Colo Vale vs Hill Top

Hill Top is the younger of the two, with a median age of 35 against 38 in Colo Vale. 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 Colo Vale: a median of $965,000, against $848,000 in Hill Top.

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

Too close to call

Nothing among the 5 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

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

First-home buyers

They split

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

  • Colo Vale has cheaper land ($605,000 vs $860,000)
  • Hill Top has cheaper houses ($847,778 vs $965,000)

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

They split

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

  • Colo Vale sits closer to the CBD (109.2 km vs 112.3 km)
  • Hill Top is more walkable (37/100 vs 0/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Hill Top

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (37/100 vs 0/100)

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

Investors

They split

one each way, out of the 2 things we measure here

  • Colo Vale is growing faster (9.7% vs 4.4%)
  • Hill Top returns a higher gross yield on houses (3.5% vs 3.0%)

Weighs house yield and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Colo Vale Hill Top
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.

Colo Vale Hill Top
Walkability 0 / 37
Colo Vale — Walkability: 0/100 Hill Top — Walkability: 37/100
Low fire risk 8 / 100
Colo Vale — Low fire risk: 8/100 Hill Top — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Hill Top has more residents (2,792 vs 1,775); Colo Vale skews older (38 vs 35).

Colo Vale Hill Top
Population 1,775 2,792
+57% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +9.7% +4.4%
Median age 38 35
Median household income $97,500/yr $100,048/yr
+3% vs other
Median weekly rent $430/wk $435/wk
+1% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Colo Vale Hill Top
0-4 7.5% / 8.1%
Colo Vale — 0-4: 7.5% Hill Top — 0-4: 8.1%
5-14 13.1% / 15.0%
Colo Vale — 5-14: 13.1% Hill Top — 5-14: 15.0%
15-19 6.6% / 5.9%
Colo Vale — 15-19: 6.6% Hill Top — 15-19: 5.9%
20-24 6.1% / 5.2%
Colo Vale — 20-24: 6.1% Hill Top — 20-24: 5.2%
25-34 13.2% / 14.4%
Colo Vale — 25-34: 13.2% Hill Top — 25-34: 14.4%
35-44 10.8% / 13.5%
Colo Vale — 35-44: 10.8% Hill Top — 35-44: 13.5%
45-54 14.6% / 13.2%
Colo Vale — 45-54: 14.6% Hill Top — 45-54: 13.2%
55-64 12.0% / 11.7%
Colo Vale — 55-64: 12.0% Hill Top — 55-64: 11.7%
65-74 11.4% / 8.2%
Colo Vale — 65-74: 11.4% Hill Top — 65-74: 8.2%
75-84 4.5% / 4.4%
Colo Vale — 75-84: 4.5% Hill Top — 75-84: 4.4%
85+ 0.8% / 0.2%
Colo Vale — 85+: 0.8% Hill Top — 85+: 0.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (15.0%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Colo Vale 53.7% couple families
Colo Vale — Couple Families: 53.7% Colo Vale — Lone Person: 25.6% Colo Vale — One Parent Families: 16.3% Colo Vale — Group Household: 2.7% Colo Vale — Other Families: 1.8%
Hill Top 51.6% couple families
Hill Top — Couple Families: 51.6% Hill Top — Lone Person: 25.8% Hill Top — One Parent Families: 17.9% Hill Top — Group Household: 3.4% Hill Top — 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.

Colo Vale 17.9% renting
Colo Vale — Owned Outright: 34.8% Colo Vale — Mortgage: 47.3% Colo Vale — Renting: 17.9%
Hill Top 13.7% renting
Hill Top — Owned Outright: 25.6% Hill Top — Mortgage: 60.8% Hill Top — Renting: 13.7%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

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.

Colo Vale Hill Top
England 3.6% / 4.7%
Colo Vale — England: 3.6% Hill Top — England: 4.7%
Scotland 0.7% / 0.7%
Colo Vale — Scotland: 0.7% Hill Top — Scotland: 0.7%
New Zealand 0.5% / 0.9%
Colo Vale — New Zealand: 0.5% Hill Top — New Zealand: 0.9%
Germany 0.7% / 0.3%
Colo Vale — Germany: 0.7% Hill Top — Germany: 0.3%
Philippines 0.5% / 0.3%
Colo Vale — Philippines: 0.5% Hill Top — Philippines: 0.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (4.7%).

