Thornton vs Millers Forest

Thornton is the younger of the two, with a median age of 32 against 47 in Millers Forest. In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Thornton, about half of households are couple families. In Millers Forest, most households are couple families. Houses cost more in Millers Forest: a median of $1.45 million, against $860,000 in Thornton. On these figures, Thornton tends to suit young adults, families with children, and buyers on a tighter budget, while Millers Forest 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

Thornton

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more childcare (9 vs 1)
  • has more parks and reserves (3 vs 0)

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

First-home buyers

Thornton

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($860,000 vs $1,450,000)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Thornton

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (35% vs 17%)

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

Commuting to the city

Thornton

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (68/100 vs 25/100)
  • sits closer to the CBD (155.7 km vs 162.8 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

They split

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

  • Thornton is more walkable (68/100 vs 25/100)
  • Millers Forest has more residents already 65 and over (23% vs 10%)

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

Investors

Thornton

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (32.6% vs 6.6%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Thornton Millers Forest
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.

Thornton Millers Forest
Walkability 68 / 25
Thornton — Walkability: 68/100 Millers Forest — Walkability: 25/100
Safety 28 / 36
Thornton — Safety: 28/100 Millers Forest — Safety: 36/100
Low fire risk 80 / 100
Thornton — Low fire risk: 80/100 Millers Forest — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Thornton has more residents (10,690 vs 357); Millers Forest skews older (47 vs 32).

Thornton Millers Forest
Population 10,690
+97% vs other
 357
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +32.6% +6.6%
Median age 32 47
Median household income $106,652/yr
+4% vs other
 $102,492/yr
Median weekly rent $400/wk
+1% vs other
 $395/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Thornton Millers Forest
0-4 7.7% / 3.9%
Thornton — 0-4: 7.7% Millers Forest — 0-4: 3.9%
5-14 13.9% / 8.4%
Thornton — 5-14: 13.9% Millers Forest — 5-14: 8.4%
15-19 6.3% / 7.0%
Thornton — 15-19: 6.3% Millers Forest — 15-19: 7.0%
20-24 8.0% / 4.8%
Thornton — 20-24: 8.0% Millers Forest — 20-24: 4.8%
25-34 17.7% / 10.9%
Thornton — 25-34: 17.7% Millers Forest — 25-34: 10.9%
35-44 13.0% / 9.5%
Thornton — 35-44: 13.0% Millers Forest — 35-44: 9.5%
45-54 12.0% / 14.3%
Thornton — 45-54: 12.0% Millers Forest — 45-54: 14.3%
55-64 11.0% / 16.8%
Thornton — 55-64: 11.0% Millers Forest — 55-64: 16.8%
65-74 6.9% / 14.0%
Thornton — 65-74: 6.9% Millers Forest — 65-74: 14.0%
75-84 2.7% / 7.0%
Thornton — 75-84: 2.7% Millers Forest — 75-84: 7.0%
85+ 0.6% / 1.7%
Thornton — 85+: 0.6% Millers Forest — 85+: 1.7%

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

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Thornton 54.6% couple families
Thornton — Couple Families: 54.6% Thornton — One Parent Families: 18.5% Thornton — Lone Person: 20.9% Thornton — Other Families: 1.4% Thornton — Group Household: 4.6%
Millers Forest 58.8% couple families
Millers Forest — Couple Families: 58.8% Millers Forest — One Parent Families: 20.6% Millers Forest — Lone Person: 13.2% Millers Forest — Other Families: 7.4% Millers Forest — Group Household: 0.0%
Couple Families One Parent Families Lone Person Other Families Group Household

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Thornton 34.7% renting
Thornton — Owned Outright: 24.0% Thornton — Mortgage: 41.3% Thornton — Renting: 34.7%
Millers Forest 16.7% renting
Millers Forest — Owned Outright: 45.6% Millers Forest — Mortgage: 37.7% Millers Forest — Renting: 16.7%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Thornton Millers Forest
Certificate III & IV 21.2% / 24.9%
Thornton — Certificate III & IV: 21.2% Millers Forest — Certificate III & IV: 24.9%
Bachelor Degree 8.5% / 7.0%
Thornton — Bachelor Degree: 8.5% Millers Forest — Bachelor Degree: 7.0%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.3% / 7.3%
Thornton — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.3% Millers Forest — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.3%
Postgraduate Degree 1.9% / 0.8%
Thornton — Postgraduate Degree: 1.9% Millers Forest — Postgraduate Degree: 0.8%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.1% / 1.1%
Thornton — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.1% Millers Forest — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (24.9%).

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.

