Caringbah South
A $2.225 million house market sits behind Caringbah South's low-rise identity, with 76.7% separate houses and only 0.7% apartments. The suburb has 13,168 residents, a median age of 42, and household income in the 94.8 percentile nationally. Compared with Cronulla and the busier Caringbah centre, it reads more detached and owner-held, because 47.4% of homes are owned outright and overseas-born residents are only 15.1%, below the national share by 6.5 percentage points.
Population
13,168
Median Age
42.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,721/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
211
Median House
$2.2M
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
Buyers are paying for space and tenure stability rather than density. The median house price is $2.225 million, while 53.0% of dwellings have 4 or more bedrooms and 39.7% have 3 bedrooms. Apartments account for just 0.7%, below the 22.6% semi-detached share, so downsizer and entry-level options are limited. Mortgage repayments equal 28.7% of income, below common stress thresholds, because weekly household income is high at $2,721 and ranks in the 94.8 income percentile.
For Buyers
Buyers are paying for space and tenure stability rather than density. The median house price is $2.225 million, while 53.0% of dwellings have 4 or more bedrooms and 39.7% have 3 bedrooms. Apartments account for just 0.7%, below the 22.6% semi-detached share, so downsizer and entry-level options are limited. Mortgage repayments equal 28.7% of income, below common stress thresholds, because weekly household income is high at $2,721 and ranks in the 94.8 income percentile.
For Investors
Caringbah South is more a capital preservation market than a high-turnover rental market. Only 11.8% of homes are rented, below the 47.4% owned outright share, which keeps rental supply thin but limits depth of tenant demand. Median rent is $730 a week and vacancy is 3.5%, so pricing power is not as tight as in lower-vacancy markets. The 193 development applications over 12 months point to renovations, rebuilds and selective medium density activity, supporting asset renewal.
Development Activity
Total DAs
963
Last 12 Months
211
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+23.4%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
The population is older and more locally rooted than the national profile. Median age is 42, which is 2.0 years above national, while 15.1% were born overseas, 6.5 percentage points below national. Education levels are high, with 38.8% university qualified, 8.7 points above national, matching the suburb's professional income base. English ancestry is the largest count at 5,459, followed by Irish at 1,754 and Scottish at 1,387, while household size of 2.9 is 0.4 above national.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
76.7%
Houses
22.6%
Townhouse
0.7%
Apartment
Tenure
Housing is dominated by family homes and long-held equity. Prices moved from $2.15 million in 2024 to $2.30 million in 2025, a 7.0% gain, with the latest price equal to the peak and 0.0% below it. Ownership is unusually strong: 47.4% owned outright and 40.8% mortgaged compared with 11.8% renting. The structure mix explains the high median, because 76.7% are separate houses and 53.0% have 4 or more bedrooms, while mortgage costs sit at 28.7% of income.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$3,380
Rent / wk
$730
HH Size
2.9
Personal Income / wk
$1,041
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
3.5%
Unoccupied
158
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
26.8%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
28.7%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
22.1%
Couples, no children
11,655
Total families
Economy & Employment
The workforce skews skilled, stable and locally prosperous. Construction is the largest industry at 14.1%, followed by healthcare at 12.8%, education at 11.9%, professional and tech at 11.7%, and finance at 7.4%. Professionals number 1,659 and managers 1,392, higher than clerical and admin at 1,057. Unemployment is low at 2.6%, with 62.4% of employed residents full-time. SEIFA is very strong, with IER, IRSD and IRSAD all in decile 10, while IEO sits lower in decile 8 because 3,466 residents are not in the labour force.
Unemployment
4.0%
Labour Force
8,331
Unemployed
336
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
62.4%
Part-time
35.0%
Participation
57.2%
Employed
5,844
Occupations
Top Industries
University
38.8%
Postgraduate
9.0%
Born Overseas
15.1%
Dwellings
4,412
Transport to Work
Daily life is car-led, low-rise and wealth insulated. Car driving accounts for 89.9% of commuting, far higher than public transport at 2.3% and walking or cycling at 2.3%, because the suburb is mainly residential and separated from the busiest rail-side precincts. Density is 3,218 people per sq km, but the housing form remains mostly detached. IRSAD decile 10 and IRSD decile 10 point to high advantage, while 4.0% need assistance and the volunteering rate is 14.6%, adding a settled community-service layer.
Drive
89.9%
Public Transport
2.3%
Walk / Cycle
2.3%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+1.3%/yr
(+182 people/yr)
EstablishedGrowth is steady rather than speculative. The annual trend is 1.3%, equal to about 182 extra residents a year, and the medium scenario rises from 14,030 in 2026 to 14,940 in 2031. Migration is the main driver, with overseas migration averaging 146 net people a year compared with 21 from internal migration. The shift trajectory is Stable, rent growth has been 30.6%, and the gentrification score is 22 with an Early signs stage, suggesting renewal without a wholesale demographic reset.
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 South compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Caringbah South a good suburb to live in?
Yes for buyers wanting a higher-income, detached-home setting. The suburb has 76.7% separate houses, a median age of 42, and household income in the 94.8 percentile nationally, but car use is high at 89.9%.
What is the median house price in Caringbah South?
The median house price is $2,225,000. Recent price tracking also shows the market moving from $2.15 million in 2024 to $2.30 million in 2025, a 7.0% rise to the latest peak.
What schools are in Caringbah South?
There are 0 schools inside the suburb boundary, so families usually assess nearby Sutherland Shire options and catchments. Demand is still family-led, with an average household size of 2.9 and 5,289 couples with children.
Is Caringbah South safe?
A local crime rate is not available, so buyers should check current NSW crime maps before deciding. The suburb has settled ownership signals, with 47.4% owned outright, 40.8% mortgaged, and unemployment at 2.6%.
Is Caringbah South good for property investment?
It suits investors focused on scarcity and long-term land value more than high rental turnover. Renting is only 11.8%, median rent is $730 a week, vacancy is 3.5%, and 193 recent development applications show renewal pressure.
How is Caringbah South's population changing?
Population growth is stable, with a trend rate of 1.3% or about 182 people a year. The medium scenario reaches 14,940 by 2031, supported mainly by overseas migration averaging 146 net people annually.
Is there much development in Caringbah South?
Yes, activity is meaningful for an established suburb, with 193 applications over 12 months. The mix includes dwelling houses, pools, demolition, subdivision and medium density housing, pointing to renewal rather than broad high-rise change.
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 Valuer-General (house prices), Department of Jobs SALM (unemployment), ACARA (school ICSEA), 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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