Box Hill
Population growth and household structure make Box Hill a distinct western Sydney market. Its 6,450 residents have a median age of 31, which is 9 years younger than the national average, while average household size is 3.3 people, or 0.8 above national levels. The suburb is strongly family-oriented, with 87.6% of homes containing 4 or more bedrooms and 69.4% owned with a mortgage. Compared with the more established centres of Rouse Hill and Schofields, this newer setting has a pronounced mortgage-belt profile. Household income sits at the 96.6th percentile, 45.5% of residents were born overseas, and forecast growth runs at 5.71% annually.
Population
6,450
Median Age
31.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,881/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
592
Box Hill suits buyers seeking detached, family-sized housing rather than apartment living. Separate houses account for 99.1% of dwellings, while 87.6% have 4 or more bedrooms, so larger households can find stock that matches the suburb's average household size of 3.3 people. The typical mortgage payment is $3,000 per month and mortgage costs equal 24.0% of household income, compared with 20.1% for rent. That mortgage share is higher than the rent-to-income figure, but neither is flagged as housing stress. Compared with the 20.0% renting share, the 69.4% mortgage tenure rate points to a settled owner-occupier market.
For Buyers
Box Hill suits buyers seeking detached, family-sized housing rather than apartment living. Separate houses account for 99.1% of dwellings, while 87.6% have 4 or more bedrooms, so larger households can find stock that matches the suburb's average household size of 3.3 people. The typical mortgage payment is $3,000 per month and mortgage costs equal 24.0% of household income, compared with 20.1% for rent. That mortgage share is higher than the rent-to-income figure, but neither is flagged as housing stress. Compared with the 20.0% renting share, the 69.4% mortgage tenure rate points to a settled owner-occupier market.
For Investors
Box Hill has a sizeable rental segment, with 20.0% of households renting at a weekly rent of $580 and a vacancy rate of 3.3%. The 601 development applications recorded over 12 months are important for investors because ongoing new supply can support population growth while also increasing competition between properties. Forecast growth is 5.71% annually and is driven by internal migration, creating a stronger expansion signal than a static outer-suburban market. Compared with the 10.0% outright ownership share, the high 69.4% mortgage share indicates many households are still paying down loans, which may limit some owners' willingness to move into the rental pool.
Development Activity
Total DAs
4,594
Last 12 Months
592
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-31.9%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Box Hill
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Demographics
Box Hill has a young, highly educated and internationally connected population. At 31, the median age is 9 years below the national average, while university attainment is 55.0%, or 24.9 percentage points above national levels. Overseas-born residents account for 45.5%, which is 23.9 points above the national comparison. English, Indian, Filipino and Chinese ancestries are prominent, and Punjabi, Urdu and Hindi are among the leading reported languages. Families with children make up 63.2% of families because the suburb's large detached homes suit multigenerational and growing households. A 57.0% turnover rate, compared with 43.0% who stayed, is consistent with a fast-changing development corridor near Rouse Hill and Schofields.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
99.1%
Houses
0.8%
Townhouse
0.2%
Apartment
Tenure
Detached housing dominates Box Hill more strongly than apartment-oriented suburbs: separate houses account for 99.1% of dwellings, compared with 0.2% apartments and 0.8% semi-detached homes. The bedroom profile is similarly concentrated, with 87.6% of homes containing 4 or more bedrooms and 10.8% containing 3 bedrooms. Tenure is weighted toward buyers, with 69.4% holding a mortgage, 10.0% owning outright and 20.0% renting. Compared with the 20.1% rent-to-income share, mortgage costs at 24.0% are higher, although neither measure is flagged as stress. This pattern reflects a newer, family-sized housing market rather than the smaller dwelling mix found in established centres.
Mortgage / mo
$3,000
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (April to June 2026), NSW Rental Bond Board (DCJ). Census 2021 median: $580.
