Curl Curl
Household income is the standout feature of Curl Curl, sitting at the 99.4th percentile nationally, while 2,364 residents occupy a compact 1.28 sq km coastal suburb at 1,852.5 people per sq km. The median age of 40 is in line with the national average, but university attainment is notably above national levels at 55.7%, or 25.6 percentage points higher. Housing is detached-home led, with 75.6% of dwellings separate houses, and working from home is common at 55.5%. English, Irish and Scottish ancestry counts are prominent, reinforcing an Anglo-leaning profile. Compared with nearby Dee Why and Freshwater, Curl Curl presents as a smaller, lower-rise market with unusually high household earnings and a strong family-home orientation.
Local council: Northern Beaches
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
32
Curl Curl suits buyers prioritising detached housing, larger floor plans and a high-income setting rather than entry-level apartment affordability. Separate houses account for 75.6% of dwellings, while 48.7% have 4 or more bedrooms and another 28.1% have 3 bedrooms. Mortgage commitments average $3,775 per month, with 39.8% of households paying a mortgage and 37.1% owning outright. The 22.4% renting share is relatively limited for a metropolitan suburb, reflecting strong owner occupation. Household income is higher than the national distribution at the 99.4th percentile, which helps explain the capacity to support substantial housing costs. Compared with apartment-led parts of Dee Why, Curl Curl is more oriented to land, privacy and family-scale homes, but buyers should allow for a tightly held market and higher ownership costs.
For Buyers
Curl Curl suits buyers prioritising detached housing, larger floor plans and a high-income setting rather than entry-level apartment affordability. Separate houses account for 75.6% of dwellings, while 48.7% have 4 or more bedrooms and another 28.1% have 3 bedrooms. Mortgage commitments average $3,775 per month, with 39.8% of households paying a mortgage and 37.1% owning outright. The 22.4% renting share is relatively limited for a metropolitan suburb, reflecting strong owner occupation. Household income is higher than the national distribution at the 99.4th percentile, which helps explain the capacity to support substantial housing costs. Compared with apartment-led parts of Dee Why, Curl Curl is more oriented to land, privacy and family-scale homes, but buyers should allow for a tightly held market and higher ownership costs.
For Investors
Curl Curl has a higher-income tenant base, with household income at the 99.4th percentile nationally, but its rental pool is relatively small at 22.4% of households. Weekly rent is $705 and vacancy is 7.1%, so investors should test achievable rent carefully rather than assume every property will attract a premium. Development activity reached 34 applications in 12 months, creating ongoing potential for dwelling upgrades and competition between renovated homes. Rents have grown 34.8% across the shift period, while forecast growth runs at 0.56% annually and is driven primarily by overseas migration. That combination supports a quality-focused strategy centred on well-presented houses or larger dwellings, although the 7.1% vacancy rate is less favourable than conditions in a tightly constrained rental market.
Development Activity
Total DAs
211
Last 12 Months
32
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
Demographics
Curl Curl has a median age of 40, exactly in line with the national comparison, and an average household size of 3.0 people, which is 0.5 above the national figure. University attainment is high at 55.7%, standing 25.6 percentage points above national levels, while 24.9% of residents were born overseas, 3.3 points above the national share. English ancestry is recorded for 1,074 people, followed by Irish at 347 and Scottish at 279. No religion is the largest reported affiliation at 1,128 people, narrowly ahead of Christianity at 1,054. Compared with the more apartment-associated profile of nearby Dee Why, Curl Curl's 75.6% separate-house share and 57.2% couples-with-children proportion point to a more settled, family-oriented pattern.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
75.6%
Houses
7.7%
Townhouse
16.1%
Apartment
Tenure
Curl Curl's housing mix is dominated by separate homes at 75.6%, with apartments at 16.1% and semi-detached dwellings at 7.7%. Larger properties are common: 48.7% have 4 or more bedrooms, 28.1% have 3 bedrooms and 18.7% have 2 bedrooms. Tenure is split between outright owners at 37.1%, mortgage holders at 39.8% and renters at 22.4%, indicating a substantial owner base and less rental dependence than many inner-urban markets. Mortgage costs average $3,775 monthly, while mortgage repayments equal 22.5% of household income and rent equals 18.2%; neither stress flag is triggered. Household income is higher than the national distribution at the 99.4th percentile, helping support the suburb's substantial housing costs. Compared with apartment-oriented Dee Why, Curl Curl is more land and bedroom focused.
Mortgage / mo
$3,775
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (April to June 2026), NSW Rental Bond Board (DCJ). Census 2021 median: $705.
