NSW 2779 Census 2021 + Live DA Data

Hazelbrook

Almost nothing in Hazelbrook is an apartment: separate houses make up 96.9% of dwellings and units just 0.5%, a near-total detached profile spread thinly across 12.5 km2 at only 406 residents per square kilometre. The 5,077 residents skew slightly older, with a median age of 41, one year above national, and the trajectory is aging because the senior share rose 6.3 points while the working-age share fell 2.6 points over the decade. University qualifications reach 37.3%, which is 7.2 points above the national figure, and the suburb sits in SEIFA decile 8 for education and occupation. The median house price of $841,500 stays well below Sydney metropolitan levels, supported by a mortgage-belt ownership base where 47.7% of homes carry a mortgage.

Hazelbrook urban fabric map

Population

5,077

Median Age

41.0

Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)

$1,794/wk

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

29

Median House

$958K

12m to Jun 2026 (PSI)

12.5 km²· 406.2 people/km²· Family income $2,145/wk

Hazelbrook reads as a family-house market rather than an investor one. The $841,500 median house price climbed 9.1% in a single year, from $805,000 in 2024 to $878,000 in 2025, yet it remains affordable next to inner-Sydney medians. The stock suits larger households because 49.2% of dwellings have three bedrooms and 36.8% have four or more, while two-bedroom homes are only 12.0%, so downsizers have limited choice. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,950, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 25.1%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold, which is why 47.7% of households carry a mortgage and another 37.1% own outright. With 96.9% separate houses, buyers compete almost entirely for detached homes on land rather than units.

For Buyers

Hazelbrook reads as a family-house market rather than an investor one. The $841,500 median house price climbed 9.1% in a single year, from $805,000 in 2024 to $878,000 in 2025, yet it remains affordable next to inner-Sydney medians. The stock suits larger households because 49.2% of dwellings have three bedrooms and 36.8% have four or more, while two-bedroom homes are only 12.0%, so downsizers have limited choice. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,950, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 25.1%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold, which is why 47.7% of households carry a mortgage and another 37.1% own outright. With 96.9% separate houses, buyers compete almost entirely for detached homes on land rather than units.

For Investors

The investment case here is thin because Hazelbrook is owner-occupier territory, with only 15.1% of homes rented against 47.7% mortgaged and 37.1% owned outright. Weekly rent of $400 against the $841,500 median implies a gross yield near 2.5%, modest, though rents have grown 42.9% over the decade, faster than most income measures. The 6.3% vacancy rate is higher than tight metropolitan markets, signalling softer rental demand in a suburb where net internal migration runs at minus 89 residents a year. Overseas migration adds just 45 a year, so tenant demand is structurally limited. Development is light at 23 applications in 12 months, mostly alterations and additions to existing houses rather than new rental supply, which keeps the rental pool small and turnover low at 17.0%.

Development Activity

Total DAs

166

Last 12 Months

29

YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements

+16.0%

Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year

N/A

Monthly DA Lodgements

DA Categories

Renovation / Extension
27
Garage / Carport / Shed
6
New Dwelling
6
Swimming Pool / Spa
5
Granny Flat / Secondary Dwelling
4
Commercial / Industrial
2
Deck / Pergola / Patio
2
Multi-Dwelling / Townhouse
1

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

Korowal School

ICSEA 1084 Combined Independent

K-12 · 259 students

Blue Mountains Steiner School

ICSEA 1073 Primary Independent

K-6 · 69 students

Hazelbrook Public School

ICSEA 1044 Primary Government

K-6 · 356 students

Demographics

Hazelbrook is markedly Anglo and settled rather than migrant-driven: only 16.2% of residents were born overseas, which is 5.4 points below the national figure, and ancestry is led by English (2,236), Irish (791) and Scottish (703). The median age of 41 sits one year above national, and the profile is aging because the senior cohort grew 6.3 points while younger residents fell 3.9 points across the decade. Families are common, with 1,798 couples raising children against 1,090 couples with none, and the average household size of 2.6 runs 0.1 above national. University attainment at 37.3% is 7.2 points above the national average, an educated base that aligns with the suburb sitting in SEIFA decile 8 for education and occupation. Non-English languages are rare, with Polish (17) and Italian (14) the largest.

Age Distribution

0-14
19.6%
15-24
11.5%
25-44
23.8%
45-64
27.4%
65+
17.7%

Bedrooms

Studio/1br
2.0%
2 bed
12.0%
3 bed
49.2%
4+ bed
36.8%

Dwelling Structure

96.9%

Houses

2.6%

Townhouse

0.5%

Apartment

Tenure

Own 37.1% Mortgage 47.7% Rent 15.1%

Tenure leans heavily toward ownership: 47.7% of homes carry a mortgage, 37.1% are owned outright and just 15.1% are rented, a structure that marks Hazelbrook as a mortgage-belt suburb rather than a rental market. The stock is overwhelmingly detached at 96.9% separate houses, with apartments at 0.5% and semi-detached at 2.6%, so dwelling choice is narrow. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 49.2% and four-or-more-bedroom homes at 36.8%, reflecting family demand for space on the larger lots that low density at 406 per km2 allows. The median house price rose 9.1% from $805,000 to $878,000 across 2024 and 2025. Mortgage-to-income at 25.1% and rent-to-income at 22.3% both stay below the 30% stress line, leaving households relatively unstretched compared with higher-priced Sydney markets.

Median House Price Trend

Source: State Valuer-General (12m to Jun 2026 (PSI))

Mortgage / mo

$1,950

Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (January to March 2026), NSW Rental Bond Board (DCJ). Census 2021 median: $400.

