Macquarie Hills, NSW: suburb profile

The population of Macquarie Hills NSW is 3,605 according to the 2021 Census. The median personal income in Macquarie Hills is $968 per week ($50,336 per year). Median rent in Macquarie Hills is $473 per week ($2,050 per month). Macquarie Hills has a median age of 35 years, younger than the national median of 38. Macquarie Hills has a population density of 1,538 people per km².

The most common overseas birthplace in Macquarie Hills is England. The most common religion is No religion (42.7% of residents). After English, the most spoken language is Mandarin. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Macquarie Hills is $2,000.

There were 56 recorded offences in Macquarie Hills in 2025-26, a rate of 16 offences per 1,000 people. The most common offence category was drug offences (28 offences).

Population
3,605
Census 2021
Median income
$968/wk
Personal, Census 2021
Median rent
$473/wk
Weekly, Census 2021
Median age
35years
Census 2021

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

Macquarie Hills vs the typical NSW suburb

The median personal income in Macquarie Hills is $968 a week, 27% above the typical NSW suburb ($765). That ranks 420th of 2,150 NSW suburbs with 200 or more residents. Median rent is $473 a week, $88 more than the typical NSW suburb. Rent takes 21.1% of the median household income here, against 22.6% in the typical NSW suburb. The median resident is 35, 8 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.
MeasureMacquarie HillsTypical NSWDifferenceTypical Australia
Personal income$968/wk$765/wk +27%$766/wk
Household income$2,241/wk$1,704/wk +32%$1,637/wk
Rent$473/wk$385/wk +23%$330/wk
Mortgage repayment$2,000/mo$1,965/mo +2%$1,733/mo
Median age3543 −8 yrs42
Rent share of household income21.1%22.6% −1.5 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 Macquarie Hills, the typical NSW suburb and the typical Australian suburb.

Macquarie Hills Population

3,605 residents at the 2021 Census.

Macquarie Hills Median Income & Rent

Median Income
$968/wk
$50,336 per year
Ranked 1,455 of 14,663
Median Rent
$473/wk
$2,050 per month
Ranked 843 of 14,663
Median Age
35years
3 years younger than the national median
Mortgage
$2,000/mo
Avg household size: 2.9 · 0.8 per bedroom

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

Macquarie Hills Rent Prices & Affordability

21% of median household income goes on median rent

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

Household income $2,241/wk
Median rent $473/wk
Rent to income 21.1%

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

Median rent in Macquarie Hills against your income

About $9,711 a month
Median rent $473/wk
Left after rent $1,768/wk
Rent share 21.1%

Macquarie Hills Schools

20
schools nearby
14
government
1014
avg ICSEA score
7,603
total students
Macquarie College Independent
Combined · K-12 · 1,060 students
1110
ICSEA
St Mary's Primary School Catholic
Primary · K-6 · 418 students
1093
ICSEA
Newcastle Waldorf School Independent
Combined · K-12 · 237 students
1072
ICSEA
St Kevin's Primary School Catholic
Primary · K-6 · 130 students
1071
ICSEA
Biddabah Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 348 students
1065
ICSEA
Warners Bay High School Government
Secondary · 7-12 · 1,161 students
1056
ICSEA
Holy Cross Primary School Catholic
Primary · K-6 · 153 students
1036
ICSEA
Warners Bay Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 340 students
1027
ICSEA
Cardiff South Public School Government
Primary · P-6 · 298 students
1017
ICSEA
Cardiff North Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 149 students
1014
ICSEA
Speers Point Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 256 students
1000
ICSEA
Cardiff Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 283 students
1000
ICSEA
Cardiff High School Government
Secondary · 7-12 · 778 students
986
ICSEA
Boolaroo Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 99 students
981
ICSEA
Edgeworth Public School Government
Primary · P-6 · 647 students
967
ICSEA

Showing 15 of 20 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 Macquarie Hills, with a map

