Mount Victoria vs Hartley Vale

Mount Victoria is the younger of the two, with a median age of 49 against 57 in Hartley Vale. In both, the large majority of households own their home, the large majority of homes are detached houses, and most households are people living alone. Houses cost more in Hartley Vale: a median of $1.25 million, against $825,000 in Mount Victoria, though rent is higher in Mount Victoria. On these figures, Mount Victoria 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

Hartley Vale

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (0/100 vs 71/100)
  • has more separate houses rather than flats (119% vs 100%)
  • But Mount Victoria has more parks and reserves (9 vs 1)

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

First-home buyers

They split

one each way, out of the 2 things we measure here

  • Mount Victoria has cheaper houses ($825,000 vs $1,245,000)
  • Hartley Vale leaves households under less mortgage stress (22% vs 31%)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Hartley Vale

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (18% vs 32%)
  • has cheaper rent ($300/wk vs $380/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Mount Victoria

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a shorter drive in (107 min vs 118 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (120.8 km vs 129.4 km)
  • But Hartley Vale is more walkable (13/100 vs 0/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Hartley Vale

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (0/100 vs 71/100)
  • is more walkable (13/100 vs 0/100)

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

Where they sit

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

Mount Victoria Hartley Vale
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.

Mount Victoria Hartley Vale
Walkability 0 / 13
Mount Victoria — Walkability: 0/100 Hartley Vale — Walkability: 13/100
Safety 29 / 100
Mount Victoria — Safety: 29/100 Hartley Vale — Safety: 100/100
Low fire risk 7 / 9
Mount Victoria — Low fire risk: 7/100 Hartley Vale — Low fire risk: 9/100

Demographics

Mount Victoria has more residents (945 vs 84); Hartley Vale has higher household incomes ($88,816 vs $62,244).

Mount Victoria Hartley Vale
Population 945
+91% vs other
 84
Population trend (2016 → 2021) — +20.0%
Median age 49 57
Median household income $62,244/yr $88,816/yr
+43% vs other
Median weekly rent $380/wk
+21% vs other
 $300/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Mount Victoria Hartley Vale
0-4 4.8% / —
Mount Victoria — 0-4: 4.8% Hartley Vale — 0-4: not among its largest
5-14 9.2% / 9.5%
Mount Victoria — 5-14: 9.2% Hartley Vale — 5-14: 9.5%
15-19 5.2% / 4.8%
Mount Victoria — 15-19: 5.2% Hartley Vale — 15-19: 4.8%
20-24 3.9% / —
Mount Victoria — 20-24: 3.9% Hartley Vale — 20-24: not among its largest
25-34 8.9% / 9.5%
Mount Victoria — 25-34: 8.9% Hartley Vale — 25-34: 9.5%
35-44 11.3% / —
Mount Victoria — 35-44: 11.3% Hartley Vale — 35-44: not among its largest
45-54 13.2% / 20.2%
Mount Victoria — 45-54: 13.2% Hartley Vale — 45-54: 20.2%
55-64 16.5% / 26.2%
Mount Victoria — 55-64: 16.5% Hartley Vale — 55-64: 26.2%
65-74 15.8% / 17.9%
Mount Victoria — 65-74: 15.8% Hartley Vale — 65-74: 17.9%
75-84 8.0% / 4.8%
Mount Victoria — 75-84: 8.0% Hartley Vale — 75-84: 4.8%
85+ 1.3% / —
Mount Victoria — 85+: 1.3% Hartley Vale — 85+: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (26.2%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Mount Victoria 55.0% lone person
Mount Victoria — Lone Person: 55.0% Mount Victoria — Couple Families: 26.4% Mount Victoria — One Parent Families: 12.7% Mount Victoria — Group Household: 4.9% Mount Victoria — Other Families: 1.0%
Hartley Vale 58.3% lone person
Hartley Vale — Lone Person: 58.3% Hartley Vale — Couple Families: 29.2% Hartley Vale — One Parent Families: 12.5% Hartley Vale — Group Household: 0.0% Hartley Vale — Other Families: 0.0%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Mount Victoria 17.6% renting
Mount Victoria — Owned Outright: 47.2% Mount Victoria — Mortgage: 35.2% Mount Victoria — Renting: 17.6%
Hartley Vale 16.2% renting
Hartley Vale — Owned Outright: 54.1% Hartley Vale — Mortgage: 29.7% Hartley Vale — Renting: 16.2%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Mount Victoria Hartley Vale
Certificate III & IV 14.3% / 20.2%
Mount Victoria — Certificate III & IV: 14.3% Hartley Vale — Certificate III & IV: 20.2%
Bachelor Degree 17.9% / 11.9%
Mount Victoria — Bachelor Degree: 17.9% Hartley Vale — Bachelor Degree: 11.9%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 10.1% / 8.3%
Mount Victoria — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 10.1% Hartley Vale — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.3%
Postgraduate Degree 7.1% / 3.6%
Mount Victoria — Postgraduate Degree: 7.1% Hartley Vale — Postgraduate Degree: 3.6%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.6% / 3.6%
Mount Victoria — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.6% Hartley Vale — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (20.2%).

