Rouse Hill vs Nelson

Rouse Hill is the younger of the two, with a median age of 34 against 47 in Nelson. In both, most households own their home and most households are couple families. In Nelson, the large majority of homes are detached houses. Houses cost more in Nelson: a median of $3.95 million, against $1.6 million in Rouse Hill, though rent is higher in Rouse Hill. On these figures, Rouse Hill tends to suit families with children and buyers on a tighter budget, while Nelson suits older residents.

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

Rouse Hill

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (16 vs 0)
  • has more childcare (15 vs 0)
  • has more schools inside the suburb (4 vs 0)
  • But Nelson has more separate houses rather than flats (103% vs 54%)

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

First-home buyers

They split

one each way, out of the 3 things we measure here

  • Rouse Hill has cheaper houses ($1,600,000 vs $3,950,000)
  • Nelson has cheaper land ($22,000 vs $1,600,000)

Weighs house prices, land prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

They split

one each way, out of the 3 things we measure here

  • Rouse Hill has a bigger rental market to choose from (40% vs 19%)
  • Nelson has cheaper rent ($450/wk vs $500/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Rouse Hill

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (73/100 vs 18/100)
  • sits closer to the CBD (45.4 km vs 48.9 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Rouse Hill

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (10 vs 0)
  • is more walkable (73/100 vs 18/100)
  • But Nelson has more residents already 65 and over (27% vs 8%)

Weighs who already lives there, GPs, and walkability.

Investors

Rouse Hill

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (42.5% vs 1.3%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Rouse Hill Nelson
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.

Rouse Hill Nelson
Walkability 73 / 18
Rouse Hill — Walkability: 73/100 Nelson — Walkability: 18/100
Low fire risk 85 / 63
Rouse Hill — Low fire risk: 85/100 Nelson — Low fire risk: 63/100

Demographics

Rouse Hill has more residents (11,349 vs 460); Nelson skews older (47 vs 34).

Rouse Hill Nelson
Population 11,349
+96% vs other
 460
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +42.5% +1.3%
Median age 34 47
Median household income $137,436/yr
+9% vs other
 $124,748/yr
Median weekly rent $500/wk
+10% vs other
 $450/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Rouse Hill Nelson
0-4 6.3% / 5.0%
Rouse Hill — 0-4: 6.3% Nelson — 0-4: 5.0%
5-14 14.6% / 11.7%
Rouse Hill — 5-14: 14.6% Nelson — 5-14: 11.7%
15-19 8.2% / 3.5%
Rouse Hill — 15-19: 8.2% Nelson — 15-19: 3.5%
20-24 8.0% / 7.0%
Rouse Hill — 20-24: 8.0% Nelson — 20-24: 7.0%
25-34 14.4% / 9.8%
Rouse Hill — 25-34: 14.4% Nelson — 25-34: 9.8%
35-44 17.7% / 10.4%
Rouse Hill — 35-44: 17.7% Nelson — 35-44: 10.4%
45-54 15.1% / 14.8%
Rouse Hill — 45-54: 15.1% Nelson — 45-54: 14.8%
55-64 8.4% / 12.8%
Rouse Hill — 55-64: 8.4% Nelson — 55-64: 12.8%
65-74 4.8% / 17.6%
Rouse Hill — 65-74: 4.8% Nelson — 65-74: 17.6%
75-84 2.1% / 8.0%
Rouse Hill — 75-84: 2.1% Nelson — 75-84: 8.0%
85+ 0.6% / 1.7%
Rouse Hill — 85+: 0.6% Nelson — 85+: 1.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.7%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Rouse Hill 60.8% couple families
Rouse Hill — Couple Families: 60.8% Rouse Hill — Lone Person: 20.3% Rouse Hill — One Parent Families: 14.1% Rouse Hill — Group Household: 3.4% Rouse Hill — Other Families: 1.4%
Nelson 68.4% couple families
Nelson — Couple Families: 68.4% Nelson — Lone Person: 11.2% Nelson — One Parent Families: 13.3% Nelson — Group Household: 7.1% Nelson — Other Families: 0.0%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Rouse Hill 40.1% renting
Rouse Hill — Owned Outright: 16.1% Rouse Hill — Mortgage: 43.9% Rouse Hill — Renting: 40.1%
Nelson 18.6% renting
Nelson — Owned Outright: 59.7% Nelson — Mortgage: 21.7% Nelson — Renting: 18.6%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Rouse Hill Nelson
Certificate III & IV 10.5% / 20.4%
Rouse Hill — Certificate III & IV: 10.5% Nelson — Certificate III & IV: 20.4%
Bachelor Degree 18.6% / 10.4%
Rouse Hill — Bachelor Degree: 18.6% Nelson — Bachelor Degree: 10.4%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.8% / 8.9%
Rouse Hill — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.8% Nelson — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.9%
Postgraduate Degree 8.3% / 0.9%
Rouse Hill — Postgraduate Degree: 8.3% Nelson — Postgraduate Degree: 0.9%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.7% / 1.1%
Rouse Hill — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.7% Nelson — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (20.4%).

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.

