Cliftleigh

Cliftleigh lies within the top 10% of areas nationally in terms of population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of short and medium-term trends

The suburb of Cliftleigh's population is estimated at around 2,725 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 416 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 2,309 people. The change is inferred from the resident population of 2,659 estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 and an additional 156 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 642 persons per square kilometer. Cliftleigh's growth of 18.0% since the 2021 census exceeded the Rest of NSW (5.9%) and the state, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth was primarily driven by interstate migration contributing approximately 68.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year, and NSW State Government's SA2 level projections for areas not covered by this data, released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. A significant population increase in the top quartile of Australian non-metropolitan areas is forecast for Cliftleigh, expected to grow by 1,091 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting an increase of 35.5% in total over the 17 years.

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

Based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers, allocated from statistical area data, Cliftleigh has recorded around 20 residential properties granted approval per year. Over the past five financial years, between FY-21 and FY-25, approximately 100 homes have been approved, with an additional 10 approved so far in FY-26. This results in an average of 4.8 people moving to the area for each dwelling built over these years, indicating that demand significantly outpaces supply.

Consequently, this typically puts upward pressure on prices and increases competition among buyers. The average construction cost value of new homes being built is $351,000. In FY-26, commercial development approvals totaling $129,000 have been recorded, reflecting the area's residential nature. Compared to Rest of NSW, Cliftleigh has around three-quarters the rate of new dwelling approvals per person while it places among the 90th percentile nationally in terms of building activity.

New development consists of 72.0% detached dwellings and 28.0% medium and high-density housing, preserving the area's low density nature with an emphasis on detached housing attracting space-seeking buyers. This represents a notable shift from the area's existing housing composition, which is currently 94.0% houses, indicating decreasing availability of developable sites and reflecting changing lifestyles and the need for more diverse, affordable housing options. Cliftleigh reflects a developing area with around 79 people per approval. Looking ahead, Cliftleigh is expected to grow by 967 residents through to 2041, according to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate. Construction maintains a reasonable pace with projected growth, although buyers could encounter growing competition as population increases.

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

Five projects identified by AreaSearch are expected to impact the area significantly. These include The Loxford Estate, Avery's Rise, Heddon Greta South Road and Drainage Improvements, and Heddon Greta - Cliftleigh Corridor Structure Plan.

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AreaSearch analysis places Cliftleigh well above average for employment performance across multiple indicators

Cliftleigh's workforce is balanced across white and blue-collar jobs, with prominent essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate stands at 2.4%, as per AreaSearch data aggregation from statistical areas. As of September 2025, 1,273 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 1.5% lower than Rest of NSW's 3.8%.

Workforce participation is high at 69.9%, compared to Rest of NSW's 61.5%. According to Census responses, 16.5% of residents work from home. Dominant employment sectors include health care & social assistance, retail trade, and construction. The area shows strong specialization in administrative & support services, employing 2.1 times the regional level.

Agriculture, forestry & fishing employs only 1.5% of local workers, below Rest of NSW's 5.3%. Over the year to September 2025, labour force levels decreased by 2.5%, employment fell by 2.2%, and unemployment dropped by 0.2 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of NSW saw employment contract by 0.5%, labour force fall by 0.1%, and unemployment rise by 0.4 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project a 6.6% expansion over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Cliftleigh's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.3% over five years and 13.5% over ten years, though this is a simplified extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for localized population projections.

Income metrics indicate excellent economic conditions, with the area achieving higher performance than 75% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023 shows that income in Cliftleigh is high nationally. The median income is $68,662 and the average income stands at $80,492. This contrasts with Rest of NSW's figures where the median income is $52,390 and the average income is $65,215. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since financial year 2023, current estimates for Cliftleigh would be approximately $74,745 (median) and $87,624 (average) as of September 2025. The 2021 Census shows that incomes in Cliftleigh cluster around the 68th percentile nationally. The earnings profile indicates that 45.5% of locals (1,239 people) fall into the $1,500 - 2,999 income category. High housing costs consume 19.3% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 61st percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 4th decile.

