Hornsby - East
Statistical Area - sa2

An assessment of population growth drivers in Hornsby - East reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

Hornsby - East's population is approximately 12,654 as of August 2025. This figure represents an increase of 711 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 11,943 people. The growth is inferred from ABS estimates and validated new addresses between June 2024 and the Census date. The population density ratio is 4,923 persons per square kilometer, placing Hornsby - East in the top 10% nationally for population density. The area's 6.0% population growth since the 2021 Census exceeds both the SA3 area (4.1%) and SA4 region, indicating strong growth leadership. Overseas migration contributed approximately 81.4% of overall population gains in recent periods.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data, NSW State Government's SA2 level projections from 2022 with a base year of 2021 are used. Growth rates by age group are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. By 2041, Hornsby - East is expected to grow by approximately 1,117 persons, representing an 8.8% increase over the 17-year period based on the latest population numbers.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development drivers sees a low level of activity in Hornsby - East, placing the area among the bottom 25% of areas assessed nationally

Hornsby - East has seen approximately 21 new homes approved annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25105 homes were approved, with one more approved in FY-26 so far. The average number of people moving to the area per dwelling built over these years is 0.7.

This suggests that new supply has been keeping pace with or exceeding demand, providing ample buyer choice and creating capacity for population growth beyond current forecasts. The average construction cost value of new properties during this period was $854,000, indicating a focus on the premium market by developers. In FY-26, $61.0 million in commercial approvals have been registered, suggesting robust local business investment. Compared to Greater Sydney, Hornsby - East has around two-thirds the rate of new dwelling approvals per person and ranks among the 8th percentile nationally when assessed for buyer choice. This results in relatively constrained buyer choice, supporting interest in existing dwellings.

The new building activity shows a skew towards compact living, with 25.0% detached houses and 75.0% medium and high-density housing. This offers affordable entry pathways and attracts downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers. Hornsby - East has around 4048 people per dwelling approval, reflecting a highly mature market. Population forecasts indicate that Hornsby - East will gain 1,115 residents by 2041. At current development rates, housing supply may struggle to match population growth, potentially heightening buyer competition and supporting price increases.

Hornsby - East has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 10% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 15 projects likely influencing the region. Notable initiatives include Twin Towers Hornsby, Westfield Hornsby Mixed-Use Redevelopment, Hornsby Town Centre Masterplan, and Hornsby Park. Below is a list of most relevant projects.

Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.

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The labour market performance in Hornsby - East lags significantly behind most other regions nationally

Hornsby - East has an educated workforce with a high representation of professional services and an unemployment rate of 10.1% as of June 2025. There are 7,011 residents in work while the unemployment rate is 5.9% higher than Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%.

Workforce participation stands at 67.2%, compared to Greater Sydney's 60.0%. Major employment industries include health care & social assistance, professional & technical services, and retail trade. The area specializes in health care & social assistance with an employment share 1.4 times the regional level, while construction shows lower representation at 3.8% versus the regional average of 8.6%. The worker-to-resident ratio is 0.9, indicating substantial local employment opportunities.

Between June 2024 and June 2025, the labour force decreased by 0.3%, and employment declined by 2.4%, leading to a rise in unemployment rate of 1.9 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Sydney saw employment growth of 2.6% and labour force growth of 2.9%, with an unemployment increase of 0.3 percentage points. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia, released in May 2025, project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Hornsby - East's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 7.4% over five years and 15.1% over ten years.

Income analysis reveals strong economic positioning, with the area outperforming 60% of locations assessed nationally by AreaSearch

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year ending June 2022 shows median income in Hornsby - East was $57,848, with average income at $74,602. This contrasts with Greater Sydney's median income of $56,994 and average income of $80,856 for the same period. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% from July 2022 to September 2025, estimated median income in Hornsby - East is approximately $65,143, and average income is around $84,009 as of September 2025. According to Census 2021 data, incomes in Hornsby - East cluster around the 60th percentile nationally. Income brackets indicate that 36.9% of individuals earn between $1,500 and $2,999 annually, which aligns with the metropolitan region where this cohort represents 30.9%. Housing affordability pressures are severe in Hornsby - East, with only 79.3% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 49th percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 7th decile.