Macquarie Hills Map

Macquarie Hills, New South Wales Map data: OpenStreetMap
Loading map…

Macquarie Hills, New South Wales: 32.9503°S, 151.6449°E

Macquarie Hills Circle size: offences per 1,000 residents Schools (20)

People in Macquarie Hills

Demographics

Gender Split

Male 50.2% (1,811) Female 49.8% (1,793)

Population Density

1,538
people per km²
3,605 people · 2.3 km²

Households

2.9
Avg household size
0.8
Persons per bedroom
$2,392
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

England
1.5%
New Zealand
0.9%
Germany
0.6%
Philippines
0.6%
South Africa
0.5%
United States of America
0.4%
India
0.3%

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

Most common languages at home other than English

Mandarin
0.5%
Vietnamese
0.3%
Australian Indigenous Languages
0.3%
Cantonese
0.3%
German
0.3%
Arabic
0.2%
French
0.2%

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

Ancestry

Australian
46.2%
English
42.6%
Scottish
12.0%
Irish
10.8%
Australian Aboriginal
5.2%
German
4.6%
Italian
2.4%
Dutch
1.7%
Filipino
1.5%
Polish
1.2%
Welsh
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
42.7%
Catholic
20.5%
Anglican
13.7%
Uniting Church
4.1%
Not stated
3.6%
Pentecostal
2.9%
Christian (other)
2.9%
Baptist
1.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G14 Religion by SAL

Indigenous Population

5.2%
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander

Source: ABS Census 2021, G07 Indigenous Status by SAL

Marital Status

Married
51.9% 1,456
Separated
3.2% 91
Divorced
7.8% 218
Widowed
3.1% 86
Never married
34.0% 954

Source: ABS Census 2021, G05 Marital Status by SAL

Family Structure

Couple: children under 15
48.7%
Couple: no children
23.5%
Couple: no children under 15
15.5%
One parent: children under 15
6.2%
One parent: no children under 15
6.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G29 Family Composition by SAL

Household Size

1 person
13.3%
2 persons
33.0%
3 persons
20.7%
4 persons
21.7%
5 persons
8.7%
6+ persons
2.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G35 Household Size by SAL

Homes in Macquarie Hills

Housing Tenure

Of the 1,247 occupied private dwellings in Macquarie Hills at the 2021 Census, 13.2% were rented, 28.7% owned outright and 56.8% owned with a mortgage.

Other tenure type
0.3% 4 dwellings
Owned outright
28.7% 358 dwellings
Owned with mortgage
56.8% 708 dwellings
Rented
13.2% 165 dwellings
Tenure type not stated
1.0% 12 dwellings

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

Dwelling Types

Separate house
98.0%
Semi-detached (1 storey)
1.8%
Semi-detached (2+ storey)
0.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G36 Dwelling Structure by SAL

Number of Bedrooms

1 bedroom
0.3%
2 bedrooms
1.5%
3 bedrooms
47.4%
4 bedrooms
42.1%
5 bedrooms
7.6%
6+ bedrooms
1.1%

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

Monthly Mortgage Repayments

$0-$299/mo
4.4%
$300-$449/mo
1.2%
$450-$599/mo
1.4%
$600-$799/mo
2.1%
$800-$999/mo
4.5%
$1,000-$1,399/mo
10.4%
$1,400-$1,799/mo
15.7%
$1,800-$2,399/mo
34.0%
$2,400-$2,999/mo
18.6%
$3,000-$3,999/mo
7.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G38 Mortgage Repayment by SAL

Car Ownership

0 vehicles
1.0%
1 vehicle
22.6%
2 vehicles
54.1%
3 vehicles
14.6%
4+ vehicles
7.7%

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

Work, income and education in Macquarie Hills

Employment

Employed full-time
45.2% 1,183 people
Employed part-time
24.5% 642 people
Unemployed
2.9% 75 people
Not in labour force
27.5% 720 people