$830
Bond data Jun 2026 · houses $850 · units $560
HH Size
3.3
Personal Income / wk
$1,271
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
3.3%
Unoccupied
66
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.1%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.0%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
63.2%
Couples with children
26.8%
Couples, no children
9.2%
Single parent
1,860
Total families
Economy & Employment
Box Hill's economy is linked to essential and professional services. Healthcare is the largest industry at 18.2%, followed by construction at 11.4%, professional and technical services at 11.0%, education at 9.6% and finance at 8.4%. Professionals number 1,093, ahead of managers at 545 and clerical or administrative workers at 526, which aligns with household income of $2,881 per week and the 96.6th household-income percentile. Labour-force participation is 78.2%, unemployment is 3.6% and full-time employment is 66.2%. The IEO score sits in decile 9, while IER, IRSD and IRSAD all reach decile 10, a higher resource position than the IEO result because income and broader advantage exceed the relative occupational mix.
Unemployment
3.6%
Labour Force
3,598
Unemployed
129
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
66.2%
Part-time
23.7%
Participation
78.2%
Employed
3,469
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
55.0%
Postgraduate
17.1%
Born Overseas
45.5%
Dwellings
1,942
Transport to Work
Box Hill is designed around low-rise family housing, with a density of 712.1 people per square kilometre across 9.06 square kilometres. Two local government schools cover primary and secondary years, giving families access to both sectors within the suburb, although enrolment zones should be checked against the exact address. Daily travel is more car and home based than public-transport oriented: 45.7% drove to work, 49.4% worked from home and only 2.1% used public transport. The work-from-home share is higher than public transport use, reducing daily commuting pressure for some households. For safety decisions, check current incident data for the exact location because no suburb-level crime rate is available. IRSAD sits in decile 10, indicating very high socioeconomic advantage, but that is not a crime measure.
Drive
45.7%
Public Transport
2.1%
Walk / Cycle
0.4%
Work from Home
49.4%
Population Forecast
+5.71%/yr
(+1,505 people/yr)
High GrowthBox Hill is classified as a high-growth area, with forecast trend growth of 5.71% per year driven by internal migration. Its shift trajectory is labelled Rejuvenating, supported by a 10.5 percentage-point increase in the young share and an 8.7-point decline in the senior share. Population change across the wider area is forecast at 525.0% over 10 years, while rent growth has reached 65.3%. Compared with the gentrification score of 0, these figures point to expansion through new housing and incoming residents rather than conventional gentrification. The model labels the development stage New development and the shift profile Not gentrifying, so infrastructure delivery and construction volume will remain central to the suburb's future.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Internal Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+96
Net Internal / yr
+3,561
Gentrification Signal
New development
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Box Hill compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Box Hill a good suburb to live in?
Box Hill suits households wanting newer detached housing, space and a young population. The median age is 31, 87.6% of homes have 4 or more bedrooms and 63.2% of families have children. Transport is more car-oriented than public-transport based, with 45.7% driving and 2.1% using public transport.
What is the median house price in Box Hill?
A current median house price should be checked against live sales before making an offer. Box Hill is 99.1% separate houses, with 69.4% of households carrying a mortgage. The typical mortgage payment is $3,000 per month, while the weekly rent is $580.
What schools are in Box Hill?
Box Hill has 2 government schools, covering primary and secondary education. Families should confirm the enrolment zone for the exact address because boundaries can affect eligibility. The suburb's 87.6% share of homes with 4 or more bedrooms is consistent with a strong family presence.
Is Box Hill safe?
A suburb-level crime rate is unavailable, so safety decisions should include current incident data for the exact address. Box Hill has an IRSAD score of 1,152 and sits in socioeconomic decile 10, while 2.1% of residents need assistance. These figures provide context but are not substitutes for crime statistics.
Is Box Hill good for property investment?
Box Hill has several investment signals: weekly rent is $580, vacancy is 3.3%, and 20.0% of households rent. Development activity reached 601 applications over 12 months, so new supply should be monitored. Forecast growth is 5.71% annually, driven by internal migration, but a live purchase price is needed to assess yield.
How is Box Hill's population changing?
Box Hill is on a high-growth trajectory, with forecast annual growth of 5.71% and internal migration identified as the primary driver. The wider-area population change measure is 525.0% over 10 years. The shift is labelled Rejuvenating, with the young share up 10.5 percentage points and the senior share down 8.7 points.
What development is occurring in Box Hill?
Development is substantial, with 601 applications recorded over 12 months. The examples include detached dwelling houses and dual occupancies containing 1 or 2 dwellings. This activity supports the New development stage and can expand housing choice, although it may also increase competition between newer rental properties.
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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