Karabar

Karabar has shown very soft population growth performance across periods assessed by AreaSearch

Karabar's population, as of November 2025, is approximately 8,449, a decrease of 68 people since the 2021 Census which reported 8,517 inhabitants. This decline, representing an 0.8% change, is inferred from ABS estimated resident population data of 8,446 as of June 2024 and validated new addresses since the Census date totalling 33. The population density stands at around 1,210 persons per square kilometer, comparable to averages seen across other locations assessed by AreaSearch. Natural growth contributed approximately 58.4% of overall population gains during recent periods. AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022, and NSW State Government's SA2 level projections for areas not covered by this data, 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. By 2041, the area's population is projected to decline by 508 persons according to this methodology. However, specific age cohorts are anticipated to grow; notably, the 85 and over age group is projected to increase by 107 people.

The level of residential development activity in Karabar is very low in comparison to the average area assessed nationally by AreaSearch

Karabar has seen approximately four new homes approved annually over the past five financial years, with 21 homes approved between FY-21 and FY-25. No new homes have been approved in FY-26 so far. The area's population decline suggests that new supply is meeting demand, providing good options for buyers at an average construction cost value of $326,000 per home.

This financial year has seen $19.7 million in commercial approvals, indicating steady investment activity. Compared to the rest of NSW, Karabar shows significantly reduced construction levels, with 94.0% fewer approvals per person than the regional average. This limited new supply supports stronger demand and values for established dwellings, which is also below the national average, suggesting an established market with potential planning limitations. Recent development has consisted entirely of detached houses, maintaining Karabar's traditional suburban character focused on family homes. Developers are building more traditional houses than the current mix suggests (80.0% at Census), indicating strong demand for family homes.

The location has approximately 2117 people per dwelling approval, demonstrating an established market with stable or declining population expected in the future. This should reduce pressure on housing, potentially creating opportunities for buyers.

Karabar has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 47thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch identified five projects likely affecting the region. Notable projects include the Queanbeyan Sewage Treatment Plant Upgrade, Yass Road, Bungendore Road and Ellerton Drive Intersection Upgrade, and the Queanbeyan Regional Integrated Transport Plan. The following list outlines 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 performance in Karabar exceeds national averages across key labour market indicators

Karabar has a skilled workforce with an unemployment rate of 2.9% as of September 2025. It has 4,624 residents in work, which is below the Rest of NSW's unemployment rate of 3.8%. Workforce participation in Karabar is higher at 68.5%, compared to Rest of NSW's 61.5%.

According to Census responses, 7.3% of residents work from home. The leading employment industries are public administration & safety, construction, and health care & social assistance. Karabar has a particular specialization in public administration & safety with an employment share three times the regional level. However, health care & social assistance is under-represented at 10.3% compared to Rest of NSW's 16.9%.

The area offers limited local employment opportunities as indicated by Census working population vs resident population count. Over the 12 months to September 2025, labour force levels decreased by 5.5%, and employment decreased by 5.8%, leading to an unemployment rate rise of 0.3 percentage points. This contrasts with Rest of NSW where employment contracted by 0.5%, labour force fell by 0.1%, and unemployment rose by 0.4 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that national employment will expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with growth rates varying between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Karabar's employment mix indicates local employment should increase by 6.1% over five years and 12.6% over ten years.

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

The Karabar SA2 has a median taxpayer income of $59,615 and an average income of $68,484 based on the latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for the financial year 2023. This is slightly above national averages, with Rest of NSW having a median income of $52,390 and an average income of $65,215. By September 2025, current estimates suggest the median income will be approximately $64,897 and the average income will be around $74,552, factoring in Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since financial year 2023. Census data indicates that incomes in Karabar cluster around the 70th percentile nationally. The income band of $1,500 - 2,999 captures 33.6% of the community, with 2,838 individuals falling into this category. This is consistent with broader trends across the broader area, where 29.9% fall within the same earnings bracket. After housing costs, 85.6% of income remains for other expenses. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the fifth decile.

