Hillsborough vs Mount Hutton

Hillsborough is the younger of the two, with a median age of 40 against 43 in Mount Hutton. In both, most households own their home and most homes are detached houses. In Hillsborough, about half of households are couple families. Houses cost more in Hillsborough: a median of $1.12 million, against $908,000 in Mount Hutton, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Hillsborough tends to suit couples, while Mount Hutton suits people living alone 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

Hillsborough

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more separate houses rather than flats (96% vs 73%)
  • is already more of a family suburb (70% vs 54%)
  • But Mount Hutton has more childcare (8 vs 0)

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

First-home buyers

Mount Hutton

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($908,000 vs $1,117,500)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Mount Hutton

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (29% vs 14%)

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

Commuting to the city

Mount Hutton

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (76/100 vs 52/100)
  • sits closer to the CBD (142.5 km vs 149.6 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Mount Hutton

ahead on 3 of the 4 things we measure here

  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (27% vs 4%)
  • is more walkable (76/100 vs 52/100)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (24% vs 17%)

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

Where they sit

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

Hillsborough Mount Hutton
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.

Hillsborough Mount Hutton
Walkability 52 / 76
Hillsborough — Walkability: 52/100 Mount Hutton — Walkability: 76/100
Low fire risk 84 / 79
Hillsborough — Low fire risk: 84/100 Mount Hutton — Low fire risk: 79/100

Demographics

Mount Hutton has more residents (3,712 vs 641); Hillsborough has higher household incomes ($102,440 vs $78,988).

Hillsborough Mount Hutton
Population 641 3,712
+479% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -1.7% —
Median age 40 43
Median household income $102,440/yr
+23% vs other
 $78,988/yr
Median weekly rent $420/wk
+6% vs other
 $395/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Hillsborough Mount Hutton
0-4 5.1% / 5.1%
Hillsborough — 0-4: 5.1% Mount Hutton — 0-4: 5.1%
5-14 12.3% / 11.3%
Hillsborough — 5-14: 12.3% Mount Hutton — 5-14: 11.3%
15-19 6.4% / 4.9%
Hillsborough — 15-19: 6.4% Mount Hutton — 15-19: 4.9%
20-24 6.1% / 5.5%
Hillsborough — 20-24: 6.1% Mount Hutton — 20-24: 5.5%
25-34 12.9% / 14.4%
Hillsborough — 25-34: 12.9% Mount Hutton — 25-34: 14.4%
35-44 10.1% / 10.4%
Hillsborough — 35-44: 10.1% Mount Hutton — 35-44: 10.4%
45-54 14.4% / 11.4%
Hillsborough — 45-54: 14.4% Mount Hutton — 45-54: 11.4%
55-64 11.9% / 12.7%
Hillsborough — 55-64: 11.9% Mount Hutton — 55-64: 12.7%
65-74 10.0% / 9.0%
Hillsborough — 65-74: 10.0% Mount Hutton — 65-74: 9.0%
75-84 6.7% / 8.3%
Hillsborough — 75-84: 6.7% Mount Hutton — 75-84: 8.3%
85+ 0.6% / 6.9%
Hillsborough — 85+: 0.6% Mount Hutton — 85+: 6.9%

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

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

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%
Mount Hutton 32.2% couple families
Mount Hutton — Couple Families: 32.2% Mount Hutton — Lone Person: 39.7% Mount Hutton — One Parent Families: 21.4% Mount Hutton — Group Household: 5.2% Mount Hutton — Other Families: 1.5%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Hillsborough 14.2% renting
Hillsborough — Owned Outright: 38.8% Hillsborough — Mortgage: 47.0% Hillsborough — Renting: 14.2%
Mount Hutton 28.7% renting
Mount Hutton — Owned Outright: 33.7% Mount Hutton — Mortgage: 37.6% Mount Hutton — Renting: 28.7%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Hillsborough Mount Hutton
Certificate III & IV 22.5% / 18.8%
Hillsborough — Certificate III & IV: 22.5% Mount Hutton — Certificate III & IV: 18.8%
Bachelor Degree 9.8% / 9.6%
Hillsborough — Bachelor Degree: 9.8% Mount Hutton — Bachelor Degree: 9.6%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.5% / 8.2%
Hillsborough — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.5% Mount Hutton — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.2%
Postgraduate Degree 0.8% / 2.3%
Hillsborough — Postgraduate Degree: 0.8% Mount Hutton — Postgraduate Degree: 2.3%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 0.9% / 0.9%
Hillsborough — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.9% Mount Hutton — 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.

