Carramar
A 60.1% overseas-born share and a 55.7% apartment share make Carramar internationally connected and compact within its 1.02 square kilometre footprint. The suburb has 3,475 residents and a density of 3,415.6 people per square kilometre. Its 10.2% vacancy rate is notable because it can make the local rental market more fluid. For buyers comparing Carramar with nearby Fairfield and Villawood, the apartment weighting is a key distinction. The median age of 40 matches the national comparison, while household income sits at the 16.4th percentile, making affordability and access to services important considerations.
Population
3,475
Median Age
40.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,073/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
13
Carramar suits buyers who value smaller, lower-maintenance dwellings, since 55.7% of homes are apartments and 43.0% of occupied dwellings have 2 bedrooms. A detached-home search is narrower because separate houses account for 40.4%, while 4-plus-bedroom homes make up 16.0%. Financing needs care: the 1,500 monthly mortgage figure sits alongside mortgage stress of 32.3% of income, higher than the 28.0% rent-to-income measure. Weekly rent is 300, and household income is 1,073, at the 16.4th percentile, so buyers should test repayments against savings, strata and commuting costs rather than relying on dwelling size alone.
For Buyers
Carramar suits buyers who value smaller, lower-maintenance dwellings, since 55.7% of homes are apartments and 43.0% of occupied dwellings have 2 bedrooms. A detached-home search is narrower because separate houses account for 40.4%, while 4-plus-bedroom homes make up 16.0%. Financing needs care: the 1,500 monthly mortgage figure sits alongside mortgage stress of 32.3% of income, higher than the 28.0% rent-to-income measure. Weekly rent is 300, and household income is 1,073, at the 16.4th percentile, so buyers should test repayments against savings, strata and commuting costs rather than relying on dwelling size alone.
For Investors
Carramar has a sizeable tenant base, with 48.2% renting compared with 23.4% owning outright, which can support rental demand across apartments and smaller homes. Weekly rent is 300, but the 10.2% vacancy rate is higher than a tightly constrained market would typically be, so leasing speed and incentives deserve close monitoring. Overseas migration is the primary growth driver, creating a demand tailwind, while 13 development matters were recorded over 12 months. That pipeline is modest in absolute count but relevant in a 1.02 square kilometre suburb. Investors should compare achieved rents by bedroom, because 43.0% of homes have 2 bedrooms and only 16.0% have 4 or more.
Development Activity
Total DAs
73
Last 12 Months
13
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-27.8%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Carramar
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Demographics
Carramar's 60.1% overseas-born share is 38.5 percentage points above the national comparison, making migration background central to local identity. Vietnamese ancestry is recorded for 741 people, while Chinese ancestry accounts for 373; Arabic is the leading listed language with 226 speakers, followed by Canton at 53 and Mandarin at 52. Christianity numbers 1,318, Islam 582 and Buddhism 557. The median age of 40 matches the national comparison, while university attainment at 28.0% is 2.1 points below it. Average household size is 2.6, only 0.1 above national, and 80.1% stayed at the same address, suggesting continuity despite overseas migration.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
40.4%
Houses
2.3%
Townhouse
55.7%
Apartment
Tenure
Carramar's housing profile is apartment-dominant: apartments account for 55.7%, higher than separate houses at 40.4%, with semi-detached dwellings at 2.3%. Two-bedroom homes lead at 43.0%, followed by 3-bedroom homes at 29.5%; 0-1 bedroom dwellings still represent 11.5%. Tenure is split, with 48.2% renting, 26.4% paying a mortgage and 23.4% owning outright. That rental share is higher than the outright-owner share because the suburb provides an accessible entry point for tenants. Weekly rent is 300 against household income of 1,073, while mortgage costs are 1,500 monthly and mortgage-to-income is 32.3%, making apartment size and holding costs important.
Mortgage / mo
$1,500
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (April to June 2026), NSW Rental Bond Board (DCJ). Census 2021 median: $300.
