Wahroonga vs Pennant Hills

In both, the large majority of households own their home, most homes are detached houses, and most households are couple families. Houses cost more in Wahroonga: a median of $2.77 million, against $2.03 million in Pennant Hills, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Pennant Hills tends to suit 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

Wahroonga

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more schools rated above their peers (4 vs 1)
  • has more parks and reserves (31 vs 9)
  • has more childcare (17 vs 7)

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

First-home buyers

Pennant Hills

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper units ($660,000 vs $1,172,500)
  • has cheaper houses ($2,033,388 vs $2,770,000)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Pennant Hills

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($500/wk vs $600/wk)

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

Too close to call

Nothing among the 5 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

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

Investors

Wahroonga

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • returns a higher gross yield on units (5.0% vs 4.5%)

Weighs house yield, unit yield, and population growth.

Where they sit

Wahroonga and Pennant 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.

Wahroonga Pennant 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.

Wahroonga Pennant Hills
Walkability 86 / 88
Wahroonga — Walkability: 86/100 Pennant Hills — Walkability: 88/100
Safety 75 / 69
Wahroonga — Safety: 75/100 Pennant Hills — Safety: 69/100
Low fire risk 44 / 30
Wahroonga — Low fire risk: 44/100 Pennant Hills — Low fire risk: 30/100

Demographics

Wahroonga has more residents (17,853 vs 7,588); Wahroonga has higher household incomes ($155,896 vs $126,516).

Wahroonga Pennant Hills
Population 17,853
+57% vs other
 7,588
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +2.8% +4.1%
Median age 44 43
Median household income $155,896/yr
+19% vs other
 $126,516/yr
Median weekly rent $600/wk
+17% vs other
 $500/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Wahroonga Pennant Hills
0-4 4.5% / 4.3%
Wahroonga — 0-4: 4.5% Pennant Hills — 0-4: 4.3%
5-14 14.2% / 12.9%
Wahroonga — 5-14: 14.2% Pennant Hills — 5-14: 12.9%
15-19 7.6% / 6.4%
Wahroonga — 15-19: 7.6% Pennant Hills — 15-19: 6.4%
20-24 5.4% / 6.6%
Wahroonga — 20-24: 5.4% Pennant Hills — 20-24: 6.6%
25-34 6.6% / 9.2%
Wahroonga — 25-34: 6.6% Pennant Hills — 25-34: 9.2%
35-44 12.6% / 13.4%
Wahroonga — 35-44: 12.6% Pennant Hills — 35-44: 13.4%
45-54 15.1% / 14.5%
Wahroonga — 45-54: 15.1% Pennant Hills — 45-54: 14.5%
55-64 11.7% / 14.0%
Wahroonga — 55-64: 11.7% Pennant Hills — 55-64: 14.0%
65-74 9.3% / 10.1%
Wahroonga — 65-74: 9.3% Pennant Hills — 65-74: 10.1%
75-84 7.6% / 6.1%
Wahroonga — 75-84: 7.6% Pennant Hills — 75-84: 6.1%
85+ 5.3% / 2.6%
Wahroonga — 85+: 5.3% Pennant Hills — 85+: 2.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (15.1%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Wahroonga 62.6% couple families
Wahroonga — Couple Families: 62.6% Wahroonga — Lone Person: 22.7% Wahroonga — One Parent Families: 12.0% Wahroonga — Group Household: 1.8% Wahroonga — Other Families: 0.9%
Pennant Hills 56.8% couple families
Pennant Hills — Couple Families: 56.8% Pennant Hills — Lone Person: 25.3% Pennant Hills — One Parent Families: 13.9% Pennant Hills — Group Household: 2.6% Pennant Hills — Other Families: 1.4%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Wahroonga 18.6% renting
Wahroonga — Owned Outright: 40.1% Wahroonga — Mortgage: 41.3% Wahroonga — Renting: 18.6%
Pennant Hills 24.0% renting
Pennant Hills — Owned Outright: 39.1% Pennant Hills — Mortgage: 36.9% Pennant Hills — Renting: 24.0%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Wahroonga Pennant Hills
Bachelor Degree 25.1% / 24.5%
Wahroonga — Bachelor Degree: 25.1% Pennant Hills — Bachelor Degree: 24.5%
Postgraduate Degree 12.7% / 12.7%
Wahroonga — Postgraduate Degree: 12.7% Pennant Hills — Postgraduate Degree: 12.7%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.9% / 8.8%
Wahroonga — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.9% Pennant Hills — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.8%
Certificate III & IV 4.5% / 6.2%
Wahroonga — Certificate III & IV: 4.5% Pennant Hills — Certificate III & IV: 6.2%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.9% / 3.1%
Wahroonga — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.9% Pennant Hills — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (25.1%).

