NSW 2557 Census 2021 + Live DA Data

Gledswood Hills

A median age of 31, which sits 9.0 years below the national figure, marks Gledswood Hills as one of Sydney's youngest growth fronts, and the housing stock tells the same story. Detached houses make up 97.6% of dwellings and 87.4% of homes carry four or more bedrooms, built for the families moving in. Household income reaches the 96th percentile nationally at $2,780 a week, yet only 10.1% own outright while 66.8% carry a mortgage, the signature of a freshly built mortgage belt. The median house price near $1,000,000 climbed 42.7% in a single year, and forecast population growth of 6.18% a year confirms an estate still filling out.

Gledswood Hills urban fabric map

Population

6,112

Median Age

31.0

Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)

$2,780/wk

DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year

183

Median House

$1.0M

2024-2025 (PSI derived)

5.8 km²· 1,053.2 people/km²· Family income $2,854/wk

The roughly $1,000,000 median reflects new-build estates rather than established stock, and prices rose 42.7% from $855,000 in 2024 to $1,220,000 in 2025, a steeper one-year move than almost any settled Sydney suburb. Buyers here are buying space: 87.4% of homes have four or more bedrooms and 97.6% are separate houses, with apartments at just 0.2%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,730, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.7%, well below the 30% stress threshold because household incomes sit in the 96th percentile. Only 10.1% own outright against 66.8% carrying a mortgage, so this is a market of recent purchasers rather than long-held owners, which keeps competition for the limited resale stock intense.

For Buyers

The roughly $1,000,000 median reflects new-build estates rather than established stock, and prices rose 42.7% from $855,000 in 2024 to $1,220,000 in 2025, a steeper one-year move than almost any settled Sydney suburb. Buyers here are buying space: 87.4% of homes have four or more bedrooms and 97.6% are separate houses, with apartments at just 0.2%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,730, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.7%, well below the 30% stress threshold because household incomes sit in the 96th percentile. Only 10.1% own outright against 66.8% carrying a mortgage, so this is a market of recent purchasers rather than long-held owners, which keeps competition for the limited resale stock intense.

For Investors

A 23.1% renter share and weekly rent of $540 give landlords a modest but real tenant pool, and the 2.4% vacancy rate is tight, below the 3% balanced-market mark, pointing to genuine rental demand. Against the roughly $1,000,000 median, that rent implies a gross yield near 2.8%, low in absolute terms but supported by strong growth fundamentals rather than cash flow. The investment case rests on expansion: forecast population growth of 6.18% a year, driven by net internal migration of 983 residents annually, plus 178 development applications lodged in 12 months. With prices up 42.7% year on year, returns here lean on capital growth and population inflow more than yield, a classic outer-greenfield profile.

Development Activity

Total DAs

1,143

Last 12 Months

183

YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements

-42.1%

Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year

N/A

Monthly DA Lodgements

DA Categories

New Dwelling
195
Swimming Pool / Spa
118
Commercial / Industrial
92
Renovation / Extension
30
Garage / Carport / Shed
18
Subdivision
12
Granny Flat / Secondary Dwelling
9
Hospitality / Food Premises
5

Schools in Gledswood Hills iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged

Gledswood Hills Public School

ICSEA 1038 Primary Government

K-6 · 976 students

Gledswood Hills High School

ICSEA 1013 Secondary Government

7-9 · 87 students

Demographics

The median age of 31 runs 9.0 years below national, one of the clearest young-family signatures in greater Sydney, reinforced by an average household size of 3.3, which is 0.8 above national. University qualifications reach 39.8%, which is 9.7 points above the national figure, and overseas-born residents make up 29.9%, 8.3 points above national. Ancestry leans English (1,193) and Italian (616), with Indian (422) reflecting newer migration. Among non-English languages Arabic (118), Hindi (82) and Urdu (60) lead. Couples with children dominate household types at 3,565 families against 958 couples without children, far higher than the no-kids share, which is consistent with the young median age and the large four-bedroom homes that draw growing families.

Age Distribution

0-14
28.9%
15-24
9.1%
25-44
41.6%
45-64
15.9%
65+
4.4%

Bedrooms

Studio/1br
1.6%
2 bed
1.2%
3 bed
9.8%
4+ bed
87.4%

Dwelling Structure

97.6%

Houses

2.3%

Townhouse

0.2%

Apartment

Tenure

Own 10.1% Mortgage 66.8% Rent 23.1%

Tenure is heavily skewed toward recent buyers: 66.8% carry a mortgage while only 10.1% own outright and 23.1% rent, the inverse of an established suburb where outright owners usually outnumber the mortgaged. The stock is almost entirely detached at 97.6%, with apartments a negligible 0.2%, and 87.4% of dwellings have four or more bedrooms against 9.8% with three. The median house price moved from $855,000 in 2024 to $1,220,000 in 2025, a 42.7% rise, with the headline median near $1,000,000. Both mortgage-to-income at 22.7% and rent-to-income at 19.4% stay below the 30% stress threshold, a comfort that holds only because household income sits in the 96th percentile nationally, well above what the high entry prices would otherwise allow.

