Cronulla - Kurnell - Bundeena

An assessment of population growth drivers in Cronulla - Kurnell - Bundeena reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

As of November 2025, Cronulla-Kurnell-Bundeena's population is approximately 25,562. This figure reflects a growth of 1,188 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 24,374. The increase is inferred from ABS' estimated resident population of 25,379 as of June 2024 and an additional 344 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 1,018 persons per square kilometer, comparable to averages seen across locations assessed by AreaSearch. Cronulla-Kurnell-Bundeena's growth rate of 4.9% since the 2021 Census exceeded the SA4 region's average of 3.9%, indicating it as a growth leader in the area. Overseas migration contributed approximately 72.9% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch adopts 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 uses NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Based on these projections, lower quartile growth is anticipated for statistical areas analysed by AreaSearch. Cronulla-Kurnell-Bundeena is expected to grow by 1,177 persons to 2041, reflecting a total gain of 3.9% over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential approval activity sees Cronulla - Kurnell - Bundeena among the top 30% of areas assessed nationwide

Cronulla-Kurnell-Bundeena recorded approximately 144 residential property approvals annually. Between financial years FY21 and FY25724 homes were approved, with an additional 49 approved in FY26 as of the present time. Over these five years, an average of 0.9 new residents per year was associated with each dwelling constructed.

This suggests that new construction is keeping pace with or exceeding demand, providing more options for buyers and potentially driving population growth beyond current expectations. The average value of new properties being constructed is $725,000, indicating a focus on the premium segment by developers. In FY26, commercial approvals have reached $86.3 million, demonstrating strong commercial development momentum. Compared to Greater Sydney, Cronulla-Kurnell-Bundeena has 15.0% lower construction activity per person but ranks in the 76th percentile nationally when assessed against other areas. New developments consist of 17.0% standalone homes and 83.0% attached dwellings, reflecting a trend towards denser development that caters to downsizers, investors, and entry-level buyers.

This shift represents a notable change from the area's existing housing composition, which is currently 37.0% houses. With approximately 167 people per approval, Cronulla-Kurnell-Bundeena reflects a low-density area. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, the area is projected to gain 994 residents by 2041. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, creating favorable conditions for buyers and potentially supporting population growth beyond current projections.

Cronulla - Kurnell - Bundeena has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 20% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 48 projects likely impacting the area. Notable projects are VUE Cronulla, Palm Cronulla, Isla Cronulla, and 3 Ewos Parade Cronulla. The following list details those most relevant.

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.

Employment conditions in Cronulla - Kurnell - Bundeena demonstrate exceptional strength compared to most Australian markets

Cronulla-Kurnell-Bundeena has a highly educated workforce with significant representation in professional services. Its unemployment rate was 2.4% as of September 2025, lower than Greater Sydney's 4.2%. Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 1.7%.

As of September 2025, 15,433 residents were employed with an unemployment rate of 1.7%, and workforce participation stood at 72.1%. Census data revealed that 42.3% of residents worked from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. Dominant employment sectors include construction, healthcare & social assistance, and professional & technical services. The area has a strong specialization in construction with an employment share 1.6 times the regional level, but retail trade representation is lower at 7.2% compared to the regional average of 9.3%.

Employment opportunities locally appear limited based on Census data comparing working population to resident population. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment increased by 1.7%, labour force grew by 1.3%, leading to a fall in unemployment rate by 0.3 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Sydney saw employment growth of 2.1% with an increase in unemployment by 0.2 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project overall employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Cronulla-Kurnell-Bundeena's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.8% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, assuming no changes in population projections.

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

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year ended June 2023, Cronulla - Kurnell - Bundeena SA2 had median income among taxpayers at $68,276 with average level standing at $103,796. This ranks in the top percentile nationally, compared to Greater Sydney's levels of $60,817 and $83,003 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% from July 2023 to September 2025, current estimates would be approximately $74,325 (median) and $112,992 (average). From the 2021 Census, household, family, and personal incomes in Cronulla - Kurnell - Bundeena rank between 72nd and 87th percentiles nationally. Income analysis reveals 32.8% of population (8,384 individuals) fall within $1,500-$2,999 income range, similar to metropolitan region's 30.9%. Higher earners comprise 32.0%, indicating strong purchasing power. High housing costs consume 16.8% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at 71st percentile nationally. Area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