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.

Wahroonga Pennant Hills
China 8.2% / 8.4%
Wahroonga — China: 8.2% Pennant Hills — China: 8.4%
England 4.9% / 3.1%
Wahroonga — England: 4.9% Pennant Hills — England: 3.1%
India 2.9% / 4.4%
Wahroonga — India: 2.9% Pennant Hills — India: 4.4%
South Africa 2.6% / 1.1%
Wahroonga — South Africa: 2.6% Pennant Hills — South Africa: 1.1%
New Zealand 1.7% / 1.1%
Wahroonga — New Zealand: 1.7% Pennant Hills — New Zealand: 1.1%
Sri Lanka 0.8% / 1.5%
Wahroonga — Sri Lanka: 0.8% Pennant Hills — Sri Lanka: 1.5%
Philippines — / 1.4%
Wahroonga — Philippines: not among its largest Pennant Hills — Philippines: 1.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (8.4%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Wahroonga 74.5% houses
Wahroonga — Houses: 74.5% Wahroonga — Flats / Apartments: 19.8% Wahroonga — Townhouses: 5.7%
Pennant Hills 73.3% houses
Pennant Hills — Houses: 73.3% Pennant Hills — Flats / Apartments: 15.2% Pennant Hills — Townhouses: 11.5%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Wahroonga Pennant Hills
Median house price $2,770,000 $2,033,388
Median unit price $1,172,500 $660,000
Median land price $1,457,500 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 23 days
from 201 sales
 24 days
from 75 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.

Wahroonga Pennant Hills
3 bed $2.31M / $1.81M
Wahroonga — 3 bed: $2.31M (48 sales) Pennant Hills — 3 bed: $1.81M (34 sales)

48 vs 34 sales

4 bed $2.5M / $2.06M
Wahroonga — 4 bed: $2.5M (100 sales) Pennant Hills — 4 bed: $2.06M (40 sales)

100 vs 40 sales

5 bed $3.51M / $2.28M
Wahroonga — 5 bed: $3.51M (64 sales) Pennant Hills — 5 bed: $2.28M (37 sales)

64 vs 37 sales

6 bed $4.8M / $2.13M
Wahroonga — 6 bed: $4.8M (14 sales) Pennant Hills — 6 bed: $2.13M (6 sales)

14 vs 6 sales

Zoning mix

Pennant Hills has more land zoned for conservation (39% vs 27%).

Wahroonga Pennant Hills
Residential 63% 42%
Environmental 27% 39%
Parks and recreation 2% 13%
Infrastructure and transport 8% 3%
Industrial 0% 1%
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

Wahroonga Pennant Hills
New dwellings approved 908
across Ku-ring-gai
 260
across Hornsby
Approvals change year on year +0% -79%

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.

Wahroonga Pennant Hills
Houses 2.6%
$1,395/wk on $2.77M
 2.5%
$948/wk on $1.95M
Units 5.0%
$728/wk on $755K
 4.5%
$665/wk on $772K

Ranking within NSW

Wahroonga Pennant Hills
House price Higher than 93% of NSW Higher than 86% of NSW
Income Higher than 95% of NSW Higher than 87% of NSW
Schools Higher than 60% of NSW Higher than 56% of NSW
Walkability Higher than 95% of NSW
same for both
Affordability Higher than 18% of NSW Higher than 27% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 98% of NSW Higher than 96% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 81% of NSW
same for both
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 9% of NSW Higher than 7% of NSW
Rental yield (units) Higher than 68% of NSW Higher than 42% of NSW

Liveability

Wahroonga scores higher overall (74 vs 66).

Wahroonga Pennant Hills
Grade A B
Score 74/100 66/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
same for both

Risk profile

Pennant Hills carries more bushfire risk (70 vs 56).

