Caringbah
Statistical Area - sa2

Population growth drivers in Caringbah are strong compared to national averages based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, Caringbah's population is around 13,995 as of August 2025. This reflects an increase of 1,137 people, an 8.8% rise since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 12,858 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 13,761 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 159 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 3,498 persons per square kilometer, placing Caringbah in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Caringbah's growth since the 2021 census exceeded the SA4 region (4.0%) and the SA3 area, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 52.5% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilises NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Looking ahead, an above median population growth is projected, with Caringbah expected to increase by 2,382 persons to 2041 based on the latest population numbers, marking a 15.3% rise over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Caringbah among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

Caringbah has seen approximately 152 new homes approved annually. Development approval data is produced by the ABS on a financial year basis, totalling 763 approvals across the past five financial years from FY-21 to FY-25, with 23 approvals so far in FY-26. On average, 1.4 new residents arrive per new home each year over these five years, indicating a balanced supply and demand dynamic. The average expected construction cost of new dwellings is $486,000, aligning with regional trends.

This financial year has seen $41.0 million in commercial approvals, suggesting robust commercial development momentum. Compared to Greater Sydney, Caringbah exhibits 71.0% higher new home approvals per capita, offering greater choice for buyers and reflecting strong developer confidence in the area. New building activity comprises 7.0% detached houses and 93.0% townhouses or apartments, signaling a shift towards denser development to cater to evolving lifestyle preferences and housing affordability needs, differing from the current 28.0% house dominance. With around 185 people per dwelling approval, Caringbah is considered a growth area. Population forecasts project an increase of 2,148 residents by 2041, suggesting that current construction levels should meet demand adequately and potentially enable growth beyond current projections.

Population forecasts indicate Caringbah will gain 2,148 residents through to 2041. With current construction levels, housing supply should adequately meet demand, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts.

Caringbah has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 10% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 21 projects likely to impact the area. Key projects include Caringbah Pavilion, Sutherland to Cronulla Active Transport Link (SCATL), and Caringbah Greens. The following list details those expected to be most relevant.

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

The labour market in Caringbah demonstrates typical performance when compared to similar areas across Australia

Caringbah has a well-educated workforce with professional services showing strong representation. The unemployment rate is 4.2%, with an estimated employment growth of 2.6% over the past year as of June 2025.

There are 7,837 residents in work, with an unemployment rate in line with Greater Sydney's at 4.2%. Workforce participation is higher than standard at 65.9%, compared to Greater Sydney's 60.0%. Leading employment industries among residents include health care & social assistance, construction, and education & training. Construction shows particularly strong specialization, with an employment share of 1.5 times the regional level.

However, professional & technical services show lower representation at 8.1% compared to the regional average of 11.5%. The ratio of 1.0 workers for each resident indicates substantial local employment opportunities. Over the 12 months to June 2025, employment increased by 2.6%, while labour force increased by 3.3%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 0.6 percentage points. Greater Sydney recorded employment growth of 2.6%, with unemployment rising 0.3 percentage points during this period. State-level data from Sep-25 shows NSW employment contracted by 0.41% (losing 19,270 jobs), with the state unemployment rate at 4.3%. This compares favourably to the national unemployment rate of 4.5%, lagging behind national employment growth of 0.26%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 suggest that while national employment is forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, local growth in Caringbah may be approximately 6.7% over five years and 13.6% over ten years based on a simple weighting extrapolation of industry-specific projections.

Income metrics indicate excellent economic conditions, with the area achieving higher performance than 75% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch

AreaSearch's data for financial year 2022 shows Caringbah's median income at $63,104 and average income at $93,718. This is higher than Greater Sydney's median of $56,994 and average of $80,856. By March 2025, estimates suggest the median income could reach $69,793 and average income $103,652, based on a 10.6% Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2022. The 2021 Census reveals that individual earnings at the 80th percentile nationally are $1,020 weekly. In Caringbah, 31.2% of residents (4,366 people) fall into the $1,500 - $2,999 income bracket. Housing costs consume 20.3% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 53rd percentile. Caringbah's SEIFA income ranking is in the 7th decile.

