Caringbah

Population growth drivers in Caringbah are strong compared to national averages based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Based on ABS population updates and AreaSearch validations, the suburb of Caringbah had an estimated population of 14,003 as of May 2026. This reflects a growth of 1,428 people (11.4%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 12,575. The change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimated resident population of 13,713 in June 2025 and an additional 408 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 3,423 persons per square kilometer, placing Caringbah in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The suburb's growth exceeded both its SA4 region (5.0%) and SA3 area, making it a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 53.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch projections for Caringbah are based on ABS/Geoscience Australia data released in 2024 with a base year of 2022, and NSW State Government's SA2 level projections released in 2022 with a base year of 2021 for areas not covered by the former. Considering these projections, Caringbah is expected to experience above median population growth by 2041, with an increase of 2,062 persons (12.7%) over the 16-year period.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Caringbah among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers indicates that Caringbah has experienced approximately 149 dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years. This totals an estimated 747 homes from FY-20 to FY-25. As of FY-26389 approvals have been recorded. On average, 1.4 people have moved to the area for each dwelling built between FY-21 and FY-25, suggesting a balanced supply and demand market with stable conditions.

The average construction value for new homes is $486,000, indicating a focus on premium properties by developers. This financial year has seen $41.0 million in commercial approvals, reflecting robust local business investment. Compared to Greater Sydney, Caringbah shows 69.0% higher construction activity per person, demonstrating strong developer confidence in the location. Recent construction comprises 7.0% detached dwellings and 93.0% townhouses or apartments, creating more affordable entry points for downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers. This shift is notable compared to the current housing mix of 28.0% houses, likely due to reduced development site availability and changing lifestyle demands. The location has approximately 60 people per dwelling approval, indicating an expanding market. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Caringbah is forecasted to gain 1,772 residents by 2041.

At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting population growth beyond current projections.

Caringbah has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 20% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 17 projects that may affect this region. Notable initiatives include Caringbah Pavilion, Sutherland to Cronulla Active Transport Link (SCATL), Live Caringbah, and Shop top housing with affordable housing - Willarong Road and President Avenue Caringbah. The following list details those most likely to be relevant.

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

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The labour market in Caringbah demonstrates typical performance when compared to similar areas across Australia

Caringbah has a well-educated workforce with professional services showing strong representation. The unemployment rate was 4.0% in the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 1.0%. As of December 2025, 7,844 residents were in work, with an unemployment rate of 0.2% below Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%, and workforce participation at 72.1%, compared to Greater Sydney's 68.8%.

According to Census responses, 37.8% of residents worked from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered. The dominant employment sectors were health care & social assistance, construction, and education & training. Construction had notable concentration with employment levels at 1.5 times the regional average. Professional & technical services had limited presence at 8.1%, compared to the regional average of 11.5%.

There were 1.1 workers for every resident as at the Census, indicating Caringbah functions as an employment hub hosting more jobs than residents and attracting workers from surrounding areas. In the 12-month period ending in May-25, employment increased by 1.0% alongside labour force increasing by 0.9%, keeping the unemployment rate relatively stable. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia project national employment to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Caringbah's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.7% over five years and 13.6% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

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 the latest postcode level ATO data released on 30 June 2023, the suburb of Caringbah had a median income among taxpayers of $63,846 with the average level standing at $94,820. Nationally, this is extremely high compared to levels of $60,817 and $83,003 across Greater Sydney respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.32% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $70,435 (median) and $104,605 (average) as of March 2026. From the Census conducted in August 2021, individual earnings stood out at the 81st percentile nationally with a weekly income of $1,032. Looking at income distribution, the predominant cohort spans 31.1% of locals (4,354 people) in the $1,500 - 2,999 income category, consistent with broader trends across the surrounding region showing 30.9% in the same category. High housing costs consume 20.2% of income, though strong earnings still place disposable income at the 53rd percentile and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 7th decile.

