NSW 2153 Census 2021 + Live DA Data

Winston Hills

Detached family ownership dominates Winston Hills more than most Sydney middle-ring suburbs: 88.1% of dwellings are separate houses and 86.5% are either owned outright or with a mortgage. The median house price is $1,615,500, supported by household income in the 88.3 percentile nationally. Compared with nearby Baulkham Hills and Seven Hills, the suburb reads as quieter and more owner-occupied, with 12,123 residents, a median age of 41, and 30.3% born overseas, 8.7 percentage points above the national level.

Winston Hills urban fabric map

Population

12,123

Median Age

41.0

Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)

$2,309/wk

DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year

128

Median House

$1.6M

2024-2025 (PSI derived)

4.74 km²· 2,558.3 people/km²· Family income $2,665/wk

Homebuyers are paying for land, schools and stability rather than apartment choice. The median house price is $1,615,500, while the latest 2025 price point is $1,650,000, 3.1% higher than 2024. Separate houses make up 88.1% of stock, apartments only 7.2%, and 49.1% of homes have 4 or more bedrooms, so family buyers get scale but face a tight detached market. Mortgage payments sit at 26.8% of income, below common stress thresholds, because local household income ranks in the 88.3 percentile nationally.

For Buyers

Homebuyers are paying for land, schools and stability rather than apartment choice. The median house price is $1,615,500, while the latest 2025 price point is $1,650,000, 3.1% higher than 2024. Separate houses make up 88.1% of stock, apartments only 7.2%, and 49.1% of homes have 4 or more bedrooms, so family buyers get scale but face a tight detached market. Mortgage payments sit at 26.8% of income, below common stress thresholds, because local household income ranks in the 88.3 percentile nationally.

For Investors

Winston Hills is an ownership-heavy market, which makes rental supply thinner but turnover lower. Renters account for 13.5% of households, much lower than the combined 86.5% owned outright or mortgaged share, so investor demand depends on families needing access to the area rather than a large transient tenant base. Median rent is $530 per week and vacancy is 4.3%, indicating less pressure than a tight inner rental market. The 104 development approvals in 12 months point to renovation and rebuild activity that can lift dwelling quality over time.

Development Activity

Total DAs

647

Last 12 Months

128

YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements

+30.6%

Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year

N/A

Monthly DA Lodgements

DA Categories

Renovation / Extension
68
Demolition
47
Swimming Pool / Spa
25
New Dwelling
23
Granny Flat / Secondary Dwelling
19
Commercial / Industrial
12
Subdivision
11
Multi-Dwelling / Townhouse
6

Schools in Winston Hills iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged

Winston Hills Public School

ICSEA 1104 Primary Government

K-6 · 636 students

Winston Heights Public School

ICSEA 1103 Primary Government

K-6 · 304 students

St Paul the Apostle Primary School

ICSEA 1100 Primary Catholic

K-6 · 385 students

Demographics

The suburb skews educated, family-sized and slightly older than the national pattern. Median age is 41, which is 1.0 year above the national benchmark, while average household size is 2.9, 0.4 higher than nationally. University attainment is 44.9%, 14.8 percentage points above the national rate, supporting the professional and managerial workforce. Overseas-born residents make up 30.3%, 8.7 points above national, with English ancestry at 3,337 people, Chinese at 1,125, and Mandarin, Arabic and Cantonese adding visible multilingual depth.

Age Distribution

0-14
21.1%
15-24
10.9%
25-44
23.6%
45-64
24.0%
65+
20.3%

Bedrooms

Studio/1br
3.0%
2 bed
7.9%
3 bed
40.0%
4+ bed
49.1%

Dwelling Structure

88.1%

Houses

4.8%

Townhouse

7.2%

Apartment

Tenure

Own 40.9% Mortgage 45.6% Rent 13.5%

Housing in Winston Hills is defined by large detached stock and low rental churn. Prices rose from $1,600,000 in 2024 to $1,650,000 in 2025, a 3.1% gain and 0.0% below the recent peak because the latest price is also the peak. Ownership is high: 40.9% own outright, 45.6% have a mortgage, and only 13.5% rent. Bedroom mix explains the buyer profile, with 40.0% of homes at 3 bedrooms and 49.1% at 4 or more. Compared with denser apartment markets, the 7.2% apartment share keeps entry options limited.

