Hill Top
A mortgage-belt community of 2,792 residents on a 37.91 km2 footprint, Hill Top stands out for its overwhelmingly detached housing stock: 98.9% of dwellings are separate houses, compared to a national norm closer to half. Household income sits at the 71.9th percentile nationally, yet 60.8% of residents carry a mortgage, well above typical owner-occupier splits in comparable NSW towns. The median age is 35, which is 5 years below the national figure, pointing to a younger family-oriented cohort drawn by Southern Highlands pricing. Only 13.7% of residents rent, one of the lower renter shares across NSW, and full-time employment runs at 64.5%.
Population
2,792
Median Age
35.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,924/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
21
Median House
$820K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The median house price is $820,000, with the price series running from $795,000 in 2024 to $830,000 in 2025, a 4.4% gain over one year. At 98.9% separate house stock, buyers face essentially no apartment or semi-detached competition, making detached properties the default rather than a premium choice. Four-plus bedroom homes account for 52.3% of all dwellings, above most Sydney fringe markets, because plots are large and renovation activity is steady with 19 development applications in the past 12 months. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,000, and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 24.0%, below the 30% stress threshold, suggesting households are managing repayments relative to their 71.9th-percentile incomes. Outright owners (25.6%) are outnumbered two-to-one by mortgage holders (60.8%), consistent with a suburb where the majority of buyers arrived within the past decade.
For Buyers
The median house price is $820,000, with the price series running from $795,000 in 2024 to $830,000 in 2025, a 4.4% gain over one year. At 98.9% separate house stock, buyers face essentially no apartment or semi-detached competition, making detached properties the default rather than a premium choice. Four-plus bedroom homes account for 52.3% of all dwellings, above most Sydney fringe markets, because plots are large and renovation activity is steady with 19 development applications in the past 12 months. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,000, and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 24.0%, below the 30% stress threshold, suggesting households are managing repayments relative to their 71.9th-percentile incomes. Outright owners (25.6%) are outnumbered two-to-one by mortgage holders (60.8%), consistent with a suburb where the majority of buyers arrived within the past decade.
For Investors
At 13.7%, the renter share is lower than the NSW state average of around 30%, which constrains the tenant pool landlords can draw on. Weekly rent of $435 against the $820,000 median implies a gross yield near 2.8%, thin by regional standards. The vacancy rate of 5.1% is elevated, signalling softer rental demand relative to available stock. Development activity runs at 19 applications in the past 12 months, with recent lodgements including secondary dwellings and sheds rather than large residential subdivisions. The 4.4% price growth from $795,000 to $830,000 between 2024 and 2025 is the stronger part of the investment case, as the Southern Highlands corridor has attracted lifestyle-driven buyers paying above prior year levels. The mortgage stress ratio of 24.0% is below stress thresholds, reducing default risk among the existing owner base and supporting price floors.
Development Activity
Total DAs
144
Last 12 Months
21
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-12.5%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Hill Top iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Hill Top Public School
K-6 · 120 students
Demographics
At a median age of 35, Hill Top sits 5 years below the national median, suggesting the suburb skews toward families with younger children rather than retirees. Overseas-born residents make up 12.2% of the population, which is 9.4 percentage points below the national figure. Ancestry is strongly Anglo-Celtic: English (1,289), Scottish (321) and Irish (304) are the top three, reflecting the suburb's identity as a long-established Southern Highlands settlement. University qualifications sit at 17.8%, which is 12.3 points below the national average, consistent with an occupational mix that leans toward healthcare, construction and skilled trades rather than knowledge-economy office roles. Average household size is 2.8, slightly above the national figure, fitting the couples-with-children profile: families with children (1,110) outnumber couples without children (549) by two to one.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
98.9%
Houses
N/A
Townhouse