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

Occupation

Professionals
27.7%
Technicians & Trade Workers
17.9%
Clerical & Administrative
16.0%
Community & Personal Service
12.9%
Managers
12.6%
Sales Workers
4.7%
Machinery Operators & Drivers
4.2%
Labourers
4.0%

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

Weekly Household Income

Nil/Negative/wk
1.5%
$150-$299/wk
1.0%
$300-$399/wk
0.9%
$400-$499/wk
3.6%
$500-$649/wk
2.1%
$650-$799/wk
3.5%
$800-$999/wk
4.7%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
6.8%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
6.2%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
5.8%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
6.5%
$2,000-$2,499/wk
16.0%
$2,500-$2,999/wk
13.5%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
11.0%
$3,500-$3,999/wk
5.5%
$4,000+/wk
11.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G33 Household Income by SAL

Personal Weekly Income Distribution

$0 or less/wk
8.8%
$1-$149/wk
4.4%
$150-$299/wk
5.1%
$300-$399/wk
2.9%
$400-$499/wk
3.0%
$500-$649/wk
2.8%
$650-$799/wk
7.6%
$800-$999/wk
10.4%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
13.5%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
10.7%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
9.4%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
6.3%
$2,000-$2,999/wk
11.4%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
1.7%
$3,500+/wk
1.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G17 Personal Income by SAL

How People Get to Work

Car (driver)
74.3%
Did not go to work
19.6%
Car (passenger)
3.7%
Walked only
0.7%
Motorbike/Scooter
0.5%
Bus
0.5%
Truck
0.3%
Bicycle
0.2%
Other
0.2%

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

Education Level

Year 12 or equivalent
56.9%
Year 10 or equivalent
30.1%
Year 11 or equivalent
7.1%
Year 9 or equivalent
6.0%

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

Certificate III/IV
42.4%
Bachelor Degree
25.5%
Advanced Diploma/Diploma
18.4%
Postgraduate Degree
7.6%
Graduate Diploma/Certificate
3.2%
Certificate I/II
3.0%

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

Field of Study

Management & Commerce
26.2%
Engineering
19.0%
Health
12.7%
Society & Culture
12.1%
Education
10.5%
Architecture & Building
6.1%
Food, Hospitality & Personal Services
5.1%
Creative Arts
2.4%
Information Technology
2.4%
Natural & Physical Sciences
1.8%
Agriculture & Environment
1.7%

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

School & University Attendance

Primary: Government
27.7%
Secondary: Government
21.6%
Pre-school
14.4%
Vocational Education
13.4%
Primary: Catholic
7.7%
Primary: Other Non-Govt
5.7%
Secondary: Catholic
5.1%
Secondary: Other Non-Govt
4.3%

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
93.5%
Has need for assistance
4.5%
Need for assistance not stated
2.1%

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

Long-term Health Conditions

Mental health
418
Asthma
167
Arthritis
114
Diabetes
85
Heart disease
73
Lung condition
45
Cancer
41
Kidney disease
35
Stroke
20
Dementia
12

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

Unpaid Carers

Provided unpaid assistance
15.5% 422
Did not provide
84.5% 2,303

Source: ABS Census 2021, G25 Unpaid Assistance by SAL

Volunteering

Volunteer
13.7% 373
Not a volunteer
86.3% 2,354

Source: ABS Census 2021, G23 Voluntary Work by SAL

Military Service

Current ADF: Regular
0.1% 3
Current ADF: Reserves
0.2% 6
Previously served
3.1% 86
Never served
96.5% 2,646

Source: ABS Census 2021, G22 ADF Service by SAL

Children Ever Born

No children
30.5%
1 child
13.5%
2 children
33.6%
3 children
15.5%
4 children
5.8%
5+ children
1.2%

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

When Migrants Arrived

Before 1951
16
1951: 1960
17
1961: 1970
34
1971: 1980
21
1981: 1990
44
1991: 2000
39
2001: 2010
70
2011: 2015
47
2016
3
2017
8
2019
18
2020
4

