Northmead vs Baulkham Hills

In both, most households own their home. In Baulkham Hills, the large majority of homes are detached houses and most households are couple families. Houses cost more in Baulkham Hills: a median of $1.96 million, against $1.71 million in Northmead, and rent is higher there too. Northmead is closer to the city centre: 27.2 km, against 31.9 km. On these figures, Northmead tends to suit people living alone, while Baulkham Hills suits 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

Baulkham Hills

ahead on 6 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more schools rated above their peers (7 vs 1)
  • has more childcare (28 vs 9)
  • has more parks and reserves (27 vs 12)

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

First-home buyers

Northmead

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper units ($602,500 vs $815,000)
  • has cheaper houses ($1,705,000 vs $1,955,000)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Northmead

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (34% vs 23%)
  • has cheaper rent ($420/wk vs $520/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Northmead

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • sits closer to the CBD (27.2 km vs 31.9 km)

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

Downsizers and retirees

Baulkham Hills

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (5 vs 2)
  • carries lower crime risk (26/100 vs 51/100)
  • But Northmead has more units and townhouses to downsize into (51% vs 25%)

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

Investors

Northmead

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • returns a higher gross yield on houses (3.2% vs 2.7%)
  • returns a higher gross yield on units (5.5% vs 4.8%)

Weighs house yield, unit yield, and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Northmead Baulkham Hills
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.

Northmead Baulkham Hills
Walkability 84 / 83
Northmead — Walkability: 84/100 Baulkham Hills — Walkability: 83/100
Safety 49 / 74
Northmead — Safety: 49/100 Baulkham Hills — Safety: 74/100
Low fire risk 76 / 100
Northmead — Low fire risk: 76/100 Baulkham Hills — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Baulkham Hills has more residents (37,415 vs 11,261); Baulkham Hills has higher household incomes ($128,648 vs $100,048).

Northmead Baulkham Hills
Population 11,261 37,415
+232% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +0.4% +1.0%
Median age 39
same for both
Median household income $100,048/yr $128,648/yr
+29% vs other
Median weekly rent $420/wk $520/wk
+24% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Northmead Baulkham Hills
0-4 6.2% / 5.9%
Northmead — 0-4: 6.2% Baulkham Hills — 0-4: 5.9%
5-14 13.0% / 15.8%
Northmead — 5-14: 13.0% Baulkham Hills — 5-14: 15.8%
15-19 5.1% / 5.9%
Northmead — 15-19: 5.1% Baulkham Hills — 15-19: 5.9%
20-24 4.8% / 4.9%
Northmead — 20-24: 4.8% Baulkham Hills — 20-24: 4.9%
25-34 13.1% / 9.6%
Northmead — 25-34: 13.1% Baulkham Hills — 25-34: 9.6%
35-44 16.3% / 17.5%
Northmead — 35-44: 16.3% Baulkham Hills — 35-44: 17.5%
45-54 13.4% / 13.8%
Northmead — 45-54: 13.4% Baulkham Hills — 45-54: 13.8%
55-64 9.8% / 10.4%
Northmead — 55-64: 9.8% Baulkham Hills — 55-64: 10.4%
65-74 8.4% / 9.0%
Northmead — 65-74: 8.4% Baulkham Hills — 65-74: 9.0%
75-84 6.7% / 5.3%
Northmead — 75-84: 6.7% Baulkham Hills — 75-84: 5.3%
85+ 3.1% / 1.9%
Northmead — 85+: 3.1% Baulkham Hills — 85+: 1.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.5%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Northmead 44.2% couple families
Northmead — Couple Families: 44.2% Northmead — Lone Person: 36.0% Northmead — One Parent Families: 14.4% Northmead — Group Household: 3.9% Northmead — Other Families: 1.5%
Baulkham Hills 64.7% couple families
Baulkham Hills — Couple Families: 64.7% Baulkham Hills — Lone Person: 19.8% Baulkham Hills — One Parent Families: 12.5% Baulkham Hills — Group Household: 2.1% Baulkham Hills — Other Families: 0.9%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Northmead 34.5% renting
Northmead — Owned Outright: 27.7% Northmead — Mortgage: 37.7% Northmead — Renting: 34.5%
Baulkham Hills 22.8% renting
Baulkham Hills — Owned Outright: 33.3% Baulkham Hills — Mortgage: 43.9% Baulkham Hills — Renting: 22.8%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Northmead Baulkham Hills
Bachelor Degree 18.7% / 20.0%
Northmead — Bachelor Degree: 18.7% Baulkham Hills — Bachelor Degree: 20.0%
Certificate III & IV 10.3% / 9.0%
Northmead — Certificate III & IV: 10.3% Baulkham Hills — Certificate III & IV: 9.0%
Postgraduate Degree 7.8% / 10.2%
Northmead — Postgraduate Degree: 7.8% Baulkham Hills — Postgraduate Degree: 10.2%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.5% / 8.0%
Northmead — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.5% Baulkham Hills — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.0%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.0% / 2.0%
Northmead — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.0% Baulkham Hills — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (20.0%).

