Curl Curl

Curl Curl 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 Feb 2026, the population of the suburb of Curl Curl is estimated at around 2,549. This reflects an increase of 185 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 2,364. The change is inferred from the resident population of 2,534, estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 and address validation since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 1,976 persons per square kilometer, which is above the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Curl Curl's growth of 7.8% since the 2021 census exceeded that of the SA3 area (3.3%) and the SA4 region, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for the suburb was primarily driven by overseas migration, which contributed approximately 65.0% 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. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilises NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, 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. Looking ahead, lower quartile growth is anticipated nationally, with the suburb expected to grow by 80 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting a gain of 5.2% in total over the 17 years.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Curl Curl according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers shows Curl Curl has around 1 residential property granted approval each year. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, approximately 9 homes were approved, with 1 more approved in FY26 so far.

This results in an average of 11 people moving to the area per dwelling built annually over these years. Demand significantly outpaces supply, putting upward pressure on prices and increasing buyer competition. Developers target the premium market segment, with new dwellings valued at an average of $1,054,000.

Compared to Greater Sydney, Curl Curl has 75.0% fewer constructions per person, indicating established nature and potential planning limitations. Population forecasts suggest Curl Curl will gain 132 residents by 2041, but current development rates may struggle to match population growth, potentially heightening buyer competition and supporting price increases.

Curl Curl has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 30% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified nine projects likely to affect this region. Notable ones include The Alba project, Northern Beaches Secondary College Freshwater Campus Expansion, Curl Curl-Freshwater Connectivity and Streetscape Upgrade, and Queenscliff Affordable Housing Redevelopment (Former Community Health Centre). Below is a list of those most relevant.

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

Denotes AI-based impression for illustrative purposes only, not to be taken as definitive under any circumstances. Please follow links and conduct other investigations from the project's source for actual imagery. Developers and project owners wishing us to use original imagery please Contact Us and we will do so.

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

Curl Curl has a highly educated workforce with significant representation in the technology sector. Its unemployment rate is 3.0%, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data. As of September 2025, there are 1,474 residents employed, and the unemployment rate is 1.2% lower than Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%.

Workforce participation stands at 74.3%, slightly higher than Greater Sydney's 70.0%. Census responses indicate that 54.0% of residents work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered. The leading employment industries among residents are professional & technical, health care & social assistance, and construction. Notably, the area has a high concentration in professional & technical services, with employment levels at 1.3 times the regional average.

In contrast, health care & social assistance employs only 11.1% of local workers, below Greater Sydney's 14.1%. The ratio of 0.6 workers per resident indicates a level of local employment opportunities above the norm. Between September 2024 and September 2025, the labour force decreased by 0.2%, while employment decreased by 1.0%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 0.9 percentage points. Conversely, Greater Sydney experienced employment growth of 2.1% and labour force growth of 2.4%, with a slight rise in unemployment of 0.2 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that national employment will expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but growth rates vary significantly between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Curl Curl's employment mix implies local employment should increase by 7.3% over five years and 14.4% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for localised population projections.

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

The suburb of Curl Curl had its income level among the top percentile nationally according to latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year ended 30 June 2023. The median income among taxpayers in Curl Curl was $69,285 and the average income stood at $123,924, compared to Greater Sydney's figures of $60,817 and $83,003 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% from financial year ended 30 June 2023 to September 2025, current estimates would be approximately $75,424 for median income and $134,904 for average income as of September 2025. According to Australian Bureau of Statistics Census data from 2021, household incomes in Curl Curl ranked between the 93rd and 99th percentiles nationally. Income figures showed that 49.1% of individuals earned $4000 or more per week (1,251 individuals), while surrounding regions had a higher proportion earning between $1,500 and $2,999 per week at 30.9%. The substantial proportion of high earners in Curl Curl, with 60.7% earning above $3,000 per week, indicated strong economic capacity throughout the suburb. After accounting for housing costs, residents retained 86.8% of their income, reflecting strong purchasing power and the area's Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas (SEIFA) income ranking placed it in the 10th decile.

