Castlecrag

Castlecrag has shown very soft population growth performance across periods assessed by AreaSearch

As of Feb 2026, the estimated population of Castlecrag is around 3,101. This reflects a 4.6% increase since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 2,965 people. The current resident population estimate by AreaSearch is 3,093, following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 and validation of three new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 2,053 persons per square kilometer, higher than the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Castlecrag's growth rate of 4.6% since the census is within 1.2 percentage points of the SA4 region's growth rate of 5.8%, indicating competitive growth fundamentals. Overseas migration was the primary driver of population gains in recent periods for the suburb of Castlecrag.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch uses NSW State Government's SA2 level projections 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. According to population projections, the area is expected to expand by 37 persons by 2041, reflecting an increase of 0.9% in total over the 17-year period.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development drivers sees a low level of activity in Castlecrag, placing the area among the bottom 25% of areas assessed nationally

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers shows Castlecrag had approximately 10 new homes approved annually over the past five financial years, totalling around 54 homes. As of FY-26, 38 approvals have been recorded. The population has declined recently but housing supply has remained adequate relative to demand, indicating a balanced market with good buyer choice. New dwellings are developed at an average expected construction cost value of $1,352,000, suggesting developers focus on the premium market with high-end developments.

There have been $109,000 in commercial approvals this financial year, predominantly residential. Compared to Greater Sydney and nationally, Castlecrag shows approximately 56% of construction activity per person, placing it among the 57th percentile of areas assessed nationally. This activity is below average nationally due to the area's maturity and possible planning constraints. Recent construction comprises 54.0% standalone homes and 46.0% townhouses or apartments, offering a mix of medium-density options across price brackets. This marks a significant shift from existing housing patterns (currently 97.0% houses), suggesting diminishing developable land availability and responding to evolving lifestyle preferences and housing affordability needs.

Castlecrag has approximately 272 people per dwelling approval, indicating a low density market. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, the location is expected to grow by 29 residents through to 2041. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

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

No infrastructure changes will affect this area more than local improvements, major projects, and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has identified zero projects that could impact it. Notable ones are Heart Of Willoughby, Sydney Metro City & Southwest, Beaches Link Tunnel, and North Sydney To Northern Beaches Capacity Improvements. The following list details those most relevant.

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

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Employment performance in Castlecrag has been broadly consistent with national averages

Castlecrag has a highly educated workforce with the technology sector well-represented. Its unemployment rate is 3.5%. Over the past year, employment remained relatively stable.

As of December 2025, 1,550 residents are employed with an unemployment rate of 0.6% below Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%. Workforce participation in Castlecrag lags at 61.2%, compared to Greater Sydney's 70.2%. A high proportion, 65.0%, work from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. Employment is concentrated in professional & technical (2.1 times the regional average), finance & insurance, and health care & social assistance sectors.

Conversely, construction shows lower representation at 4.8% versus the regional average of 8.6%. Local employment opportunities appear limited as indicated by Census data comparing working population to resident population. Between December 2024 and December 2025, employment increased by 0.1%, labour force by 0.6%, causing unemployment to rise by 0.4 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Sydney saw employment grow by 2.2% and unemployment rise marginally. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 estimate a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Castlecrag's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 8.0% over five years and 15.6% over ten years, though these are simple extrapolations for illustrative purposes only.

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

AreaSearch aggregated latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year ending June 2023. Castlecrag's median taxpayer income was $81,592, with an average of $192,257. These figures placed Castlecrag in the top percentile nationally, compared to Greater Sydney's median of $60,817 and average of $83,003. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since June 2023, estimated incomes for September 2025 would be approximately $88,821 (median) and $209,291 (average). The 2021 Census ranked Castlecrag's household, family, and personal incomes between the 97th and 99th percentiles nationally. Income analysis showed that 56.8% of Castlecrag residents earned over $4,000 annually (1,761 individuals), contrasting with the region where the $1,500 - $2,999 bracket led at 30.9%. The district's affluence was evident with 66.7% earning over $3,000 weekly, supporting premium retail and services. After housing costs, residents retained 89.1% of income, reflecting strong purchasing power. Castlecrag's SEIFA income ranking placed it in the 10th decile.

