Macquarie Hills
A compact, detached-home market with 3,605 residents, Macquarie Hills combines a 35-year median age with household income at the 84.7th percentile. Its 98.0% separate-house share and 57.3% mortgage tenure point to a family-oriented mortgage belt, while 13.7% volunteering and an 83.5% staying rate suggest established local ties. The suburb is 5 years younger than the national age benchmark, yet its trajectory is aging. For buyers comparing nearby Cardiff and Warners Bay, the defining distinction is a particularly uniform detached-house profile, with 50.9% of homes containing 4 or more bedrooms.
Population
3,605
Median Age
35.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,241/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
26
Macquarie Hills suits buyers seeking detached family housing rather than apartment stock: 98.0% of dwellings are separate houses, 50.9% have 4 or more bedrooms and 47.4% have 3 bedrooms. The typical mortgage commitment is $2,000 a month, while mortgage payments equal 20.6% of household income, below the 21.1% rent-to-income share. Buyers should confirm current settled-sale prices before making an offer, because the 29.0% outright ownership rate and 57.3% mortgage tenure describe a mature owner market. Compared with apartment-oriented parts of Lake Macquarie, the trade-off is more family space but less housing variety.
For Buyers
Macquarie Hills suits buyers seeking detached family housing rather than apartment stock: 98.0% of dwellings are separate houses, 50.9% have 4 or more bedrooms and 47.4% have 3 bedrooms. The typical mortgage commitment is $2,000 a month, while mortgage payments equal 20.6% of household income, below the 21.1% rent-to-income share. Buyers should confirm current settled-sale prices before making an offer, because the 29.0% outright ownership rate and 57.3% mortgage tenure describe a mature owner market. Compared with apartment-oriented parts of Lake Macquarie, the trade-off is more family space but less housing variety.
For Investors
Macquarie Hills has a low-rental, limited-supply profile: 13.4% of households rent, weekly rent is $473 and vacancy is 1.7%. That combination may support tenant retention because available stock is constrained, although the small rental pool makes property selection and leasing comparisons important. Development activity reached 26 matters in 12 months, with examples centred on dwelling alterations, additions and outdoor structures, pointing to incremental renewal. Demand is also supported by 1.24% annual growth across the wider area and overseas migration as the primary driver. Compared with higher-rental-share suburbs, the setting is more owner-occupier focused, so yield should be tested against the purchase price and ongoing costs.
Development Activity
Total DAs
149
Last 12 Months
26
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+23.8%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
Macquarie Hills has a median age of 35, which is 5 years below the national benchmark, but the trajectory is aging as the senior share has risen 3.3 percentage points and the young share has fallen 0.4 points. Household size is 2.9 people, 0.4 above the national comparison, and couples with children account for 50.4% of families, compared with 34.6% for couples without children. English, Scottish and Irish ancestry are the largest recorded backgrounds at 1,537, 434 and 390 people. Overseas-born residents make up 9.1%, 12.5 points below the national comparison, while university attainment is 29.3%, 0.8 points below national. Compared with nearby Cardiff and Warners Bay, the profile is more Anglo-leaning and family centred.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
98.0%
Houses
2.0%
Townhouse
0.0%
Apartment
Tenure
Macquarie Hills is overwhelmingly detached: 98.0% separate houses and 2.0% semi-detached dwellings, with 50.9% of homes containing 4 or more bedrooms and 47.4% containing 3 bedrooms. Ownership is split between 29.0% outright and 57.3% mortgage-held, while only 13.4% rent. The $473 weekly rent and $2,000 monthly mortgage correspond to 21.1% and 20.6% of household income respectively, with mortgage costs 0.5 percentage points lower than the rent share. Compared with denser nearby markets, the housing offer is less varied but better aligned with families needing larger floorplans. A 1.7% vacancy rate reinforces limited rental availability, while 0.3% other tenure is negligible.
Mortgage / mo
$2,000
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (April to June 2026), NSW Rental Bond Board (DCJ). Census 2021 median: $473.
