Cranebrook - Castlereagh
Statistical Area - sa2

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

Cranebrook - Castlereagh's population is around 17,374 as of Aug 2025. This reflects an increase from the 2021 Census figure of 17,029 people. The ABS estimated resident population in June 2024 was 17,326, with an additional 53 validated new addresses since the Census date contributing to this growth. This results in a population density ratio of 355 persons per square kilometer. Natural growth contributed approximately 74.2% of overall population gains recently.

AreaSearch's projections for SA2 areas are based on ABS/Geoscience Australia data released in 2024 with a base year of 2022, and NSW State Government projections for areas not covered by this data, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021. These projections anticipate lower quartile growth nationally, with the area expected to increase by 413 persons to 2041 based on latest population numbers, reflecting an overall increase of 2.1% over these 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development drivers sees a low level of activity in Cranebrook - Castlereagh, placing the area among the bottom 25% of areas assessed nationally

Cranebrook - Castlereagh averaged approximately 41 new dwelling approvals per year. Development approval data from the ABS covers financial years, with 206 dwellings approved between FY-20 and FY-25. So far in FY-26, there have been 2 approvals. The population decline has led to adequate development activity relative to demand, maintaining a balanced market with varied buyer choices.

New properties are expected to cost around $393,000 on average, below regional levels. Commercial approvals this financial year totalled $756,000, indicating a primarily residential focus. Compared to Greater Sydney, Cranebrook - Castlereagh has significantly less development activity, at 78.0% below the regional average per person. This scarcity can strengthen demand and prices for existing properties. Nationally, it is also lower, suggesting market maturity and potential development constraints.

New building activity comprises 87.0% detached houses and 13.0% attached dwellings, preserving the area's low density nature and attracting space-seeking buyers. The estimated population per dwelling approval is 825 people. Population forecasts project an increase of 365 residents by 2041. With current construction levels, housing supply should meet demand adequately, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling growth beyond current forecasts.

Cranebrook - Castlereagh has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 30% nationally

Twenty projects identified by AreaSearch are expected to impact the area, significantly influenced by changes in local infrastructure. Key projects include Nepean Business Park, Cranebrook Retail Development, Nepean Business Park at Penrith Lakes Employment Lands (14-278 Old Castlereagh Road), and Cranebrook Village Shopping Centre Redevelopment. The following list details those considered most relevant.

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

Employment performance in Cranebrook - Castlereagh exceeds national averages across key labour market indicators

Cranebrook - Castlereagh has a balanced workforce with both white and blue collar jobs. The construction sector is prominent, with an unemployment rate of 3.2%.

As of June 2025, there are 9,776 residents employed, which is 1.0% below Greater Sydney's unemployment rate of 4.2%. Workforce participation in the area is high at 66.4%, compared to Greater Sydney's 60.0%. The leading employment industries among residents are construction, health care & social assistance, and retail trade. Construction has a particularly notable concentration with employment levels at 1.7 times the regional average.

However, professional & technical services have limited presence, with only 4.7% of employment compared to the regional average of 11.5%. AreaSearch analysis indicates that over the 12 months to June 2025, labour force levels decreased by 2.3%, while employment declined by 1.8%, causing the unemployment rate to fall by 0.5 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Sydney saw employment grow by 2.6% and labour force expand by 2.9%, with a rise in unemployment of 0.3 percentage points. 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%. Nationally, the unemployment rate was 4.5%, and employment growth was 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, growth rates vary significantly between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Cranebrook - Castlereagh's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.2% over five years and 12.9% over ten years.

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 financial year ending June 2022 shows that median income in Cranebrook - Castlereagh is $57,019 and average income stands at $67,599. This contrasts with Greater Sydney's median income of $56,994 and average income of $80,856 for the same period. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.6% from financial year ending June 2022 to March 2025, estimated current incomes would be approximately $63,063 (median) and $74,764 (average). According to the 2021 Census, household, family, and personal incomes in Cranebrook - Castlereagh cluster around the 70th percentile nationally. The earnings profile shows that 38.3% of residents earn between $1,500 and $2,999 weekly, consistent with broader trends across the region where 30.9% fall into the same category. High housing costs consume 16.6% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 73rd percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the fifth decile.