$900
Bond data Jun 2026 · houses $1,395 · units $850
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
57.2%
Couples with children
32.1%
Couples, no children
9.3%
Single parent
636
Total families
Economy & Employment
Curl Curl's employment base is concentrated in professional and service sectors: Professional and Tech work accounts for 16.3%, Healthcare 12.4%, Finance 11.7%, Education 10.3% and Construction 10.1%. The main occupations are Professionals with 409 workers and Managers with 293, followed by Clerical and Admin at 125 and Trades at 123. This mix helps explain household income at the 99.4th percentile, which is higher than the national distribution. Labour-force participation is 68.4%, unemployment is 3.6% and full-time employment represents 60.3% of workers, supporting relatively strong purchasing power. Construction's 10.1% share adds a practical link to the suburb's 75.6% separate-house stock, because established homes require ongoing renovation and maintenance. The economy is therefore more professional and managerial than industrial, with local households often connected to wider metropolitan employment.
Unemployment
3.6%
Labour Force
1,285
Unemployed
46
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
60.3%
Part-time
31.2%
Participation
68.4%
Employed
1,239
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
55.7%
Postgraduate
14.9%
Born Overseas
24.9%
Dwellings
741
Transport to Work
Curl Curl supports a flexible lifestyle, with 55.5% of residents working from home, compared with only 1.6% primarily using public transport, 36.9% driving and 3.3% walking or cycling to work. This pattern means home workspace and local amenity matter more than rapid transit access, because many residents remain within the suburb or travel by car. University attainment is 55.7%, which is 25.6 percentage points above the national level, and volunteering reaches 21.9%, adding evidence of strong social participation. Families should confirm school catchments against the exact address and check current public, Catholic and independent enrolment options before buying or leasing, since boundaries can cross suburb edges. The 3.0% need-assistance rate is modest, while Curl Curl's compact 1.28 sq km footprint makes street-level differences important. Compared with more transit-oriented northern beaches centres, daily life is more car and home based.
Drive
36.9%
Public Transport
1.6%
Walk / Cycle
3.3%
Work from Home
55.5%
Growth Outlook
Curl Curl is forecast to grow at 0.56% annually, with overseas migration identified as the primary driver. Population change across the wider area is 11.5% over 10 years, while the trajectory is classified as Mixed rather than consistently accelerating. Housing pressure remains relevant because rents have grown 34.8%, even though affordability shifted only from 53.1% in 2011 to 51.2% in 2021 and is labelled Stable. The current gentrification assessment gives a score of 10 and a stage of Not gentrifying, but the separate shift measure records a score of 31 and Early signs, indicating some emerging change without a clear transformation. The area also recovered from a COVID dip of 2.3%, followed by 2.8% recovery. Compared with faster-growing development corridors, Curl Curl's outlook is steadier and shaped more by established housing, migration and incremental renewal.
Population trend: Northern Beaches council area
Curl Curl sits in the Northern Beaches council area. These are the council area's residents, not Curl Curl's.
Residents 2025
272,656
Growth, 5 yr average
+0.3%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+0.5%
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 Curl Curl compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Curl Curl a good suburb to live in?
Curl Curl suits households seeking detached homes, coastal amenity and a high-income environment. Separate houses make up 75.6% of dwellings, working from home is reported by 55.5% of residents and university attainment is 55.7%, or 25.6 percentage points above national levels. Public transport use is only 1.6%, so car access and home-based work are important considerations.
What is the median house price in Curl Curl?
Check recent settled sales for the current median, because individual results can vary considerably by land size, condition and bedroom count. Curl Curl is dominated by separate houses at 75.6%, and 48.7% of dwellings have 4 or more bedrooms. Compared with apartment-heavy markets, a suburb-wide median can conceal a wide spread between smaller homes and larger coastal properties.
What schools are in Curl Curl?
School choices should be checked against the exact address, catchment and sector before signing a contract. Curl Curl has an average household size of 3.0 people, so family demand is relevant, but public, Catholic and independent enrolment rules can differ. Confirm current options, travel routes and boundaries directly, as nearby schools may not share the same intake area.
Is Curl Curl safe?
Assess safety at the individual street level through daytime and evening visits, local lighting, parking activity and current incident information. Curl Curl has 2,364 residents across 1.28 sq km, so conditions can vary between pockets. Compared with making a judgement from a suburb label alone, checking the exact block and nearby routes gives a more useful view for buyers and renters.
Is Curl Curl good for property investment?
Curl Curl can suit investors targeting higher-income tenants, with household income at the 99.4th percentile nationally and weekly rent of $705. The rental share is 22.4%, vacancy is 7.1% and 34 development applications were recorded in 12 months. Those figures support a quality-focused strategy, but the vacancy rate is less favourable than a tightly undersupplied rental market, so property selection matters.
How is Curl Curl's population changing?
Growth is forecast at 0.56% annually and is driven primarily by overseas migration. Population change across the wider area is 11.5% over 10 years, with a Mixed trajectory rather than a single strong direction. The age shift includes a 1.1 percentage point increase in the senior share and a 1.3 point decline in the young share, suggesting gradual ageing alongside continued household turnover.
Are there development projects in Curl Curl?
Development activity is material, with 34 applications recorded over 12 months. Recent examples include dwelling-house work, demolition and construction of a new residential structure, and complying development certificates for 1 dwelling. Compared with a suburb with little application activity, this points to ongoing incremental renewal, although buyers should check individual approvals, design details and construction timing.
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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