Thornton Millers Forest
England 1.8% / 1.1%
Thornton — England: 1.8% Millers Forest — England: 1.1%
New Zealand 1.1% / 0.8%
Thornton — New Zealand: 1.1% Millers Forest — New Zealand: 0.8%
India 0.8% / —
Thornton — India: 0.8% Millers Forest — India: not among its largest
Scotland — / 0.8%
Thornton — Scotland: not among its largest Millers Forest — Scotland: 0.8%
Philippines 0.6% / —
Thornton — Philippines: 0.6% Millers Forest — Philippines: not among its largest
South Africa 0.6% / —
Thornton — South Africa: 0.6% Millers Forest — South Africa: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (1.8%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Thornton 92.8% houses
Thornton — Houses: 92.8% Thornton — Flats / Apartments: 0.9% Thornton — Townhouses: 6.2%
Millers Forest 90.9% houses
Millers Forest — Houses: 90.9% Millers Forest — Flats / Apartments: 9.1% Millers Forest — Townhouses: 0.0%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Thornton Millers Forest
Median house price $860,000 $1,450,000
Median unit price $637,500 —
Median land price $760,000 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 22 days
from 146 sales
 —

Zoning mix

Millers Forest has more rural and farming land (89% vs 24%); Thornton has more land zoned for conservation (37% vs 11%).

Thornton Millers Forest
Rural and farming 24% 89%
Environmental 37% 11%
Residential 25% 0%
Industrial 9% 0%
Parks and recreation 2% 0%
Infrastructure and transport 2% 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

Thornton Millers Forest
New dwellings approved 1,413
across Maitland
same for both
Approvals change year on year +20%
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.

Thornton Millers Forest
Houses 4.2%
$660/wk on $822K
 —
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Thornton Millers Forest
House price Higher than 36% of NSW Higher than 73% of NSW
Income Higher than 73% of NSW Higher than 70% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 88% of NSW Higher than 73% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 81% of NSW Higher than 38% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 68% of NSW Higher than 51% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 92% of NSW Higher than 62% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 81% of NSW —

Liveability

Thornton is more walkable (68 vs 25).

Thornton Millers Forest
Grade C —
Score 47/100 —
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 5/10
same for both

Risk profile

Thornton carries more bushfire risk (20 vs 0).

Thornton Millers Forest
Bushfire Low
20/100
 None
0/100
Crime High
72/100
 Moderate
64/100
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 5
within 5 km
 2
within 5 km

Schools

Thornton Millers Forest
Inside the suburb 2 1
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 1 0
Rated below peers 1
same for both

Schools in Thornton

  • Thornton Public School Government · Primary at peers
  • Aspect Hunter School Independent · Combined · Special school below peers

Schools in Millers Forest

  • Millers Forest Public School Government · Primary below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Thornton Millers Forest
Supermarkets 1 0
Cafes & restaurants 3 0
Parks & reserves 3 0
Childcare 9 1
Pharmacies 2 0
Banks & Bank@Post 1 0
Fuel stations 3 0
Waterways 9 12

Mobility

Millers Forest sits further from the CBD (162.8 km vs 155.7 km).

Thornton Millers Forest
Walkability score 68/100 25/100
Distance to Sydney 155.7 km 162.8 km
+5% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 115 min 119 min
Public transport score 79/100
Rail · Bus
 31/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 121.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
 7.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
 1 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 0.7%
postcode 2322
 0.5%
postcode 2324
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 64
postcode 2322
 54
postcode 2324

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.

Thornton Millers Forest
Car (driver) 72.6% / 59.1%
Thornton — Car (driver): 72.6% Millers Forest — Car (driver): 59.1%
Worked from Home 20.6% / 26.0%
Thornton — Worked from Home: 20.6% Millers Forest — Worked from Home: 26.0%
Car (passenger) 4.6% / 6.5%
Thornton — Car (passenger): 4.6% Millers Forest — Car (passenger): 6.5%
Walked Only 0.9% / 8.4%
Thornton — Walked Only: 0.9% Millers Forest — Walked Only: 8.4%
Train 0.9% / —
Thornton — Train: 0.9% Millers Forest — Train: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (72.6%).

Setting

Thornton Millers Forest
Elevation 11 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 3 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 14.4 km 10.4 km

NBN connectivity

Thornton Millers Forest
Connectivity score 84/100 30/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises Fixed wireless
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 70%
4,838 premises
 0%
137 premises

Climate

Thornton Millers Forest
Annual rainfall 996 mm 1,181 mm
Summer max (Jan) 30.0°C 28.7°C
Winter min (Jul) 7.1°C 7.5°C

Air quality (annual mean)

Thornton Millers Forest
PM2.5 6.3 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 17.5 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.72 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Thornton Millers Forest
Average residential rate $1,908/yr
same for both
Council Maitland
same for both

Federal electorate

Thornton Millers Forest
Division Paterson
same for both
Member Meryl Swanson
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Thornton Millers Forest
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Thornton

Large Blocks Regional Centre

Millers Forest

River Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Thornton

Thornton vs East Maitland Thornton vs Metford Thornton vs Ashtonfield Thornton vs Chisholm Thornton vs Beresfield Thornton vs Woodberry

Other comparisons with Millers Forest

Millers Forest vs Raymond Terrace Millers Forest vs Woodberry Millers Forest vs Heatherbrae Millers Forest vs Hinton Millers Forest vs Nelsons Plains Millers Forest vs Berry Park
Full data on Thornton Full data on Millers Forest
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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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