The Hill

Population growth drivers in The Hill are slightly above average based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium term trends

The Hill's population is estimated at around 2,217 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 141 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 2,076 people. The change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of the resident population at 2,117 following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 and an additional 7 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 4,030 persons per square kilometer, placing The Hill in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The suburb's 6.8% growth since the 2021 census exceeded the Rest of NSW's 5.9%, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 56% of overall population gains during recent periods, with all drivers including interstate migration and natural growth being positive factors.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year, for covered areas. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilises NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Considering projected demographic shifts, a significant population increase is forecast for The Hill, with an expected increase of 920 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting a total increase of 37% over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions The Hill among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers indicates that The Hill has received around 12 dwelling approvals per year over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated 61 homes. No approvals have been recorded so far in FY-26. On average, five new residents arrive per dwelling constructed each year between FY-21 and FY-25. This supply lagging demand suggests heightened buyer competition and pricing pressures.

Developers focus on the premium market with high-end developments, as evidenced by an average dwelling construction value of $678,000. In FY-26, commercial development approvals totalled $974,000, reflecting The Hill's residential nature. Construction rates per person are similar to those in Rest of NSW, maintaining market equilibrium with surrounding areas. Recent development has been exclusively townhouses or apartments, offering affordable entry pathways and attracting downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers.

There are approximately 76 people per dwelling approval, indicating an expanding market. By 2041, The Hill is projected to grow by 820 residents (AreaSearch quarterly estimate). At current development rates, housing supply may struggle to match population growth, potentially increasing buyer competition and supporting price increases.

The Hill 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 14 projects likely affecting the region. Notable initiatives include East End Newcastle, Dairy Farmers Towers, Pottery Lane Residential Development - Newcastle, and Sovereign Park | The Hill. Relevant projects are detailed below.

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

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Despite maintaining a low unemployment rate of 4.0%, The Hill has experienced recent job losses, resulting in a below average employment performance ranking when compared nationally

The Hill's workforce is highly educated with significant representation in essential services sectors. The unemployment rate was 4.0% as of December 2025, aligning with Regional NSW's rate of 3.9%. Workforce participation stood at 86.9%, notably higher than Regional NSW's 61.3%.

According to Census responses, 35.4% of residents worked from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered. Employment is concentrated in health care & social assistance (1.5 times the regional average), education & training, and professional & technical services. Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing employs only 0.2% of local workers, below Regional NSW's 5.3%. The worker-to-resident ratio was 0.7 as at the Census, indicating above-normal employment opportunities.

Between December 2024 and December 2025, labour force levels increased by 1.3%, while employment declined by 0.1%, leading to a 1.5 percentage point rise in unemployment. In contrast, Regional NSW saw an employment decline of 1.2% and a labour force decline of 0.8%, with a 0.4 percentage point increase in unemployment. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to The Hill's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.6% over five years and 15.6% over ten years, based on simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

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

The Hill's median income among taxpayers for financial year 2023 was $59,574. The average income was $92,734. Nationally, this is extremely high compared to Regional NSW's median of $52,390 and average of $65,215. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since financial year 2023, current estimates for The Hill would be approximately $64,852 (median) and $100,950 (average) as of September 2025. According to Census 2021 income data, individual earnings in The Hill stand at the 88th percentile nationally ($1,147 weekly). Household income ranks lower at the 55th percentile. The earnings profile shows that 30.6% of residents (678 people) fall into the $1,500 - 2,999 weekly earnings bracket. High housing costs consume 17.1% of income in The Hill. Despite this, strong earnings place disposable income at the 55th percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

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

The Hill's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 13.5% houses and 86.4% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In contrast, Regional NSW had 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in The Hill was at 24.6%, with mortgaged dwellings at 19.3% and rented ones at 56.1%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,167, higher than Regional NSW's average of $1,733. The median weekly rent in The Hill was $390, compared to Regional NSW's $330. Nationally, The Hill's mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $2,167 versus the Australian average of $1,863. Rents in The Hill exceeded the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 49.7% of all households, including 15.5% couples with children, 28.1% couples without children, and 5.7% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 50.3%, with lone person households at 37.4% and group households making up 12.8%. The median household size is 2.0 people, which is smaller than the Regional NSW average of 2.4.

Educational achievement in The Hill places it within the top 10% nationally, reflecting strong academic performance and high qualification levels across the community

The Hill's educational attainment exceeds broader benchmarks significantly. Among residents aged 15+, 55.5% hold university qualifications, contrasting with 21.3% in the Rest of NSW and 26.1% in the SA4 region. This educational advantage positions The Hill strongly for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 35.6%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (15.3%) and graduate diplomas (4.6%).

Vocational pathways account for 22.2% of qualifications among those aged 15+, with advanced diplomas at 8.4% and certificates at 13.8%. Educational participation is notably high, with 31.8% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 15.7% in tertiary education, 5.9% in primary education, and 4.4% pursuing secondary education.

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

Public transport analysis shows nine active transport stops operating within The Hill area. These stops serve a mix of bus routes, totaling six individual routes that collectively provide 169 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents typically located 149 meters from the nearest transport stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward. Car remains the dominant mode of transport at 78%, with 14% walking and 3% cycling. Vehicle ownership averages 1.1 per dwelling, below the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, a high 35.4% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 24 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 18 weekly trips per individual stop.

The level of general health in The Hill is notably higher than the national average with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

The Hill demonstrates above-average health outcomes based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Both young and old age cohorts have low prevalence of common health conditions. The rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 64% of the total population (1,407 people), compared to 51.9% across Regional NSW and a national average of 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions in the area are mental health issues affecting 10.5% of residents and asthma impacting 8.8%, while 69.1% declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 63.3% across Regional NSW. Health outcomes among the working-age population are broadly typical. The area has 15.5% of residents aged 65 and over (343 people), which is lower than the 23.4% in Regional NSW. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, with national rankings even higher than the general population.

In terms of cultural diversity, The Hill records figures broadly comparable to the national average, as found in AreaSearch's assessment of a number of language and cultural background related metrics

The Hill's cultural diversity aligns with its broader regional average, as indicated by the birthplace (82.4%), citizenship (89.2%), and language spoken at home (88.7%) of residents. Christianity is the predominant religion in The Hill at 35.9%. While Judaism is underrepresented regionally (0.1%), it is overrepresented in The Hill at 0.7%.

In terms of ancestry, English (30.1%) and Irish (10.6%) are the top groups in The Hill. Australian ancestry is present at 22.8%, slightly lower than the regional average of 30.0%. Notably, Scottish (9.7%), Welsh (0.8%), and Hungarian (0.4%) ethnicities are overrepresented compared to regional averages of 8.0%, 0.5%, and 0.2% respectively.

The Hill hosts a young demographic, positioning it in the bottom quartile nationwide

The median age of The Hill is 34, which is lower than the Regional NSW figure of 43 and significantly lower than Australia's median age of 38. Compared to the Regional NSW average, the 25-34 cohort is notably over-represented in The Hill at 25.9%, while the 5-14 year-olds are under-represented at 6.4%. This concentration of the 25-34 age group is well above the national average of 14.4%. Between 2021 and present, the 25 to 34 age group has grown from 24.2% to 25.9%, while the 0 to 4 cohort increased from 2.8% to 4.1%. Conversely, the 45 to 54 cohort has declined from 11.5% to 9.6%, and the 15 to 24 group dropped from 17.1% to 15.6%. Demographic modeling suggests that The Hill's age profile will evolve significantly by 2041, with the 25 to 34 age cohort projected to expand by 283 people (49%), growing from 574 to 858 individuals.