Hornsby, NSW: suburb profile

The population of Hornsby NSW is 22,462 according to the 2021 Census. The median personal income in Hornsby is $890 per week ($46,280 per year). Median rent in Hornsby is $440 per week ($1,907 per month). Hornsby has a median age of 38 years, equal to the national median. Hornsby has a population density of 2,679 people per km².

The most common overseas birthplace in Hornsby is China. The most common religion is No religion (38.7% of residents). After English, the most spoken language is Mandarin. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Hornsby is $2,240.

There were 638 recorded offences in Hornsby in 2025-26, a rate of 28 offences per 1,000 people. The most common offence category was traffic (285 offences).

Population
22,462
Census 2021
Median income
$890/wk
Personal, Census 2021
Median rent
$440/wk
Weekly, Census 2021
Median age
38years
Census 2021

Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing 2021; offences from NSW BOCSAR (bocsar.nsw.gov.au), 2025-26.

Hornsby vs the typical NSW suburb

The median personal income in Hornsby is $890 a week, 16% above the typical NSW suburb ($765). That ranks 632nd of 2,150 NSW suburbs with 200 or more residents. Median rent is $440 a week, $55 more than the typical NSW suburb. Rent takes 22.5% of the median household income here, against 22.6% in the typical NSW suburb. The median resident is 38, 5 years younger than in the typical NSW suburb (43).

The typical suburb is the median across suburbs with 200 or more residents. ABS Census 2021, calculated by GDP.com.au.
MeasureHornsbyTypical NSWDifferenceTypical Australia
Personal income$890/wk$765/wk +16%$766/wk
Household income$1,952/wk$1,704/wk +15%$1,637/wk
Rent$440/wk$385/wk +14%$330/wk
Mortgage repayment$2,240/mo$1,965/mo +14%$1,733/mo
Median age3843 −5 yrs42
Rent share of household income22.5%22.6% −0.0 pts20.3%
Income, rent and mortgage against the typical suburb Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS, calculated by GDP.com.au
Bar chart of median income, rent and mortgage repayment in Hornsby, the typical NSW suburb and the typical Australian suburb.

Hornsby Population

22,462 residents at the 2021 Census.

Hornsby Median Income & Rent

Median Income
$890/wk
$46,280 per year
Ranked 2,241 of 14,663
Median Rent
$440/wk
$1,907 per month
Ranked 1,252 of 14,663
Median Age
38years
Same as the national median
Mortgage
$2,240/mo
Avg household size: 2.5 · 1 per bedroom

Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing.

Hornsby Rent Prices & Affordability

23% of median household income goes on median rent

Marks at 25% and 35%. Band: affordable.

Household income $1,952/wk
Median rent $440/wk
Rent to income 22.5%

Rent is under 25% of household income, generally considered affordable.

Median rent in Hornsby against your income

About $8,459 a month
Median rent $440/wk
Left after rent $1,512/wk
Rent share 22.5%

Hornsby Schools

34
schools nearby
15
government
1128
avg ICSEA score
19,514
total students
Abbotsleigh Independent
Combined · K-12 · 1,634 students
1217
ICSEA
Hornsby Girls High School Government
Secondary · 7-12 · 722 students
1209
ICSEA
Normanhurst Boys High School Government
Secondary · 7-12 · 752 students
1207
ICSEA
Knox Grammar School Independent
Combined · K-12 · 3,345 students
1187
ICSEA
Barker College Independent
Secondary · K-12 · 2,856 students
1166
ICSEA
Loreto Normanhurst Independent
Combined · 5-12 · 1,240 students
1164
ICSEA
Wahroonga Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 508 students
1156
ICSEA
Prouille Catholic Primary School Catholic
Primary · K-6 · 262 students
1156
ICSEA
Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Primary School Catholic
Primary · K-6 · 337 students
1153
ICSEA
Hornsby North Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 937 students
1148
ICSEA
Waitara Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 972 students
1148
ICSEA
Thornleigh West Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 477 students
1142
ICSEA
Normanhurst Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 372 students
1139
ICSEA
Normanhurst West Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 363 students
1136
ICSEA
St Patrick's Catholic Primary School Catholic
Primary · K-6 · 223 students
1124
ICSEA

Showing 15 of 34 schools.

Source: Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA), 2025. ICSEA is the Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage (national average 1000).

