Cartwright
High renter demand and strong household diversity shape Cartwright, where 62.8% of occupied dwellings are rented and 45.3% of residents were born overseas, 23.7 percentage points above the national level. The median age is 35, 5 years below national, while vacancy reaches 12.8%. With 2,616 residents in just 0.96 sq km, density is 2,717.4 people per sq km. Compared with the broader Liverpool centre and nearby Miller, Cartwright is a compact residential pocket, with household income at the 5.2nd percentile helping explain its renter concentration.
Local council: Liverpool
Population
2,616
Median Age
35.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$826/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
23
Cartwright suits buyers prioritising housing format choice over a predominantly detached setting. Separate houses make up 58.6% of dwellings, but apartments account for 37.5%, and 3-bedroom homes are the largest bedroom group at 41.0%. A listed mortgage commitment is $1,755 per month, while mortgage costs equal 49.1% of household income, compared with a 27.2% rent-to-income measure. The 62.8% renting share and median age of 35, 5 years below national, point to a younger, more mobile buyer pool. Compared with nearby Miller, inspect strata costs, parking and renovation condition carefully because apartment-heavy stock can change total holding costs.
For Buyers
Cartwright suits buyers prioritising housing format choice over a predominantly detached setting. Separate houses make up 58.6% of dwellings, but apartments account for 37.5%, and 3-bedroom homes are the largest bedroom group at 41.0%. A listed mortgage commitment is $1,755 per month, while mortgage costs equal 49.1% of household income, compared with a 27.2% rent-to-income measure. The 62.8% renting share and median age of 35, 5 years below national, point to a younger, more mobile buyer pool. Compared with nearby Miller, inspect strata costs, parking and renovation condition carefully because apartment-heavy stock can change total holding costs.
For Investors
Cartwright has a clear rental-demand base: 62.8% of households rent, weekly rent is $225 and vacancy is 12.8%. The vacancy rate is high, so investors should stress-test leasing time and incentives rather than assume occupancy across a mix of 58.6% separate houses and 37.5% apartments. Household income sits at the 5.2nd percentile, well below the national position, which can support demand for lower-cost rentals but may limit rent growth. Development activity reached 26 applications in 12 months, including medium-density housing and secondary dwellings. The 7.02% annual growth trend, driven by internal migration, adds a growth angle, but does not replace property-level due diligence.
Development Activity
Total DAs
82
Last 12 Months
23
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+35.3%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Cartwright
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Demographics
Cartwright's demographic profile is younger and more internationally born than the national pattern: median age is 35, 5 years below national, while 45.3% were born overseas, 23.7 percentage points above national. University attainment is 14.8%, 15.3 points below national, which aligns with an employment base led by practical and community-facing roles. Lebanese ancestry counts 223 and Vietnamese ancestry 222, while Arabic is spoken by 294 residents. Couples with children account for 42.6% of families and one-parent families 33.9%, so household needs span several family types. Compared with nearby Liverpool's broader urban catchment, Cartwright is a compact pocket with an average household size of 2.6, 0.1 above national, and 80.5% of residents staying at the same address.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
58.6%
Houses
3.9%
Townhouse
37.5%
Apartment
Tenure
Cartwright's tenure mix is renter-led: 62.8% rent, compared with 19.7% paying a mortgage and 15.9% owning outright. Separate houses remain the largest form at 58.6%, but apartments are a substantial 37.5%, creating more choice than a detached-only market. Three-bedroom homes account for 41.0%, followed by 2-bedroom dwellings at 23.8% and 4-plus bedrooms at 19.0%; smaller 0-1 bedroom stock is 16.2%. Weekly rent is $225 and vacancy is 12.8%, while mortgage costs absorb 49.1% of household income, a higher burden than the 27.2% rent-to-income measure. Compared with nearby Miller, buyers and renters should check strata, parking and dwelling condition at address level because tenure and building type vary sharply.
Mortgage / mo
$1,755
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (April to June 2026), NSW Rental Bond Board (DCJ). Census 2021 median: $225.