Rouse Hill Nelson
India 6.2% / —
Rouse Hill — India: 6.2% Nelson — India: not among its largest
Philippines 3.6% / 0.9%
Rouse Hill — Philippines: 3.6% Nelson — Philippines: 0.9%
China 4.4% / —
Rouse Hill — China: 4.4% Nelson — China: not among its largest
England 2.3% / 1.5%
Rouse Hill — England: 2.3% Nelson — England: 1.5%
New Zealand 1.7% / 0.9%
Rouse Hill — New Zealand: 1.7% Nelson — New Zealand: 0.9%
South Africa 2.1% / —
Rouse Hill — South Africa: 2.1% Nelson — South Africa: not among its largest
Italy — / 1.3%
Rouse Hill — Italy: not among its largest Nelson — Italy: 1.3%
Malaysia — / 0.9%
Rouse Hill — Malaysia: not among its largest Nelson — Malaysia: 0.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (6.2%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Rouse Hill 54.4% houses
Rouse Hill — Houses: 54.4% Rouse Hill — Flats / Apartments: 25.6% Rouse Hill — Townhouses: 19.9%
Nelson 102.9% houses
Nelson — Houses: 102.9% Nelson — Flats / Apartments: 0.0% Nelson — Townhouses: 0.0%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Rouse Hill Nelson
Median house price $1,600,000 $3,950,000
Median unit price $665,000 —
Median land price $1,600,000 $22,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 28 days
from 181 sales
 —

Zoning mix

Nelson has more rural and farming land (100% vs 2%); Rouse Hill has more industrially zoned land (13% vs 0%).

Rouse Hill Nelson
Rural and farming 2% 100%
Residential 49% 0%
Industrial 13% 0%
Infrastructure and transport 13% 0%
Other and special use 11% 0%
Parks and recreation 10% 0%
Commercial 3% 0%
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

Rouse Hill Nelson
New dwellings approved 2,325
across Blacktown
 2,648
across The Hills
Approvals change year on year -18% -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.

Rouse Hill Nelson
Houses 3.5%
$900/wk on $1.35M
 —
Units 5.7%
$700/wk on $640K
 —

Ranking within NSW

Rouse Hill Nelson
House price Higher than 65% of NSW Higher than 97% of NSW
Income Higher than 91% of NSW Higher than 87% of NSW
Schools Higher than 49% of NSW —
Walkability Higher than 89% of NSW Higher than 69% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 71% of NSW Higher than 5% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 97% of NSW Higher than 96% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 93% of NSW Higher than 59% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 42% of NSW —
Rental yield (units) Higher than 89% of NSW —

Liveability

Rouse Hill is more walkable (73 vs 18).

Rouse Hill Nelson
Grade B —
Score 63/100 —
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
 very advantaged area
decile 9/10

Risk profile

Nelson carries more bushfire risk (37 vs 15).

Rouse Hill Nelson
Bushfire Low
15/100
 Low
37/100
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 2
within 5 km
 1
within 5 km

Schools

Rouse Hill Nelson
Inside the suburb 4 0
Rated above peers 1 0
Rated at peers 3 0
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Rouse Hill

  • Ironbark Ridge Public School Government · Primary above peers
  • Rouse Hill Anglican College Independent · Combined at peers
  • Rouse Hill High School Government · Secondary at peers
  • Rouse Hill Public School Government · Primary at peers

Schools in Nelson

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

Amenities in the suburb

Rouse Hill Nelson
Supermarkets 4 0
Cafes & restaurants 23 0
Parks & reserves 16 0
Childcare 15 0
GPs 10 0
Pharmacies 4 0
Banks & Bank@Post 8 0
Fuel stations 3 0
Waterways 11 1

Mobility

Nelson sits further from the CBD (48.9 km vs 45.4 km).

Rouse Hill Nelson
Walkability score 73/100 18/100
Distance to Sydney 45.4 km 48.9 km
+8% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 50 min 49 min
Public transport score 79/100
Rail · Bus
 61/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 805.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
 21.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
 1 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 3.1%
postcode 2155
 2.7%
postcode 2765
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 62
postcode 2155
 —
postcode 2765

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.

Rouse Hill Nelson
Car (driver) 41.2% / 57.9%
Rouse Hill — Car (driver): 41.2% Nelson — Car (driver): 57.9%
Worked from Home 49.8% / 38.8%
Rouse Hill — Worked from Home: 49.8% Nelson — Worked from Home: 38.8%
Car (passenger) 3.1% / 3.4%
Rouse Hill — Car (passenger): 3.1% Nelson — Car (passenger): 3.4%
Train 3.7% / —
Rouse Hill — Train: 3.7% Nelson — Train: not among its largest
Walked Only 1.2% / —
Rouse Hill — Walked Only: 1.2% Nelson — Walked Only: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (57.9%).

Setting

Rouse Hill Nelson
Elevation 52 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 58 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 31.1 km 29.0 km

NBN connectivity

Rouse Hill Nelson
Connectivity score 88/100 30/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises Fixed wireless
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 76%
6,011 premises
 0%
177 premises

Climate

Rouse Hill Nelson
Annual rainfall 932 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Rouse Hill Nelson
PM2.5 6.1 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 15.5 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.53 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Rouse Hill Nelson
Average residential rate $1,157/yr $1,204/yr
Council Blacktown The Hills

Federal electorate

Rouse Hill Nelson
Division Greenway
same for both
Member Michelle Rowland
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Rouse Hill Nelson
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Rouse Hill

Outer Parks River

Nelson

Acreage Luxury Outer Retirees

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Rouse Hill

Rouse Hill vs North Kellyville Rouse Hill vs The Ponds Rouse Hill vs Kellyville Ridge Rouse Hill vs Beaumont Hills Rouse Hill vs Riverstone Rouse Hill vs Tallawong

Other comparisons with Nelson

Nelson vs Box Hill Nelson vs Gables Nelson vs Annangrove Nelson vs Maraylya
Full data on Rouse Hill Full data on Nelson
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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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