Orchard Hills vs St Clair

St Clair is the younger of the two, with a median age of 36 against 47 in Orchard Hills. In both, the large majority of households own their home, the large majority of homes are detached houses, and most households are couple families. Houses cost more in Orchard Hills: a median of $3.1 million, against $1.18 million in St Clair. St Clair is closer to the city centre: 44.7 km, against 51.4 km. On these figures, Orchard Hills tends to suit older residents, while St Clair suits families with children 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

St Clair

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (12 vs 3)
  • has more childcare (15 vs 7)
  • has more schools inside the suburb (6 vs 4)

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

First-home buyers

St Clair

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($1,175,000 vs $3,105,000)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Too close to call

Nothing among the 3 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

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

Commuting to the city

St Clair

ahead on 3 of the 4 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (86/100 vs 0/100)
  • has a shorter drive in (42 min vs 51 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (44.7 km vs 51.4 km)

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

Downsizers and retirees

St Clair

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (86/100 vs 0/100)
  • has more GPs (5 vs 0)
  • But Orchard Hills has more residents already 65 and over (21% vs 13%)

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

Investors

Too close to call

Nothing among the 1 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Orchard Hills St Clair
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.

Orchard Hills St Clair
Walkability 0 / 86
Orchard Hills — Walkability: 0/100 St Clair — Walkability: 86/100
Low fire risk 34 / 100
Orchard Hills — Low fire risk: 34/100 St Clair — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

St Clair has more residents (19,942 vs 1,798); Orchard Hills skews older (47 vs 36).

Orchard Hills St Clair
Population 1,798 19,942
+1009% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -4.2% +0.2%
Median age 47 36
Median household income $118,508/yr
+9% vs other
 $107,484/yr
Median weekly rent $450/wk
+2% vs other
 $440/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Orchard Hills St Clair
0-4 3.5% / 6.8%
Orchard Hills — 0-4: 3.5% St Clair — 0-4: 6.8%
5-14 10.7% / 14.1%
Orchard Hills — 5-14: 10.7% St Clair — 5-14: 14.1%
15-19 7.1% / 6.5%
Orchard Hills — 15-19: 7.1% St Clair — 15-19: 6.5%
20-24 8.5% / 6.1%
Orchard Hills — 20-24: 8.5% St Clair — 20-24: 6.1%
25-34 9.4% / 14.3%
Orchard Hills — 25-34: 9.4% St Clair — 25-34: 14.3%
35-44 8.7% / 13.9%
Orchard Hills — 35-44: 8.7% St Clair — 35-44: 13.9%
45-54 15.0% / 12.0%
Orchard Hills — 45-54: 15.0% St Clair — 45-54: 12.0%
55-64 16.6% / 13.6%
Orchard Hills — 55-64: 16.6% St Clair — 55-64: 13.6%
65-74 10.6% / 9.3%
Orchard Hills — 65-74: 10.6% St Clair — 65-74: 9.3%
75-84 8.0% / 2.8%
Orchard Hills — 75-84: 8.0% St Clair — 75-84: 2.8%
85+ 2.2% / 0.7%
Orchard Hills — 85+: 2.2% St Clair — 85+: 0.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.6%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Orchard Hills 62.1% couple families
Orchard Hills — Couple Families: 62.1% Orchard Hills — Lone Person: 19.2% Orchard Hills — One Parent Families: 16.0% Orchard Hills — Group Household: 1.0% Orchard Hills — Other Families: 1.7%
St Clair 57.9% couple families
St Clair — Couple Families: 57.9% St Clair — Lone Person: 18.7% St Clair — One Parent Families: 20.2% St Clair — Group Household: 2.2% St Clair — Other Families: 1.1%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Orchard Hills 14.6% renting
Orchard Hills — Owned Outright: 59.6% Orchard Hills — Mortgage: 25.8% Orchard Hills — Renting: 14.6%
St Clair 21.7% renting
St Clair — Owned Outright: 31.2% St Clair — Mortgage: 47.1% St Clair — Renting: 21.7%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Orchard Hills St Clair
Certificate III & IV 16.6% / 16.1%
Orchard Hills — Certificate III & IV: 16.6% St Clair — Certificate III & IV: 16.1%
Bachelor Degree 10.3% / 8.8%
Orchard Hills — Bachelor Degree: 10.3% St Clair — Bachelor Degree: 8.8%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 6.5% / 7.0%
Orchard Hills — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.5% St Clair — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.0%
Postgraduate Degree 2.9% / 2.3%
Orchard Hills — Postgraduate Degree: 2.9% St Clair — Postgraduate Degree: 2.3%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.3% / 0.8%
Orchard Hills — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.3% St Clair — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.6%).

