Council (LGA) · Area profile
Hornsby
455 km²
A large proportion of residents in Hornsby were born overseas, with 40.6% arriving from other countries. This creates a multicultural community where 35.7% of people use a language other than English at home. It is a highly educated and affluent area, which is reflected in the high number of university degrees and strong household incomes. These factors combine to make it a professional and prosperous hub within Greater Sydney.
Hornsby's schools draw a community as advantaged as its high household incomes suggest.
Hornsby has many young families but fewer schools per child than most areas.
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The typical resident is 41, making the area noticeably older than the national figure. While children under 15 make up 19% of the population, the number of seniors has risen to 18.1% since 2011.
Born overseas, 40.6% of the population is far above the national figure of 27.7%. English, Australian, and Chinese are the most common ancestries.
Language diversity is high, with 35.7% of people using a language other than English at home, well above the state average. Mandarin and Cantonese are the most spoken non-English languages.
About 36.5% of residents report no religion, a figure that has risen by 15 percentage points since 2011. Christianity remains the most common affiliation at 45.7%.
The area is highly qualified, with 44.2% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher, far above the national average. Year 12 completion is also very high at 76.7%.
Hornsby is an affluent area where the typical family earns $2,825 a week, well above the national figure. About 38.6% of households earn $3,000 or more weekly, a significant rise since 2011.
Residents generally enjoy good health, with a lower rate of long-term health conditions and mental health issues compared to most other areas.
Unpaid care is common here, as 29.3% of people care for children and 25.2% do significant housework, both much higher than most areas.
The First Nations community is small, but residents here have a much higher typical personal income and a far higher Year 12 completion rate than the national average.
Family living is the norm, with 68.6% of households being couples with children. This helps explain why the average home holds 2.8 people, which is higher than in most areas.
Renting is less common here than elsewhere, with 23.1% of homes rented. However, mortgage payments are high, with a typical monthly payment of $2,600.
Working from home has surged to 46.9%, far above the national figure. While there are many public transport stops, the walk to the nearest one can take up to 30 minutes.
The population is relatively stable, with a lower percentage of people moving in the last five years compared to the state and national averages.
The workforce is active, with 63.5% of adults working or looking for work. Many residents are professionals, particularly in health care, technical services, and education.
Hornsby is ranked at the highest level for overall advantage, with top scores for access to resources and job skills.
The area is notably wet, with an average annual rainfall of 1,328mm, which is far above the New South Wales average.
The area is very safe, with recorded offences and specific crime rates, such as burglary and theft, among the lowest at this level.
The area is very walkable, with 92.5% of homes within a 10-minute walk of public transport and 94.3% within 15 minutes of a park.