0.8%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure is heavily skewed toward ownership: 25.6% own outright, 60.8% carry a mortgage and only 13.7% rent, a split that is unusual compared to most NSW suburbs where renters typically represent 25 to 35% of households. The stock is almost entirely detached houses at 98.9%, with apartments at just 0.8%, making this one of the most detached-dominant profiles in the Southern Highlands. Four-plus bedroom dwellings dominate at 52.3%, followed by three-bedroom at 39.4%, so small-dwelling supply is virtually absent. The price series moved from $795,000 in 2024 to $830,000 in 2025, a 4.4% annual gain. Mortgage-to-income is 24.0% and rent-to-income is 22.6%, both below stress thresholds, indicating that current housing costs are manageable relative to household incomes at the 71.9th percentile nationally.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,000
Rent / wk
$435
HH Size
2.8
Personal Income / wk
$838
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
5.1%
Unoccupied
52
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.6%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.0%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
22.8%
Couples, no children
2,403
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare leads the industry mix at 16.5% (144 workers), followed by Construction at 14.1% (123) and Education at 10.7% (93). The Construction share is above national norms, driven partly by ongoing residential development across the Southern Highlands. Manufacturing (9.2%) and Retail (8.8%) round out the top five. By occupation, Professionals (173), Machinery/Drivers (162), Sales (161) and Labourers (160) are almost evenly matched, reflecting a mixed blue-collar and white-collar workforce rather than a concentrated knowledge economy. Full-time employment runs at 64.5% and the unemployment rate is 3.5%, broadly in line with national levels. The participation rate of 63.1% is moderate, with 607 residents not in the labour force, partly explained by the presence of stay-at-home parents in a suburb with a 2.8 average household size.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
64.5%
Part-time
32.0%
Participation
63.1%
Employed
1,307
Occupations
Top Industries
University
17.8%
Postgraduate
3.6%
Born Overseas
12.2%
Dwellings
969
Transport to Work
Car dependence is extreme: 93.8% of residents drive to work, while only 0.9% use public transport and another 0.9% walk or cycle, both well below the national average. This reflects limited public transport options in the Southern Highlands and road access patterns typical of a low-density, 37.91 km2 suburb. No schools are recorded within Hill Top's boundary in this dataset, so families depend on nearby Southern Highlands towns for schooling. Rent-to-income sits at 22.6% and mortgage-to-income at 24.0%, both below stress levels, indicating residents are not financially stretched by housing costs relative to their 71.9th-percentile incomes. The volunteering rate is 12.0% and 5.7% of residents (154 people) need daily assistance. Crime data is not available for Hill Top in this dataset.
Drive
93.8%
Public Transport
0.9%
Walk / Cycle
0.9%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Hill Top compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Hill Top a good suburb to live in?
Hill Top suits families and owner-occupiers prioritising space and affordability. Household income is at the 71.9th percentile nationally, mortgage-to-income sits at a manageable 24.0%, and 98.9% of dwellings are separate houses with a majority having 4 or more bedrooms. The main trade-off is very high car dependence: 93.8% drive to work and public transport use is only 0.9%.
What is the median house price in Hill Top?
The median house price is $820,000, based on data for 2024-2025. Prices rose from $795,000 in 2024 to $830,000 in 2025, a 4.4% gain. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,000, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 24.0% is below the 30% stress threshold, lower than many NSW markets.
What schools are in Hill Top?
No schools are recorded inside Hill Top's boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in neighbouring Southern Highlands towns. The suburb's university qualification rate is 17.8%, which is 12.3 points below the national average, suggesting most residents completed trade or vocational pathways rather than tertiary degrees.
Is Hill Top safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Hill Top in this dataset. As indirect indicators, the suburb has a low 3.5% unemployment rate, household income at the 71.9th percentile nationally, and a stable resident base: 81.4% of residents stayed at the same address over the prior 5-year period, consistent with a settled, low-turnover community.
Is Hill Top good for property investment?
The renter share is only 13.7%, lower than the NSW state average of around 30%, limiting the tenant pool. Weekly rent of $435 against an $820,000 median implies a gross yield near 2.8%, and the 5.1% vacancy rate indicates some softness. The stronger case is capital growth: prices rose 4.4% from $795,000 to $830,000 between 2024 and 2025, supported by Southern Highlands lifestyle demand.
How is Hill Top's population changing?
Hill Top has 2,792 residents across 37.91 km2, giving a density of 73.6 per km2. Residential stability is high: 81.4% of residents stayed at the same address over the 5-year survey period, with an 18.6% turnover rate. Development activity is incremental at 19 applications in the past 12 months, pointing to slow organic growth rather than rapid expansion.
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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