Arcadia vs Galston

In both, the large majority of households own their home, the large majority of homes are detached houses, and most households are couple families. Houses cost more in Arcadia: a median of $3.23 million, against $2.33 million in Galston. On these figures, Arcadia tends to suit couples, while Galston suits buyers on a tighter budget.

Which one suits you?

There is no overall winner — the suburb that suits a family with school-age kids is routinely the wrong one for someone commuting into the city. So each of these answers its own question, against a checklist you can see, using the same figures in the tables below.

Families with school-age kids

Arcadia

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (20/100 vs 35/100)
  • has more separate houses rather than flats (99% vs 84%)
  • is already more of a family suburb (78% vs 67%)
  • But Galston has more parks and reserves (12 vs 2)

Weighs schools, house stock, crime, parks, childcare, and who already lives there.

First-home buyers

Galston

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($2,335,000 vs $3,225,000)

Weighs house prices, land prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Too close to call

Nothing among the 3 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs rent, rental stress, and how much is for rent.

Commuting to the city

Galston

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a shorter drive in (46 min vs 53 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (40.1 km vs 44.5 km)
  • But Arcadia is more walkable (25/100 vs 12/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Arcadia

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (25/100 vs 12/100)
  • carries lower crime risk (20/100 vs 35/100)
  • But Galston has more units and townhouses to downsize into (16% vs 1%)

Weighs smaller dwellings, who already lives there, GPs, walkability, and crime.

Investors

Too close to call

Nothing among the 1 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

Arcadia and Galston drawn to the same scale. Both outlines are shown together, so the map answers whether they share a border and how their areas compare.

Arcadia Galston
Hides rows where both suburbs match

Bars start at zero. Scores, risks and rankings are drawn against their full 0–100 range; other rows are drawn in proportion to the larger of the two.

Side by side, out of 100

Risks are inverted — shown as safety and low exposure — so a longer bar always means better.

Arcadia Galston
Walkability 25 / 12
Arcadia — Walkability: 25/100 Galston — Walkability: 12/100
Safety 80 / 65
Arcadia — Safety: 80/100 Galston — Safety: 65/100
Low fire risk 38 / 57
Arcadia — Low fire risk: 38/100 Galston — Low fire risk: 57/100

Demographics

Galston has more residents (3,195 vs 1,475); Arcadia has higher household incomes ($138,268 vs $119,340).

Arcadia Galston
Population 1,475 3,195
+117% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +6.5% +1.8%
Median age 46
same for both
Median household income $138,268/yr
+14% vs other
 $119,340/yr
Median weekly rent $485/wk $495/wk
+2% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Arcadia Galston
0-4 4.3% / 4.0%
Arcadia — 0-4: 4.3% Galston — 0-4: 4.0%
5-14 12.5% / 13.5%
Arcadia — 5-14: 12.5% Galston — 5-14: 13.5%
15-19 9.0% / 7.4%
Arcadia — 15-19: 9.0% Galston — 15-19: 7.4%
20-24 4.7% / 4.8%
Arcadia — 20-24: 4.7% Galston — 20-24: 4.8%
25-34 8.7% / 7.9%
Arcadia — 25-34: 8.7% Galston — 25-34: 7.9%
35-44 9.4% / 10.2%
Arcadia — 35-44: 9.4% Galston — 35-44: 10.2%
45-54 15.1% / 13.9%
Arcadia — 45-54: 15.1% Galston — 45-54: 13.9%
55-64 14.4% / 13.9%
Arcadia — 55-64: 14.4% Galston — 55-64: 13.9%
65-74 12.1% / 11.3%
Arcadia — 65-74: 12.1% Galston — 65-74: 11.3%
75-84 8.1% / 8.3%
Arcadia — 75-84: 8.1% Galston — 75-84: 8.3%
85+ 1.9% / 4.6%
Arcadia — 85+: 1.9% Galston — 85+: 4.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (15.1%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Arcadia 65.5% couple families
Arcadia — Couple Families: 65.5% Arcadia — Lone Person: 19.3% Arcadia — One Parent Families: 13.0% Arcadia — Group Household: 2.2% Arcadia — Other Families: 0.0%
Galston 55.4% couple families
Galston — Couple Families: 55.4% Galston — Lone Person: 28.5% Galston — One Parent Families: 11.6% Galston — Group Household: 3.8% Galston — Other Families: 0.8%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Arcadia 11.7% renting
Arcadia — Owned Outright: 48.2% Arcadia — Mortgage: 40.1% Arcadia — Renting: 11.7%
Galston 13.3% renting
Galston — Owned Outright: 48.0% Galston — Mortgage: 38.7% Galston — Renting: 13.3%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

Highest non-school qualification, residents 15+, 2021 Census.

Arcadia Galston
Bachelor Degree 15.7% / 16.2%
Arcadia — Bachelor Degree: 15.7% Galston — Bachelor Degree: 16.2%
Certificate III & IV 13.4% / 14.6%
Arcadia — Certificate III & IV: 13.4% Galston — Certificate III & IV: 14.6%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.8% / 9.5%
Arcadia — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.8% Galston — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.5%
Postgraduate Degree 6.0% / 5.7%
Arcadia — Postgraduate Degree: 6.0% Galston — Postgraduate Degree: 5.7%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.3% / 1.7%
Arcadia — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.3% Galston — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.2%).

Where residents were born

Largest overseas birthplaces, as a share of all residents, 2021 Census. A dash means that country is not among the suburb's own eight largest.

