Garden Suburb vs Hillsborough

In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Garden Suburb, most households are couple families. In Hillsborough, about half of households are couple families. Houses cost more in Hillsborough: a median of $1.12 million, against $995,000 in Garden Suburb, though rent is higher in Garden Suburb. On these figures, Garden Suburb tends to suit couples.

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

Garden Suburb

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has more childcare (3 vs 0)

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

First-home buyers

Garden Suburb

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($995,000 vs $1,117,500)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Hillsborough

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($420/wk vs $465/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Garden Suburb

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (64/100 vs 52/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Garden Suburb

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (64/100 vs 52/100)

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

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

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

Garden Suburb Hillsborough
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.

Garden Suburb Hillsborough
Walkability 64 / 52
Garden Suburb — Walkability: 64/100 Hillsborough — Walkability: 52/100
Low fire risk 43 / 84
Garden Suburb — Low fire risk: 43/100 Hillsborough — Low fire risk: 84/100

Demographics

Garden Suburb has more residents (1,959 vs 641); Garden Suburb has higher household incomes ($122,772 vs $102,440).

Garden Suburb Hillsborough
Population 1,959
+67% vs other
 641
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +2.6% -1.7%
Median age 41 40
Median household income $122,772/yr
+17% vs other
 $102,440/yr
Median weekly rent $465/wk
+10% vs other
 $420/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Garden Suburb Hillsborough
0-4 6.0% / 5.1%
Garden Suburb — 0-4: 6.0% Hillsborough — 0-4: 5.1%
5-14 13.0% / 12.3%
Garden Suburb — 5-14: 13.0% Hillsborough — 5-14: 12.3%
15-19 7.0% / 6.4%
Garden Suburb — 15-19: 7.0% Hillsborough — 15-19: 6.4%
20-24 6.2% / 6.1%
Garden Suburb — 20-24: 6.2% Hillsborough — 20-24: 6.1%
25-34 9.1% / 12.9%
Garden Suburb — 25-34: 9.1% Hillsborough — 25-34: 12.9%
35-44 13.1% / 10.1%
Garden Suburb — 35-44: 13.1% Hillsborough — 35-44: 10.1%
45-54 12.0% / 14.4%
Garden Suburb — 45-54: 12.0% Hillsborough — 45-54: 14.4%
55-64 13.0% / 11.9%
Garden Suburb — 55-64: 13.0% Hillsborough — 55-64: 11.9%
65-74 10.2% / 10.0%
Garden Suburb — 65-74: 10.2% Hillsborough — 65-74: 10.0%
75-84 6.0% / 6.7%
Garden Suburb — 75-84: 6.0% Hillsborough — 75-84: 6.7%
85+ 4.2% / 0.6%
Garden Suburb — 85+: 4.2% Hillsborough — 85+: 0.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (14.4%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Garden Suburb 61.9% couple families
Garden Suburb — Couple Families: 61.9% Garden Suburb — Lone Person: 22.2% Garden Suburb — One Parent Families: 13.1% Garden Suburb — Group Household: 2.2% Garden Suburb — Other Families: 0.7%
Hillsborough 51.2% couple families
Hillsborough — Couple Families: 51.2% Hillsborough — Lone Person: 27.2% Hillsborough — One Parent Families: 19.1% Hillsborough — Group Household: 2.5% Hillsborough — Other Families: 0.0%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Garden Suburb 10.7% renting
Garden Suburb — Owned Outright: 45.6% Garden Suburb — Mortgage: 43.7% Garden Suburb — Renting: 10.7%
Hillsborough 14.2% renting
Hillsborough — Owned Outright: 38.8% Hillsborough — Mortgage: 47.0% Hillsborough — Renting: 14.2%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Garden Suburb Hillsborough
Certificate III & IV 14.5% / 22.5%
Garden Suburb — Certificate III & IV: 14.5% Hillsborough — Certificate III & IV: 22.5%
Bachelor Degree 16.5% / 9.8%
Garden Suburb — Bachelor Degree: 16.5% Hillsborough — Bachelor Degree: 9.8%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.8% / 9.5%
Garden Suburb — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.8% Hillsborough — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.5%
Postgraduate Degree 4.8% / 0.8%
Garden Suburb — Postgraduate Degree: 4.8% Hillsborough — Postgraduate Degree: 0.8%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.6% / 0.9%
Garden Suburb — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.6% Hillsborough — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (22.5%).

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.

