Hillsdale NSW 2036
Hillsdale is a suburb in New South Wales, 12 km from Sydney CBD, around 18 minutes by car. Population is 5,647; the median age is 35 and the median household income is $85,020 per year. By household income, education, and employment patterns, it ranks in the middle range nationally. The suburb grew 2.7% between 2016 and 2021. At the 2021 Census, households here paid a median rent of $450 per week and a median monthly mortgage of $2,167. Hillsdale is characterised by no recorded bushfire exposure. 1 school sits within the suburb boundary, and walkability is high.
Is Hillsdale a good suburb?
Hillsdale scores a A (72/100) on SuburbScan's Liveability grade — strong on transit.
Mixed results
1 school
Walkable and central
Walkability 90/100 · 12.4 km · 18 min drive to Sydney
Around the state median
Median $1.8M
Moderate crime risk
Fire 0/100 · Crime 49/100
Mid-range socio-economic
SEIFA decile 6/10 · median age 35 · 5,647 residents
Liveability Rating
72 / 100 · Ranked #276 in NSWEach bar is Hillsdale's rank among NSW suburbs, from 0 to 100 (higher is better). Scored on 4 of 5 factors: no school data, so the other factors carry its weight.
No flood data is published for New South Wales — a blank here means we hold no data, not that there is no risk.
How do you rate the liveability in Hillsdale?
Local knowledge beats any dataset. Rate it and see what other residents think.
Our score
72 / 100
From schools, safety and socio-economic data — not opinion.
Residents say
…
Median Unit Price
Public listings dataHillsdale's unit market is moving lower: the median sale price reached $800,000, about 4% below where it sat a year earlier.
Units
$800,000
27% below its 4 neighbours (median $1,095,000)
Based on 120 recorded sales in the last 24 months.
Typically sold in 28 days — median across 30 sales that recorded a listing period
By bedrooms
- 1 bed 15 sales $645K
- 2 bed 72 sales $768K
- 3 bed 26 sales $858K
Houses
$1,800,000
Based on only 9 sales — small sample, take as indicative.
Typically sold in 62 days — median across 4 sales that recorded a listing period
Currently for Sale
Last 6 monthsUnits in Hillsdale are currently listed at around $850,000 on average. Based on 7 units listed in the past six months.
$850K
7 units listed in the last 6 months.
7 of the suburb's 2,287 dwellings (0.3%) were listed for sale in the last 6 months.
Rental Market
Advertised rents · last 6 monthsRental listing coverage for houses in Hillsdale is too thin to publish a meaningful median — only 1 listed.
$800/wk
6% below its 3 neighbours (median $850/wk)
40 units advertised for rent in the last 6 months.
41 rentals advertised against an estimated 1,292 rented homes (3.2%) in the last 6 months.
Rent agreed on new leases
Jul–Sep 2026- 3-bed houses
- $1,275/wk
- 20 bonds
- +54% since 2021
- 2-bed units
- $1,100/wk
- 321 bonds
- +85% since 2021
Median weekly rent on bonds lodged for new tenancies across postcode 2036 (NSW publishes bonds by postcode, which can cover several suburbs). Change since 2021 compares the median of the first four quarters with the last four. Asking rents above come from advertised listings.
Rental affordability
June quarter 202569 Severely unaffordable · the average rental household in this region would pay about 43% of its income on the median rent in postcode 2036.
SGS Rental Affordability Index: a score of 100 means rent takes 30% of income, the usual housing-stress line; lower scores are less affordable. "Region" is the capital city or the rest of the state.
Gross rental yield
Indicative$800/week ($42,000 a year) on a $850,000 median
Based on a small sample (7 listings) — indicative only.
Gross yield — before strata, rates, management, insurance and vacancy. Calculated from median advertised rents and median asking prices over the last 6 months. How we calculate.
Short-Stay Rentals
14 active Airbnb listings: 11 whole homes and 3 rooms. Whole homes are about 0.4% of the suburb's homes.
Airbnb only, as at Jun 2026; other platforms are not included. Active means reviewed in the past 12 months. The share is against private dwellings at the 2021 Census.
Is Hillsdale safe? Crime statistics
2025Crime in Hillsdale sits in the moderate band, with 179 incidents recorded in 2025 — down roughly 19% on the prior year.