$550
Bond data Jun 2026 · houses $650 · units $460
HH Size
2.6
Personal Income / wk
$529
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
10.2%
Unoccupied
131
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
28.0%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
32.3% stressed
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
43.4%
Couples with children
27.3%
Couples, no children
27.7%
Single parent
781
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare leads Carramar's listed industries at 24.2% and 134 workers, ahead of education at 9.0% and 50, transport at 7.9% and 44, manufacturing at 7.4% and 41, and retail at 7.2% and 40. Occupations are led by machinery and drivers at 169, professionals at 164, community and personal service at 143, labourers at 141, and clerical and administration at 129. Unemployment is 11.4% and participation 40.6%, pointing to weaker labour-market engagement than a higher-income area. SEIFA is mixed: IEO decile 5 and IRSAD decile 6 are middle-range, while IER decile 9 is higher. Household income is 1,073 weekly and at the 16.4th percentile, so employment access remains central to household resilience.
Unemployment
11.4%
Labour Force
1,166
Unemployed
133
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
51.6%
Part-time
30.3%
Participation
40.6%
Employed
1,033
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
28.0%
Postgraduate
4.8%
Born Overseas
60.1%
Dwellings
1,156
Transport to Work
Carramar is primarily car-oriented: 63.0% travel as car drivers, compared with 7.4% using public transport, while 24.0% work from home and 2.3% walk or cycle. That pattern makes parking and road access practical priorities, with public transport less dominant in daily travel. Families have access to 1 government primary school, Carramar Public School; check the exact enrolment zone because school boundaries can cut across suburb edges. Review current NSW Police incident information for the exact streets and recent period, since conditions can vary within a compact 1.02 square kilometre area. Socioeconomic measures are mixed: IRSAD and IRSD are both decile 6, IER is higher at decile 9, and IEO is decile 5.
Drive
63.0%
Public Transport
7.4%
Walk / Cycle
2.3%
Work from Home
24.0%
Population Forecast
+3.22%/yr
(+712 people/yr)
EstablishedCarramar's wider-area growth trend is 3.22% annually, higher than its 0.0% rent growth, and overseas migration is the primary driver. Population change across the wider area is 64.5% over 10 years, signalling sustained expansion. The shift trajectory is labelled Declining young: the young share fell 3.0 points, while the senior share rose 2.5 points and the working share rose 1.9 points. Gentrification signals are mixed: a score of 31 is at the Early signs stage, while the shift measure records 0 and Not gentrifying. Affordability is marked Improving, moving from 49.9 in 2011 to 41.3 in 2021, so growth is occurring alongside ageing and changing household composition.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+262
Net Internal / yr
+165
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Net internal migration +165/yr, Strong overseas inflow +262/yr
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Carramar compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Carramar a good suburb to live in?
Carramar can suit households wanting apartment access and a culturally mixed setting, but the trade-offs are important. Apartments are 55.7% of homes, weekly rent is 300 and public transport use is 7.4%, so dwelling choice and car dependence should shape the decision. Check the exact street, parking and enrolment zone before committing.
What is the median house price in Carramar?
A reliable current median house price should be checked against recent settled sales. Carramar's housing mix can distort a single median because apartments account for 55.7%, separate houses 40.4% and 2-bedroom homes 43.0%. Weekly rent is 300, which is a useful comparison point when assessing purchase costs.
What schools are in Carramar?
Carramar Public School is the suburb's government primary school, giving families 1 local primary option. Confirm the catchment for the exact address, then check current enrolment rules, out-of-area policies and transport arrangements before signing a lease or contract.
Is Carramar safe?
No suburb-wide safety conclusion should be made without checking current incident information. Carramar covers 1.02 square kilometres and has 3,475 residents, so street-level conditions and the timing of incidents matter. Review NSW Police data and inspect routes to key destinations at different times.
Is Carramar good for property investment?
Carramar may suit investors seeking tenant exposure, with 48.2% renting and weekly rent of 300. The 10.2% vacancy rate is a caution because leasing conditions may be less tight, while 13 development matters in 12 months add a modest supply consideration. Overseas migration is the primary growth driver.
How is Carramar's population changing?
Growth indicators are strong across the wider area: the forecast trend is 3.22% annually and 10-year population change is 64.5%, driven primarily by overseas migration. Carramar is also labelled Declining young, with the young share down 3.0 points and the senior share up 2.5 points, so growth is occurring alongside ageing.
What is the rental market like in Carramar?
Renters make up 48.2% of households and the weekly rent figure is 300. Vacancy is 10.2%, higher than a tightly supplied market, so tenants may have more choice than in a lower-vacancy suburb. Apartments comprise 55.7% of homes, giving the rental market a strong unit component.
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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