Qualifications

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

Colo Vale Hill Top
Certificate III & IV 22.0% / 21.9%
Colo Vale — Certificate III & IV: 22.0% Hill Top — Certificate III & IV: 21.9%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.2% / 7.0%
Colo Vale — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.2% Hill Top — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.0%
Bachelor Degree 8.1% / 6.4%
Colo Vale — Bachelor Degree: 8.1% Hill Top — Bachelor Degree: 6.4%
Postgraduate Degree 2.0% / 1.6%
Colo Vale — Postgraduate Degree: 2.0% Hill Top — Postgraduate Degree: 1.6%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.4% / 0.9%
Colo Vale — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.4% Hill Top — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (22.0%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Colo Vale 98.7% houses
Colo Vale — Houses: 98.7% Colo Vale — Flats / Apartments: 1.3%
Hill Top 98.5% houses
Hill Top — Houses: 98.5% Hill Top — Flats / Apartments: 1.5%
Houses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Colo Vale Hill Top
Median house price $965,000 $847,778
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price $605,000 $860,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 32 days
from 23 sales
 26 days
from 20 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.

Colo Vale Hill Top
3 bed $889K / $835K
Colo Vale — 3 bed: $889K (18 sales) Hill Top — 3 bed: $835K (25 sales)

18 vs 25 sales

4 bed $1.07M / $975K
Colo Vale — 4 bed: $1.07M (23 sales) Hill Top — 4 bed: $975K (16 sales)

23 vs 16 sales

Zoning mix

Colo Vale Hill Top
Environmental 76% 82%
Rural and farming 21% 11%
Residential 2% 6%
Infrastructure and transport 1% 0%
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

Colo Vale Hill Top
New dwellings approved 335
across Wingecarribee
same for both
Approvals change year on year +6%
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.

Colo Vale Hill Top
Houses 3.0%
$700/wk on $1.2M
 3.5%
$695/wk on $1.02M
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Colo Vale Hill Top
House price Higher than 51% of NSW Higher than 38% of NSW
Income Higher than 66% of NSW Higher than 68% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 26% of NSW Higher than 77% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 62% of NSW Higher than 76% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 72% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 67% of NSW Higher than 70% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 23% of NSW Higher than 46% of NSW

Liveability

Hill Top is more walkable (37 vs 0); Hill Top scores higher overall (60 vs 31).

Colo Vale Hill Top
Grade C B
Score 31/100 60/100
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 6/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 4/10

Risk profile

Colo Vale carries more bushfire risk (92 vs 0).

Colo Vale Hill Top
Bushfire High
92/100
 None
0/100
Crime Low
27/100
 —
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 1
within 5 km
 0
within 5 km

Schools

Colo Vale Hill Top
Inside the suburb 1
same for both
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0 1
Rated below peers 1 0

Schools in Colo Vale

  • Colo Vale Public School Government · Primary below peers

Schools in Hill Top

  • Hill Top Public School Government · Primary at peers

Amenities in the suburb

Colo Vale Hill Top
Parks & reserves 1 3
Childcare 2
same for both
GPs 0 1
Pharmacies 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 1
Waterways 9 4

Mobility

Hill Top sits further from the CBD (112.3 km vs 109.2 km).

Colo Vale Hill Top
Walkability score 0/100 37/100
Distance to Sydney 109.2 km 112.3 km
+3% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 83 min 85 min
Public transport score 49/100
Bus
 43/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 20.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
 16.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 0.7%
postcode 2575
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 52
postcode 2575
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.

Colo Vale Hill Top
Car (driver) 75.8% / 77.3%
Colo Vale — Car (driver): 75.8% Hill Top — Car (driver): 77.3%
Worked from Home 18.6% / 17.6%
Colo Vale — Worked from Home: 18.6% Hill Top — Worked from Home: 17.6%
Car (passenger) 4.1% / 3.6%
Colo Vale — Car (passenger): 4.1% Hill Top — Car (passenger): 3.6%
Walked Only 1.1% / 0.7%
Colo Vale — Walked Only: 1.1% Hill Top — Walked Only: 0.7%
Bus — / 0.7%
Colo Vale — Bus: not among its largest Hill Top — Bus: 0.7%
Train 0.5% / —
Colo Vale — Train: 0.5% Hill Top — Train: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (77.3%).

Setting

Colo Vale Hill Top
Elevation 684 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 587 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 40.7 km 38.7 km

NBN connectivity

Colo Vale Hill Top
Connectivity score 51/100 59/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 17%
695 premises
 26%
1,069 premises

Climate

Colo Vale Hill Top
Annual rainfall 974 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Council rates

Colo Vale Hill Top
Average residential rate $2,072/yr
same for both
Council Wingecarribee
same for both

Federal electorate

Colo Vale Hill Top
Division Whitlam
same for both
Member Carol Berry
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Colo Vale Hill Top
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Colo Vale

Acreage

Hill Top

Acreage Family

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Colo Vale

Colo Vale vs Mittagong Colo Vale vs Yerrinbool Colo Vale vs Braemar Colo Vale vs Willow Vale Colo Vale vs Welby Colo Vale vs High Range

Other comparisons with Hill Top

Hill Top vs Yerrinbool
Full data on Colo Vale Full data on Hill Top
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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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