Cronulla - Kurnell - Bundeena features a more urban dwelling mix with significant apartment living, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

The dwelling structure in Cronulla-Kurnell-Bundeena, as assessed in the latest Census held on 28 August 2016, consisted of 36.7% houses and 63.3% other dwellings including semi-detached homes, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. This compares to Sydney metropolitan area's structure of 55.9% houses and 44.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Cronulla-Kurnell-Bundeena stood at 35.1%, with mortgaged properties at 28.7% and rented dwellings at 36.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area, as of August 2016, was $2,600, higher than Sydney metro's average of $2,427. The median weekly rent figure for Cronulla-Kurnell-Bundeena was recorded at $500, compared to Sydney metro's $470. Nationally, mortgage repayments in the area were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Cronulla - Kurnell - Bundeena features high concentrations of lone person households and group households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households compose 64.8 percent of all households, including 24.8 percent couples with children, 30.6 percent couples without children, and 8.6 percent single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 35.2 percent, with lone person households at 31.0 percent and group households comprising 4.2 percent of the total. The median household size is 2.3 people, which is smaller than the Greater Sydney average of 2.7.

Cronulla - Kurnell - Bundeena shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

Educational qualifications in Cronulla-Kurnell-Bundeena trail regional benchmarks, with 32.8% of residents aged 15+ holding university degrees compared to Greater Sydney's 38.0%. This gap indicates potential for educational development and skills enhancement. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 22.6%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (7.2%) and graduate diplomas (3.0%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 38.4% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas (13.5%) and certificates (24.9%).

Educational participation is high, with 25.0% of residents currently enrolled in formal education: 7.4% in primary, 6.6% in secondary, and 4.8% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Cronulla-Kurnell-Bundeena has 149 active public transport stops offering ferry, train, and bus services. These are covered by 27 routes, serving 4,694 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is excellent, with residents typically living 139 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward, primarily using cars (84%), followed by trains (6%) and walking (5%). On average, there are 1.2 vehicles per dwelling. According to the 2021 Census, 42.3% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions.

The service frequency averages 670 trips daily across all routes, equating to about 31 weekly trips per stop. A map accompanies this data, showing the 100 nearest stops to the location's centrepoint.

Cronulla - Kurnell - Bundeena's residents are extremely healthy with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Analysis of health metrics indicates strong performance across Cronulla-Kurnell-Bundeena region based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Very low prevalence of common health conditions was observed across all age groups. Private health cover rate was found to be exceptionally high at approximately 72% of the total population (18,481 people), compared to 59.9% in Greater Sydney and a national average of 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions were arthritis and asthma, impacting 8.0% and 6.4% of residents respectively, while 72.4% declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 74.6% across Greater Sydney. Working-age residents showed notably healthy outcomes with low chronic condition prevalence. The area had 23.5% of residents aged 65 and over (5,999 people), higher than the 15.3% in Greater Sydney. Health outcomes among seniors were particularly strong, aligning with national rankings for the general population.

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

Cronulla-Kurnell-Bundeena had a cultural diversity score below average, with 82.2% of its population born in Australia, 89.9% being citizens, and 91.0% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Cronulla-Kurnell-Bundeena, accounting for 56.5%, compared to 49.2% across Greater Sydney. The top three ancestry groups were English (29.9%), Australian (25.0%), and Irish (10.9%), all higher than regional averages of 19.0%, 17.8%, and 7.3% respectively.

Notably, French (0.7%) and Maltese (0.8%) were overrepresented compared to regional averages of 0.5% and 1.0%.

Cronulla - Kurnell - Bundeena's median age exceeds the national pattern

The median age in Cronulla-Kurnell-Bundeena is 42 years, which is significantly higher than Greater Sydney's average of 37 years and Australia's average of 38 years. The 65-74 age group comprises 13.4% of the population compared to Greater Sydney, while the 35-44 age group represents 12.0%. According to post-2021 Census data, the 75 to 84 age group grew from 5.7% to 7.4%, and the 65 to 74 cohort increased from 11.7% to 13.4%. Conversely, the 25 to 34 age group decreased from 15.2% to 14.2%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate substantial demographic changes in Cronulla-Kurnell-Bundeena. The 75 to 84 age group is projected to grow by 67%, reaching 3,160 people from 1,894. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups will account for 94% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. In contrast, the 15 to 24 and 45 to 54 age cohorts are expected to experience population declines.