Median House Price Trend

Source: State Valuer-General

Mortgage / mo

$2,681

Rent / wk

$530

HH Size

2.9

Personal Income / wk

$907

Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)

4.3%

Unoccupied

187

Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress

23.0%

Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress

26.8%

Community Profile

Languages Spoken at Home

Mandarin
243
Arabic
234
Canton
147
Korean
107
Hindi
92
Persian ED
67

Ancestry

English
3,337
Other
1,822
Chinese
1,125
Irish
1,122
Scottish
896
Lebanese
783

Household Composition

20.8%

Couples, no children

10,790

Total families

Economy & Employment

Local earnings are supported by skilled service work and strong socioeconomic scores. Healthcare leads employment at 16.9%, followed by education at 13.4%, professional and tech at 10.8%, construction at 9.2%, and finance at 7.7%. The occupation base is similar: 1,655 professionals, 1,010 managers and 863 clerical or admin workers. Unemployment is 4.0%, with 67.4% of employed residents working full time. SEIFA is consistently above average: IEO decile 8, IER decile 10, IRSD decile 9 and IRSAD decile 9. The higher IER than IEO suggests household resources are especially strong compared with education and occupation alone.

Unemployment

1.6%

Labour Force

6,741

Unemployed

108

Quarterly Trend

Mar-24 Dec-25

Source: SALM Dec-25

Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)

Overall advantage
9
Disadvantage
9
Economic resources
10
Education & occupation
8

Full-time

67.4%

Part-time

28.6%

Participation

52.5%

Employed

4,816

Occupations

Professionals 1,655
Managers 1,010
Clerical/Admin 863
Community/Personal 478
Sales 437
Labourers 273
Machinery/Drivers 185

Top Industries

Healthcare 16.9%
Education 13.4%
Professional/Tech 10.8%
Construction 9.2%
Finance 7.7%

University

44.9%

Postgraduate

11.8%

Born Overseas

30.3%

Dwellings

4,117

Transport to Work

Everyday life is car-led, school-focused and affluent compared with national averages. Car drivers make up 86.7% of commuters, far higher than the 4.1% using public transport and 2.8% walking or cycling, so convenience depends heavily on road access. There are 3 local primary schools with ICSEA scores from 1100 to 1104; Winston Hills Public School is the top score at 1104, Winston Heights Public School is close at 1103, and Catholic choice comes through St Paul the Apostle at 1100. IRSAD decile 9 reinforces the area’s above-average social advantage.

Drive

86.7%

Public Transport

4.1%

Walk / Cycle

2.8%

Work from Home

N/A

Population Forecast

+0.28%/yr

(+31 people/yr)

Established

Growth is forecast to be slow because internal outflow is offsetting overseas arrivals. The trend rate is 0.28% a year, or about 31 people annually, taking the medium population path from 11,302 in 2026 to 11,457 in 2031. Migration is labelled Overseas migration, with average net overseas migration of 103 a year but average net internal migration of -122 a year. Compared with faster release-area markets, this is a mature infill suburb. The gentrification score is 0 and stage is Not gentrifying, although the shift picture is Mixed with 23.3% rent growth.

Historical + Forecast

Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025

Age Cohort Forecast

Primary Driver

Overseas Migration

Net Overseas / yr

+103

Net Internal / yr

-122

0

Gentrification Signal

Not gentrifying

Net internal outflow -122/yr

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

How Winston Hills compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs

Population
Top 3%
Household Income
Top 12%
Rent Level
Top 4%
Apartments
Top 36%
Renters
Bottom 28%
Uni Educated
Top 13%
Public Transport
Top 42%
Born Overseas
Top 13%
Density
Top 5%

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Winston Hills a good suburb to live in?

Yes, especially for households wanting a detached, owner-occupied setting. Separate houses make up 88.1% of dwellings, household income sits in the 88.3 percentile nationally, and there are 3 local primary schools.

What is the median house price in Winston Hills?

The median house price is $1,615,500. The latest price point is $1,650,000 in 2025, which is 3.1% higher than the 2024 level of $1,600,000 and equal to the recent peak.

What schools are in Winston Hills?

Winston Hills has 3 local primary schools: Winston Hills Public School with ICSEA 1104, Winston Heights Public School with ICSEA 1103, and St Paul the Apostle Primary School with ICSEA 1100.

Is Winston Hills safe?

A suburb-level crime rate per 1,000 residents is not available, so current NSW crime maps should be checked. Socioeconomic indicators are strong, with IRSAD decile 9 and 40.9% of homes owned outright.

Is Winston Hills good for property investment?

It suits investors seeking stable family demand more than high rental turnover. Renters are only 13.5% of households, median rent is $530 per week, vacancy is 4.3%, and 104 development approvals show ongoing renewal.

How is Winston Hills's population changing?

Population growth is modest, forecast at 0.28% a year or about 31 people annually. The medium path reaches 11,457 residents by 2031, with overseas migration of 103 a year offset by internal migration of -122.

What languages are spoken in Winston Hills?

English remains dominant, but the suburb has a notable multilingual layer. Overseas-born residents are 30.3% of the population, with Mandarin spoken by 243 people, Arabic by 234, Cantonese by 147, Korean by 107 and Hindi by 92.

Is there much development in Winston Hills?

Yes, there is steady small-scale activity rather than large greenfield expansion. There were 104 development applications in 12 months, including dwelling houses, demolition and rebuild work, and some commercial development.

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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