Castle Cove

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

The population of Castle Cove, as estimated by AreaSearch using ABS updates and new addresses validated since Nov 2025, is around 2,698. This figure reflects an increase from the 2021 Census count of 2,643 people, a change inferred from the resident population estimate of 2,699 by AreaSearch following examination of ABS' latest ERP data release (June 2024) and additional validated new addresses since the Census date. This population level equates to a density ratio of 1,153 persons per square kilometer, in line with averages seen across locations assessed by AreaSearch. Overseas migration primarily drove population growth for Castle Cove 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. Future population trends suggest lower quartile growth, with Castle Cove expected to increase by 40 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting a total increase of 0.5% over the 17-year period.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Castle Cove according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers for Castle Cove shows an average of 19 new dwelling approvals per year over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated 95 homes. As of FY-26, there have been 7 approvals recorded. Despite a population decline during this period, development activity has been adequate relative to the falling population, which is positive for buyers. The average construction cost value of new properties is $1,352,000, indicating developers' focus on the premium market with high-end developments.

This financial year has seen $653,000 in commercial approvals, reflecting the area's residential nature. Compared to Greater Sydney, Castle Cove exhibits moderately higher development activity, at 12.0% above the regional average per person over the five-year period, providing reasonable buyer options while sustaining existing property demand. Recent construction comprises 54.0% detached dwellings and 46.0% attached dwellings, offering an expanding range of medium-density housing options across various price brackets. This marks a significant shift from the current housing pattern, which is predominantly houses (91.0%), suggesting diminishing developable land availability and responding to evolving lifestyle preferences and housing affordability needs.

The location has approximately 152 people per dwelling approval, indicating a low density market. Population forecasts suggest Castle Cove will gain 14 residents by 2041, according to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate. 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.

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

The performance of an area can significantly be impacted by changes to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has identified a total of 0 projects that are expected to affect this particular area. Notable projects include Heart Of Willoughby, Sydney Metro City & Southwest, Beaches Link Tunnel, and Northern Beaches Housing Reforms Implementation. The following list outlines those projects deemed most relevant.

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While Castle Cove retains a healthy unemployment rate of 3.2%, recent employment declines have impacted its national performance ranking

Castle Cove has a highly educated workforce with 1,313 residents employed as of June 2025. Its unemployment rate is 3.2%, lower than Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%.

Workforce participation in Castle Cove is 57.7% compared to Greater Sydney's 60.0%. Key industries include professional & technical, finance & insurance, and health care & social assistance. Specialization in professional & technical is strong with an employment share of 1.9 times the regional level. Public administration & safety is under-represented at 2.4% compared to Greater Sydney's 5.7%.

The area offers limited local employment opportunities. Over a 12-month period ending June 2025, labour force decreased by 0.2% and employment by 0.9%, increasing the unemployment rate by 0.7 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Sydney saw employment growth of 2.6%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 project a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years nationally. Applying these projections to Castle Cove's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.5% over five years and 14.8% over ten years, noting that this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

The economic profile demonstrates exceptional strength, placing the area among the top 10% nationally based on comprehensive AreaSearch income analysis

Castle Cove had a median taxpayer income of $68,783 and an average income of $162,075 in the financial year 2022, according to postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch. This is notably higher than the national averages for median income of $56,994 and average income of $80,856 in Greater Sydney. Based on a 12.61% growth in incomes since financial year 2022, estimated current incomes as of September 2025 would be approximately $77,457 (median) and $182,513 (average). In the 2021 Census, Castle Cove's household, family, and personal incomes ranked highly nationally, between the 92nd and 99th percentiles. Income analysis showed that 42.3% of residents (1,141 people) fell into the $4000+ bracket, contrasting with regional levels where the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket led at 30.9%. Castle Cove exhibited significant affluence, with 54.6% earning over $3,000 per week, supporting premium retail and service offerings. After housing costs, residents retained 86.9% of their income, indicating strong purchasing power. The area's SEIFA income ranking placed it in the 10th decile.

