Northbridge vs Castlecrag

Northbridge is the younger of the two, with a median age of 44 against 47 in Castlecrag. In both, the large majority of households own their home, most homes are detached houses, and most households are couple families. Houses cost more in Northbridge: a median of $5.3 million, against $4.63 million in Castlecrag, though rent is higher in Castlecrag. Northbridge is closer to the city centre: 8.1 km, against 9.9 km.

Which one suits you?

There is no overall winner — the suburb that suits a family with school-age kids is routinely the wrong one for someone commuting into the city. So each of these answers its own question, against a checklist you can see, using the same figures in the tables below.

Families with school-age kids

Castlecrag

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more separate houses rather than flats (97% vs 74%)
  • is already more of a family suburb (83% vs 72%)
  • But Northbridge has more schools inside the suburb (3 vs 1)

Weighs schools, house stock, crime, parks, childcare, and who already lives there.

First-home buyers

Castlecrag

ahead on 2 of the 2 things we measure here

  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (21% vs 28%)
  • has cheaper houses ($4,635,000 vs $5,300,000)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Northbridge

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($740/wk vs $1,010/wk)

Weighs rent, rental stress, and how much is for rent.

Commuting to the city

Northbridge

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (86/100 vs 72/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, rail access, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Northbridge

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (26% vs 3%)
  • has more GPs (3 vs 1)
  • is more walkable (86/100 vs 72/100)

Weighs smaller dwellings, who already lives there, GPs, walkability, and crime.

Investors

Too close to call

Nothing among the 2 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs house yield and population growth.

Where they sit

Northbridge and Castlecrag drawn to the same scale. Both outlines are shown together, so the map answers whether they share a border and how their areas compare.

Northbridge Castlecrag
Hides rows where both suburbs match

Bars start at zero. Scores, risks and rankings are drawn against their full 0–100 range; other rows are drawn in proportion to the larger of the two.

Side by side, out of 100

Risks are inverted — shown as safety and low exposure — so a longer bar always means better.

Northbridge Castlecrag
Walkability 86 / 72
Northbridge — Walkability: 86/100 Castlecrag — Walkability: 72/100
Safety 77 / 83
Northbridge — Safety: 77/100 Castlecrag — Safety: 83/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Northbridge — Low fire risk: 100/100 Castlecrag — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Northbridge has more residents (6,493 vs 2,965); Castlecrag rents higher ($1,010/wk vs $740/wk).

Northbridge Castlecrag
Population 6,493
+54% vs other
 2,965
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +2.3% +0.9%
Median age 44 47
Median household income $201,448/yr $243,100/yr
+21% vs other
Median weekly rent $740/wk $1,010/wk
+36% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Northbridge Castlecrag
0-4 4.1% / 3.3%
Northbridge — 0-4: 4.1% Castlecrag — 0-4: 3.3%
5-14 16.4% / 14.9%
Northbridge — 5-14: 16.4% Castlecrag — 5-14: 14.9%
15-19 7.8% / 9.8%
Northbridge — 15-19: 7.8% Castlecrag — 15-19: 9.8%
20-24 4.5% / 6.0%
Northbridge — 20-24: 4.5% Castlecrag — 20-24: 6.0%
25-34 5.6% / 4.0%
Northbridge — 25-34: 5.6% Castlecrag — 25-34: 4.0%
35-44 11.8% / 9.1%
Northbridge — 35-44: 11.8% Castlecrag — 35-44: 9.1%
45-54 16.0% / 18.9%
Northbridge — 45-54: 16.0% Castlecrag — 45-54: 18.9%
55-64 13.1% / 15.2%
Northbridge — 55-64: 13.1% Castlecrag — 55-64: 15.2%
65-74 10.3% / 11.6%
Northbridge — 65-74: 10.3% Castlecrag — 65-74: 11.6%
75-84 6.3% / 5.0%
Northbridge — 75-84: 6.3% Castlecrag — 75-84: 5.0%
85+ 4.2% / 2.1%
Northbridge — 85+: 4.2% Castlecrag — 85+: 2.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.9%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Northbridge 62.3% couple families
Northbridge — Couple Families: 62.3% Northbridge — Lone Person: 24.8% Northbridge — One Parent Families: 10.2% Northbridge — Group Household: 1.6% Northbridge — Other Families: 1.2%
Castlecrag 71.4% couple families
Castlecrag — Couple Families: 71.4% Castlecrag — Lone Person: 15.4% Castlecrag — One Parent Families: 11.2% Castlecrag — Group Household: 0.9% Castlecrag — Other Families: 1.2%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Northbridge 20.1% renting
Northbridge — Owned Outright: 49.2% Northbridge — Mortgage: 30.7% Northbridge — Renting: 20.1%
Castlecrag 11.1% renting
Castlecrag — Owned Outright: 49.6% Castlecrag — Mortgage: 39.3% Castlecrag — Renting: 11.1%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

Highest non-school qualification, residents 15+, 2021 Census.

