Glenhaven
Glenhaven's most striking trait is its age profile: the median age is 48, or 8.0 years above the national comparison, while household income sits at the 92.7th percentile. With 6,619 residents, 74.7% separate houses and 42.4% owned outright, it is an established Hills suburb where stability matters because long-term owners dominate. Compared with Castle Hill and Cherrybrook, the 53.1% work-from-home share and 1.1% public transport use point to a more home-centred daily pattern. Growth is modest at 0.31% annually, so buyers should expect continuity rather than rapid change.
Population
6,619
Median Age
48.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,532/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
60
Homebuyers should expect a family-oriented housing market, with 68.1% of dwellings containing 4 or more bedrooms. Separate houses account for 74.7%, a higher share than semi-detached homes at 23.9% and apartments at 1.5%, so buyers seeking land and internal space have more choice than apartment buyers. The mortgage figure is $3,080 monthly, while mortgage costs equal 28.1% of household income, below a level commonly associated with severe stress. A $650 weekly rent provides a useful holding-cost comparison, although the low 6.4% rental share means purchase decisions are shaped mainly by owner-occupier demand.
For Buyers
Homebuyers should expect a family-oriented housing market, with 68.1% of dwellings containing 4 or more bedrooms. Separate houses account for 74.7%, a higher share than semi-detached homes at 23.9% and apartments at 1.5%, so buyers seeking land and internal space have more choice than apartment buyers. The mortgage figure is $3,080 monthly, while mortgage costs equal 28.1% of household income, below a level commonly associated with severe stress. A $650 weekly rent provides a useful holding-cost comparison, although the low 6.4% rental share means purchase decisions are shaped mainly by owner-occupier demand.
For Investors
Glenhaven has a small rental sector, with 6.4% of households renting compared with 42.4% owning outright and 38.5% paying a mortgage. That below-owner occupancy rate can support a tightly defined tenant market, but it also makes property selection important because the suburb is dominated by established households rather than renters. Weekly rent is $650 and vacancy is 3.3%, providing a reasonable starting point for yield assessment without guaranteeing performance. Development activity reached 59 records over 12 months, which may gradually add supply. Balanced migration and 0.31% annual growth favour a steady, lower-turnover strategy over a rapid-growth approach.
Development Activity
Total DAs
328
Last 12 Months
60
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-11.8%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Glenhaven
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Demographics
Glenhaven is older and more university educated than the national profile: its median age is 48, 8.0 years above the national comparison, while 45.6% of residents hold university qualifications, 15.5 percentage points higher. Overseas-born residents account for 26.5%, 4.9 points above the national figure, with English, Irish, Scottish and Italian ancestry prominent. The average household size is 2.8, or 0.3 above the national comparison, reflecting a strong family presence alongside older couples. Couples with children make up 51.6% of families, while couples without children account for 40.4%. Residential stability is high, with 84.9% staying at the same address, which helps explain the suburb's aging trajectory.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
74.7%
Houses
23.9%
Townhouse
1.5%
Apartment
Tenure
Glenhaven's housing is defined by settled ownership and large dwellings. Outright ownership is 42.4%, mortgage ownership is 38.5% and renting is only 6.4%, so the owner-occupied share is much higher than the rental share. Separate houses make up 74.7%, higher than semi-detached housing at 23.9% and apartments at 1.5%. Four or more bedrooms account for 68.1% of homes, compared with 19.1% for three-bedroom dwellings and 12.1% for two-bedroom dwellings. This pattern suits established families because space and tenure security are more common than compact rental stock. The 3.3% vacancy rate suggests some available housing, but not an apartment-led market.
Mortgage / mo
$3,080
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (April to June 2026), NSW Rental Bond Board (DCJ). Census 2021 median: $650.
