Crestwood

Population growth drivers in Crestwood are above average based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

The estimated population of Crestwood as of February 2026 is around 4,912 people. This figure reflects a decrease of 24 individuals since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 4,936 people. The current estimate is based on AreaSearch's validation of new addresses and analysis of resident population data from June 2024 ABS ERP release, indicating a population density ratio of 2,506 persons per square kilometer. This places Crestwood in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Overseas migration contributed approximately 73% of overall population gains during recent periods for the suburb.

AreaSearch uses 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 are applied to all areas from these aggregations for years 2032 to 2041. Projected demographic shifts indicate that Crestwood is expected to increase its population by 1,450 persons to 2041, reflecting a gain of approximately 30.3% over the 17-year period.

The level of residential development activity in Crestwood is very low in comparison to the average area assessed nationally by AreaSearch

Crestwood has had minimal residential development activity with 3 dwelling approvals annually over the past five years, totalling 16. This low level of development is characteristic of rural areas where housing needs are modest and construction activity is limited by local demand and infrastructure capacity. The small sample size means individual projects can significantly influence annual growth statistics.

Compared to Rest of NSW and national averages, Crestwood has much lower development activity. New building activity consists of 33.0% detached houses and 67.0% attached dwellings, favouring higher-density living which is more affordable for downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers. As of approximately 1413 people per dwelling approval, Crestwood has an established market. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, the population is forecasted to grow by 1,489 residents by 2041. If current development rates continue, housing supply may not keep pace with population growth, potentially increasing competition among buyers and supporting stronger price growth.

Population forecasts indicate Crestwood will gain 1,489 residents through to 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). If current development rates continue, housing supply may not keep pace with population growth, potentially increasing competition among buyers and supporting stronger price growth.

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

Area infrastructure significantly impacts performance. One project may influence this region: Yass Road, Bungendore Road, Ellerton Drive Intersection Upgrade (2018-2020). Key projects include Queanbeyan Regional Integrated Transport Plan (2016-present), Queanbeyan CBD Towers (2021-present), and Queanbeyan Sewage Treatment Plant Upgrade (2019-2021).

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The employment environment in Crestwood shows above-average strength when compared nationally

Crestwood's workforce is highly educated with significant representation in essential services sectors. The unemployment rate as of September 2025 was 2.8%, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data. This rate is 1.1% lower than Rest of NSW's rate of 3.8%.

Workforce participation in Crestwood is high at 72.8%, compared to Rest of NSW's 61.5%. Census responses indicate that only 7.6% of residents work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered. The leading employment industries among residents are public administration & safety, health care & social assistance, and construction. Crestwood shows strong specialization in public administration & safety, with an employment share 3.1 times the regional level.

In contrast, agriculture, forestry & fishing employs only 0.2% of local workers, below Rest of NSW's 5.3%. The predominantly residential area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. Between September 2024 and September 2025, Crestwood's labour force decreased by 6.0%, with employment decreasing by the same percentage, keeping the unemployment rate relatively stable. In comparison, Rest of NSW recorded an employment decline of 0.5% and a labour force decline of 0.1%, with unemployment rising by 0.4 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that national employment is projected to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Crestwood's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.2% over five years and 12.9% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

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

The median taxpayer income in Crestwood is $57,137, with an average of $67,268, according to the latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. This is comparable to national averages, differing from Rest of NSW's median income of $52,390 and average income of $65,215. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since financial year 2023, estimated incomes as of September 2025 would be approximately $62,199 (median) and $73,228 (average). According to the 2021 Census, personal income ranks at the 77th percentile ($982 weekly), while household income is at the 48th percentile. The predominant income cohort in Crestwood spans 35.7% of locals (1,753 people) earning between $1,500 and $2,999 per week, reflecting regional patterns where 29.9% fall into this range. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 84.1% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 49th percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 5th decile.

Crestwood displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

The dwelling structure in Crestwood, as per the latest Census, consisted of 45.7% houses and 54.3% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compared to Non-Metro NSW's 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Crestwood stood at 23.4%, with the remaining dwellings being mortgaged (34.2%) or rented (42.4%). The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,733, aligning with Non-Metro NSW's average. The median weekly rent was $320, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $330. Nationally, Crestwood's mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

Crestwood features high concentrations of lone person households and group households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 57.4% of all households, including 23.0% couples with children, 22.8% couples without children, and 10.1% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 42.6%, with lone person households at 38.8% and group households comprising 3.9%. The median household size is 2.2 people, which is smaller than the Rest of NSW average of 2.4.

Educational attainment in Crestwood aligns closely with national averages, showing typical qualification patterns and performance metrics

The area's university qualification rate is 30.2%, higher than the Rest of NSW average of 21.3% and the SA4 region average of 24.1%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 17.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (10.6%) and graduate diplomas (2.3%). Vocational credentials are held by 33.0% of residents aged 15+, with advanced diplomas at 11.1% and certificates at 21.9%.

Educational participation is high, with 26.7% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 8.3% in primary education, 5.5% in tertiary education, and 5.0% pursuing secondary education.

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

Crestwood has 30 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 31 different routes that together facilitate 536 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically located 145 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward due to Crestwood being primarily residential. Cars remain the dominant mode of transportation at 90%. The average vehicle ownership per dwelling is 1.1, which is below the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, only 7.6% of residents work from home, a figure that may reflect COVID-19 conditions. On average, there are 76 trips per day across all routes, translating to approximately 17 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Crestwood is lower than average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts

Crestwood faces significant health challenges, as assessed by AreaSearch's analysis of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence.

Common health conditions are somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts. The rate of private health cover is approximately 54% of the total population (~2,629 people), slightly higher than the average SA2 area. Mental health issues affect 9.8% of residents, while asthma impacts 8.1%. Conversely, 68.5% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments compared to 63.3% across Rest of NSW. Working-age residents show a higher prevalence of chronic health conditions. The area has 11.7% of residents aged 65 and over (574 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.

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

Crestwood, surveyed in June 2016, had a higher overseas-born population at 29.9%, compared to most local markets. In homes, 26.7% spoke languages other than English. Christianity was the predominant religion, with 46.6%.

The 'Other' religious category comprised 3.7%, significantly more than Rest of NSW's 0.8%. For ancestry, Australian (23.2%) and English (22.4%) were top groups, but lower than regional averages of 30.0% and 30.5% respectively. 'Other' ancestry was higher at 14.5%, compared to 4.8% regionally. Notable overrepresentation occurred in Macedonian (1.6%), Hungarian (0.4%), and Croatian (1.1%) groups, exceeding regional averages of 0.4%, 0.2%, and 0.3% respectively.

Crestwood's population is younger than the national pattern

Crestwood's median age is 34, significantly lower than Rest of NSW's 43 and Australia's 38. The 25-34 cohort is over-represented in Crestwood at 24.5%, compared to the Rest of NSW average, while those aged 65-74 are under-represented at 6.9%. This concentration of young adults is higher than the national figure of 14.4%. Between 2021 and present, Crestwood's median age has decreased by 1.2 years to 34 due to younger residents shifting in. Specifically, the 25-34 age group grew from 22.2% to 24.5%, while the 35-44 cohort increased from 14.7% to 16.5%. Conversely, the 5-14 cohort declined from 10.2% to 8.7%, and the 55-64 group dropped from 10.0% to 8.5%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes in Crestwood. Notably, the 25-34 age group is projected to grow by 40%, adding 482 people and reaching 1,686 from 1,203. In contrast, the 55-64 cohort shows minimal growth of just 5%, with an increase of 22 people.