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.

Northmead Baulkham Hills
India 5.2% / 7.5%
Northmead — India: 5.2% Baulkham Hills — India: 7.5%
China 3.1% / 8.2%
Northmead — China: 3.1% Baulkham Hills — China: 8.2%
Iran 2.2% / 1.7%
Northmead — Iran: 2.2% Baulkham Hills — Iran: 1.7%
England 1.6% / 2.3%
Northmead — England: 1.6% Baulkham Hills — England: 2.3%
Philippines 1.8% / 1.2%
Northmead — Philippines: 1.8% Baulkham Hills — Philippines: 1.2%
Sri Lanka 1.0% / 1.6%
Northmead — Sri Lanka: 1.0% Baulkham Hills — Sri Lanka: 1.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (8.2%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Northmead 49.0% houses
Northmead — Houses: 49.0% Northmead — Flats / Apartments: 31.6% Northmead — Townhouses: 19.4%
Baulkham Hills 75.4% houses
Baulkham Hills — Houses: 75.4% Baulkham Hills — Flats / Apartments: 11.3% Baulkham Hills — Townhouses: 13.3%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Northmead Baulkham Hills
Median house price $1,705,000 $1,955,000
Median unit price $602,500 $815,000
Median land price — $1,410,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 28 days
from 98 sales
 23 days
from 409 sales

Unit price by bedroom count

Only bed counts both suburbs published enough sales for. Sale counts are shown because the buckets differ in depth.

Northmead Baulkham Hills
1 bed $433K / $598K
Northmead — 1 bed: $433K (11 sales) Baulkham Hills — 1 bed: $598K (9 sales)

11 vs 9 sales

2 bed $594K / $725K
Northmead — 2 bed: $594K (66 sales) Baulkham Hills — 2 bed: $725K (73 sales)

66 vs 73 sales

3 bed $762K / $935K
Northmead — 3 bed: $762K (26 sales) Baulkham Hills — 3 bed: $935K (45 sales)

26 vs 45 sales

House price by bedroom count

Only bed counts both suburbs published enough sales for. Sale counts are shown because the buckets differ in depth.

Northmead Baulkham Hills
2 bed $1.42M / $1.16M
Northmead — 2 bed: $1.42M (7 sales) Baulkham Hills — 2 bed: $1.16M (7 sales)

7 vs 7 sales

3 bed $1.55M / $1.8M
Northmead — 3 bed: $1.55M (47 sales) Baulkham Hills — 3 bed: $1.8M (140 sales)

47 vs 140 sales

4 bed $1.74M / $2M
Northmead — 4 bed: $1.74M (56 sales) Baulkham Hills — 4 bed: $2M (225 sales)

56 vs 225 sales

5 bed $1.85M / $2.12M
Northmead — 5 bed: $1.85M (14 sales) Baulkham Hills — 5 bed: $2.12M (69 sales)

14 vs 69 sales

Zoning mix

Northmead has more land zoned for conservation (15% vs 1%).

Northmead Baulkham Hills
Residential 65% 82%
Environmental 15% 1%
Parks and recreation 5% 13%
Industrial 9% 0%
Infrastructure and transport 4% 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

Northmead Baulkham Hills
New dwellings approved 2,888
across Parramatta
 2,648
across The Hills
Approvals change year on year +154% -4%

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.

Northmead Baulkham Hills
Houses 3.2%
$850/wk on $1.4M
 2.7%
$885/wk on $1.68M
Units 5.5%
$640/wk on $605K
 4.8%
$650/wk on $704K

Ranking within NSW

Northmead Baulkham Hills
House price Higher than 81% of NSW Higher than 84% of NSW
Income Higher than 68% of NSW Higher than 88% of NSW
Schools Higher than 69% of NSW Higher than 94% of NSW
Walkability Higher than 94% of NSW Higher than 93% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 25% of NSW Higher than 34% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 90% of NSW Higher than 96% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 86% of NSW Higher than 89% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 28% of NSW Higher than 12% of NSW
Rental yield (units) Higher than 85% of NSW Higher than 57% of NSW

Liveability

Baulkham Hills scores higher overall (88 vs 70).

