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 was 17,029 as of the Census in 2021. As of Nov 2025, it is around 17,398, reflecting an increase of 369 people (2.2%) since the Census. This change is inferred from ABS estimated resident population of 17,326 as of June 2024 and additional 61 validated new addresses since the Census date. The population density ratio is 355 persons per square kilometer. Natural growth contributed approximately 74.2% of overall population gains recently.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered, NSW State Government's SA2 level projections are used, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Future population trends suggest lower quartile growth, with the area expected to expand by 413 persons to 2041 based on latest numbers, indicating a total increase of 2.0% over the 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 has received approximately 25 dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, totaling 126 homes. As of FY-26, two approvals have been recorded. Despite population decline during this period, development activity has been relatively adequate, benefiting buyers while new homes are constructed at an average cost of $341,000. This year, there have also been commercial approvals totaling $756,000, reflecting the area's residential nature.

Compared to Greater Sydney, Cranebrook - Castlereagh has significantly less development activity, 76.0% below the regional average per person. This constrained new construction typically reinforces demand and pricing for existing homes. The area's development activity is also under the national average, suggesting its established nature and potential planning limitations. Recent construction comprises 87.0% standalone homes and 13.0% townhouses or apartments, preserving the area's low density nature and attracting space-seeking buyers. The estimated population per dwelling approval is 825 people, indicating a quiet, low activity development environment.

Future projections suggest Cranebrook - Castlereagh will add 341 residents by 2041. Based on current development patterns, new housing supply should meet demand, offering favorable conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

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

Twenty-two projects have been identified by AreaSearch that could impact the area, significantly influenced by changes to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. Key projects include Nepean Business Park, Cranebrook Retail Development, Nepean Business Park located at 14-278 Old Castlereagh Road in Penrith Lakes Employment Lands, and Cranebrook Village Shopping Centre Redevelopment. The following list details those projects likely to be most relevant.

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

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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 66.4%, compared to Greater Sydney's 60.0%. Key employment industries include construction, health care & social assistance, and retail trade. The area specializes in construction, with an employment share 1.7 times the regional level.

Professional & technical services employ only 4.7% of local workers, lower than Greater Sydney's 11.5%. Over the year to June 2025, labour force levels decreased by 2.3%, and employment declined by 1.8%, reducing the unemployment rate by 0.5 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Sydney experienced employment growth of 2.6% and labour force growth of 2.9%. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia (May 2025) project a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years. 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 2022 shows that income in Cranebrook - Castlereagh is higher than average nationally. The median income is $57,019 and the average income stands at $67,599. In comparison, Greater Sydney has a median income of $56,994 and an average income of $80,856. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% since financial year 2022, current estimates for Cranebrook - Castlereagh would be approximately $64,209 (median) and $76,123 (average) as of September 2025. According to the 2021 Census, household, family and personal incomes in Cranebrook - Castlereagh cluster around the 70th percentile nationally. The income bracket of $1,500 - 2,999 captures 38.3% of the community (6,663 individuals), which is consistent with broader trends across the broader area showing 30.9% in 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 5th decile.

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

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 level was 24.9%, similar to Sydney metro's figure. Dwellings were either mortgaged (48.9%) or rented (26.2%). Median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,167, aligning with Sydney metro average. Median weekly rent was recorded at $410, compared to Sydney metro's $400. Nationally, Cranebrook - Castlereagh's median mortgage repayments were higher at $2,167 versus Australia's average of $1,863. Rents in the area exceeded national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 81.6% of all households, consisting of 41.8% couples with children, 23.5% couples without children, and 15.4% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 18.4%, with lone person households at 16.7% and group households comprising 1.6% of the total. The median household size is 3.0 people, which is 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

Cranebrook - Castlereagh faces educational challenges with university qualification rates at 16.7%, significantly lower than Greater Sydney's average of 38.0%. This disparity presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 11.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.3%) and graduate diplomas (1.7%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 40.9% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials - advanced diplomas (10.1%) and certificates (30.8%).

Educational participation is high, with 30.8% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 11.9% in primary education, 8.5% in secondary education, and 3.6% pursuing tertiary education. A robust network of 9 schools operates within Cranebrook - Castlereagh, educating approximately 3,700 students. The area demonstrates typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 987) with balanced educational opportunities. The educational mix includes 5 primary, 1 secondary, and 3 K-12 schools. School capacity exceeds typical residential needs (21.3 places per 100 residents vs 16.6 regionally), indicating the area serves as an educational center for the broader region. Note: where schools show 'n/a' for enrolments please refer to parent campus.

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. These are served by buses along 61 different routes, offering a total of 1,297 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents on average being 189 meters from the nearest stop.

Each day, there are an average of 185 trips across all routes, which translates to about 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 mirror national benchmarks, with common health conditions somewhat typical of the general population but higher than the national average among older cohorts.

Approximately 53% (~9,290 people) have private health cover, which is relatively high. Mental health issues and asthma are the most prevalent medical conditions, affecting 9.1 and 9.0% of residents respectively. About 68.7% of residents report being completely free from medical ailments, compared to 69.5% across Greater Sydney. As of 2021, 12.8% (2,221 people) of Cranebrook's population is aged 65 and over, 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 showed lower cultural diversity, with 84.2% of its population born in Australia, 91.1% being citizens, and 89.8% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, comprising 58.9%, 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 were overrepresented at 4.3% (regional: 2.9%), Samoan remained similar at 0.6%, and Australian Aboriginal were also overrepresented at 4.6% (regional: 3.6%).

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

At age 34 years, Cranebrook - Castlereagh's median age is lower than Greater Sydney's average of 37 years, and it is considerably younger than 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 censuses of 2016 and 2021, the population aged 75 to 84 grew from 2.7% to 3.8%, while the proportion of those aged 45 to 54 declined from 12.7% to 11.8%. By 2041, demographic forecasts indicate significant changes for Cranebrook - Castlereagh. The population aged 75 to 84 is projected to grow by 86%, adding 559 residents to reach a total of 1,212. Residents aged 65 and above will drive 65% of the population growth, highlighting demographic aging trends in the area. Conversely, population declines are projected for those aged 0 to 4 and 55 to 64 years.