Northbridge Castlecrag
Bachelor Degree 26.5% / 29.0%
Northbridge — Bachelor Degree: 26.5% Castlecrag — Bachelor Degree: 29.0%
Postgraduate Degree 12.7% / 13.7%
Northbridge — Postgraduate Degree: 12.7% Castlecrag — Postgraduate Degree: 13.7%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.2% / 6.1%
Northbridge — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.2% Castlecrag — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.1%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.8% / 3.1%
Northbridge — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.8% Castlecrag — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.1%
Certificate III & IV 3.2% / 2.6%
Northbridge — Certificate III & IV: 3.2% Castlecrag — Certificate III & IV: 2.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (29.0%).

Where residents were born

Largest overseas birthplaces, as a share of all residents, 2021 Census. A dash means that country is not among the suburb's own eight largest.

Northbridge Castlecrag
England 4.8% / 5.9%
Northbridge — England: 4.8% Castlecrag — England: 5.9%
China 3.9% / 3.4%
Northbridge — China: 3.9% Castlecrag — China: 3.4%
New Zealand 1.8% / 1.9%
Northbridge — New Zealand: 1.8% Castlecrag — New Zealand: 1.9%
South Africa 1.1% / 1.6%
Northbridge — South Africa: 1.1% Castlecrag — South Africa: 1.6%
Japan 1.6% / 1.0%
Northbridge — Japan: 1.6% Castlecrag — Japan: 1.0%
Malaysia 1.1% / 1.5%
Northbridge — Malaysia: 1.1% Castlecrag — Malaysia: 1.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (5.9%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Northbridge 74.1% houses
Northbridge — Houses: 74.1% Northbridge — Flats / Apartments: 19.5% Northbridge — Townhouses: 6.3%
Castlecrag 97.4% houses
Castlecrag — Houses: 97.4% Castlecrag — Flats / Apartments: 0.8% Castlecrag — Townhouses: 1.8%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Northbridge Castlecrag
Median house price $5,300,000 $4,635,000
Median unit price $1,135,000 —
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 28 days
from 32 sales
 34 days
from 14 sales

House price by bedroom count

Only bed counts both suburbs published enough sales for. Sale counts are shown because the buckets differ in depth.

Northbridge Castlecrag
3 bed $3.62M / $4.22M
Northbridge — 3 bed: $3.62M (5 sales) Castlecrag — 3 bed: $4.22M (9 sales)

5 vs 9 sales

4 bed $5.31M / $5.03M
Northbridge — 4 bed: $5.31M (22 sales) Castlecrag — 4 bed: $5.03M (13 sales)

22 vs 13 sales

5 bed $6M / $4.59M
Northbridge — 5 bed: $6M (23 sales) Castlecrag — 5 bed: $4.59M (7 sales)

23 vs 7 sales

Zoning mix

Castlecrag has more land zoned for conservation (77% vs 31%).

Northbridge Castlecrag
Environmental 31% 77%
Residential 42% 15%
Parks and recreation 19% 2%
Infrastructure and transport 6% 1%
Commercial 2% 1%
Planning zones cover 99% of Northbridge and 97% of Castlecrag. The rest is unzoned land such as water or road reserve.
Zoning sets what may be built, not what is there today. A single address can sit in a different zone to the suburb around it. Zones as at 2026-09.

Development activity

Northbridge Castlecrag
New dwellings approved 249
across Willoughby
same for both
Approvals change year on year +458%
same for both

Gross rental yield

Gross — before strata, rates, management, insurance and vacancy. From median advertised rents and median asking prices over the last 6 months. How we calculate.

