Hawkesbury Heights vs Yellow Rock

Hawkesbury Heights is the younger of the two, with a median age of 35 against 42 in Yellow Rock. In both, the large majority of households own their home, the large majority of homes are detached houses, and most households are couple families. On these figures, Yellow Rock 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

Yellow Rock

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is already more of a family suburb (83% vs 73%)

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

First-home buyers

Too close to call

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

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Yellow Rock

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (15% vs 21%)
  • has cheaper rent ($400/wk vs $473/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Hawkesbury Heights

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (30/100 vs 18/100)

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

Downsizers and retirees

Hawkesbury Heights

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (30/100 vs 18/100)

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

Investors

Yellow Rock

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (8.7% vs 2.6%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Hawkesbury Heights Yellow Rock
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.

Hawkesbury Heights Yellow Rock
Walkability 30 / 18
Hawkesbury Heights — Walkability: 30/100 Yellow Rock — Walkability: 18/100
Low fire risk 4 / 10
Hawkesbury Heights — Low fire risk: 4/100 Yellow Rock — Low fire risk: 10/100

Demographics

Yellow Rock has more residents (1,119 vs 468); Yellow Rock skews older (42 vs 35).

Hawkesbury Heights Yellow Rock
Population 468 1,119
+139% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +2.6% +8.7%
Median age 35 42
Median household income $118,508/yr $137,020/yr
+16% vs other
Median weekly rent $473/wk
+15% vs other
 $400/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Hawkesbury Heights Yellow Rock
0-4 6.6% / 4.4%
Hawkesbury Heights — 0-4: 6.6% Yellow Rock — 0-4: 4.4%
5-14 16.0% / 14.9%
Hawkesbury Heights — 5-14: 16.0% Yellow Rock — 5-14: 14.9%
15-19 9.8% / 7.5%
Hawkesbury Heights — 15-19: 9.8% Yellow Rock — 15-19: 7.5%
20-24 6.4% / 4.9%
Hawkesbury Heights — 20-24: 6.4% Yellow Rock — 20-24: 4.9%
25-34 10.9% / 9.0%
Hawkesbury Heights — 25-34: 10.9% Yellow Rock — 25-34: 9.0%
35-44 13.2% / 12.7%
Hawkesbury Heights — 35-44: 13.2% Yellow Rock — 35-44: 12.7%
45-54 17.3% / 15.0%
Hawkesbury Heights — 45-54: 17.3% Yellow Rock — 45-54: 15.0%
55-64 9.6% / 17.2%
Hawkesbury Heights — 55-64: 9.6% Yellow Rock — 55-64: 17.2%
65-74 6.8% / 9.3%
Hawkesbury Heights — 65-74: 6.8% Yellow Rock — 65-74: 9.3%
75-84 1.9% / 4.2%
Hawkesbury Heights — 75-84: 1.9% Yellow Rock — 75-84: 4.2%
85+ 0.6% / 0.4%
Hawkesbury Heights — 85+: 0.6% Yellow Rock — 85+: 0.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.3%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Hawkesbury Heights 59.7% couple families
Hawkesbury Heights — Couple Families: 59.7% Hawkesbury Heights — Lone Person: 22.6% Hawkesbury Heights — One Parent Families: 13.7% Hawkesbury Heights — Other Families: 4.0%
Yellow Rock 72.8% couple families
Yellow Rock — Couple Families: 72.8% Yellow Rock — Lone Person: 14.9% Yellow Rock — One Parent Families: 10.1% Yellow Rock — Other Families: 2.2%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Hawkesbury Heights 12.3% renting
Hawkesbury Heights — Owned Outright: 33.7% Hawkesbury Heights — Mortgage: 54.0% Hawkesbury Heights — Renting: 12.3%
Yellow Rock 7.7% renting
Yellow Rock — Owned Outright: 36.4% Yellow Rock — Mortgage: 55.9% Yellow Rock — Renting: 7.7%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Hawkesbury Heights Yellow Rock
Certificate III & IV 18.4% / 21.1%
Hawkesbury Heights — Certificate III & IV: 18.4% Yellow Rock — Certificate III & IV: 21.1%
Bachelor Degree 9.2% / 9.7%
Hawkesbury Heights — Bachelor Degree: 9.2% Yellow Rock — Bachelor Degree: 9.7%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.9% / 9.2%
Hawkesbury Heights — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.9% Yellow Rock — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.2%
Postgraduate Degree 2.6% / 3.8%
Hawkesbury Heights — Postgraduate Degree: 2.6% Yellow Rock — Postgraduate Degree: 3.8%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 3.4% / 1.3%
Hawkesbury Heights — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.4% Yellow Rock — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (21.1%).

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.

