Cabarita
High household incomes and an older resident base define Cabarita more than rapid redevelopment. The suburb has 1,933 residents on 0.5 sq km, a median age of 50, and household income at the 94.7th percentile nationally. Its 41.4% apartment share sits close to the 42.8% separate-house share, while 34.8% were born overseas, 13.2 percentage points above the national comparison. Compared with nearby Mortlake and Breakfast Point, Cabarita reads as established, compact and wealthier, with population change across the wider area at 18.0% over 10 years.
Local council: Canada Bay
Population
1,933
Median Age
50.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,695/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
15
Buyers need to choose between a compact apartment market and lower-density homes rather than assume one typical Cabarita property. Separate houses account for 42.8% of dwellings, apartments 41.4% and semi-detached homes 15.9%; 60.5% have three bedrooms and 31.6% have four or more. The monthly mortgage figure is $3,500, while rent is $900 a week, so borrowing capacity matters even though household income ranks at the 94.7th percentile nationally. Compared with a house-only search, Cabarita's apartment share makes strata costs, parking, building condition and renovation limits especially important.
For Buyers
Buyers need to choose between a compact apartment market and lower-density homes rather than assume one typical Cabarita property. Separate houses account for 42.8% of dwellings, apartments 41.4% and semi-detached homes 15.9%; 60.5% have three bedrooms and 31.6% have four or more. The monthly mortgage figure is $3,500, while rent is $900 a week, so borrowing capacity matters even though household income ranks at the 94.7th percentile nationally. Compared with a house-only search, Cabarita's apartment share makes strata costs, parking, building condition and renovation limits especially important.
For Investors
Investor demand is supported by substantial rents and a settled ownership pattern, but the numbers point to a selective rather than high-yield strategy. Only 18.5% of households rent, versus 55.3% owning outright and 25.8% with a mortgage, while the stated rent is $900 a week and vacancy is 6.3%. Rent growth reached 19.5%, yet the wider shift is Aging, so tenant and resale demand may favour accessible apartments and low-maintenance homes because the resident base is getting older. Development activity totalled 15 applications in 12 months. Compared with a growth-frontier suburb, asset quality, strata records and holding costs matter more than speculative uplift.
Development Activity
Total DAs
77
Last 12 Months
15
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+25.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
Cabarita has an older, highly educated population: median age is 50, which is 10 years above the national comparison, and 53.9% hold a university qualification, 23.8 percentage points above the national figure. Overseas-born residents make up 34.8%, 13.2 points higher than nationally, with English, Chinese and Italian the leading ancestries at 463, 307 and 289 people. Couples without children account for 48.7% of families, while average household size is 2.6. This mix is older and more highly educated than the national average because established professional households form a large part of the suburb. Cantonese and Mandarin are spoken by 47 and 46 residents.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
42.8%
Houses
15.9%
Townhouse
41.4%
Apartment
Tenure
Ownership is unusually strong for a compact, high-density suburb. Cabarita records 55.3% of households owning outright, 25.8% paying a mortgage and 18.5% renting, while the $3,500 monthly mortgage figure and $900 weekly rent show the cost base for incoming households. The dwelling mix is split between separate houses at 42.8% and apartments at 41.4%, with semi-detached homes at 15.9%; three-bedroom dwellings dominate at 60.5%. Compared with a conventional house-led suburb, this gives buyers more format choice but makes strata budgets, building condition and long-term maintenance material. Mortgage costs represent 30.0% of income without a stress flag, while rent stress is flagged at 33.4%, because renters face a higher immediate housing burden.
Mortgage / mo
$3,500
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (April to June 2026), NSW Rental Bond Board (DCJ). Census 2021 median: $900.
$865
Bond data Jun 2026 · houses $1,195 · units $805
HH Size
2.6
Personal Income / wk
$1,150
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
6.3%
Unoccupied
49
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
33.4% stressed
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
30.0%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
41.1%
Couples with children
48.7%
Couples, no children
8.7%
Single parent
610
Total families
Economy & Employment
Cabarita's economy leans toward skilled services, consistent with high household earnings and tertiary attainment. Healthcare is the largest listed industry at 16.7% and 109 workers, followed by Professional/Tech at 14.5% and 95, Finance at 12.5% and 82, Education at 10.4% and 68, and Construction at 8.6% and 56. Professionals number 303 and managers 235, ahead of clerical and administrative workers at 133. Unemployment is 3.1% among a labour force of 906, while participation is 55.3%. Household income ranks at the 94.7th percentile, higher than the national comparison, because the occupational mix is concentrated in professional and managerial work. Compared with a lower-income area, discretionary spending capacity should be stronger, although local retail jobs are not the dominant employment story.