179 offences
19.0% since 2024Crime Trend
Serious Road Crashes
2021–20251 crash
where someone was killed or admitted to hospital
Crashes are counted where they happened, so a main road through the suburb carries people passing through; this is not a measure of risk to residents. Roads are listed with 3 or more serious crashes.
Council Flood Studies
Bayside Council has published 11 flood studies on the NSW Flood Data Portal. The mapped flood areas are in those studies; SuburbScan does not hold them.
- Botany Bay and Foreshore Beach Floodplain Risk Management Study and Plan 2021
- Mascot, Rosebery and Eastlakes Flood Study 2019
- Bardwell Creek 2D Flood Study Review 2019
- Mascot, Roseberry and Eastlakes Floodplain Risk Management Study & Plan 2018
- Bonnie Doon, Eve Street/Cahill Park Pipe & Overland 2D Flood Study 2017
Schools
One school serve Hillsdale, and performance is broadly on par with peer-suburb schools.
- • 222 students in one school (avg 222)
Primary
Universities nearby
- 4.4 kmThe University of New South WalesUniversity of New South Wales · 590 courses
- 7.6 km1-37 Foveaux Street, Surry Hills NSW 2010Torrens University Australia · 165 courses
- 8.2 kmUniversity of Technology Sydney (City Campus)University of Technology Sydney · 524 courses
2.6% of residents here are full-time university students aged 15–24.
Distance is measured to the suburb centre. A campus nearby does not by itself mean a student rental market — most suburbs within a few kilometres of one have a student share close to the national norm, and the figure above is what tells them apart.
Walkability
Hillsdale is exceptionally walkable on foot — at 90/100, daily errands don't require a car at all.
Public transport
Weekday and weekend service frequency across every stop inside Hillsdale.
- Peak (7-9am + 5-7pm)
- 52.0 arrivals/hr
- Off-peak weekday
- 37.1 arrivals/hr
- Saturday
- 34.0 arrivals/hr
- Median peak wait
- 1 min
- Span of service
- 23.0 hours
Scheduled service only, based on the 21 October 2026 timetable. Reliability (delays, cancellations) not measured.
NBN connectivity
The internet access technology available across NBN premises in Hillsdale.
- Full-fibre (FTTP) share
- 22%
- Premises covered
- 2,789
NBN Co fixed-line and fixed-wireless premises, as at 30 December 2025. Higher-quality technologies (full fibre) score above copper, wireless, and satellite. Actual speeds depend on your plan.
Amenities
Bayside (NSW): council population
The three add up to the change above. These are council-wide figures from the ABS, not figures for this suburb alone — this suburb's own population is in the census section above.
Socio-economic profile
The ABS scores 14 small areas inside this suburb and averages them into the single decile above. They fall into 6 different deciles — a wide range, so parts of this suburb rank well above the average and parts well below it.
Hillsdale is home to about 5,600 residents, with a median age of 35, broadly in line with the national figure. Median household income runs at $85,000 a year, with unemployment at 6.0%.
2021 Census · change since 2016
Population
5,647
Median Age
35
Median Household Income
$85,020/yr
Census Median Rent
$450/wk
Census Median Mortgage
$2,167/mo
Avg Household Size
2.3
Median Personal Income
$44,824/yr
Unemployment Rate
6.0%
Unoccupied Dwellings
10.1%
Total Dwellings
2,287
Owner-Occupier Rate
43.5%
Houses
4.2%
Rental Stress
27.5%
Mortgage Stress
30.6%
Work From Home
28.6%
Dwelling Types
Property Ownership
36 rented from a state or territory housing authority and 11 from a community housing provider, as a share of the 1,263 rented dwellings above — not of all dwellings.
Demographics
- Born in Australia
- 43.3%
- English Spoken at Home
- 46.2%
- Employment Rate
- 60.2%
- Completed Year 12
- 55.4%
Occupations
Religion
Country of Birth (overseas)
Largest overseas birthplaces, as a share of all residents.
When They Arrived
Share of all residents by the year they arrived in Australia. Periods cover different numbers of years, so compare the shape rather than the bar widths.
