Kariong

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 is 6,487 as of November 2025. From the June 2021 Census, it was 6,485 people, showing an increase of 2 individuals (0.0%). This growth is inferred from ABS' estimated resident population of 6,490 in June 2024 and six validated new addresses since the Census date. The population density stands at 780 persons per square kilometer, comparable to averages seen across locations assessed by AreaSearch. Kariong's 0.0% growth aligns with its SA3 area's 2.3%. Natural growth contributed approximately 62.6% 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 from 2022 using a 2021 base year are employed. Growth rates by age group are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. By 2041, Kariong is projected to expand by 2 persons, reflecting an increase of 0.1% over the 17-year period.

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

Kariong averaged approximately six new dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling 34 homes. As of FY26, seven approvals have been recorded. The area's population decline suggests that new supply has likely kept pace with demand, providing good options for buyers, with new properties constructed at an average expected cost value of $495,000. This financial year has seen $284,000 in commercial approvals, indicating minimal commercial development activity compared to Greater Sydney.

Kariong records significantly lower building activity, 73.0% below the regional average per person, which generally supports stronger demand and values for established dwellings. This is also below national averages, reflecting the area's maturity and possible planning constraints. New building activity consists of 80.0% detached dwellings and 20.0% attached dwellings, maintaining Kariong's traditional low density character focused on family homes appealing to those seeking space. The estimated population per dwelling approval is 1483 people, reflecting its quiet, low activity development environment. According to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate, Kariong is projected to grow by five residents through to 2041.

Based on current development patterns, new housing supply should readily meet demand, offering good conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

Kariong 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 a total of 0 projects likely to affect this area. Key projects include Northside Private Hospital, Gosford Private Hospital redevelopment, Pacific Highway And Manns Road Upgrade, and Gosford Bypass. Below is a list detailing those most relevant.

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

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

Kariong has a skilled workforce with well-represented essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate is 2.4%, lower than the Greater Sydney rate of 4.2%.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 2.2%. As of June 2025, there are 3,691 residents in work and the unemployment rate is 1.8% below Greater Sydney's rate. Workforce participation is high at 69.1%, compared to Greater Sydney's 60.0%. Leading employment industries among residents include health care & social assistance, construction, and retail trade.

Health care & social assistance has particularly notable concentration with employment levels at 1.2 times the regional average. Professional & technical services have limited presence with 6.7% employment compared to 11.5% regionally. Employment opportunities may be limited locally as indicated by Census data. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment levels increased by 2.2%, labour force grew by 2.7%, leading to an unemployment rise of 0.5 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Sydney saw employment rise by 2.6% and unemployment rise by 0.3 percentage points. State-level data for NSW as of Nov-25 shows employment contracted by 0.03% (losing 2,260 jobs), with the state unemployment rate at 3.9%, lower than the national rate of 4.3%. National employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that over five years, employment should increase by 6.6%, and over ten years by 13.7%. Applying these projections to Kariong's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.6% over five years and 13.8% over ten years.

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

Kariong SA2's median income among taxpayers was $55,157 in financial year 2022. The average income stood at $71,280 during the same period. These figures compare to Greater Sydney's median and average incomes of $56,994 and $80,856 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% since financial year 2022, estimated incomes as of September 2025 would be approximately $62,112 (median) and $80,268 (average). According to the 2021 Census, household income ranks at the 78th percentile ($2,200 weekly), while personal income sits at the 59th percentile. Predominantly, 39.9% of locals (2,588 people) fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 income category. High housing costs consume 16.0% of income. Despite this, disposable income ranks at the 77th percentile, and Kariong SA2'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 dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 92.2% houses and 7.8% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Sydney metro's 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, below Sydney metro's $2,150. Median weekly rent in Kariong was $450, higher than Sydney metro's $400. Nationally, Kariong's mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $2,080 compared to the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375 at $450.

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

Family households constitute 82.9% of all households, including 44.5% couples with children, 24.4% couples without children, and 13.3% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 17.1%, with lone person households at 15.1% and group households making up 2.0% of the total. The median household size is 3.0 people, 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's university qualification rate is 20.7%, significantly lower than Greater Sydney's average of 38.0%. This disparity presents both challenges and opportunities for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are the 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 such qualifications, including advanced diplomas (12.7%) and certificates (29.2%).

Educational participation is high, with 32.2% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, comprising 11.4% in primary, 9.7% in secondary, and 3.9% in tertiary education.

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

The analysis of public transport in Kariong shows that there are 34 active transport stops currently operating. These stops serve a mix of bus routes, with a total of 27 individual routes providing service to the area. The combined weekly passenger trips across all these routes amount to 467.

The accessibility of transport is rated as excellent, with residents typically located just 199 meters away from their nearest transport 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 Kariong residents have relatively positive health outcomes with low prevalence of common conditions among the general population but higher than national averages among older, at-risk cohorts.

Approximately 55% (~3,567 people) have private health cover. Mental health issues and asthma are most common, affecting 9.3 and 8.9% respectively, while 69.2% report no medical ailments compared to Greater Sydney's 64.8%. The area has 12.7% (826 people) aged 65 and over, lower than Greater Sydney's 24.5%. 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 showed cultural diversity similar to the wider region, with 81.0% born in Australia, 91.2% being citizens, and 88.9% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion at 51.4%. Judaism was slightly overrepresented at 0.2%, compared to Greater Sydney's 0.2%.

Top ancestry groups were Australian (30.4%), English (28.4%), and Irish (7.2%). Russian (0.5% vs 0.4%) and Lebanese (0.9% vs 0.3%) were notably overrepresented, while Welsh showed similar representation at 0.7%.

Kariong's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

Kariong's median age is 36 years, nearly matching Greater Sydney's average of 37 years. This is modestly below the Australian 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 aged 65-74 has increased from 6.4% to 7.8%. Conversely, the population aged 45-54 has decreased from 14.9% to 14.0%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests Kariong's age profile will change significantly. The 75-84 cohort is projected to grow by 120%, adding 272 residents to reach 500. Residents aged 65 and above are expected to drive all population growth, highlighting demographic aging trends. Meanwhile, the populations aged 25-34 and 0-4 are projected to decline.