Beacon Hill
High household incomes and detached housing define Beacon Hill more than rapid expansion. Household income sits at the 96.9th percentile, while 89.5% of dwellings are separate houses and 57.8% have four or more bedrooms. The median age is 41, just 1 year above the national figure, and 46.7% of residents work from home, supporting a settled family profile. Across 2.89 square kilometres, 7,814 residents create a density of 2,707.4 people per square kilometre. Compared with nearby Brookvale and Frenchs Forest, Beacon Hill has a quieter, more owner-oriented suburban pattern, with 44.4% of households paying a mortgage and only 16.6% renting.
Population
7,814
Median Age
41.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,937/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
61
Beacon Hill suits buyers seeking established detached stock rather than an apartment-led entry point. Separate houses account for 89.5% of dwellings, and 57.8% contain four or more bedrooms, so land, renovation condition and school catchments are likely to matter more than compact-living premiums. The monthly mortgage figure is $3,250, while mortgage costs equal 25.6% of household income. That burden is only slightly higher than the 24.9% rent-to-income measure, and neither stress flag is present. Ownership is substantial at 37.3% outright and 44.4% with a mortgage. Compared with denser Brookvale, Beacon Hill provides more family-scale housing, but buyers should allow for higher maintenance costs than in smaller attached homes.
For Buyers
Beacon Hill suits buyers seeking established detached stock rather than an apartment-led entry point. Separate houses account for 89.5% of dwellings, and 57.8% contain four or more bedrooms, so land, renovation condition and school catchments are likely to matter more than compact-living premiums. The monthly mortgage figure is $3,250, while mortgage costs equal 25.6% of household income. That burden is only slightly higher than the 24.9% rent-to-income measure, and neither stress flag is present. Ownership is substantial at 37.3% outright and 44.4% with a mortgage. Compared with denser Brookvale, Beacon Hill provides more family-scale housing, but buyers should allow for higher maintenance costs than in smaller attached homes.
For Investors
Beacon Hill is an owner-occupier market with a relatively small rental pool: 16.6% of dwellings are rented, weekly rent is $730 and vacancy is 3.8%. That combination can support tenant competition, but the smaller rental base also means an investor is more exposed to changes in family demand than in a high-density apartment suburb. The growth outlook is restrained at 0.43% annually, while overseas migration is the primary driver, so capital growth should not be underwritten as a rapid-growth story. There were 59 development records in 12 months, although examples include demolitions, additions, new dwelling houses and pools rather than a confirmed dwelling pipeline. Compared with apartment-heavy markets, the appeal is more likely to be land-backed scarcity than volume.
Development Activity
Total DAs
398
Last 12 Months
61
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+7.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Beacon Hill
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Demographics
Beacon Hill has a mature, highly educated family profile. Median age is 41, which is 1 year above the national figure, while 44.3% hold a university qualification, 14.2 percentage points above the national comparison. Overseas-born residents account for 30.1%, 8.5 points above the national share, with Italian, Mandarin and Cantonese among the leading reported languages at 125, 90 and 51 speakers. Couples with children represent 57.5% of families, and average household size is 3.2, or 0.7 above the national figure. English, Irish, Italian and Scottish ancestry counts are 2,709, 874, 858 and 742. Compared with nearby Brookvale's more mixed urban setting, the larger family share points to more settled household formation.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
89.5%
Houses
5.6%
Townhouse
5.0%
Apartment
Tenure
Beacon Hill's housing is predominantly detached and owner occupied. Separate houses make up 89.5% of dwellings, compared with 5.0% apartments and 5.6% semi-detached homes. Tenure is split between 37.3% owned outright, 44.4% mortgaged and 16.6% rented, a pattern that makes household equity and mortgage capacity important to local demand. Larger homes dominate: 57.8% have four or more bedrooms, against 32.7% with three bedrooms and 6.5% with two. Vacancy is 3.8%, while mortgage and rent burdens are 25.6% and 24.9% of income. Relative to apartment-oriented Brookvale, Beacon Hill has a higher detached-house share and more land-sensitive upkeep, which helps explain its established, family-focused character.
Mortgage / mo
$3,250
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (April to June 2026), NSW Rental Bond Board (DCJ). Census 2021 median: $730.
$800
Bond data Jun 2026 · houses $1,425 · units $680
HH Size
3.2
Personal Income / wk
$982
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
3.8%
Unoccupied
94
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.9%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
25.6%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
57.5%
Couples with children
29.0%
Couples, no children
12.5%
Single parent
2,176
Total families
Economy & Employment
Beacon Hill's economic base is professional and service oriented. Professional/Tech leads local industries at 14.1% with 407 workers, followed by Healthcare at 13.3% and 383, Education at 10.7% and 307, Construction at 10.1% and 290, and Finance at 7.9% and 228. Occupations reinforce that pattern, with 1,061 Professionals and 784 Managers ahead of 563 Clerical/Admin, 475 Trades and 371 Sales workers. Labour-force participation is 67.3%, full-time employment is 57.3% and unemployment is 3.0%. SEIFA places the suburb in the 8th education and occupation decile and 9th economic-resources decile, above the midpoint and consistent with a high-income market. This profile supports renovation demand and family services more than a low-wage rental economy.