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

In Castlecrag, as per the latest Census evaluation, 96.7% of dwellings were houses, with the remaining 3.3% comprising semi-detached homes, apartments, and other dwelling types. This contrasts with Sydney metropolitan areas where 55.9% of dwellings are houses and 44.1% are other dwelling types. Home ownership in Castlecrag stood at 49.1%, higher than the Sydney metro average. Mortgaged dwellings made up 39.0%, while rented dwellings accounted for 11.9%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Castlecrag was $4,333, significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863. Weekly rent in Castlecrag was recorded at $1,010, substantially above the national figure of $375 and Sydney metro's weekly rent average of $470.

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

Family households account for 88.5% of all households, including 51.3% couples with children, 28.1% couples without children, and 8.3% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 11.5%, with lone person households at 11.1% and group households comprising 0.6% of the total. The median household size is 3.0 people, which is larger than the Greater Sydney average of 2.7.

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

Castlecrag's residents aged 15+ have a notably higher proportion with university qualifications (59.8%) than Australia-wide (30.4%) or NSW (32.2%). This indicates strong educational attainment in the area. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 37.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (17.9%) and graduate diplomas (4.0%). Technical qualifications make up 13.6% of achievements, with advanced diplomas at 7.9% and certificates at 5.7%.

Educational participation is high, with 33.6% currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 12.8% in secondary, 9.3% in primary, and 7.9% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Castlecrag has 19 active public transport stops operating within its boundaries. These stops are served by a total of 29 different bus routes, which combined provide 1,231 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility to these stops is rated as excellent, with residents typically located just 187 meters from the nearest stop. As Castlecrag is primarily residential, most commuting is outward-bound. Cars are the dominant mode of transport for these outward journeys at 85%, while only 6% use buses. On average, there are 1.7 vehicles per dwelling in the area, which is higher than the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, a high proportion of residents work from home, with 65.0% doing so, potentially due to COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency across all routes averages at 175 trips per day, equating to approximately 64 weekly trips per individual stop.

Castlecrag'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 Castlecrag, based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. The area has a very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups. Private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 102% of the total population (3,176 people), compared to 59.9% across Greater Sydney and 55.7% nationally.

The most common medical conditions are arthritis and asthma, affecting 5.7% and 5.7% of residents respectively. 77.3% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 74.6% in Greater Sydney. The area has 20.2% of residents aged 65 and over (626 people), higher than the 15.4% in Greater Sydney. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

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

Castlecrag, surveyed in June 2016, had a higher proportion of residents speaking languages other than English at home, with 19.3%, compared to the majority of local markets. Additionally, 32.6% of Castlecrag's population was born overseas. Christianity was the predominant religion, accounting for 49.2%.

However, Judaism was significantly overrepresented in Castlecrag, comprising 2.6% of the population, while it made up only 0.8% across Greater Sydney as a whole. Regarding ancestry, the top three represented groups were English (25.8%), Australian (19.4%), and Irish (9.7%). Notably, Hungarian (1.1%) was overrepresented compared to the regional average of 0.3%. Similarly, French (1.0%) and Polish (1.1%) also had higher representations than their respective regional averages of 0.5% and 0.6%.

Castlecrag hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

The median age in Castlecrag is 46 years, which is notably higher than Greater Sydney's average of 37 years and also above the Australian median of 38 years. The 15-24 age group is over-represented in Castlecrag at 21.7%, compared to Greater Sydney's average, while the 25-34 age group is under-represented at 3.8%. This concentration of the 15-24 age group is significantly higher than the national average of 12.5%. Since the Census conducted on the 2nd of August 2021, the proportion of the population in the 15 to 24 age group has increased from 15.9% to 21.7%, while the 75 to 84 age group has increased from 5.0% to 6.4%. Conversely, the 5 to 14 age group has declined from 14.9% to 12.5%, and the 45 to 54 age group has decreased from 18.9% to 16.7%. Population forecasts for Castlecrag indicate significant demographic changes by the year 2041. The 45-54 age cohort is projected to expand notably, increasing by 199 people (38%) from 517 to 717. Meanwhile, the 35-44 and 25-34 age cohorts are expected to experience population declines.