Cheltenham vs Pennant Hills

Pennant Hills is the younger of the two, with a median age of 43 against 46 in Cheltenham. In both, the large majority of households own their home, most homes are detached houses, and most households are couple families. Houses cost more in Cheltenham: a median of $2.85 million, against $2.03 million in Pennant Hills, and rent is higher there too. Cheltenham is closer to the city centre: 22 km, against 25.5 km. On these figures, Cheltenham tends to suit couples, while Pennant Hills 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

Pennant Hills

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more schools inside the suburb (4 vs 1)
  • has more childcare (7 vs 3)
  • has more parks and reserves (9 vs 4)
  • But Cheltenham has more separate houses rather than flats (96% vs 73%)

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

First-home buyers

Pennant Hills

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper units ($660,000 vs $1,350,000)
  • has cheaper houses ($2,033,388 vs $2,847,500)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Pennant Hills

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (24% vs 9%)
  • has cheaper rent ($500/wk vs $695/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Cheltenham

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • has a shorter drive in (23 min vs 28 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (22 km vs 25.5 km)
  • But Pennant Hills is more walkable (88/100 vs 63/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, rail access, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Pennant Hills

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (27% vs 4%)
  • has more GPs (5 vs 0)
  • is more walkable (88/100 vs 63/100)

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

Investors

Pennant Hills

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (4.1% vs -3.4%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Cheltenham Pennant Hills
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.

Cheltenham Pennant Hills
Walkability 63 / 88
Cheltenham — Walkability: 63/100 Pennant Hills — Walkability: 88/100
Safety 72 / 69
Cheltenham — Safety: 72/100 Pennant Hills — Safety: 69/100
Low fire risk 100 / 30
Cheltenham — Low fire risk: 100/100 Pennant Hills — Low fire risk: 30/100

Demographics

Pennant Hills has more residents (7,588 vs 2,166); Cheltenham has higher household incomes ($185,796 vs $126,516).

Cheltenham Pennant Hills
Population 2,166 7,588
+250% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -3.4% +4.1%
Median age 46 43
Median household income $185,796/yr
+32% vs other
 $126,516/yr
Median weekly rent $695/wk
+28% vs other
 $500/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Cheltenham Pennant Hills
0-4 3.3% / 4.3%
Cheltenham — 0-4: 3.3% Pennant Hills — 0-4: 4.3%
5-14 13.3% / 12.9%
Cheltenham — 5-14: 13.3% Pennant Hills — 5-14: 12.9%
15-19 8.0% / 6.4%
Cheltenham — 15-19: 8.0% Pennant Hills — 15-19: 6.4%
20-24 7.1% / 6.6%
Cheltenham — 20-24: 7.1% Pennant Hills — 20-24: 6.6%
25-34 6.2% / 9.2%
Cheltenham — 25-34: 6.2% Pennant Hills — 25-34: 9.2%
35-44 10.7% / 13.4%
Cheltenham — 35-44: 10.7% Pennant Hills — 35-44: 13.4%
45-54 15.2% / 14.5%
Cheltenham — 45-54: 15.2% Pennant Hills — 45-54: 14.5%
55-64 16.5% / 14.0%
Cheltenham — 55-64: 16.5% Pennant Hills — 55-64: 14.0%
65-74 11.0% / 10.1%
Cheltenham — 65-74: 11.0% Pennant Hills — 65-74: 10.1%
75-84 6.2% / 6.1%
Cheltenham — 75-84: 6.2% Pennant Hills — 75-84: 6.1%
85+ 2.4% / 2.6%
Cheltenham — 85+: 2.4% Pennant Hills — 85+: 2.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.5%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Cheltenham 71.8% couple families
Cheltenham — Couple Families: 71.8% Cheltenham — Lone Person: 15.7% Cheltenham — One Parent Families: 11.3% Cheltenham — Group Household: 1.2% Cheltenham — Other Families: 0.0%
Pennant Hills 56.8% couple families
Pennant Hills — Couple Families: 56.8% Pennant Hills — Lone Person: 25.3% Pennant Hills — One Parent Families: 13.9% Pennant Hills — Group Household: 2.6% Pennant Hills — Other Families: 1.4%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Cheltenham 8.7% renting
Cheltenham — Owned Outright: 50.6% Cheltenham — Mortgage: 40.7% Cheltenham — Renting: 8.7%
Pennant Hills 24.0% renting
Pennant Hills — Owned Outright: 39.1% Pennant Hills — Mortgage: 36.9% Pennant Hills — Renting: 24.0%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Cheltenham Pennant Hills
Bachelor Degree 27.3% / 24.5%
Cheltenham — Bachelor Degree: 27.3% Pennant Hills — Bachelor Degree: 24.5%
Postgraduate Degree 15.7% / 12.7%
Cheltenham — Postgraduate Degree: 15.7% Pennant Hills — Postgraduate Degree: 12.7%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 6.3% / 8.8%
Cheltenham — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.3% Pennant Hills — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.8%
Certificate III & IV 5.1% / 6.2%
Cheltenham — Certificate III & IV: 5.1% Pennant Hills — Certificate III & IV: 6.2%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 3.2% / 3.1%
Cheltenham — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.2% Pennant Hills — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (27.3%).