Unemployment
3.0%
Labour Force
4,197
Unemployed
124
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
57.3%
Part-time
32.2%
Participation
67.3%
Employed
4,073
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
44.3%
Postgraduate
10.3%
Born Overseas
30.1%
Dwellings
2,383
Transport to Work
Daily life in Beacon Hill is car and home-work oriented. Car drivers account for 45.5% of commuting, compared with 1.9% using public transport and 2.1% walking or cycling, while 46.7% work from home. This pattern can make local errands practical for households with cars, but less convenient for residents relying on frequent transit. Beacon Hill Public School is the one named local school, a government primary school; families should check enrolment zones and travel times for secondary options because school access can change across nearby suburbs. The suburb sits in the 9th IRSAD decile, above the national midpoint, supporting a strong socioeconomic livability profile. A current safety decision should rely on NSW Police incident information and street-level inspection, as no comparable crime-rate figure is available. With 7,814 residents, local conditions can still vary by pocket.
Drive
45.5%
Public Transport
1.9%
Walk / Cycle
2.1%
Work from Home
46.7%
Population Forecast
+0.43%/yr
(+63 people/yr)
EstablishedBeacon Hill is an established, slow-growth suburb: the annual trend is 0.43% and the wider area's 10-year population change is 11.6%. The trajectory is labelled Stable, with overseas migration the primary growth driver, so change is more likely to arrive through household turnover and selective redevelopment than a large expansion front. Rent growth of 43.6% indicates stronger housing-cost movement than the 0.43% annual population trend. Gentrification is also mixed: one measure records a score of 0 and Not gentrifying, while the shift indicators record a score of 40 and Early signs. Compared with fast-growth corridors, this points to incremental change, with a 0.9 percentage-point decline in the young share and a 0.2-point rise in the senior share reinforcing an established age structure.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+194
Net Internal / yr
-202
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Net internal outflow -202/yr
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Beacon Hill compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Beacon Hill a good suburb to live in?
Beacon Hill can suit households wanting established, detached housing and a settled pace. It has 89.5% separate houses, a 41 median age and 46.7% working from home, while the 9th IRSAD decile points to above-average socioeconomic conditions. Car dependence is notable at 45.5%, so compare commuting needs with nearby Brookvale and Frenchs Forest before choosing.
What is the median house price in Beacon Hill?
Check a current 12-month sales series for the exact property type before deciding. Beacon Hill has 89.5% separate houses and 57.8% with four or more bedrooms, so a suburb-wide figure can be less useful than comparing land size, bedroom count and renovation condition.
What schools are in Beacon Hill?
Beacon Hill Public School is a government primary school serving the suburb. The local list contains 1 school, so families seeking secondary education should compare enrolment zones, transport and travel times across neighbouring suburbs rather than assume every option sits within Beacon Hill. School type and access should be checked for the exact address.
Is Beacon Hill safe?
Beacon Hill has 7,814 residents, but a reliable suburb-level crime rate is not available for a confident comparison. Check current NSW Police incident information, the specific street and evening conditions before deciding. Safety can vary across a 2.89 square kilometre suburb, so a property-level inspection remains useful.
Is Beacon Hill good for property investment?
Beacon Hill may suit investors seeking family-oriented, land-backed housing, but it is not a rapid-growth profile. Renting is 16.6%, weekly rent is $730, vacancy is 3.8% and annual growth is 0.43%. Compare the purchase price with achievable rent and allow for the 59 development records in 12 months, which may include alterations rather than new dwellings.
How is Beacon Hill's population changing?
Population change across the wider area is 11.6% over 10 years, while the annual trend is 0.43% and the trajectory is Stable. Overseas migration is the primary driver. Beacon Hill's median age is 41, with the young share down 0.9 percentage points and senior share up 0.2, indicating gradual change rather than a youthful population surge.
What languages are spoken in Beacon Hill?
English ancestry is the largest listed ancestry at 2,709 people. Among the main reported languages other than English, Italian has 125 speakers, Mandarin 90 and Cantonese 51. Overseas-born residents make up 30.1%, which is above the national comparison by 8.5 percentage points, so language needs may be more varied than the suburb's settled housing form suggests.
What development is occurring in Beacon Hill?
Development activity reached 59 records in 12 months. Examples include demolition, new structures, dwelling-house alterations and swimming pools, so the count should not be read as 59 new homes. Compared with a greenfield growth area, Beacon Hill's activity is more consistent with renewal of established detached housing, which fits its 89.5% separate-house share and 0.43% annual growth trend.
How to read these comparisons
Phrases like "above the national average" reference the unweighted median across Australian suburbs with more than 1,000 residents, not population-weighted national figures. Suburb-level medians are more useful for ranking suburbs against each other; ABS census headlines are population-weighted (so dominated by Sydney and Melbourne) and can read very differently.
Current baseline (refreshed 2026-05-10): median age 40, university-educated 30.1%, born overseas 21.6%, average household size 2.5 people.
Data sources: ABS 2021 Census (demographics, income, tenure), state education open registers (school locations), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications). Population forecasts use a Hamilton-Perry cohort model calibrated to ABS ERP.
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