Claremont Meadows vs Orchard Hills

Claremont Meadows is the younger of the two, with a median age of 33 against 47 in Orchard Hills. 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 Orchard Hills: a median of $3.1 million, against $1.16 million in Claremont Meadows. On these figures, Claremont Meadows tends to suit families with children and buyers on a tighter budget, while Orchard Hills suits 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

Orchard Hills

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more schools inside the suburb (4 vs 1)
  • has more childcare (7 vs 4)
  • But Claremont Meadows carries lower crime risk (43/100 vs 66/100)

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

First-home buyers

They split

one each way, out of the 3 things we measure here

  • Claremont Meadows has cheaper houses ($1,155,000 vs $3,105,000)
  • Orchard Hills has cheaper land ($905,000 vs $1,077,000)

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

Claremont Meadows

ahead on 3 of the 4 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (81/100 vs 0/100)
  • has a shorter drive in (40 min vs 51 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (47.2 km vs 51.4 km)

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

Downsizers and retirees

Claremont Meadows

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (81/100 vs 0/100)
  • has more GPs (2 vs 0)
  • carries lower crime risk (43/100 vs 66/100)
  • But Orchard Hills has more residents already 65 and over (21% vs 8%)

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

Investors

Claremont Meadows

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (8.4% vs -4.2%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

Claremont Meadows and Orchard 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.

Claremont Meadows Orchard 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.

Claremont Meadows Orchard Hills
Walkability 81 / 0
Claremont Meadows — Walkability: 81/100 Orchard Hills — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 57 / 34
Claremont Meadows — Safety: 57/100 Orchard Hills — Safety: 34/100
Low fire risk 100 / 34
Claremont Meadows — Low fire risk: 100/100 Orchard Hills — Low fire risk: 34/100

Demographics

Claremont Meadows has more residents (5,177 vs 1,798); Orchard Hills skews older (47 vs 33).

Claremont Meadows Orchard Hills
Population 5,177
+65% vs other
 1,798
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +8.4% -4.2%
Median age 33 47
Median household income $119,444/yr $118,508/yr
Median weekly rent $430/wk $450/wk
+5% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Claremont Meadows Orchard Hills
0-4 7.9% / 3.5%
Claremont Meadows — 0-4: 7.9% Orchard Hills — 0-4: 3.5%
5-14 16.2% / 10.7%
Claremont Meadows — 5-14: 16.2% Orchard Hills — 5-14: 10.7%
15-19 7.1% / 7.1%
Claremont Meadows — 15-19: 7.1% Orchard Hills — 15-19: 7.1%
20-24 7.4% / 8.5%
Claremont Meadows — 20-24: 7.4% Orchard Hills — 20-24: 8.5%
25-34 13.3% / 9.4%
Claremont Meadows — 25-34: 13.3% Orchard Hills — 25-34: 9.4%
35-44 15.4% / 8.7%
Claremont Meadows — 35-44: 15.4% Orchard Hills — 35-44: 8.7%
45-54 15.0% / 15.0%
Claremont Meadows — 45-54: 15.0% Orchard Hills — 45-54: 15.0%
55-64 9.9% / 16.6%
Claremont Meadows — 55-64: 9.9% Orchard Hills — 55-64: 16.6%
65-74 5.3% / 10.6%
Claremont Meadows — 65-74: 5.3% Orchard Hills — 65-74: 10.6%
75-84 2.0% / 8.0%
Claremont Meadows — 75-84: 2.0% Orchard Hills — 75-84: 8.0%
85+ 0.3% / 2.2%
Claremont Meadows — 85+: 0.3% Orchard Hills — 85+: 2.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.6%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Claremont Meadows 63.6% couple families
Claremont Meadows — Couple Families: 63.6% Claremont Meadows — One Parent Families: 18.7% Claremont Meadows — Lone Person: 14.9% Claremont Meadows — Group Household: 1.8% Claremont Meadows — Other Families: 0.9%
Orchard Hills 62.1% couple families
Orchard Hills — Couple Families: 62.1% Orchard Hills — One Parent Families: 16.0% Orchard Hills — Lone Person: 19.2% Orchard Hills — Group Household: 1.0% Orchard Hills — Other Families: 1.7%
Couple Families One Parent Families Lone Person Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Claremont Meadows 21.3% renting
Claremont Meadows — Owned Outright: 21.2% Claremont Meadows — Mortgage: 57.5% Claremont Meadows — Renting: 21.3%
Orchard Hills 14.6% renting
Orchard Hills — Owned Outright: 59.6% Orchard Hills — Mortgage: 25.8% Orchard Hills — Renting: 14.6%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Claremont Meadows Orchard Hills
Certificate III & IV 15.2% / 16.6%
Claremont Meadows — Certificate III & IV: 15.2% Orchard Hills — Certificate III & IV: 16.6%
Bachelor Degree 11.5% / 10.3%
Claremont Meadows — Bachelor Degree: 11.5% Orchard Hills — Bachelor Degree: 10.3%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.2% / 6.5%
Claremont Meadows — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.2% Orchard Hills — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.5%
Postgraduate Degree 3.2% / 2.9%
Claremont Meadows — Postgraduate Degree: 3.2% Orchard Hills — Postgraduate Degree: 2.9%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.1% / 1.3%
Claremont Meadows — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.1% Orchard Hills — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.6%).

