Hornsby Heights

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

Based on analysis of ABS population updates for the broader area, and new addresses validated by AreaSearch, the suburb of Hornsby Heights' population is estimated at around 6549 as of May 2026. This reflects an increase of 195 people (3.1%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 6354 people. The change is inferred from the resident population of 6536 estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2025 and an additional two validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 640 persons per square kilometer, providing significant space per person and potential room for further development. Hornsby Heights' 3.1% growth since census positions it within 1.4 percentage points of the SA3 area (4.5%), demonstrating competitive growth fundamentals. Population growth for the suburb was primarily driven by overseas migration that contributed approximately 56.99999999999999% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For any SA2 areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch is utilising the NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, as released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are also applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Anticipating future population dynamics, an above median population growth of national statistical areas is projected, with the suburb expected to expand by 907 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting an increase of 13.7% in total over the 16 years.

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

Based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers, Hornsby Heights has received around 16 dwelling approvals per year. Between FY-21 and FY-25, approximately 82 homes were approved, with a further 3 approved in FY-26 to date. Over the past five financial years, an average of 0.9 people moved to the area for each dwelling built, indicating that supply is meeting or exceeding demand.

The average construction value of new properties is $461,000, which is higher than regional norms due to quality-focused development. This year, $9.8 million in commercial approvals have been registered, showing steady commercial investment activity. Compared to Greater Sydney, Hornsby Heights maintains similar construction rates per capita, reflecting a balanced market consistent with the broader area. However, this rate is below the national average, suggesting maturity and possible planning constraints. The current development mix consists of 44% detached houses and 56% attached dwellings, marking a significant shift from the existing housing pattern of 98% houses. This change may indicate diminishing developable land availability and responds to evolving lifestyle preferences and affordability needs.

The area's quiet development environment is reflected in its estimated 375 people per dwelling approval. Future projections estimate Hornsby Heights will add 894 residents by 2041, with construction maintaining a reasonable pace alongside projected growth, although buyers may face increasing competition as population increases.

Hornsby Heights has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 30% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch identified six projects likely impacting the region. Key projects include Hornsby Park transformation from quarry to parklands, Mount Colah Station upgrade, Arlington Heights Estate development, and Berowra Valley National Park Northern Extension. The following list details those most relevant:.

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

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AreaSearch analysis reveals Hornsby Heights recording weaker employment conditions than most comparable areas nationwide

Hornsby Heights has a highly educated workforce, with the technology sector being particularly prominent. Its unemployment rate is 6.8%, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data. As of December 2025, 3,314 residents are employed while the unemployment rate stands at 2.6% above Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%.

Workforce participation in Hornsby Heights is broadly similar to Greater Sydney's 68.8%. Census responses indicate that a high 51.3% of residents work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered. Employment among residents is concentrated in health care & social assistance, education & training, and professional & technical services. The area shows strong specialization in education & training, with an employment share of 1.5 times the regional level.

Meanwhile, retail trade has limited presence with 7.3% employment compared to 9.3% regionally. The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. Over a 12-month period ending in May-25, labour force increased by 0.3%, while employment declined by 1.2%, resulting in an unemployment rate rise of 1.5 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Sydney saw employment grow by 2.2% and labour force expand by 2.3%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years for national employment. Applying these projections to Hornsby Heights' employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.2% over five years and 14.5% over ten years, based on simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and not accounting for localized population projections.

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

AreaSearch's aggregation of latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year 2023 shows Hornsby Heights had a median taxpayer income of $56,973 and an average income of $72,738. These figures are above the national average. In comparison, Greater Sydney had median and average incomes of $60,817 and $83,003 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.32% since financial year 2023, current estimates for Hornsby Heights are approximately $62,853 (median) and $80,245 (average) as of March 2026. Census 2021 data indicates household incomes rank at the 93rd percentile with a weekly income of $2,699. Income brackets show that 28.2% of residents (1,846 people) fall into the $1,500 - $2,999 bracket, similar to broader metropolitan trends. Economic strength is evident with 45.0% of households earning more than $3,000 weekly, supporting high consumer spending. Housing accounts for 14.2% of income, and residents rank in the 94th percentile for disposable income. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

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

Dwelling structure in Hornsby Heights, as evaluated at the 2016 Census, comprised 97.5% houses and 2.4% other dwellings. In comparison, Sydney metro had 55.9% houses and 44.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Hornsby Heights was 40.4%, with mortgaged dwellings at 50.2% and rented dwellings at 9.4%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,800, above Sydney metro's average of $2,427. Median weekly rent in Hornsby Heights was $620, compared to Sydney metro's $470. Nationally, mortgage repayments averaged $1,863 and rents were $375.

