Kariong
Statistical Area - sa2

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

Kariong's population was around 6,487 as of Aug 2025. This showed an increase of 2 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 6,485 people. The change was inferred from the estimated resident population of 6,490 in June 2024 and an additional 6 validated new addresses since the Census date. This resulted in a density ratio of 780 persons per square kilometer. Kariong's 0.0% growth since census positioned it within 2.3 percentage points of the SA3 area (2.3%), indicating competitive growth fundamentals. Natural growth primarily drove population growth, contributing approximately 62.6% of overall gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch adopted ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilised NSW State Government's SA2 level projections released in 2022 with a base year of 2021. Growth rates by age group were applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Based on projected demographic shifts, lower quartile growth was anticipated for national statistical areas. Kariong was expected to expand by 2 persons to 2041 based on the latest population numbers, with an increase of 0.1% in total over the 17 years.

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

Kariong has averaged approximately six new dwelling approvals per year. Development approval data from the ABS is on a financial year basis. Over the past five financial years, between FY21 and FY25, 34 dwellings were approved with five more approved in FY26 so far. The area's population decline suggests that new supply has kept pace with demand, providing good options for buyers.

New properties are constructed at an average expected cost of $495,000. In FY26, there have been commercial approvals valued at $284,000, indicating minimal commercial development activity. Compared to Greater Sydney, Kariong has significantly lower building activity, 73.0% below the regional average per person. This limited new supply generally supports stronger demand and values for established dwellings. Nationally, this is also below average, reflecting the area's maturity and possible planning constraints.

New building activity shows 80.0% detached dwellings and 20.0% attached dwellings, maintaining Kariong's traditional low density character with a focus on family homes. The estimated population per dwelling approval is 1483 people, indicating a quiet, low activity development environment. Looking ahead, Kariong is projected to grow by five residents by 2041. Based on current development patterns, new housing supply should readily meet demand, offering good conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating further population growth beyond current projections.

Kariong has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 40% nationally

No factors influence a region's performance more than modifications to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has pinpointed 0 projects expected to impact this area significantly. Notable projects include Northside Private Hospital, Mariyung Fleet (New Intercity Fleet), Gosford Private Hospital redevelopment, and Pacific Highway And Manns Road Upgrade. The following list details those likely most relevant.

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

Kariong ranks among the top 25% of areas assessed nationally for overall employment performance

Kariong has a skilled workforce with essential services sectors well represented. Its unemployment rate was 2.4% as of June 2025, lower than Greater Sydney's 4.2%.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 2.2%. As of June 2025, 3,691 residents were in work and workforce participation stood at 69.1%, higher than Greater Sydney's 60.0%. Leading employment industries among residents include health care & social assistance, construction, and retail trade. Health care & social assistance has a notable concentration with employment levels at 1.2 times the regional average.

Professional & technical services have limited presence, with only 6.7% of employment compared to the regional average of 11.5%. AreaSearch analysis shows employment levels increased by 2.2% during the year to June 2025, while labour force grew by 2.7%, resulting in a rise in unemployment by 0.5 percentage points. In comparison, Greater Sydney saw employment grow by 2.6% and unemployment rose by 0.3 percentage points. State-level data to Sep-25 shows NSW employment contracted by 0.41%, with the state unemployment rate at 4.3%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Kariong's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.6%% over five years and 13.8% over ten years, though this is a simplified extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

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

Kariong's median income among taxpayers was $55,157 and average income stood at $71,280 in financial year 2022. These figures compare to Greater Sydney's median of $56,994 and average of $80,856 for the same period. Based on a 10.6% growth since financial year 2022, current estimates would be approximately $61,004 (median) and $78,836 (average) as of March 2025. According to the 2021 Census, household income ranks at the 78th percentile ($2,200 weekly), while personal income sits at the 59th percentile. The predominant cohort spans 39.9% of locals (2,588 people) with incomes in the $1,500 - 2,999 range. In surrounding regions, 30.9% occupy this income category. High housing costs consume 16.0% of income, yet strong earnings place disposable income at the 77th percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 6th decile.