All schools near Hornsby, with a map

Hornsby Map

Hornsby, New South Wales Map data: OpenStreetMap
Loading map…

People in Hornsby

Demographics

Gender Split

Male 49.2% (11,044) Female 50.8% (11,415)

Population Density

2,679
people per km²
22,462 people · 8.4 km²

Households

2.5
Avg household size
1
Persons per bedroom
$2,284
Family income/wk

Age Distribution

0-4
5-9
10-14
15-19
20-24
25-29
30-34
35-39
40-44
45-49
50-54
55-59
60-64
65-69
70-74
75-79
80-84
85+
Male Female

Source: ABS Census 2021, Suburb and Locality (SAL)

Most common overseas birthplaces

China
12.6%
India
5.7%
Nepal
4.4%
South Korea
2.8%
England
2.8%
Philippines
2.8%
Hong Kong
2.0%

Shares are of all residents. Source: ABS Census 2021, G09 Country of Birth by SAL

Most common languages at home other than English

Mandarin
14.5%
Cantonese
5.2%
Nepali
4.6%
Korean
3.4%
Hindi
2.3%
Persian (excluding Dari)
1.8%
Filipino
1.2%

Shares are of all residents. Source: ABS Census 2021, G13 Language Used at Home by SAL

Ancestry

Chinese
23.3%
English
20.0%
Australian
17.7%
Indian
6.6%
Irish
5.8%
Scottish
5.5%
Korean
3.8%
Filipino
3.5%
Italian
2.3%
German
2.2%
Russian
1.1%

Shares are of the suburb population. People can report up to two ancestries, so shares add to more than 100%. Source: ABS Census 2021, G08 Ancestry by SAL

Religion

No religion
38.7%
Catholic
15.8%
Hinduism
9.9%
Anglican
8.1%
Not stated
5.7%
Buddhism
4.5%
Christian (other)
3.0%
Islam
2.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G14 Religion by SAL

Indigenous Population

0.5%
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander

Source: ABS Census 2021, G07 Indigenous Status by SAL

Marital Status

Married
52.6% 9,741
Separated
2.9% 534
Divorced
8.5% 1,575
Widowed
3.8% 709
Never married
32.2% 5,963

Source: ABS Census 2021, G05 Marital Status by SAL

Family Structure

Couple: children under 15
46.7%
Couple: no children
25.7%
Couple: no children under 15
15.4%
One parent: no children under 15
7.2%
One parent: children under 15
4.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G29 Family Composition by SAL

Household Size

1 person
26.5%
2 persons
30.9%
3 persons
19.3%
4 persons
16.0%
5 persons
4.9%
6+ persons
2.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G35 Household Size by SAL

Homes in Hornsby

Housing Tenure

Of the 8,664 occupied private dwellings in Hornsby at the 2021 Census, 43.0% were rented, 22.9% owned outright and 31.7% owned with a mortgage.

Other tenure type
1.4% 120 dwellings
Owned outright
22.9% 1,980 dwellings
Owned with mortgage
31.7% 2,748 dwellings
Rented
43.0% 3,727 dwellings
Tenure type not stated
0.8% 73 dwellings

Source: ABS Census 2021, Suburb and Locality (SAL)

Dwelling Types

Separate house
86.8%
Semi-detached (2+ storey)
10.8%
Semi-detached (1 storey)
2.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G36 Dwelling Structure by SAL

Number of Bedrooms

1 bedroom
9.4%
2 bedrooms
47.9%
3 bedrooms
23.3%
4 bedrooms
13.9%
5 bedrooms
4.5%
6+ bedrooms
1.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G41 Number of Bedrooms by SAL

Monthly Mortgage Repayments

$0-$299/mo
6.3%
$300-$449/mo
1.4%
$450-$599/mo
1.3%
$600-$799/mo
1.5%
$800-$999/mo
3.0%
$1,000-$1,399/mo
10.0%
$1,400-$1,799/mo
12.2%
$1,800-$2,399/mo
28.6%
$2,400-$2,999/mo
17.0%
$3,000-$3,999/mo
18.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G38 Mortgage Repayment by SAL

Car Ownership

0 vehicles
15.7%
1 vehicle
51.9%
2 vehicles
25.4%
3 vehicles
4.6%
4+ vehicles
2.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G34 Motor Vehicles per Dwelling by SAL