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.

Cheltenham Pennant Hills
China 9.5% / 8.4%
Cheltenham — China: 9.5% Pennant Hills — China: 8.4%
India 2.3% / 4.4%
Cheltenham — India: 2.3% Pennant Hills — India: 4.4%
England 3.0% / 3.1%
Cheltenham — England: 3.0% Pennant Hills — England: 3.1%
Sri Lanka 1.7% / 1.5%
Cheltenham — Sri Lanka: 1.7% Pennant Hills — Sri Lanka: 1.5%
New Zealand 1.6% / 1.1%
Cheltenham — New Zealand: 1.6% Pennant Hills — New Zealand: 1.1%
Philippines — / 1.4%
Cheltenham — Philippines: not among its largest Pennant Hills — Philippines: 1.4%

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

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Cheltenham 95.7% houses
Cheltenham — Houses: 95.7% Cheltenham — Flats / Apartments: 0.9% Cheltenham — Townhouses: 3.4%
Pennant Hills 73.3% houses
Pennant Hills — Houses: 73.3% Pennant Hills — Flats / Apartments: 15.2% Pennant Hills — Townhouses: 11.5%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Cheltenham Pennant Hills
Median house price $2,847,500 $2,033,388
Median unit price $1,350,000 $660,000
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 27 days
from 7 sales
 24 days
from 75 sales

House price by bedroom count

Only bed counts both suburbs published enough sales for. Sale counts are shown because the buckets differ in depth.

Cheltenham Pennant Hills
3 bed $1.94M / $1.81M
Cheltenham — 3 bed: $1.94M (8 sales) Pennant Hills — 3 bed: $1.81M (34 sales)

8 vs 34 sales

4 bed $3.33M / $2.06M
Cheltenham — 4 bed: $3.33M (16 sales) Pennant Hills — 4 bed: $2.06M (40 sales)

16 vs 40 sales

5 bed $3.06M / $2.28M
Cheltenham — 5 bed: $3.06M (12 sales) Pennant Hills — 5 bed: $2.28M (37 sales)

12 vs 37 sales

Zoning mix

Pennant Hills has more land zoned for conservation (39% vs 13%).

Cheltenham Pennant Hills
Residential 63% 42%
Environmental 13% 39%
Parks and recreation 11% 13%
Infrastructure and transport 12% 3%
Industrial 0% 1%
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

Cheltenham Pennant Hills
New dwellings approved 260
across Hornsby
same for both
Approvals change year on year -79%
same for both

Gross rental yield

Gross — before strata, rates, management, insurance and vacancy. From median advertised rents and median asking prices over the last 6 months. How we calculate.

Cheltenham Pennant Hills
Houses — 2.5%
$948/wk on $1.95M
Units — 4.5%
$665/wk on $772K

Ranking within NSW

Cheltenham Pennant Hills
House price Higher than 93% of NSW Higher than 86% of NSW
Income Higher than 99% of NSW Higher than 87% of NSW
Schools — Higher than 56% of NSW
Walkability Higher than 86% of NSW Higher than 95% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 29% of NSW Higher than 27% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 99% of NSW Higher than 96% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 84% of NSW Higher than 81% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 7% of NSW
Rental yield (units) — Higher than 42% of NSW

Liveability

Pennant Hills is more walkable (88 vs 63); Cheltenham scores higher overall (87 vs 66).

