Castle Cove
With 63.2% of residents working from home and 66.4% of dwellings containing 4 or more bedrooms, Castle Cove is shaped by established, spacious housing and professional households. The median age is 46, which is 6 years above the national figure, while household income ranks at the 98.9th percentile. Compared with nearby Willoughby, Castle Cove is more strongly suited to buyers seeking detached homes, quieter streets and longer-term tenure, with 83.3% of residents staying at the same address. Its population of 2,643 and annual growth trend of 0.13% point to a settled suburb rather than a rapidly expanding market.
Local council: Willoughby
Population
2,643
Median Age
46.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$3,439/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
39
Castle Cove suits buyers prioritising detached housing, larger floorplans and a stable neighbourhood setting. Separate houses account for 90.6% of dwellings, while 66.4% have 4 or more bedrooms, making the suburb more family-house focused than apartment-led locations. The typical mortgage commitment is $4,000 per month and weekly rent is $1,000, so entry costs are likely to be substantial compared with many middle-ring markets. Mortgage repayments equal 26.9% of household income, below the 30% stress benchmark, because household income averages $3,439 per week. Compared with apartment-oriented suburbs, the trade-off is less dwelling variety but more space and privacy.
For Buyers
Castle Cove suits buyers prioritising detached housing, larger floorplans and a stable neighbourhood setting. Separate houses account for 90.6% of dwellings, while 66.4% have 4 or more bedrooms, making the suburb more family-house focused than apartment-led locations. The typical mortgage commitment is $4,000 per month and weekly rent is $1,000, so entry costs are likely to be substantial compared with many middle-ring markets. Mortgage repayments equal 26.9% of household income, below the 30% stress benchmark, because household income averages $3,439 per week. Compared with apartment-oriented suburbs, the trade-off is less dwelling variety but more space and privacy.
For Investors
Castle Cove has a low-turnover investment profile, with only 10.8% of households renting and 83.3% of residents staying at the same address. Weekly rent is $1,000 and vacancy is 6.9%, suggesting a premium leasing market but also a need to test tenant depth carefully because the rental pool is smaller than in higher-density suburbs. Development activity is notable at 43 applications in 12 months, including a dual-occupancy proposal, which may gradually add choice without changing the detached character quickly. Compared with high-yield areas, investors may need to rely more on land value, tenant quality and long-term capital growth than on immediate yield. Overseas migration is the primary forecast growth driver.
Development Activity
Total DAs
234
Last 12 Months
39
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-11.4%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Castle Cove
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Demographics
Castle Cove has an older and more highly educated population than national averages. The median age of 46 is 6 years above the national figure, university attainment is 62.2%, or 32.1 percentage points higher, and 38.7% of residents were born overseas, 17.1 points above the national level. English and Chinese are prominent ancestries, with counts of 770 and 616, while Mandarin and Cantonese are spoken by 102 and 100 residents respectively. Couples with children make up 57.2% of families, and average household size is 2.9, which is 0.4 above the national average. Compared with nearby Willoughby, Castle Cove is likely to appeal more to established families and older professional households than to highly mobile renters.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
90.6%
Houses
6.1%
Townhouse
3.3%
Apartment
Tenure
Castle Cove is overwhelmingly a detached-house market: 90.6% of dwellings are separate houses, compared with 3.3% apartments and 6.1% semi-detached homes. The bedroom profile reinforces that pattern, with 66.4% of homes containing 4 or more bedrooms and 24.7% containing 3 bedrooms. Ownership is relatively strong, with 48.5% owned outright and 33.3% held with a mortgage, while only 10.8% are rented. Mortgage costs average $4,000 per month and mortgage repayments absorb 26.9% of household income, below the 29.1% rent-to-income share. Compared with apartment-dominated suburbs, Castle Cove offers more land and family space, but fewer compact housing options and a higher exposure to detached-home pricing.
Mortgage / mo
$4,000
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (April to June 2026), NSW Rental Bond Board (DCJ). Census 2021 median: $1,000.