Garden Suburb Hillsborough
England 2.1% / 1.9%
Garden Suburb — England: 2.1% Hillsborough — England: 1.9%
New Zealand 1.0% / 2.5%
Garden Suburb — New Zealand: 1.0% Hillsborough — New Zealand: 2.5%
Scotland 0.4% / 0.6%
Garden Suburb — Scotland: 0.4% Hillsborough — Scotland: 0.6%
India 0.9% / —
Garden Suburb — India: 0.9% Hillsborough — India: not among its largest
Germany 0.8% / —
Garden Suburb — Germany: 0.8% Hillsborough — Germany: not among its largest
Sri Lanka 0.5% / —
Garden Suburb — Sri Lanka: 0.5% Hillsborough — Sri Lanka: not among its largest
Italy — / 0.5%
Garden Suburb — Italy: not among its largest Hillsborough — Italy: 0.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (2.5%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Garden Suburb 99.7% houses
Garden Suburb — Houses: 99.7% Garden Suburb — Flats / Apartments: 0.3%
Hillsborough 96.2% houses
Hillsborough — Houses: 96.2% Hillsborough — Flats / Apartments: 3.8%
Houses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Garden Suburb Hillsborough
Median house price $995,000 $1,117,500
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 20 days
from 14 sales
 17 days
from 4 sales

Zoning mix

Garden Suburb Hillsborough
Parks and recreation 5% 49%
Residential 48% 16%
Other and special use 19% 0%
Infrastructure and transport 11% 17%
Environmental 15% 16%
Rural and farming 2%
same for both
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

Garden Suburb Hillsborough
New dwellings approved 1,212
across Lake Macquarie
same for both
Approvals change year on year +2%
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.

Garden Suburb Hillsborough
Houses 3.4%
$775/wk on $1.2M
 —
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Garden Suburb Hillsborough
House price Higher than 48% of NSW Higher than 38% of NSW
Income Higher than 85% of NSW Higher than 70% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 86% of NSW Higher than 82% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 80% of NSW Higher than 77% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 81% of NSW Higher than 77% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 79% of NSW Higher than 85% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 37% of NSW —

Liveability

Garden Suburb is more walkable (64 vs 52); Hillsborough scores higher overall (59 vs 54).

Garden Suburb Hillsborough
Grade B
same for both
Score 54/100 59/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 9/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 5/10

Risk profile

Garden Suburb carries more bushfire risk (57 vs 16).

Garden Suburb Hillsborough
Bushfire Moderate
57/100
 Low
16/100
Crime Low
39/100
 —
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
same for both

Schools

Garden Suburb Hillsborough
Inside the suburb 1 0
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 1 0
Universities within 10 km 2
The University of Newcastle (Callaghan), 6.4 km
 1
The University of Newcastle (Callaghan), 8.2 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 3.0% 1.9%

Schools in Garden Suburb

  • Garden Suburb Public School Government · Primary below peers

Schools in Hillsborough

No schools recorded inside this suburb's boundary. Children here will be zoned to schools nearby.

Amenities in the suburb

Garden Suburb Hillsborough
Parks & reserves 2 1
Childcare 3 0
GPs 1 0
Waterways 5 7

Mobility

Garden Suburb Hillsborough
Walkability score 64/100 52/100
Distance to Sydney 149.2 km 149.6 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 118 min 120 min
Public transport score 66/100
Bus
 35/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 20.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
 7.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
 6 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 1.0%
postcode 2289
 0.9%
postcode 2290
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 36
postcode 2289
 37
postcode 2290

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.

Garden Suburb Hillsborough
Car (driver) 64.0% / 69.9%
Garden Suburb — Car (driver): 64.0% Hillsborough — Car (driver): 69.9%
Worked from Home 29.6% / 24.2%
Garden Suburb — Worked from Home: 29.6% Hillsborough — Worked from Home: 24.2%
Car (passenger) 4.6% / 4.8%
Garden Suburb — Car (passenger): 4.6% Hillsborough — Car (passenger): 4.8%
Bus 0.4% / 1.1%
Garden Suburb — Bus: 0.4% Hillsborough — Bus: 1.1%
Bicycle 0.7% / —
Garden Suburb — Bicycle: 0.7% Hillsborough — Bicycle: not among its largest
Train 0.4% / —
Garden Suburb — Train: 0.4% Hillsborough — Train: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (69.9%).

Setting

Garden Suburb Hillsborough
Elevation 87 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 30 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 5.7 km 5.2 km

NBN connectivity

Garden Suburb Hillsborough
Connectivity score 72/100 76/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node Fibre to the premises
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 49%
700 premises
 57%
248 premises

Climate

Garden Suburb Hillsborough
Annual rainfall 1,025 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 25.4°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 10.2°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Garden Suburb Hillsborough
PM2.5 6.1 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 16.5 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.53 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Garden Suburb Hillsborough
Average residential rate $1,708/yr
same for both
Council Lake Macquarie
same for both

Federal electorate

Garden Suburb Hillsborough
Division Shortland
same for both
Member Pat Conroy
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Garden Suburb Hillsborough
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Garden Suburb

Large Blocks River

Hillsborough

Acreage River

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Garden Suburb

Garden Suburb vs Charlestown Garden Suburb vs Cardiff Garden Suburb vs Kotara Garden Suburb vs New Lambton Heights Garden Suburb vs Cardiff Heights Garden Suburb vs Kotara South

Other comparisons with Hillsborough

Hillsborough vs Charlestown Hillsborough vs Warners Bay Hillsborough vs Cardiff Hillsborough vs Mount Hutton Hillsborough vs Cardiff South
Full data on Garden Suburb Full data on Hillsborough
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