Caringbah
Caringbah's most distinctive feature is its apartment-led urban form: 44.9% of dwellings are apartments, compared with 27.7% separate houses and 27.4% semi-detached homes. The suburb has 12,575 residents across 4.06 square kilometres, producing a density of 3,099.6 people per square kilometre, higher than a low-density detached-home setting. Its median age of 37 is 3 years below the national comparison, while household income ranks at the 70.5th percentile. Buyers comparing Caringbah with nearby Miranda or Cronulla should pay close attention to dwelling format, commuting patterns and tenure mix rather than relying on suburb names alone.
Population
12,575
Median Age
37.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,890/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
104
Caringbah suits buyers who value a compact, apartment-heavy setting and access to established services, but the housing mix requires careful budgeting. Apartments account for 44.9% of dwellings, while separate houses make up 27.7% and semi-detached homes 27.4%. The typical mortgage repayment benchmark is $2,500 per month, and mortgage costs equal 30.5% of household income, higher than the 24.9% rent-to-income measure. Smaller homes are common, with 40.2% having 2 bedrooms and 32.6% having 3 bedrooms. Check recent settled sales for the current median house price before setting a budget, especially when comparing Caringbah with Miranda or Cronulla.
For Buyers
Caringbah suits buyers who value a compact, apartment-heavy setting and access to established services, but the housing mix requires careful budgeting. Apartments account for 44.9% of dwellings, while separate houses make up 27.7% and semi-detached homes 27.4%. The typical mortgage repayment benchmark is $2,500 per month, and mortgage costs equal 30.5% of household income, higher than the 24.9% rent-to-income measure. Smaller homes are common, with 40.2% having 2 bedrooms and 32.6% having 3 bedrooms. Check recent settled sales for the current median house price before setting a budget, especially when comparing Caringbah with Miranda or Cronulla.
For Investors
Caringbah has a substantial rental base, with 38.5% of households renting and weekly rent at $470. Vacancy is 8.5%, higher than a tightly supplied market, which may give tenants more choice and require realistic pricing, presentation and leasing timeframes. Development activity is notable, with 103 applications recorded over 12 months, including subdivision, business alterations and multi-dwelling housing. That pipeline can improve amenity but may also increase competition between newer and established stock. Overseas migration is the primary growth driver, while the wider trend runs at 1.3% annually, supporting a demand profile that can be compared with other established Sutherland Shire locations.
Development Activity
Total DAs
662
Last 12 Months
104
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-5.5%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Caringbah
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Demographics
Caringbah has a median age of 37, which is 3 years below the national comparison, and an average household size of 2.3 people, 0.2 below the national measure. The population is anglo-leaning, with English ancestry recorded at 4,621 people, Irish at 1,530 and Scottish at 1,180. University attainment is 34.7%, 4.6 percentage points above the national comparison, suggesting a sizeable professional and administrative workforce. Overseas-born residents account for 22.4%, only 0.8 percentage points above the national level. Christianity is recorded for 6,783 people and no religion for 4,614, while 72.5% stayed at the same address, a higher retention rate than a highly transient area.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
27.7%
Houses
27.4%
Townhouse
44.9%
Apartment
Tenure
Caringbah's tenure pattern is relatively divided: 26.4% of dwellings are owned outright, 34.1% are being purchased with a mortgage and 38.5% are rented. The 44.9% apartment share is higher than the 27.7% separate-house share, reinforcing the suburb's apartment-dominant identity. Two-bedroom homes account for 40.2% of dwellings, followed by 3-bedroom homes at 32.6%, while 4 or more bedrooms represent 16.2%. Weekly rent is $470 and rent equals 24.9% of household income, whereas mortgage costs reach 30.5%, making ownership costs higher by comparison. Household income of $1,890 per week sits at the 70.5th percentile, supporting demand for well-located, manageable dwellings.
Mortgage / mo
$2,500
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (April to June 2026), NSW Rental Bond Board (DCJ). Census 2021 median: $470.
$850
Bond data Jun 2026 · houses $1,250 · units $695
HH Size
2.3
Personal Income / wk
$1,032
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
8.5%
Unoccupied
490
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.9%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
30.5% stressed
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
43.5%
Couples with children
36.8%
Couples, no children
18.3%
Single parent
3,375
Total families
Economy & Employment
Caringbah's employment base is led by healthcare at 15.3% and 718 workers, followed by construction at 13.1% and 615, education at 10.9% and 513, professional and technical services at 9.3% and 438, and public administration at 8.7% and 406. Professionals number 1,548, while managers and clerical or administrative workers account for 1,020 and 1,016 respectively. Labour-force participation is 66.4%, unemployment is 3.9% and 59.4% of workers are full time. Socioeconomic results are above the national midpoint, with IRSAD in decile 8 and IEO in decile 7, while IER is lower at decile 6 and IRSD sits at decile 7. The difference reflects stronger advantage alongside meaningful variation in education and economic resources.