Work, income and education in Hornsby

Employment

Employed full-time
41.3% 6,918 people
Employed part-time
21.1% 3,528 people
Unemployed
3.4% 567 people
Not in labour force
34.2% 5,735 people

Source: ABS Census 2021, G46 Labour Force Status by SAL

Occupation

Professionals
42.2%
Managers
13.1%
Clerical & Administrative
12.4%
Community & Personal Service
10.5%
Technicians & Trade Workers
9.3%
Sales Workers
5.3%
Labourers
4.9%
Machinery Operators & Drivers
2.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G51 Industry of Employment by Occupation

Weekly Household Income

Nil/Negative/wk
2.2%
$1-$149/wk
0.9%
$150-$299/wk
1.3%
$300-$399/wk
2.2%
$400-$499/wk
4.5%
$500-$649/wk
3.6%
$650-$799/wk
4.8%
$800-$999/wk
5.4%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
6.6%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
6.9%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
6.7%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
6.1%
$2,000-$2,499/wk
13.9%
$2,500-$2,999/wk
7.5%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
7.9%
$3,500-$3,999/wk
4.6%
$4,000+/wk
14.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G33 Household Income by SAL

Personal Weekly Income Distribution

$0 or less/wk
13.4%
$1-$149/wk
3.9%
$150-$299/wk
5.2%
$300-$399/wk
2.8%
$400-$499/wk
2.8%
$500-$649/wk
3.0%
$650-$799/wk
8.0%
$800-$999/wk
9.4%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
10.9%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
8.3%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
7.5%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
6.0%
$2,000-$2,999/wk
12.1%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
2.8%
$3,500+/wk
3.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G17 Personal Income by SAL

How People Get to Work

Car (driver)
50.3%
Did not go to work
20.9%
Train
11.6%
Walked only
9.7%
Car (passenger)
4.6%
Bus
1.1%
Other
0.6%
Motorbike/Scooter
0.4%
Truck
0.3%
Taxi/Rideshare
0.2%
Bicycle
0.1%
Tram/Light Rail
0.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G62 Method of Travel to Work by SAL

Education Level

Year 12 or equivalent
84.7%
Year 10 or equivalent
9.6%
Year 11 or equivalent
3.4%
Year 9 or equivalent
2.2%

Shares are of people whose highest year of school is Year 9 to 12 only. Source: ABS Census 2021, G16 Highest Year of School by SAL

Qualifications

Bachelor Degree
43.2%
Postgraduate Degree
22.1%
Advanced Diploma/Diploma
15.9%
Certificate III/IV
13.5%
Graduate Diploma/Certificate
4.2%
Certificate I/II
1.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G49 Non-School Qualification by SAL

Field of Study

Management & Commerce
27.8%
Engineering
13.1%
Information Technology
12.4%
Society & Culture
11.9%
Health
11.0%
Education
6.1%
Creative Arts
5.0%
Natural & Physical Sciences
4.9%
Food, Hospitality & Personal Services
3.7%
Architecture & Building
2.9%
Agriculture & Environment
1.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G51 Field of Study by SAL

School & University Attendance

Primary: Government
35.3%
Secondary: Government
20.5%
Vocational Education
17.5%
Pre-school
11.1%
Secondary: Catholic
4.8%
Secondary: Other Non-Govt
4.1%
Primary: Catholic
3.8%
Primary: Other Non-Govt
2.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G15 Type of Educational Institution by SAL

More from the 2021 Census

Need for Assistance

Does not have need for assistance
91.7%
Has need for assistance
4.5%
Need for assistance not stated
3.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G18 Core Activity Need for Assistance by SAL

Long-term Health Conditions

Mental health
1,566
Asthma
653
Diabetes
488
Arthritis
383
Heart disease
378
Cancer
210
Lung condition
202
Kidney disease
144
Stroke
130
Dementia
36

Source: ABS Census 2021, G19 Long-term Health Conditions by SAL

Unpaid Carers

Provided unpaid assistance
10.0% 1,765
Did not provide
90.0% 15,933

Source: ABS Census 2021, G25 Unpaid Assistance by SAL

Volunteering

Volunteer
13.7% 2,426
Not a volunteer
86.3% 15,294

Source: ABS Census 2021, G23 Voluntary Work by SAL

Military Service

Current ADF: Regular
0.1% 9
Current ADF: Reserves
0.1% 14
Previously served
1.1% 204
Never served
98.7% 17,566