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.

Orchard Hills St Clair
England 2.5% / 2.0%
Orchard Hills — England: 2.5% St Clair — England: 2.0%
India 1.1% / 2.5%
Orchard Hills — India: 1.1% St Clair — India: 2.5%
Philippines — / 3.5%
Orchard Hills — Philippines: not among its largest St Clair — Philippines: 3.5%
Lebanon 1.8% / 0.8%
Orchard Hills — Lebanon: 1.8% St Clair — Lebanon: 0.8%
New Zealand — / 2.6%
Orchard Hills — New Zealand: not among its largest St Clair — New Zealand: 2.6%
Italy 2.3% / —
Orchard Hills — Italy: 2.3% St Clair — Italy: not among its largest
Fiji 0.6% / 0.8%
Orchard Hills — Fiji: 0.6% St Clair — Fiji: 0.8%
Scotland 0.8% / —
Orchard Hills — Scotland: 0.8% St Clair — Scotland: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (3.5%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Orchard Hills 96.8% houses
Orchard Hills — Houses: 96.8% Orchard Hills — Townhouses: 2.2% Orchard Hills — Flats / Apartments: 1.1%
St Clair 98.4% houses
St Clair — Houses: 98.4% St Clair — Townhouses: 0.9% St Clair — Flats / Apartments: 0.7%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Orchard Hills St Clair
Median house price $3,105,000 $1,175,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price $905,000 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 26 days
from 5 sales
 22 days
from 132 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.

Orchard Hills St Clair
4 bed $4.04M / $1.2M
Orchard Hills — 4 bed: $4.04M (6 sales) St Clair — 4 bed: $1.2M (80 sales)

6 vs 80 sales

5 bed $4.25M / $1.33M
Orchard Hills — 5 bed: $4.25M (8 sales) St Clair — 5 bed: $1.33M (26 sales)

8 vs 26 sales

Zoning mix

Orchard Hills has more land zoned for conservation (43% vs 0%); Orchard Hills has more rural and farming land (33% vs 0%).

Orchard Hills St Clair
Residential 3% 80%
Environmental 43% 0%
Rural and farming 33% 0%
Parks and recreation 6% 13%
Infrastructure and transport 11% 6%
Industrial 3% 0%
Planning zones cover 99% of Orchard Hills and 100% of St Clair. The rest is unzoned land such as water or road reserve.
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

Orchard Hills St Clair
New dwellings approved 1,063
across Penrith
same for both
Approvals change year on year -78%
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.

Orchard Hills St Clair
Houses — 3.4%
$750/wk on $1.16M
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Orchard Hills St Clair
House price Higher than 94% of NSW Higher than 59% of NSW
Income Higher than 83% of NSW Higher than 73% of NSW
Schools Higher than 49% of NSW Higher than 40% of NSW
Walkability Higher than 3% of NSW Higher than 95% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 8% of NSW Higher than 61% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 74% of NSW Higher than 50% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 74% of NSW Higher than 85% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 38% of NSW

Liveability

St Clair is more walkable (86 vs 0); St Clair scores higher overall (64 vs 38).

Orchard Hills St Clair
Grade C B
Score 38/100 64/100
Socio-economic band advantaged area
decile 7/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 5/10

Risk profile

Orchard Hills carries more bushfire risk (66 vs 0).