Unemployment
3.9%
Labour Force
6,821
Unemployed
267
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
59.4%
Part-time
29.1%
Participation
66.4%
Employed
6,554
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
34.7%
Postgraduate
7.9%
Born Overseas
22.4%
Dwellings
5,244
Transport to Work
Caringbah provides practical access to six local schools, including 3 primary schools, 2 secondary schools and 1 school for specific purposes. All are government sector facilities, so families should check enrolment zones against the exact address because catchments can differ across nearby streets. Daily travel is car-led, with 50.2% driving to work, while 39.2% work from home, 3.1% use public transport and 4.4% walk or cycle. That mix reflects a suburb where established roads and home-based work are more prominent than public transport commuting. Relative advantage is above the national midpoint, with IRSAD in decile 8, although IRSD is lower at decile 7. No suburb-specific crime rate is stated, so safety should be checked using current street-level information rather than inferred from the broader socioeconomic ranking.
Drive
50.2%
Public Transport
3.1%
Walk / Cycle
4.4%
Work from Home
39.2%
Population Forecast
+1.3%/yr
(+182 people/yr)
EstablishedCaringbah is an established market with a stable trajectory rather than a rapidly changing one. The annual growth trend is 1.3%, positive when compared with a declining area, and overseas migration is the primary driver. Across the wider area, population change is 17.3% over 10 years, indicating sustained expansion without implying a suburb-level future head count. Gentrification is assessed at a score of 22 and remains in the Early signs stage, while the broader shift measure also labels the trajectory Stable. Rent growth of 30.6% and real income growth of 13.8% help explain why demand can remain resilient, although affordability improved from 49.4% in 2011 to 46.1% in 2021. The 103 development applications in 12 months add further change pressure.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+146
Net Internal / yr
+21
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +22% since 2011, Accelerating: 7% → 15%
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Caringbah compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Caringbah a good suburb to live in?
Caringbah can suit residents who want established services, local schools and a compact housing market. It has 12,575 residents, a density of 3,099.6 people per square kilometre and 39.2% working from home. Compared with lower-density areas, its 44.9% apartment share creates a more urban feel, so inspect the exact street and building before deciding.
What is the median house price in Caringbah?
Check recent settled sales for Caringbah's current median house price before setting a budget. The key housing benchmarks are $470 weekly rent and $2,500 monthly mortgage repayments, with mortgage costs at 30.5% of household income. Compare individual sales by land size, bedrooms and dwelling type because apartments represent 44.9% of local housing.
What schools are in Caringbah?
Caringbah has 6 listed schools: 3 primary schools, 2 secondary schools and 1 school for specific purposes. All are government facilities. Enrolment zones can vary by address, so compare the exact catchment with the property location rather than assuming access is identical across the suburb or nearby Miranda.
Is Caringbah safe?
A suburb-specific crime rate should be checked through current NSW Police information for the exact address. Caringbah has 12,575 residents at a density of 3,099.6 people per square kilometre, but those figures do not establish risk. Compare street-level conditions, lighting, traffic and building security with nearby streets before making a decision.
Is Caringbah good for property investment?
Caringbah has 38.5% renters, weekly rent of $470 and an 8.5% vacancy rate, creating a meaningful tenant market but more choice than a tighter area. Development activity reached 103 applications in 12 months, so investors should compare older and newer stock carefully. Overseas migration is the primary growth driver, while annual growth is 1.3%.
How is Caringbah's population changing?
The wider area's population change is 17.3% over 10 years, with an annual growth trend of 1.3%. Overseas migration is the primary driver, while the trajectory is labelled Stable. Gentrification is at an Early signs stage with a score of 22, so change is gradual rather than comparable with a sharply accelerating growth corridor.
What development is happening in Caringbah?
Caringbah recorded 103 development applications over 12 months, including business premises alterations, subdivision and multi-dwelling housing. This is more active than a static development pipeline and can affect construction, parking and future housing choice. Buyers and investors should check the immediate address for nearby applications before comparing properties.
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). Population forecasts use a Hamilton-Perry cohort model calibrated to ABS ERP.
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