Curl Curl
A $3.7 million median house price places Curl Curl in Sydney's ultra-luxury tier, yet fewer than 2,400 people live within its 1.28 square kilometres. Household income ranks in the 99.4th percentile nationally, higher than almost any suburb in Australia, and 55.7% of residents hold university qualifications, which is 25.6 percentage points above the national figure. The ownership split is telling: 37.4% own outright and 40.1% carry a mortgage, signalling that even at these price points, significant leverage remains. Three-quarters of dwellings are separate houses, and nearly half have four or more bedrooms, consistent with a suburb built around large family homes rather than density.
Population
2,364
Median Age
40.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$3,870/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
38
Median House
$3.7M
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
At $3,700,000 in 2024 rising to $3,705,000 in 2025, price growth has been essentially flat over the past year, up just 0.1%. That stability at the top of the market reflects limited supply and owners in no hurry to sell: 81.3% of residents stayed in the same dwelling over the previous year. Monthly mortgage repayments average $3,775, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.5%, below the 30% stress threshold despite the extraordinary price level, because household incomes sit at the 99.4th percentile. Separate houses account for 75.6% of stock, with 48.7% of all dwellings having four or more bedrooms. Apartments represent only 16.1% of the market, so detached-house buyers face concentrated competition for limited turnover.
For Buyers
At $3,700,000 in 2024 rising to $3,705,000 in 2025, price growth has been essentially flat over the past year, up just 0.1%. That stability at the top of the market reflects limited supply and owners in no hurry to sell: 81.3% of residents stayed in the same dwelling over the previous year. Monthly mortgage repayments average $3,775, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.5%, below the 30% stress threshold despite the extraordinary price level, because household incomes sit at the 99.4th percentile. Separate houses account for 75.6% of stock, with 48.7% of all dwellings having four or more bedrooms. Apartments represent only 16.1% of the market, so detached-house buyers face concentrated competition for limited turnover.
For Investors
A 22.5% renter share and $705 weekly rent imply a gross yield well below 1.1% against the $3,705,000 median, making yield-driven investment difficult to justify at current prices. The 7.1% vacancy rate is elevated and signals some softness in the rental market, particularly in the apartment segment that makes up 16.1% of dwellings. Demand dynamics are mixed: overseas migration adds about 158 residents annually to the broader area while net internal outflow removes around 160, leaving population growth thin at 0.56% per year. Development activity is moderate, with 37 applications lodged in the past 12 months, mostly alterations and pool additions rather than new dwellings. The investment case rests on capital preservation at the top of the Sydney market rather than rental returns or expansion.
Development Activity
Total DAs
203
Last 12 Months
38
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+31.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
The median age is 40, equal to the national figure, though the population profile skews toward established family households. Overseas-born residents reach 24.9%, which is 3.3 percentage points above the national average. Ancestry is strongly Anglo-Celtic, led by English (1,074 residents), Irish (347) and Scottish (279). University qualifications at 55.7% run 25.6 points above national, reflecting the high-income, professional base. Average household size is 3.0, above the national figure by 0.5, consistent with the four-plus bedroom housing stock and the 1,011 couples-with-children families recorded. The volunteering rate of 21.9% is high, and only 3.0% of residents need daily assistance.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
75.6%
Houses
7.7%
Townhouse
16.1%
Apartment
Tenure
Ownership is the dominant tenure: 37.4% own outright and 40.1% carry a mortgage, with renters at 22.5%, lower than Sydney norms. Outright ownership at 37.4% reflects established, long-held wealth rather than active market turnover, which is consistent with an 81.3% one-year stay rate. The stock is dominated by separate houses at 75.6%, with 48.7% of dwellings having four or more bedrooms, the highest configuration in the suburb. Semi-detached homes make up 7.7% and apartments 16.1%. The median house price held flat from $3,700,000 in 2024 to $3,705,000 in 2025, a 0.1% rise. Rent-to-income sits at 18.2%, below the 30% stress threshold, making the suburb comfortable for tenants relative to their incomes.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$3,775
Rent / wk
$705
HH Size
3.0
Personal Income / wk
$1,260
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
7.1%
Unoccupied
57
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
18.2%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.5%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
20.2%
Couples, no children
2,013
Total families
Economy & Employment
The local workforce is concentrated in professional and finance sectors. Professional/Tech leads at 16.3% (151 workers), followed by Healthcare at 12.4% (115) and Finance at 11.7% (108). Education and Construction each account for around 10% of employment. By occupation, Professionals (409) and Managers (293) together account for more than half of employed residents, consistent with household income ranking in the 99.4th percentile nationally. The unemployment rate is 3.9% and the full-time employment rate is 65.9%, with 386 residents working part-time. Real income grew 13.7% over the decade. Participation at 62.7% is moderate, partly because 535 residents are outside the labour force, a mix of retirees and non-working partners in high-income households.
