Duffys Forest vs Terrey Hills

Duffys Forest is the younger of the two, with a median age of 43 against 47 in Terrey 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 Duffys Forest: a median of $5.7 million, against $2.34 million in Terrey Hills. Terrey Hills is closer to the city centre: 24.4 km, against 29.9 km. On these figures, Terrey Hills tends to suit older residents and 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

They split

one each way, out of the 6 things we measure here

  • Duffys Forest has more schools rated above their peers (2 vs 0)
  • Terrey Hills has more childcare (9 vs 1)

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

First-home buyers

Terrey Hills

ahead on 2 of the 2 things we measure here

  • has cheaper houses ($2,340,000 vs $5,700,000)
  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (25% vs 33%)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Duffys Forest

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (15% vs 22%)

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

Commuting to the city

Terrey Hills

ahead on 3 of the 3 things we measure here

  • sits closer to the CBD (24.4 km vs 29.9 km)
  • has a shorter drive in (35 min vs 42 min)
  • is more walkable (55/100 vs 47/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Terrey Hills

ahead on 4 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (14% vs 1%)
  • has more GPs (2 vs 0)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (25% vs 14%)

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

Investors

Too close to call

Nothing among the 1 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

Duffys Forest and Terrey 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.

Duffys Forest Terrey 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.

Duffys Forest Terrey Hills
Walkability 47 / 55
Duffys Forest — Walkability: 47/100 Terrey Hills — Walkability: 55/100
Safety 70 / 67
Duffys Forest — Safety: 70/100 Terrey Hills — Safety: 67/100
Low fire risk 5 / 7
Duffys Forest — Low fire risk: 5/100 Terrey Hills — Low fire risk: 7/100

Demographics

Terrey Hills has more residents (3,142 vs 509); Duffys Forest has higher household incomes ($221,000 vs $144,456).

Duffys Forest Terrey Hills
Population 509 3,142
+517% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +7.4% +3.3%
Median age 43 47
Median household income $221,000/yr
+35% vs other
 $144,456/yr
Median weekly rent $625/wk
+4% vs other
 $600/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Duffys Forest Terrey Hills
0-4 3.7% / 4.3%
Duffys Forest — 0-4: 3.7% Terrey Hills — 0-4: 4.3%
5-14 15.1% / 13.8%
Duffys Forest — 5-14: 15.1% Terrey Hills — 5-14: 13.8%
15-19 7.5% / 6.7%
Duffys Forest — 15-19: 7.5% Terrey Hills — 15-19: 6.7%
20-24 7.5% / 5.4%
Duffys Forest — 20-24: 7.5% Terrey Hills — 20-24: 5.4%
25-34 6.9% / 6.1%
Duffys Forest — 25-34: 6.9% Terrey Hills — 25-34: 6.1%
35-44 9.6% / 9.7%
Duffys Forest — 35-44: 9.6% Terrey Hills — 35-44: 9.7%
45-54 16.9% / 16.1%
Duffys Forest — 45-54: 16.9% Terrey Hills — 45-54: 16.1%
55-64 14.3% / 13.4%
Duffys Forest — 55-64: 14.3% Terrey Hills — 55-64: 13.4%
65-74 8.4% / 11.7%
Duffys Forest — 65-74: 8.4% Terrey Hills — 65-74: 11.7%
75-84 4.5% / 8.7%
Duffys Forest — 75-84: 4.5% Terrey Hills — 75-84: 8.7%
85+ 1.0% / 4.2%
Duffys Forest — 85+: 1.0% Terrey Hills — 85+: 4.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.9%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Duffys Forest 71.7% couple families
Duffys Forest — Couple Families: 71.7% Duffys Forest — Lone Person: 15.9% Duffys Forest — One Parent Families: 8.8% Duffys Forest — Group Household: 3.5% Duffys Forest — Other Families: 0.0%
Terrey Hills 65.2% couple families
Terrey Hills — Couple Families: 65.2% Terrey Hills — Lone Person: 20.6% Terrey Hills — One Parent Families: 10.2% Terrey Hills — Group Household: 3.1% Terrey Hills — Other Families: 0.9%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Duffys Forest 17.8% renting
Duffys Forest — Owned Outright: 46.7% Duffys Forest — Mortgage: 35.5% Duffys Forest — Renting: 17.8%
Terrey Hills 14.7% renting
Terrey Hills — Owned Outright: 46.8% Terrey Hills — Mortgage: 38.5% Terrey Hills — Renting: 14.7%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Duffys Forest Terrey Hills
Bachelor Degree 21.8% / 16.6%
Duffys Forest — Bachelor Degree: 21.8% Terrey Hills — Bachelor Degree: 16.6%
Certificate III & IV 9.6% / 13.7%
Duffys Forest — Certificate III & IV: 9.6% Terrey Hills — Certificate III & IV: 13.7%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.0% / 10.0%
Duffys Forest — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.0% Terrey Hills — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 10.0%
Postgraduate Degree 5.5% / 5.5%
Duffys Forest — Postgraduate Degree: 5.5% Terrey Hills — Postgraduate Degree: 5.5%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.4% / 2.4%
Duffys Forest — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.4% Terrey Hills — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (21.8%).

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.

