Port Hacking
Household income sits at the 98.9th percentile nationally, making Port Hacking one of Sydney's most affluent small residential pockets. Its 1,210 residents occupy just 0.41 sq km, producing a density of 2,975.9 people per sq km, while the median age is 40. The suburb is shaped by 94.1% separate houses, 70.1% four-bedroom-plus homes and 47.6% working from home. University attainment is 15.8 percentage points above the national level, but overseas-born residents are 6.4 points below it. Compared with nearby Cronulla's larger urban role, Port Hacking feels more contained, with established family ownership and slow growth.
Local council: Sutherland
Population
1,210
Median Age
40.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$3,394/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
27
Port Hacking suits buyers seeking a large detached home in a tightly held residential setting. Separate houses account for 94.1% of dwellings, and 70.1% have four bedrooms or more, so the market is geared towards families rather than compact apartment living. Ownership is well established, with 46.8% of homes owned outright and 44.9% held with a mortgage, while 82.3% of residents stayed at the same address over the reference period. Monthly mortgage commitments are $3,500 and equal 23.8% of household income, below the local rent burden of 23.4% only marginally. Compared with the national profile, university attainment is 15.8 points higher at 45.9%, supporting a professional buyer base. Check recent settled sales for a current price benchmark because the 0.41 sq km suburb has a small transaction pool.
For Buyers
Port Hacking suits buyers seeking a large detached home in a tightly held residential setting. Separate houses account for 94.1% of dwellings, and 70.1% have four bedrooms or more, so the market is geared towards families rather than compact apartment living. Ownership is well established, with 46.8% of homes owned outright and 44.9% held with a mortgage, while 82.3% of residents stayed at the same address over the reference period. Monthly mortgage commitments are $3,500 and equal 23.8% of household income, below the local rent burden of 23.4% only marginally. Compared with the national profile, university attainment is 15.8 points higher at 45.9%, supporting a professional buyer base. Check recent settled sales for a current price benchmark because the 0.41 sq km suburb has a small transaction pool.
For Investors
Port Hacking is more suitable for a long-term, tightly held investment strategy than a high-turnover rental play. Only 7.5% of occupied homes are rented, while the weekly rent is $795 and vacancy is 2.7%, indicating limited rental stock but also a relatively narrow tenant pool. Development activity reached 25 applications over 12 months, including an attached dual occupancy proposal for 2 dwellings, which may gradually add choice without changing the detached-house character quickly. The wider growth trend is 0.35% annually and overseas migration is the primary driver, so demand is supported but expansion is measured. Household income ranks at the 98.9th percentile, above the national level, which can support rental resilience but also means acquisition costs need close scrutiny. Compared with a larger investor-oriented market, Port Hacking's low rental share makes tenant demand and resale timing especially important.
Development Activity
Total DAs
82
Last 12 Months
27
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+145.5%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
Port Hacking has a settled family profile, with a median age of 40, average household size of 3.2 and couples with children accounting for 61.1% of families. Couples without children represent 31.3%, while one-parent families account for 7.5%. The population is predominantly Australian-born, with 15.2% born overseas, 6.4 percentage points below the national level. English ancestry is the largest recorded group at 457 people, followed by Irish at 143, Scottish at 128 and Italian at 61. Christianity is recorded for 820 residents, compared with 330 reporting no religion. University attainment is 45.9%, or 15.8 points above national, helping explain the strong professional and managerial presence. Compared with nearby Cronulla's larger urban role, Port Hacking has a more contained social scale, reinforced by 82.3% residential stability and a turnover rate of 17.7%.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
94.1%
Houses
5.9%
Townhouse
0.0%
Apartment
Tenure
Port Hacking's housing stock is overwhelmingly detached and family-sized. Separate houses account for 94.1% of dwellings, semi-detached homes represent 5.9%, and 70.1% of properties have four bedrooms or more; three-bedroom homes make up 27.7%. Tenure is split between 46.8% owned outright and 44.9% with a mortgage, leaving only 7.5% rented and 0.8% in other arrangements. Compared with renting, outright ownership and mortgage ownership dominate because the suburb's housing form is designed around larger family dwellings rather than a broad apartment market. Housing costs are material but not flagged as stressed: mortgage payments are $3,500 per month and equal 23.8% of household income, while rent is $795 per week and equals 23.4%. Buyers should compare recent settled sales with renovation condition, block attributes and dwelling size rather than rely on a single annual median in this 0.41 sq km market.
Mortgage / mo
$3,500
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (April to June 2026), NSW Rental Bond Board (DCJ). Census 2021 median: $795.
