Carlingford - West
Statistical Area - sa2

Carlingford - West lies within the top quartile of areas nationally for population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Carlingford-West's population was approximately 20,729 as of August 2025. This figure represents an increase of 1,478 individuals, a 7.7% rise from the 2021 Census which reported a population of 19,251. The growth is inferred from ABS's June 2024 estimate of 20,603 residents and 351 validated new addresses since the census date. This results in a population density of 3,443 persons per square kilometer, placing Carlingford-West in the upper quartile nationally according to AreaSearch assessments. The area's growth rate exceeded both state (6.4%) and SA3 averages, indicating it as a regional growth leader. Overseas migration contributed approximately 79.6% of total population gains recently.

AreaSearch employs 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 the years 2032 to 2041. Looking ahead, above median population growth is projected nationally, with Carlingford-West expected to grow by 3,479 persons by 2041, a total increase of 16.2% over 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Carlingford - West among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

Carlingford - West has seen approximately 236 new homes approved annually. Development approval data, produced by the ABS on a financial year basis, shows 1,183 homes approved over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, with seven more approved so far in FY-26. On average, 1.3 people have moved to the area for each dwelling built over these years, indicating a balanced supply and demand market that supports stable conditions. The average construction cost value of new properties is $1,075,000, suggesting developers are targeting the premium market segment with higher-end properties.

This financial year has seen $475,000 in commercial approvals, predominantly focused on residential development. Compared to Greater Sydney, Carlingford - West has slightly more development activity, 18.0% above the regional average per person over the five-year period from FY-21 to FY-25. This indicates strong developer confidence in the location and is substantially higher than national averages. The new building activity shows a skew towards compact living, with 9.0% detached houses and 91.0% medium and high-density housing. This shift offers affordable entry pathways for downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers, representing a notable change from the area's existing housing composition of 58.0% houses. Carlingford - West has around 156 people per dwelling approval, characteristic of a growth area.

Population forecasts indicate it will gain 3,353 residents by 2041. Based on current development patterns, new housing supply should readily meet demand, offering good conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

Carlingford - West has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 20% nationally

Local infrastructure changes significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 20 projects likely influencing the region. Notable projects include Carlingford West Public School and Cumberland High School Upgrade (scheduled for completion in late 2023), Pennant Hills Road and North Rocks Road Upgrade (commenced July 2021, expected finish mid-2023), The Carling by Meriton (construction began March 2020, completion anticipated early 2024), and Wade Street Towers Refurbishment (started January 2022, estimated completion December 2023). Below is a list of projects most likely to be relevant.

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

AreaSearch analysis places Carlingford - West well above average for employment performance across multiple indicators

Carlingford-West has a highly educated workforce with significant representation in the technology sector. Its unemployment rate is 2.5%, lower than Greater Sydney's 4.2%.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 2.5%. As of June 2025, there are 11,505 residents employed with an unemployment rate of 1.7% below Greater Sydney's. Workforce participation is similar to Greater Sydney's at 60.0%.

Leading employment industries include health care & social assistance, professional & technical services, and education & training. Conversely, accommodation & food services show lower representation at 4.4% compared to the regional average of 5.8%. Over the year to June 2025, employment increased by 2.5%, while labour force grew by 3.1%, resulting in an unemployment rate rise of 0.6 percentage points. In comparison, Greater Sydney recorded employment growth of 2.6% with unemployment rising by 0.3 percentage points. By Sep-25, NSW employment contracted by 0.41%, with the state unemployment rate at 4.3%. National employment forecasts from May 2025 project a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Carlingford-West's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 7.2% over five years and 14.5% over ten years.

