Castlereagh
A $2.7 million median house price in a suburb of just 1,248 people sets Castlereagh apart from almost every other community in the Penrith region. Household income sits at the 89.7th percentile nationally, yet the SEIFA IEO decile ranks only 3, because high assets do not always translate to high formal qualifications. The suburb is spread across 32 square kilometres at a density of 38.8 people per square kilometre, far below the state average, and 98.3% of dwellings are separate houses. Identity signals point to a premium, detached-dominant, slowly aging community where 84.2% of residents have lived in the same home for five or more years.
Population
1,248
Median Age
38.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,370/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
22
Median House
$2.7M
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The median house price of $2.7 million places Castlereagh well above most of Greater Western Sydney, and prices rose 9.7% from $2,690,000 in 2024 to $2,950,000 in 2025. The stock is almost entirely separate houses at 98.3%, so buyers compete for a limited pool of acreage properties rather than apartments. Large homes dominate: 69.2% of dwellings have four or more bedrooms and 23.1% have three, reflecting the rural-residential lot sizes typical of the area. Monthly mortgage repayments average $3,033, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 29.6%, just below the 30% stress threshold despite the premium price. Outright owners at 46.7% outnumber mortgage holders at 35.5%, suggesting many residents are long-established and debt-free rather than recent buyers at current prices.
For Buyers
The median house price of $2.7 million places Castlereagh well above most of Greater Western Sydney, and prices rose 9.7% from $2,690,000 in 2024 to $2,950,000 in 2025. The stock is almost entirely separate houses at 98.3%, so buyers compete for a limited pool of acreage properties rather than apartments. Large homes dominate: 69.2% of dwellings have four or more bedrooms and 23.1% have three, reflecting the rural-residential lot sizes typical of the area. Monthly mortgage repayments average $3,033, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 29.6%, just below the 30% stress threshold despite the premium price. Outright owners at 46.7% outnumber mortgage holders at 35.5%, suggesting many residents are long-established and debt-free rather than recent buyers at current prices.
For Investors
The rental market in Castlereagh is thin. Only 17.8% of households rent, well below the national average, and weekly rent averages $428. Against the $2.7 million median, that implies a gross yield below 1%, among the lowest in NSW. The vacancy rate of 7.8% is elevated, signalling limited rental demand relative to available stock. Development activity is moderate at 20 applications in the past 12 months, mostly subdivision and home business changes rather than new dwellings. Net internal migration runs at negative 191 per year for the broader area, which means the suburb is not attracting new residents at pace. Overseas migration adds only 67 people annually. The investment case rests on long-term land appreciation in a premium acreage belt rather than rental yield.
Development Activity
Total DAs
125
Last 12 Months
22
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
0.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Castlereagh iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
The Lakes Christian College
K-12 · 330 students
Castlereagh Public School
K-6 · 126 students
Demographics
The median age of 38 is 2 years below the national figure, but the trajectory is aging: the senior share has risen 4.4 points and the young adult share has fallen 1.5 points over the decade. Overseas-born residents make up 15.4% of the population, which is 6.2 points below the national figure, and English ancestry dominates at 449 residents, with Maltese at 248 the second-largest group. Average household size of 3.4 is 0.9 above the national average, reflecting a concentration of couples with children: 517 of the 1,095 recorded family units are couples with children, while 244 are couples without. University qualifications at 21.8% sit 8.3 points below the national figure, consistent with the SEIFA IEO decile 3 score despite income sitting in the 89.7th percentile.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
98.3%
Houses
N/A
Townhouse
1.7%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure skews heavily toward ownership: 46.7% of households own outright and 35.5% carry a mortgage, leaving only 17.8% renting. The outright-owner share is unusually high compared to most NSW suburbs, reflecting long-term residents holding acreage properties acquired before prices reached current levels. The stock is almost entirely separate houses at 98.3%, with apartments at only 1.7% and no recorded semi-detached stock. Four-plus bedroom dwellings account for 69.2% of all homes, the clear dominant type. Price history shows a consistent upward trend: $2,690,000 in 2024 rising to $2,950,000 in 2025, a 9.7% one-year gain. Rent-to-income at 18.1% stays comfortable for tenants, while mortgage-to-income at 29.6% sits just under the conventional stress threshold.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$3,033
Rent / wk
$428
HH Size
3.4
Personal Income / wk
$828
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
7.8%
Unoccupied
29
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
18.1%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
29.6%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
22.3%
Couples, no children
1,095
Total families
Economy & Employment
Construction is the dominant industry at 22.7% of local workers (84 people), well above the national average for the sector. Education follows at 10.8% (40 workers) and Healthcare at 10.5% (39 workers), with Transport at 7.6% and Other Services at 7.3%. By occupation, Clerical and Admin leads at 104 workers, followed by Managers (92), Professionals (72) and Machinery and Drivers (66). The unemployment rate of 3.4% is low and the full-time employment rate of 56.2% is moderate. Participation at 54.8% is below the national figure because 318 residents are not in the labour force, consistent with a community that includes retired acreage owners. Real income grew 11.5% over the decade. The SEIFA IRSAD and IRSD both sit at decile 5, placing the suburb at the national median for advantage and disadvantage despite high property values.
