NSW 2110 Census 2021 + Live DA Data

Hunters Hill

A 98.9th-percentile household income sits alongside an aging, low-growth profile. Hunters Hill has 9,014 residents, a median age of 46, and 70.8% of dwellings are separate houses. Established wealth is reinforced by 56.1% university attainment and a 57.8% work-from-home rate, supporting larger homes and quieter routines but narrowing entry points for younger buyers. Compared with nearby Lane Cove and Gladesville, the suburb presents a more detached, family-oriented housing brief. Its 9.1% vacancy rate gives renters more choice than the tightest markets, while 10-year population change of 0.4% makes amenity more important than rapid expansion.

Hunters Hill urban fabric map

Population

9,014

Median Age

46.0

Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)

$3,413/wk

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

161

3.63 km²· 2,482 people/km²· Family income $4,583/wk

Buyers are choosing established housing rather than a high-turnover growth story. Separate houses account for 70.8% of stock, 47.7% of homes have four or more bedrooms and only 17.5% are apartments, so the search favours family space and renovation potential. The mortgage benchmark is $4,333 a month against household income of $3,413 a week, with a 29.3% mortgage-to-income ratio and no flagged stress result. Compared with a unit-focused search in nearby Lane Cove, Hunters Hill suits households prioritising land and room. The 42.3% outright ownership rate also signals a mature market, so buyers should assess upkeep, insurance and the exact school catchment before committing.

For Buyers

Buyers are choosing established housing rather than a high-turnover growth story. Separate houses account for 70.8% of stock, 47.7% of homes have four or more bedrooms and only 17.5% are apartments, so the search favours family space and renovation potential. The mortgage benchmark is $4,333 a month against household income of $3,413 a week, with a 29.3% mortgage-to-income ratio and no flagged stress result. Compared with a unit-focused search in nearby Lane Cove, Hunters Hill suits households prioritising land and room. The 42.3% outright ownership rate also signals a mature market, so buyers should assess upkeep, insurance and the exact school catchment before committing.

For Investors

Investors get an affluent tenant base, but the yield case needs careful pricing. Renting accounts for 21.0% of households, weekly rent is $530 and vacancy is 9.1%, giving tenants more choice than in tighter rental markets. Development activity reached 162 applications in 12 months, with examples centred on alterations, new dwelling work, garages, pools and retaining walls rather than a clear apartment pipeline. The 42.3% outright ownership rate and 33.8% mortgage tenure point to a mature owner-occupier market. Forecast growth is -0.28% annually and overseas migration is the primary driver, so compared with faster-growing areas, investment performance depends more on property quality, scarcity and tenant retention than rapid expansion.

Development Activity

Total DAs

814

Last 12 Months

161

YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements

+7.3%

Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year

N/A

Monthly DA Lodgements

DA Categories

Renovation / Extension
136
Demolition
75
Swimming Pool / Spa
31
New Dwelling
30
Subdivision
10
Multi-Dwelling / Townhouse
8
Other
5
Granny Flat / Secondary Dwelling
4

Schools in Hunters Hill

Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.

Boronia Park Public School

Primary School Government
School website

Hunters Hill Public School

Primary School Government
School website

Hunters Hill High School

Secondary School Government
School website

Demographics

Hunters Hill is older and more highly educated than the national baseline: median age is 46, or 6.0 years above national, and university attainment is 56.1%, 26.0 percentage points higher. Families remain central, with 54.9% of families couples with children, while 34.0% are couples without children and average household size is 2.8. English ancestry counts 2,672 residents and Chinese ancestry 817, while Christianity is recorded for 5,275 people versus 2,528 reporting no religion. Overseas-born residents make up 28.3%, 6.7 points above national, without forming a majority. Compared with nearby Gladesville, the profile is more established and age-heavy, consistent with 83.4% of residents staying at the same address.

