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

As of November 2025, the Castle Cove statistical area's population is estimated at around 2,677. This reflects an increase of 34 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 2,643. The change was inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population at 2,676 following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 and an additional 14 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 1,144 persons per square kilometer. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered, AreaSearch utilises NSW State Government's SA2 level projections released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Growth rates by age group are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Future population trends suggest lower quartile growth, with the area expected to increase by 35 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting an increase of 1.1% in total over the 17 years.

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 in Castle Cove shows an average of around 17 new dwelling approvals per year over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated 88 homes. As of FY26, 18 approvals have been recorded. Despite population decline during this period, development activity has been adequate relative to population changes, which may benefit buyers. The average expected construction cost value for new properties is $1,352,000, indicating a focus on the premium market with high-end developments.

This year, there have also been $508,000 in commercial approvals, reflecting the area's residential nature. Compared to Greater Sydney, Castle Cove exhibits comparable development activity per person, suggesting market stability aligned with regional trends. Recent construction comprises 52.0% detached dwellings and 48.0% attached dwellings, expanding medium-density options and creating a mix of housing opportunities across price brackets. This marks a significant shift from the current 91.0% houses, potentially indicating diminishing developable land availability and responding to evolving lifestyle preferences and housing affordability needs.

The location has approximately 178 people per dwelling approval, indicative of a low-density market. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Castle Cove is projected to gain 30 residents by 2041. Based on current development patterns, new housing supply should meet demand, providing 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

No infrastructure changes or major projects have been identified by AreaSearch that could significantly impact this area. Among the key initiatives are Heart Of Willoughby, Sydney Metro City & Southwest, Beaches Link Tunnel, and Northern Beaches Housing Reforms Implementation. The following list details these projects, which are likely to be most relevant.

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

Castle Cove has a highly educated workforce with significant representation in the technology sector. Its unemployment rate is 3.4%.

Over the past year, it has maintained relative employment stability. As of September 2025, 1,292 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 0.8% lower than Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%. Workforce participation in Castle Cove is somewhat below standard at 57.7%, compared to Greater Sydney's 60.0%. The key industries for employment among residents are professional & technical, finance & insurance, and health care & social assistance.

Notably, the area shows strong specialization in professional & technical services with an employment share of 1.9 times the regional level. However, public administration & safety is under-represented, with only 2.4% of Castle Cove's workforce compared to Greater Sydney's 5.7%. The predominantly residential area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. Over a 12-month period, the labour force increased by 0.5%, while employment decreased by 0.1%, resulting in an unemployment rate rise of 0.6 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Sydney experienced employment growth of 2.1% and labour force growth of 2.4%, with a rise of only 0.2 percentage points in its unemployment rate. State-level data from NSW to 25-Nov shows employment contracted by 0.03%, losing 2,260 jobs, while the state unemployment rate was at 3.9%. This compares favourably to the national unemployment rate of 4.3%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 offer further insight into potential future demand within Castle Cove. These projections suggest that national employment should expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. However, growth rates differ significantly between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to Castle Cove's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.5% over five years and 14.8% over ten years.

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

The median taxpayer income in Castle Cove is $68,783, with an average of $162,075, according to postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for the financial year 2023. This is notably higher than Greater Sydney's median income of $60,817 and average income of $83,073. Based on a Wage Price Index growth rate of 8.86% since the financial year 2023, estimated incomes for September 2025 would be approximately $74,877 (median) and $176,435 (average). According to the 2021 Census, Castle Cove's household, family, and personal incomes rank highly nationally, between the 92nd and 99th percentiles. Income analysis shows that the $4000+ bracket dominates with 42.3% of residents (1,132 people), contrasting with regional levels where the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket leads at 30.9%. Castle Cove exhibits significant affluence, with 54.6% earning over $3,000 per week, supporting premium retail and service offerings. After housing costs, residents retain 86.9% of their income, indicating strong purchasing power. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 10th decile.

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

The latest Census evaluation showed that 90.6% of dwellings in Castle Cove were houses, with the remaining 9.4% comprising semi-detached homes, apartments, and other dwelling types. In contrast, Sydney metropolitan area had 41.1% houses and 58.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in Castle Cove stood at 52.1%, with mortgaged properties making up 35.9% and rented dwellings accounting for 12.0%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $4,000, exceeding Sydney metro's average of $3,033. The median weekly rent in Castle Cove was $1,000, compared to Sydney metro's $560. Nationally, Castle Cove's median monthly mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while median weekly 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 constitute the remaining 16.5%, with lone person households at 15.6% and group households comprising 1.4%. The median household size is 2.9 people, which is 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

In Castle Cove, the proportion of residents aged 15 and above with university qualifications is notably higher than national and state averages. Specifically, 53.8% of residents in Castle Cove possess such qualifications, compared to 30.4% nationally and 32.2% in New South Wales (NSW). This educational attainment places the area favourably for opportunities that require a high level of knowledge. Among these university-qualified residents, bachelor degrees are the most common at 34.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 15.9% and graduate diplomas at 3.9%.

Vocational pathways account for 20.3% of qualifications among those aged 15 and above, with advanced diplomas making up 11.3% and certificates comprising 9.0%. Educational participation in the area is significantly high, with 33.5% of residents currently enrolled in formal education programs. This includes 11.5% in primary education, 11.0% in secondary education, and 6.5% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Castle Cove has 31 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 27 different routes that together facilitate 2,580 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of transport in Castle Cove is rated as excellent, with residents on average being located 171 meters from the nearest transport stop.

On a daily basis, there are an average of 368 trips across all routes, which equates to approximately 83 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 (2,426 people), compared to 79.5% across Greater Sydney and a national average of 55.7%. The most common medical conditions in the area are arthritis and asthma, impacting 7.0 and 6.3% of residents respectively, while 75.1% declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments compared to 78.0% across Greater Sydney.

Castle Cove has 24.4% of residents aged 65 and over (653 people), 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 was found to be more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets in Australia, upon assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

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

The top three ancestry groups are English (21.7%), Australian (18.6%), and Chinese (17.4%). Some ethnicities show notable differences: Hungarian at 1.0% in Castle Cove versus 0.4% regionally, Russian at 0.6% each, and French 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 of 38 years. Comparing this with Greater Sydney, the cohort aged 75-84 is significantly overrepresented at 9.9% locally, while those aged 25-34 are underrepresented at 4.5%. Between the 2021 Census and now, the population aged 15-24 has increased from 12.4% to 14.9%, and the 75-84 cohort has grown from 8.1% to 9.9%. Conversely, the 5-14 age group has decreased from 16.4% to 14.3%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate substantial demographic shifts in Castle Cove. The 85+ age cohort is projected to grow significantly, expanding by 125 people (114%) from 109 to 235. The aging population trend is evident, with those aged 65 and above comprising 80% of the projected growth. Conversely, the 0-4 and 25-34 age cohorts are expected to experience population declines.