Median House Price Trend

Source: State Valuer-General

Mortgage / mo

$2,730

Rent / wk

$540

HH Size

3.3

Personal Income / wk

$1,192

Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)

2.4%

Unoccupied

45

Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress

19.4%

Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress

22.7%

Community Profile

Languages Spoken at Home

Arabic
118
Hindi
82
Urdu
60
Italian
49
Serbian
42
Croatian
36

Ancestry

Other
1,546
English
1,193
Italian
616
Indian
422
Scottish
301
Irish
294

Household Composition

17.0%

Couples, no children

5,622

Total families

Economy & Employment

Employment leans toward services rather than knowledge work: Healthcare leads at 16.4% (363 workers), Construction follows at 12.0% (266) and Education at 11.5% (256), with Public Admin at 10.6% and Professional/Tech at 7.1%. The heavy Construction share fits an estate still being built out. By occupation, Professionals (774) and Clerical/Admin (522) outnumber Managers (479). Unemployment is low at 4.4% and the full-time employment rate is 72.2%, above many established areas. The SEIFA scores show a telling split: IER (economic resources) reaches decile 10 while IEO (education and occupation) sits at decile 7, because high household incomes and home ownership outpace the education and occupational mix, the reverse of inner-city suburbs.

Unemployment

1.2%

Labour Force

12,997

Unemployed

152

Quarterly Trend

Jun-24 Dec-25

Source: SALM Dec-25

Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)

Overall advantage
9
Disadvantage
8
Economic resources
10
Education & occupation
7

Full-time

72.2%

Part-time

23.4%

Participation

66.9%

Employed

2,775

Occupations

Professionals 774
Clerical/Admin 522
Managers 479
Community/Personal 296
Sales 237
Machinery/Drivers 220
Labourers 167

Top Industries

Healthcare 16.4%
Construction 12.0%
Education 11.5%
Public Admin 10.6%
Professional/Tech 7.1%

University

39.8%

Postgraduate

10.7%

Born Overseas

29.9%

Dwellings

1,812

Transport to Work

Daily life here is car-shaped: 90.3% drive to work while only 4.1% use public transport and 1.3% walk or cycle, well above the national reliance on cars, a function of the greenfield location and limited rail. The suburb scores decile 9 on IRSAD and decile 8 on IRSD, both high advantage tiers nationally, meaning few residents face relative disadvantage, and only 2.8% (166 people) need daily assistance, consistent with the young median age of 31. The 2.4% vacancy rate and rent-to-income of 19.4% point to a stable, family-oriented housing base. No schools are recorded inside the 5.8 km2 boundary in this dataset, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring suburbs, a common trade-off in newly developed estates.

Drive

90.3%

Public Transport

4.1%

Walk / Cycle

1.3%

Work from Home

N/A

Population Forecast

+6.18%/yr

(+1,255 people/yr)

High Growth

Gledswood Hills is a high-growth greenfield front, with forecast annual population growth of 6.18%, adding roughly 1,255 residents a year, far above the near-flat trajectory of established Sydney suburbs. The primary driver is net internal migration of 983 residents annually, more than seven times the net overseas migration of 130, so growth comes from Sydney households moving outward rather than from abroad. Medium forecasts project the surrounding population rising steadily through 2031. The 42.7% one-year jump in median house price and 178 development applications in 12 months both confirm an estate still in active build-out, where supply is expanding fast enough to keep absorbing new families without choking demand.

Historical + Forecast

Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025

Age Cohort Forecast

Primary Driver

Internal Migration

Net Overseas / yr

+130

Net Internal / yr

+983

National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs

How Gledswood Hills compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs

Population
Top 9%
Household Income
Top 4%
Rent Level
Top 4%
Apartments
Bottom 1%
Renters
Top 43%
Uni Educated
Top 18%
Public Transport
Top 42%
Born Overseas
Top 14%
Density
Top 15%

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Gledswood Hills a good suburb to live in?

Gledswood Hills scores decile 9 on IRSAD and decile 8 on IRSD, both high advantage tiers nationally, with household income in the 96th percentile. The median age of 31 is 9.0 years below national, suiting young families. The main trade-offs are car dependence at 90.3% and a high entry price near $1,000,000.

What is the median house price in Gledswood Hills?

The median house price is around $1,000,000. Prices rose 42.7% from $855,000 in 2024 to $1,220,000 in 2025, one of Sydney's steepest one-year moves. Weekly rent averages $540 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $2,730, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.7%.

What schools are in Gledswood Hills?

No schools are recorded inside the 5.8 km2 Gledswood Hills boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. The local population is well educated, with university qualifications at 39.8%, which is 9.7 points above the national figure.

Is Gledswood Hills safe?

Detailed crime statistics are not available for Gledswood Hills in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb scores decile 8 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage, a high tier, and only 2.8% of its 6,112 residents need daily assistance, both consistent with a low-disadvantage area.

Is Gledswood Hills good for property investment?

Rent of $540 a week against a roughly $1,000,000 median gives a gross yield near 2.8%, with a tight 2.4% vacancy rate signalling real rental demand. Net internal migration of 983 residents a year and 6.18% forecast population growth support demand, so returns lean on capital growth more than yield.

How is Gledswood Hills's population changing?

Population is forecast to grow 6.18% a year, adding about 1,255 residents annually, far above established Sydney suburbs. Growth is driven mainly by net internal migration of 983 residents a year, over seven times the net overseas migration of 130, reflecting Sydney households moving outward into new estates.

How much development is happening in Gledswood Hills?

There were 178 development applications lodged in the past 12 months, high for a 5.8 km2 suburb. Most are new dwelling houses and complying development certificates rather than alterations, consistent with a greenfield estate still in active build-out at 6.18% forecast annual population growth.

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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