Hunters Hill
Household income in Hunters Hill sits in the 98.9th percentile nationally, yet the population has been shrinking at -0.28% per year, losing roughly 28 residents annually since 2023. With a median house price of $3.47 million, nearly half of all homes (47.7%) have 4 or more bedrooms, a proportion far above Sydney's average. All four SEIFA indices land in decile 10, the highest band, making Hunters Hill one of the most socioeconomically advantaged suburbs in Australia. The 43.6% outright ownership rate reflects established wealth rather than leveraged buying.
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
159
Median House
$3.5M
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
At $3.47 million, the median house price sits roughly 3 times the Greater Sydney median. Buyers get predominantly detached houses (70.8% of stock), with 47.7% of dwellings offering 4+ bedrooms. Mortgage-to-income at 29.3% is just under the 30% stress threshold, though that only applies to households earning in the 99th percentile. Prices dipped 5.6% from the 2024 peak of $3.6 million, which may signal a mild correction rather than a buying opportunity, given the limited data window. The 11.8% semi-detached segment offers a lower (but still premium) entry point.
For Buyers
At $3.47 million, the median house price sits roughly 3 times the Greater Sydney median. Buyers get predominantly detached houses (70.8% of stock), with 47.7% of dwellings offering 4+ bedrooms. Mortgage-to-income at 29.3% is just under the 30% stress threshold, though that only applies to households earning in the 99th percentile. Prices dipped 5.6% from the 2024 peak of $3.6 million, which may signal a mild correction rather than a buying opportunity, given the limited data window. The 11.8% semi-detached segment offers a lower (but still premium) entry point.
For Investors
Rental returns face a structural challenge: only 21.6% of dwellings are tenanted, and vacancy hits 9.1%, far above the Sydney average of 2-3%. Weekly rent of $530 against a $3.47M purchase price implies a gross yield well below 1%. The 156 development applications in 12 months suggest active renovation and extension activity, which reflects capital reinvestment by owners rather than new rental supply. Internal migration is slightly positive at +41/year, but total population is declining because natural decrease outweighs inflows. This is a capital preservation market, not a yield play.
Development Activity
Total DAs
770
Last 12 Months
159
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+6.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Hunters Hill iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Villa Maria Catholic Primary School
K-6 · 360 students
Hunters Hill Public School
K-6 · 228 students
Boronia Park Public School
K-6 · 409 students
St Joseph's College
7-12 · 1100 students
Hunters Hill High School
7-12 · 790 students
Demographics
Median age of 46 is 6 years above the national figure, and the senior share has expanded by 4.8 percentage points over the decade, the clearest marker of an ageing resident base. University attainment at 56.1% runs 26 percentage points above the national rate. English ancestry (2,672) and Irish (1,263) dominate, with Chinese heritage (817) the third-largest group. Top non-English languages include Mandarin (129), Greek (97), and Cantonese (83). The volunteering rate of 22.4% is nearly double the national average, consistent with high community engagement in affluent areas.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
70.8%
Houses
11.8%
Townhouse
17.5%
Apartment
Tenure
Outright owners at 43.6% far exceed the national rate of around 30%, reflecting established wealth. Mortgage holders add 34.8%, and renters make up just 21.6%. The stock is 70.8% separate houses, 17.5% apartments, and 11.8% semi-detached. Prices moved from $3.6M in 2024 to $3.4M in 2025, a 5.6% decline, though the limited 2-quarter price history makes trend analysis tentative. Rent-to-income at 15.5% is among the lowest nationally, because the household income base ($3,413/week) is exceptionally high, ranking in the 98.9th percentile.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$4,333
Rent / wk
$530
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
Ancestry
Household Composition
21.5%
Couples, no children
7,103
Total families
Economy & Employment
Professional/tech services employ 18.2% of workers, the largest sector, followed by healthcare (17.1%) and finance (11.0%). The top two occupations are professionals (1,496) and managers (1,052), together accounting for over 70% of the workforce, far above the national share of around 35%. Unemployment at 3.9% is below the national benchmark, but the participation rate of 50.9% is lower than average, partly because the older population includes more retirees. All four SEIFA deciles sit at 10, indicating the suburb ranks in the top 10% nationally across disadvantage, advantage, education, and economic resources.