Orchard Hills St Clair
Bushfire Moderate
66/100
 None
0/100
Crime Moderate
66/100
 —
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 4
within 5 km
 11
within 5 km

Schools

Orchard Hills St Clair
Inside the suburb 4 6
Rated above peers 1
same for both
Rated at peers 3 5
Rated below peers 0
same for both
Universities within 10 km 1
Western Sydney University - Penrith, 4.9 km
 1
Western Sydney University - Penrith, 6.7 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 2.8% 1.9%

Schools in Orchard Hills

  • Montgrove College Independent · Combined above peers
  • Orchard Hills Public School Government · Primary at peers
  • Penrith Anglican College Independent · Combined at peers
  • Penrith Christian School Independent · Combined at peers

Schools in St Clair

  • Clairgate Public School Government · Primary above peers
  • Banks Public School Government · Primary at peers
  • Blackwell Public School Government · Primary at peers
  • Holy Spirit Primary School Catholic · Primary at peers
  • St Clair High School Government · Secondary at peers
  • St Clair Public School Government · Primary at peers

Amenities in the suburb

Orchard Hills St Clair
Supermarkets 0 2
Cafes & restaurants 2 9
Parks & reserves 3 12
Childcare 7 15
GPs 0 5
Pharmacies 1 2
Banks & Bank@Post 0 2
Fuel stations 0 2
Waterways 26 3

Mobility

Orchard Hills sits further from the CBD (51.4 km vs 44.7 km).

Orchard Hills St Clair
Walkability score 0/100 86/100
Distance to Sydney 51.4 km
+13% vs other
 44.7 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 51 min 42 min
Public transport score 79/100
Bus
same for both
Peak arrivals per hour 52.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
 406.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
 0 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 0.8%
postcode 2748
 0.5%
postcode 2759
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 56
postcode 2748
 55
postcode 2759

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.

Orchard Hills St Clair
Car (driver) 57.0% / 62.1%
Orchard Hills — Car (driver): 57.0% St Clair — Car (driver): 62.1%
Worked from Home 36.4% / 30.1%
Orchard Hills — Worked from Home: 36.4% St Clair — Worked from Home: 30.1%
Car (passenger) 3.7% / 4.4%
Orchard Hills — Car (passenger): 3.7% St Clair — Car (passenger): 4.4%
Train 0.9% / 2.1%
Orchard Hills — Train: 0.9% St Clair — Train: 2.1%
Walked Only 2.0% / 0.6%
Orchard Hills — Walked Only: 2.0% St Clair — Walked Only: 0.6%
Bus — / 0.7%
Orchard Hills — Bus: not among its largest St Clair — Bus: 0.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (62.1%).

Setting

Orchard Hills St Clair
Elevation 49 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 47 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 42.8 km 38.9 km

NBN connectivity

Orchard Hills St Clair
Connectivity score 67/100 75/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises Hybrid fibre-coaxial
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 38%
711 premises
 0%
6,757 premises

Climate

Orchard Hills St Clair
Annual rainfall 822 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Orchard Hills St Clair
PM2.5 5.6 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 17.6 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.55 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Orchard Hills St Clair
Average residential rate $1,547/yr
same for both
Council Penrith
same for both

Federal electorate

Orchard Hills St Clair
Division Lindsay Mcmahon
Member Melissa Mcintosh Chris Bowen
Party Liberal Australian Labor Party

First Home Owner Grant

Orchard Hills St Clair
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Orchard Hills

Acreage Outer

St Clair

Outer Parks

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Orchard Hills

Orchard Hills vs Glenmore Park Orchard Hills vs St Marys Orchard Hills vs South Penrith Orchard Hills vs Kingswood Orchard Hills vs Erskine Park Orchard Hills vs Claremont Meadows

Other comparisons with St Clair

St Clair vs St Marys St Clair vs Colyton St Clair vs Erskine Park
Full data on Orchard Hills Full data on St Clair
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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