Cheltenham Pennant Hills
Grade A B
Score 87/100 66/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
same for both

Risk profile

Pennant Hills carries more bushfire risk (70 vs 0).

Cheltenham Pennant Hills
Bushfire None
0/100
 High
70/100
Crime Low
28/100
 Low
31/100
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

Cheltenham Pennant Hills
Inside the suburb 1 4
Rated above peers 1
same for both
Rated at peers 0 2
Rated below peers 0
same for both
Universities within 10 km 3
Macquarie University Wallumattagal Campus at North Ryde, 5.2 km
 1
Macquarie University Wallumattagal Campus at North Ryde, 6.7 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 5.8% 4.0%

Schools in Cheltenham

  • Cheltenham Girls High School Government · Secondary above peers

Schools in Pennant Hills

  • Pennant Hills Public School Government · Primary above peers
  • Pennant Hills High School Government · Secondary at peers
  • St Agatha's Catholic Primary School Catholic · Primary at peers
  • EOC Broken Bay - Pennant Hills Catholic · Primary · Special school

Amenities in the suburb

Cheltenham Pennant Hills
Supermarkets 0 1
Cafes & restaurants 0 1
Parks & reserves 4 9
Childcare 3 7
GPs 0 5
Pharmacies 0 3
Fuel stations 0 2
EV chargers 0 2
Waterways 9 11

Mobility

Pennant Hills sits further from the CBD (25.5 km vs 22 km).

Cheltenham Pennant Hills
Walkability score 63/100 88/100
Distance to Sydney 22 km 25.5 km
+16% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 23 min 28 min
Public transport score 87/100
Rail · Bus
 91/100
Rail · Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 23.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
 204.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
 0 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 3.7%
postcode 2119
 2.8%
postcode 2120
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 34
postcode 2119
 33
postcode 2120

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.

Cheltenham Pennant Hills
Worked from Home 62.9% / 56.5%
Cheltenham — Worked from Home: 62.9% Pennant Hills — Worked from Home: 56.5%
Car (driver) 29.5% / 32.2%
Cheltenham — Car (driver): 29.5% Pennant Hills — Car (driver): 32.2%
Train 5.2% / 4.9%
Cheltenham — Train: 5.2% Pennant Hills — Train: 4.9%
Car (passenger) 2.4% / 3.0%
Cheltenham — Car (passenger): 2.4% Pennant Hills — Car (passenger): 3.0%
Walked Only — / 2.5%
Cheltenham — Walked Only: not among its largest Pennant Hills — Walked Only: 2.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (62.9%).

Setting

Cheltenham Pennant Hills
Elevation 108 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 174 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 16.7 km 17.9 km

NBN connectivity

Cheltenham Pennant Hills
Connectivity score 75/100 74/100
Most common technology Hybrid fibre-coaxial
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 1%
758 premises
 6%
3,165 premises

Climate

Cheltenham Pennant Hills
Annual rainfall 1,176 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Cheltenham Pennant Hills
PM2.5 5.4 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 14.2 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.23 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Cheltenham Pennant Hills
Average residential rate $1,488/yr
same for both
Council Hornsby
same for both

Federal electorate

Cheltenham Pennant Hills
Division Berowra
same for both
Member Julian Leeser
same for both
Party Liberal
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Cheltenham Pennant Hills
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Cheltenham

Easy Commute Large Blocks Middle-Ring Parks Premium Professionals River Trains Transport Hub

Pennant Hills

Easy Commute Middle-Ring Parks Premium Professionals River Transport Hub

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Cheltenham

Cheltenham vs Epping Cheltenham vs Beecroft Cheltenham vs North Epping

Other comparisons with Pennant Hills

Pennant Hills vs Cherrybrook Pennant Hills vs Wahroonga Pennant Hills vs West Pennant Hills Pennant Hills vs Beecroft Pennant Hills vs Thornleigh Pennant Hills vs North Epping
Full data on Cheltenham Full data on Pennant Hills
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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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