Carlingford
Carlingford's most distinctive feature is its migrant-majority profile: 56.8% of residents were born overseas, 35.2 percentage points above the national level, while 59.9% have university qualifications, 29.8 points higher nationally. With 28,044 residents across 8.55 sq km, density reaches 3,279.2 people per sq km and the median age is 38, two years below the national figure. Chinese ancestry counts 11,395 and Korean ancestry 1,925, supporting a strong Asian cultural presence. Epping and North Rocks provide useful neighbouring comparisons when weighing transport, housing form and prices. Household income sits at the 78.9th percentile, supporting demand across both family homes and apartments.
Population
28,044
Median Age
38.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,084/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
178
Homebuyers face a mixed dwelling market rather than a detached-house-only choice. Separate houses account for 58.1%, apartments 29.5% and semi-detached homes 12.5%; 40.1% of dwellings have 4 or more bedrooms, while 32.7% have 3 bedrooms. A $2,500 monthly mortgage commitment corresponds to 27.7% of household income, higher than the 24.0% rent-to-income measure but still below 30%. This matters because families can target larger homes while downsizers and first buyers can compare apartment and semi-detached stock. Household income at the 78.9th percentile supports borrowing capacity, although buyers should compare property type carefully rather than rely on a single suburb-wide benchmark.
For Buyers
Homebuyers face a mixed dwelling market rather than a detached-house-only choice. Separate houses account for 58.1%, apartments 29.5% and semi-detached homes 12.5%; 40.1% of dwellings have 4 or more bedrooms, while 32.7% have 3 bedrooms. A $2,500 monthly mortgage commitment corresponds to 27.7% of household income, higher than the 24.0% rent-to-income measure but still below 30%. This matters because families can target larger homes while downsizers and first buyers can compare apartment and semi-detached stock. Household income at the 78.9th percentile supports borrowing capacity, although buyers should compare property type carefully rather than rely on a single suburb-wide benchmark.
For Investors
Investors get a substantial renter base, with 33.2% of households renting, weekly rent of $500 and a vacancy rate of 8.3%. Compared with a lower-vacancy market, that vacancy level may mean leasing conditions are less tight, so cash-flow assumptions should allow for some marketing time. Development activity is material, reaching 181 applications in 12 months across subdivision, retail and residential flat-building work. That pipeline can expand housing choice but also create competition between newer properties. Rent growth of 19.5% supports recent momentum, while overseas migration is the primary growth driver. Apartments comprise 29.5% of dwellings, so strata costs, parking and construction timing deserve more attention than in a predominantly detached-house market.
Development Activity
Total DAs
1,016
Last 12 Months
178
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+9.9%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Carlingford
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Demographics
Carlingford has a younger-than-national age profile, with a median age of 38, or 2 years below the national figure. Overseas-born residents make up 56.8%, which is 35.2 percentage points above the national level, and university-qualified residents reach 59.9%, 29.8 points higher nationally. Chinese ancestry is reported by 11,395 people, followed by English at 3,453, Korean at 1,925 and Indian at 1,686. The average household size is 3.0, or 0.5 above the national figure, helping explain demand for family-sized dwellings. No religion is recorded for 10,936 residents, compared with 10,682 identifying with Christianity. A 77.0% stay rate indicates more residential continuity than the 23.0% turnover rate suggests.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
58.1%
Houses
12.5%
Townhouse
29.5%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure is relatively evenly divided: 30.7% of households own outright, 34.2% hold a mortgage and 33.2% rent, with 1.9% in other arrangements. The mortgaged share is higher than the outright-owned share, showing that a large established owner base is accompanied by ongoing borrowing demand. Separate houses account for 58.1%, compared with 29.5% apartments and 12.5% semi-detached homes. Larger dwellings are significant, with 40.1% containing 4 or more bedrooms and 32.7% containing 3 bedrooms. The mortgage-to-income measure is 27.7%, higher than the 24.0% rent-to-income measure, while the $500 weekly rent supports a broad investor and renter market. Buyers comparing Carlingford with nearby North Rocks should focus on dwelling type, tenure and maintenance costs rather than suburb averages alone.
Mortgage / mo
$2,500
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (April to June 2026), NSW Rental Bond Board (DCJ). Census 2021 median: $500.