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.

Claremont Meadows Orchard Hills
India 4.4% / 1.1%
Claremont Meadows — India: 4.4% Orchard Hills — India: 1.1%
England 2.1% / 2.5%
Claremont Meadows — England: 2.1% Orchard Hills — England: 2.5%
Philippines 4.3% / —
Claremont Meadows — Philippines: 4.3% Orchard Hills — Philippines: not among its largest
Italy — / 2.3%
Claremont Meadows — Italy: not among its largest Orchard Hills — Italy: 2.3%
Lebanon — / 1.8%
Claremont Meadows — Lebanon: not among its largest Orchard Hills — Lebanon: 1.8%
Pakistan 1.7% / —
Claremont Meadows — Pakistan: 1.7% Orchard Hills — Pakistan: not among its largest
New Zealand 1.5% / —
Claremont Meadows — New Zealand: 1.5% Orchard Hills — New Zealand: not among its largest
Scotland — / 0.8%
Claremont Meadows — Scotland: not among its largest Orchard Hills — Scotland: 0.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (4.4%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Claremont Meadows 93.0% houses
Claremont Meadows — Houses: 93.0% Claremont Meadows — Townhouses: 6.2% Claremont Meadows — Flats / Apartments: 0.8%
Orchard Hills 96.8% houses
Orchard Hills — Houses: 96.8% Orchard Hills — Townhouses: 2.2% Orchard Hills — Flats / Apartments: 1.1%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Claremont Meadows Orchard Hills
Median house price $1,155,000 $3,105,000
Median unit price $885,000 —
Median land price $1,077,000 $905,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 22 days
from 72 sales
 26 days
from 5 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.

Claremont Meadows Orchard Hills
4 bed $1.32M / $4.04M
Claremont Meadows — 4 bed: $1.32M (45 sales) Orchard Hills — 4 bed: $4.04M (6 sales)

45 vs 6 sales

5 bed $1.26M / $4.25M
Claremont Meadows — 5 bed: $1.26M (20 sales) Orchard Hills — 5 bed: $4.25M (8 sales)

20 vs 8 sales

Zoning mix

Orchard Hills has more rural and farming land (33% vs 0%); Orchard Hills has more land zoned for conservation (43% vs 18%).

Claremont Meadows Orchard Hills
Residential 49% 3%
Environmental 18% 43%
Rural and farming 0% 33%
Parks and recreation 23% 6%
Infrastructure and transport 9% 11%
Industrial 2% 3%
Planning zones cover 100% of Claremont Meadows and 99% of Orchard Hills. 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

Claremont Meadows Orchard Hills
New dwellings approved 1,063
across Penrith
same for both
Approvals change year on year -78%
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.

Claremont Meadows Orchard Hills
Houses 3.5%
$750/wk on $1.1M
 —
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Claremont Meadows Orchard Hills
House price Higher than 65% of NSW Higher than 94% of NSW
Income Higher than 83% of NSW
same for both
Schools — Higher than 49% of NSW
Walkability Higher than 93% of NSW Higher than 3% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 61% of NSW Higher than 8% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 75% of NSW Higher than 74% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 96% of NSW Higher than 74% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 48% of NSW —

Liveability

Claremont Meadows is more walkable (81 vs 0); Claremont Meadows scores higher overall (71 vs 38).

