Castle Hill - East

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

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, Castle Hill - East's population is around 5,384 as of Feb 2026. This reflects a decrease of 286 people (5.0%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 5,670 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 5,384 from the ABS as of June 2024 and address validation since the Census date. This population level equates to a density ratio of 2,601 persons per square kilometer, placing it in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration, which was essentially the sole driver of population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For any SA2 areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch is utilising the NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, as released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are also applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Anticipating future population dynamics, a population increase just below the median of national statistical areas is expected, with the area expected to expand by 510 persons by 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting a gain of 9.5% in total over the 17 years.

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

Castle Hill - East has recorded around 3 residential properties granted approval annually, with 16 homes approved over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25) and 0 so far in FY-26. With population declining over recent years, housing supply has remained adequate relative to demand, creating a well-balanced market with good buyer choice, while new properties are constructed at an average value of $168,000—below regional norms—reflecting more affordable housing options for purchasers.

Relative to Greater Sydney, Castle Hill - East has significantly less development activity (94.0% below regional average per person). This scarcity of new homes typically strengthens demand and prices for existing properties. This is also below average nationally, reflecting the area's maturity and pointing to possible planning constraints. Further, recent development has been entirely comprised of detached dwellings, maintaining the area's traditional suburban character with a focus on family homes appealing to those seeking space. New construction favours detached housing more than current patterns suggest (68.0% at Census), demonstrating ongoing robust demand for family homes. At around 4040 people per approval, Castle Hill - East shows a mature, established area.

Population forecasts indicate Castle Hill - East will gain 510 residents through to 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). At current development rates, housing supply may struggle to match population growth, potentially heightening buyer competition and supporting price increases.

Castle Hill - East has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 36thth percentile nationally

Nothing can influence an area's performance as much as changes to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. In total, 4 projects have been identified by AreaSearch that are likely to have an impact on the area. Key projects include the Hills Shire Council Delivery Program and Operational Plan 2024-2025 Infrastructure Works, New Line Road Upgrade, Sydney Metro Northwest, and the Cherrybrook Precinct Rezoning Proposal, with the list below detailing those likely to be of most relevance.

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 assessment positions Castle Hill - East ahead of most Australian regions for employment performance

Castle Hill - East possesses a highly educated workforce, with the technology sector a particular standout in terms of representation, and an unemployment rate of just 2.3%. As of December 2025, 2,438 residents are in work while the unemployment rate is 1.8% below Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%, and workforce participation lags significantly (52.9% compared to Greater Sydney's 70.2%). Based on Census responses, a high 58.2% of residents were found to work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered.

The key industries of employment among residents are professional & technical, health care & social assistance, and education & training. The area demonstrates a particularly notable concentration in professional & technical, with employment levels at 1.3 times the regional average. Meanwhile, transport, postal & warehousing has a limited presence with 2.7% employment compared to 5.3% regionally. The predominantly residential area appears to offer limited employment opportunities locally, as indicated by the count of the Census working population versus the resident population.

Based on AreaSearch analysis of SALM and ABS data, over the 12 months to December 2025, labour force levels decreased by 0.3% while employment declined by 0.9%, causing unemployment to rise by 0.6 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Sydney experienced employment growth of 2.2% and labour force growth of 2.3%, with a marginal rise. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 can offer further insight into potential future demand within Castle Hill - East. These projections, covering five and ten-year periods, have been mapped against the local employment profile to estimate growth patterns. While national employment is forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, growth rates differ significantly between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to Castle Hill - East's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.2% over five years and 14.5% over ten years (please note this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections).

The area exhibits notably strong income performance, ranking higher than 70% of areas assessed nationally through AreaSearch analysis

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for FY-23 reveals that income in the Castle Hill - East SA2 is extremely high nationally, with the median assessed at $62,192 while the average income stands at $87,558. This contrasts with Greater Sydney's figures of a median income of $60,817 and an average income of $83,003. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since FY-23, current estimates would be approximately $67,702 (median) and $95,316 (average) as of September 2025. Census 2021 income data shows household income ranks at the 66th percentile ($2,014 weekly), while personal income sits at the 31st percentile. Income analysis reveals the $4000+ earnings band captures 27.3% of the community (1,469 individuals), differing from patterns across the surrounding region where $1,500 - 2,999 dominates with 30.9%. Economic strength emerges through 38.0% of households achieving high weekly earnings exceeding $3,000, supporting elevated consumer spending. High housing costs consume 19.0% of income, though strong earnings still place disposable income at the 62nd percentile and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

Castle Hill - East displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Dwelling structure within Castle Hill - East, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 68.1% houses and 31.9% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), in comparison to Sydney metro's 55.9% houses and 44.1% other dwellings. Meanwhile, the level of home ownership within Castle Hill - East was well beyond that of Sydney metro, at 40.9%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged (40.5%) or rented (18.6%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was well above the Sydney metro average at $3,000, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded at $547, compared to Sydney metro's $2,427 and $470. Nationally, Castle Hill - East's mortgage repayments are significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents are substantially above the national figure of $375.