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

Population Mobility

9.9%
moved in the last year
36.2%
moved in the last 5 years
3.6%
unemployment rate (Census)
72.0%
labour force participation

Source: ABS Census 2021, G43 Summary by SAL

Where Residents Moved From

Same address
3,127
Moved from NSW
287
Moved: same area (SA2)
38
Moved from overseas
9
Moved from NT
3

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

Unpaid Domestic Work

Less than 5 hours
20.0%
5: 14 hours
32.3%
15: 29 hours
14.7%
30+ hours
10.2%
Did not do domestic work
22.8%

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

Family Blending

Intact family: no other children
83.5%
Step family: no other children
12.0%
Blended family: no other children
3.9%
Intact family: other children present
0.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G31 Family Blending by SAL

Macquarie Hills Crime Statistics

56 reported offences in 2025-26, by category.

Drug Offences
28
Property Damage
8
Theft
7
Sexual Offences
3
Other Against Person
3
Weapons
3
Assault
2
Other Against Property
2

Total offences by year

2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025

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

Cheaper alternatives with similar incomes

Walgett
Income: $823/wk Rent: $175/wk $298/wk less rent
Bourke
Income: $860/wk Rent: $180/wk $293/wk less rent
Crestwood
Income: $982/wk Rent: $320/wk $153/wk less rent
Glenfield Park
Income: $808/wk Rent: $330/wk $143/wk less rent
Turvey Park
Income: $912/wk Rent: $338/wk $135/wk less rent
Queanbeyan West
Income: $1,100/wk Rent: $350/wk $123/wk less rent
Bourkelands
Income: $1,003/wk Rent: $360/wk $113/wk less rent
Gosford
Income: $885/wk Rent: $390/wk $83/wk less rent

Suburbs near Macquarie Hills

The closest suburb to Macquarie Hills is Cardiff (NSW), 1.4 km away.

Cardiff (NSW)
1.4 km away · income $780/wk · rent $375/wk
Lakelands (NSW)
1.4 km away · income $939/wk · rent $450/wk
Cardiff South
1.8 km away · income $805/wk · rent $400/wk
Boolaroo
1.8 km away · income $768/wk · rent $400/wk
Argenton
2.1 km away · income $616/wk · rent $350/wk
Speers Point
2.2 km away · income $851/wk · rent $393/wk

Compare Macquarie Hills

Frequently Asked Questions About Macquarie Hills

What is the population of Macquarie Hills NSW?

The population of Macquarie Hills NSW is 3,605 according to the ABS Census 2021. The suburb has a population density of 1,538 people per km². Macquarie Hills is ranked #2,095 out of 14,663 suburbs by population.

What is the median income in Macquarie Hills?

The median personal income in Macquarie Hills NSW is $968 per week, or $50,336 per year. The median household income is $2,241 per week. Family income is $2,392 per week. Macquarie Hills is ranked #1,455 by income out of 14,663 Australian suburbs.

How much is rent in Macquarie Hills?

Median rent in Macquarie Hills NSW is $473 per week ($2,050 per month). Rent represents 21.1% of household income, which is considered affordable. Macquarie Hills ranks #843 out of 14,663 suburbs by rent.

What are mortgage repayments in Macquarie Hills?

The median monthly mortgage repayment in Macquarie Hills NSW is $2,000. This data comes from the ABS Census 2021 and reflects mortgage repayments for owner-occupied dwellings.

What is the median age in Macquarie Hills?

The median age in Macquarie Hills NSW is 35 years. This is younger than the national median age of 38 years.

Is Macquarie Hills a good suburb to live in?

Macquarie Hills is a suburb in New South Wales with a population of 3,605. The median income is $968/wk, which is above the typical NSW suburb ($765/wk). Rent affordability is rated as affordable (21.1% of household income). See the full suburb profile above for detailed statistics.

Explore More

Australian Average Salary Australian House Prices Sydney Cost of Living

Data: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2021. SA2 area: 12443. All dollar figures in AUD.