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

Family households constitute 86.1% of all households, including 50.3% couples with children, 25.1% couples without children, and 9.8% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 13.9%, with lone person households at 12.7% and group households comprising 1.1% of the total. The median household size is 3.0 people, larger than the Greater Sydney average of 2.7.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 40.5%, significantly lower than the SA4 region average of 57.1%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 25.5%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (11.3%) and graduate diplomas (3.7%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 31.3% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (12.4%) and certificates (18.9%). Educational participation is high at 32.7%, with 11.0% in primary education, 9.9% in secondary education, and 5.7% pursuing tertiary education.

Educational participation is notably high, with 32.7% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 11.0% in primary education, 9.9% in secondary education, and 5.7% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Public transport analysis shows 57 active transport stops operating within Hornsby Heights. These stops serve a mix of bus routes, with 8 individual routes providing a total of 362 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents typically located 163 meters from the nearest stop. As a primarily residential area, most commuting is outward-bound. Car remains the dominant mode at 82%, while train usage stands at 10%. Vehicle ownership averages 1.7 per dwelling, above the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, 51.3% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency across all routes averages 51 trips per day, equating to approximately 6 weekly trips per individual stop.

Hornsby Heights's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with younger cohorts in particular seeing very low prevalence of common health conditions

Hornsby Heights shows excellent health outcomes according to AreaSearch's assessment. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are low, especially among younger residents.

Private health cover is high at approximately 56%, compared to 59.9% in Greater Sydney. The most prevalent conditions are asthma (7.5%) and arthritis (7.2%), while 72.0% of residents report no medical ailments, slightly lower than the Greater Sydney average of 74.6%. Working-age residents have low chronic condition prevalence. Hornsby Heights has 18.3% of residents aged 65 and over (1,198 people), higher than Greater Sydney's 15.5%. Health outcomes among seniors are strong but rank lower nationally compared to the broader population.

The level of cultural diversity witnessed in Hornsby Heights was found to be above average when compared nationally for a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Hornsby Heights had a higher cultural diversity than most local areas, with 20.9% of its residents speaking a language other than English at home and 31.0% born overseas. Christianity was the predominant religion in Hornsby Heights, accounting for 48.8% of the population. Notably, Judaism was overrepresented compared to Greater Sydney, comprising 0.7% versus 0.8%.

In terms of ancestry, the top three groups were English at 26.2%, Australian at 24.0%, and Other at 10.5%. While these figures were substantially higher than regional averages for English and Australian, they were notably lower for Other. There were also notable differences in the representation of certain ethnic groups: Russian was overrepresented at 0.7% compared to 0.4% regionally, South Australian at 0.9% versus 0.5%, and Korean at 0.8% versus 1.1%.

Hornsby Heights's median age exceeds the national pattern

The median age in Hornsby Heights is 42 years, which is significantly higher than Greater Sydney's average of 37 years and Australia's average of 38 years. The age group of 45-54 years has a strong representation at 17.8%, compared to Greater Sydney, while the 25-34 cohort is less prevalent at 4.9%. This concentration in the 45-54 age group is well above the national average of 12.0%. According to post-2021 Census data, the 15 to 24 age group has increased from 13.2% to 14.9%, and the 45 to 54 cohort has risen from 16.3% to 17.8%. Conversely, the 25 to 34 cohort has declined from 6.9% to 4.9%, and the 35 to 44 group has dropped from 13.6% to 12.5%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes in Hornsby Heights, with the 55 to 64 age group expected to grow by 28% (226 people), reaching 1,045 from 818. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups will account for 56% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. In contrast, the 5-14 and 0-4 cohorts are expected to experience population declines.