Emu Heights vs Glenbrook

Emu Heights is the younger of the two, with a median age of 38 against 44 in Glenbrook. 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 Glenbrook: a median of $1.69 million, against $1.14 million in Emu Heights, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Emu Heights tends to suit 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

Glenbrook

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more childcare (6 vs 2)
  • has more parks and reserves (17 vs 14)
  • But Emu Heights carries lower crime risk (34/100 vs 53/100)

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

First-home buyers

Emu Heights

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($1,140,000 vs $1,690,000)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Emu Heights

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($440/wk vs $490/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Glenbrook

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (77/100 vs 52/100)

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

Downsizers and retirees

Glenbrook

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (77/100 vs 52/100)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (20% vs 14%)
  • But Emu Heights carries lower crime risk (34/100 vs 53/100)

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

Investors

Too close to call

Nothing among the 2 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs house yield and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Emu Heights Glenbrook
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.

Emu Heights Glenbrook
Walkability 52 / 77
Emu Heights — Walkability: 52/100 Glenbrook — Walkability: 77/100
Safety 66 / 47
Emu Heights — Safety: 66/100 Glenbrook — Safety: 47/100
Low fire risk 19 / 8
Emu Heights — Low fire risk: 19/100 Glenbrook — Low fire risk: 8/100

Demographics

Glenbrook has more residents (5,078 vs 3,205); Glenbrook skews older (44 vs 38).

Emu Heights Glenbrook
Population 3,205 5,078
+58% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -2.6% +0.5%
Median age 38 44
Median household income $124,696/yr $130,104/yr
+4% vs other
Median weekly rent $440/wk $490/wk
+11% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Emu Heights Glenbrook
0-4 6.1% / 4.9%
Emu Heights — 0-4: 6.1% Glenbrook — 0-4: 4.9%
5-14 13.8% / 13.7%
Emu Heights — 5-14: 13.8% Glenbrook — 5-14: 13.7%
15-19 6.7% / 7.3%
Emu Heights — 15-19: 6.7% Glenbrook — 15-19: 7.3%
20-24 6.6% / 5.2%
Emu Heights — 20-24: 6.6% Glenbrook — 20-24: 5.2%
25-34 12.6% / 7.5%
Emu Heights — 25-34: 12.6% Glenbrook — 25-34: 7.5%
35-44 13.9% / 11.5%
Emu Heights — 35-44: 13.9% Glenbrook — 35-44: 11.5%
45-54 13.9% / 15.1%
Emu Heights — 45-54: 13.9% Glenbrook — 45-54: 15.1%
55-64 12.5% / 14.8%
Emu Heights — 55-64: 12.5% Glenbrook — 55-64: 14.8%
65-74 8.5% / 12.2%
Emu Heights — 65-74: 8.5% Glenbrook — 65-74: 12.2%
75-84 4.5% / 5.8%
Emu Heights — 75-84: 4.5% Glenbrook — 75-84: 5.8%
85+ 1.0% / 1.9%
Emu Heights — 85+: 1.0% Glenbrook — 85+: 1.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (15.1%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Emu Heights 59.1% couple families
Emu Heights — Couple Families: 59.1% Emu Heights — Lone Person: 21.5% Emu Heights — One Parent Families: 16.9% Emu Heights — Group Household: 1.2% Emu Heights — Other Families: 1.2%
Glenbrook 59.1% couple families
Glenbrook — Couple Families: 59.1% Glenbrook — Lone Person: 25.7% Glenbrook — One Parent Families: 12.2% Glenbrook — Group Household: 2.3% Glenbrook — Other Families: 0.7%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Emu Heights 16.5% renting
Emu Heights — Owned Outright: 32.4% Emu Heights — Mortgage: 51.1% Emu Heights — Renting: 16.5%
Glenbrook 12.9% renting
Glenbrook — Owned Outright: 47.4% Glenbrook — Mortgage: 39.8% Glenbrook — Renting: 12.9%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Emu Heights Glenbrook
Certificate III & IV 19.7% / 11.7%
Emu Heights — Certificate III & IV: 19.7% Glenbrook — Certificate III & IV: 11.7%
Bachelor Degree 9.7% / 20.1%
Emu Heights — Bachelor Degree: 9.7% Glenbrook — Bachelor Degree: 20.1%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.3% / 8.6%
Emu Heights — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.3% Glenbrook — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.6%
Postgraduate Degree 3.7% / 8.2%
Emu Heights — Postgraduate Degree: 3.7% Glenbrook — Postgraduate Degree: 8.2%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.9% / 3.9%
Emu Heights — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.9% Glenbrook — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (20.1%).

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.

Emu Heights Glenbrook
England 4.0% / 5.2%
Emu Heights — England: 4.0% Glenbrook — England: 5.2%
New Zealand 0.7% / 0.9%
Emu Heights — New Zealand: 0.7% Glenbrook — New Zealand: 0.9%
South Africa 0.6% / 0.5%
Emu Heights — South Africa: 0.6% Glenbrook — South Africa: 0.5%
Scotland 0.5% / 0.6%
Emu Heights — Scotland: 0.5% Glenbrook — Scotland: 0.6%
Germany 0.5% / 0.5%
Emu Heights — Germany: 0.5% Glenbrook — Germany: 0.5%
Philippines 0.7% / —
Emu Heights — Philippines: 0.7% Glenbrook — Philippines: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (5.2%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Emu Heights 97.3% houses
Emu Heights — Houses: 97.3% Emu Heights — Townhouses: 1.8% Emu Heights — Flats / Apartments: 0.9%
Glenbrook 94.4% houses
Glenbrook — Houses: 94.4% Glenbrook — Townhouses: 4.5% Glenbrook — Flats / Apartments: 1.1%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Emu Heights Glenbrook
Median house price $1,140,000 $1,690,000
Median unit price — $1,142,000
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 20 days
from 13 sales
 29 days
from 47 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.

