Canyonleigh vs Sutton Forest

Canyonleigh is the younger of the two, with a median age of 46 against 50 in Sutton Forest. In both, the large majority of households own their home, the large majority of homes are detached houses, and about half of households are couple families. Houses cost more in Sutton Forest: a median of $1.97 million, against $1.7 million in Canyonleigh, though rent is higher in Canyonleigh. On these figures, Sutton Forest tends to suit older residents.

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

Canyonleigh

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (19/100 vs 58/100)
  • is already more of a family suburb (65% vs 56%)

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

First-home buyers

Canyonleigh

ahead on 2 of the 2 things we measure here

  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (26% vs 32%)
  • has cheaper houses ($1,700,000 vs $1,973,750)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Sutton Forest

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (14% vs 20%)
  • has cheaper rent ($300/wk vs $393/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Sutton Forest

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • sits closer to the CBD (139 km vs 157.1 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

They split

one each way, out of the 4 things we measure here

  • Canyonleigh carries lower crime risk (19/100 vs 58/100)
  • Sutton Forest has more residents already 65 and over (26% vs 16%)

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

Investors

Canyonleigh

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (14.3% vs 5.7%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Canyonleigh Sutton Forest
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.

Canyonleigh Sutton Forest
Walkability 0 / 0
Canyonleigh — Walkability: 0/100 Sutton Forest — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 81 / 42
Canyonleigh — Safety: 81/100 Sutton Forest — Safety: 42/100
Low fire risk 67 / 86
Canyonleigh — Low fire risk: 67/100 Sutton Forest — Low fire risk: 86/100

Demographics

Canyonleigh rents higher ($393/wk vs $300/wk); Sutton Forest skews older (50 vs 46).

Canyonleigh Sutton Forest
Population 455 504
+11% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +14.3% +5.7%
Median age 46 50
Median household income $104,832/yr $107,588/yr
+3% vs other
Median weekly rent $393/wk
+24% vs other
 $300/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Canyonleigh Sutton Forest
0-4 4.6% / 2.8%
Canyonleigh — 0-4: 4.6% Sutton Forest — 0-4: 2.8%
5-14 13.4% / 11.3%
Canyonleigh — 5-14: 13.4% Sutton Forest — 5-14: 11.3%
15-19 4.4% / 6.0%
Canyonleigh — 15-19: 4.4% Sutton Forest — 15-19: 6.0%
20-24 4.4% / 4.8%
Canyonleigh — 20-24: 4.4% Sutton Forest — 20-24: 4.8%
25-34 9.2% / 4.6%
Canyonleigh — 25-34: 9.2% Sutton Forest — 25-34: 4.6%
35-44 10.1% / 8.3%
Canyonleigh — 35-44: 10.1% Sutton Forest — 35-44: 8.3%
45-54 15.6% / 17.7%
Canyonleigh — 45-54: 15.6% Sutton Forest — 45-54: 17.7%
55-64 20.7% / 16.3%
Canyonleigh — 55-64: 20.7% Sutton Forest — 55-64: 16.3%
65-74 11.2% / 16.1%
Canyonleigh — 65-74: 11.2% Sutton Forest — 65-74: 16.1%
75-84 4.6% / 8.5%
Canyonleigh — 75-84: 4.6% Sutton Forest — 75-84: 8.5%
85+ 0.7% / 1.8%
Canyonleigh — 85+: 0.7% Sutton Forest — 85+: 1.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (20.7%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Canyonleigh 50.0% couple families
Canyonleigh — Couple Families: 50.0% Canyonleigh — Lone Person: 29.0% Canyonleigh — One Parent Families: 15.0% Canyonleigh — Group Household: 6.0% Canyonleigh — Other Families: 0.0%
Sutton Forest 47.7% couple families
Sutton Forest — Couple Families: 47.7% Sutton Forest — Lone Person: 35.5% Sutton Forest — One Parent Families: 8.4% Sutton Forest — Group Household: 3.7% Sutton Forest — Other Families: 4.7%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Canyonleigh 12.3% renting
Canyonleigh — Owned Outright: 41.8% Canyonleigh — Mortgage: 45.9% Canyonleigh — Renting: 12.3%
Sutton Forest 19.4% renting
Sutton Forest — Owned Outright: 51.2% Sutton Forest — Mortgage: 29.4% Sutton Forest — Renting: 19.4%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Canyonleigh Sutton Forest
Certificate III & IV 22.2% / 15.1%
Canyonleigh — Certificate III & IV: 22.2% Sutton Forest — Certificate III & IV: 15.1%
Bachelor Degree 9.7% / 16.7%
Canyonleigh — Bachelor Degree: 9.7% Sutton Forest — Bachelor Degree: 16.7%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.6% / 8.3%
Canyonleigh — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.6% Sutton Forest — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.3%
Postgraduate Degree 4.4% / 4.0%
Canyonleigh — Postgraduate Degree: 4.4% Sutton Forest — Postgraduate Degree: 4.0%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.2% / 1.2%
Canyonleigh — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.2% Sutton Forest — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (22.2%).