$595

Bond data Mar 2026 · houses $650

HH Size

2.6

Personal Income / wk

$802

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

6.3%

Unoccupied

127

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

22.3%

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

25.1%

Community Profile

Languages Spoken at Home

Polish
17
Italian
14

Ancestry

English
2,236
Irish
791
Scottish
703
Other
466
German
269
Dutch
149

Household Composition

26.0%

Couples, no children

4,194

Total families

Economy & Employment

Employment leans on the human-services sectors that anchor many Blue Mountains towns: Healthcare leads at 20.3% (366 workers) and Education follows closely at 19.8% (357), with Public Admin at 9.5%, Construction at 8.5% and Professional/Tech at 7.4%. By occupation, Professionals are the largest group at 673, ahead of Clerical/Admin (309) and Community/Personal workers (303), a mix consistent with the suburb's SEIFA decile 8 ranking for education and occupation. Unemployment is low at 4.5% and full-time employment runs at 61.1%, but participation is only 55.2% because 1,436 residents sit outside the labour force, a direct consequence of the aging age structure. The IER decile of 7 sits one tier below the IEO decile of 8, reflecting solid education that has not fully translated into the highest income band.

Unemployment

2.4%

Labour Force

6,298

Unemployed

149

Quarterly Trend

Mar-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
7
Disadvantage
7
Economic resources
7
Education & occupation
8

Full-time

61.1%

Part-time

34.4%

Participation

55.2%

Employed

2,148

Occupations

Professionals 673
Clerical/Admin 309
Community/Personal 303
Managers 296
Labourers 175
Sales 157
Machinery/Drivers 124

Top Industries

Healthcare 20.3%
Education 19.8%
Public Admin 9.5%
Construction 8.5%
Professional/Tech 7.4%

University

37.3%

Postgraduate

11.0%

Born Overseas

16.2%

Dwellings

1,889

Transport to Work

Hazelbrook is a car-dependent suburb, with 90.7% of commuters driving and only 3.5% using public transport and 2.1% walking or cycling, reflecting its low density of 406 residents per km2 across 12.5 km2. No schools are recorded inside the suburb boundary in this dataset, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring Blue Mountains towns, a trade-off for the spacious detached setting. On wellbeing measures the suburb scores SEIFA decile 7 on both IRSAD and IRSD, above the midpoint nationally, meaning relatively few residents face disadvantage, and volunteering is strong at 19.1%. Only 6.4% of residents, some 315 people, need daily assistance despite the older median age of 41. Detailed crime statistics are not available here, but the decile 7 IRSD ranking is consistent with a low-disadvantage area.

Drive

90.7%

Public Transport

3.5%

Walk / Cycle

2.1%

Work from Home

N/A

Population Forecast

+0.16%/yr

(+18 people/yr)

Established

Hazelbrook is an established, slow-growth suburb where the population expanded just 3.3% over the past decade and is forecast to grow only 0.16% a year, about 18 residents annually. The dedicated gentrification model scores the suburb 0 and classifies it as not gentrifying, which fits a settled market with little new dwelling supply, just 23 development applications in 12 months. Growth such as it is depends on overseas migration of 45 residents a year, because net internal migration is negative at minus 89, meaning more locals leave than arrive. The shift profile is firmly aging, with the senior share up 6.3 points and the working-age share down 2.6 points, and affordability worsened from 48.3% to 51.0% of income over the decade as the median house price rose faster than wages.

Historical + Forecast

Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025

Age Cohort Forecast

Primary Driver

Overseas Migration

Net Overseas / yr

+45

Net Internal / yr

-89

0

Gentrification Signal

Not gentrifying

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

How Hazelbrook compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs

Population
Top 11%
Household Income
Top 36%
Rent Level
Top 17%
Apartments
Bottom 10%
Renters
Bottom 34%
Uni Educated
Top 22%
Public Transport
Top 48%
Born Overseas
Top 42%
Density
Top 20%

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Hazelbrook a good suburb to live in?

Hazelbrook sits in SEIFA decile 8 for education and occupation and decile 7 on IRSAD, both above the national midpoint, with university attainment at 37.3%, which is 7.2 points above national. It suits families seeking detached homes, since 96.9% of dwellings are separate houses, though it is car-dependent with 90.7% driving.

What is the median house price in Hazelbrook?

The median house price is $841,500, well below inner-Sydney levels. Prices rose 9.1% in a year, from $805,000 in 2024 to $878,000 in 2025. Weekly rent averages $400 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $1,950, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 25.1%, below the 30% stress threshold.

What schools are in Hazelbrook?

No schools are recorded inside the Hazelbrook boundary in this dataset, so families use schools in neighbouring Blue Mountains suburbs. The resident base is well educated, with university qualifications at 37.3%, which is 7.2 points above the national figure.

Is Hazelbrook safe?

Detailed crime statistics are not available for Hazelbrook in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb scores SEIFA decile 7 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage, above the national midpoint, and only 6.4% of its 5,077 residents need daily assistance, both consistent with a low-disadvantage area.

Is Hazelbrook good for property investment?

Weekly rent of $400 against the $841,500 median gives a gross yield near 2.5%, modest, and only 15.1% of homes are rented in this owner-occupier market. The 6.3% vacancy rate is higher than tight metro areas and net internal migration of minus 89 a year limits tenant demand, so returns lean on capital growth.

How is Hazelbrook's population changing?

The population of 5,077 grew just 3.3% over the past decade and is forecast to rise only 0.16% a year, about 18 residents. The profile is aging, with the senior share up 6.3 points and the working-age share down 2.6 points, while net internal migration of minus 89 a year offsets overseas arrivals of 45.

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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