Emu Heights Glenbrook
3 bed $1.1M / $1.4M
Emu Heights — 3 bed: $1.1M (23 sales) Glenbrook — 3 bed: $1.4M (37 sales)

23 vs 37 sales

4 bed $1.22M / $1.8M
Emu Heights — 4 bed: $1.22M (13 sales) Glenbrook — 4 bed: $1.8M (45 sales)

13 vs 45 sales

5 bed $1.4M / $2.08M
Emu Heights — 5 bed: $1.4M (5 sales) Glenbrook — 5 bed: $2.08M (21 sales)

5 vs 21 sales

Zoning mix

Glenbrook has more land zoned for conservation (60% vs 42%).

Emu Heights Glenbrook
Environmental 42% 60%
Residential 31% 6%
Parks and recreation 18% 4%
Other and special use 3% 18%
Infrastructure and transport 1% 11%
Industrial 5% 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

Emu Heights Glenbrook
New dwellings approved 1,063
across Penrith
 123
across Blue Mountains
Approvals change year on year -78% +14%

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.

Emu Heights Glenbrook
Houses 3.1%
$805/wk on $1.35M
 2.7%
$800/wk on $1.52M
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Emu Heights Glenbrook
House price Higher than 56% of NSW Higher than 77% of NSW
Income Higher than 86% of NSW Higher than 89% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 82% of NSW Higher than 91% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 73% of NSW Higher than 49% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 70% of NSW Higher than 94% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 95% of NSW
same for both
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 26% of NSW Higher than 12% of NSW

Liveability

Glenbrook is more walkable (77 vs 52); Glenbrook scores higher overall (54 vs 48).

Emu Heights Glenbrook
Grade C B
Score 48/100 54/100
Socio-economic band advantaged area
decile 8/10
 very advantaged area
decile 10/10

Risk profile

Glenbrook carries more crime risk (53 vs 34); Glenbrook carries more bushfire risk (92 vs 81).

Emu Heights Glenbrook
Bushfire High
81/100
 High
92/100
Crime Low
34/100
 Moderate
53/100
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
 2
within 5 km

Schools

Emu Heights Glenbrook
Inside the suburb 1 2
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 1 2
Universities within 10 km 1
Western Sydney University - Penrith, 7.7 km
 1
Western Sydney University - Penrith, 9.1 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 1.6% 2.7%

Schools in Emu Heights

  • Emu Heights Public School Government · Primary below peers

Schools in Glenbrook

  • Glenbrook Public School Government · Primary below peers
  • St Finbar's Primary School Catholic · Primary below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Emu Heights Glenbrook
Supermarkets 0 1
Cafes & restaurants 2 7
Parks & reserves 14 17
Childcare 2 6
GPs 0 1
Pharmacies 1
same for both
Banks & Bank@Post 0 1
Fuel stations 1
same for both
EV chargers 0 1
Waterways 3 13

Mobility

Emu Heights Glenbrook
Walkability score 52/100 77/100
Distance to Sydney 60.1 km 60.4 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 51 min 48 min
Public transport score 77/100
Bus
 87/100
Rail · Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 88.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
 45.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 0.7%
postcode 2750
 2.2%
postcode 2773
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 31
postcode 2750
 55
postcode 2773

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.

Emu Heights Glenbrook
Car (driver) 56.9% / 43.1%
Emu Heights — Car (driver): 56.9% Glenbrook — Car (driver): 43.1%
Worked from Home 36.7% / 50.8%
Emu Heights — Worked from Home: 36.7% Glenbrook — Worked from Home: 50.8%
Car (passenger) 2.7% / 2.6%
Emu Heights — Car (passenger): 2.7% Glenbrook — Car (passenger): 2.6%
Train 2.5% / 1.5%
Emu Heights — Train: 2.5% Glenbrook — Train: 1.5%
Walked Only 1.0% / 1.6%
Emu Heights — Walked Only: 1.0% Glenbrook — Walked Only: 1.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (56.9%).

Setting

Emu Heights Glenbrook
Elevation 43 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 178 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Emu Heights Glenbrook
Connectivity score 91/100
same for both
Most common technology Fibre to the premises
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 54%
1,307 premises
 56%
2,112 premises

Climate

Emu Heights Glenbrook
Annual rainfall 822 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Emu Heights Glenbrook
PM2.5 7.2 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 16.3 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.6 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Emu Heights Glenbrook
Average residential rate $1,547/yr $2,080/yr
Council Penrith Blue Mountains

Federal electorate

Emu Heights Glenbrook
Division Macquarie
same for both
Member Susan Templeman
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Emu Heights Glenbrook
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Emu Heights

Large Blocks Parks River

Glenbrook

Large Blocks Parks Professionals River Transport Hub

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Emu Heights

Emu Heights vs Emu Plains Emu Heights vs Blaxland Emu Heights vs Mount Riverview Emu Heights vs Castlereagh Emu Heights vs Yellow Rock

Other comparisons with Glenbrook

Glenbrook vs Emu Plains Glenbrook vs Blaxland Glenbrook vs Leonay Glenbrook vs Lapstone
Full data on Emu Heights Full data on Glenbrook
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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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