Northbridge Castlecrag
Houses 2.3%
$1,900/wk on $4.3M
 2.0%
$2,400/wk on $6.2M
Units 3.5%
$950/wk on $1.4M
 —

Ranking within NSW

Northbridge Castlecrag
House price Higher than 99% of NSW Higher than 98% of NSW
Income Higher than 99% of NSW Higher than 100% of NSW
Schools Higher than 10% of NSW —
Walkability Higher than 95% of NSW Higher than 89% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 7% of NSW Higher than 17% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 100% of NSW Higher than 99% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 82% of NSW Higher than 94% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 4% of NSW Higher than 2% of NSW
Rental yield (units) Higher than 11% of NSW —

Liveability

Castlecrag scores higher overall (91 vs 75); Northbridge is more walkable (86 vs 72).

Northbridge Castlecrag
Grade A A+
Score 75/100 91/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
same for both

Risk profile

Northbridge Castlecrag
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime Low
23/100
 Low
17/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 4
within 5 km
 3
within 5 km

Schools

Northbridge Castlecrag
Inside the suburb 3 1
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 1 0
Rated below peers 1 0
Universities within 10 km 3
Australian Catholic University-North Sydney Campus, 3.0 km
 3
Australian Catholic University-North Sydney Campus, 4.1 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 3.9% 5.2%

Schools in Northbridge

  • Northbridge Public School Government · Primary at peers
  • St Philip Neri Catholic Primary School Catholic · Primary below peers
  • SHORE - Sydney Church of England Preparatory School, Northbridge Independent · Primary

Schools in Castlecrag

  • Glenaeon Rudolf Steiner School, Castlecrag Independent · Primary

Amenities in the suburb

Northbridge Castlecrag
Supermarkets 2 0
Cafes & restaurants 8 2
Parks & reserves 9 8
Childcare 5 3
GPs 3 1
Pharmacies 1
same for both
Hospitals 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 1
same for both
EV chargers 1 0
Beaches 1 0
Waterways 2
same for both

Mobility

Northbridge Castlecrag
Walkability score 86/100 72/100
Distance to Sydney 8.1 km 9.9 km
+22% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 14 min 16 min
Public transport score 79/100
Bus
same for both
Peak arrivals per hour 262.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
 76.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 5.1%
postcode 2063
 4.5%
postcode 2068
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 34
postcode 2063
 28
postcode 2068

How people get to work

Method of travel on census day 2021 — which fell during COVID restrictions, so working from home is inflated and every travel mode understated.

Northbridge Castlecrag
Worked from Home 65.9% / 66.6%
Northbridge — Worked from Home: 65.9% Castlecrag — Worked from Home: 66.6%
Car (driver) 26.2% / 27.9%
Northbridge — Car (driver): 26.2% Castlecrag — Car (driver): 27.9%
Car (passenger) 2.6% / 1.7%
Northbridge — Car (passenger): 2.6% Castlecrag — Car (passenger): 1.7%
Walked Only 2.5% / 1.3%
Northbridge — Walked Only: 2.5% Castlecrag — Walked Only: 1.3%
Bus 2.0% / 1.8%
Northbridge — Bus: 2.0% Castlecrag — Bus: 1.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (66.6%).

Setting

Northbridge Castlecrag
Elevation 87 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 71 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 2.7 km
1.3 km to a named beach
 2.8 km
1.2 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Northbridge Castlecrag
Connectivity score 75/100 89/100
Most common technology Hybrid fibre-coaxial Fibre to the premises
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 2%
2,599 premises
 52%
1,157 premises

Climate

Northbridge Castlecrag
Annual rainfall 1,176 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Northbridge Castlecrag
PM2.5 6.3 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 13.8 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.84 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Northbridge Castlecrag
Average residential rate $1,275/yr
same for both
Council Willoughby
same for both

Federal electorate

Northbridge Castlecrag
Division Bradfield
same for both
Member Nicolette Boele
same for both
Party Independent
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Northbridge Castlecrag
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Northbridge

Beach Coastal Inner Luxury Parks Professionals River

Castlecrag

Beach Coastal Inner Luxury Parks Professionals Quiet River

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Northbridge

Northbridge vs Willoughby Northbridge vs Cammeray Northbridge vs Naremburn

Other comparisons with Castlecrag

Castlecrag vs Willoughby Castlecrag vs Willoughby East Castlecrag vs Middle Cove
Full data on Northbridge Full data on Castlecrag
Unlock full address-level data — $29/month

Information shown is provided as-is from Australian government and commercial data sources.
Always verify with the relevant authority before making property decisions.
See Data Sources and How We Calculate for details.

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