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

The dwelling structure in Curl Curl, as per the latest Census data, consisted of 75.6% houses and 24.5% other dwellings (including semi-detached properties, apartments, and 'other' dwellings). This is compared to Sydney metropolitan areas which had 55.9% houses and 44.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Curl Curl stood at 36.9%, with the remaining dwellings either mortgaged (40.1%) or rented (23.0%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $3,775, higher than the Sydney metro average of $2,427. The median weekly rent figure in Curl Curl was recorded at $705, compared to Sydney's $470. Nationally, Curl Curl's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 83.0% of all households, including 48.8% couples with children, 25.2% couples without children, and 7.8% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 17.0%, with lone person households at 14.2% and group households comprising 3.2%. The median household size is 3.0 people, which is larger than the Greater Sydney average of 2.7.

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

Educational attainment in Curl Curl is notably higher than national and state averages. Among residents aged 15 and above, 46.0% hold university qualifications, compared to 30.4% nationally and 32.2% in NSW. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 31.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (11.4%) and graduate diplomas (3.3%). Vocational pathways account for 24.5% of qualifications, with advanced diplomas at 10.0% and certificates at 14.5%.

Educational participation is high, with 35.0% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 11.8% in secondary education, 10.8% in primary education, and 6.3% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Transport analysis indicates 31 active public transport stops in Curl Curl, all bus services. These stops are served by 32 routes, offering 2050 weekly passenger trips collectively. Transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents typically located 117 meters from the nearest stop. Primarily residential area: most commute outward, car being dominant at 85%, followed by bus at 6% and walking at 4%. Average vehicle ownership is 1.7 per dwelling, above regional average. According to the 2021 Census, 54% of residents work from home, possibly due to COVID-19 conditions.

Service frequency averages 292 trips daily across all routes, approximately 66 weekly trips per individual stop.

Curl Curl'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 for Curl Curl, based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence, indicating very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups. The rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 76% of the total population (1,929 people), compared to 59.9% across Greater Sydney and a national average of 55.7%. The most prevalent medical conditions in the area are asthma and mental health issues, affecting 6.9 and 5.9% of residents respectively, while 76.2% of residents report being completely free of medical ailments, compared to 74.6% across Greater Sydney.

Curl Curl has 14.2% of its population aged 65 and over (361 people), which is lower than the 15.4% in Greater Sydney. Health outcomes among seniors in Curl Curl are particularly strong, with national rankings broadly in line with those of the general population.

In terms of cultural diversity, Curl Curl records figures broadly comparable to the national average, as found in AreaSearch's assessment of a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Curl Curl's population showed above-average cultural diversity, with 9.0% speaking a language other than English at home and 24.9% born overseas. Christianity was the predominant religion, making up 47.4%. Judaism was overrepresented at 0.2%, compared to Greater Sydney's 0.8%.

In terms of ancestry, English (31.9%) and Australian (24.3%) were substantially higher than regional averages of 19.0% and 17.8% respectively. Irish ancestry stood at 10.3%. Notable ethnic group divergences included Welsh (0.9%), French (1.0%), and New Zealand (1.3%).

Curl Curl's population is slightly older than the national pattern

Curl Curl has a median age of 40, which is slightly higher than Greater Sydney's figure of 37 years and Australia's median age of 38 years. The 45-54 age cohort is notably over-represented in Curl Curl at 17.7%, compared to the Greater Sydney average and the national figure of 12.0%. Conversely, the 25-34 age group is under-represented at 8.4%. Between 2021 and present, the 15-24 age group has increased from 14.5% to 16.1%, while the 75-84 cohort has grown from 3.7% to 4.8%. During this period, the 5-14 age group has declined from 15.5% to 13.7%, and the 45-54 age group has decreased from 19.2% to 17.7%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests significant changes in Curl Curl's age profile. The 75-84 age cohort is projected to grow by 75 people, from 122 to 198, a 62% increase. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups are expected to account for 86% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic trend. Meanwhile, the 25-34 and 45-54 age cohorts are projected to experience population declines.