Overview
Sembawang is a North Region planning area of 12.64 square kilometres on the Johor Strait, between Woodlands and Yishun, with Mandai and Simpang on its other sides. It takes in the HDB neighbourhoods around Sembawang and Canberra stations, older private estates, and the waterfront around Sembawang Park and the shipyard. SingStat recorded 115,270 residents in June 2026.
Who lives here
Sembawang is one of the younger towns. In June 2026, 15.7% of residents were under 15 and only 12.7% were 65 or older, compared with 13.3% and 19.5% nationally. Among planning areas with more than 10,000 residents, only Tengah and Punggol had a smaller share of older people. About 27,440 residents were aged 25 to 39, with the 35-to-39 band the largest at 10,240, and 5,440 children were under five.
Homes and dwelling types
HDB flats housed 82% of residents, overwhelmingly larger flats: about 40,890 people lived in 5-room and executive flats and 39,230 in 4-room flats. There were also about 9,560 people in 1- and 2-room flats, a category that also covers HDB studio apartments and Community Care Apartments. Unusually, 3-room flats housed only 4,990 people, fewer than the 1- and 2-room group and the smallest of the town's HDB categories. Condominiums and other apartments housed 14% of residents and landed homes 4%.
Residents by type of dwelling, June 2026 (SingStat). Shares are our arithmetic; “–” means nil or negligible.
| Type of dwelling | Residents | Share |
|---|---|---|
| HDB 1- and 2-room flats | 9,560 | 8.3% |
| HDB 3-room flats | 4,990 | 4.3% |
| HDB 4-room flats | 39,230 | 34.0% |
| HDB 5-room and executive flats | 40,890 | 35.5% |
| Condominiums and other apartments | 15,570 | 13.5% |
| Landed properties | 4,110 | 3.6% |
| Others | 930 | 0.8% |
| All residents | 115,270 | 100% |
HDB's third-quarter 2026 medians for Sembawang were S$508,500 for a 3-room flat, S$605,000 for a 4-room flat and S$634,000 for a 5-room flat; executive resales were too few for a median. The gap between those 4-room and 5-room medians, S$29,000, was the narrowest of any HDB town that published both figures that quarter, so a buyer stepping up a flat size paid less extra here than anywhere else. Our HDB resale medians page lists every town.
Getting around
Two North-South Line stations have exits inside Sembawang.
| Station | Code | Line |
|---|---|---|
| Sembawang | NS11 | North-South Line |
| Canberra | NS12 | North-South Line |
Canberra, which opened in 2019 as an infill station, serves the newer estates around Bukit Canberra, and Sembawang station serves the town centre. Both are on the stretch of the North-South Line between Yishun and Woodlands, with a direct ride south to Orchard and the city.
Schools
On the 2025 map, seven MOE schools fall inside Sembawang. The primary schools are Canberra, Endeavour, Northoaks, Sembawang and Wellington, and the secondary schools are Canberra and Sembawang. There is no junior college in the area.
Food
NEA's register lists one hawker centre: Bukit Canberra Hawker Centre, which opened in 2022 with 44 cooked-food stalls. Neighbouring Yishun and Woodlands each have three centres on the register.
Parks and the coast
NParks lists 11 park points, including Sembawang Park on the coast, Bukit Canberra, Legundi Park, Kemuning Park, Janggus Garden and Pebble Garden. A PAssion WaVe sea sports club operates at Sembawang, and Sembawang Shipyard sits on the shoreline inside the planning area.
Healthcare
Sembawang Polyclinic, run by NHG Polyclinics, is at 21 Canberra Link. MOH's June 2024 CHAS list places 17 clinics in Sembawang. Khoo Teck Puat Hospital is in neighbouring Yishun.
Community facilities
The People's Association's June 2024 list includes Canberra CC, with Sembawang CC pending a new building, and SportSG runs Bukit Canberra Sport Centre. NLB runs Sembawang Public Library. ECDA's June 2024 list places 72 pre-schools in the area, and its 2026 list adds 11 kindergartens.
New launches in Sembawang
Fablewoode Residences
A executive condominium at Sembawang Road (at Yishun Avenue 7): 265 homes, 99-year leasehold.
Nearby planning areas
Next to Sembawang on URA's map: Mandai, Simpang, Woodlands, Yishun.
Every planning area has a page on our neighbourhoods index.
Sources
- URA, Master Plan 2025 Planning Area Boundary (No Sea), data.gov.sg (updated 27 February 2026)
- LTA, MRT Station Exit (GEOJSON), data.gov.sg (updated 18 October 2026)
- LTA, Train Station Chinese Names (station codes and lines), data.gov.sg; LTA rail system map
- MOE, General information of schools (2026), data.gov.sg (updated 17 April 2026)
- NEA, Hawker Centres (GEOJSON), data.gov.sg (updated 14 November 2026), checked against NEA's list of hawker centres (17 August 2026)
- People's Association, Community Clubs, data.gov.sg (list dated June 2024)
- NParks, Parks, data.gov.sg (updated 14 November 2026)
- MOH, CHAS Clinics, data.gov.sg (list dated June 2024)
- NLB, Libraries, data.gov.sg (list dated June 2024)
- SportSG, Sport Facilities (GEOJSON), data.gov.sg (updated 13 November 2025)
- SingStat, Resident Population by Planning Area/Subzone, Age Group and Type of Dwelling, June 2026 (released 25 September 2026), singstat.gov.sg
- HDB, 3rd Quarter 2026 Public Housing Data, Annex C: Median Resale Prices by Town and Flat Type (23 October 2026), hdb.gov.sg
- SLA, OneMap search (venue addresses and locations)
- ECDA, Pre-Schools Location (list dated June 2024) and Kindergartens (updated April 2026), data.gov.sg
- NHG Polyclinics, SingHealth Polyclinics and National University Polyclinics: lists of polyclinics (November 2026)
Facts checked on 15 November 2026. See our editorial policy.
Last updated