Sorrento vs Hillarys

Hillarys is the younger of the two, with a median age of 44 against 47 in Sorrento. 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 Sorrento: a median of $1.8 million, against $1.56 million in Hillarys.

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

They split

one each way, out of the 6 things we measure here

  • Sorrento carries lower crime risk (18/100 vs 60/100)
  • Hillarys has more parks and reserves (18 vs 5)

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

First-home buyers

Sorrento

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • has cheaper land ($968,500 vs $1,290,000)
  • has cheaper units ($650,000 vs $741,500)
  • But Hillarys has cheaper houses ($1,560,000 vs $1,805,000)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, land 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

Too close to call

Nothing among the 4 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

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

Downsizers and retirees

Sorrento

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (18/100 vs 60/100)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (24% vs 19%)
  • But Hillarys has more GPs (4 vs 2)

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

Investors

Hillarys

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • returns a higher gross yield on houses (3.4% vs 2.6%)

Weighs house yield and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Sorrento Hillarys
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.

Sorrento Hillarys
Walkability 72 / 75
Sorrento — Walkability: 72/100 Hillarys — Walkability: 75/100
Safety 82 / 40
Sorrento — Safety: 82/100 Hillarys — Safety: 40/100
Low fire risk 76 / 100
Sorrento — Low fire risk: 76/100 Hillarys — Low fire risk: 100/100
Low flood risk 100 / 100
Sorrento — Low flood risk: 100/100 Hillarys — Low flood risk: 100/100

Demographics

Hillarys has more residents (11,200 vs 7,795); Sorrento skews older (47 vs 44).

Sorrento Hillarys
Population 7,795 11,200
+44% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +6.2% +3.6%
Median age 47 44
Median household income $128,544/yr $128,180/yr
Median weekly rent $480/wk $490/wk
+2% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Sorrento Hillarys
0-4 4.2% / 4.3%
Sorrento — 0-4: 4.2% Hillarys — 0-4: 4.3%
5-14 13.3% / 13.6%
Sorrento — 5-14: 13.3% Hillarys — 5-14: 13.6%
15-19 6.7% / 7.1%
Sorrento — 15-19: 6.7% Hillarys — 15-19: 7.1%
20-24 5.5% / 5.6%
Sorrento — 20-24: 5.5% Hillarys — 20-24: 5.6%
25-34 6.4% / 7.8%
Sorrento — 25-34: 6.4% Hillarys — 25-34: 7.8%
35-44 10.5% / 11.8%
Sorrento — 35-44: 10.5% Hillarys — 35-44: 11.8%
45-54 14.4% / 14.5%
Sorrento — 45-54: 14.4% Hillarys — 45-54: 14.5%
55-64 14.5% / 15.8%
Sorrento — 55-64: 14.5% Hillarys — 55-64: 15.8%
65-74 15.2% / 13.1%
Sorrento — 65-74: 15.2% Hillarys — 65-74: 13.1%
75-84 7.2% / 4.9%
Sorrento — 75-84: 7.2% Hillarys — 75-84: 4.9%
85+ 2.1% / 1.4%
Sorrento — 85+: 2.1% Hillarys — 85+: 1.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (15.8%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Sorrento 61.3% couple families
Sorrento — Couple Families: 61.3% Sorrento — Lone Person: 26.8% Sorrento — One Parent Families: 9.5% Sorrento — Group Household: 1.4% Sorrento — Other Families: 1.1%
Hillarys 60.8% couple families
Hillarys — Couple Families: 60.8% Hillarys — Lone Person: 22.7% Hillarys — One Parent Families: 13.4% Hillarys — Group Household: 2.2% Hillarys — 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.

Sorrento 11.3% renting
Sorrento — Owned Outright: 49.8% Sorrento — Mortgage: 38.9% Sorrento — Renting: 11.3%
Hillarys 13.6% renting
Hillarys — Owned Outright: 45.4% Hillarys — Mortgage: 41.0% Hillarys — Renting: 13.6%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

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.

Sorrento Hillarys
England 9.3% / 11.9%
Sorrento — England: 9.3% Hillarys — England: 11.9%
South Africa 2.8% / 3.9%
Sorrento — South Africa: 2.8% Hillarys — South Africa: 3.9%
New Zealand 1.9% / 1.9%
Sorrento — New Zealand: 1.9% Hillarys — New Zealand: 1.9%
Scotland 1.5% / 1.8%
Sorrento — Scotland: 1.5% Hillarys — Scotland: 1.8%
Ireland 1.5% / 1.2%
Sorrento — Ireland: 1.5% Hillarys — Ireland: 1.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (11.9%).

Qualifications

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

Sorrento Hillarys
Bachelor Degree 19.7% / 18.4%
Sorrento — Bachelor Degree: 19.7% Hillarys — Bachelor Degree: 18.4%
Certificate III & IV 11.0% / 12.5%
Sorrento — Certificate III & IV: 11.0% Hillarys — Certificate III & IV: 12.5%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.7% / 9.5%
Sorrento — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.7% Hillarys — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.5%
Postgraduate Degree 6.0% / 5.2%
Sorrento — Postgraduate Degree: 6.0% Hillarys — Postgraduate Degree: 5.2%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.9% / 2.8%
Sorrento — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.9% Hillarys — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (19.7%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Sorrento 80.8% houses
Sorrento — Houses: 80.8% Sorrento — Townhouses: 13.6% Sorrento — Flats / Apartments: 5.6%
Hillarys 89.4% houses
Hillarys — Houses: 89.4% Hillarys — Townhouses: 8.2% Hillarys — Flats / Apartments: 2.4%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Sorrento Hillarys
Median house price $1,805,000 $1,560,000
Median unit price $650,000 $741,500
Median land price $968,500 $1,290,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 36 days
from 88 sales
 30 days
from 138 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.

