Berowra Waters vs Arcadia

Arcadia is the younger of the two, with a median age of 46 against 56 in Berowra Waters. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Berowra Waters, about half of households are people living alone. In Arcadia, most households are couple families. Houses cost more in Arcadia: a median of $3.23 million, against $908,000 in Berowra Waters, though rent is higher in Berowra Waters. On these figures, Berowra Waters tends to suit people living alone and buyers on a tighter budget, while Arcadia suits couples.

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 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (20/100 vs 66/100)
  • is already more of a family suburb (78% vs 38%)

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

First-home buyers

Berowra Waters

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($907,500 vs $3,225,000)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Arcadia

ahead on 2 of the 2 things we measure here

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (18% vs 32%)
  • has cheaper rent ($485/wk vs $575/wk)

Weighs rent and rental stress.

Commuting to the city

Arcadia

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (25/100 vs 0/100)
  • has a shorter drive in (53 min vs 61 min)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Arcadia

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (25/100 vs 0/100)
  • carries lower crime risk (20/100 vs 66/100)
  • But Berowra Waters has more residents already 65 and over (30% vs 22%)

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

Where they sit

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

Berowra Waters Arcadia
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.

Berowra Waters Arcadia
Walkability 0 / 25
Berowra Waters — Walkability: 0/100 Arcadia — Walkability: 25/100
Safety 34 / 80
Berowra Waters — Safety: 34/100 Arcadia — Safety: 80/100
Low fire risk 3 / 38
Berowra Waters — Low fire risk: 3/100 Arcadia — Low fire risk: 38/100

Demographics

Arcadia has more residents (1,475 vs 169); Arcadia has higher household incomes ($138,268 vs $94,224).

Berowra Waters Arcadia
Population 169 1,475
+773% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) — +6.5%
Median age 56 46
Median household income $94,224/yr $138,268/yr
+47% vs other
Median weekly rent $575/wk
+16% vs other
 $485/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Berowra Waters Arcadia
0-4 5.3% / 4.3%
Berowra Waters — 0-4: 5.3% Arcadia — 0-4: 4.3%
5-14 7.1% / 12.5%
Berowra Waters — 5-14: 7.1% Arcadia — 5-14: 12.5%
15-19 4.1% / 9.0%
Berowra Waters — 15-19: 4.1% Arcadia — 15-19: 9.0%
20-24 — / 4.7%
Berowra Waters — 20-24: not among its largest Arcadia — 20-24: 4.7%
25-34 7.1% / 8.7%
Berowra Waters — 25-34: 7.1% Arcadia — 25-34: 8.7%
35-44 7.1% / 9.4%
Berowra Waters — 35-44: 7.1% Arcadia — 35-44: 9.4%
45-54 16.6% / 15.1%
Berowra Waters — 45-54: 16.6% Arcadia — 45-54: 15.1%
55-64 23.7% / 14.4%
Berowra Waters — 55-64: 23.7% Arcadia — 55-64: 14.4%
65-74 17.2% / 12.1%
Berowra Waters — 65-74: 17.2% Arcadia — 65-74: 12.1%
75-84 12.4% / 8.1%
Berowra Waters — 75-84: 12.4% Arcadia — 75-84: 8.1%
85+ — / 1.9%
Berowra Waters — 85+: not among its largest Arcadia — 85+: 1.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (23.7%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Berowra Waters 38.2% couple families
Berowra Waters — Couple Families: 38.2% Berowra Waters — Lone Person: 52.9% Berowra Waters — One Parent Families: 0.0% Berowra Waters — Group Household: 8.8%
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%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Berowra Waters 0.0% renting
Berowra Waters — Owned Outright: 64.4% Berowra Waters — Mortgage: 35.6% Berowra Waters — Renting: 0.0%
Arcadia 11.7% renting
Arcadia — Owned Outright: 48.2% Arcadia — Mortgage: 40.1% Arcadia — Renting: 11.7%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Berowra Waters Arcadia
Bachelor Degree 20.1% / 15.7%
Berowra Waters — Bachelor Degree: 20.1% Arcadia — Bachelor Degree: 15.7%
Certificate III & IV 11.2% / 13.4%
Berowra Waters — Certificate III & IV: 11.2% Arcadia — Certificate III & IV: 13.4%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 12.4% / 9.8%
Berowra Waters — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 12.4% Arcadia — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.8%
Postgraduate Degree 8.3% / 6.0%
Berowra Waters — Postgraduate Degree: 8.3% Arcadia — Postgraduate Degree: 6.0%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 5.9% / 2.3%
Berowra Waters — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 5.9% Arcadia — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (20.1%).

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.