Unemployment
2.3%
Labour Force
5,805
Unemployed
132
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
63.6%
Part-time
32.5%
Participation
50.9%
Employed
3,607
Occupations
Top Industries
University
56.1%
Postgraduate
18.3%
Born Overseas
28.3%
Dwellings
2,910
Transport to Work
Five schools serve the area, all scoring well above the national ICSEA benchmark of 1000. Villa Maria Catholic Primary (ICSEA 1166, 360 students) leads, followed by Hunters Hill Public (1149, 228), Boronia Park Public (1145, 409), St Joseph's College secondary (1130, 1100), and Hunters Hill High (1104, 790). Public transport usage at 4.6% is low for a suburb 7km from the CBD, reflecting car dependence (84.2% drive). The IRSAD decile 10 ranking and 22.4% volunteering rate point to strong social cohesion and well-resourced local services.
Drive
84.2%
Public Transport
4.6%
Walk / Cycle
6.5%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
-0.28%/yr
(-28 people/yr)
EstablishedPopulation is declining at -0.28% annually, losing about 28 residents per year. The medium projection places Hunters Hill at 9,995 by 2031, down from 10,034 in 2025. Internal migration is slightly positive (+41/year) and overseas migration adds 102 per year, but these gains are offset by natural population decrease in an ageing community. The suburb experienced a COVID-era dip of 6.9% (from 10,602 to 9,870) and has only recovered 2.8% of that loss. Senior share grew 4.8 percentage points over 10 years, which is higher than the national ageing rate.
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
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
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Hunters Hill a good suburb to live in?
Hunters Hill ranks in SEIFA decile 10 across all four indices, placing it in the top 10% of Australian suburbs for socioeconomic advantage. Schools consistently score above ICSEA 1100, and the volunteering rate of 22.4% is nearly double the national average. The trade-off is a $3.47M median house price that limits access to high-income households.
What is the median house price in Hunters Hill?
The median house price is $3,470,000 based on 2024-2025 PSI-derived data. This represents a 5.6% decline from the 2024 peak of $3.6 million. With household weekly income at $3,413, mortgage repayments absorb 29.3% of income for buyers at the median.
What schools are in Hunters Hill?
There are 5 schools: Villa Maria Catholic Primary (ICSEA 1166, 360 students), Hunters Hill Public (1149, 228), Boronia Park Public (1145, 409), St Joseph's College secondary (1130, 1100), and Hunters Hill High School (1104, 790). All exceed the national ICSEA benchmark of 1000 by at least 104 points.
Is Hunters Hill safe?
Crime data is not available for Hunters Hill in NSW reporting. However, the SEIFA IRSD decile 10 ranking and low unemployment (3.9%) are typically associated with lower crime rates. The 83.4% residential stability rate also suggests a settled community with fewer transience-related issues.
Is Hunters Hill good for property investment?
Hunters Hill is a capital preservation market rather than a yield play. The 9.1% vacancy rate is roughly 3-4 times the Sydney average, and weekly rent of $530 on a $3.47M property delivers a gross yield below 1%. The 156 DAs in 12 months reflect owner renovations, not new rental supply. Population is declining at -0.28% per year.
How is Hunters Hill's population changing?
The population is contracting by about 28 residents per year (-0.28% annually). The medium forecast projects 9,995 by 2031, down from 10,034 in 2025. The suburb lost 6.9% of its population during COVID and has recovered only 2.8% of that loss. Senior share has grown 4.8 percentage points over the decade, well above the national ageing rate.
What development is happening in Hunters Hill?
There were 156 development applications in the past 12 months, mostly alterations and additions to existing dwelling houses. Recent filings include home renovations and a medical centre conversion. The activity reflects owners reinvesting in established properties rather than new-build densification, consistent with the suburb's heritage conservation character.
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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