Unemployment
3.1%
Labour Force
906
Unemployed
28
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
58.9%
Part-time
31.7%
Participation
55.3%
Employed
878
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
53.9%
Postgraduate
17.8%
Born Overseas
34.8%
Dwellings
718
Transport to Work
Cabarita suits residents who value a compact setting and home-based work. The suburb covers 0.5 sq km, has density of 3,868.3 people per sq km, and 51.7% work from home. Car driving accounts for 43.3% of travel, compared with only 0.4% using public transport and 0.9% walking or cycling, so daily convenience depends more on local destinations and road access than on a high-transit pattern. Check school enrolment zones and nearby options by exact address, especially for family moves, because boundaries can cross suburb lines. Social conditions are favourable: IRSAD reaches decile 10, IEO decile 9 and IRSD decile 9, all above the national midpoint, while volunteering is 15.8%. Compared with a transit-oriented inner-city suburb, Cabarita is better suited to quieter routines and hybrid work than car-free living.
Drive
43.3%
Public Transport
0.4%
Walk / Cycle
0.9%
Work from Home
51.7%
Growth Outlook
Cabarita's growth outlook is steady rather than explosive. The annual trend is 1.12%, and population change across the wider area is 18.0% over 10 years, with overseas migration identified as the primary driver. The trajectory is labelled Aging, alongside a 5.4 percentage-point rise in the senior share and a 2.4-point fall in the young share, so demand may increasingly favour accessible homes and services because the resident base is getting older. The gentrification assessment is 16 and labelled Not gentrifying, while the shift profile records 35 and Early signs. Compared with a renewal-led precinct, this points to gradual established-suburb change rather than a sharp redevelopment cycle.
Population trend: Canada Bay council area
Cabarita sits in the Canada Bay council area. These are the council area's residents, not Cabarita's.
Residents 2025
93,006
Growth, 5 yr average
+0.2%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+0.7%
2024 to 2025
ABS Estimated Resident Population by LGA, 30 June each year; council area, not this suburb
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Cabarita compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cabarita a good suburb to live in?
Cabarita suits households seeking a quiet, established setting with strong incomes and substantial home ownership. Its median age is 50, 51.7% work from home and IRSAD sits in decile 10. The trade-off is car dependence, with 43.3% driving and only 0.4% using public transport.
What is the median house price in Cabarita?
Check recent settled sales for the current median, because Cabarita's housing mix is divided between 42.8% separate houses, 41.4% apartments and 15.9% semi-detached homes. The $900 weekly rent and $3,500 monthly mortgage figure also show why dwelling type, strata costs and parking can materially change affordability.
What schools are in Cabarita?
School access should be checked by exact address, including enrolment zones, year levels, sector and transport options. Cabarita covers only 0.5 sq km, but school boundaries can cross suburb lines. Families should confirm eligibility and out-of-area rules before signing a lease or purchasing a home.
Is Cabarita safe?
Review current street-level NSW Police and council information before making a safety decision, since conditions can vary across 0.5 sq km. Cabarita has an IRSAD score in decile 10 and 4.6% of residents need assistance, but those measures describe social conditions rather than crime levels.
Is Cabarita good for property investment?
Cabarita can suit a selective long-term strategy, with rent at $900 a week, vacancy at 6.3% and rent growth of 19.5%. However, only 18.5% of households rent and development activity totalled 15 applications in 12 months. Compared with a newer growth area, careful review of strata, maintenance and resale demand is more important.
How is Cabarita's population changing?
Growth across the wider area runs at 1.12% annually and 18.0% over 10 years, driven primarily by overseas migration. Cabarita's trajectory is Aging: the senior share rose 5.4 percentage points while the young share fell 2.4 points. That supports rising demand for accessible homes and age-friendly services.
What languages are spoken in Cabarita?
Cantonese is spoken by 47 residents and Mandarin by 46, followed by Italian at 36, Korean at 23 and Arabic at 21. Overseas-born residents account for 34.8% of Cabarita's population, which is 13.2 percentage points above the national comparison.
How to read these comparisons
Phrases like "above the national average" reference the unweighted median across Australian suburbs with more than 1,000 residents, not population-weighted national figures. Suburb-level medians are more useful for ranking suburbs against each other; ABS census headlines are population-weighted (so dominated by Sydney and Melbourne) and can read very differently.
Current baseline (refreshed 2026-05-10): median age 40, university-educated 30.1%, born overseas 21.6%, average household size 2.5 people.
Data sources: ABS 2021 Census (demographics, income, tenure), state education open registers (school locations), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications).
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