Carlingford

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

As of May 2026, the estimated population of the suburb of Carlingford is around 30,003. This reflects an increase of 1,959 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 28,044. The change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of 29,984 residents following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2025, and an additional 372 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 3,517 persons per square kilometer, placing Carlingford in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Over the past decade, from 2016 to 2026, Carlingford has demonstrated resilient growth patterns with a compound annual growth rate of 1.9%. This outpaces the Greater Sydney region's growth during this period.

Population growth for the suburb was primarily driven by overseas migration, contributing approximately 83.0% of overall population gains. AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For any SA2 areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilises the NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Based on aggregated SA2-level projections, the suburb of Carlingford is expected to grow by a total of 3,629 persons to reach the year 2041. This reflects an increase of approximately 12.0% in population over the 16-year period from 2025 to 2041.

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

Based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers from statistical area data, Carlingford has seen around 274 new homes approved per year over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated 1371 homes. In FY-26 so far, 454 approvals have been recorded. On average, 1.3 new residents are associated with each dwelling constructed annually between FY-21 and FY-25, indicating balanced supply and demand dynamics in the market. New properties are constructed at an average expected cost of $1040000, reflecting a focus on premium segment development.

This financial year has seen $1400000 in commercial approvals registered, highlighting Carlingford's residential nature. Current new development consists of 16% detached houses and 84% attached dwellings, marking a shift from existing housing patterns (currently 58% houses), likely due to decreasing developable land availability and evolving lifestyle preferences. With approximately 111 people per dwelling approval, Carlingford exhibits characteristics of a growth area. AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate projects an addition of 3610 residents by 2041.

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

Carlingford has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 10% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 25 projects that may affect this region. Notable initiatives include the upgrade of Carlingford West Public School and Cumberland High School, The Carling by Meriton development, upgrades to Pennant Hills Road and North Rocks Road, and the Carlingford Precinct Public Domain Plan & Parklands Development. The following list details those most likely to be 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 Carlingford demonstrate exceptional strength compared to most Australian markets

Carlingford has a highly educated workforce. The technology sector is particularly well-represented. Its unemployment rate was 2.3% in the past year.

Employment growth was estimated at 4.3%. As of December 2025, 16,671 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 1.9%, below Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%. Workforce participation is similar to Greater Sydney's 68.8%.

Census responses show that 51.1% of residents work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered. Dominant employment sectors include health care & social assistance, professional & technical, and education & training. Construction is under-represented at 7.3%, compared to Greater Sydney's 8.6%. Employment opportunities locally appear limited. Between December 2024 and 2025, employment levels increased by 4.3% and labour force increased by 4.3%, keeping the unemployment rate stable. By comparison, Greater Sydney recorded employment growth of 2.2% and labour force growth of 2.3%, with a marginal rise in unemployment. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project national employment growth at 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Carlingford's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.2% over five years and 14.5% over ten years, noting this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for localised population projections.

Income levels align closely with national averages, indicating typical economic conditions for Australian communities according to AreaSearch analysis

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year ending June 2023 indicates that median income in Carlingford is $48,999, with an average income of $68,200. This compares to Greater Sydney's median income of $60,817 and average income of $83,003 during the same period. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.32% from financial year ending June 2023 to March 2026, estimated median income is approximately $54,056 and average income is $75,238 as of that date. According to the 2021 Census, Carlingford's household income ranks at the 71st percentile ($2,084 weekly), while personal income sits at the 47th percentile. Income distribution shows that 33.5% (10,051 individuals) earn between $1,500 and $2,999 weekly, consistent with broader trends across the broader area where 30.9% fall into this category. Notably, 30.5% earn above $3,000 weekly. Housing costs consume 17.8% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 68th percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

Carlingford displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Carlingford's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 58.1% houses and 42.0% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). Compared to Sydney metro's 58.1% houses and 42.0% other dwellings. Home ownership in Carlingford was at 31.3%, with mortgaged dwellings at 34.9% and rented dwellings at 33.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,500, higher than Sydney metro's average of $2,427. Median weekly rent in Carlingford was $500, compared to Sydney metro's $470. Nationally, Carlingford's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 83.4% of all households, including 49.1% couples with children, 22.0% couples without children, and 11.1% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 16.6%, with lone person households at 14.2% and group households at 2.4%. The median household size is 3.0 people, which is larger than the Greater Sydney average of 2.7.

Educational achievement in Carlingford places it within the top 10% nationally, reflecting strong academic performance and high qualification levels across the community

Carlingford's residents aged 15 and above have a notable educational advantage with 48.5% holding university qualifications, exceeding Australia's 30.4% and NSW's 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 30.5%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (15.4%) and graduate diplomas (2.6%). Vocational pathways account for 22.0%, with advanced diplomas at 10.9% and certificates at 11.1%. Educational participation is high, with 32.6% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, including 12.0% in primary, 7.6% in secondary, and 6.8% in tertiary education.

Educational participation is notably high, with 32.6% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 12.0% in primary education, 7.6% in secondary education, and 6.8% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Carlingford has 181 active public transport stops, serving a mix of light rail and bus services. These stops are covered by 72 different routes, collectively facilitating 4,269 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically residing 142 meters from the nearest stop. As primarily residential, most commutes are outward-bound. Cars remain the dominant mode of travel at 81%, followed by train at 9% and bus at 7%. On average, there are 1.4 vehicles per dwelling, exceeding the regional norm.

According to the 2021 Census, 51.1% of residents work from home, possibly due to COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 609 trips daily across all routes, translating to approximately 23 weekly trips per individual stop. The accompanying map illustrates the 100 nearest stops to the location's centerpoint.

Carlingford's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Carlingford's health outcomes show notable results based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Common health conditions have a very low prevalence across all age groups.

Approximately 54% (~16,171 people) of Carlingford residents have private health cover, compared to Greater Sydney's 59.9%. Asthma and arthritis are the most common medical conditions in the area, affecting 4.8 and 4.7% of residents respectively. Around 79.4% of residents report being completely free from medical ailments, compared to 74.6% across Greater Sydney. Carlingford has 18.0% (5,400 people) of its population aged 65 and over, higher than Greater Sydney's 15.5%. Health outcomes among seniors in Carlingford are strong, aligning with national rankings similar to the general population.

Carlingford is among the most culturally diverse areas in the country based on AreaSearch assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Carlingford has a culturally diverse population, with 56.8% born overseas and 66.0% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the main religion, comprising 40.1%. Buddhism is overrepresented at 6.2%, compared to Greater Sydney's 4.1%.

The top three ancestry groups are Chinese (35.5%), Other (14.6%), and English (10.8%). Korean is notably overrepresented at 6.0% in Carlingford, while Lebanese is underrepresented at 1.7%, compared to regional averages of 1.1% and 2.6% respectively. Indian ancestry is also slightly higher than the regional average, at 5.3%.

Carlingford's population aligns closely with national norms in age terms

The median age in Carlingford is 38 years, close to Greater Sydney's average of 37 years and equivalent to Australia's median of 38 years. Compared to Greater Sydney, Carlingford has a higher proportion of residents aged 5-14 (15.1%) but fewer residents aged 25-34 (10.9%). Between the 2021 Census and the present, the proportion of residents aged 15-24 has increased from 10.8% to 11.7%, while the proportion of those aged 0-4 has decreased from 5.5% to 4.6%. By 2041, Carlingford's age composition is expected to shift notably. The number of residents aged 75-84 is projected to grow by 55%, reaching 2,744 from 1,770. The aging population trend is evident, with those aged 65 and above comprising 55% of the projected growth. Conversely, population declines are projected for the 0-4 and 5-14 age groups.