$850
Bond data Jun 2026 · houses $1,250 · units $695
HH Size
3.2
Personal Income / wk
$1,231
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
2.7%
Unoccupied
10
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.4%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.8%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
61.1%
Couples with children
31.3%
Couples, no children
7.5%
Single parent
332
Total families
Economy & Employment
Port Hacking's resident economy is anchored by professional and service employment. The leading industries are Professional and Tech at 15.1% with 64 workers, Healthcare at 14.8% with 63, Construction at 14.6% with 62, Education at 12.7% with 54 and Finance at 8.9% with 38. The largest occupations are Professionals at 197 people, Managers at 119, Clerical and Administration at 84, Trades at 74 and Sales at 46. Labour force participation is 65.1%, unemployment is 2.1%, and employment includes 335 full-time and 196 part-time workers. This mix helps explain household income at the 98.9th percentile nationally, above the national level. SEIFA results reinforce the advantage: IEO is in decile 9, while IER, IRSD and IRSAD are all in decile 10. The one-decile gap in education and occupation-economic measures is small, indicating broad advantage rather than identical outcomes across every index.
Unemployment
2.1%
Labour Force
610
Unemployed
13
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
56.1%
Part-time
32.8%
Participation
65.1%
Employed
597
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
45.9%
Postgraduate
10.0%
Born Overseas
15.2%
Dwellings
358
Transport to Work
Daily life in Port Hacking is strongly car-oriented, with 48.6% travelling as car drivers and only 1.0% using public transport, while 47.6% work from home. That combination suits residents who value a quieter residential setting and flexible commuting, but households dependent on frequent public transport should test their actual routes before buying. The suburb contains 1,210 residents within 0.41 sq km, so local services are close in geographic terms even though density reaches 2,975.9 people per sq km. Families should check nearby school options, sector and enrolment zones against the exact address because catchments can extend beyond suburb boundaries. An IRSAD decile of 10 places Port Hacking in the top decile for relative socioeconomic advantage, while 18.5% volunteering and only 3.3% needing assistance point to strong community capacity. Current local safety information should still be checked before making a final decision.
Drive
48.6%
Public Transport
1.0%
Walk / Cycle
N/A
Work from Home
47.6%
Growth Outlook
Port Hacking's growth settings are established and measured rather than expansion-led. The annual trend is 0.35%, while population change across the wider area is 10.2% over ten years. Overseas migration is the primary driver, but the trajectory is Mixed, so change is more likely to be gradual than driven by a sudden population surge. The shift indicators point to an ageing established base: senior share is 2.7 percentage points above its earlier level, young share is down 1.2 points and working share is down 3.2 points. Rent growth of 22.5% is a stronger market signal than the 0.35% annual population trend, keeping housing demand relevant despite slow resident growth. Gentrification signals are inconsistent, with a shift score of 43 labelled Early signs but a separate score of 0 labelled Not gentrifying. The 2.7-point senior increase is above the earlier level, supporting a gradual, established-suburb trajectory.
Population trend: Sutherland council area
Port Hacking sits in the Sutherland council area. These are the council area's residents, not Port Hacking's.
Residents 2025
241,327
Growth, 5 yr average
+0.9%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+1.1%
2024 to 2025
ABS Estimated Resident Population by LGA, 30 June each year; council area, not this suburb
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Port Hacking compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Port Hacking a good suburb to live in?
Port Hacking suits households seeking detached homes, family space and a settled environment. Separate houses account for 94.1%, working from home is 47.6%, and socioeconomic advantage is in IRSAD decile 10. Public transport use is only 1.0%, so car access and commuting patterns matter.
What is the median house price in Port Hacking?
Check recent settled sales for the current median rather than relying on an old headline figure. Port Hacking has 94.1% separate houses, 70.1% four-bedroom-plus homes and a compact 0.41 sq km footprint, so a small number of transactions can make annual medians move more sharply compared with larger suburbs.
What schools are in Port Hacking?
Confirm nearby school options, sector and enrolment zones using the exact property address. Port Hacking covers 0.41 sq km, but catchments can extend beyond the suburb, so families should compare the address-based school pathway rather than assume every nearby option is available.
Is Port Hacking safe?
Check current NSW Police and council safety information for the specific streets being considered. Port Hacking has 1,210 residents in 0.41 sq km, but population size and density alone cannot establish safety; compare recent local conditions with the needs of your household.
Is Port Hacking good for property investment?
It can suit a long-term investor who accepts a small rental market. Weekly rent is $795, vacancy is 2.7% and renting accounts for 7.5%, while the annual growth trend is 0.35%. Compared with a high-turnover rental suburb, tenant depth and resale timing need closer checking.
How is Port Hacking's population changing?
Change is gradual rather than rapid. The annual trend is 0.35%, population change across the wider area is 10.2% over ten years, and overseas migration is the primary driver. The trajectory is Mixed, with senior share up 2.7 points and young share down 1.2 points.
Is there much development in Port Hacking?
There were 25 development applications over 12 months, including an attached dual occupancy proposal for 2 dwellings. Most homes remain separate houses at 94.1%, so development is more likely to refresh individual sites than quickly change the suburb's established character compared with a major growth precinct.
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).
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