Cecil Hills
Detached houses make up 94.8% of dwellings here, one of the most house-dominated profiles in greater Sydney, and apartments account for just 0.4%. That stock pairs with large families: average household size is 3.6, which is 1.1 above the national figure, and 83.6% of homes carry 4 or more bedrooms. Household income sits in the 90.8th percentile nationally at $2,409 a week, yet the median age of 38 runs 2.0 years below national. Nearly half the residents, 45.6%, were born overseas, 24.0 points above national, and the suburb earns a decile 7 IRSAD advantage score against a softer decile 4 on IRSD.
Population
6,906
Median Age
38.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,409/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
21
Median House
$1.4M
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The $1,401,000 median house price reflects what buyers pay for genuine detached family homes, since 94.8% of stock is separate houses and only 0.4% apartments. Prices rose 12.5% over a single year, from $1,289,750 in 2024 to $1,451,000 in 2025, a faster move than most established markets. Buyers should expect large floor plans because 83.6% of dwellings have 4 or more bedrooms and just 1.7% have 2 or fewer. Despite the seven-figure entry, affordability is workable for local incomes: monthly mortgage repayments average $2,167 and the mortgage-to-income ratio is 20.8%, well below the 30% stress threshold, helped by household income in the 90.8th percentile. Mortgage holders dominate at 48.5%, above outright owners at 36.7%.
For Buyers
The $1,401,000 median house price reflects what buyers pay for genuine detached family homes, since 94.8% of stock is separate houses and only 0.4% apartments. Prices rose 12.5% over a single year, from $1,289,750 in 2024 to $1,451,000 in 2025, a faster move than most established markets. Buyers should expect large floor plans because 83.6% of dwellings have 4 or more bedrooms and just 1.7% have 2 or fewer. Despite the seven-figure entry, affordability is workable for local incomes: monthly mortgage repayments average $2,167 and the mortgage-to-income ratio is 20.8%, well below the 30% stress threshold, helped by household income in the 90.8th percentile. Mortgage holders dominate at 48.5%, above outright owners at 36.7%.
For Investors
Only 14.8% of residents rent, a thin tenant pool compared with most metro suburbs, which limits leasing options but keeps competition for the few available homes firm. Weekly rent of $550 against the $1,401,000 median implies a gross yield near 2.0%, low because this is an owner-occupier family market rather than an investor one. The 2.7% vacancy rate is tight, below the 3% balanced-market line, and rent grew 27.9% over the decade. Demand drivers are modest: overseas migration adds about 42 residents a year while net internal migration removes 86, and only 17 development applications were lodged in 12 months, so new supply is minimal. The case rests on scarcity of detached stock and steady rent escalation rather than yield or volume.
Development Activity
Total DAs
113
Last 12 Months
21
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-30.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Cecil Hills iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Cecil Hills Public School
K-6 · 721 students
Cecil Hills High School
7-12 · 1342 students
Demographics
The median age of 38 is 2.0 years below national, a younger profile than most established suburbs, driven by family households rather than retirees. Couples with children number 2,452 against just 840 couples with no children, and average household size of 3.6 is 1.1 above the national figure. Overseas-born residents reach 45.6%, which is 24.0 points above national, with Italian (839), Vietnamese (582) and Chinese (566) the leading ancestries. The top non-English languages are Arabic (294), Serbian (103) and Croatian (87). University qualifications at 37.0% run 6.9 points above national. Religion skews Christian (4,483 residents) with sizeable Buddhist (638) and Islamic (423) communities, reflecting the migrant-heavy mix.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
94.8%
Houses
4.8%
Townhouse
0.4%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure is owner-occupier and family-oriented: 48.5% carry a mortgage, 36.7% own outright and only 14.8% rent, a renter share well below most metro suburbs. The stock is overwhelmingly detached at 94.8%, with semi-detached at 4.8% and apartments a negligible 0.4%, so house scarcity is structural rather than cyclical. Large homes dominate, with 83.6% holding 4 or more bedrooms and three-bedroom dwellings at 14.7%. The median house price climbed from $1,289,750 to $1,451,000 across 2024-2025, a 12.5% one-year gain. Both stress measures stay comfortable, mortgage-to-income at 20.8% and rent-to-income at 22.8%, below the 30% threshold, because household income sits in the 90.8th percentile against relatively contained repayment costs.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,167
Rent / wk
$550
HH Size
3.6
Personal Income / wk
$727
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
2.7%
Unoccupied
52
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.8%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.8%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
13.1%
Couples, no children
6,427
Total families
Economy & Employment
The workforce leans toward services and trades: Healthcare leads at 16.0% (298 workers), Education follows at 11.4% (213) and Construction at 10.1% (188), with Manufacturing at 8.8% and Professional/Tech at 8.1%. By occupation, Professionals (594), Clerical and Admin (552) and Managers (427) are the largest groups. Unemployment reads 6.2%, above the metro norm, and participation is low at 47.0% because 2,235 residents sit outside the labour force, consistent with large single-income family households. The SEIFA pattern is telling: IER (economic resources) scores decile 9, reflecting high household assets, while IRSD scores only decile 4, because the migrant family base shows pockets of relative disadvantage that pull the disadvantage index lower than the advantage measures.