Caringbah features a more urban dwelling mix with significant apartment living, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Caringbah's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 27.7% houses and 72.3% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Sydney metro had 55.9% houses and 44.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Caringbah was at 26.7%, with mortgaged dwellings at 34.5% and rented ones at 38.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Caringbah was $2,500, higher than Sydney metro's $2,427. Weekly rent median was $470, matching Sydney metro's figure. Nationally, Caringbah's mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $1,863 and rents substantially above the national average of $375.

Caringbah features high concentrations of lone person households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 63.2% of all households, including 27.7% couples with children, 23.0% couples without children, and 11.7% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 36.8%, with lone person households at 33.3% and group households making up 3.4%. The median household size is 2.3 people, smaller than the Greater Sydney average of 2.7.

Caringbah shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

In Caringbah, as of the latest data, 28.7% of residents aged 15 and above hold university degrees, compared to Greater Sydney's 38.0%. This indicates potential for educational development. Bachelor degrees are most common at 20.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (6.0%) and graduate diplomas (2.5%). Vocational credentials are prominent with 38.4% of residents aged 15 and above holding them, including advanced diplomas (12.8%) and certificates (25.6%).

Educational participation is high, with 27.7% currently enrolled in formal education, comprising 9.3% in primary, 6.3% in secondary, and 4.9% in tertiary education.

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

Caringbah has 100 active public transport stops offering a mix of train and bus services. These are served by 40 routes that facilitate 4,245 weekly passenger trips in total. The area's transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents typically living within 125 meters of the nearest stop. As a primarily residential zone, most commuters travel outward. Car remains the dominant mode of transport at 83%, followed by train at 7% and walking at 6%. On average, there are 1.0 vehicles per dwelling, below the regional norm.

According to the 2021 Census, 37.8% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. Across all routes, service frequency averages 606 trips per day, equating to approximately 42 weekly trips per individual stop.

The level of general health in Caringbah is notably higher than the national average with prevalence of common health conditions quite low across both younger and older age cohorts

Caringbah shows superior health outcomes based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. The prevalence of common health conditions is low across both younger and older age cohorts. Approximately 64% of Caringbah's total population (9005 people) has private health cover, compared to Greater Sydney's 59.9%.

Nationally, this figure stands at 55.7%. Mental health issues and arthritis are the most common medical conditions in the area, affecting 7.4 and 7.2% of residents respectively. 72.7% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to Greater Sydney's 74.6%. The under-65 population has better than average health outcomes. Caringbah has 16.2% of residents aged 65 and over (2268 people). Health outcomes among seniors are above average, broadly in line with national rankings for the general population.

The level of cultural diversity witnessed in Caringbah was found to be slightly above average when compared nationally for a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Caringbah's population showed higher than average cultural diversity, with 22.4% born overseas and 15.6% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Caringbah, comprising 57.5%, compared to Greater Sydney's 49.2%. The top three ancestry groups were English (27.0%), Australian (25.3%), and Irish (8.9%), all higher than regional averages of 19.0% and 17.8% respectively.

Notably, Russian (0.8%) was overrepresented compared to the region's 0.4%, while Serbian (0.5%) had equal representation with the region, and Maltese (0.9%) showed a slight decrease from the regional average of 1.0%.

Caringbah's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

Caringbah's median age is 37, matching Greater Sydney's figure of 37 and closely resembling Australia's median age of 38 years. The 0-4 age group comprises 6.7%, higher than Greater Sydney's percentage. Conversely, the 15-24 cohort makes up 10.1% of Caringbah's population, lower than Greater Sydney's figure. Between 2021 and present, the 75-84 age group has increased from 4.9% to 6.2%. Meanwhile, the 65-74 cohort has decreased from 8.5% to 7.8%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Caringbah's age structure. Notably, the 55-64 group is projected to grow by 30%, reaching 2,062 people from its current figure of 1,582. Both the 5-14 and 0-4 age groups are expected to decline in number.