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.

Mount Victoria Hartley Vale
England 8.0% / 9.5%
Mount Victoria — England: 8.0% Hartley Vale — England: 9.5%
Philippines 0.7% / 4.8%
Mount Victoria — Philippines: 0.7% Hartley Vale — Philippines: 4.8%
Vietnam — / 3.6%
Mount Victoria — Vietnam: not among its largest Hartley Vale — Vietnam: 3.6%
New Zealand 3.0% / —
Mount Victoria — New Zealand: 3.0% Hartley Vale — New Zealand: not among its largest
Germany 1.0% / —
Mount Victoria — Germany: 1.0% Hartley Vale — Germany: not among its largest
South Africa 0.6% / —
Mount Victoria — South Africa: 0.6% Hartley Vale — South Africa: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (9.5%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Mount Victoria 99.5% houses
Mount Victoria — Houses: 99.5% Mount Victoria — Townhouses: 0.7%
Hartley Vale 119.4% houses
Hartley Vale — Houses: 119.4% Hartley Vale — Townhouses: 0.0%
Houses Townhouses

Property market

Mount Victoria Hartley Vale
Median house price $825,000 $1,245,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price $287,500 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 35 days
from 21 sales
 —

Zoning mix

Hartley Vale has more rural and farming land (23% vs 1%); Mount Victoria has more land zoned for conservation (89% vs 74%).

Mount Victoria Hartley Vale
Environmental 89% 74%
Rural and farming 1% 23%
Infrastructure and transport 8% 0%
Residential 2% 3%
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

Mount Victoria Hartley Vale
New dwellings approved 123
across Blue Mountains
 55
across Lithgow
Approvals change year on year +14% +0%

Ranking within NSW

Mount Victoria Hartley Vale
House price Higher than 32% of NSW Higher than 65% of NSW
Income Higher than 24% of NSW Higher than 57% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 12% of NSW Higher than 62% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 47% of NSW Higher than 38% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 80% of NSW Higher than 46% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 70% of NSW Higher than 32% of NSW

Liveability

Hartley Vale is more walkable (13 vs 0).

Mount Victoria Hartley Vale
Grade D —
Score 23/100 —
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 6/10
same for both

Risk profile

Mount Victoria carries more crime risk (71 vs 0).

Mount Victoria Hartley Vale
Bushfire High
93/100
 High
91/100
Crime High
71/100
 None
0/100
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 0
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Mount Victoria Hartley Vale
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

Schools in Mount Victoria

  • OneSchool Global NSW - Mount Victoria Independent · Combined above peers
  • Mount Victoria Public School Government · Primary at peers

Schools in Hartley Vale

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

Amenities in the suburb

Mount Victoria Hartley Vale
Cafes & restaurants 3 0
Parks & reserves 9 1
Childcare 1 0
Police stations 1 0
Fuel stations 1 0
Waterways 2 5

Mobility

Hartley Vale sits further from the CBD (129.4 km vs 120.8 km).

Mount Victoria Hartley Vale
Walkability score 0/100 13/100
Distance to Sydney 120.8 km 129.4 km
+7% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 107 min 118 min
Electric vehicle share 1.0%
postcode 2786
 0.5%
postcode 2790
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 39
postcode 2786
 36
postcode 2790

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.

Mount Victoria Hartley Vale
Car (driver) 45.0% / 68.8%
Mount Victoria — Car (driver): 45.0% Hartley Vale — Car (driver): 68.8%
Worked from Home 41.3% / 31.2%
Mount Victoria — Worked from Home: 41.3% Hartley Vale — Worked from Home: 31.2%
Car (passenger) 4.3% / —
Mount Victoria — Car (passenger): 4.3% Hartley Vale — Car (passenger): not among its largest
Train 4.3% / —
Mount Victoria — Train: 4.3% Hartley Vale — Train: not among its largest
Walked Only 3.7% / —
Mount Victoria — Walked Only: 3.7% Hartley Vale — Walked Only: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (68.8%).

Setting

Mount Victoria Hartley Vale
Elevation 969 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 811 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Mount Victoria Hartley Vale
Connectivity score 60/100 22/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node Fixed wireless
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 28%
666 premises
 0%
32 premises

Climate

Mount Victoria Hartley Vale
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

Mount Victoria Hartley Vale
Average residential rate $2,080/yr $1,150/yr
Council Blue Mountains Lithgow

Federal electorate

Mount Victoria Hartley Vale
Division Macquarie Calare
Member Susan Templeman Andrew Gee
Party Australian Labor Party Independent

First Home Owner Grant

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

Tags

Mount Victoria

Acreage Retirees

Hartley Vale

Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Mount Victoria

Mount Victoria vs Blackheath Mount Victoria vs Little Hartley Mount Victoria vs Kanimbla

Other comparisons with Hartley Vale

Hartley Vale vs Little Hartley Hartley Vale vs Hartley Hartley Vale vs Dargan
Full data on Mount Victoria Full data on Hartley Vale
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.

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