Orchard Hills
With 88.7% population growth over the past decade, Orchard Hills ranks among the fastest-expanding pockets in Western Sydney, yet it remains one of the least dense suburbs at just 41.7 residents per square kilometre across 43 square kilometres. Household income sits at the 87.5th percentile nationally, and 59.6% of dwellings are owned outright. The median age of 47 is 7 years above the national average, signalling an established, owner-occupier base that has largely paid off its mortgages. Construction is the single largest employer at 19.6% of the local workforce, which aligns with the suburb's strong development pipeline of 81 applications in the past 12 months.
Population
1,798
Median Age
47.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,279/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
87
Median House
$950K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The median house price of $950,000 places Orchard Hills above the broader Western Sydney median for detached housing, but mortgage repayments of approximately $2,550 per month produce a mortgage-to-income ratio of 25.8%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold. Stock is overwhelmingly detached: 95.9% of dwellings are separate houses and 76.9% have 4 or more bedrooms, so buyers competing for family homes face a concentrated, limited pool. Only 2.1% are semi-detached and 1.1% apartments, meaning the suburb offers very little entry-level attached stock compared to most Sydney outer-ring areas. Outright ownership at 59.6% is high, suggesting long-tenure residents, not a frequent turnover market.
For Buyers
The median house price of $950,000 places Orchard Hills above the broader Western Sydney median for detached housing, but mortgage repayments of approximately $2,550 per month produce a mortgage-to-income ratio of 25.8%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold. Stock is overwhelmingly detached: 95.9% of dwellings are separate houses and 76.9% have 4 or more bedrooms, so buyers competing for family homes face a concentrated, limited pool. Only 2.1% are semi-detached and 1.1% apartments, meaning the suburb offers very little entry-level attached stock compared to most Sydney outer-ring areas. Outright ownership at 59.6% is high, suggesting long-tenure residents, not a frequent turnover market.
For Investors
The rental market here is thin by design: only 14.6% of dwellings are rented and the vacancy rate sits at 5.2%, elevated compared to typical owner-occupier suburbs. Weekly rent of $450 against a $950,000 median implies a gross yield around 2.5%, modest but consistent with low-density outer-metropolitan stock. The investment case is built on growth: population expanded 88.7% over 10 years, net internal migration averages 88 residents per year and net overseas migration adds another 82, giving a balanced dual-driver inflow. Rent grew 69.3% over the measurement period, outpacing income growth of 31.9%, which tightens affordability for future tenants. Development activity at 81 applications in 12 months is solid for a suburb of 1,798 residents.
Development Activity
Total DAs
197
Last 12 Months
87
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+163.6%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Orchard Hills iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Montgrove College
K-12 · 675 students
Penrith Anglican College
K-12 · 1214 students
Penrith Christian School
K-12 · 744 students
Orchard Hills Public School
K-6 · 242 students
Demographics
The median age of 47 is 7.0 years above the national figure, making this one of the older resident profiles in the Western Sydney growth corridor. Average household size of 3.1 is 0.6 above the national average, consistent with multi-generational or large family dwellings. Overseas-born residents at 23.7% are 2.1 percentage points above national. Ancestry is led by English (442), Maltese (263) and Italian (207), with a Lebanese community of 115, reflecting the Mediterranean and Middle Eastern migration waves that settled Greater Penrith from the 1980s onward. University qualifications at 29.9% match almost exactly the national average, 0.2 percentage points below. The volunteering rate of 14.0% indicates an engaged community for the suburb's small size.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
95.9%
Houses
2.1%
Townhouse
1.1%
Apartment
Tenure
Owner-occupiers dominate the tenure mix decisively: 59.6% own outright and 25.8% hold a mortgage, leaving just 14.6% renting, well below state and national norms. This means the suburb's housing stock turns over slowly, and new listings are comparatively rare. Separate houses account for 95.9% of all dwellings, the highest end of the detached-house spectrum nationally, and 76.9% have 4 or more bedrooms. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,550, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 25.8%, below the 30% stress threshold despite a $950,000 median. Rent-to-income at 19.7% is also below the stress threshold of 30%. The combination of large homes, high outright ownership and low renter share is typical of a settled, family-oriented outer suburb rather than a speculative growth market.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,550
Rent / wk
$450
HH Size
3.1
Personal Income / wk
$844
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
5.2%
Unoccupied
31
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.7%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
25.8%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
23.9%
Couples, no children
1,618
Total families
Economy & Employment
Construction leads local employment at 19.6% of workers, reflecting both the suburb's ongoing residential development pipeline and its proximity to major Western Sydney infrastructure projects. Education follows at 12.1% and Healthcare at 11.1%, together forming a public-service backbone. Professional and technical services account for 6.8% and Retail for 6.6%. By occupation, Clerical/Admin (159) and Managers (150) top the list, followed closely by Professionals (148). The unemployment rate is 3.7% against a participation rate of 52.8%, which is lower than state averages, partly because the older median age of 47 means a larger cohort outside the labour force. Real income grew 31.9% over the period, above typical inflation, supporting purchasing power in the local property market.