Claremont Meadows Orchard Hills
Grade A C
Score 71/100 38/100
Socio-economic band advantaged area
decile 7/10
same for both

Risk profile

Orchard Hills carries more bushfire risk (66 vs 0); Orchard Hills carries more crime risk (66 vs 43).

Claremont Meadows Orchard Hills
Bushfire None
0/100
 Moderate
66/100
Crime Moderate
43/100
 Moderate
66/100
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 6
within 5 km
 4
within 5 km

Schools

Claremont Meadows Orchard Hills
Inside the suburb 1 4
Rated above peers 0 1
Rated at peers 1 3
Rated below peers 0
same for both
Universities within 10 km 1
Western Sydney University - Penrith, 2.8 km
 1
Western Sydney University - Penrith, 4.9 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 2.1% 2.8%

Schools in Claremont Meadows

  • Claremont Meadows Public School Government · Primary at peers

Schools in Orchard Hills

  • Montgrove College Independent · Combined above peers
  • Orchard Hills Public School Government · Primary at peers
  • Penrith Anglican College Independent · Combined at peers
  • Penrith Christian School Independent · Combined at peers

Amenities in the suburb

Claremont Meadows Orchard Hills
Supermarkets 1 0
Cafes & restaurants 1 2
Parks & reserves 5 3
Childcare 4 7
GPs 2 0
Pharmacies 1
same for both
Fuel stations 1 0
Waterways 10 26

Mobility

Orchard Hills sits further from the CBD (51.4 km vs 47.2 km).

Claremont Meadows Orchard Hills
Walkability score 81/100 0/100
Distance to Sydney 47.2 km 51.4 km
+9% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 40 min 51 min
Public transport score 79/100
Bus
same for both
Peak arrivals per hour 106.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
 52.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
 1 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 0.9%
postcode 2747
 0.8%
postcode 2748
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 45
postcode 2747
 56
postcode 2748

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.

Claremont Meadows Orchard Hills
Car (driver) 57.4% / 57.0%
Claremont Meadows — Car (driver): 57.4% Orchard Hills — Car (driver): 57.0%
Worked from Home 35.5% / 36.4%
Claremont Meadows — Worked from Home: 35.5% Orchard Hills — Worked from Home: 36.4%
Car (passenger) 4.5% / 3.7%
Claremont Meadows — Car (passenger): 4.5% Orchard Hills — Car (passenger): 3.7%
Train 1.8% / 0.9%
Claremont Meadows — Train: 1.8% Orchard Hills — Train: 0.9%
Walked Only 0.3% / 2.0%
Claremont Meadows — Walked Only: 0.3% Orchard Hills — Walked Only: 2.0%
Bus 0.5% / —
Claremont Meadows — Bus: 0.5% Orchard Hills — Bus: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (57.4%).

Setting

Claremont Meadows Orchard Hills
Elevation 40 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 49 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 42.7 km 42.8 km

NBN connectivity

Claremont Meadows Orchard Hills
Connectivity score 93/100 67/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 65%
1,812 premises
 38%
711 premises

Climate

Claremont Meadows Orchard Hills
Annual rainfall 822 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Claremont Meadows Orchard Hills
PM2.5 5.6 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 17.6 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.55 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Claremont Meadows Orchard Hills
Average residential rate $1,547/yr
same for both
Council Penrith
same for both

Federal electorate

Claremont Meadows Orchard Hills
Division Lindsay
same for both
Member Melissa Mcintosh
same for both
Party Liberal
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Claremont Meadows Orchard Hills
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Claremont Meadows

Family Large Blocks Outer Parks Quiet River

Orchard Hills

Acreage Outer

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Claremont Meadows

Claremont Meadows vs St Marys Claremont Meadows vs Kingswood Claremont Meadows vs Werrington Claremont Meadows vs Caddens

Other comparisons with Orchard Hills

Orchard Hills vs Glenmore Park Orchard Hills vs St Clair Orchard Hills vs St Marys Orchard Hills vs South Penrith Orchard Hills vs Kingswood Orchard Hills vs Erskine Park
Full data on Claremont Meadows Full data on Orchard Hills
Unlock full address-level data — $29/month

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.

Save this page for later

We'll email you a link to this page so you can finish reading it on any device. We use your address once to send it and don't keep it.

or