$1,100
Bond data Jun 2026 · houses $1,125
HH Size
2.8
Personal Income / wk
$950
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
3.3%
Unoccupied
76
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
25.7%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
28.1%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
51.6%
Couples with children
40.4%
Couples, no children
7.3%
Single parent
1,866
Total families
Economy & Employment
Glenhaven's employment base is concentrated in services and skilled work. Healthcare leads at 13.7%, or 306 workers, followed by Professional and Technical services at 13.6% and 304, Education at 12.8% and 285, Construction at 10.8% and 241, and Finance at 7.5% and 168. Professionals number 950 and managers 692, while the labour force totals 3,199 and unemployment is 3.5%. Household income at the 92.7th percentile ranks above most Australian areas. The SEIFA pattern is consistent rather than anomalous: IEO is decile 9, while IER, IRSD and IRSAD are all decile 10. That combination reflects strong education, occupation and economic resources alongside very low relative disadvantage.
Unemployment
3.5%
Labour Force
3,199
Unemployed
112
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
57.5%
Part-time
32.3%
Participation
58.2%
Employed
3,087
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
45.6%
Postgraduate
11.0%
Born Overseas
26.5%
Dwellings
2,242
Transport to Work
Daily life in Glenhaven is strongly home and car based: 53.1% of residents work from home, 41.9% drive a car, 1.1% use public transport and 0.8% walk or cycle to work. Public transport use is therefore lower than car commuting, although remote work reduces the need for daily travel. Glenhaven Public School provides a local government primary option; families should confirm the current intake zone and capacity against the exact address. An IRSAD decile of 10 and a volunteering rate of 19.1% point to strong socioeconomic resources and civic participation. For safety decisions, check current NSW Police and council incident information because conditions can vary by street and change over time.
Drive
41.9%
Public Transport
1.1%
Walk / Cycle
0.8%
Work from Home
53.1%
Population Forecast
+0.31%/yr
(+20 people/yr)
EstablishedGlenhaven is an established, slow-growth suburb, with an annual trend of 0.31% and Balanced as the primary migration driver. Compared with the wider area's 9.1% population change over 10 years, the annual rate points to gradual change rather than sharp expansion. The trajectory is Aging because the senior share increased by 11.8 percentage points, while the young share fell by 1.4 points and the working share declined by 7.6 points. The current gentrification reading is score 10, classified as Not gentrifying, although the shift indicator is 22 and marked Early signs. This suggests limited redevelopment pressure, with demographic change more influential than rapid market transformation. The earlier 2.0% COVID dip has recovered.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+36
Net Internal / yr
+14
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
COVID recovered (-2% dip → full recovery)
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Glenhaven compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Glenhaven a good suburb to live in?
Glenhaven suits households seeking space, stability and a quieter established setting. It has 6,619 residents, 74.7% separate houses, an IRSAD decile of 10 and a 53.1% work-from-home rate. The trade-off is car dependence, with only 1.1% using public transport.
What is the median house price in Glenhaven?
A reliable current median house price is not stated. Glenhaven has 74.7% separate houses and 68.1% of homes with 4 or more bedrooms, so recent comparable sales are more useful than assuming a suburb-wide figure. The listed mortgage figure is $3,080 monthly.
What schools are in Glenhaven?
Glenhaven Public School is the local government primary school. Families should check the current intake zone and enrolment capacity for the exact address, as boundaries can differ. The suburb's 53.1% work-from-home rate may make school and commuting routines easier for some households.
Is Glenhaven safe?
A current suburb crime rate should be checked before making a decision, using recent NSW Police and council information for the relevant street. Glenhaven has an IRSAD decile of 10 and 6,619 residents, but socioeconomic strength should not be treated as a substitute for current incident data.
Is Glenhaven good for property investment?
Glenhaven may suit investors seeking an established owner-occupier market, but the rental pool is limited. Renting is 6.4%, weekly rent is $650 and vacancy is 3.3%. There were 59 development records over 12 months, while annual growth is 0.31%, so property selection and holding costs matter.
How is Glenhaven's population changing?
Change is gradual and the population is aging. The annual growth trend is 0.31%, migration is classified as Balanced, and population change across the wider area is 9.1% over 10 years. The senior share rose 11.8 percentage points while the young share fell 1.4 points.
What development is occurring in Glenhaven?
Development activity reached 59 records over the past 12 months, including new dwelling house work and a one-dwelling complying development certificate. This points to ongoing infill and home replacement rather than a large apartment pipeline, consistent with the 74.7% separate-house share.
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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