Gillieston Heights
At a median age of 30, Gillieston Heights is 10 years younger than the national average and has a strongly family-oriented physical profile: 66.0% of homes have 4 or more bedrooms and 85.6% are separate houses. With 4,796 residents across 11.8 sq km, density is 406.5 people per sq km. Compared with the older urban fabric around Maitland, the suburb is more clearly a mortgage-belt, car-based housing market, with 41.7% of households paying a mortgage and 75.9% of workers driving. The 221 development matters recorded over 12 months reinforce its growth-and-delivery character, although buyers should assess each estate, street and address individually.
Population
4,796
Median Age
30.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,986/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
217
The buyer case centres on detached, larger-format housing and a relatively young household base. Separate houses account for 85.6% of dwellings, while 66.0% have 4 or more bedrooms, making the suburb more suited to families than to buyers seeking compact apartments. Household income is $1,986 per week at the 74.5th percentile, and the median mortgage is $1,950 per month, with mortgage payments representing 22.7% of household income. Compared with the 38.1% renting share, the 41.7% mortgage share points to a substantial owner-occupier market. Buyers should compare recent sales by estate, land size and bedroom count because housing form varies across the 11.8 sq km suburb.
For Buyers
The buyer case centres on detached, larger-format housing and a relatively young household base. Separate houses account for 85.6% of dwellings, while 66.0% have 4 or more bedrooms, making the suburb more suited to families than to buyers seeking compact apartments. Household income is $1,986 per week at the 74.5th percentile, and the median mortgage is $1,950 per month, with mortgage payments representing 22.7% of household income. Compared with the 38.1% renting share, the 41.7% mortgage share points to a substantial owner-occupier market. Buyers should compare recent sales by estate, land size and bedroom count because housing form varies across the 11.8 sq km suburb.
For Investors
Gillieston Heights has a meaningful tenant base, with 38.1% of households renting and median rent of $430 per week. The 2.8% vacancy rate suggests that rental stock should be assessed carefully by property type, condition and access to employment routes rather than treated as interchangeable. Compared with the 41.7% mortgage share and 18.6% outright ownership share, renters are not the dominant tenure group, so investor demand is linked to family housing and local affordability. Development activity is substantial at 221 matters over 12 months, including dual occupancy, medium-density, semi-detached and secondary dwelling projects. That pipeline may improve choice but can also create competing rental supply.
Development Activity
Total DAs
736
Last 12 Months
217
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
0.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Gillieston Heights
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Demographics
Gillieston Heights has a median age of 30, which is 10 years below the national average, and an average household size of 2.8 people, 0.3 above the national figure. University qualification levels are 21.6%, or 8.5 percentage points below national levels, while the overseas-born share is 9.8%, 11.8 points below national levels. English ancestry is the largest recorded background at 1,983 people, followed by Scottish at 451 and Irish at 394. Christianity accounts for 2,206 people and no religion for 2,187, a close split. Compared with nationally older and more university-qualified areas, this profile supports demand for practical family housing, trades and service employment.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
85.6%
Houses
7.5%
Townhouse
0.4%
Apartment
Tenure
The housing stock is firmly detached: 85.6% of dwellings are separate houses, compared with 7.5% semi-detached homes and only 0.4% apartments. Larger homes dominate, with 66.0% containing 4 or more bedrooms, while 20.4% have 3 bedrooms and 12.4% have 2. Tenure is divided between 18.6% owned outright, 41.7% owned with a mortgage and 38.1% rented. Compared with apartment stock, the detached profile creates greater exposure to land size, maintenance and estate-level infrastructure, but it also aligns with the suburb's 2.8-person average household and young median age of 30. For affordability, compare like-for-like sales with the $1,986 weekly household income, $1,950 monthly mortgage benchmark and $430 weekly rent.
Mortgage / mo
$1,950
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (April to June 2026), NSW Rental Bond Board (DCJ). Census 2021 median: $430.
