Hartley vs Lithgow

In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Hartley, most households are couple families. In Lithgow, most households are people living alone. Houses cost more in Hartley: a median of $1.37 million, against $540,000 in Lithgow. On these figures, Hartley tends to suit couples, while Lithgow suits people living alone, 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

Lithgow

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more childcare (5 vs 0)
  • has more schools inside the suburb (4 vs 0)
  • has more parks and reserves (14 vs 3)
  • But Hartley carries lower crime risk (43/100 vs 91/100)

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

First-home buyers

Lithgow

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($540,000 vs $1,367,500)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

They split

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

  • Hartley leaves renters under less rental stress (15% vs 28%)
  • Lithgow has a bigger rental market to choose from (36% vs 9%)

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

Commuting to the city

Lithgow

ahead on 3 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (87/100 vs 5/100)
  • has a shorter drive in (130 min vs 143 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (146 km vs 158.4 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Lithgow

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (87/100 vs 5/100)
  • has more GPs (2 vs 0)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (29% vs 20%)
  • But Hartley carries lower crime risk (43/100 vs 91/100)

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

Investors

Hartley

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (16.9% vs -4.7%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Hartley Lithgow
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.

Hartley Lithgow
Walkability 5 / 87
Hartley — Walkability: 5/100 Lithgow — Walkability: 87/100
Safety 57 / 9
Hartley — Safety: 57/100 Lithgow — Safety: 9/100
Low fire risk 12 / 3
Hartley — Low fire risk: 12/100 Lithgow — Low fire risk: 3/100

Demographics

Lithgow has more residents (4,956 vs 478); Hartley has higher household incomes ($99,112 vs $52,520).

Hartley Lithgow
Population 478 4,956
+937% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +16.9% -4.7%
Median age 48 49
Median household income $99,112/yr
+47% vs other
 $52,520/yr
Median weekly rent $283/wk
+1% vs other
 $280/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Hartley Lithgow
0-4 5.2% / 4.0%
Hartley — 0-4: 5.2% Lithgow — 0-4: 4.0%
5-14 12.8% / 10.4%
Hartley — 5-14: 12.8% Lithgow — 5-14: 10.4%
15-19 5.4% / 4.7%
Hartley — 15-19: 5.4% Lithgow — 15-19: 4.7%
20-24 3.8% / 4.6%
Hartley — 20-24: 3.8% Lithgow — 20-24: 4.6%
25-34 6.9% / 11.6%
Hartley — 25-34: 6.9% Lithgow — 25-34: 11.6%
35-44 11.1% / 9.5%
Hartley — 35-44: 11.1% Lithgow — 35-44: 9.5%
45-54 15.7% / 11.6%
Hartley — 45-54: 15.7% Lithgow — 45-54: 11.6%
55-64 19.0% / 14.7%
Hartley — 55-64: 19.0% Lithgow — 55-64: 14.7%
65-74 12.6% / 14.9%
Hartley — 65-74: 12.6% Lithgow — 65-74: 14.9%
75-84 7.9% / 10.3%
Hartley — 75-84: 7.9% Lithgow — 75-84: 10.3%
85+ — / 3.6%
Hartley — 85+: not among its largest Lithgow — 85+: 3.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (19.0%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Hartley 36.7% lone person
Hartley — Lone Person: 36.7% Hartley — Couple Families: 55.0% Hartley — One Parent Families: 8.3% Hartley — Group Household: 0.0% Hartley — Other Families: 0.0%
Lithgow 57.1% lone person
Lithgow — Lone Person: 57.1% Lithgow — Couple Families: 20.0% Lithgow — One Parent Families: 17.7% Lithgow — Group Household: 3.9% Lithgow — Other Families: 1.3%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Hartley 9.1% renting
Hartley — Owned Outright: 46.6% Hartley — Mortgage: 44.3% Hartley — Renting: 9.1%
Lithgow 35.9% renting
Lithgow — Owned Outright: 40.7% Lithgow — Mortgage: 23.4% Lithgow — Renting: 35.9%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Hartley Lithgow
Certificate III & IV 20.3% / 17.6%
Hartley — Certificate III & IV: 20.3% Lithgow — Certificate III & IV: 17.6%
Bachelor Degree 11.7% / 7.4%
Hartley — Bachelor Degree: 11.7% Lithgow — Bachelor Degree: 7.4%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.4% / 6.3%
Hartley — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.4% Lithgow — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.3%
Postgraduate Degree 2.9% / 1.6%
Hartley — Postgraduate Degree: 2.9% Lithgow — Postgraduate Degree: 1.6%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.3% / 1.2%
Hartley — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.3% Lithgow — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (20.3%).

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.