600 residents (10.6%) arrived since 2016. Australia’s borders were closed to most arrivals from March 2020, so the last two years of that period are much smaller than the ones before them — nationally 260,799 people arrived in 2019 against 28,521 in 2021.
Where New Residents Came From
Where residents aged five and over lived five years before the 2021 Census, for those who lived somewhere else.
Top places newcomers came from, as a share of the 5,264 residents aged five and over. Areas are ABS statistical regions. Small counts are approximate: the ABS adjusts every figure slightly to protect privacy.
Languages Spoken at Home
Top languages other than English, as a share of all residents.
Age Distribution
Family & Household Composition
Commute to Work
23% of employed residents work in a capital's city centre (663 of 2,828).
City centre: the ABS area around each capital's CBD, such as Sydney Inner City or Perth City (which takes in Subiaco and Leederville). 2021 Census place of work.
Local Jobs
People who work in this suburb against employed people who live here, 2021 Census.
About 1,108 people work here; 2,828 employed residents live here.
Mostly a place people commute from: 0.4 jobs per working resident. At least 57% of employed residents must work outside the suburb.
Counts are by place of work and place of usual residence. The ABS counts jobs in zones; where a zone spans several places, its jobs are shared out by land use. The ABS also adjusts every figure slightly to protect privacy.
Education
Cars per Dwelling
Council Rates
Households face an average residential rates bill of $1,217 a year through Bayside (NSW) based on 2024 figures.
How this land is zoned
- Residential 65%
- Industrial 18%
- Infrastructure and transport 9%
- Commercial 5%
- Parks and recreation 2%
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 — the property page shows the zone for one address.
Building Approvals: Bayside (NSW)
In the year to August 2026, 857 new dwellings were approved across Bayside (NSW). That mix is 161 houses and 696 units. Approvals are up 97.6% on the same period a year earlier.
Aboriginal Land Council
Aboriginal land in this area is administered by the La Perouse Local Aboriginal Land Council.
Local Aboriginal Land Councils are statutory bodies under the Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1983, responsible for land claims and land management for their members. Their boundaries are administrative and are not a statement of whose Country this is. NSW does not publish a register of Aboriginal parties by area — they are registered for each project.
Air Quality
MODERATEPM2.5 averaged 6.1 µg/m³ in 2025 — below Australia's NEPM annual standard (8 µg/m³), slightly above the stricter WHO guideline (5 µg/m³). 1 day exceeded the daily threshold of 25 µg/m³.
PM10 averaged 16.8 µg/m³ · NO₂ averaged 0.64 pphm. Days over the limit in 2025: PM10 2 · NO₂ 0 · ozone 1.
From the Randwick monitoring station, 2.7 km away.
Climate & Setting
from Sydney Airport AMO, 5.0 kmHigh rainfall — warm summers, mild winters.
- Elevation
- 23 m
- above sea level, at the suburb centre
- Distance to the ocean
- 2.0 km
- 2.7 km to a named beach
- Annual rainfall
- 1,129 mm
- 99 rainy days
- Summer max (Jan)
- 27.5°C
- 7 days ≥ 35°C
- Winter min (Jul)
- 9.5°C
- 0 frost days ≤ 0°C
Elevation is the ground at the suburb centre, from Geoscience Australia's National Digital Elevation Model. Approximate — it reads high in dense built-up areas. It is a measure of height above sea level and not an indicator of flood risk, which depends on height above nearby waterways.
Industrial Emissions Nearby
25 facilities within 5 km- 0.7 kmBasic Organic Chemical ManufacturingTop reported: Total Volatile Organic Compounds · Acetic acid (ethanoic acid) · Ethylene oxide
- 0.7 kmBasic Organic Chemical ManufacturingTop reported: Oxides of Nitrogen · Carbon monoxide · Total Volatile Organic Compounds
- 0.7 kmBasic Organic Chemical ManufacturingTop reported: Oxides of Nitrogen · Sulfur dioxide · Total Volatile Organic Compounds
- 0.7 kmBasic Inorganic Chemical ManufacturingTop reported: Sulfuric acid · Chlorine & compounds · Hydrochloric acid
- 0.7 kmOther Basic Chemical Product Manufacturing n.e.c.Top reported: Oxides of Nitrogen · Sulfur dioxide · Particulate Matter ≤10.0 µm (PM10)
EV adoption
In postcode 2036, 333 of 20,962 registered light vehicles are battery-electric on 31 January 2025. A further 3.8% (790 vehicles) are hybrid or plug-in hybrid, taking the non-petrol, non-diesel share to 5.4%.
