North Gosford

North Gosford lies within the top quartile of areas nationally for population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of recent, and medium to long-term trends

As of November 2025, the estimated population of North Gosford is around 4,526, reflecting a growth of 540 people since the 2021 Census. This increase represents a 13.5% rise from the previous population count of 3,986. AreaSearch's analysis, based on the latest ERP data release by ABS (June 2024), and additional validated new addresses, estimated the resident population at 4,431. This results in a population density ratio of 2,357 persons per square kilometer, placing North Gosford in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The suburb's growth rate exceeded both its SA3 area (2.3%) and SA4 region since the 2021 Census, marking it as a growth leader. Overseas migration contributed approximately 66.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered by this data, NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year, are utilized. Future population trends forecast a significant increase in North Gosford's top quartile of national statistical areas, with an expected expansion of 1,496 persons by 2041, reflecting a total gain of 27.3% over the 17 years.

Recent residential development output has been above average within North Gosford when compared nationally

North Gosford has seen around 42 dwelling approvals per year on average over the past five financial years, totalling approximately 212 homes. In FY-26 so far, there have been 5 recorded approvals. This results in an estimated population growth of about 1.8 people per dwelling built annually between FY-21 and FY-25. The average construction cost value for new homes is around $382,000, which is below regional norms, indicating more affordable housing options.

In this financial year alone, $1.3 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded, reflecting the area's residential nature. Compared to Greater Sydney, North Gosford has seen 176.0% more new home approvals per capita. Recent construction trends show a shift towards compact living, with 94.0% of approved dwellings being attached and only 6.0% detached. This marks a significant change from the current housing pattern of 54.0% houses, suggesting diminishing developable land availability and responding to evolving lifestyle preferences. With an estimated population growth of around 180 people per approval, North Gosford is considered a developing area. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, the area is projected to add approximately 1,234 residents by 2041.

Current development levels appear aligned with future requirements, suggesting stable market conditions without significant price pressures.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 22 projects likely affecting the region. Notable ones are M1 Pacific Motorway Kariong to Somersby Widening, Central Coast Film Studios, Amalfi by ALAND, and Central Coast Quarter. 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 North Gosford has been below expectations when compared to most other areas nationally

North Gosford has a skilled workforce with well-represented essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate is 5.5%, with an estimated employment growth of 2.0% in the past year (AreaSearch data aggregation).

As of June 2025, 2,149 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate at 1.3% above Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%. Workforce participation is on par with Greater Sydney's 60.0%. Employment is concentrated in health care & social assistance, retail trade, and construction, particularly in health care & social assistance which has a share 1.6 times the regional level. Professional & technical services have limited presence at 7.1% compared to the regional 11.5%.

Many residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census data analysis. In the year to June 2025, employment levels increased by 2.0%, and labour force by 2.6%, raising the unemployment rate by 0.6 percentage points (AreaSearch analysis of SALM and ABS data). This compares to Greater Sydney's employment growth of 2.6%, labour force expansion of 2.9%, and unemployment rise of 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 project a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to North Gosford's employment mix suggests local employment should grow by 7.1% in five years and 14.6% in ten years, though these are simple weighting extrapolations for illustrative purposes only.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

In financial year 2022, North Gosford had a median taxpayer income of $47,889 and an average income of $61,888. Nationally, the averages were $56,994 and $80,856 respectively for Greater Sydney. By September 2025, with a 12.61% Wage Price Index growth, estimated incomes in North Gosford would be approximately $53,928 (median) and $69,692 (average). According to Census 2021 data, incomes in North Gosford rank modestly, between the 29th and 36th percentiles. Incomes of $1,500 - 2,999 are reported by 31.7% of North Gosford's population (1,434 individuals), similar to the broader area at 30.9%. Housing affordability pressures are severe in North Gosford, with only 77.3% of income remaining, ranking at the 20th percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 4th decile.

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

North Gosford's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 53.7% houses and 46.3% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), contrasting with Sydney metro's 74.2% houses and 25.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in North Gosford stood at 20.5%, with mortgaged dwellings at 30.1% and rented ones at 49.5%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,810, lower than Sydney metro's $2,150. The median weekly rent was $390, compared to Sydney metro's $400. Nationally, North Gosford's mortgage repayments were below the Australian average of $1,863, while rents exceeded the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 63.6% of all households, including 24.3% couples with children, 22.0% couples without children, and 15.9% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 36.4%, with lone person households at 32.3% and group households making up 4.3% of the total. The median household size is 2.3 people, which is smaller than the Greater Sydney average of 2.5.

Educational outcomes in North Gosford fall within the lower quartile nationally, indicating opportunities for improvement in qualification attainment

The area's university qualification rate is 27.0%, significantly lower than Greater Sydney's average of 38.0%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 18.1%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (6.4%) and graduate diplomas (2.5%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 37.9% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (12.0%) and certificates (25.9%). Educational participation is high at 30.3%, comprising primary education (8.7%), secondary education (7.6%), and tertiary education (5.8%).

North Gosford Learning Centre serves the area with an enrollment of 46 students, and its ICSEA score is 869. All one school offers integrated K-12 education for academic continuity. School capacity is limited locally at 1.0 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 15.9, leading many families to seek schooling in nearby areas.

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

North Gosford has 29 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 17 different routes that combined offer 673 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of these services is rated as excellent, with residents typically living within 120 meters of the nearest stop.

On average, there are 96 trips per day across all routes, which equates to approximately 23 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

North Gosford faces significant health challenges, with common health conditions prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts. The rate of private health cover is approximately 51% of the total population (~2,327 people), slightly lower than the average SA2 area's 54.7%.

Mental health issues impact 12.4% of residents, with asthma affecting 9.9%. About 62.7% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to Greater Sydney's 64.8%. The area has 15.7% of residents aged 65 and over (710 people), lower than Greater Sydney's 24.5%. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, broadly in line with the general population's health profile.

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

North Gosford's cultural diversity was above average, with 24.4% of its population born overseas and 15.7% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in North Gosford, comprising 47.4% of the population. However, the most notable overrepresentation was in the 'Other' category, which made up 1.2% of the population compared to Greater Sydney's 0.5%.

In terms of ancestry, the top three represented groups were English (27.1%), Australian (25.5%), and Irish (8.7%). Notably, Hungarian, Russian, and Korean ethnicities showed higher representation in North Gosford than regionally, at 0.5%, 0.7%, and 1.2% respectively.

North Gosford's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

North Gosford has a median age of 36 years, nearly matching Greater Sydney's average of 37 years and slightly below Australia's median of 38 years. Compared to Greater Sydney, North Gosford has a higher percentage of residents aged 65-74 (9.7%) but fewer residents aged 5-14 (10.5%). Between the 2021 Census and now, the proportion of residents aged 75-84 has increased from 3.8% to 4.9%, while the percentage of those aged 55-64 has decreased from 12.7% to 12.0%. By 2041, demographic modeling projects significant changes in North Gosford's age profile, with the strongest growth expected in the 45-54 cohort, projected to increase by 36%, adding 191 residents to reach a total of 726.