Cronulla

Cronulla 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 May 2026, the estimated population of the suburb of Cronulla is around 18,704. This figure reflects an increase of 805 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 17,899. The resident population estimate of 18,656 by AreaSearch, based on the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2025, and an additional 296 validated new addresses since the Census date, supports this increase. This results in a density ratio of 4,858 persons per square kilometer, placing Cronulla within the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The suburb's 4.5% growth since the census is comparable to its SA4 region (5.0%), indicating strong growth fundamentals. Overseas migration contributed approximately 73.0% of overall population gains in recent periods, driving Cronulla's growth.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data, NSW State Government's SA2 level projections released in 2022 with a base year of 2021 are utilized. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Looking ahead, demographic trends suggest that the suburb of Cronulla is expected to grow by 935 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting a gain of approximately 4.7% in total over the 16-year period.

AreaSearch assessment of residential approval activity sees Cronulla among the top 30% of areas assessed nationwide

AreaSearch analysis indicates Cronulla has approved around 129 new homes annually. From FY-21 to FY-25, approximately 646 homes were approved, with another 62 in FY-26. Over these five years, an average of 0.6 people moved to the area per dwelling built.

This suggests supply is meeting or exceeding demand, offering ample buyer choice and capacity for population growth. The average construction value of new properties is $1,339,000, indicating a focus on premium market developments. In FY-26, commercial approvals totalled $86.3 million, reflecting robust local business investment. Cronulla's development levels per person are similar to Greater Sydney's, maintaining market equilibrium with surrounding areas.

Housing approvals show 17.0% detached houses and 83.0% medium-high density housing, attracting downsizers, investors, and first-time buyers. With around 140 people per dwelling approval, Cronulla is considered low-density. By 2041, population forecasts estimate an increase of 887 residents. Current development patterns suggest new supply should readily meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

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

Local infrastructure changes significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 22 projects that could impact this area. Notable ones include VUE Cronulla, Palm Cronulla, Isla Cronulla, and Port Hacking Estuary Dredging & Beach Nourishment. The following list details those likely to be most relevant.

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

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The labour market in Cronulla shows considerable strength compared to most other Australian regions

Cronulla has a well-educated workforce with strong representation in professional services. The unemployment rate was 2.6% as of December 2025. Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 0.9%.

In comparison to Greater Sydney's overall unemployment rate of 4.2%, Cronulla's rate is 1.6% lower, with workforce participation at 71.2%. According to Census responses, 43.0% of residents work from home. Leading employment industries include construction, health care & social assistance, and professional & technical services. Construction shows notable concentration with employment levels at 1.5 times the regional average.

Conversely, retail trade has lower representation at 7.1%. The area offers limited local employment opportunities as indicated by Census data on working population versus resident population. Between December 2024 and December 2025, employment levels increased by 0.9% while labour force increased by 0.6%, reducing the unemployment rate by 0.3 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Sydney experienced employment growth of 2.2%. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia project a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Cronulla's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.9% over five years and 13.8% over ten years, based on simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

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 Cronulla has exceptionally high incomes nationally. The median income is $67,730 and the average income stands at $102,400. This contrasts with Greater Sydney's figures of a median income of $60,817 and an average income of $83,003. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.32% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $74,720 (median) and $112,968 (average) as of March 2026. According to the 2021 Census figures, individual earnings at the 90th percentile nationally are $1,179 weekly. Income analysis reveals that the $1,500 - 2,999 earnings band captures 33.4% of Cronulla's community (6,247 individuals), aligning with the surrounding region where this cohort also represents 30.9%. A significant 30.8% earn above $3,000 weekly. High housing costs consume 16.6% of income, but strong earnings still place disposable income at the 68th percentile and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

Cronulla features a more urban dwelling mix with significant apartment living, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Cronulla's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 20.5% houses and 79.5% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), contrasting with Sydney metro's 55.9% houses and 44.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Cronulla stood at 34.1%, with mortgaged dwellings at 24.0% and rented dwellings at 41.9%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,404, lower than Sydney metro's average of $2,427. Median weekly rent in Cronulla was $500, compared to Sydney metro's $470. Nationally, Cronulla's mortgage repayments were higher at $2,404 versus the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 60.5% of all households, including 20.0% couples with children, 31.6% couples without children, and 8.1% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 39.5%, consisting of 34.8% lone person households and 4.7% group households. The median household size is 2.1 people, which is smaller than the Greater Sydney average of 2.7.

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

Cronulla residents aged 15+ with university qualifications total 34.6%, slightly higher than the Australian average of 30.4%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 24.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (7.2%) and graduate diplomas (3.1%). Vocational credentials are held by 37.9% of residents aged 15+, with advanced diplomas at 13.6% and certificates at 24.3%.

Currently, 22.8% of the population is engaged in formal education: 5.9% in primary, 5.7% in secondary, and 5.1% in tertiary education.

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

Cronulla has 81 active public transport stops offering a mix of ferry, train, and bus services. These stops are served by 26 individual routes, collectively facilitating 4,650 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically residing 129 meters from the nearest stop. In this primarily residential area, most commuters travel outward. Car remains the dominant mode of transport at 83%, while train usage stands at 7% and walking at 6%. On average, there are 1.1 vehicles per dwelling.

According to the 2021 Census, a high 43.0% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 664 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 57 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Cronulla's health outcomes show exceptional results 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. Approximately 67% of Cronulla's total population (12,584 people) have private health cover, compared to Greater Sydney's 59.9%.

Nationally, this figure stands at 55.7%. The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis and asthma, affecting 8.0 and 6.4% of residents respectively. Notably, 72.2% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to Greater Sydney's 74.6%. Working-age residents have low chronic condition prevalence. Cronulla has 26.2% of residents aged 65 and over (4,900 people), higher than Greater Sydney's 15.5%. Health outcomes among seniors are strong, aligning with national rankings for the general population.

Cronulla ranks below the Australian average when compared to other local markets across a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Cronulla's population, as per the 2016 Census, shows low cultural diversity with 82.2% born in Australia and 89.4% being citizens. English is spoken exclusively at home by 90.6%. Christianity is the predominant religion, practiced by 57.8%, which is higher than Greater Sydney's average of 49.2%.

Ancestry-wise, Cronulla has a high proportion of English (30.3%), Australian (24.4%), and Irish (11.1%) backgrounds compared to regional averages of 19.0%, 17.8%, and 6.1% respectively. Notably, French ancestry is overrepresented at 0.7% compared to the region's 0.5%. Russian and Macedonian ancestries are also present but not significantly different from regional averages (0.4% each).

Cronulla hosts a notably older demographic compared to the national average

The median age in Cronulla is 43 years, significantly higher than Greater Sydney's average of 37 years and substantially exceeding the national average of 38 years. The age profile shows that those aged 65-74 years constitute a particularly prominent group at 14.2%, while those aged 5-14 years are comparatively smaller at 6.6%. Between 2021 and present, the population aged 75 to 84 years has grown from 6.0% to 8.5%, with the 65 to 74 age group increasing from 12.4% to 14.2%. Conversely, the 45 to 54 age group has declined from 12.3% to 11.1%, and the 55 to 64 age group has dropped from 14.4% to 13.3%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Cronulla's age structure. The population aged 85 years and above is projected to grow exceptionally, increasing by 851 people (130%) from 654 to 1,506. Notably, the combined age groups of 65 years and above will account for 94% of total population growth, reflecting Cronulla's aging demographic profile. Conversely, the populations aged 45 to 54 years and 15 to 24 years are expected to decline.