Hornsby - East features a more urban dwelling mix with significant apartment living, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Hornsby - East's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, comprised 12.0% houses and 87.9% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Sydney metro had 61.4% houses and 38.6% other dwellings. Home ownership in Hornsby - East was at 17.6%, with mortgaged dwellings at 28.6% and rented ones at 53.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,115, below Sydney metro's average of $2,500. Median weekly rent in Hornsby - East was $440, compared to Sydney metro's $480. Nationally, Hornsby - East's mortgage repayments were higher at $2,115 versus Australia's average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Hornsby - East features high concentrations of group households and lone person households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 64.5% of all households, including 28.4% couples with children, 24.3% couples without children, and 10.1% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 35.5%, with lone person households at 30.8% and group households comprising 4.5%. The median household size is 2.3 people, which is smaller than the Greater Sydney average of 2.7.

Hornsby - East demonstrates exceptional educational outcomes, ranking among the top 5% of areas nationally based on AreaSearch's comprehensive analysis of qualification and performance metrics

Educational attainment in Hornsby - East is notably higher than broader benchmarks. 52.2% of residents aged 15 and above hold university qualifications, compared to 30.4% nationally and 32.2% in NSW. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 33.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (16.4%) and graduate diplomas (2.5%). Vocational pathways account for 22.7% of qualifications among those aged 15 and above, with advanced diplomas making up 11.8% and certificates 10.9%.

Educational participation is high, with 28.9% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 7.7% in primary education, 7.5% in tertiary education, and 5.0% pursuing secondary education. Hornsby - East's four schools have a combined enrollment of 3,538 students, with the area demonstrating exceptional educational performance (ICSEA: 1189), placing local schools among the most advantaged nationally. The educational mix includes one primary school, two secondary schools, and one K-12 school. The area functions as an education hub with 28.0 school places per 100 residents, significantly above the regional average of 16.1, attracting students from surrounding communities. Note: where schools show 'n/a' for enrolments please refer to parent campus.

Transport servicing is high compared to other areas nationally based on assessment of service frequency, route connectivity and accessibility

The public transport analysis indicates that there are currently 37 active transport stops operating within the Hornsby - East area. These stops offer a mix of train and bus services. In total, these stops are serviced by 47 individual routes which collectively provide 7,088 weekly passenger trips.

The accessibility of transport is rated as good with residents typically located approximately 208 meters from the nearest transport stop. On average, service frequency across all routes amounts to 1,012 trips per day, equating to roughly 191 weekly trips per individual stop.

Hornsby - East's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Hornsby-East has excellent health outcomes, with low prevalence rates of common conditions across all ages. Private health cover is high at approximately 56%, covering around 7,149 people, compared to Greater Sydney's 60.8%.

Mental health issues and asthma are the most prevalent conditions, affecting 6.3% and 5.5% respectively. About 78.8% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 74.0% in Greater Sydney. The area has 14.6% seniors (1,843 people), lower than Greater Sydney's 17.1%. Seniors' health outcomes align with the general population's profile.

Hornsby - East is among the most culturally diverse areas in the country based on AreaSearch assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Hornsby-East, as per the 2016 Census, has a high degree of cultural diversity with 62.4% of its population speaking a language other than English at home and 61.7% born overseas. Christianity is the predominant religion in Hornsby-East, comprising 35.2% of people. However, Hinduism is significantly overrepresented at 15.6%, compared to Greater Sydney's average of 7.3%.

In terms of ancestry, 'Other' is the largest group at 23.2%, higher than the regional average of 12.9%. Chinese ancestry is also notably high at 19.9% (regional avg: 11.6%), while English ancestry is lower at 13.0% (regional avg: 21.7%). Other ethnic groups with notable representation include Korean at 3.6%, Russian at 1.0%, and Filipino at 4.1%.

Hornsby - East's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

At age 36 years, Hornsby East's median age is nearly matching Greater Sydney's average of 37 years, which is modestly under the Australian median of 38 years. Compared to Greater Sydney, Hornsby East has a higher concentration of residents aged 25-34 (19.5%) but fewer residents aged 5-14 (8.6%). This concentration of residents aged 25-34 is well above the national average of 14.5%. Between the 2021 Census and now, the population aged 15 to 24 has grown from 10.2% to 11.5%, while the 65 to 74 cohort has increased from 7.4% to 8.6%. Conversely, the 35 to 44 cohort has declined from 18.8% to 17.5%. Demographic modeling suggests Hornsby East's age profile will evolve significantly by 2041. The 75 to 84 cohort shows the strongest projected growth at 105%, adding 571 residents to reach 1,116. Senior residents aged 65 and above will drive 74% of population growth, underscoring demographic aging trends. Conversely, the cohorts aged 5 to 14 and 0 to 4 are expected to experience population declines.