Gillieston Heights
A median age of 30 sits 10.0 years below the national figure, and that youth shapes almost everything else about this Hunter Valley pocket. The household income of $1,986 a week reaches the 74.5th percentile nationally, yet the median house price is only $383,750, an affordability gap that draws young families: 66.0% of dwellings carry four or more bedrooms and average household size runs 2.8, above the national figure. The stock is 85.6% separate houses with apartments at just 0.4%, and 42.4% of households are paying off a mortgage, well above the share owning outright at 18.9%. Healthcare employs 22.5% of the workforce, the dominant local industry.
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
224
Median House
$384K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The $383,750 median is the central draw, sitting far below Sydney and most coastal NSW markets while incomes reach the 74.5th percentile, a combination that makes buying achievable on a single professional wage. Recorded sale medians moved from $340,000 in 2024 to $625,000 in 2025, an 83.8% jump that points to a fast-revaluing frontier rather than a settled market. The housing suits family buyers: 66.0% of homes have four or more bedrooms and 85.6% are separate houses, with apartments almost absent at 0.4%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,950, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.7%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold because incomes are high relative to entry prices. With 42.4% of households on a mortgage versus 18.9% owning outright, this is a buying market built around recent purchasers rather than long-settled owners.
For Buyers
The $383,750 median is the central draw, sitting far below Sydney and most coastal NSW markets while incomes reach the 74.5th percentile, a combination that makes buying achievable on a single professional wage. Recorded sale medians moved from $340,000 in 2024 to $625,000 in 2025, an 83.8% jump that points to a fast-revaluing frontier rather than a settled market. The housing suits family buyers: 66.0% of homes have four or more bedrooms and 85.6% are separate houses, with apartments almost absent at 0.4%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,950, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.7%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold because incomes are high relative to entry prices. With 42.4% of households on a mortgage versus 18.9% owning outright, this is a buying market built around recent purchasers rather than long-settled owners.
For Investors
Renters make up 38.7% of households and weekly rent averages $430, while the vacancy rate of 2.8% sits low enough to signal steady tenant demand. Against the $383,750 median, that rent implies a gross yield near 5.8%, materially higher than premium Sydney suburbs where yields fall below 2%, so the case here rests on cashflow rather than scarcity. Development is heavy at 218 applications in 12 months, mostly new builds, pools and dwelling additions, which means fresh supply will compete with existing rentals. The young, family-skewed profile and 22.7% mortgage-to-income ratio support a deep pool of owner-occupiers who can also become tenants. Rent-to-income at 21.7% leaves headroom for rent growth, and the 83.8% rise in sale medians over a single year shows capital momentum, though that pace also raises the risk of buying near a local peak.
Development Activity
Total DAs
688
Last 12 Months
224
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+10.3%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Gillieston Heights iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
The Heights Learning Community
K-3 · 14 students
Gillieston Public School
K-6 · 404 students
Demographics
The median age of 30 is 10.0 years below the national figure, one of the youngest profiles in regional NSW and a direct result of new-estate growth pulling in young families. Couples with children make up 2,211 of the 4,146 families recorded, far outnumbering the 934 couples without children. Only 9.8% of residents were born overseas, which is 11.8 points below national, and ancestry leans Anglo, led by English (1,983), Scottish (451) and Irish (394). University qualifications reach 21.6%, sitting 8.5 points below the national rate, consistent with a workforce weighted toward healthcare, construction and trades rather than knowledge sectors. Average household size of 2.8 runs 0.3 above national, reflecting the family households that fill the four-bedroom housing stock. Christianity (2,206) dominates religious affiliation, with Hinduism (63) a distant second.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
85.6%
Houses
7.5%
Townhouse