$755
Bond data Jun 2026 · houses $913 · units $733
HH Size
3.0
Personal Income / wk
$791
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
8.3%
Unoccupied
825
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.0%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
27.7%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
56.4%
Couples with children
29.3%
Couples, no children
13.0%
Single parent
8,017
Total families
Economy & Employment
Carlingford's employment base is concentrated in healthcare at 17.2% with 1,636 workers, professional and technical services at 14.3% with 1,362, education at 10.1% with 964, finance at 8.9% with 843 and construction at 7.0% with 662. Professionals number 4,365, followed by clerical and administrative workers at 1,842 and managers at 1,735, creating a skilled employment profile. The labour force totals 12,966, participation is 58.4%, full-time employment is 57.8% and unemployment is 5.2%, or 669 people. Household income ranks at the 78.9th percentile, above the national median. SEIFA results reinforce relative advantage: IEO is decile 9, IER and IRSD are decile 8, and IRSAD is decile 9. The high advantage deciles alongside 5.2% unemployment suggest aggregate affluence coexists with uneven labour-market outcomes.
Unemployment
5.2%
Labour Force
12,966
Unemployed
669
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
57.8%
Part-time
29.2%
Participation
58.4%
Employed
12,297
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
59.9%
Postgraduate
20.1%
Born Overseas
56.8%
Dwellings
9,102
Transport to Work
Carlingford is more car-oriented than transit-oriented for daily travel: 40.1% drive to work, compared with 2.6% using public transport and 1.3% walking or cycling. Working from home is high at 53.2%, which can reduce commuting pressure for some households. Seven nearby schools comprise 5 primary and 2 secondary schools, all in the government sector; families should check enrolment zones against the exact address because boundaries can differ. Relative advantage is strong, with an IRSAD decile of 9, above the national midpoint, while IEO is also decile 9 and IRSD is decile 8. Volunteering is 13.2% and 4.4% of residents need assistance, or 1,203 people. Compared with lower-advantage settings, the suburb combines strong socioeconomic conditions with a practical need for car access and careful school-zone planning.
Drive
40.1%
Public Transport
2.6%
Walk / Cycle
1.3%
Work from Home
53.2%
Population Forecast
+1.61%/yr
(+337 people/yr)
EstablishedCarlingford is classified as an established area, but its trajectory is not static. The annual growth trend is 1.61%, above zero, and overseas migration is the primary driver. Across the wider area, population change reaches 27.1% over 10 years, indicating stronger momentum than a flat established market. The shift trajectory is Mixed, with rent growth of 19.5% and affordability moving from 68.2 in 2011 to 61.1 in 2021, although the affordability trend is labelled Improving. Gentrification is at the Early signs stage with a score of 36, while the separate shift measure records a score of 25 at the same stage. Compared with a no-growth profile, the combination of 1.61% annual growth and overseas migration points to continued housing demand, though the mixed trajectory warrants attention to affordability and development pressure.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+442
Net Internal / yr
-144
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +32% since 2011, Net internal outflow -144/yr, Strong overseas inflow +442/yr, Accelerating: 7% → 24%
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Carlingford compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Carlingford a good suburb to live in?
Carlingford suits households seeking established services, a multicultural population and varied housing. It has 28,044 residents, a median age of 38 and an IRSAD decile of 9. The main trade-off is a car-oriented commute: 40.1% drive to work, compared with 2.6% using public transport.
What is the median house price in Carlingford?
A current single median should be checked against recent settled sales for the exact dwelling type. Carlingford comprises 58.1% separate houses, 29.5% apartments and 12.5% semi-detached homes, so the suburb-wide result can differ materially by property format. Four-plus-bedroom homes represent 40.1% of dwellings.
What schools are in Carlingford?
Carlingford has 7 nearby schools, including 5 primary and 2 secondary schools, all in the government sector. Examples include Carlingford Public School, Carlingford West Public School, Carlingford High School and James Ruse Agricultural High School. Check the exact enrolment zone because boundaries can differ by address.
Is Carlingford safe?
A definitive safety label needs current street-level checks because conditions can vary between locations and times. Carlingford has 28,044 residents and a volunteering rate of 13.2%, but those figures are not crime measures. Review recent incidents around the exact property and compare day and night conditions before deciding.
Is Carlingford good for property investment?
Carlingford can suit investors seeking a substantial rental base: 33.2% of households rent, weekly rent is $500 and vacancy is 8.3%. Development activity reached 181 applications in 12 months, while rent growth was 19.5%. Overseas migration is the primary growth driver, but investors should assess strata, parking and project competition.
How is Carlingford's population changing?
Carlingford has 28,044 residents today. Across the wider area, population change is 27.1% over 10 years, with an annual trend of 1.61%. Overseas migration is the primary driver, while the trajectory is Mixed and gentrification remains at Early signs with a score of 36. This points to continued change rather than a static established market.
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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