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

The dwelling structure in Cranebrook - Castlereagh, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 90.3% houses and 9.8% other dwellings. In comparison, Sydney metro had 77.4% houses and 22.6% other dwellings. Home ownership in Cranebrook - Castlereagh was 24.9%, with the remainder being mortgaged (48.9%) or rented (26.2%). The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,167, aligning with Sydney metro's average. The median weekly rent figure was $410, compared to Sydney metro's $400. Nationally, Cranebrook - Castlereagh's mortgage repayments were higher at $2,167 against the Australian average of $1,863. Rents in Cranebrook - Castlereagh exceeded the national figure of $375 by $35.

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

Family households constitute 81.6% of all households, including 41.8% couples with children, 23.5% couples without children, and 15.4% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 18.4%, with lone person households at 16.7% and group households at 1.6%. The median household size is 3.0 people, larger than the Greater Sydney average of 2.8.

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

The area's university qualification rate is significantly lower than Greater Sydney's average, at 16.7% compared to 38.0%. Bachelor degrees are the most common higher education qualifications, with 11.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.3%) and graduate diplomas (1.7%). Vocational credentials are prevalent among residents aged 15 and above, with 40.9% holding such qualifications, including advanced diplomas (10.1%) and certificates (30.8%). Educational participation is high, with 30.8% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, including primary (11.9%), secondary (8.5%), and tertiary (3.6%) levels.

There are nine schools operating within Cranebrook - Castlereagh, educating approximately 3,700 students. The area's ICSEA score is 987, indicating typical Australian school conditions with balanced educational opportunities. The educational mix includes five primary, one secondary, and three K-12 schools. School capacity exceeds residential needs, with 21.3 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 16.7, suggesting the area serves as an educational center for the broader region.

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

Cranebrook - Castlereagh has 120 active public transport stops. All these stops are serviced by buses via 61 individual routes. These routes collectively provide 1,297 weekly passenger trips.

Residents have excellent transport accessibility, with an average distance of 189 meters to the nearest stop. Service frequency averages 185 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 10 weekly trips per individual stop.

Cranebrook - Castlereagh'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

Cranebrook's health metrics closely match national benchmarks.

Common health conditions among its general population are somewhat typical but higher than the national average for older cohorts. Approximately 53% (~9,277 people) of Cranebrook's total population has private health cover, which is relatively high. The most prevalent medical conditions in the area are mental health issues and asthma, affecting 9.1 and 9.0% of residents respectively. A total of 68.7% of residents declared themselves completely free from medical ailments, compared to 69.5% across Greater Sydney. Cranebrook has 12.8% (2,218 people) of its population aged 65 and over, which is lower than the 14.1% in Greater Sydney. Health outcomes among seniors require more attention than those for the broader population.

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

Cranebrook-Castlereagh had a cultural diversity index of 18.8%, with the majority of its population being born in Australia (84.2%), citizens (91.1%), and speaking English only at home (89.8%). Christianity was the predominant religion, practiced by 58.9% of residents, compared to 57.9% across Greater Sydney. The top three ancestry groups were Australian (29.2%), English (26.2%), and Irish (7.2%).

Notably, Maltese (4.3%) and Australian Aboriginal (4.6%) populations were higher than regional averages of 2.9% and 3.6%, respectively.

Cranebrook - Castlereagh hosts a young demographic, positioning it in the bottom quartile nationwide

Cranebrook - Castlereagh's median age is 34 years, which is lower than Greater Sydney's average of 37 years and Australia's median age of 38 years. Compared to Greater Sydney, Cranebrook - Castlereagh has a higher proportion of residents aged 5-14 (14.7%) but fewer residents aged 25-34 (14.3%). Between the 2016 and 2021 censuses, the population aged 75 to 84 grew from 2.7% to 3.8%, while the population aged 45 to 54 declined from 12.7% to 11.8%. By 2041, significant demographic changes are forecast for Cranebrook - Castlereagh. The 75 to 84 age group is projected to grow by 86%, adding 560 residents to reach a total of 1,212. Residents aged 65 and above will drive 64% of population growth, indicating demographic aging trends. Conversely, population declines are projected for the 0 to 4 and 55 to 64 age groups.