Northmead Baulkham Hills
Grade A A+
Score 70/100 88/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 9/10
 very advantaged area
decile 10/10

Risk profile

Northmead carries more bushfire risk (24 vs 0); Northmead carries more crime risk (51 vs 26).

Northmead Baulkham Hills
Bushfire Low
24/100
 None
0/100
Crime Moderate
51/100
 Low
26/100
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 8
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Northmead Baulkham Hills
Inside the suburb 3 10
Rated above peers 1 7
Rated at peers 1 2
Rated below peers 0
same for both
Universities within 10 km 2
Western Sydney University - Parramatta, 3.2 km
 2
Western Sydney University - Parramatta, 6.8 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 2.5% 2.9%

Schools in Northmead

  • Northmead Creative and Performing Arts High School Government · Secondary above peers
  • Northmead Public School Government · Primary at peers
  • The Hills School Government · Combined · Special school

Schools in Baulkham Hills

  • Baulkham Hills High School Government · Secondary above peers
  • Baulkham Hills North Public School Government · Primary above peers
  • Crestwood High School Government · Secondary above peers
  • Crestwood Public School Government · Primary above peers
  • Jasper Road Public School Government · Primary above peers
  • Matthew Pearce Public School Government · Primary above peers

Amenities in the suburb

Northmead Baulkham Hills
Supermarkets 1 4
Cafes & restaurants 2 5
Parks & reserves 12 27
Childcare 9 28
GPs 2 5
Pharmacies 1 4
Banks & Bank@Post 1 3
Fuel stations 4 3
Waterways 8 17

Mobility

Baulkham Hills sits further from the CBD (31.9 km vs 27.2 km).

Northmead Baulkham Hills
Walkability score 84/100 83/100
Distance to Sydney 27.2 km 31.9 km
+17% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 29 min 33 min
Public transport score 79/100
Bus
same for both
Peak arrivals per hour 304.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
 1220.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 1.6%
postcode 2152
 2.6%
postcode 2153
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 23
postcode 2152
 44
postcode 2153

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.

Northmead Baulkham Hills
Worked from Home 52.9% / 53.4%
Northmead — Worked from Home: 52.9% Baulkham Hills — Worked from Home: 53.4%
Car (driver) 37.3% / 38.9%
Northmead — Car (driver): 37.3% Baulkham Hills — Car (driver): 38.9%
Bus 2.5% / 3.0%
Northmead — Bus: 2.5% Baulkham Hills — Bus: 3.0%
Car (passenger) 2.9% / 2.5%
Northmead — Car (passenger): 2.9% Baulkham Hills — Car (passenger): 2.5%
Walked Only 2.3% / 0.7%
Northmead — Walked Only: 2.3% Baulkham Hills — Walked Only: 0.7%
Train 1.7% / 1.3%
Northmead — Train: 1.7% Baulkham Hills — Train: 1.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (53.4%).

Setting

Northmead Baulkham Hills
Elevation 49 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 79 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 23.5 km 25.2 km

NBN connectivity

Northmead Baulkham Hills
Connectivity score 77/100 79/100
Most common technology Hybrid fibre-coaxial
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 10%
5,264 premises
 16%
13,559 premises

Climate

Northmead Baulkham Hills
Annual rainfall 1,021 mm 932 mm
Summer max (Jan) 28.4°C —
Winter min (Jul) 7.2°C —

Air quality (annual mean)

Northmead Baulkham Hills
PM2.5 6.1 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 16.9 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.83 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Northmead Baulkham Hills
Average residential rate $1,103/yr $1,204/yr
Council Parramatta The Hills

Federal electorate

Northmead Baulkham Hills
Division Mitchell
same for both
Member Alex Hawke
same for both
Party Liberal
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Northmead Baulkham Hills
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Northmead

Apartments Outer Parks Professionals River

Baulkham Hills

Multicultural Outer Parks Premium Professionals River

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Northmead

Northmead vs Westmead Northmead vs Wentworthville Northmead vs Winston Hills Northmead vs North Parramatta Northmead vs North Rocks Northmead vs Constitution Hill

Other comparisons with Baulkham Hills

Baulkham Hills vs Castle Hill Baulkham Hills vs Seven Hills Baulkham Hills vs West Pennant Hills Baulkham Hills vs Winston Hills Baulkham Hills vs Kings Langley Baulkham Hills vs North Rocks
Full data on Northmead Full data on Baulkham Hills
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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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