Holmesville
Nearly all of Holmesville's 1,413 residents live in a separate house, with 99.4% detached-house stock, a proportion well above any metropolitan average. Weekly household income sits in the 70.3rd percentile nationally, meaning roughly seven in ten Australian households earn less, yet the suburb draws almost no overseas-born population at just 6.0%, which is 15.6 percentage points below the national figure. Mortgage-to-income sits at 21.2%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold, which explains why 85.8% of households own or are buying. The median age of 38 is 2 years below national, pointing to a younger, family-oriented owner-occupier base.
Population
1,413
Median Age
38.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,884/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
16
Median House
$816K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The median house price reached $821,000 in 2025, up from $810,000 in 2024, a 1.4% one-year gain. Separate houses account for 99.4% of dwellings, so buyers face an almost entirely detached market with minimal apartment competition. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 59.3%, followed by four-plus bedrooms at 29.7%, signalling strong family-sized supply. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,733, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 21.2%, well below the 30% stress threshold even though household income is in the 70.3rd percentile nationally. Outright owners make up 37.5% compared to 48.3% with a mortgage, meaning the suburb is still in an active buying phase rather than fully settled wealth accumulation.
For Buyers
The median house price reached $821,000 in 2025, up from $810,000 in 2024, a 1.4% one-year gain. Separate houses account for 99.4% of dwellings, so buyers face an almost entirely detached market with minimal apartment competition. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 59.3%, followed by four-plus bedrooms at 29.7%, signalling strong family-sized supply. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,733, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 21.2%, well below the 30% stress threshold even though household income is in the 70.3rd percentile nationally. Outright owners make up 37.5% compared to 48.3% with a mortgage, meaning the suburb is still in an active buying phase rather than fully settled wealth accumulation.
For Investors
Renters account for only 14.2% of households, lower than most NSW suburban markets, which compresses the tenant pool. Weekly rent is $390, and against the $821,000 median that implies a gross yield near 2.5%, modest but consistent with owner-occupier-dominated suburbs. Vacancy sits at 4.1%, above the tight sub-3% threshold that typically signals strong rental demand. Development activity logged 15 applications in the past 12 months, including a secondary dwelling complying development certificate, suggesting some interest in dual-occupancy additions. The 1.4% price growth over 2024-2025 is below broader Hunter regional trends, so investors should weigh income yield against relatively slow capital appreciation in the near term.
Development Activity
Total DAs
80
Last 12 Months
16
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+14.3%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
The median age of 38 is 2.0 years below the national figure, and the family composition reflects this younger profile with 445 couples-with-children families versus 288 couples without children. English ancestry leads at 574 residents, followed by Scottish (171) and Irish (131), making Holmesville one of the more Anglo-Celtic suburbs in NSW. Overseas-born residents total just 6.0%, which is 15.6 percentage points below the national average, indicating very limited international migration into the area. University qualifications reach 14.7%, which is 15.4 percentage points below the national rate, consistent with a trade-and-services workforce. Average household size is 2.9, which is 0.4 above the national figure, reinforcing the family-oriented, multi-person household character.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
99.4%
Houses
N/A
Townhouse
0.6%
Apartment
Tenure
The stock is defined by its homogeneity: 99.4% separate houses and just 0.6% apartments, which is far above state and national detached-house averages. Three-bedroom homes are the mode at 59.3%, with four-plus bedrooms at 29.7% and two-bedrooms at 10.0%. Tenure leans toward ownership, with 37.5% owning outright and 48.3% on a mortgage, leaving renters at just 14.2%. Price movement from $810,000 in 2024 to $821,000 in 2025 shows a 1.4% gain, modest by NSW standards. Rent-to-income sits at 20.7%, below the 30% stress level, meaning the small rental cohort retains reasonable affordability. The low renter share and dominant ownership profile make this an owner-occupier suburb by design rather than convenience.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,733
Rent / wk
$390
HH Size
2.9
Personal Income / wk
$743
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
4.1%
Unoccupied
21
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.7%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.2%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
23.5%
Couples, no children
1,227
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare employs 23.0% of working residents (94 workers), the largest single industry, followed by Construction at 14.7% (60 workers) and Manufacturing and Education tied at 7.6% each. By occupation, Labourers lead at 103 workers, ahead of Community/Personal services (87), Clerical/Admin (85) and Professionals (83), a mix more trade and service-oriented than knowledge-sector heavy, consistent with university qualification rates 15.4 percentage points below national. Full-time employment runs at 62.9% and the unemployment rate is 3.9%, close to national norms. The participation rate of 58.4% is moderate, partly because 409 residents are not in the labour force, a figure that may reflect a mix of early retirees, carers and stay-at-home parents in a suburb with 2.9 average household size.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
62.9%
Part-time
33.2%
Participation
58.4%
Employed
649
Occupations
Top Industries
University
14.7%
Postgraduate
3.4%
Born Overseas
6.0%
Dwellings
482
Transport to Work
Car dependence is near-total at 94.1% of residents driving to work, above most NSW averages, and only 1.3% walk or cycle. Public transport data is not available for this suburb, though the car-reliance figure implies limited service frequency. No schools are recorded within the Holmesville boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs such as Cardiff and Glendale. The volunteering rate is 8.8% and 6.3% of residents (87 people) need daily assistance, figures in line with a younger-median-age suburb. Housing stress indicators are positive: mortgage-to-income at 21.2% and rent-to-income at 20.7% are both below the 30% stress threshold nationally, pointing to a community where most households manage costs without financial strain.
Drive
94.1%
Public Transport
N/A
Walk / Cycle
1.3%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Holmesville compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Holmesville a good suburb to live in?
Holmesville suits families who want detached housing with manageable mortgage costs. Household income sits in the 70.3rd percentile nationally, mortgage-to-income is 21.2% (below the 30% stress threshold), and 85.8% of residents own or are buying their home. The main trade-offs are high car dependence at 94.1% and no schools recorded within the suburb boundary.
What is the median house price in Holmesville?
The median house price is $821,000 as of 2025, up 1.4% from $810,000 in 2024. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,733 and weekly rent is $390. The mortgage-to-income ratio of 21.2% is below the national stress benchmark of 30%.
What schools are in Holmesville?
No schools are recorded inside the Holmesville boundary in this dataset. Families use schools in surrounding suburbs such as Cardiff and Glendale. The local university qualification rate is 14.7%, which is 15.4 percentage points below the national average, reflecting the suburb's trade and services workforce profile.
Is Holmesville safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Holmesville in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, housing stress is low, with mortgage-to-income at 21.2% and rent-to-income at 20.7%, both well below the 30% stress threshold. Household income sits in the 70.3rd percentile nationally, consistent with a stable, owner-occupier community.
Is Holmesville good for property investment?
Rental demand is limited: only 14.2% of households rent, well below broader NSW suburban averages. Weekly rent of $390 against an $821,000 median implies a gross yield near 2.5%. Vacancy sits at 4.1%, above the tight sub-3% threshold. Price growth was 1.4% in 2024-2025, modest compared to stronger Hunter Valley pockets, making yield rather than capital growth the primary driver.
How is Holmesville's population changing?
Holmesville's current population is 1,413 residents across 1.7 square kilometres. Residential stability is high, with 79.8% of residents remaining at the same address, indicating low turnover. The 15 development applications in the past 12 months, including a secondary dwelling certificate, suggest gradual infill rather than rapid population 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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