Northmead vs Winston Hills

In both, most households own their home. In Winston Hills, the large majority of homes are detached houses and most households are couple families. Northmead is closer to the city centre: 27.2 km, against 32.5 km. On these figures, Northmead tends to suit people living alone, while Winston 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

Winston Hills

ahead on 5 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more schools rated above their peers (2 vs 1)
  • has more separate houses rather than flats (88% vs 49%)
  • has more parks and reserves (21 vs 12)

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

First-home buyers

Northmead

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper units ($602,500 vs $930,000)

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 14%)
  • has cheaper rent ($420/wk vs $530/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Northmead

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • sits closer to the CBD (27.2 km vs 32.5 km)
  • is more walkable (84/100 vs 72/100)

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

Downsizers and retirees

They split

one each way, out of the 5 things we measure here

  • Northmead has more units and townhouses to downsize into (51% vs 12%)
  • Winston Hills has more GPs (4 vs 2)

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

Investors

Too close to call

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

Weighs house yield and population growth.

Where they sit

Northmead and Winston 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 Winston 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 Winston Hills
Walkability 84 / 72
Northmead — Walkability: 84/100 Winston Hills — Walkability: 72/100
Safety 49 / 68
Northmead — Safety: 49/100 Winston Hills — Safety: 68/100
Low fire risk 76 / 84
Northmead — Low fire risk: 76/100 Winston Hills — Low fire risk: 84/100

Demographics

Winston Hills rents higher ($530/wk vs $420/wk); Winston Hills has higher household incomes ($120,068 vs $100,048).

Northmead Winston Hills
Population 11,261 12,123
+8% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +0.4% +3.8%
Median age 39 41
Median household income $100,048/yr $120,068/yr
+20% vs other
Median weekly rent $420/wk $530/wk
+26% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Northmead Winston Hills
0-4 6.2% / 6.2%
Northmead — 0-4: 6.2% Winston Hills — 0-4: 6.2%
5-14 13.0% / 14.9%
Northmead — 5-14: 13.0% Winston Hills — 5-14: 14.9%
15-19 5.1% / 6.3%
Northmead — 15-19: 5.1% Winston Hills — 15-19: 6.3%
20-24 4.8% / 4.5%
Northmead — 20-24: 4.8% Winston Hills — 20-24: 4.5%
25-34 13.1% / 8.2%
Northmead — 25-34: 13.1% Winston Hills — 25-34: 8.2%
35-44 16.3% / 15.4%
Northmead — 35-44: 16.3% Winston Hills — 35-44: 15.4%
45-54 13.4% / 13.7%
Northmead — 45-54: 13.4% Winston Hills — 45-54: 13.7%
55-64 9.8% / 10.4%
Northmead — 55-64: 9.8% Winston Hills — 55-64: 10.4%
65-74 8.4% / 9.7%
Northmead — 65-74: 8.4% Winston Hills — 65-74: 9.7%
75-84 6.7% / 7.8%
Northmead — 75-84: 6.7% Winston Hills — 75-84: 7.8%
85+ 3.1% / 2.8%
Northmead — 85+: 3.1% Winston Hills — 85+: 2.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.3%).

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%
Winston Hills 60.9% couple families
Winston Hills — Couple Families: 60.9% Winston Hills — Lone Person: 24.3% Winston Hills — One Parent Families: 12.6% Winston Hills — Group Household: 1.6% Winston Hills — Other Families: 0.7%
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%
Winston Hills 13.5% renting
Winston Hills — Owned Outright: 40.9% Winston Hills — Mortgage: 45.6% Winston Hills — Renting: 13.5%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Northmead Winston Hills
Bachelor Degree 18.7% / 17.3%
Northmead — Bachelor Degree: 18.7% Winston Hills — Bachelor Degree: 17.3%
Certificate III & IV 10.3% / 11.1%
Northmead — Certificate III & IV: 10.3% Winston Hills — Certificate III & IV: 11.1%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.5% / 8.6%
Northmead — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.5% Winston Hills — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.6%
Postgraduate Degree 7.8% / 6.2%
Northmead — Postgraduate Degree: 7.8% Winston Hills — Postgraduate Degree: 6.2%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.0% / 2.3%
Northmead — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.0% Winston Hills — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.7%).

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 Winston Hills
India 5.2% / 3.6%
Northmead — India: 5.2% Winston Hills — India: 3.6%
China 3.1% / 3.6%
Northmead — China: 3.1% Winston Hills — China: 3.6%
England 1.6% / 2.7%
Northmead — England: 1.6% Winston Hills — England: 2.7%
Iran 2.2% / 0.8%
Northmead — Iran: 2.2% Winston Hills — Iran: 0.8%
Philippines 1.8% / 1.2%
Northmead — Philippines: 1.8% Winston Hills — Philippines: 1.2%
New Zealand 1.6% / 1.3%
Northmead — New Zealand: 1.6% Winston Hills — New Zealand: 1.3%
Lebanon 1.1% / 1.4%
Northmead — Lebanon: 1.1% Winston Hills — Lebanon: 1.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (5.2%).