Berowra Waters Arcadia
England 9.5% / 4.8%
Berowra Waters — England: 9.5% Arcadia — England: 4.8%
New Zealand 3.6% / 2.0%
Berowra Waters — New Zealand: 3.6% Arcadia — New Zealand: 2.0%
Singapore 3.6% / —
Berowra Waters — Singapore: 3.6% Arcadia — Singapore: not among its largest
South Africa — / 1.0%
Berowra Waters — South Africa: not among its largest Arcadia — South Africa: 1.0%
Scotland — / 0.9%
Berowra Waters — Scotland: not among its largest Arcadia — Scotland: 0.9%
China — / 0.9%
Berowra Waters — China: not among its largest Arcadia — China: 0.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (9.5%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Berowra Waters 103.3% houses
Berowra Waters — Houses: 103.3% Berowra Waters — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Arcadia 98.9% houses
Arcadia — Houses: 98.9% Arcadia — Flats / Apartments: 1.1%
Houses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Berowra Waters Arcadia
Median house price $907,500 $3,225,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price — $3,612,500
Typical days to sell (houses) — 64 days
from 4 sales

Zoning mix

Arcadia has more rural and farming land (51% vs 0%); Berowra Waters has more land zoned for conservation (70% vs 44%).

Berowra Waters Arcadia
Environmental 70% 44%
Rural and farming 0% 51%
Parks and recreation 29% 4%
Infrastructure and transport 1%
same for both
Planning zones cover 99% of Berowra Waters and 100% of Arcadia. The rest is unzoned land such as water or road reserve.
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

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

Ranking within NSW

Berowra Waters Arcadia
House price Higher than 67% of NSW Higher than 95% of NSW
Income Higher than 61% of NSW Higher than 91% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 35% of NSW Higher than 72% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 40% of NSW Higher than 10% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 88% of NSW Higher than 87% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 64% of NSW Higher than 78% of NSW

Liveability

Arcadia is more walkable (25 vs 0).

Berowra Waters Arcadia
Grade — B
Score — 62/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
same for both

Risk profile

Berowra Waters carries more crime risk (66 vs 20); Berowra Waters carries more bushfire risk (97 vs 62).

Berowra Waters Arcadia
Bushfire High
97/100
 Moderate
62/100
Crime Moderate
66/100
 Low
20/100
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
same for both

Schools

Berowra Waters Arcadia
Inside the suburb 1
same for both
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 1 0
Rated below peers 0 1

Schools in Berowra Waters

No schools recorded inside this suburb's boundary. Children here will be zoned to schools nearby.

Schools in Arcadia

  • Arcadia Public School Government · Primary below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Berowra Waters Arcadia
Cafes & restaurants 3 0
Parks & reserves 0 2
Childcare 0 2
GPs 0 1
Waterways 2 8

Mobility

Berowra Waters Arcadia
Walkability score 0/100 25/100
Distance to Sydney 45.2 km
+2% vs other
 44.5 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 61 min 53 min
Electric vehicle share 1.4%
postcode 2082
 1.4%
postcode 2159
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 49
postcode 2082
 53
postcode 2159

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.

Berowra Waters Arcadia
Worked from Home 62.5% / 49.8%
Berowra Waters — Worked from Home: 62.5% Arcadia — Worked from Home: 49.8%
Car (driver) 23.2% / 43.7%
Berowra Waters — Car (driver): 23.2% Arcadia — Car (driver): 43.7%
Walked Only 14.3% / 2.7%
Berowra Waters — Walked Only: 14.3% Arcadia — Walked Only: 2.7%
Car (passenger) — / 3.1%
Berowra Waters — Car (passenger): not among its largest Arcadia — Car (passenger): 3.1%
Bicycle — / 0.8%
Berowra Waters — Bicycle: not among its largest Arcadia — Bicycle: 0.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (62.5%).

Setting

Berowra Waters Arcadia
Elevation 0 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 191 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 7.7 km 15.0 km

NBN connectivity

Berowra Waters Arcadia
Connectivity score 36/100 72/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node Fibre to the premises
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
55 premises
 52%
489 premises

Climate

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

Air quality (annual mean)

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

Council rates

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

Federal electorate

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

First Home Owner Grant

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

Tags

Berowra Waters

Outer Professionals Retirees River

Arcadia

Acreage Outer Premium River

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Berowra Waters

Berowra Waters vs Berowra Heights Berowra Waters vs Cowan Berowra Waters vs Fiddletown Berowra Waters vs Berrilee Berowra Waters vs Canoelands

Other comparisons with Arcadia

Arcadia vs Glenorie Arcadia vs Galston Arcadia vs Middle Dural Arcadia vs Fiddletown Arcadia vs Berrilee
Full data on Berowra Waters Full data on Arcadia
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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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