$650
Bond data Jun 2026 · houses $650
HH Size
2.6
Personal Income / wk
$426
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
12.8%
Unoccupied
131
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
27.2%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
49.1% stressed
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
42.6%
Couples with children
21.4%
Couples, no children
33.9%
Single parent
599
Total families
Economy & Employment
Cartwright's economic base is led by Healthcare at 28.6% of local industry employment, followed by Education at 12.9%, Transport at 9.0%, Manufacturing at 8.1% and Retail at 6.7%. That mix connects the suburb to essential services and logistics work, while occupations are concentrated in Labourers (90), Trades (81) and Machinery/Drivers (78), ahead of Community/Personal roles (72) and Clerical/Admin (59). Labour-force participation is 30.3% and unemployment is 17.5%, with 242 full-time and 170 part-time workers. Household income is $826 weekly at the 5.2nd percentile, below national levels. SEIFA places Cartwright in decile 1 for IRSD, IRSAD and IER, with IEO at decile 2, signalling broad socioeconomic disadvantage rather than a single income-only anomaly.
Unemployment
17.5%
Labour Force
611
Unemployed
107
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
48.0%
Part-time
33.7%
Participation
30.3%
Employed
504
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
14.8%
Postgraduate
2.8%
Born Overseas
45.3%
Dwellings
889
Transport to Work
Daily travel in Cartwright is strongly car-oriented: 69.6% drive, compared with 3.6% using public transport and 2.3% walking or cycling. That gap matters because the suburb covers 0.96 sq km at a density of 2,717.4 people per sq km, yet low active and transit shares can make local errands less convenient without a car. Work-from-home participation is 16.5%. One local school, Cartwright Public School, provides government primary access; families should confirm enrolment zones and secondary options against the exact address. SEIFA places the suburb in decile 1 for IRSAD, below higher-ranked areas, so access to affordable services and transport is a practical livability priority. Compared with larger Liverpool, Cartwright's compact footprint supports short distances, but not necessarily car-free routines.
Drive
69.6%
Public Transport
3.6%
Walk / Cycle
2.3%
Work from Home
16.5%
Growth Outlook
Cartwright is classified as high-growth, with a forecast annual trend of 7.02%, materially above a no-growth benchmark. Internal migration is the primary driver, so local moves are the clearest demand signal. Development activity reached 26 applications in the past 12 months, including medium-density housing and secondary dwellings, which can add rental and ownership stock. The absence of a COVID dip supports a steadier trajectory, while the 62.8% renter share means growth may first appear through leasing demand and infill turnover. Compared with a flat local market, 7.02% is a strong signal, but investors should still test each site's zoning, construction timing and vacancy exposure.
Population trend: Liverpool council area
Cartwright sits in the Liverpool council area. These are the council area's residents, not Cartwright's.
Residents 2025
261,231
Growth, 5 yr average
+2.5%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+2.3%
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 Cartwright compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cartwright a good suburb to live in?
Cartwright can suit households seeking local primary access and a compact setting. It has 2,616 residents, 62.8% renters and 69.6% car drivers, so lifestyle fit depends on tenure, transport needs and access to a vehicle.
What is the median house price in Cartwright?
Cartwright's housing costs are represented by $225 weekly rent and a $1,755 monthly mortgage figure. Buyers should confirm the latest sale median using current listings and settled sales. Separate houses make up 58.6% of dwellings.
What schools are in Cartwright?
Cartwright Public School is the named local school and is a government primary school. Check the exact enrolment zone, year availability and nearby secondary options before signing a lease or contract. Cartwright's density is 2,717.4 people per sq km.
Is Cartwright safe?
Safety should be checked using current NSW Police crime mapping and by visiting the immediate streets at different times. Cartwright covers 0.96 sq km and has 2,616 residents, so local conditions can vary within a compact, high-density area.
Is Cartwright good for property investment?
It may suit investors targeting a renter-majority market, with 62.8% renting and weekly rent of $225. However, vacancy is 12.8% and 26 development applications were recorded in 12 months, so leasing competition and future supply need to be modelled before purchase.
How is Cartwright's population changing?
Cartwright has 2,616 residents today. Its forecast annual growth trend is 7.02%, classified as high-growth and driven primarily by internal migration. The 26 development applications in 12 months may support ongoing infill activity and demand for well-priced housing.
What languages are spoken in Cartwright?
Cartwright has 45.3% of residents born overseas, with Arabic recorded for 294 residents. English, Vietnamese and Samoan backgrounds also appear in the ancestry and language profile, so local services may need to communicate across several language groups.
What development is occurring in Cartwright?
Development activity reached 26 applications in 12 months, including medium-density housing and secondary dwellings. That pipeline may expand rental and ownership choices, but it can also affect parking, construction noise and timing. Review individual approvals before relying on new supply.
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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