Rooftop solar
In postcode 2036, 2,519 rooftop-solar systems totalling 20.2 MW have been installed since 2001, against 13,134 dwellings recorded in the 2021 Census. 207 went up in the last year.
Counts every system certified since 2001, so a roof re-fitted with a newer system is counted twice, and small commercial systems are included alongside houses — useful for comparing postcodes, not an estimate of how many homes have working panels today.
2026 covers part of the year only, to 2026-07.
First Home Owner Grant
FY2026-27$10,000 for new homes priced up to $600,000.
Off-the-plan or contracted-build value cap is $750,000 (vs $600,000 for completed new homes). Stamp duty concessions are a separate scheme (First Home Buyers Assistance).
Mortgage repayments
5 mortgage brokers are registered in this suburb, 13 across postcode 2036.
Transfer duty at the owner-occupier rate, and it excludes first home buyer concessions — those can cut it substantially or remove it entirely. Excludes legal, inspection and lender fees. Check with Revenue NSW
The First Home Owner Grant applies to newly built homes only, so it isn't available on an established purchase. A first home buyer building or buying new under $600,000 may qualify for $10,000 — see what qualifies with Revenue NSW.
At $800,000 this is $200,000 above the $600,000 First Home Owner Grant cap. A first home buyer may qualify for $10,000 on a newly built home — check eligibility with Revenue NSW.
A deposit under 20% usually attracts Lenders Mortgage Insurance, which this doesn't include.
Principal and interest over 30 years, fixed rate. Excludes fees, offset, redraw and LMI. Default rate is the median comparison rate across 1788 advertised products as at 2026-10-26 — indicative only, and not an offer. Your rate depends on the lender, your deposit and your circumstances. Not financial advice.
Federal Electorate
Currently held by Matt Thistlethwaite Australian Labor Party
| Year | Winner | 2PP ALP | 2PP LNP | Swing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Matt Thistlethwaite | 67.2% | 32.8% | +3.9 |
| 2022 | Matt Thistlethwaite | 64.5% | 35.5% | -5.7 |
| 2019 | Matt Thistlethwaite | 58.8% | 41.2% | -0.2 |
Results are per division — federal electoral boundaries are redrawn periodically, so the history reflects this division's past, not necessarily the exact suburb's voters across time.
State Electorate
Currently held by Michael Daley Labor
Next state election: 13 March 2027.
| Year | Winner | Won with |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Michael Daley ALP | 68.7% |
| 2019 | Michael Daley ALP | 58.5% |
| 2015 | Michael Daley ALP | 60.8% |
Results are per district. Districts were last redrawn in 2021, so results from before then describe the district of that name, not necessarily this suburb's voters. Results: © State of New South Wales through the NSW Electoral Commission, CC BY 4.0, adapted.
Looking at a specific address in Hillsdale?
Every figure above is a suburb average, and an average smooths over the difference between a street of family homes and a block of flats. Look up one address and you get the census for the few hundred people around it, its own nearest schools and stops, and what the state has mapped for that block.
- The census for a few hundred neighbours, not all 5,647 residents
- Nearest and zoned schools, with the walk from that door
- Flood, bushfire and noise mapping, where the state publishes it
Free to look up. Subscribers see every section in full — $29/month.
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Checking the whole city?
Suburbs to avoid in Sydney There is no list of bad suburbs, but there are hazards the state measures and publishes — recorded crime, bushfire exposure, flood overlays and aircraft noise. Sydney suburbs ranked on them, with what the numbers do and don't mean.Nearby suburbs
Compare Hillsdale to another suburb
Side-by-side stats for any other NSW suburb — type a name and pick one.
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Common questions about Hillsdale
Is Hillsdale a safe place to live?
Recorded crime in Hillsdale is moderate (49/100, ranked against other NSW suburbs on offences per resident).
What natural hazards affect Hillsdale?
Hillsdale has no recorded bushfire history. These are suburb-wide figures; check the address, as flood and bushfire exposure change street by street.