$1,050
Bond data Jun 2026 · houses $1,600 · units $900
HH Size
2.9
Personal Income / wk
$1,219
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
6.9%
Unoccupied
65
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
29.1%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
26.9%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
57.2%
Couples with children
31.7%
Couples, no children
9.6%
Single parent
748
Total families
Economy & Employment
Castle Cove combines very high household incomes with a professional employment base. Average household income is $3,439 per week and ranks at the 98.9th percentile, while the leading industries are Professional/Tech at 23.8% with 226 workers, Finance at 13.7% with 130, Healthcare at 12.5% with 119, Education at 7.3% with 69, and Real Estate at 5.9% with 56. Professionals number 451 and managers 309, compared with 130 clerical and administrative workers. Unemployment is 3.8% and participation is 57.8%. All four SEIFA measures sit in decile 10, including IRSAD and IRSD, indicating very high advantage. The lower participation rate is consistent with the suburb's older age profile and 848 residents outside the labour force, rather than weak employment conditions.
Unemployment
3.8%
Labour Force
1,224
Unemployed
47
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
58.0%
Part-time
32.8%
Participation
57.8%
Employed
1,177
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
62.2%
Postgraduate
19.8%
Born Overseas
38.7%
Dwellings
874
Transport to Work
Castle Cove is better suited to residents who value home space and remote work than those seeking frequent public transport. A high 63.2% work from home, while only 1.6% use public transport and 1.6% walk or cycle to work; 31.2% drive as car passengers or drivers. Families have access to 1 listed local government primary school, Castle Cove Public School, and should check the exact enrolment zone before purchasing. There is no crime-rate figure to support a firm safety verdict, so recent incident information should be reviewed before deciding. Compared with more transit-oriented suburbs, daily life here is more car-independent only for remote workers. The IRSAD score is in decile 10, supporting strong socioeconomic conditions, although the older age profile may limit late-night and high-density activity.
Drive
31.2%
Public Transport
1.6%
Walk / Cycle
1.6%
Work from Home
63.2%
Growth Outlook
Castle Cove is a slow-growth, established suburb. The forecast annual trend is 0.13%, while population change across the wider area is 6.0% over 10 years. Growth is primarily driven by overseas migration, but the trajectory is classified as Aging, with the senior share up 5.0 percentage points and the young share down 3.1 points. Compared with faster-growth corridors, this points to gradual turnover rather than a major population influx. The forecast gentrification score is 10 and the stage is Not gentrifying, although a separate shift measure records a score of 25 and Early signs. Rent growth of 24.1% and recovered COVID disruption after a 2.4% dip support steady demand, while 43 development applications may refresh housing incrementally.
Population trend: Willoughby council area
Castle Cove sits in the Willoughby council area. These are the council area's residents, not Castle Cove's.
Residents 2025
80,520
Growth, 5 yr average
+0.5%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+1.0%
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 Castle Cove compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Castle Cove a good suburb to live in?
Castle Cove suits households seeking detached homes, larger bedrooms and a settled setting. About 90.6% of dwellings are separate houses, 63.2% of residents work from home and household income ranks at the 98.9th percentile. The trade-offs are limited public transport at 1.6% usage and relatively high housing costs.
What is the median house price in Castle Cove?
A current median house price is not available from the figures provided. Castle Cove has a premium detached profile, with 90.6% of dwellings being separate houses and 66.4% containing 4 or more bedrooms. Weekly rent is $1,000 and the typical mortgage is $4,000 per month. Check recent settled sales for a precise median.
What schools are in Castle Cove?
Castle Cove has 1 listed local school: Castle Cove Public School, a government primary school. Families should check the exact enrolment zone because boundaries can affect access, then review secondary options in neighbouring areas. The presence of a school does not by itself indicate educational quality or guarantee a place.
Is Castle Cove safe?
There is no current crime-rate figure to support a firm yes or no safety verdict. For practical due diligence, review the latest 12-month incident information, visit the streets at different times and ask about local conditions before committing. The suburb's IRSAD result is in decile 10, but socioeconomic advantage is not a substitute for crime data.
Is Castle Cove good for property investment?
Castle Cove may suit long-term investors seeking established detached housing rather than high immediate yield. Weekly rent is $1,000, vacancy is 6.9% and only 10.8% of households rent. There were 43 development applications in 12 months, so investors should assess future competition, purchase price, insurance and achievable rent before relying on capital growth.
How is Castle Cove's population changing?
Castle Cove has a current population of 2,643. The annual forecast trend is 0.13%, while population change across the wider area is 6.0% over 10 years. The trajectory is Aging, with the senior share up 5.0 percentage points and the young share down 3.1 points. Overseas migration is the primary growth driver, so change is likely to be gradual and older in composition.
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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