Unemployment
3.9%
Labour Force
5,908
Unemployed
233
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
65.9%
Part-time
30.2%
Participation
62.7%
Employed
1,133
Occupations
Top Industries
University
55.7%
Postgraduate
14.9%
Born Overseas
24.9%
Dwellings
741
Transport to Work
Car dependency is high, with 82.9% of residents driving to work, above the national average, and public transport use at only 3.6%. Walking and cycling accounts for 7.4%, reflecting proximity to the beach and coastal paths. No schools are recorded within the 1.28 square kilometre boundary in this dataset, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring suburbs. Crime data is not available for this suburb in the dataset, though as an indirect indicator the suburb sits at the 99.4th income percentile nationally with very low housing stress: mortgage-to-income at 22.5% and rent-to-income at 18.2%, both comfortably below the 30% stress threshold. The 3.0% assistance-need rate is low, consistent with a healthy, high-income population.
Drive
82.9%
Public Transport
3.6%
Walk / Cycle
7.4%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.56%/yr
(+53 people/yr)
EstablishedPopulation growth is slow and steady at 0.56% annually, adding roughly 53 residents per year. The 10-year population change is 11.5%, above the national trend for established suburbs. The broader area recovered from a 2.3% COVID dip, now sitting 2.8% above the COVID low at 9,408 residents. Medium forecasts project the area population reaching around 9,816 by 2031. Internal migration is a net negative at minus 160 per year, with overseas migration the sole positive driver at plus 158. The gentrification score is 10, classified as not gentrifying, which fits a suburb that is already at the top of the income and price distribution with limited room to climb further. Rent grew 34.8% over the period, outpacing income growth of 13.7%.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+158
Net Internal / yr
-160
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Net internal outflow -160/yr, COVID recovered (-2% dip → full recovery)
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Curl Curl compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Curl Curl a good suburb to live in?
Curl Curl ranks in the 99.4th income percentile nationally, with household incomes of $3,870 per week on median. University qualifications reach 55.7%, which is 25.6 points above the national figure. The suburb offers low housing stress, with mortgage-to-income at 22.5% and rent-to-income at 18.2%, and a high stay rate of 81.3% indicates strong resident satisfaction.
What is the median house price in Curl Curl?
The median house price is $3,700,000 based on 2024-2025 data, with prices essentially flat at $3,705,000 in 2025, up just 0.1%. Weekly rent averages $705 and monthly mortgage repayments run around $3,775, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.5%, below the stress threshold despite the high price point.
What schools are in Curl Curl?
No schools are recorded inside the 1.28 square kilometre Curl Curl boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring northern beaches suburbs. The local population is highly educated, with 55.7% holding university qualifications, which is 25.6 percentage points above the national figure.
Is Curl Curl safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Curl Curl in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb sits in the 99.4th income percentile nationally with housing stress well below the 30% threshold: mortgage-to-income at 22.5% and rent-to-income at 18.2%. Only 3.0% of its 2,364 residents need daily assistance, consistent with a healthy, low-disadvantage area.
Is Curl Curl good for property investment?
Rent of $705 per week against a $3,705,000 median implies a gross yield under 1.0%, well below typical investment benchmarks. The 7.1% vacancy rate indicates some softness in the rental segment. Net overseas migration of 158 per year supports demand, but with 0.56% annual population growth and net internal outflow of 160 per year, returns depend on capital growth at the top of the Sydney market rather than yield.
How is Curl Curl's population changing?
Annual population growth runs at 0.56%, adding roughly 53 residents per year. The 10-year population change for the area is 11.5%, above the national average for established suburbs. Overseas migration adds around 158 residents annually while net internal outflow removes about 160, making population gains modest. Medium forecasts project the area population at around 9,816 by 2031.
How much development is happening in Curl Curl?
There were 37 development applications lodged in the past 12 months, moderate for a suburb of 1.28 square kilometres. Recent applications include swimming pool additions and dwelling alterations rather than new dwellings, consistent with an established, high-value suburb where improvement of existing homes is more common than new construction.
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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