0.4%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure tilts firmly toward mortgages: 42.4% of households are paying off a loan, 38.7% rent and only 18.9% own outright, a structure typical of a young estate where most buyers are still early in their loans. The stock is overwhelmingly detached at 85.6% separate houses, with semi-detached at 7.5% and apartments at just 0.4%, so density and dwelling choice are low. Larger homes dominate: 66.0% have four or more bedrooms and 20.4% have three, while two-bedroom dwellings are 12.4%. Recorded sale medians rose from $340,000 in 2024 to $625,000 in 2025, an 83.8% move, and the stated median house price is $383,750. Mortgage-to-income at 22.7% stays below the 30% stress line, and rent-to-income at 21.7% is comfortable too, because household incomes in the 74.5th percentile outpace the area's entry-level prices.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,950
Rent / wk
$430
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
22.5%
Couples, no children
4,146
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare anchors the local economy at 22.5% of workers (363 people), well ahead of Construction at 8.9% (143), Retail at 8.7% (140), Education at 8.3% (134) and Mining at 7.6% (122), the last reflecting the suburb's place in the Hunter coal region. By occupation, Professionals lead at 409, followed by Community and Personal Service workers at 313 and Clerical and Administrative at 309, a mix weighted toward services and trades rather than corporate roles. Unemployment sits at 5.0% and the full-time employment rate is 66.7%, with participation at 67.9%, healthy figures supported by the working-age skew. Household income in the 74.5th percentile nationally outpaces what the 21.6% university rate would predict, because well-paid healthcare, mining and trade jobs lift earnings without requiring degrees.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
66.7%
Part-time
28.3%
Participation
67.9%
Employed
2,261
Occupations
Top Industries
University
21.6%
Postgraduate
5.0%
Born Overseas
9.8%
Dwellings
1,685
Transport to Work
This is a car-dependent suburb: 94.0% of workers drive, while public transport carries just 0.9% and only 0.6% walk or cycle, far below national active-travel rates and a function of the low density at 406.5 residents per km2. No schools are recorded inside the 11.8 km2 boundary, so families rely on schools in neighbouring Maitland suburbs, a practical trade-off for the spacious lot sizes. The family appeal is clear in the housing: 85.6% separate houses and 66.0% with four or more bedrooms suit households averaging 2.8 people, above the national figure. Housing costs stay manageable, with mortgage-to-income at 22.7% and rent-to-income at 21.7%, both below stress thresholds. Volunteering runs at 8.5% and 5.7% of residents (266 people) need daily assistance, a low share reflecting the youthful population.
Drive
94.0%
Public Transport
0.9%
Walk / Cycle
0.6%
Work from Home
N/A
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?
It suits young families: the median age is 30, ten years below national, household income reaches the 74.5th percentile, and the median house price is only $383,750. Homes are large, with 66.0% carrying four or more bedrooms, though at 94.0% car reliance it is built for drivers, not public transport users.
What is the median house price in Gillieston Heights?
The median house price is $383,750, low relative to incomes in the 74.5th percentile nationally. Recorded sale medians rose from $340,000 in 2024 to $625,000 in 2025, an 83.8% jump. Weekly rent averages $430 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $1,950.
What schools are in Gillieston Heights?
No schools are recorded inside the 11.8 km2 Gillieston Heights boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring Maitland suburbs. The resident base is young, with a median age of 30 and 2,211 couples with children among 4,146 families.
Is Gillieston Heights safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Gillieston Heights in this dataset. As indirect context, only 5.7% of residents (266 people) need daily assistance and the suburb has a young median age of 30, a profile consistent with a settled family area.
Is Gillieston Heights good for property investment?
Rent of $430 a week against a $383,750 median gives a gross yield near 5.8%, well above premium Sydney suburbs below 2%. The vacancy rate is a low 2.8% and renters are 38.7% of households, though 218 development applications in 12 months mean new supply is coming.
How is Gillieston Heights's population changing?
The suburb is growing fast as an estate frontier: recorded sale medians rose 83.8% in a year and 218 development applications were lodged in 12 months. The median age of 30 sits ten years below national, and a turnover rate of 32.3% shows about a third of residents moved in within five years.
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.
Explore Gillieston Heights on the Map
View parcels, zoning overlays, DA applications, schools and more.
Open Interactive Map