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

AreaSearch's latest data for financial year 2022 shows median income in Carlingford - West is $48,178 and average income is $65,948. This contrasts with Greater Sydney's median income of $56,994 and average income of $80,856. Based on a 10.6% growth since financial year 2022, estimated incomes as of March 2025 are approximately $53,285 (median) and $72,938 (average). According to the 2021 Census, household income ranks at the 72nd percentile ($2,101 weekly), while personal income is at the 50th percentile. Income analysis reveals that 34.9% of individuals earn between $1,500 - 2,999 weekly (7,234 individuals). Notably, 30.2% earn above $3,000 weekly. High housing costs consume 17.6% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 69th percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

Carlingford - West displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Dwelling structure in Carlingford-West, as per the latest Census, comprised 58.2% houses and 41.7% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Sydney metro's figures of 57.3% houses and 42.7% other dwellings. Home ownership in Carlingford-West stood at 30.6%, with mortgaged dwellings at 34.2% and rented ones at 35.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,500, lower than Sydney metro's $2,600. Median weekly rent in Carlingford-West was $490, compared to Sydney metro's $460. Nationally, Carlingford-West's mortgage repayments were higher at $2,500 versus the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Carlingford - West features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households account for 84.1% of all households, including 49.2% couples with children, 22.6% couples without children, and 10.9% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 15.9%, with lone person households at 13.2% and group households making up 2.7% of the total. The median household size is 3.0 people, larger than the Greater Sydney average of 2.9.

Carlingford - West demonstrates exceptional educational outcomes, ranking among the top 5% of areas nationally based on AreaSearch's comprehensive analysis of qualification and performance metrics

Educational attainment in Carlingford - West is notably higher than broader benchmarks. Among residents aged 15+, 49.0% have university qualifications compared to 30.4% nationally and 32.2% in NSW. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 30.5%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (15.8%) and graduate diplomas (2.7%). Vocational pathways account for 21.8% of qualifications among those aged 15+, with advanced diplomas at 10.9% and certificates at 10.9%.

Educational participation is high, with 32.4% currently enrolled in formal education, including 12.3% in primary, 7.0% in secondary, and 6.8% pursuing tertiary education. The area's four schools have a combined enrollment of 4,598 students. Carlingford - West has significant socio-educational advantages with an ICSEA score of 1141. Educational provision is conventional, split between two primary and two secondary institutions. The area functions as an education hub with 22.2 school places per 100 residents, significantly higher than the regional average of 13.7, attracting students from surrounding communities.

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

Carlingford - West has 111 active public transport stops offering a mix of light rail and bus services. These stops are served by 65 individual routes, collectively facilitating 3,207 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated excellent with residents typically located 145 meters from the nearest stop.

Service frequency averages 458 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 28 weekly trips per stop.

Carlingford - West's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Carlingford-West shows excellent health outcomes with a low prevalence of common conditions across all ages.

Its private health cover rate is approximately 52%, slightly higher than the average SA2 area (~10,861 people). The most prevalent medical conditions are asthma and arthritis, affecting 4.8% and 4.5% of residents respectively. About 79.8% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 77.3% in Greater Sydney. Around 16.9% of the population is aged 65 or older (3,503 people). Seniors' health outcomes align well with those of the general population.

Carlingford - West is among the most culturally diverse areas in the country based on AreaSearch assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Carlingford-West is among the most culturally diverse areas in Australia, with 66.1% of its population speaking a language other than English at home and 56.7% born overseas. Christianity is the main religion in Carlingford-West, comprising 38.9% of people. However, Buddhism is overrepresented, making up 6.0% compared to the Greater Sydney average of 4.8%.

The top three ancestry groups are Chinese (35.8%), Other (15.0%), and English (10.9%). Korean (5.4%) and Indian (5.4%) are notably overrepresented compared to regional averages, while Lebanese (1.3%) is underrepresented.

Carlingford - West's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

The median age in Carlingford - West is close to Greater Sydney's average of 37 years old, which is similar to the Australian median age of 38 years old. Compared to Greater Sydney, Carlingford - West has a higher proportion of residents aged 5-14 years (15.8%), but fewer residents aged 25-34 years (11.4%). Between June 2021 and June 2026, the percentage of residents aged 85+ increased from 1.3% to 1.9%, while the percentage of residents aged 25-34 decreased from 12.3% to 11.4%. By 2041, Carlingford - West is expected to experience significant shifts in its age composition. The number of residents aged 65-74 years is projected to grow by 33%, reaching 2,546 from 1,915. Meanwhile, both the 0-4 and 5-14 age groups are expected to decrease in size.