Arcadia Galston
England 4.8% / 5.1%
Arcadia — England: 4.8% Galston — England: 5.1%
New Zealand 2.0% / 1.3%
Arcadia — New Zealand: 2.0% Galston — New Zealand: 1.3%
South Africa 1.0% / 1.5%
Arcadia — South Africa: 1.0% Galston — South Africa: 1.5%
Italy 0.8% / 1.3%
Arcadia — Italy: 0.8% Galston — Italy: 1.3%
China 0.9% / 0.9%
Arcadia — China: 0.9% Galston — China: 0.9%
Scotland 0.9% / —
Arcadia — Scotland: 0.9% Galston — Scotland: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (5.1%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Arcadia 98.9% houses
Arcadia — Houses: 98.9% Arcadia — Flats / Apartments: 1.1% Arcadia — Townhouses: 0.0%
Galston 83.6% houses
Galston — Houses: 83.6% Galston — Flats / Apartments: 9.7% Galston — Townhouses: 6.7%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Arcadia Galston
Median house price $3,225,000 $2,335,000
Median unit price — $900,000
Median land price $3,612,500 $3,238,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 64 days
from 4 sales
 32 days
from 20 sales

Zoning mix

Arcadia Galston
Rural and farming 51% 46%
Environmental 44% 38%
Parks and recreation 4% 13%
Residential 0% 2%
Infrastructure and transport 1% 2%
Zoning sets what may be built, not what is there today. A single address can sit in a different zone to the suburb around it. Zones as at 2026-09.

Development activity

Arcadia Galston
New dwellings approved 260
across Hornsby
same for both
Approvals change year on year -79%
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Arcadia Galston
House price Higher than 95% of NSW Higher than 90% of NSW
Income Higher than 91% of NSW Higher than 83% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 72% of NSW Higher than 60% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 10% of NSW Higher than 16% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 87% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 78% of NSW Higher than 85% of NSW

Liveability

Arcadia is more walkable (25 vs 12).

Arcadia Galston
Grade B
same for both
Score 62/100 60/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
same for both

Risk profile

Galston carries more crime risk (35 vs 20); Arcadia carries more bushfire risk (62 vs 43).

Arcadia Galston
Bushfire Moderate
62/100
 Moderate
43/100
Crime Low
20/100
 Low
35/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 0
within 5 km
 1
within 5 km

Schools

Arcadia Galston
Inside the suburb 1 2
Rated above peers 0 1
Rated at peers 0 1
Rated below peers 1 0

Schools in Arcadia

  • Arcadia Public School Government · Primary below peers

Schools in Galston

  • Galston Public School Government · Primary above peers
  • Galston High School Government · Secondary at peers

Amenities in the suburb

Arcadia Galston
Supermarkets 0 2
Cafes & restaurants 0 6
Parks & reserves 2 12
Childcare 2
same for both
GPs 1 2
Pharmacies 0 2
Banks & Bank@Post 0 2
Waterways 8 18

Mobility

Arcadia sits further from the CBD (44.5 km vs 40.1 km).

Arcadia Galston
Walkability score 25/100 12/100
Distance to Sydney 44.5 km
+10% vs other
 40.1 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 53 min 46 min
Public transport score 63/100
Bus
 77/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 35.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
 54.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 1.4%
postcode 2159
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 53
postcode 2159
same for both

How people get to work

Method of travel on census day 2021 — which fell during COVID restrictions, so working from home is inflated and every travel mode understated.

Arcadia Galston
Car (driver) 43.7% / 50.2%
Arcadia — Car (driver): 43.7% Galston — Car (driver): 50.2%
Worked from Home 49.8% / 44.0%
Arcadia — Worked from Home: 49.8% Galston — Worked from Home: 44.0%
Car (passenger) 3.1% / 2.0%
Arcadia — Car (passenger): 3.1% Galston — Car (passenger): 2.0%
Walked Only 2.7% / 2.2%
Arcadia — Walked Only: 2.7% Galston — Walked Only: 2.2%
Train — / 1.0%
Arcadia — Train: not among its largest Galston — Train: 1.0%
Bicycle 0.8% / —
Arcadia — Bicycle: 0.8% Galston — Bicycle: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (50.2%).

Setting

Arcadia Galston
Elevation 191 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 189 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 15.0 km 16.8 km

NBN connectivity

Arcadia Galston
Connectivity score 72/100 76/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 52%
489 premises
 44%
1,478 premises

Climate

Arcadia Galston
Annual rainfall 1,176 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Arcadia Galston
PM2.5 6.1 µg/m³ 5.4 µg/m³
PM10 15.5 µg/m³ 14.2 µg/m³
NO₂ 0.53 pphm 0.23 pphm

Council rates

Arcadia Galston
Average residential rate $1,488/yr
same for both
Council Hornsby
same for both

Federal electorate

Arcadia Galston
Division Berowra
same for both
Member Julian Leeser
same for both
Party Liberal
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Arcadia Galston
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Arcadia

Acreage Outer Premium River

Galston

Outer Premium

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Arcadia

Arcadia vs Glenorie Arcadia vs Middle Dural Arcadia vs Fiddletown Arcadia vs Berrilee Arcadia vs Berowra Waters

Other comparisons with Galston

Galston vs Dural Galston vs Hornsby Heights Galston vs Middle Dural Galston vs Berrilee
Full data on Arcadia Full data on Galston
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Information shown is provided as-is from Australian government and commercial data sources.
Always verify with the relevant authority before making property decisions.
See Data Sources and How We Calculate for details.

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