Hillsborough Mount Hutton
England 1.9% / 2.2%
Hillsborough — England: 1.9% Mount Hutton — England: 2.2%
New Zealand 2.5% / 1.3%
Hillsborough — New Zealand: 2.5% Mount Hutton — New Zealand: 1.3%
Scotland 0.6% / 0.6%
Hillsborough — Scotland: 0.6% Mount Hutton — Scotland: 0.6%
Italy 0.5% / —
Hillsborough — Italy: 0.5% Mount Hutton — Italy: not among its largest
Philippines — / 0.5%
Hillsborough — Philippines: not among its largest Mount Hutton — Philippines: 0.5%
China — / 0.5%
Hillsborough — China: not among its largest Mount Hutton — China: 0.5%

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

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Hillsborough 96.2% houses
Hillsborough — Houses: 96.2% Hillsborough — Townhouses: 0.0% Hillsborough — Flats / Apartments: 3.8%
Mount Hutton 73.3% houses
Mount Hutton — Houses: 73.3% Mount Hutton — Townhouses: 21.6% Mount Hutton — Flats / Apartments: 5.1%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Hillsborough Mount Hutton
Median house price $1,117,500 $908,000
Median unit price — $697,500
Median land price — $966,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 17 days
from 4 sales
 28 days
from 30 sales

Zoning mix

Mount Hutton has more land zoned for conservation (44% vs 16%).

Hillsborough Mount Hutton
Parks and recreation 49% 5%
Environmental 16% 44%
Residential 16% 39%
Infrastructure and transport 17% 4%
Commercial 0% 5%
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

Hillsborough Mount Hutton
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.

Hillsborough Mount Hutton
Houses — 4.6%
$730/wk on $822K
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Hillsborough Mount Hutton
House price Higher than 38% of NSW Higher than 41% of NSW
Income Higher than 70% of NSW Higher than 46% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 82% of NSW Higher than 91% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 77% of NSW Higher than 56% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 77% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 85% of NSW Higher than 75% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 93% of NSW

Liveability

Mount Hutton is more walkable (76 vs 52); Hillsborough scores higher overall (59 vs 43).

Hillsborough Mount Hutton
Grade B C
Score 59/100 43/100
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 5/10
 below-average income
decile 3/10

Risk profile

Hillsborough Mount Hutton
Bushfire Low
16/100
 Low
21/100
Crime — High
80/100
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

Hillsborough Mount Hutton
Inside the suburb 0 1
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0 1
Universities within 10 km 1
The University of Newcastle (Callaghan), 8.2 km
 None

Schools in Hillsborough

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

Schools in Mount Hutton

  • Mount Hutton Public School Government · Primary below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Hillsborough Mount Hutton
Supermarkets 0 2
Parks & reserves 1
same for both
Childcare 0 8
GPs 0 1
Pharmacies 0 2
Banks & Bank@Post 0 2
Waterways 7 0

Mobility

Hillsborough sits further from the CBD (149.6 km vs 142.5 km).

Hillsborough Mount Hutton
Walkability score 52/100 76/100
Distance to Sydney 149.6 km
+5% vs other
 142.5 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 120 min 118 min
Public transport score 35/100
Bus
 78/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 7.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
 62.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 6 min
scheduled, not actual
 1 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 0.9%
postcode 2290
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 37
postcode 2290
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.

Hillsborough Mount Hutton
Car (driver) 69.9% / 72.0%
Hillsborough — Car (driver): 69.9% Mount Hutton — Car (driver): 72.0%
Worked from Home 24.2% / 21.6%
Hillsborough — Worked from Home: 24.2% Mount Hutton — Worked from Home: 21.6%
Car (passenger) 4.8% / 4.5%
Hillsborough — Car (passenger): 4.8% Mount Hutton — Car (passenger): 4.5%
Bus 1.1% / 0.7%
Hillsborough — Bus: 1.1% Mount Hutton — Bus: 0.7%
Walked Only — / 1.2%
Hillsborough — Walked Only: not among its largest Mount Hutton — Walked Only: 1.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (72.0%).

Setting

Hillsborough Mount Hutton
Elevation 30 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 51 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 5.2 km
same for both

NBN connectivity

Hillsborough Mount Hutton
Connectivity score 76/100 67/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises Fibre to the node
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 57%
248 premises
 40%
1,930 premises

Climate

Hillsborough Mount Hutton
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)

Hillsborough Mount Hutton
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

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

Federal electorate

Hillsborough Mount Hutton
Division Shortland
same for both
Member Pat Conroy
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

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

Tags

Hillsborough

Acreage River

Mount Hutton

Townhouses

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Hillsborough

Hillsborough vs Charlestown Hillsborough vs Warners Bay Hillsborough vs Cardiff Hillsborough vs Cardiff South Hillsborough vs Garden Suburb

Other comparisons with Mount Hutton

Mount Hutton vs Charlestown Mount Hutton vs Warners Bay Mount Hutton vs Eleebana Mount Hutton vs Windale Mount Hutton vs Gateshead Mount Hutton vs Tingira Heights
Full data on Hillsborough Full data on Mount Hutton
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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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