Hornsby - West

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

Hornsby - West's population was approximately 10,826 as of November 2025. This figure is an increase of 197 people from the 2021 Census count of 10,629. The growth is inferred from the Australian Bureau of Statistics' estimated resident population of 10,807 in June 2024 and the addition of 27 validated new addresses since the Census date. The population density was around 1,721 persons per square kilometer, higher than the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Hornsby - West's growth rate of 1.9% since the census is within 2.4 percentage points of the SA3 area's growth rate of 4.3%. The population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration, contributing approximately 91.3% of overall population gains during 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, AreaSearch utilises NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for the years 2032 to 2041. Future population trends indicate an increase just below the median of statistical areas across the nation, with Hornsby - West expected to increase by 1,358 persons to 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting a total increase of 12.2% over the 17 years.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Hornsby - West according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

Hornsby-West has received approximately 41 dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling 206 homes. As of FY-26, seven approvals have been recorded. Despite population decline in the area, housing supply has remained adequate relative to demand, resulting in a balanced market with good buyer choice. The average expected construction cost value for new homes is $481,000, indicating a focus on premium properties by developers.

In FY-26, $4.4 million in commercial approvals have been registered, suggesting limited commercial development focus. Compared to Greater Sydney, Hornsby-West has experienced slightly more development (38.0% above regional average per person over the five-year period), maintaining good buyer choice while supporting existing property values. Recent construction comprises 50.0% detached dwellings and 50.0% townhouses or apartments, providing more affordable entry points for downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers. This shift reflects reduced availability of development sites and changing lifestyle demands and affordability requirements, marking a considerable change from the current housing mix (currently 70.0% houses). With around 373 people per dwelling approval, Hornsby-West indicates a developed market.

According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Hornsby-West is projected to grow by 1,326 residents by 2041. Development appears to be keeping pace with projected growth, though increasing competition among buyers may arise as the population expands.

Hornsby - West has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 20% nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 12 projects expected to impact the area. Notable ones include Hornsby Park, Twin Towers Hornsby, transforming Hornsby Park from a quarry into parklands, and the Hornsby Town Centre Master Plan. The following list outlines those most relevant:.

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

Denotes AI-based impression for illustrative purposes only, not to be taken as definitive under any circumstances. Please follow links and conduct other investigations from the project's source for actual imagery. Developers and project owners wishing us to use original imagery please Contact Us and we will do so.

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

Hornsby-West has an educated workforce with notable representation in the technology sector. The unemployment rate is 9.5%.

As of September 2025, 5,226 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 5.3%, higher than Greater Sydney's 4.2%. Workforce participation stands at 62.6%, slightly above Greater Sydney's 60.0%. Employment is concentrated in health care & social assistance, professional & technical services, and education & training. The area has a particularly high concentration of professional & technical jobs, with employment levels at 1.3 times the regional average.

However, construction employment is limited at 5.7%, compared to the regional average of 8.6%. Over the year to September 2025, labour force levels increased by 0.3% while employment decreased by 2.2%, leading to a rise in unemployment rate by 2.4 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Sydney saw employment grow by 2.1% and unemployment rise by only 0.2%. Statewide, NSW employment contracted by 0.03% (losing 2,260 jobs) as of 25-Nov, with an unemployment rate of 3.9%, lower than the national rate of 4.3%. Jobs and Skills Australia forecasts national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Hornsby-West's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.2% over five years and 14.6% over ten years, although these are simple extrapolations for illustrative purposes only.