$700
Bond data Jun 2026 · houses $725 · units $493
HH Size
2.9
Personal Income / wk
$968
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
1.7%
Unoccupied
21
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.1%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.6%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
50.4%
Couples with children
34.6%
Couples, no children
13.8%
Single parent
1,076
Total families
Economy & Employment
Employment is relatively strong, with 2,022 people in the labour force, a 72.2% participation rate and 3.7% unemployment. Full-time workers account for 60.7% of employment, while 641 people work part time and 124 are employed away from the usual place. Healthcare leads local industries at 23.2% and 310 workers, followed by Education at 11.4% and 152, Construction at 9.6% and 128, Public Administration at 7.6% and 102, and Manufacturing at 7.3% and 97. Professionals, clerical and administrative workers, and trades are the leading occupations at 402, 320 and 289 people. Compared with the national income midpoint, household income at the 84.7th percentile indicates above-average capacity, although the 20.6% mortgage-to-income share remains relevant to household budgets.
Unemployment
3.7%
Labour Force
2,022
Unemployed
75
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
60.7%
Part-time
32.9%
Participation
72.2%
Employed
1,947
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
29.3%
Postgraduate
6.4%
Born Overseas
9.1%
Dwellings
1,244
Transport to Work
Daily life is car-led: 68.6% drive to work, compared with 0.4% using public transport and 0.9% walking or cycling, while 26.7% work from home. That pattern suits households with cars and flexible work, but commuters should test peak-hour routes rather than assume rail or bus convenience. Families should check school options and enrolment zones against the exact address, including nearby primary and secondary choices, because boundaries can cut across suburb edges. The IRSAD sits in decile 8, the IEO in decile 9, the IRSD in decile 6 and the IER in decile 4. The lower IER result compared with IEO suggests economic resources vary more than education and occupation indicators. Compared with more transit-oriented suburbs, Macquarie Hills trades walkability for larger detached homes.
Drive
68.6%
Public Transport
0.4%
Walk / Cycle
0.9%
Work from Home
26.7%
Population Forecast
+1.24%/yr
(+40 people/yr)
EstablishedGrowth across the wider area runs at 1.24% a year, with overseas migration the primary driver. Population change over the past 10 years is 21.6%, while the forecast trajectory is classified as Aging, supported by a 3.3-point rise in the senior share and a 0.4-point fall in the young share. Gentrification remains at the Early signs stage, with a score of 22, and the shift measure records 11.1% rent growth plus 11.6% real income growth. That mix suggests steady established-suburb renewal rather than a sudden redevelopment wave. Compared with faster-changing inner-market settings, Macquarie Hills is more likely to evolve through owner renovations and family turnover, consistent with 26 development matters in 12 months.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+46
Net Internal / yr
-21
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +22% since 2011, Accelerating: 4% → 17%
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Macquarie Hills compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Macquarie Hills a good suburb to live in?
Macquarie Hills suits households wanting detached space and established ties: 98.0% of dwellings are separate houses, the median age is 35 and 83.5% stayed at the same address. Compared with denser areas, it is more car-dependent, with 68.6% driving to work.
What is the median house price in Macquarie Hills?
A current median house price should be confirmed from recent settled sales before bidding. The suburb is 98.0% separate houses, with 50.9% of homes containing 4 or more bedrooms and 57.3% mortgage-held. Compared with unit-heavy markets, land and family-house demand are more relevant here.
What schools are in Macquarie Hills?
School choices should be checked by exact address and enrolment zone, including primary and secondary options in the surrounding Lake Macquarie area. Macquarie Hills is 98.0% detached housing and 68.6% of workers drive, so families should compare school-run times rather than assume every option is walkable.
Is Macquarie Hills safe?
Check recent police incident patterns for Macquarie Hills compared with nearby Cardiff and Warners Bay, and visit streets at different times. The suburb covers 2.34 square kilometres and has 3,605 residents, so street context matters when assessing a particular home.
Is Macquarie Hills good for property investment?
It can suit investors seeking an established, owner-occupier-heavy market: 13.4% rent, $473 weekly rent and 1.7% vacancy. Annual growth is 1.24% and overseas migration is the primary driver. Compared with higher-rental-share suburbs, limited supply may support tenant competition, but yield depends on the purchase price.
How is Macquarie Hills's population changing?
Population change across the wider area is 21.6% over 10 years, with annual growth forecast at 1.24% and overseas migration the primary driver. The trajectory is Aging: the senior share is up 3.3 points and the young share is down 0.4 points. Compared with younger-growth areas, change is more gradual.
What development is happening in Macquarie Hills?
There were 26 development matters in 12 months, with examples including dwelling alterations, additions and outdoor structures. That pattern is more consistent with incremental renovation than a large apartment pipeline. Compared with redevelopment-heavy precincts, buyers should check how individual approvals affect parking, privacy and construction timing.
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.
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