Unemployment
1.3%
Labour Force
7,595
Unemployed
102
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
61.2%
Part-time
35.1%
Participation
52.8%
Employed
788
Occupations
Top Industries
University
29.9%
Postgraduate
6.7%
Born Overseas
23.7%
Dwellings
563
Transport to Work
Car dependency is near-total: 89.7% of residents drive to work and only 1.3% use public transport, well below the Sydney metropolitan average. This is expected for a 43-square-kilometre suburb with a density of just 41.7 people per square kilometre. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary in this dataset, so families rely on institutions in adjoining suburbs such as Penrith and Cambridge Park. Crime data is not available for Orchard Hills at this scale. The need-for-assistance rate of 6.2% affects 109 residents, manageable relative to the suburb's size. Housing stress is low: mortgage-to-income sits at 25.8% and rent-to-income at 19.7%, both below the 30% threshold that signals financial pressure. The suburb's large lots and low density produce a lifestyle trade-off of space versus connectivity.
Drive
89.7%
Public Transport
1.3%
Walk / Cycle
3.1%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+2.92%/yr
(+388 people/yr)
EstablishedPopulation grew 88.7% over the past decade, from a small base to 13,282 in 2025, and medium forecasts project continued expansion to around 15,756 by 2031, an annual addition of roughly 388 residents. Annual growth is running at 2.92%, well above state and national averages. Both migration streams are positive: net internal migration averages 88 per year and net overseas migration 82, a balanced driver that is more resilient than suburbs relying on a single source. The affordability trend has worsened slightly, from 49.5% in 2011 to 51.7% in 2021, indicating rising price pressure. Rent growth of 69.3% over the period significantly outpaced income growth of 31.9%. The gentrification score is 11, classified as not gentrifying, because the suburb is not attracting the uplift typical of inner-ring gentrification but rather organic family-led demand.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+82
Net Internal / yr
+88
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Net internal migration +88/yr
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Orchard Hills compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Orchard Hills a good suburb to live in?
Orchard Hills suits families who value space and owner-occupier stability. Household income sits at the 87.5th percentile nationally, 95.9% of dwellings are separate houses with most having 4 or more bedrooms, and mortgage-to-income at 25.8% is below the stress threshold. The trade-off is high car dependency, with 89.7% of residents driving to work and only 1.3% using public transport.
What is the median house price in Orchard Hills?
The median house price in Orchard Hills is approximately $950,000, based on 2024-2025 PSI data. Weekly rent averages $450 and monthly mortgage repayments run around $2,550, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 25.8%, below the 30% stress threshold.
What schools are in Orchard Hills?
No schools are recorded within the Orchard Hills boundary in this dataset, which is consistent with its low density of 41.7 residents per square kilometre across 43 square kilometres. Families typically access schools in neighbouring Penrith and Cambridge Park. University qualifications among residents at 29.9% are close to the national average.
Is Orchard Hills safe?
Specific crime statistics are not available for Orchard Hills at suburb level. As an indirect indicator, housing stress is low with mortgage-to-income at 25.8% and rent-to-income at 19.7%, both well below the 30% threshold. Household income at the 87.5th percentile nationally and a 59.6% outright ownership rate suggest a financially stable resident base.
Is Orchard Hills good for property investment?
The growth fundamentals are strong: 88.7% population increase over 10 years, annual growth of 2.92%, and rent growth of 69.3% over the measurement period. Dual migration inflows average 88 internal and 82 overseas net arrivals per year. Gross yield is modest at around 2.5% against the $950,000 median, so the investment case is primarily capital growth rather than rental income.
How is Orchard Hills's population changing?
Population grew 88.7% over the past decade and reached 13,282 in 2025. Annual growth is 2.92%, adding approximately 388 residents per year. Medium forecasts project the population to reach around 15,756 by 2031, driven by balanced net internal migration of 88 per year and net overseas migration of 82 per year.
How much development is happening in Orchard Hills?
There were 81 development applications lodged in the past 12 months, significant for a suburb of 1,798 residents. Applications include new dwelling houses, complying development certificates and residential accommodation, consistent with the suburb's active construction sector which employs 19.6% of local workers, the highest industry share.
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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