Unemployment
2.1%
Labour Force
4,168
Unemployed
87
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
65.1%
Part-time
28.7%
Participation
47.0%
Employed
2,507
Occupations
Top Industries
University
37.0%
Postgraduate
5.8%
Born Overseas
45.6%
Dwellings
1,864
Transport to Work
This is a car-dependent suburb: 90.0% of commuters drive, far above the national average, while only 1.1% use public transport and 0.9% walk or cycle, reflecting an outer-southwest location with limited rail access. The suburb scores decile 7 on IRSAD, above the midpoint for relative advantage, and decile 9 on IER for economic resources, both signalling solid household wealth. Volunteering runs at 7.4% and 6.2% of residents (411 people) need daily assistance. No schools are recorded inside the 6.22 km2 boundary in this dataset, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring suburbs, a trade-off offset by the spacious detached homes that make up 94.8% of stock and a low residential density of 1,110.6 people per km2.
Drive
90.0%
Public Transport
1.1%
Walk / Cycle
0.9%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
-0.18%/yr
(-12 people/yr)
EstablishedCecil Hills is established and effectively flat: annual population change is -0.18%, roughly 12 fewer residents a year, and the 10-year change is just 0.6%. The current population of 6,849 has not recovered to the pre-COVID 7,157, sitting 1.1% below the COVID low after a 3.2% dip. Medium forecasts ease the population from 6,913 in 2026 to 6,853 by 2031, so no expansion is expected. Overseas migration of 42 a year is the only positive driver, offset by net internal outflow of 86. The trajectory is aging, with the senior share up 6.8 points and the young share down 5.8 points over the decade, and gentrification reads not gentrifying, while affordability worsened from 71.9% in 2011 to 75.7% in 2021.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+42
Net Internal / yr
-86
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Cecil Hills compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cecil Hills a good suburb to live in?
Cecil Hills scores decile 7 on IRSAD and decile 9 on IER for economic resources, both above midpoint, with household income in the 90.8th percentile. It suits families, since 94.8% of homes are detached and average household size is 3.6, but it is car-dependent, with 90.0% of commuters driving.
What is the median house price in Cecil Hills?
The median house price is $1,401,000, up 12.5% from $1,289,750 in 2024 to $1,451,000 in 2025. Weekly rent averages $550 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $2,167, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 20.8%, below the 30% stress threshold.
What schools are in Cecil Hills?
No schools are recorded inside the 6.22 km2 Cecil Hills boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. The resident base is family-heavy, with 2,452 couples with children and university qualifications at 37.0%, which is 6.9 points above the national figure.
Is Cecil Hills safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Cecil Hills in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb scores decile 7 on IRSAD and decile 9 on IER, both above midpoint, and only 6.2% of residents (411 people) need daily assistance, consistent with a settled, established area.
Is Cecil Hills good for property investment?
Rent of $550 a week against a $1,401,000 median gives a gross yield near 2.0%, low because only 14.8% of residents rent. The 2.7% vacancy rate is tight, below the 3% balanced line, and rent grew 27.9% over the decade, so returns lean on scarcity and rent growth rather than yield.
How is Cecil Hills's population changing?
Population change is -0.18% annually, about 12 fewer residents a year, with a 0.6% rise over 10 years. The current 6,849 residents remain 1.1% below the pre-COVID 7,157. The profile is aging, with the senior share up 6.8 points and the young share down 5.8 points over the decade.
What languages are spoken in Cecil Hills?
About 45.6% of residents were born overseas, 24.0 points above the national figure. English is dominant, with Arabic (294 speakers), Serbian (103), Croatian (87) and Italian (85) the most common non-English languages, reflecting a strongly migrant resident mix led by Italian, Vietnamese and Chinese ancestry.
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 Valuer-General (house prices), Department of Jobs SALM (unemployment), ACARA (school ICSEA), 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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