Duffys Forest Terrey Hills
England 8.1% / 7.0%
Duffys Forest — England: 8.1% Terrey Hills — England: 7.0%
South Africa 4.7% / 2.4%
Duffys Forest — South Africa: 4.7% Terrey Hills — South Africa: 2.4%
New Zealand 2.6% / 1.7%
Duffys Forest — New Zealand: 2.6% Terrey Hills — New Zealand: 1.7%
Italy 2.6% / 0.6%
Duffys Forest — Italy: 2.6% Terrey Hills — Italy: 0.6%
China 2.4% / 0.8%
Duffys Forest — China: 2.4% Terrey Hills — China: 0.8%
Germany — / 0.9%
Duffys Forest — Germany: not among its largest Terrey Hills — Germany: 0.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (8.1%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Duffys Forest 99.3% houses
Duffys Forest — Houses: 99.3% Duffys Forest — Flats / Apartments: 0.7% Duffys Forest — Townhouses: 0.0%
Terrey Hills 86.5% houses
Terrey Hills — Houses: 86.5% Terrey Hills — Flats / Apartments: 9.6% Terrey Hills — Townhouses: 3.9%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Duffys Forest Terrey Hills
Median house price $5,700,000 $2,340,000
Median unit price — $2,390,000
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) — 24 days
from 12 sales

Zoning mix

Duffys Forest has more rural and farming land (93% vs 47%); Terrey Hills has more land zoned for conservation (27% vs 3%).

Duffys Forest Terrey Hills
Rural and farming 93% 47%
Environmental 3% 27%
Residential 0% 9%
Infrastructure and transport 0% 8%
Parks and recreation 3% 7%
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

Duffys Forest Terrey Hills
New dwellings approved 620
across Northern Beaches
same for both
Approvals change year on year +51%
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Duffys Forest Terrey Hills
House price Higher than 100% of NSW Higher than 88% of NSW
Income Higher than 99% of NSW Higher than 94% of NSW
Schools Higher than 89% of NSW Higher than 20% of NSW
Walkability Higher than 80% of NSW Higher than 83% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 2% of NSW Higher than 29% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 95% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 97% of NSW Higher than 94% of NSW

Liveability

Duffys Forest scores higher overall (65 vs 46); Terrey Hills is more walkable (55 vs 47).

Duffys Forest Terrey Hills
Grade B C
Score 65/100 46/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
same for both

Risk profile

Duffys Forest Terrey Hills
Bushfire High
95/100
 High
93/100
Crime Low
30/100
 Low
33/100
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
 2
within 5 km

Schools

Duffys Forest Terrey Hills
Inside the suburb 3 4
Rated above peers 2 0
Rated at peers 0 2
Rated below peers 1 0

Schools in Duffys Forest

  • A.G.B.U. Alexander Primary School Independent · Primary above peers
  • Sydney Japanese International School Independent · Primary above peers
  • Northern Beaches Christian School Independent · Combined below peers

Schools in Terrey Hills

  • German International School Sydney Independent · Combined at peers
  • Terrey Hills Public School Government · Primary at peers
  • Kinma School Independent · Primary
  • Mosman Preparatory School Outdoor Education Centre Independent · Primary

Amenities in the suburb

Duffys Forest Terrey Hills
Supermarkets 0 1
Cafes & restaurants 0 13
Parks & reserves 1 8
Childcare 1 9
GPs 0 2
Pharmacies 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 1
Fuel stations 0 1
EV chargers 0 1
Waterways 0 5

Mobility

Duffys Forest sits further from the CBD (29.9 km vs 24.4 km).

Duffys Forest Terrey Hills
Walkability score 47/100 55/100
Distance to Sydney 29.9 km
+18% vs other
 24.4 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 42 min 35 min
Public transport score 65/100
Bus
 79/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 29.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
 184.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 2.4%
postcode 2084
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 46
postcode 2084
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.

Duffys Forest Terrey Hills
Worked from Home 52.2% / 47.6%
Duffys Forest — Worked from Home: 52.2% Terrey Hills — Worked from Home: 47.6%
Car (driver) 44.2% / 45.7%
Duffys Forest — Car (driver): 44.2% Terrey Hills — Car (driver): 45.7%
Walked Only 3.6% / 2.2%
Duffys Forest — Walked Only: 3.6% Terrey Hills — Walked Only: 2.2%
Car (passenger) — / 2.6%
Duffys Forest — Car (passenger): not among its largest Terrey Hills — Car (passenger): 2.6%
Bus — / 1.5%
Duffys Forest — Bus: not among its largest Terrey Hills — Bus: 1.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (52.2%).

Setting

Duffys Forest Terrey Hills
Elevation 168 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 172 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 11.0 km 8.1 km

NBN connectivity

Duffys Forest Terrey Hills
Connectivity score 96/100 88/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 79%
179 premises
 52%
1,360 premises

Climate

Duffys Forest Terrey 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)

Duffys Forest Terrey 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

Duffys Forest Terrey Hills
Average residential rate $1,696/yr
same for both
Council Northern Beaches
same for both

Federal electorate

Duffys Forest Terrey Hills
Division Mackellar
same for both
Member Sophie Scamps
same for both
Party Independent
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Duffys Forest Terrey Hills
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Duffys Forest

Acreage Outer

Terrey Hills

Acreage Middle-Ring Premium Quiet River
Full data on Duffys Forest Full data on Terrey 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.

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