Cliftleigh is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

In Cliftleigh, as per the latest Census evaluation, 94.0% of dwellings were houses, with the remaining 6.0% comprising semi-detached homes, apartments, and other types. This compares to Non-Metro NSW's figures of 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Cliftleigh stood at 12.1%, with mortgaged properties at 40.6% and rented dwellings at 47.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,950, exceeding Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,733. Weekly rent in Cliftleigh was recorded at $435, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $330. Nationally, Cliftleigh's mortgage repayments were higher than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 82.2% of all households, including 37.6% couples with children, 26.7% couples without children, and 17.3% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 17.8%, with lone person households at 14.7% and group households comprising 3.1%. The median household size is 2.9 people, larger than the Rest of NSW average of 2.4.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 14.6%, significantly lower than the NSW average of 32.2%. This discrepancy presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 10.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.0%) and graduate diplomas (1.7%). Vocational credentials are prominent, with 47.2% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications - advanced diplomas at 9.8% and certificates at 37.4%.

Educational participation is notably high, with 33.2% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 12.5% in primary education, 6.7% in secondary education, and 3.7% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Public transport analysis indicates 13 active stops operating within Cliftleigh, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by a total of 25 routes, collectively facilitating 279 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is moderate, with residents typically situated 468 meters from the nearest stop. As primarily residential, most residents commute outward. Car remains the dominant mode at 98%, with an average vehicle ownership of 1.7 per dwelling, exceeding the regional average. According to the 2021 Census, 16.5% of residents work from home, potentially influenced by COVID-19 conditions.

Service frequency averages 39 trips per day across all routes, translating to approximately 21 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Cliftleigh is a key challenge with a range of health conditions having marked impacts on both younger and older age cohorts

Cliftleigh faces significant health challenges as assessed by AreaSearch. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are high across various health conditions that affect both younger and older age groups.

Private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 59% of the total population (1,599 people), compared to 51.9% in Rest of NSW. The most common medical conditions are mental health issues and asthma, impacting 13.2% and 12.2% of residents respectively. Conversely, 65.9% of residents report being completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 63.3% in Rest of NSW. Working-age population faces notable health challenges with elevated chronic condition rates. The area has 4.4% of residents aged 65 and over (119 people), lower than the 23.4% in Rest of NSW. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

Cliftleigh is considerably less culturally diverse than average when assessed alongside AreaSearch's national rankings for language and cultural background related metrics

Cliftleigh had a cultural diversity level below average, with 90.9% of its population born in Australia, 93.9% being citizens, and 92.7% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Cliftleigh, comprising 42.4% of people. However, Judaism was overrepresented, making up 0.1% compared to the Rest of NSW's 0.1%.

In terms of ancestry, the top three groups were Australian (35.6%), English (28.8%), and Australian Aboriginal (8.4%). Notably, Filipino (2.7%) was overrepresented compared to the regional average of 0.6%, Macedonian (0.2% vs 0.4%), and Korean (0.2% vs 0.1%) were also disproportionately represented.

Cliftleigh hosts a very young demographic, ranking in the bottom 10% of areas nationwide

Cliftleigh's median age is 26 years, which is notably younger than both the Rest of NSW average of 43 and the national average of 38. Compared to Rest of NSW, Cliftleigh has a higher proportion of residents aged 25-34 (28.8%), but fewer residents aged 65-74 (3%). This concentration of 25-34 year-olds is significantly higher than the national average of 14.4%. According to post-2021 Census data, Cliftleigh's population has shifted towards younger age groups: the 25-34 cohort increased from 26.8% to 28.8%, while the 35-44 cohort rose from 13.2% to 14.9%. Conversely, the 45-54 cohort decreased from 6.9% to 5.0%, and the 55-64 group dropped from 5.0% to 3.5%. Demographic projections indicate that Cliftleigh's age profile will significantly change by 2041, with the strongest growth expected in the 25-34 cohort, which is projected to grow by 42%, adding 328 residents to reach a total of 1,113.