Kariong is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with ownership patterns similar to the broader region

Kariong's dwellings, as per the latest Census, consisted of 92.2% houses and 7.8% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Sydney metro's figures of 74.2% houses and 25.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in Kariong was at 25.1%, with mortgaged dwellings at 52.3% and rented ones at 22.6%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,080, lower than Sydney metro's average of $2,150. The median weekly rent in Kariong was $450, higher than Sydney metro's figure of $400. Nationally, Kariong's mortgage repayments were higher at $2,080 compared to the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 82.9% of all households, consisting of 44.5% couples with children, 24.4% couples without children, and 13.3% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 17.1%, with lone person households at 15.1% and group households comprising 2.0% of the total. The median household size is 3.0 people, which is larger than the Greater Sydney average of 2.5.

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

The area has lower university qualification rates compared to Greater Sydney, with 20.7% in 2018 against the average of 38.0%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 15.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.9%) and graduate diplomas (1.8%). Vocational credentials are prevalent among residents aged 15+, with 41.9% holding them, including advanced diplomas (12.7%) and certificates (29.2%). Educational participation is high at 32.2%, with 11.4% in primary, 9.7% in secondary, and 3.9% in tertiary education.

Kariong's five schools have a combined enrollment of 1,933 students as of the latest count. The educational mix includes one primary school, three secondary schools, and one K-12 school. As an education hub with 29.8 school places per 100 residents, Kariong attracts students from nearby communities, surpassing the regional average of 15.9.

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

The transport analysis shows that Kariong has 34 active transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 27 different routes, offering a total of 467 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility to public transport is rated excellent, with residents typically living 199 meters from the nearest stop.

On average, there are 66 trips per day across all routes, which translates to approximately 13 weekly trips per individual stop.

Kariong's residents are healthier than average in comparison to broader Australia with prevalence of common health conditions quite low among the general population though higher than the nation's average across older, at risk cohorts

Health data shows relatively positive outcomes for Kariong residents.

The prevalence of common health conditions is quite low among the general population but higher than the national average among older, at-risk cohorts. Approximately 55% (~3,567 people) of the total population has private health cover, which is very high. Mental health issues and asthma are the most common medical conditions in the area, affecting 9.3 and 8.9% of residents respectively. About 69.2% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 64.8% across Greater Sydney. The area has 12.7% (826 people) of residents aged 65 and over, which is lower than the 24.5% in Greater Sydney. Health outcomes among seniors require more attention than the broader population.

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

Kariong's population was found to align with the broader area's average in cultural diversity, with 81.0% born in Australia, 91.2% being citizens, and 88.9% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Kariong, comprising 51.4% of its population. While Judaism made up 0.2% of Kariong's population, it is similarly represented across Greater Sydney.

The top three parental ancestry groups were Australian (30.4%), English (28.4%), and Irish (7.2%). Notable differences existed in the representation of certain ethnicities: Russians were overrepresented at 0.5% compared to the regional average of 0.4%, Lebanese at 0.9% versus 0.3%, and Welsh at 0.7%.

Kariong's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

Kariong's median age is 36 years, closely matching Greater Sydney's average of 37 years, which is slightly below Australia's median age of 38 years. Compared to Greater Sydney, Kariong has a higher proportion of residents aged 5-14 (14.6%) but fewer residents aged 25-34 (12.0%). Between the 2021 Census and now, the population share of those aged 65-74 has increased from 6.4% to 7.8%, while the share of those aged 45-54 has decreased from 14.9% to 14.0%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant changes in Kariong's age profile. The 75-84 cohort is expected to grow by 120%, adding 272 residents to reach a total of 500. Residents aged 65 and above will drive all population growth, highlighting demographic aging trends. Conversely, the populations of those aged 25-34 and 0-4 are projected to decline.