Hartley Lithgow
England 2.7% / 2.3%
Hartley — England: 2.7% Lithgow — England: 2.3%
New Zealand 1.9% / 1.2%
Hartley — New Zealand: 1.9% Lithgow — New Zealand: 1.2%
Scotland 1.7% / 0.4%
Hartley — Scotland: 1.7% Lithgow — Scotland: 0.4%
Germany 1.0% / —
Hartley — Germany: 1.0% Lithgow — Germany: not among its largest
Thailand 1.0% / —
Hartley — Thailand: 1.0% Lithgow — Thailand: not among its largest
India — / 0.9%
Hartley — India: not among its largest Lithgow — India: 0.9%
Philippines — / 0.9%
Hartley — Philippines: not among its largest Lithgow — Philippines: 0.9%
China — / 0.7%
Hartley — China: not among its largest Lithgow — China: 0.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (2.7%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Hartley 90.3% houses
Hartley — Houses: 90.3% Hartley — Flats / Apartments: 9.7% Hartley — Townhouses: 0.0%
Lithgow 81.7% houses
Lithgow — Houses: 81.7% Lithgow — Flats / Apartments: 4.9% Lithgow — Townhouses: 13.4%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Hartley Lithgow
Median house price $1,367,500 $540,000
Median unit price — $492,500
Median land price — $305,000
Typical days to sell (houses) — 36 days
from 110 sales

Zoning mix

Hartley has more rural and farming land (70% vs 0%).

Hartley Lithgow
Rural and farming 70% 0%
Residential 5% 46%
Environmental 23% 28%
Parks and recreation 0% 12%
Industrial 0% 7%
Infrastructure and transport 2% 4%
Commercial 0% 2%
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

Hartley Lithgow
New dwellings approved 55
across Lithgow
same for both
Approvals change year on year +0%
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.

Hartley Lithgow
Houses — 4.3%
$470/wk on $575K
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Hartley Lithgow
House price Higher than 70% of NSW Higher than 17% of NSW
Income Higher than 67% of NSW —
Schools — Higher than 24% of NSW
Walkability Higher than 45% of NSW Higher than 95% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 39% of NSW —
EV adoption Higher than 46% of NSW Higher than 47% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 44% of NSW Higher than 92% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 84% of NSW

Liveability

Lithgow is more walkable (87 vs 5).

Hartley Lithgow
Grade — D
Score — 24/100
Socio-economic band advantaged area
decile 7/10
 high-need area
decile 1/10

Risk profile

Lithgow carries more crime risk (91 vs 43).

Hartley Lithgow
Bushfire High
88/100
 High
97/100
Crime Moderate
43/100
 High
91/100
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
 4
within 5 km

Schools

Hartley Lithgow
Inside the suburb 0 4
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0 3
Rated below peers 0 1

Schools in Hartley

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

Schools in Lithgow

  • Lithgow High School Government · Secondary at peers
  • Lithgow Public School Government · Primary at peers
  • St Patrick's Catholic Primary School Lithgow Catholic · Primary at peers
  • Cooerwull Public School Government · Primary below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Hartley Lithgow
Supermarkets 0 1
Cafes & restaurants 2 19
Parks & reserves 3 14
Childcare 0 5
GPs 0 2
Pharmacies 0 2
Police stations 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 5
Fuel stations 0 3
EV chargers 0 2
Waterways 14 0

Mobility

Hartley sits further from the CBD (158.4 km vs 146 km).

Hartley Lithgow
Walkability score 5/100 87/100
Distance to Sydney 158.4 km
+8% vs other
 146 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 143 min 130 min
Electric vehicle share 0.5%
postcode 2790
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 36
postcode 2790
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.

Hartley Lithgow
Car (driver) 68.0% / 71.0%
Hartley — Car (driver): 68.0% Lithgow — Car (driver): 71.0%
Worked from Home 30.5% / 12.2%
Hartley — Worked from Home: 30.5% Lithgow — Worked from Home: 12.2%
Walked Only — / 9.8%
Hartley — Walked Only: not among its largest Lithgow — Walked Only: 9.8%
Car (passenger) 1.5% / 5.4%
Hartley — Car (passenger): 1.5% Lithgow — Car (passenger): 5.4%
Bicycle — / 0.7%
Hartley — Bicycle: not among its largest Lithgow — Bicycle: 0.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (71.0%).

Setting

Hartley Lithgow
Elevation 761 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 933 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Hartley Lithgow
Connectivity score 29/100 86/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless Fibre to the premises
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
186 premises
 54%
3,279 premises

Climate

Hartley Lithgow
Annual rainfall 1,147 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 23.8°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 3.2°C
same for both

Council rates

Hartley Lithgow
Average residential rate $1,150/yr
same for both
Council Lithgow
same for both

Federal electorate

Hartley Lithgow
Division Calare
same for both
Member Andrew Gee
same for both
Party Independent
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Hartley Lithgow
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Hartley

Rural

Lithgow

Affordable Parks Retirees

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Hartley

Hartley vs South Bowenfels Hartley vs Little Hartley Hartley vs Vale Of Clwydd Hartley vs Clarence Hartley vs Rydal Hartley vs Hartley Vale

Other comparisons with Lithgow

Lithgow vs Bowenfels Lithgow vs Marrangaroo Lithgow vs Littleton Lithgow vs Morts Estate Lithgow vs Vale Of Clwydd Lithgow vs Hermitage Flat
Full data on Hartley Full data on Lithgow
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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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