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.

Canyonleigh Sutton Forest
England 5.1% / 6.7%
Canyonleigh — England: 5.1% Sutton Forest — England: 6.7%
South Africa 2.0% / 1.0%
Canyonleigh — South Africa: 2.0% Sutton Forest — South Africa: 1.0%
New Zealand 0.7% / 1.8%
Canyonleigh — New Zealand: 0.7% Sutton Forest — New Zealand: 1.8%
Lebanon 1.1% / —
Canyonleigh — Lebanon: 1.1% Sutton Forest — Lebanon: not among its largest
Scotland 0.7% / —
Canyonleigh — Scotland: 0.7% Sutton Forest — Scotland: not among its largest
Egypt — / 0.6%
Canyonleigh — Egypt: not among its largest Sutton Forest — Egypt: 0.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (6.7%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Canyonleigh 101.3% houses
Canyonleigh — Houses: 101.3% Canyonleigh — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Sutton Forest 95.7% houses
Sutton Forest — Houses: 95.7% Sutton Forest — Flats / Apartments: 4.3%
Houses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Canyonleigh Sutton Forest
Median house price $1,700,000 $1,973,750
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price $320,000 —
Typical days to sell (houses) — 85 days
from 3 sales

Zoning mix

Canyonleigh has more rural and farming land (45% vs 6%); Sutton Forest has more land zoned for conservation (90% vs 55%).

Canyonleigh Sutton Forest
Environmental 55% 90%
Rural and farming 45% 6%
Infrastructure and transport 0% 3%
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

Canyonleigh Sutton Forest
New dwellings approved 335
across Wingecarribee
same for both
Approvals change year on year +6%
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Canyonleigh Sutton Forest
House price Higher than 81% of NSW Higher than 80% of NSW
Income Higher than 71% of NSW Higher than 73% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 14% of NSW Higher than 37% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 28% of NSW Higher than 30% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 78% of NSW Higher than 79% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 29% of NSW Higher than 43% of NSW

Liveability

Canyonleigh Sutton Forest
Grade — B
Score — 52/100
Socio-economic band advantaged area
decile 8/10
 very advantaged area
decile 10/10

Risk profile

Sutton Forest carries more crime risk (58 vs 19); Canyonleigh carries more bushfire risk (33 vs 14).

Canyonleigh Sutton Forest
Bushfire Low
33/100
 Low
14/100
Crime Low
19/100
 Moderate
58/100
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

Canyonleigh Sutton Forest
Inside the suburb 0
same for both
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Amenities in the suburb

Canyonleigh Sutton Forest
Cafes & restaurants 0 2
Parks & reserves 2 3
EV chargers 0 1
Waterways 13
same for both

Mobility

Canyonleigh sits further from the CBD (157.1 km vs 139 km).

Canyonleigh Sutton Forest
Walkability score 0/100
same for both
Distance to Sydney 157.1 km
+12% vs other
 139 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 112 min 108 min
Electric vehicle share 0.9%
postcode 2577
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 56
postcode 2577
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.

Canyonleigh Sutton Forest
Car (driver) 66.2% / 58.6%
Canyonleigh — Car (driver): 66.2% Sutton Forest — Car (driver): 58.6%
Worked from Home 27.3% / 35.8%
Canyonleigh — Worked from Home: 27.3% Sutton Forest — Worked from Home: 35.8%
Walked Only 3.5% / 4.2%
Canyonleigh — Walked Only: 3.5% Sutton Forest — Walked Only: 4.2%
Car (passenger) 3.0% / 1.4%
Canyonleigh — Car (passenger): 3.0% Sutton Forest — Car (passenger): 1.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (66.2%).

Setting

Canyonleigh Sutton Forest
Elevation 693 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 681 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Canyonleigh Sutton Forest
Connectivity score 20/100 28/100
Most common technology Satellite (Sky Muster) Fixed wireless
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
164 premises
 0%
221 premises

Climate

Canyonleigh Sutton Forest
Annual rainfall 974 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Council rates

Canyonleigh Sutton Forest
Average residential rate $2,072/yr
same for both
Council Wingecarribee
same for both

Federal electorate

Canyonleigh Sutton Forest
Division Whitlam
same for both
Member Carol Berry
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Canyonleigh Sutton Forest
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Canyonleigh

Rural

Sutton Forest

Premium Retirees Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Canyonleigh

Canyonleigh vs Brayton Canyonleigh vs Joadja Canyonleigh vs Bullio Canyonleigh vs Big Hill Canyonleigh vs Paddys River

Other comparisons with Sutton Forest

Sutton Forest vs Moss Vale Sutton Forest vs Exeter Sutton Forest vs Berrima Sutton Forest vs New Berrima Sutton Forest vs Penrose Sutton Forest vs Medway
Full data on Canyonleigh Full data on Sutton Forest
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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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