Castle Cove is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

In Castle Cove, as per the latest Census evaluation, 90.6% of dwellings were houses while 9.4% comprised semi-detached homes, apartments, and other types. This contrasts with Sydney metropolitan areas where 41.1% were houses and 58.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in Castle Cove stood at 52.1%, with mortgaged properties at 35.9% and rented ones at 12.0%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $4,000, surpassing Sydney metro's average of $3,033. The median weekly rent figure was recorded at $1,000 compared to Sydney metro's $560. Nationally, Castle Cove's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 83.5% of all households, including 48.7% couples with children, 26.0% couples without children, and 7.9% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 16.5%, with lone person households at 15.6% and group households comprising 1.4% of the total. The median household size is 2.9 people, larger than the Greater Sydney average of 2.5.

Castle Cove demonstrates exceptional educational outcomes, ranking among the top 5% of areas nationally based on AreaSearch's comprehensive analysis of qualification and performance metrics

Castle Cove's educational attainment is notably higher than broader standards: 53.8% of residents aged 15+ hold university qualifications, compared to Australia's 30.4% and NSW's 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 34.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (15.9%) and graduate diplomas (3.9%). Vocational pathways account for 20.3%, including advanced diplomas (11.3%) and certificates (9.0%). Educational participation is high, with 33.5% of residents currently enrolled in formal education: 11.5% in primary, 11.0% in secondary, and 6.5% pursuing tertiary education.

Castle Cove Public School serves the area, enrolling 310 students as of a specific date, with an ICSEA score of 1170, indicating high advantage nationally. The school focuses on primary education, while secondary options are available nearby.

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

Castle Cove has 29 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 27 different routes that together facilitate 1,754 weekly passenger trips. The average distance from residents to the nearest transport stop is 171 meters, indicating excellent accessibility.

On average, there are 250 trips per day across all routes, which equates to approximately 60 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Health outcomes data shows excellent results across Castle Cove, with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups. The rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 91% of the total population (2,445 people), compared to 78.2% across Greater Sydney and a national average of 55.3%. The most common medical conditions in the area are arthritis and asthma, affecting 7.0 and 6.3% of residents respectively, while 75.1% declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments compared to 78.0% across Greater Sydney.

As of 24th June 2022, Castle Cove has 24.4% of residents aged 65 and over (658 people), which is higher than the 15.7% in Greater Sydney. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, performing even better than the general population in health metrics.

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

Castle Cove's cultural diversity is evident with 30.5% speaking a language other than English at home and 38.7% born overseas. Christianity is the predominant religion, comprising 52.1% of Castle Cove's population. Notably, Judaism is overrepresented in Castle Cove at 2.3%, compared to Greater Sydney's 1.0%.

The top three ancestral groups are English (21.7%), Australian (18.6%), and Chinese (17.4%). Some ethnic groups show notable differences: Hungarian is overrepresented at 1.0% (regional average 0.4%), Russian is similarly represented at 0.6%, and French is slightly higher at 0.8% compared to the regional average of 0.7%.

Castle Cove hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

The median age in Castle Cove is 46 years, notably higher than Greater Sydney's average of 37 years and also above Australia's median age of 38 years. Compared to Greater Sydney, the 75-84 age cohort is significantly overrepresented in Castle Cove at 9.9%, while the 25-34 age group is underrepresented at 4.5%. Between the 2021 Census and the present day, the population of those aged 15 to 24 has increased from 12.4% to 14.8%, while the 75 to 84 cohort has risen from 8.1% to 9.9%. Conversely, the 5 to 14 age group has decreased from 16.4% to 14.3%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate significant demographic shifts in Castle Cove. The 85+ age cohort is projected to grow by 124 people (an increase of 112%) from 110 to 235. The aging population trend is evident, with those aged 65 and above comprising 79% of the projected growth. Conversely, the 0 to 4 and 25 to 34 age groups are expected to experience population declines.