney had employment growth of 2.6% and labour force growth of 2.9%, with a 0.3 percentage point rise in unemployment rate. State-level data to Nov-25 shows NSW employment contracted by 0.03%, losing 2,260 jobs, with an unemployment rate of 3.9%. National unemployment rate was 4.3% during this period. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Calga-Kulnura's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 5.9% over five years and 12.5% over ten years, based on simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

Income levels align closely with national averages, indicating typical economic conditions for Australian communities according to AreaSearch analysis

AreaSearch's aggregation of latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 shows median income among taxpayers in Calga - Kulnura SA2 was $50,283. Average income stood at $66,584, slightly above national average and compared to $56,994 and $80,856 across Greater Sydney respectively. Applying Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% since financial year 2022, estimated incomes as of September 2025 would be approximately $56,624 (median) and $74,980 (average). According to 2021 Census figures, household, family and personal incomes rank modestly in Calga - Kulnura, between 44th and 51st percentiles. Income distribution data shows 29.3% of population falls within $1,500 - 2,999 range, mirroring regional levels at 30.9%. After housing, 85.9% of income remains for other expenses. Area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 6th decile.

Calga - Kulnura is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

As per the latest Census evaluation in Calga-Kulnura, 96.7% of dwellings were houses, with the remaining 3.2% comprising semi-detached homes, apartments and other types. This differs from Sydney metropolitan areas where 74.2% are houses and 25.9% are other dwellings. Home ownership in Calga-Kulnura stood at 43.2%, with mortgaged properties at 34.5% and rented dwellings at 22.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,167, higher than Sydney's average of $2,150. Median weekly rent in Calga-Kulnura was $350, lower than the national average of $400 but higher than Sydney's figure of $375. Nationally, mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $1,863 compared to Calga-Kulnura's figure.

Calga - Kulnura has a typical household mix, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households comprise 71.8% of all households, with couples having children accounting for 31.2%, those without children at 30.4%, and single parent families at 9.3%. Non-family households make up the remaining 28.2%, consisting of lone person households at 24.8% and group households at 3.2%. The median household size is 2.6 people, which is larger than the Greater Sydney average of 2.5.

Educational outcomes in Calga - Kulnura fall within the lower quartile nationally, indicating opportunities for improvement in qualification attainment

The area's university qualification rate is 23.0%, significantly lower than Greater Sydney's average of 38.0%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 16.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (5.0%) and graduate diplomas (1.7%). Vocational credentials are prominent, with 41.3% of residents aged 15+ holding them - advanced diplomas (11.8%) and certificates (29.5%). Educational participation is high, with 27.9% of residents currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes 9.2% in primary education, 8.0% in secondary education, and 4.6% pursuing tertiary education.

Transport servicing is moderate compared to other areas nationally based on assessment of service frequency, route connectivity and accessibility

Calga-Kulnura has 111 operational public transport stops. These include ferries, trains, and buses. There are 26 different routes serving these stops, offering a total of 881 weekly passenger trips.

Residents' access to transport is limited; they live an average of 980 meters from the nearest stop. On average, there are 125 daily trips across all routes, which amounts to about seven weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Calga - Kulnura is lower than average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts

Calga-Kulnura faces significant health challenges with common health conditions prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts. The rate of private health cover is approximately 52% of the total population (~2,597 people), compared to 54.7% across Greater Sydney.

The most common medical conditions in the area are arthritis and mental health issues, impacting 9.7% and 8.4% of residents respectively. 66.7% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 64.8% across Greater Sydney. As of 2016, 23.9% of residents are aged 65 and over (1,185 people). Health outcomes among seniors in the area are above average, performing better than the general population in health metrics.

Calga - Kulnura ranks below the Australian average when compared to other local markets across a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Calga-Kulnura, surveyed in June 2016, had low cultural diversity: 86.9% were Australian citizens, 82.3% born there, and 90.2% spoke English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion (55.0%). Judaism was slightly overrepresented at 0.3%, compared to Greater Sydney's 0.2%.

Top ancestral groups were English (29.3%), Australian (27.6%), and Scottish (8.2%). Maltese, Lebanese, and Italian populations were notably higher than regional averages: Maltese at 2.7% vs 0.7%, Lebanese at 0.7% vs 0.3%, and Italian at 4.3% vs 2.1%.

Calga - Kulnura hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

Calga-Kulnura's median age is 48 years, which is significantly higher than Greater Sydney's average of 37 years and Australia's national average of 38 years. The age profile shows that those aged 55-64 are particularly prominent, making up 17.6% of the population, compared to 9.0% for the 25-34 age group. This concentration of 55-64 year-olds is well above the national average of 11.2%. Between 2021 and present, the 75-84 age group has grown from 6.6% to 7.8%, while the 65-74 cohort increased from 12.7% to 13.8%. Conversely, the 45-54 age group has declined from 16.0% to 12.9%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes in Calga-Kulnura. The 75-84 age cohort is projected to grow by 58%, adding 225 residents to reach 614. Residents aged 65 and above will drive 90% of population growth, emphasizing demographic aging trends. Meanwhile, population declines are projected for the 25-34 and 55-64 age cohorts.