Caringbah features a more urban dwelling mix with significant apartment living, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Caringbah's dwellings, as per the latest Census, consisted of 28.3% houses and 71.6% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Sydney metro had 52.4% houses and 47.6% other dwellings. Home ownership in Caringbah stood at 26.8%, with mortgaged dwellings at 34.7% and rented ones at 38.5%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,544, below the Sydney metro average of $2,774. The median weekly rent was $470, compared to Sydney metro's $500. Nationally, Caringbah's mortgage repayments were higher at $1,863 and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Caringbah features high concentrations of lone person households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 63.6% of all households, including 27.9% couples with children, 23.0% couples without children, and 11.7% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 36.4%, with lone person households at 33.0% and group households comprising 3.4%. The median household size is 2.3 people, which is smaller than the Greater Sydney average of 2.5.

Caringbah shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

Educational qualifications in Caringbah trail regional benchmarks, with 28.5% of residents aged 15+ holding university degrees compared to 38.0% in Greater Sydney. This gap highlights potential for educational development and skills enhancement. Bachelor degrees lead at 20.1%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (5.9%) and graduate diplomas (2.5%). Trade and technical skills feature prominently, with 38.3% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas (12.7%) and certificates (25.6%).

Educational participation is notably high, with 28.1% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.4% in primary education, 6.4% in secondary education, and 4.9% pursuing tertiary education. A robust network of 7 schools operates within Caringbah, educating approximately 3,951 students while Caringbah demonstrates above-average socio-educational conditions (ICSEA: 1095). The educational mix includes 3 primary, 3 secondary, and 1 K-12 school. The area functions as an education hub with 28.2 school places per 100 residents – significantly above the regional average of 13.9 – attracting students from surrounding communities. Note: where schools show 'n/a' for enrolments please refer to parent campus.

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

The analysis shows 84 active transport stops in Caringbah, offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by 36 unique routes, collectively facilitating 3798 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents typically located 126 meters from the nearest stop.

Service frequency averages 542 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 45 weekly trips per individual stop.

The level of general health in Caringbah is notably higher than the national average with a fairly standard level of common health conditions seen across both young and old age cohorts

Caringbah shows higher-than-average health outcomes. It has a typical range of common health conditions across both younger and older age groups. Approximately 68% (9,544 people) have private health cover, compared to Greater Sydney's 65.7%.

Nationally, this figure is 55.3%. Mental health issues and arthritis are the most prevalent conditions, affecting 7.5% and 7.3% of residents respectively. 72.4% report no medical ailments, similar to Greater Sydney's 72.3%. The area has a lower proportion of seniors (16.2%, or 2,264 people) compared to Greater Sydney (21.1%). Senior health outcomes are above average, mirroring the general population's health profile.

The level of cultural diversity witnessed in Caringbah was found to be above average when compared nationally for a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Caringbah had a cultural diversity index above average, with 22.4% of its residents born overseas and 15.8% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Caringbah, accounting for 57.5% of the population, compared to 61.2% across Greater Sydney. The top three ancestry groups were English (26.9%), Australian (25.4%), and Irish (8.9%).

Some ethnic groups showed notable differences: Russian was higher at 0.9% in Caringbah versus 0.6% regionally, Serbian was 0.5% compared to 0.3%, and Maltese was also 0.9%.

Caringbah's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

Caringbah's median age is precisely 37 years, matching Greater Sydney's figure of 37 and remaining comparable to Australia's median age of 38 years. The 25-34 age group comprises 17.2% of Caringbah's population, higher than Greater Sydney's percentage. Conversely, the 15-24 age group makes up 9.9%, which is less prevalent compared to Greater Sydney. Between 2021 and now, the 25-34 age group has increased from 16.4% to 17.2%. However, during this period, the 65-74 age group has decreased from 8.5% to 7.9%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Caringbah's age structure. Notably, the 55-64 age group is expected to grow by 36%, adding 550 people and reaching a total of 2,094 from its current figure of 1,543. Meanwhile, both the 25-34 and 35-44 age groups are projected to decrease in number.