Cronulla
Apartments shape Cronulla more than its detached-house image: 72.6% of homes are apartments, while separate houses account for just 20.5%. That makes it more urban than nearby Burraneer or Woolooware, with density at 4,622.2 people per sq km across 3.87 sq km. The median age is 43, which is 3 years above the national benchmark, and household income sits in the 77.2 percentile. Cronulla is therefore a higher-income, older coastal market where convenience and scarcity drive demand because most buyers are competing for compact dwellings rather than family-sized land.
Population
17,899
Median Age
43.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,058/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
153
Median House
$1.3M
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
Homebuyers face a premium market with a median house price of $1,325,000 and the latest price series reaching $1,382,500 in 2025. Choice is skewed toward units because 72.6% of dwellings are apartments compared with 20.5% separate houses, so buyers wanting land face lower supply. Mortgage repayments take 27.0% of income, below the common stress threshold, which helps explain why prices can remain firm despite high entry costs. Two-bedroom homes dominate at 46.7%, making Cronulla more suitable for downsizers, singles and couples than large households.
For Buyers
Homebuyers face a premium market with a median house price of $1,325,000 and the latest price series reaching $1,382,500 in 2025. Choice is skewed toward units because 72.6% of dwellings are apartments compared with 20.5% separate houses, so buyers wanting land face lower supply. Mortgage repayments take 27.0% of income, below the common stress threshold, which helps explain why prices can remain firm despite high entry costs. Two-bedroom homes dominate at 46.7%, making Cronulla more suitable for downsizers, singles and couples than large households.
For Investors
Cronulla has a sizeable rental pool, with 41.9% of homes rented compared with 24.0% held by mortgage holders. Median rent is $500 per week, and rent-to-income is 24.3%, below stress levels, which supports tenant capacity. The caution is vacancy: 11.3% is high and suggests leasing risk, seasonal stock or short-stay competition may be higher than in tighter suburban markets. Development activity is also elevated, with 140 applications in 12 months, so investors need to watch new supply even though the forecast points to 35.1% rent growth through the shift period.
Development Activity
Total DAs
808
Last 12 Months
153
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-1.9%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Cronulla iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
St Aloysius Catholic Primary School
K-6 · 178 students
Burraneer Bay Public School
K-6 · 573 students
Cronulla South Public School
K-6 · 261 students
St Aloysius College Cronulla
7-12 · 482 students
Woolooware Public School
K-6 · 462 students
Demographics
Cronulla is older, more educated and less migrant-heavy than the national average. The median age of 43 sits 3 years above national, while university attainment is 38.6%, or 8.5 percentage points above national. Overseas-born residents make up 17.8%, which is 3.8 points below national, and average household size is 2.1, lower than national by 0.4. English ancestry is the largest reported group at 7,436 people, followed by Irish at 2,731 and Scottish at 1,862, reflecting a more Anglo-leaning population base.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
20.5%
Houses
6.1%
Townhouse
72.6%
Apartment
Tenure
Cronulla's housing market is apartment-led and tightly supplied for detached homes. Prices rose from $1,250,000 in 2024 to $1,382,500 in 2025, a 10.6% lift over 1 year, with the latest quarter also the peak and no peak-to-latest fall at 0.0%. Ownership is mixed: 34.1% own outright, 24.0% have a mortgage and 41.9% rent. The 46.7% share of 2-bedroom dwellings is higher than the 14.1% share of 4-plus-bedroom homes, because the local stock is built around apartments rather than larger blocks.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,404
Rent / wk
$500
HH Size
2.1
Personal Income / wk
$1,179
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
11.3%
Unoccupied
1,024
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.3%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
27.0%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
40.6%
Couples, no children
12,692
Total families
Economy & Employment
Cronulla's workforce leans professional and service-oriented. Healthcare is the largest industry at 14.0%, ahead of construction at 13.5%, professional and tech at 12.2%, education at 11.5% and public admin at 7.3%. Professionals number 2,782 and managers 1,760, which helps lift advantage measures above average: IEO and IER are both decile 8, while IRSD and IRSAD are both decile 9. Unemployment is low at 3.6%, although participation is 58.6%, partly consistent with the older age structure and 4,666 people outside the labour force.
Unemployment
2.6%
Labour Force
15,819
Unemployed
404
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
66.2%
Part-time
30.2%
Participation
58.6%
Employed
8,906
Occupations
Top Industries
University
38.6%
Postgraduate
8.9%
Born Overseas
17.8%
Dwellings
8,007
Transport to Work
Cronulla's livability is strongest for coastal access, schools and advantaged local services, but commuting remains car-heavy. Car drivers account for 83.7% of journeys, well above public transport at 5.3%, while 7.3% walk or cycle. There are 8 local schools across government and Catholic sectors, with ICSEA values from 1050 to 1123; St Aloysius Catholic Primary School, Burraneer Bay Public School and Cronulla South Public School sit at the top of that range. IRSAD decile 9 indicates above-average advantage, but a suburb-level crime rate is not available.
Drive
83.7%
Public Transport
5.3%
Walk / Cycle
7.3%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.6%/yr
(+153 people/yr)
EstablishedCronulla is forecast to grow slowly, at 0.6% a year or about 153 people annually, which is lower than high-growth fringe markets. The medium population path rises from 25,638 in 2026 to 26,404 in 2031. Growth is driven by overseas migration, with average net overseas inflow of 298 people a year offset by net internal outflow of 124 people a year. The trajectory is aging: senior share has risen 5.2 points while working-age share is down 3.7 points. Gentrification is scored 14 and labelled Not gentrifying, so change is more about renewal and demographics than displacement.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+298
Net Internal / yr
-124
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Population +12% since 2011, Net internal outflow -124/yr, Strong overseas inflow +298/yr
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Cronulla compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cronulla a good suburb to live in?
Cronulla suits buyers who value coastal access, apartments and established services. It has 8 schools, IRSAD decile 9 and household income in the 77.2 percentile, but car use is high at 83.7% compared with public transport at 5.3%.
What is the median house price in Cronulla?
The median house price in Cronulla is $1,325,000. The recent price series moved from $1,250,000 in 2024 to $1,382,500 in 2025, a 10.6% rise, so buyers are paying above many middle-ring Sydney benchmarks.
What schools are in Cronulla?
Cronulla has 8 schools across government and Catholic sectors. ICSEA ranges from 1050 to 1123, with St Aloysius Catholic Primary School, Burraneer Bay Public School and Cronulla South Public School among the higher-scoring local options.
Is Cronulla safe?
A suburb-level crime rate is not available for Cronulla, so safety should be checked street by street. The area does have IRSAD decile 9 and IRSD decile 9, both above average, which usually aligns with stronger socioeconomic conditions.
Is Cronulla good for property investment?
Cronulla has investment appeal because 41.9% of homes are rented and median rent is $500 per week. The main caution is the 11.3% vacancy rate, which is higher than tight rental markets and may affect leasing speed.
How is Cronulla's population changing?
Cronulla is growing slowly, with a forecast annual increase of 0.6% or 153 people. Overseas migration adds about 298 people a year, while internal migration is negative at 124 people a year, and the trajectory is aging.
Is there much development in Cronulla?
Yes. Cronulla recorded 140 development applications in 12 months, which is high for a compact 3.87 sq km suburb. That activity reflects ongoing renewal, but it can also add supply pressure in an apartment-heavy 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 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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