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. The change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of 2,117 residents following examination of ABS ERP data released in June 2024 and validation of seven 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 growth rate of 6.8% since the 2021 census exceeded Rest of NSW's 5.9%. Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration contributing approximately 56% of overall population gains during recent periods, although all drivers including interstate migration and natural growth were positive factors.

AreaSearch adopts 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 uses 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 years 2032 to 2041. Considering projected demographic shifts, The Hill is forecasted to experience significant population increase among the top quartile of locations outside capital cities. Based on aggregated SA2-level projections, the suburb is expected to increase by 1,038 persons to 2041, reflecting an overall increase of 50.7% 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 shows The Hill has received around 16 dwelling approvals per year on average over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated 80 homes. No approvals have been recorded so far in FY-26. This averages out to approximately 3.9 new residents per year arriving for each dwelling constructed between FY-21 and FY-25. The supply of dwellings is substantially lagging behind demand, indicating heightened buyer competition and pricing pressures.

Developers focus on the premium market, with an average construction value of $678,000 for new dwellings. Commercial development approvals totalled $974,000 in this financial year, reflecting the area's residential nature. Compared to the rest of NSW, The Hill has recorded 33.0% more construction per person over the past five years, balancing buyer choice while supporting current property values. Recent development has been entirely comprised of townhouses or apartments, offering affordable entry pathways and attracting downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers.

There are approximately 57 people per dwelling approval in The Hill, indicating an expanding market. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, the location is expected to grow by 1,125 residents through to 2041. At current development rates, housing supply may struggle to match population growth, potentially heightening 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 influence an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 14 projects likely impacting the area. Notable ones include East End Newcastle, Dairy Farmers Towers, Pottery Lane Residential Development - Newcastle, and Sovereign Park | The Hill. Below is a list detailing 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.

Employment performance in The Hill exceeds national averages across key labour market indicators

The Hill's workforce is highly educated with notable representation in essential services sectors. The unemployment rate stands at 3.4%, lower than the Rest of NSW's 3.8%. Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 3.1% based on AreaSearch aggregated data.

As of September 2025, 1,613 residents are employed with an unemployment rate of 0.4% below the regional average. Workforce participation is high at 87.0%, compared to Rest of NSW's 61.5%. According to Census responses, 35.4% of residents work from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. Employment is concentrated in health care & social assistance (1.5 times the regional average), education & training, and professional & technical services.

Agriculture, forestry & fishing employ only 0.2% of local workers, below Rest of NSW's 5.3%. The worker-to-resident ratio is 0.7, indicating ample employment opportunities locally. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment increased by 3.1%, labour force by 3.7%, resulting in an unemployment rise of 0.6 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of NSW saw employment decline of 0.5% and labour force decline of 0.1%, with a 0.4 percentage point unemployment increase. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project overall 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, though this is a simplified extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

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 2023 reports The Hill's median income among taxpayers at $59,574 and average at $92,734. Nationally, these figures are extremely high compared to Rest of 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. Census 2021 income data shows individual earnings at the 88th percentile nationally ($1,147 weekly), but household income ranks lower at the 55th percentile. The earnings profile indicates that 30.6% of residents (678 people) fall within the $1,500 - $2,999 bracket, reflecting regional patterns where 29.9% occupy this range. High housing costs consume 17.1% of income, yet strong earnings place disposable income at the 55th percentile. 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

In The Hill, as per the latest Census evaluation, 13.5% of dwellings were houses while 86.4% consisted of other types such as semi-detached properties and apartments. This contrasts with Non-Metro NSW's dwelling structure which was 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in The Hill stood at 24.6%, with mortgaged dwellings at 19.3% and rented ones at 56.1%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,167, higher than Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,733. Weekly rent in The Hill was recorded at $390, compared to Non-Metro NSW's figure of $330. Nationally, The Hill's mortgage repayments exceeded the Australian average of $1,863 while rents were higher than 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 account for the remaining 50.3%, with lone person households at 37.4% and group households comprising 12.8%. The median household size is 2.0 people, which is smaller than the Rest of 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 residents aged 15+ have a higher proportion with university qualifications (55.5%) than Rest of NSW (21.3%) or the SA4 region (26.1%). Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 35.6%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (15.3%) and graduate diplomas (4.6%). Vocational pathways comprise 22.2% of qualifications, with advanced diplomas at 8.4% and certificates at 13.8%. Educational participation is high, with 31.8% currently enrolled in formal education, including tertiary (15.7%), primary (5.9%) and secondary (4.4%).

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

The Hill has nine active public transport stops, all offering bus services. These stops are served by six different routes, together facilitating 169 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated highly, with residents typically residing 149 meters from the nearest stop. As a predominantly residential area, most commuting is outward-bound. Cars remain the primary mode of transport, used by 78% of residents, while walking and cycling account for 14% and 3% respectively. On average, there are 1.1 vehicles per dwelling, lower than the regional norm.

According to the 2021 Census, 35.4% of residents work from home, potentially influenced by COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 24 trips daily across all routes, translating to roughly 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 show low prevalence of common health conditions. Private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 64% of the total population (1,407 people), compared to 51.9% across Rest of NSW, which is higher than the national average of 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions are mental health issues and asthma, impacting 10.5 and 8.8% of residents respectively. A total of 69.1% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 63.3% across Rest of NSW. Health outcomes among the working-age population are broadly typical. The area has 15.5% of residents aged 65 and over (343 people), lower than the 23.4% in Rest of 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 population, born in Australia, was approximately 82.4%. Citizenship stood at 89.2%, with 88.7% speaking English only at home. Christianity dominated as the main religion, accounting for 35.9%.

Notably, Judaism, at 0.7%, was overrepresented compared to Rest of NSW's 0.1%. Top ancestry groups were English (30.1%), Australian (22.8%), and Irish (10.6%). Scottish (9.7%) and Welsh (0.8%) were also notably overrepresented, while Hungarian (0.4%) showed a slight increase from the regional average of 0.2%.

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

The median age of The Hill is 34, which is considerably lower than the Rest of NSW figure of 43 and Australia's median age of 38. Compared to the Rest of 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 5.9%. 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 75 to 84 cohort increased from 3.8% to 4.9%. Conversely, the 5 to 14 cohort declined from 7.6% to 5.9%, and the 45 to 54 group dropped from 11.5% to 9.9%. Demographic modeling suggests that The Hill's age profile will evolve significantly by 2041, with the 25 to 34 age cohort projected to grow significantly, expanding by 368 people (64%) from 574 to 943.