Age Distribution

0-14
18.2%
15-24
13.2%
25-44
17.2%
45-64
27.6%
65+
23.9%

Bedrooms

Studio/1br
5.7%
2 bed
17.0%
3 bed
29.5%
4+ bed
47.7%

Dwelling Structure

70.8%

Houses

11.8%

Townhouse

17.5%

Apartment

Tenure

Own 42.3% Mortgage 33.8% Rent 21.0% Other 2.9%

Detached housing dominates Hunters Hill, with 70.8% separate houses, 17.5% apartments and 11.8% semi-detached dwellings. The bedroom mix reinforces that pattern: 47.7% have four or more bedrooms, 29.5% have three and 17.0% have two. Tenure is comparatively secure, with 42.3% owned outright, 33.8% mortgaged and 21.0% rented. Mortgage costs are $4,333 monthly and rent is $530 weekly; mortgage-to-income is 29.3% and rent-to-income is 15.5%, with neither stress measure flagged. Compared with apartment-oriented searches in nearby Lane Cove, Hunters Hill suits buyers seeking space, but the 9.1% vacancy rate means renters can compare condition and value more carefully.

Mortgage / mo

$4,333

Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (April to June 2026), NSW Rental Bond Board (DCJ). Census 2021 median: $530.

$1,100

Bond data Jun 2026 · houses $1,475 · units $698

HH Size

2.8

Personal Income / wk

$1,239

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

9.1%

Unoccupied

293

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

15.5%

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

29.3%

Community Profile

Languages Spoken at Home

Mandarin
129
Greek
97
Canton
83
Italian
71
Arabic
50
Persian ED
23

Ancestry

English
2,672
Irish
1,263
Other
1,097
Chinese
817
Scottish
793
Italian
713

Household Composition

54.9%

Couples with children

34.0%

Couples, no children

10.1%

Single parent

2,268

Total families

Economy & Employment

Household earning power is a defining feature: weekly household income is $3,413 and sits at the 98.9th percentile. SEIFA scores place the suburb in decile 10 for IEO, IER, IRSD and IRSAD, with scores of 1,169, 1,105, 1,111 and 1,165 respectively. Employment is relatively strong, with 3.5% unemployment, 56.3% participation and 57.3% working full time. Professional/Tech leads local industries at 18.2% or 562 workers, followed by Healthcare at 17.1% or 530 and Finance at 11.0% or 340. Professionals number 1,496 and managers 1,052, helping explain the 57.8% work-from-home rate. Compared with the national labour market, the base is more credentialed and management-heavy, supporting premium services but not guaranteeing local job creation.

Unemployment

3.5%

Labour Force

4,150

Unemployed

147

Source: ABS Census 2021

Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)

Overall advantage
10
Disadvantage
10
Economic resources
10
Education & occupation
10

Full-time

57.3%

Part-time

32.8%

Participation

56.3%

Employed

4,003

Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021

Occupations

Professionals 1,496
Managers 1,052
Clerical/Admin 514
Sales 275
Community/Personal 240
Trades 213
Labourers 90
Machinery/Drivers 54

Top Industries

Professional/Tech 18.2%
Healthcare 17.1%
Finance 11.0%
Education 9.1%
Construction 7.3%

University

56.1%

Postgraduate

18.3%

Born Overseas

28.3%

Dwellings

2,910

Transport to Work

Daily life suits households that value space, established services and home-based work. Public transport is used by 1.9% of residents, compared with 35.6% who drive, while 57.8% work from home, so commuting convenience depends heavily on the exact street and destination. Three nearby government schools cover two primary options and one secondary option, giving families a local public-school pathway; check enrolment zones against the address. Volunteering is 22.4% and residential stability is 83.4%, supporting durable local connections. SEIFA IRSAD is decile 10 with a score of 1,165, well above the national midpoint. With density at 2,482 people per square kilometre across 3.63 square kilometres, Hunters Hill feels compact; compared with a denser apartment precinct, its 70.8% separate-house share changes the daily rhythm. Inspect lighting, routes and property security at different times before deciding on a street.