Hawkesbury Heights Yellow Rock
England 2.4% / 3.7%
Hawkesbury Heights — England: 2.4% Yellow Rock — England: 3.7%
New Zealand 2.1% / 0.4%
Hawkesbury Heights — New Zealand: 2.1% Yellow Rock — New Zealand: 0.4%
South Africa 1.3% / —
Hawkesbury Heights — South Africa: 1.3% Yellow Rock — South Africa: not among its largest
Philippines 0.6% / 0.7%
Hawkesbury Heights — Philippines: 0.6% Yellow Rock — Philippines: 0.7%
Lebanon 1.1% / —
Hawkesbury Heights — Lebanon: 1.1% Yellow Rock — Lebanon: not among its largest
Ireland 1.1% / —
Hawkesbury Heights — Ireland: 1.1% Yellow Rock — Ireland: not among its largest
Malaysia — / 0.8%
Hawkesbury Heights — Malaysia: not among its largest Yellow Rock — Malaysia: 0.8%
China — / 0.4%
Hawkesbury Heights — China: not among its largest Yellow Rock — China: 0.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (3.7%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Hawkesbury Heights 98.1% houses
Hawkesbury Heights — Houses: 98.1% Hawkesbury Heights — Flats / Apartments: 1.9%
Yellow Rock 98.6% houses
Yellow Rock — Houses: 98.6% Yellow Rock — Flats / Apartments: 1.4%
Houses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Hawkesbury Heights Yellow Rock
Median house price $1,125,000 $1,132,500
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 25 days
from 5 sales
 45 days
from 9 sales

Zoning mix

Hawkesbury Heights Yellow Rock
Environmental 93% 99%
Infrastructure and transport 7% 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

Hawkesbury Heights Yellow Rock
New dwellings approved 123
across Blue Mountains
same for both
Approvals change year on year +14%
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Hawkesbury Heights Yellow Rock
House price Higher than 64% of NSW Higher than 51% of NSW
Income Higher than 83% of NSW Higher than 91% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 75% of NSW Higher than 69% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 62% of NSW Higher than 83% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 84% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 95% of NSW Higher than 96% of NSW

Liveability

Hawkesbury Heights is more walkable (30 vs 18).

Hawkesbury Heights Yellow Rock
Grade — C
Score — 36/100
Socio-economic band advantaged area
decile 8/10
 very advantaged area
decile 9/10

Risk profile

Hawkesbury Heights Yellow Rock
Bushfire High
96/100
 High
90/100
Crime 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

Hawkesbury Heights Yellow Rock
Inside the suburb 0
same for both
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Amenities in the suburb

Hawkesbury Heights Yellow Rock
Parks & reserves 1 3
Childcare 1 0
Waterways 0 4

Mobility

Hawkesbury Heights Yellow Rock
Walkability score 30/100 18/100
Distance to Sydney 79.9 km 79.4 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 68 min 70 min
Public transport score 31/100
Bus
 36/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 7.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
 7.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 1.2%
postcode 2777
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 49
postcode 2777
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.

Hawkesbury Heights Yellow Rock
Car (driver) 56.5% / 62.2%
Hawkesbury Heights — Car (driver): 56.5% Yellow Rock — Car (driver): 62.2%
Worked from Home 36.0% / 33.5%
Hawkesbury Heights — Worked from Home: 36.0% Yellow Rock — Worked from Home: 33.5%
Car (passenger) 5.1% / 2.5%
Hawkesbury Heights — Car (passenger): 5.1% Yellow Rock — Car (passenger): 2.5%
Train 2.3% / 0.8%
Hawkesbury Heights — Train: 2.3% Yellow Rock — Train: 0.8%
Walked Only — / 1.0%
Hawkesbury Heights — Walked Only: not among its largest Yellow Rock — Walked Only: 1.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (62.2%).

Setting

Hawkesbury Heights Yellow Rock
Elevation 248 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 236 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Hawkesbury Heights Yellow Rock
Connectivity score 92/100 93/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 60%
169 premises
 66%
392 premises

Climate

Hawkesbury Heights Yellow Rock
Annual rainfall 806 mm 822 mm
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Hawkesbury Heights Yellow Rock
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

Hawkesbury Heights Yellow Rock
Average residential rate $2,080/yr
same for both
Council Blue Mountains
same for both

Federal electorate

Hawkesbury Heights Yellow Rock
Division Macquarie
same for both
Member Susan Templeman
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Hawkesbury Heights Yellow Rock
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Hawkesbury Heights

Acreage Family

Yellow Rock

Acreage

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Hawkesbury Heights

Hawkesbury Heights vs Winmalee Hawkesbury Heights vs Yarramundi

Other comparisons with Yellow Rock

Yellow Rock vs Springwood Yellow Rock vs Winmalee Yellow Rock vs Emu Heights Yellow Rock vs Mount Riverview Yellow Rock vs Warrimoo Yellow Rock vs Castlereagh
Full data on Hawkesbury Heights Full data on Yellow Rock
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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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