Hillvue
Detached houses make up 93.6% of dwellings in this Tamworth suburb, and that single fact shapes almost everything else about the local market. The $630,000 median house price sits well below Sydney levels because supply is family stock on land, with 57.3% of homes carrying four or more bedrooms. Household income reaches the 59.6th percentile nationally, close to the middle of the country, while the median age of 42 runs 2.0 years above the national figure. Only 7.3% of residents were born overseas, which is 14.3 points below national, so the population is strongly anglo-leaning, led by English (2,717) and Irish (796) ancestry. With rent at $350 a week and a vacancy rate of 6.1%, the area reads as an owner-occupier stronghold rather than an investor market.
Population
6,528
Median Age
42.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,701/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
59
Median House
$630K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
Buyers here are purchasing family houses, not units, because separate houses account for 93.6% of stock and four-or-more-bedroom homes make up 57.3% of dwellings. The $630,000 median is far below capital city medians, and the recent trajectory has been firm: the local price series rose from $605,000 in 2024 to $678,000 in 2025, a 12.1% one-year move. Three-bedroom homes add another 36.4% of the stock, so options below the family-house tier are scarce. Affordability is the real draw. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,517, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of just 20.6%, well below the 30% stress threshold, even though household income only reaches the 59.6th percentile nationally. Outright owners at 40.4% outnumber mortgage holders at 35.9%, a sign of an established, largely debt-free ownership base.
For Buyers
Buyers here are purchasing family houses, not units, because separate houses account for 93.6% of stock and four-or-more-bedroom homes make up 57.3% of dwellings. The $630,000 median is far below capital city medians, and the recent trajectory has been firm: the local price series rose from $605,000 in 2024 to $678,000 in 2025, a 12.1% one-year move. Three-bedroom homes add another 36.4% of the stock, so options below the family-house tier are scarce. Affordability is the real draw. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,517, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of just 20.6%, well below the 30% stress threshold, even though household income only reaches the 59.6th percentile nationally. Outright owners at 40.4% outnumber mortgage holders at 35.9%, a sign of an established, largely debt-free ownership base.
For Investors
The investment case here is thin because the suburb is built for owner-occupiers. Renters make up just 23.7% of households, below the share in most metropolitan markets, and weekly rent averages only $350. Against the $630,000 median house price, that rent implies a gross yield near 2.9%, modest for a regional centre. The 6.1% vacancy rate is higher than a tight rental market would show, pointing to limited tenant competition rather than scarcity. Development activity is moderate, with 55 applications lodged in the past 12 months, but the samples skew toward owner projects like swimming pools and single dwelling houses rather than new rental supply. With detached houses at 93.6% of stock and no apartment segment recorded, an investor is buying a house that competes directly with owner-occupiers, so the return leans on capital growth rather than yield.
Development Activity
Total DAs
265
Last 12 Months
59
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+34.1%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
The median age of 42 is 2.0 years above the national figure, pointing to a settled, family-oriented population rather than a young renter base. Only 7.3% of residents were born overseas, which is 14.3 points below national, making this one of the more anglo-leaning profiles in the dataset. Ancestry confirms it: English (2,717), Irish (796), Scottish (594) and German (275) lead, and the largest non-English language is Mandarin with just 37 speakers. University qualifications reach 22.7%, which is 7.4 points below national, consistent with a workforce weighted toward trades, healthcare support and clerical roles rather than professional services. Average household size is 2.5, identical to the national figure. Christianity dominates religious affiliation with 4,174 residents, far ahead of Buddhism (39) and Hinduism (38), again reflecting the low share of overseas-born residents.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
93.6%
Houses
5.5%
Townhouse
N/A
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure tilts toward ownership: 40.4% own outright, 35.9% carry a mortgage and only 23.7% rent. Outright owners outnumbering mortgage holders signals long-held, debt-free housing rather than a churn of recent buyers. The stock is overwhelmingly detached at 93.6% separate houses, with semi-detached dwellings at just 5.5% and no apartment segment, so the market is almost entirely family homes on land. Four-or-more-bedroom houses dominate at 57.3% and three-bedroom homes add 36.4%, leaving smaller dwellings scarce. The median house price climbed from $605,000 in 2024 to $678,000 in 2025, a 12.1% rise. Affordability stays comfortable: mortgage-to-income reads 20.6% and rent-to-income 20.6%, both well below the 30% stress line, which is why neither stress flag is triggered despite household income sitting only at the 59.6th percentile nationally.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,517