Drive

35.6%

Public Transport

1.9%

Walk / Cycle

2.8%

Work from Home

57.8%

Population Forecast

-0.28%/yr

(-28 people/yr)

Established

Growth is subdued and ageing rather than expansion-led. The forecast trend is -0.28% annually, while population change across the wider area is 0.4% over 10 years. Overseas migration is the primary driver, but that inflow is not translating into rapid local expansion because Hunters Hill is established and land constrained. The shift trajectory is Aging, with senior share up 4.8 percentage points, young share down 2.0 points and working share down 1.7 points. Rents have grown 35.0%, while the affordability measure moved from 49.9% in 2011 to 43.4% in 2021. Gentrification is scored 0 and classified Not gentrifying, while another shift indicator is 30 and Early signs, suggesting isolated change rather than suburb-wide transition. Compared with faster-growing outer areas, plan for gradual turnover and an older customer base, not a population surge.

Historical + Forecast

Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025

Age Cohort Forecast

Primary Driver

Overseas Migration

Net Overseas / yr

+102

Net Internal / yr

+41

0

Gentrification Signal

Not gentrifying

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

How Hunters Hill compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs

Population
Top 6%
Household Income
Top 1%
Rent Level
Top 4%
Apartments
Top 5%
Renters
Top 36%
Uni Educated
Top 6%
Public Transport
Bottom 39%
Born Overseas
Top 16%
Density
Top 6%

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Hunters Hill a good suburb to live in?

Hunters Hill suits buyers seeking established streets, larger homes and strong socioeconomic conditions. Median age is 46, 70.8% of dwellings are separate houses and 57.8% of residents work from home. It is less suitable for buyers prioritising rapid growth or heavy public-transport use, with annual forecast growth of -0.28% and public transport mode share of 1.9%.

What is the median house price in Hunters Hill?

A current median house price should be checked against recent settled sales because the local housing mix is strongly detached. Separate houses make up 70.8% of homes, 47.7% have four or more bedrooms and the mortgage benchmark is $4,333 per month. These figures describe the market's scale, but they are not a median sale price, so avoid budgeting from a guessed number.

What schools are in Hunters Hill?

Families have access to 3 nearby government schools: Boronia Park Public School and Hunters Hill Public School at primary level, plus Hunters Hill High School for secondary years. That gives a clearer public-school pathway than suburbs with only one local stage, but enrolment zones and available places should be checked for the exact address.

Is Hunters Hill safe?

Safety should be judged street by street rather than assumed from a suburb-wide label. Inspect lighting, crossings, parking areas and evening activity at different times before renting or buying. The compact 3.63 square kilometre area makes this practical, but conditions can vary around traffic routes, so a street-level visit is more useful than a broad reputation.

Is Hunters Hill good for property investment?

Hunters Hill can suit a long-term investor who values established owner-occupier demand, but the numbers favour selectivity over a high-yield strategy. Rent is $530 a week, vacancy is 9.1% and renters make up 21.0% of households. Forecast growth is -0.28% annually, while 162 development applications in 12 months indicate ongoing property activity. Compared with a faster-growing market, returns depend more on asset quality and tenant retention.

How is Hunters Hill's population changing?

The population outlook is stable to shrinking rather than expansionary. Hunters Hill has 9,014 residents today, forecast annual growth is -0.28% and wider-area population change over 10 years is 0.4%. The shift trajectory is Aging, with senior share up 4.8 points and young share down 2.0 points. Overseas migration is the primary driver, so change is more likely to come through gradual turnover than a large population surge.

What development is occurring in Hunters Hill?

Development activity reached 162 applications over 12 months, but the examples point mainly to established-property work: alterations, new dwelling structures, garages, pools, driveways and retaining walls. That pattern is more renovation-led than a clear high-density pipeline, so buyers should check individual proposals, heritage controls and construction impacts before purchasing.

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.

Explore Hunters Hill on the Map

View parcels, zoning overlays, DA applications, schools and more.

Open Interactive Map

More Suburbs in NSW