Income metrics indicate excellent economic conditions, with the area achieving higher performance than 75% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch

The Hornsby-West SA2 had a very high national income level according to latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2022. The median income among taxpayers was $57,776 and the average income stood at $74,096. These figures compared to Greater Sydney's of $56,994 and $80,856 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% since financial year 2022, current estimates would be approximately $65,062 (median) and $83,440 (average) as of September 2025. Census data reveals household, family and personal incomes in Hornsby-West cluster around the 70th percentile nationally. The earnings profile shows the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket dominates with 29.9% of residents (3,236 people), reflecting patterns seen in the broader area where 30.9% similarly occupy this range. A significant 35.3% earn above $3,000 weekly, reflecting pockets of prosperity that drive robust local economic activity. High housing costs consume 16.6% of income, though strong earnings still place disposable income at the 75th percentile and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

Hornsby - West is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

As per the latest Census evaluation in Hornsby - West, 70.4% of dwellings were houses, with the remaining 29.6% comprising semi-detached homes, apartments, and other types. This compares to Sydney metropolitan areas' 61.4% houses and 38.6% other dwellings. Home ownership in Hornsby - West stood at 32.6%, with mortgaged properties at 38.2% and rented dwellings at 29.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,600, higher than Sydney's average of $2,500. The median weekly rent figure for Hornsby - West was $450, compared to Sydney's $480. Nationally, mortgage repayments averaged $1,863 and rents were at $375.

Hornsby - West features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households account for 77.5% of all households, including 42.5% couples with children, 23.8% couples without children, and 10.2% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 22.5%, with lone person households at 20.3% and group households comprising 2.1%. The median household size is 2.8 people, which is larger than the Greater Sydney average of 2.7.

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

Hornsby-West has a notably high level of educational attainment. As of the latest data, 47.5% of its residents aged 15 years and above hold university qualifications, which is significantly higher than the national average of 30.4% and the NSW average of 32.2%. This educational advantage is driven by a high proportion of residents with bachelor degrees (28.4%), postgraduate qualifications (15.4%), and graduate diplomas (3.7%). Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 25.7% of residents aged 15 years and above holding such qualifications.

This includes advanced diplomas held by 11.1% of residents and certificates held by 14.6%. Educational participation is notably high in the area, with 32.2% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes primary education (11.0%), secondary education (8.2%), and tertiary education (6.3%).

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

Hornsby-West has 84 active public transport stops, serving a mix of train and bus routes. These stops are covered by 60 individual routes, offering 5,156 weekly passenger trips in total. Residents enjoy excellent transport accessibility, with an average distance of 199 meters to the nearest stop.

On average, there are 736 trips per day across all routes, translating to approximately 61 weekly trips per stop.

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

Hornsby-West shows excellent health outcomes with low prevalence of common conditions across all ages. Private health cover is high at approximately 56% (~6,116 people), compared to Greater Sydney's 60.8%.

Mental health issues and asthma are most common, affecting 6.7 and 6.5% respectively. 74.6% report no medical ailments, similar to Greater Sydney's 74.0%. The area has 17.4% residents aged 65 and over (1,879 people). Senior health outcomes align with the general population.

Hornsby - West 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-West has a high level of cultural diversity, with 40.0% of its population speaking a language other than English at home and 43.3% born overseas. The dominant religion in Hornsby-West is Christianity, comprising 44.3% of the population. Notably, Judaism is slightly overrepresented compared to Greater Sydney, making up 0.4% of Hornsby-West's population.

In terms of ancestry, the top three groups are English (20.4%), Australian (18.5%), and Chinese (17.5%), with Chinese being substantially higher than the regional average of 11.6%. There are also notable divergences in the representation of Korean (2.5% vs regional 2.0%), Russian (0.9% vs regional 0.6%), and South African (0.7% vs regional 0.6%) ethnic groups.

Hornsby - West's population is slightly older than the national pattern

Hornsby-West's median age is 41 years, significantly higher than Greater Sydney's average of 37 and Australia's median of 38. Compared to Greater Sydney, Hornsby-West has a notably higher proportion of the 45-54 cohort (15.3%) but fewer residents aged 25-34 (9.1%). Post-2021 Census, the 15-24 age group increased from 11.0% to 12.2%, while the 65-74 cohort decreased from 9.8% to 9.1%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant changes in Hornsby-West's age profile. The 55-64 cohort is projected to grow by 28%, adding 341 residents to reach 1,542. Conversely, both the 0-4 and 5-14 age groups are expected to decrease in number.