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 10,832 as of May 2026. This figure represents a growth of 203 people since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 10,629. The increase is inferred from ABS estimates: 10,830 in June 2025 and an additional 26 validated new addresses post-Census. This results in a density ratio of 1,722 persons per square kilometer, exceeding national averages assessed by AreaSearch. Hornsby - West's growth rate of 1.9% since the Census is within 2.6 percentage points of its SA3 area (4.5%), indicating strong growth fundamentals driven primarily by overseas migration contributing approximately 92.7% of overall population gains. AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022.

For areas not covered, NSW State Government's SA2 level projections from 2022 with a base year of 2021 are utilized. Future trends suggest a population increase just below the median statistical area average by 2041, with an expected rise of 1,221 persons reflecting an 11.2% total increase over the 16-year period.

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, 24 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 the premium segment.

In FY-26, $4.4 million in commercial approvals have been registered, suggesting limited commercial development focus. Compared to Greater Sydney, Hornsby-West has slightly more development per person over the past five years, maintaining good buyer choice while supporting existing property values. Recent construction comprises 50% detached dwellings and 50% townhouses or apartments, creating 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. Hornsby-West has a developed market, with approximately 373 people per dwelling approval.

By 2041, the area is projected to grow by 1,219 residents. Development is keeping pace with projected growth, though buyers may face increasing competition as the population expands.

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

Infrastructure changes significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 12 projects likely impacting the area. Notable ones are Hornsby Park, Twin Towers Hornsby, transforming Hornsby Park from a quarry into parklands, and Hornsby Town Centre Masterplan with Transit-Oriented Development Rezoning. The following list details 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 a highly educated workforce with notable representation in the technology sector. Its unemployment rate was 8.5% as of December 2025. Employment stability over the past year was relatively consistent.

As of that date, 5,267 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 4.4%, higher than Greater Sydney's 4.2%. Workforce participation was lower at 65.2% compared to Greater Sydney's 68.8%. Census data showed a high proportion of residents working from home, 53.2%. Employment is concentrated in health care & social assistance, professional & technical services, and education & training.

The area has particularly notable concentration in professional & technical jobs, with employment levels at 1.3 times the regional average. Construction employment is limited at 5.7% compared to the regional average of 8.6%. The predominantly residential area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities based on Census data comparing working population and resident population. Over the year to December 2025, labour force levels increased by 1.0%, while employment decreased by 0.1%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 1.0 percentage points. This contrasts with Greater Sydney where employment rose by 2.2% and the labour force grew by 2.3%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that over five years, national employment is forecast to expand by 6.6%, and over ten years by 13.7%. 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.

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

The median income among taxpayers in Hornsby-West SA2 was $61,673 in financial year 2023. The average income stood at $76,438 during the same period. These figures compare to those of Greater Sydney, which had a median income of $60,817 and an average income of $83,030 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.32% since financial year 2023, current estimates suggest the median income would be approximately $68,038 and the average income around $84,326 as of March 2026. Census data indicates that incomes in Hornsby-West cluster around the 70th percentile nationally. The earnings profile shows that 29.9% of residents earn between $1,500 and $2,999 weekly (3,238 people), reflecting patterns seen in the broader area where 30.9% similarly occupy this range. Notably, 35.3% of residents earn above $3,000 weekly, indicating prosperity that drives local economic activity. High housing costs consume 16.6% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 75th percentile. 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

Dwelling structure in Hornsby - West, as per the latest Census, consisted of 70.4% houses and 29.6% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Sydney metro's 55.9% houses and 44.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Hornsby - West was at 32.6%, with mortgaged dwellings at 38.2% and rented dwellings at 29.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,600, higher than Sydney metro's average of $2,427. Median weekly rent in Hornsby - West was $450, compared to Sydney metro's $470. Nationally, Hornsby - West's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, with rents substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 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 comprise the remaining 22.5%, with lone person households at 20.3% and group households at 2.1%. The median household size is 2.8 people, 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 notable educational advantage with 47.5% of residents aged 15+ holding university qualifications, surpassing the national average of 30.4% and the NSW average of 32.2%. This is largely due to the 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+ holding such qualifications, including advanced diplomas (11.1%) and certificates (14.6%). Educational participation is 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 good compared to other areas nationally based on assessment of service frequency, route connectivity and accessibility

Hornsby-West has 96 active public transport stops offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by 52 routes facilitating 2,418 weekly passenger trips in total. Transport accessibility is deemed good with residents typically residing within 200 meters of the nearest stop. As a predominantly residential area, most commuters travel outward. Cars remain the primary mode of transport at 72%, followed by train at 17% and walking at 7%. On average, there are 1.1 vehicles per dwelling.

According to the 2021 Census, 53.2% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. Across all routes, service frequency averages 345 trips daily, equating to approximately 25 weekly trips per individual stop.

Hornsby - West's residents are extremely healthy with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Analysis of health metrics shows strong performance throughout Hornsby-West, based on AreaSearch's assessment. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence were very low across all age groups.

Private health cover was found to be very high at approximately 57% of the total population (~6,174 people), compared to 59.9% across Greater Sydney. The most common medical conditions in the area were mental health issues and asthma, impacting 6.7 and 6.5% of residents respectively. 74.6% of residents declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, similar to the 74.6% across Greater Sydney. Working-age residents had low chronic condition prevalence. The area has 17.5% of residents aged 65 and over (1,893 people), higher than the 15.5% in Greater Sydney. Health outcomes among seniors were particularly strong, with national rankings even higher than 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. Christianity is the predominant religion in Hornsby-West, comprising 44.3% of the population. However, Judaism is overrepresented compared to Greater Sydney, making up 0.4% versus 0.8%.

The top three ancestry groups are English (20.4%), Australian (18.5%), and Chinese (17.5%), which is significantly higher than the regional average of 8.4%. Notably, Korean (2.5%) and Russian (0.9%) populations in Hornsby-West are overrepresented compared to their regional averages of 1.1% and 0.4%, respectively. Additionally, South Australian ancestry is also overrepresented at 0.7% versus the regional average of 0.5%.

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

Hornsby-West's median age is 41 years, notably higher than Greater Sydney's average of 37 and slightly above Australia's median of 38. Compared to Greater Sydney, Hornsby-West has a significantly higher proportion of the 45-54 age cohort (15.3%) but fewer residents aged 25-34 (9.4%). Post-2021 Census, the 15-24 age group increased from 11.0% to 12.8%, and the 75-84 cohort rose from 5.1% to 6.2%. Conversely, the 35-44 age group decreased from 16.3% to 15.3%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant changes in Hornsby-West's age profile. The 55-64 cohort is expected to grow by 25%, adding 302 residents for a total of 1,522. Meanwhile, both the 0-4 and 5-14 age groups are projected to decrease in number.