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%
Winston Hills 88.1% houses
Winston Hills — Houses: 88.1% Winston Hills — Flats / Apartments: 7.2% Winston Hills — Townhouses: 4.8%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Northmead Winston Hills
Median house price $1,705,000 $1,695,000
Median unit price $602,500 $930,000
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 28 days
from 98 sales
 22 days
from 104 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 Winston Hills
3 bed $1.55M / $1.57M
Northmead — 3 bed: $1.55M (47 sales) Winston Hills — 3 bed: $1.57M (66 sales)

47 vs 66 sales

4 bed $1.74M / $1.77M
Northmead — 4 bed: $1.74M (56 sales) Winston Hills — 4 bed: $1.77M (62 sales)

56 vs 62 sales

5 bed $1.85M / $1.91M
Northmead — 5 bed: $1.85M (14 sales) Winston Hills — 5 bed: $1.91M (32 sales)

14 vs 32 sales

Zoning mix

Northmead Winston Hills
Residential 65% 76%
Environmental 15% 8%
Industrial 9% 3%
Parks and recreation 5% 8%
Infrastructure and transport 4% 3%
Commercial 1%
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

Northmead Winston Hills
New dwellings approved 2,888
across Parramatta
same for both
Approvals change year on year +154%
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.

Northmead Winston Hills
Houses 3.2%
$850/wk on $1.4M
 3.3%
$1,000/wk on $1.57M
Units 5.5%
$640/wk on $605K
 —

Ranking within NSW

Northmead Winston Hills
House price Higher than 81% of NSW Higher than 79% of NSW
Income Higher than 68% of NSW Higher than 84% of NSW
Schools Higher than 69% of NSW Higher than 92% of NSW
Walkability Higher than 94% of NSW Higher than 89% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 25% of NSW Higher than 39% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 90% of NSW Higher than 96% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 86% of NSW Higher than 83% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 28% of NSW Higher than 35% of NSW
Rental yield (units) Higher than 85% of NSW —

Liveability

Northmead is more walkable (84 vs 72); Winston Hills scores higher overall (81 vs 70).

Northmead Winston Hills
Grade A
same for both
Score 70/100 81/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 9/10
 very advantaged area
decile 10/10

Risk profile

Northmead carries more crime risk (51 vs 32).

Northmead Winston Hills
Bushfire Low
24/100
 Low
16/100
Crime Moderate
51/100
 Low
32/100
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
 9
within 5 km

Schools

Northmead Winston Hills
Inside the suburb 3
same for both
Rated above peers 1 2
Rated at peers 1
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both
Universities within 10 km 2
Western Sydney University - Parramatta, 3.2 km
 2
Western Sydney University - Parramatta, 4.8 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 2.5% 2.6%

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 Winston Hills

  • St Paul the Apostle Primary School Catholic · Primary above peers
  • Winston Hills Public School Government · Primary above peers
  • Winston Heights Public School Government · Primary at peers

Amenities in the suburb

Northmead Winston Hills
Supermarkets 1 3
Cafes & restaurants 2 3
Parks & reserves 12 21
Childcare 9
same for both
GPs 2 4
Pharmacies 1 2
Banks & Bank@Post 1 2
Fuel stations 4 0
Waterways 8 4

Mobility

Winston Hills sits further from the CBD (32.5 km vs 27.2 km).

Northmead Winston Hills
Walkability score 84/100 72/100
Distance to Sydney 27.2 km 32.5 km
+19% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 29 min 32 min
Public transport score 79/100
Bus
same for both
Peak arrivals per hour 304.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
 312.0
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 Winston Hills
Worked from Home 52.9% / 54.9%
Northmead — Worked from Home: 52.9% Winston Hills — Worked from Home: 54.9%
Car (driver) 37.3% / 38.5%
Northmead — Car (driver): 37.3% Winston Hills — Car (driver): 38.5%
Car (passenger) 2.9% / 2.8%
Northmead — Car (passenger): 2.9% Winston Hills — Car (passenger): 2.8%
Bus 2.5% / 1.9%
Northmead — Bus: 2.5% Winston Hills — Bus: 1.9%
Walked Only 2.3% / 0.9%
Northmead — Walked Only: 2.3% Winston Hills — Walked Only: 0.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (54.9%).

Setting

Northmead Winston Hills
Elevation 49 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 84 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 23.5 km 24.9 km

NBN connectivity

Northmead Winston Hills
Connectivity score 77/100 75/100
Most common technology Hybrid fibre-coaxial
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 10%
5,264 premises
 5%
4,636 premises

Climate

Northmead Winston Hills
Annual rainfall 1,021 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 28.4°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 7.2°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Northmead Winston 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 Winston Hills
Average residential rate $1,103/yr
same for both
Council Parramatta
same for both

Federal electorate

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

First Home Owner Grant

Northmead Winston 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

Winston Hills

Outer Parks Quiet

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Northmead

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

Other comparisons with Winston Hills

Winston Hills vs Baulkham Hills Winston Hills vs Seven Hills Winston Hills vs Toongabbie Winston Hills vs Old Toongabbie
Full data on Northmead Full data on Winston 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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