Unemployment
3.6%
Labour Force
9,795
Unemployed
356
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
56.2%
Part-time
40.4%
Participation
54.8%
Employed
518
Occupations
Top Industries
University
21.8%
Postgraduate
2.9%
Born Overseas
15.4%
Dwellings
345
Transport to Work
Castlereagh is almost entirely car-dependent: 85.6% of residents drive to work and only 1.3% use public transport, compared to the state average where public transport use is materially higher in most suburbs. Walking and cycling accounts for 6.0% of commutes, reasonable for an outer-acreage setting. Crime data is not available for this suburb in the dataset. The SEIFA IRSAD decile of 5 places Castlereagh at the national median for advantage, neither in the top nor bottom tier. Housing stress is low: rent-to-income at 18.1% and mortgage-to-income at 29.6% both sit below conventional stress thresholds. No schools are recorded inside the suburb boundary, so families depend on services in surrounding areas such as Penrith, consistent with the suburb's low density of 38.8 people per square kilometre.
Drive
85.6%
Public Transport
1.3%
Walk / Cycle
6.0%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.37%/yr
(+64 people/yr)
EstablishedPopulation growth is slow: 0.37% per year, adding around 64 residents annually, with the 10-year change at 8.0%. The historical count rose from 17,282 in 2023 to 17,444 in 2025 for the broader statistical area, and medium forecasts project gradual expansion to around 17,902 by 2031. Net internal migration is negative at 191 outflows per year, offset only partially by overseas migration of 67 per year. The gentrification score is low at 0 and classified as not gentrifying, which fits an already-premium suburb with no displacement pressure from below. Affordability has worsened, with the ratio rising from 42.8% in 2011 to 45.7% in 2021, meaning buyers now spend a larger share of income to purchase here than a decade ago. Rent has grown 46.4% over the period, outpacing income growth of 11.5%.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+67
Net Internal / yr
-191
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Net internal outflow -191/yr
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Castlereagh compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Castlereagh a good suburb to live in?
Castlereagh suits acreage buyers who value privacy and space over urban convenience. Household income sits at the 89.7th percentile nationally, housing stress is low with mortgage-to-income at 29.6%, and 84.2% of residents have stayed for five or more years. The main trade-offs are extreme car dependence (85.6% drive), no recorded schools inside the boundary, and a $2.7 million median house price.
What is the median house price in Castlereagh?
The median house price is $2,700,000, based on 2024-2025 data. Prices rose 9.7% from $2,690,000 in 2024 to $2,950,000 in 2025. Monthly mortgage repayments average $3,033 and weekly rent averages $428.
What schools are in Castlereagh?
No schools are recorded inside the Castlereagh boundary in this dataset. With a population of only 1,248 across 32 square kilometres, families rely on schools in neighbouring areas such as Penrith and Orchard Hills. University qualifications locally are 21.8%, which is 8.3 points below the national figure.
Is Castlereagh safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Castlereagh in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb scores at the IRSD decile 5, the national median for relative disadvantage, and housing stress is low: rent-to-income at 18.1% and mortgage-to-income at 29.6% are both below conventional stress thresholds. Only 5.7% of residents need daily assistance.
Is Castlereagh good for property investment?
The yield case is weak. Weekly rent of $428 against a $2.7 million median implies a gross yield below 1%, and the 7.8% vacancy rate is elevated. Only 17.8% of households rent, limiting the tenant pool. The suburb's 9.7% price gain from 2024 to 2025 shows capital growth potential, but investors should expect returns driven by land appreciation rather than rental income.
How is Castlereagh's population changing?
Growth is slow at 0.37% annually, or about 64 people per year. The 10-year change is 8.0% and medium forecasts project the broader area reaching around 17,902 by 2031. Net internal migration runs at negative 191 per year, partly offset by overseas migration of 67. The community is aging, with the senior share up 4.4 points over the decade.
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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