Karabar is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

In Karabar, as per the latest Census evaluation, 80.4% of dwellings were houses, with the remaining 19.6% comprising semi-detached homes, apartments, and other dwelling types. In contrast, Non-Metro NSW had a higher proportion of houses at 82.6%, with 17.4% being other dwellings. Home ownership in Karabar stood at 29.8%, with mortgaged properties making up 41.0% and rented dwellings accounting for 29.2%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Karabar was $1,950, surpassing the Non-Metro NSW average of $1,733. Meanwhile, the median weekly rent in Karabar was $350, slightly higher than Non-Metro NSW's figure of $330. Nationally, Karabar's mortgage repayments were higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were lower at $375 compared to the national figure.

Karabar has a typical household mix, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 73.2% of all households, including 33.0% couples with children, 24.6% couples without children, and 14.2% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 26.8%, with lone person households at 24.6% and group households making up 2.2%. The median household size is 2.6 people, larger than the Rest of NSW average of 2.4.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 20.2%, significantly lower than the NSW average of 32.2%. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are most common at 12.4%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (5.4%) and graduate diplomas (2.4%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 37.0% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas (10.7%) and certificates (26.3%).

Educational participation is high, with 29.0% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.4% in primary education, 8.0% in secondary education, and 4.1% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Karabar has 49 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 42 different routes, offering a total of 613 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of these stops is rated as excellent, with residents typically living just 148 meters from the nearest stop. Most Karabar residents commute outside the area, primarily using cars (95%). On average, there are 1.6 vehicles per dwelling in the suburb. According to the 2021 Census, only 7.3% of residents work from home, which may be due to COVID-19 conditions.

The service frequency averages 87 trips per day across all routes, equating to about 12 weekly trips per stop.

Health performance in Karabar is lower than average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts

Karabar faces significant health challenges based on AreaSearch's assessment.

Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are high, with common health conditions prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts. The rate of private health cover is approximately 53% of the total population (~4,503 people), leading that of the average SA2 area. The most common medical conditions in the area are mental health issues and arthritis, impacting 9.5% and 9.2% of residents respectively. However, 65.3% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments compared to 63.3% across Rest of NSW. The working-age population faces notable health challenges with elevated chronic condition rates. The area has 15.6% of residents aged 65 and over (1,316 people), which is lower than the 23.0% in Rest of NSW. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

In terms of cultural diversity, Karabar records figures broadly comparable to the national average, as found in AreaSearch's assessment of a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Karabar's population showed higher cultural diversity, with 18.5% born overseas and 15.4% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Karabar, accounting for 57.0%, compared to 55.9% in Rest of NSW. Regarding ancestry, Australian was the top group at 27.7%, followed by English at 23.6% (lower than the regional average of 30.5%), and Irish at 7.7%.

Notable differences were seen in Macedonian (3.2% vs 0.4% regionally), Serbian (0.9% vs 0.2%), and Croatian (1.2% vs 0.3%) groups.

Karabar's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

Karabar's median age is 38, which is lower than Rest of NSW's figure of 43 but equivalent to Australia's national norm of 38. The age group of 25-34 has a strong representation in Karabar at 16.2%, compared to Rest of NSW, while the 65-74 cohort is less prevalent at 8.7%. According to the 2021 Census, the population aged 35 to 44 grew from 13.3% to 14.8%, and the 25 to 34 age group increased from 14.9% to 16.2%. Conversely, the 45 to 54 cohort declined from 13.5% to 12.2%, and the 5 to 14 age group dropped from 12.8% to 11.5%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests Karabar's age profile will significantly change. Leading this shift, the 85+ population is projected to grow by 65%, reaching 235 from 142. The aging population trend is evident, with those aged 65 and above comprising 54% of projected growth. Meanwhile, the 65-74 and 45-54 age cohorts are expected to experience population declines.