Castle Hill - East has a typical household mix, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households dominate at 70.7% of all households, comprising 42.9% couples with children, 22.1% couples without children, and 5.4% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 29.3%, with lone person households at 28.7% and group households comprising 0.7% of the total. The median household size of 2.7 people matches the Greater Sydney average.

Educational achievement in Castle Hill - East places it within the top 10% nationally, reflecting strong academic performance and high qualification levels across the community

Educational attainment in Castle Hill - East significantly surpasses broader benchmarks, with 48.6% of residents aged 15+ holding university qualifications compared to 30.4% in Australia and 32.2% in NSW. This substantial educational advantage positions the area strongly for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees lead at 30.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (15.3%) and graduate diplomas (3.0%). Vocational pathways account for 22.9% of qualifications among those aged 15+ – advanced diplomas (11.6%) and certificates (11.3%).

Educational participation is notably high, with 31.1% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.7% in secondary education, 9.6% in primary education, and 6.9% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Public transport analysis reveals 57 active transport stops operating within Castle Hill - East, comprising a mix of buses. These stops are serviced by 100 individual routes, collectively providing 4,465 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically located 177 meters from the nearest transport stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward; the car remains the dominant mode at 83%, with 9% by train. Vehicle ownership averages 1.4 per dwelling, which is above the regional average. A high 58.2% of residents work from home (2021 Census; may reflect COVID-19 conditions).

Service frequency averages 637 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 78 weekly trips per individual stop.

Castle Hill - East's residents are relatively healthy in comparison to broader Australia with the level of common health conditions among the general population somewhat typical, though higher than the nation's average among older cohorts

Castle Hill - East's health metrics sit close to national benchmarks, based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. The level of common health conditions among the general population is somewhat typical, though higher than the national average among older cohorts, and the rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 63% of the total population (3,408 people). This compares to 59.9% across Greater Sydney and a national average of 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions in the area are arthritis and heart disease, impacting 9.8% and 6.0% of residents, respectively, while 66.4% declared themselves as completely clear of medical ailments compared to 74.6% across Greater Sydney. The area has 36.1% of residents aged 65 and over (1,943 people), which is higher than the 15.4% in Greater Sydney. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, though they rank lower nationally than the broader population.

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

Castle Hill - East scores highly on cultural diversity, with 41.9% of its population speaking a language other than English at home and 45.9% born overseas. The main religion in Castle Hill - East is Christianity, which makes up 54.9% of the population. However, the most apparent overrepresentation is in Hinduism, which comprises 8.0% of the population, compared to 5.2% across Greater Sydney.

In terms of ancestry (country of birth of parents), the top three represented groups in Castle Hill - East are English, comprising 20.5% of the population, Chinese, comprising 19.2% of the population, which is substantially higher than the regional average of 8.4%, and Australian, comprising 16.8% of the population. Additionally, there are notable divergences in the representation of certain other ethnic groups: Korean is notably overrepresented at 1.8% of Castle Hill - East (vs 1.1% regionally), Sri Lankan at 1.0% (vs 0.3%) and Indian at 6.9% (vs 3.6%).

Castle Hill - East ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

At 53 years, Castle Hill - East's median age is significantly above the Greater Sydney average of 37 as well as substantially exceeding the 38-year national average. The age profile shows 85+ year-olds are particularly prominent (12.8%), while the 25 - 34 group is comparatively smaller (5.0%) than in Greater Sydney. This 85+ concentration is well above the national 2.2%. In the period since 2021, the 15 to 24 age group has grown from 10.5% to 13.8% of the population, while the 65 to 74 cohort increased from 9.1% to 10.6%. Conversely, the 85+ cohort has declined from 14.8% to 12.8% and the 5 to 14 group dropped from 11.5% to 10.2%. By 2041, Castle Hill - East is expected to see notable shifts in its age composition. Leading the demographic shift, the 85+ group will grow by 65% (445 people), reaching 1,133 from 687. The aging population dynamic is clear, with those 65+ comprising 98% of projected growth. Conversely, population declines are projected for the 0 to 4 and 5 to 14 cohorts.