Wahroonga Pennant Hills
Bushfire Moderate
56/100
 High
70/100
Crime Low
25/100
 Low
31/100
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

Wahroonga Pennant Hills
Inside the suburb 15 4
Rated above peers 4 1
Rated at peers 1 2
Rated below peers 2 0
Universities within 10 km 1
Macquarie University Wallumattagal Campus at North Ryde, 6.6 km
 1
Macquarie University Wallumattagal Campus at North Ryde, 6.7 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 4.4% 4.0%

Schools in Wahroonga

  • Abbotsleigh Independent · Combined above peers
  • Knox Grammar Preparatory School Independent · Primary above peers
  • Wahroonga Public School Government · Primary above peers
  • Waitara Public School Government · Primary above peers
  • Wahroonga Adventist School Independent · Combined at peers
  • Broken Bay Cross Campus Course Centre Catholic · Secondary below peers

Schools in Pennant Hills

  • Pennant Hills Public School Government · Primary above peers
  • Pennant Hills High School Government · Secondary at peers
  • St Agatha's Catholic Primary School Catholic · Primary at peers
  • EOC Broken Bay - Pennant Hills Catholic · Primary · Special school

Amenities in the suburb

Wahroonga Pennant Hills
Supermarkets 1
same for both
Cafes & restaurants 13 1
Parks & reserves 31 9
Childcare 17 7
GPs 6 5
Pharmacies 5 3
Hospitals 2 0
Banks & Bank@Post 1 0
Fuel stations 2
same for both
EV chargers 0 2
Waterways 28 11

Mobility

Wahroonga Pennant Hills
Walkability score 86/100 88/100
Distance to Sydney 24.5 km 25.5 km
+4% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 31 min 28 min
Public transport score 94/100
Rail · Bus
 91/100
Rail · Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 323.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
 204.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 3.3%
postcode 2076
 2.8%
postcode 2120
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 30
postcode 2076
 33
postcode 2120

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.

Wahroonga Pennant Hills
Worked from Home 60.5% / 56.5%
Wahroonga — Worked from Home: 60.5% Pennant Hills — Worked from Home: 56.5%
Car (driver) 30.1% / 32.2%
Wahroonga — Car (driver): 30.1% Pennant Hills — Car (driver): 32.2%
Train 3.6% / 4.9%
Wahroonga — Train: 3.6% Pennant Hills — Train: 4.9%
Car (passenger) 2.8% / 3.0%
Wahroonga — Car (passenger): 2.8% Pennant Hills — Car (passenger): 3.0%
Walked Only 2.5% / 2.5%
Wahroonga — Walked Only: 2.5% Pennant Hills — Walked Only: 2.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (60.5%).

Setting

Wahroonga Pennant Hills
Elevation 185 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 174 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 15.7 km 17.9 km

NBN connectivity

Wahroonga Pennant Hills
Connectivity score 74/100
same for both
Most common technology Hybrid fibre-coaxial
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 3%
7,074 premises
 6%
3,165 premises

Climate

Wahroonga Pennant Hills
Annual rainfall 1,176 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Wahroonga Pennant Hills
PM2.5 5.4 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 14.2 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.23 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Wahroonga Pennant Hills
Average residential rate $1,626/yr $1,488/yr
Council Ku-ring-gai Hornsby

Federal electorate

Wahroonga Pennant Hills
Division Bradfield Berowra
Member Nicolette Boele Julian Leeser
Party Independent Liberal

First Home Owner Grant

Wahroonga Pennant Hills
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Wahroonga

Easy Commute Middle-Ring Parks Premium Professionals River Transport Hub

Pennant Hills

Easy Commute Middle-Ring Parks Premium Professionals River Transport Hub

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Wahroonga

Wahroonga vs Hornsby Wahroonga vs Turramurra Wahroonga vs Thornleigh Wahroonga vs Waitara Wahroonga vs Normanhurst Wahroonga vs North Turramurra

Other comparisons with Pennant Hills

Pennant Hills vs Cherrybrook Pennant Hills vs West Pennant Hills Pennant Hills vs Beecroft Pennant Hills vs Thornleigh Pennant Hills vs North Epping Pennant Hills vs Westleigh
Full data on Wahroonga Full data on Pennant 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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