$640
Bond data Jun 2026 · houses $650 · units $520
HH Size
2.8
Personal Income / wk
$947
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
2.8%
Unoccupied
49
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.7%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.7%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
47.6%
Couples with children
34.2%
Couples, no children
16.7%
Single parent
1,381
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the leading industry, employing 363 people or 22.5% of the local industry workforce, followed by construction at 8.9% and 143 people, retail at 8.7% and 140, education at 8.3% and 134, and mining at 7.6% and 122. Occupations are similarly practical and service-led, with 409 professionals, 373 trades workers, 313 community and personal service workers, 309 clerical and administrative workers, and 260 machinery operators and drivers. Labour-force participation is 73.4%, unemployment is 4.6%, and 1,508 workers are employed full time compared with 753 part time. Household income sits at the 74.5th percentile, higher than a mid-market position, because the suburb combines professional, healthcare, construction and resource-linked employment.
Unemployment
4.6%
Labour Force
2,574
Unemployed
119
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
61.4%
Part-time
30.7%
Participation
73.4%
Employed
2,455
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
21.6%
Postgraduate
5.0%
Born Overseas
9.8%
Dwellings
1,685
Transport to Work
Daily life is strongly car-oriented: 75.9% of residents drive to work, compared with only 0.7% using public transport and 0.5% walking or cycling, while 19.3% work from home. Compared with a transit-led suburb, household transport costs and route planning will matter more, particularly for trips beyond Gillieston Heights. The local school offer includes 1 government primary school, Gillieston Public School; families should confirm enrolment zones and secondary pathways against the exact address. At 30, the median age is 10 years below the national average, supporting demand for family services, but the 221 development matters over 12 months mean traffic and amenity may change between estates. A suburb-specific crime rate is not available, so current NSW Police information and an inspection at different times are sensible safety checks.
Drive
75.9%
Public Transport
0.7%
Walk / Cycle
0.5%
Work from Home
19.3%
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Gillieston Heights compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Gillieston Heights a good suburb to live in?
For households wanting newer detached housing, Gillieston Heights can work well: 85.6% of dwellings are separate houses, 66.0% have 4 or more bedrooms and the median age is 30. The trade-off is car dependence, with 75.9% driving and only 0.7% using public transport, so daily routes matter more than in a transit-led suburb.
What is the median house price in Gillieston Heights?
A current median house price should be checked against recent comparable sales because a reliable suburb-wide figure is not available. Gillieston Heights is dominated by 85.6% separate houses and 66.0% of homes have 4 or more bedrooms. Compare like-for-like properties and consider the $430 weekly rent benchmark when assessing affordability.
What schools are in Gillieston Heights?
Gillieston Public School is the local government primary school. The local school mix currently includes 1 named school, so families should confirm the exact enrolment zone and investigate secondary options before signing a contract. Travel planning matters because 75.9% of residents drive to work and only 0.7% use public transport.
Is Gillieston Heights safe?
A suburb-specific crime rate is not available, so check current NSW Police incident information and visit the exact street at different times. Gillieston Heights has 4,796 residents across 11.8 sq km, and practical safety can vary between newer estates, collector roads and quieter residential streets.
Is Gillieston Heights good for property investment?
It may suit investors seeking family-oriented rental stock: 38.1% of households rent, median rent is $430 a week and vacancy is 2.8%. However, 221 development matters in 12 months could add competing supply, while 85.6% separate houses means maintenance, land content and tenant demand should be assessed against expected rent.
How is Gillieston Heights's population changing?
The suburb has 4,796 residents today and a young median age of 30, which is 10 years below the national average. Population pressure is also reflected in 221 development matters over 12 months, including new houses, dual occupancies and secondary dwellings. Check current regional forecasts for the annual growth rate and migration direction.
What development is occurring in Gillieston Heights?
Development activity is substantial, with 221 matters recorded over 12 months. Examples include a 2-dwelling dual occupancy, medium-density and semi-detached housing, new dwelling houses and secondary dwellings. Compared with the 0.4% apartment share, this pipeline is more likely to reinforce house-and-townhouse supply, so buyers should inspect approvals and delivery timing.
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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