Sorrento Hillarys
3 bed $1.45M / $1.25M
Sorrento — 3 bed: $1.45M (35 sales) Hillarys — 3 bed: $1.25M (56 sales)

35 vs 56 sales

4 bed $1.84M / $1.68M
Sorrento — 4 bed: $1.84M (58 sales) Hillarys — 4 bed: $1.68M (122 sales)

58 vs 122 sales

5 bed $2.32M / $2.05M
Sorrento — 5 bed: $2.32M (22 sales) Hillarys — 5 bed: $2.05M (25 sales)

22 vs 25 sales

Development activity

Sorrento Hillarys
New dwellings approved 463
across Joondalup
same for both
Approvals change year on year +53%
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.

Sorrento Hillarys
Houses 2.6%
$1,000/wk on $1.98M
 3.4%
$1,098/wk on $1.7M
Units — 5.2%
$795/wk on $800K

Ranking within WA

Sorrento Hillarys
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 90% of WA
same for both
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 91% of WA Higher than 92% of WA
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 95% of WA Higher than 87% of WA
NBN connectivity Higher than 88% of WA Higher than 86% of WA
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 3% of WA Higher than 13% of WA
Rental yield (units) — Higher than 38% of WA

Liveability

Sorrento Hillarys
Grade A+ A
Score 88/100 85/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
same for both

Risk profile

Sorrento carries more bushfire risk (24 vs 0); Hillarys carries more crime risk (60 vs 18).

Sorrento Hillarys
Bushfire Low
24/100
 None
0/100
Crime Low
18/100
 Moderate
60/100
Flood None
0/100
same for both
Coastal erosion Low
24/100
 High
86/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 3
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Sorrento Hillarys
Inside the suburb 2
same for both
Rated above peers 1 0
Rated at peers 0 2
Rated below peers 1 0
Universities within 10 km None 1
ECU Joondalup Campus, 8.3 km

Schools in Sorrento

  • Sorrento Primary School Government · Primary above peers
  • Sacred Heart College Catholic · Secondary below peers

Schools in Hillarys

  • Hillarys Primary School Government · Primary at peers
  • St Mark's Anglican Community School Independent · Combined at peers

Amenities in the suburb

Sorrento Hillarys
Supermarkets 0 4
Cafes & restaurants 0 25
Parks & reserves 5 18
Childcare 2 5
GPs 2 4
Pharmacies 1 6
Police stations 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 4
Fuel stations 1
same for both
Beaches 0 1

Mobility

Sorrento Hillarys
Walkability score 72/100 75/100
Distance to Perth 20.8 km 22.7 km
+9% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 23 min
same for both
Public transport score 79/100
Bus
same for both
Peak arrivals per hour 163.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
 135.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 2.2%
postcode 6020
 1.3%
postcode 6025
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 56
postcode 6020
 61
postcode 6025

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.

Sorrento Hillarys
Car (driver) 72.3% / 71.2%
Sorrento — Car (driver): 72.3% Hillarys — Car (driver): 71.2%
Worked from Home 14.4% / 15.1%
Sorrento — Worked from Home: 14.4% Hillarys — Worked from Home: 15.1%
Train 7.2% / 7.6%
Sorrento — Train: 7.2% Hillarys — Train: 7.6%
Car (passenger) 3.9% / 4.1%
Sorrento — Car (passenger): 3.9% Hillarys — Car (passenger): 4.1%
Walked Only 1.1% / 1.0%
Sorrento — Walked Only: 1.1% Hillarys — Walked Only: 1.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (72.3%).

Setting

Sorrento Hillarys
Elevation 37 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 24 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 842 m
839 m to a named beach
 1.1 km
1.2 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Sorrento Hillarys
Connectivity score 75/100 74/100
Most common technology Hybrid fibre-coaxial
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 22%
3,283 premises
 16%
4,958 premises

Climate

Sorrento Hillarys
Annual rainfall 716 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 29.8°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 10.4°C
same for both

Council rates

Sorrento Hillarys
Average residential rate $1,782/yr
same for both
Council Joondalup
same for both

Federal electorate

Sorrento Hillarys
Division Moore
same for both
Member Tom French
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Sorrento Hillarys
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $800,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Sorrento

Beach Coastal Middle-Ring Parks Premium

Hillarys

Beach Coastal Large Blocks Middle-Ring Parks Premium

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Sorrento

Sorrento vs Duncraig Sorrento vs Padbury Sorrento vs Marmion

Other comparisons with Hillarys

Hillarys vs Duncraig Hillarys vs Padbury Hillarys vs Craigie Hillarys vs Kallaroo
Full data on Sorrento Full data on Hillarys
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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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