Rent / wk
$350
HH Size
2.5
Personal Income / wk
$839
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
6.1%
Unoccupied
160
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.6%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.6%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
32.4%
Couples, no children
5,289
Total families
Economy & Employment
The local workforce concentrates in service sectors rather than knowledge industries. Healthcare leads at 21.1% (426 workers), Education follows at 14.9% (301), then Construction at 9.0% (181), Public Admin at 7.7% (156) and Manufacturing at 7.0% (141), a mix typical of a regional centre that serves a wider catchment. By occupation, Professionals (585) and Clerical/Admin (451) top the list, but Community/Personal (430) and Labourers (378) feature heavily, which aligns with university qualifications running 7.4 points below national. Unemployment is low at 3.7% and the full-time employment rate reads 66.6%. Participation sits at 60.9%, held down partly by the older median age of 42 and the 1,665 residents not in the labour force. The healthcare and education weighting gives the local economy a stable, less cyclical base than construction-heavy areas.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
66.6%
Part-time
29.7%
Participation
60.9%
Employed
3,118
Occupations
Top Industries
University
22.7%
Postgraduate
4.9%
Born Overseas
7.3%
Dwellings
2,463
Transport to Work
Hillvue is built around the car, with 90.3% of commuters driving and only 0.3% using public transport, far below the metropolitan average, which is typical for a regional centre where distances are short but transit is sparse. Active travel is minimal at 1.2% walking or cycling. The community shows reasonable connection: volunteering runs at 17.0% and only 5.5% of residents (345 people) need daily assistance despite the older median age of 42. Housing affordability is a genuine livability asset, with both mortgage-to-income and rent-to-income at 20.6%, well below the 30% stress threshold. No schools are recorded inside the 11.76 km2 suburb boundary in this dataset, so families rely on institutions in surrounding Tamworth, a practical trade-off given the low-density, detached-house layout at 555 residents per km2.
Drive
90.3%
Public Transport
0.3%
Walk / Cycle
1.2%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Hillvue compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Hillvue a good suburb to live in?
Hillvue suits families and owner-occupiers, with 93.6% detached houses and a $630,000 median that is well below capital city levels. Housing stress is low, as both mortgage-to-income and rent-to-income sit at 20.6%, well under the 30% threshold. Household income reaches the 59.6th percentile nationally, close to the country's midpoint.
What is the median house price in Hillvue?
The median house price is $630,000, far below capital city medians. The local price series rose 12.1% in a year, from $605,000 in 2024 to $678,000 in 2025. Weekly rent averages $350 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $1,517, giving a comfortable mortgage-to-income ratio of 20.6%.
What schools are in Hillvue?
No schools are recorded inside the 11.76 km2 Hillvue boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in surrounding Tamworth. The suburb skews toward families, with 57.3% of homes carrying four or more bedrooms and an average household size of 2.5, identical to the national figure.
Is Hillvue safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Hillvue in this dataset. As indirect indicators, only 5.5% of residents (345 people) need daily assistance and household turnover is low at 23.5%, with 76.5% of residents staying put, both consistent with a settled, stable area.
Is Hillvue good for property investment?
Rent of $350 a week against a $630,000 median gives a gross yield near 2.9%, modest for a regional centre, and the renter share is just 23.7%. The 6.1% vacancy rate points to limited tenant competition, so returns lean on capital growth, which ran 12.1% in the latest year, rather than yield.
How is Hillvue's population changing?
Hillvue's population stands at 6,528 and the profile is settled, with household turnover at 23.5% and 76.5% of residents staying put. The median age of 42 runs 2.0 years above the national figure, and 55 development applications in 12 months point to gradual rather than rapid growth.
How much development is happening in Hillvue?
There were 55 development applications lodged in the past 12 months. Most are owner-driven projects such as swimming pools and single dwelling houses rather than large subdivisions, consistent with a settled area where detached houses already make up 93.6% of the stock.
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 Hillvue on the Map
View parcels, zoning overlays, DA applications, schools and more.
Open Interactive Map