Is Hillsdale a good place to live?
Hillsdale has a SuburbScan Liveability grade of A (72/100), ranked against other NSW suburbs on school quality (25%), safety (25%), SEIFA socio-economic advantage (25%), walkability (15%) and CBD access (10%). Whether it suits you depends on what you weigh — each of those is on this page.
What is the population of Hillsdale?
Hillsdale, NSW had a population of 5,647 at the 2021 Australian Bureau of Statistics census.
What is the postcode for Hillsdale, NSW?
The postcode for Hillsdale, NSW is 2036.
How far is Hillsdale from Sydney?
Hillsdale is 12 km from Sydney CBD by road, about 18 minutes by car in normal traffic. Distance is the most-direct driving route, not straight-line.
What is the median household income in Hillsdale?
At the 2021 ABS Census, median household income in Hillsdale was $85,020 a year. It is the most recent suburb-level income figure until 2026 Census results are released in 2027.
What is the median weekly rent in Hillsdale?
The median advertised rent in Hillsdale is $800 a week for units (40 listings), from rental listings over the last six months.
What is the median age in Hillsdale?
The median age of residents in Hillsdale was 35 at the 2021 ABS Census.
How are the schools in Hillsdale?
There is 1 school inside the Hillsdale boundary: 1 at similar schools on NAPLAN, compared with same-state, same-type schools of similar socio-educational advantage (ICSEA).
Is Hillsdale walkable?
Hillsdale scores 90/100 on the SuburbScan Walkability Score, making it exceptionally walkable. The score is a weighted average of public transport, schools, parks, supermarkets, GPs, pharmacies, childcare, and hospitals within walking distance.
What is the air quality in Hillsdale?
The nearest government air-quality monitoring station to Hillsdale (Randwick) recorded a 2025 annual mean PM2.5 of 6.1 µg/m³ and PM10 of 16.8 µg/m³. That puts Hillsdale below the Australian NEPM annual standard of 8 µg/m³ but above the stricter WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.
What is the weather like in Hillsdale?
At the nearest Bureau of Meteorology station to Hillsdale, Sydney Airport AMO (5 km away), summer days average 27.5°C, winter nights 9.5°C, 1,129 mm of rain a year over 99 rainy days, and 7 days a year above 35°C over 2006-2026.
Is the First Home Owner Grant available in Hillsdale?
First-home buyers in NSW may be eligible for $10,000 towards new homes with a purchase price up to $600,000. The grant is administered by Revenue NSW; confirm current eligibility before signing a contract — state rules and amounts can change.
What council does Hillsdale belong to?
Hillsdale sits within the Bayside (NSW) local government area. Council rates, planning approvals, and waste collection fall under this LGA.
How much are council rates in Hillsdale?
The average residential rates bill through Bayside (NSW) is $1,217 a year (2024). Every suburb in this LGA shares the same schedule — individual bills vary with land value.
How much is being built near Hillsdale?
Across Bayside (NSW), 857 new residential dwellings were approved in the year to August 2026 (source: ABS Building Approvals). That's up 97.6% on the same period a year earlier. These are LGA-level totals — every suburb in the council shares the same figure.
Which federal electorate is Hillsdale in?
Hillsdale sits within the federal Division of Kingsford Smith, currently held by Matt Thistlethwaite (Australian Labor Party).
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Data freshness
- Census · 2021
- Median sale prices · Oct 2026
- For-sale & rental market · Oct 2026
- Council rates · FY 2024–25
- Building approvals · Aug 2026
- Schools · 2025
- Public transport · Oct 2026
- NBN connectivity · Dec 2025
- Crime · 2025
- Road crashes · 2021–2025
- Air quality · 2025
- Climate · 2006–2026
- Socio-economic (SEIFA) · 2021
- EV adoption · Jan 2025
- First Home Owner Grant · Sep 2026
- Federal electorate · 2025
- Short-stay rentals · Jun 2026
- State electorate · 2023
- Amenities · Sep 2026
- Health & emergency facilities · Sep 2026
- Industrial emissions (NPI) · 2024/2025
- Coastal erosion · 1988–2025
- Aircraft noise · 2024
Vintages show when each source's data is from. See all data sources.
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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.