Source: ABS Census 2021, G22 ADF Service by SAL

Children Ever Born

No children
38.6%
1 child
22.2%
2 children
27.4%
3 children
8.9%
4 children
2.4%
5+ children
0.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G28 Children Ever Born by SAL

When Migrants Arrived

Before 1951
46
1951: 1960
133
1961: 1970
290
1971: 1980
453
1981: 1990
1,144
1991: 2000
1,715
2001: 2010
3,158
2011: 2015
1,944
2016
524
2017
561
2018
649
2019
617
2020
203
2021
69

Source: ABS Census 2021, G10 Year of Arrival by SAL

Population Mobility

17.6%
moved in the last year
48.4%
moved in the last 5 years
4.7%
unemployment rate (Census)
65.1%
labour force participation

Source: ABS Census 2021, G43 Summary by SAL

Where Residents Moved From

Same address
17,669
Moved from NSW
2,612
Moved: same area (SA2)
749
Moved from overseas
236
Moved from VIC
48
Moved from QLD
23
Moved from ACT
14
Moved from WA
14
Moved from TAS
13
Moved from SA
8
Moved from NT
4

Source: ABS Census 2021, G44 Address 1 Year Ago by SAL

Unpaid Domestic Work

Less than 5 hours
19.8%
5: 14 hours
29.7%
15: 29 hours
13.6%
30+ hours
9.0%
Did not do domestic work
27.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G24 Unpaid Domestic Work by SAL

Family Blending

Intact family: no other children
92.5%
Step family: no other children
5.3%
Blended family: no other children
1.3%
Intact family: other children present
0.7%
Other couple: children only
0.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G31 Family Blending by SAL

Hornsby Crime Statistics

638 reported offences in 2025-26, by category.

Traffic
285
Theft
131
Other Against Property
91
Assault
40
Other Against Person
31
Drug Offences
27
Property Damage
16
Sexual Offences
10
Weapons
4
Robbery
3

Total offences by year

2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025

Source: NSW BOCSAR (bocsar.nsw.gov.au).

Cheaper alternatives with similar incomes

Suburbs near Hornsby

The closest suburb to Hornsby is Waitara, 1.5 km away.

Waitara
1.5 km away · income $1,055/wk · rent $490/wk
Asquith
2.0 km away · income $1,041/wk · rent $490/wk
North Wahroonga
2.8 km away · income $1,039/wk · rent $950/wk
Normanhurst
2.9 km away · income $921/wk · rent $550/wk
Westleigh
3.1 km away · income $1,022/wk · rent $705/wk
Wahroonga
3.3 km away · income $1,042/wk · rent $600/wk

Frequently Asked Questions About Hornsby

What is the population of Hornsby NSW?

The population of Hornsby NSW is 22,462 according to the ABS Census 2021. The suburb has a population density of 2,679 people per km². Hornsby is ranked #116 out of 14,663 suburbs by population.

What is the median income in Hornsby?

The median personal income in Hornsby NSW is $890 per week, or $46,280 per year. The median household income is $1,952 per week. Family income is $2,284 per week. Hornsby is ranked #2,241 by income out of 14,663 Australian suburbs.

How much is rent in Hornsby?

Median rent in Hornsby NSW is $440 per week ($1,907 per month). Rent represents 22.5% of household income, which is considered affordable. Hornsby ranks #1,252 out of 14,663 suburbs by rent.

What are mortgage repayments in Hornsby?

The median monthly mortgage repayment in Hornsby NSW is $2,240. This data comes from the ABS Census 2021 and reflects mortgage repayments for owner-occupied dwellings.

What is the median age in Hornsby?

The median age in Hornsby NSW is 38 years. This is equal to the national median age of 38 years.

Is Hornsby a good suburb to live in?

Hornsby is a suburb in New South Wales with a population of 22,462. The median income is $890/wk, which is above the typical NSW suburb ($765/wk). Rent affordability is rated as affordable (22.5% of household income). See the full suburb profile above for detailed statistics.

Data: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2021. SA2 area: 11943. All dollar figures in AUD.