Port Hacking

Development Activity

Demographics

The median age of 40 matches the national figure exactly, though the trajectory is aging: the senior share rose 2.7 points and the working-age share fell 3.2 points over the decade, typical of an established premium suburb that attracts older high-income residents. Overseas-born residents account for 15.2%, which is 6.4 points below the national average, and ancestry is strongly Anglo-Celtic, led by English (457 residents), Irish (143) and Scottish (128). University qualifications reach 45.9%, which is 15.8 points above the national figure, consistent with a workforce concentrated in professional and managerial roles. Average household size of 3.2 is 0.7 above national, reflecting a family-formation skew: 539 couples have children compared to 212 couples without. Volunteering runs at 18.5%, and only 3.3% of residents need daily assistance.

The stock is overwhelmingly detached houses at 94.1%, with semi-detached accounting for the remaining 5.9% and no recorded apartment stock, a rarer concentration than most Sydney suburbs. Large homes dominate: 70.1% have 4 or more bedrooms and 27.7% have 3, leaving only 2.3% in the 2-bedroom category. Tenure splits between outright ownership at 47.2%, mortgage at 45.3% and renting at just 7.5%, well below the state rental average. Prices rose from $2,700,000 in 2024 to $3,042,500 in 2025, a 12.7% gain. Mortgage-to-income at 23.8% and rent-to-income at 23.4% both sit comfortably below the 30% stress threshold, underpinned by household incomes that rank in the top 1.1% nationally. The combination of high outright ownership and large-format detached stock means Port Hacking operates more like a long-held private enclave than an active transactional market.

Community Profile

Economy & Employment

The local workforce leans heavily toward Professional/Tech at 15.1% (64 workers), Healthcare at 14.8% (63) and Construction at 14.6% (62), followed by Education at 12.7% and Finance at 8.9%. By occupation, Professionals (197) and Managers (119) are the top two categories, accounting for more than half of employed residents, which aligns with decile 9 IEO, the second-highest education and occupation advantage tier nationally. Unemployment sits at 2.4%, below the state average, and the full-time employment rate is 63.1%. Participation at 58.1% is moderate because 313 residents are not in the labour force, partly reflecting the older owner-occupier profile. Real income grew 23.6% over the decade, running ahead of inflation. The IRSAD decile of 10 and the 98.9th percentile household income together confirm Port Hacking as one of the most economically advantaged suburbs in Australia.

Transport to Work

Port Hacking is almost entirely car-dependent: 92.6% of residents drive to work, one of the highest rates in NSW, compared to just 1.9% using public transport, reflecting the suburb's low-density layout and limited transit infrastructure. The IRSAD decile 10 ranking places Port Hacking among the least disadvantaged suburbs in Australia, and the IRSD decile 10 confirms negligible deprivation. Mortgage stress is absent at a 23.8% ratio and rent stress similarly at 23.4%, both below the 30% threshold. No schools are recorded within the 0.41 km2 boundary, so families use schools in adjacent suburbs. Household composition skews toward families: 539 households have couples with children versus 212 couples without. The vacancy rate of 2.7% and turnover rate of 17.7% indicate a mostly stable, low-churn community where 82.3% of residents stayed in the same address over the previous year.

Population Forecast

Port Hacking is classified as an established suburb with a mixed growth trajectory. Population grew 10.2% over the last decade, above many comparable premium areas, and the current 3,437 residents are back above the 2024 low of 3,366. Annual growth is forecast at 0.35%, adding roughly 12 residents per year, with medium projections reaching 3,487 by 2031. Overseas migration is the primary driver, contributing a net 33 arrivals a year, while internal migration removes 26, leaving a slim net positive. Rent grew 22.5% over the decade and real income 23.6%, both running well above national inflation, signals that demand pressure remains in this segment. The gentrification stage is classified as early signs, with a score of 43, though at a $3 million median house price Port Hacking has limited headroom for further gentrification uplift and its growth story is more about asset appreciation than demographic transformation.

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

How Port Hacking compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs

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