NSW · Hornsby Council
Arcadia, 2159
Current weather
16.9°CClear sky
49% humidity · 18.7 km/h wind · 21.2° / 12.5° today · 3.4 mm rain
Updated
Desirability score
- High desirability
- Excellent transport
- Green suburb
Suburb profile
Arcadia is a quieter smaller community in Hornsby, where peace, space and a country-town pace still dominate. The capital is reachable when needed, but everyday life stays firmly rooted in the surrounding region. The landscape itself is part of the lifestyle: open paddocks, big skies and room to breathe.
Long-term locals and family households define much of the community, with a strong presence of young families throughout. Life here is grounded in local routine rather than big-city choice, and that is part of the charm. Buses and nearby services make commuting and cross-suburb trips straightforward.
Homes here are sought-after, with many people drawn to the lifestyle the area offers. Active development is adding new homes and refreshed pockets throughout the suburb.
On the desirability index, the suburb rates good overall, led by housing affordability and community and employment, while local dining and lifestyle amenities and growth momentum sit closer to the middle of the pack for similar regional towns. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.
Population
- Population
- 1,475
- Median age
- 46
- Median household income / week
- $2,659
- Dwelling vacancy
- 3.7%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 17 of 464
- Median monthly mortgage
- $3,300
- Employment rate
- 60.5%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 31 / 0 / 3
Contributes to desirability score · Community (5%)
Employment, household income and age diversity (2021 Census)
Data sources & freshness
- 2021 Census — General Community Profile — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Period: 2021 · Updated on site · 2021 Census release
The 2026 Census runs in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.
Housing
- Houses (January to March 2026)
- $880
Median weekly rent from NSW DCJ rent tables. Figures can be unreliable where few bonds were lodged in the quarter.
Contributes to desirability score · Housing (15%) · Future Growth (7%)
Median price, rental yield and vacancy Recent price momentum
Data sources & freshness
- DCJ rent tables — NSW Department of Communities and Justice · Period: January to March 2026 · Updated on site · Quarterly releases
Crime & safety
- Total offences (Jan 2025 to Dec 2025)
- 24
- Against the person
- 7
- Against property
- 14
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 16.3
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 211 residents
- State safety percentile
- 1.1th (lower crime is better)
- Decrease (daily rate)
- -31.2%
Reported offences decreased compared with the previous period.
Reported offences by period
Most common offence types
- Arson9
- Fraud10
- Malicious Damage To Property9
- Non-Domestic Violence Related Assault7
- Sexual Assault7
Contributes to desirability score · Safety (18%)
Crime rate and year-on-year trend
Data sources & freshness
- BOCSAR postcode crime statistics — NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research · Period: Jan 2024 to Dec 2024 → Jan 2025 to Dec 2025; Jan 2025 to Dec 2025 · Updated on site · Rolling 12-month windows
Schools & preschools
- Schools & preschools
- 2
- Median school ICSEA (2 schools)
- 1,101
- Arcadia Public SchoolPrimary
- Northholm Grammar SchoolCombined
Contributes to desirability score · Education (15%)
School and preschool counts, median school ICSEA
Data sources & freshness
- ACARA school locations — Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority · Period: 2025 · Updated on site · Annual ACARA release
- School ICSEA scores — Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority · Period: 2025 · Updated on site · Annual ACARA release
Public transport
59 public transport stops in this suburb
- 91 Arcadia Rd
- Arcadia Rd After Calabash Rd
- Arcadia Rd After Wylds Rd
- Bay Rd At Calabash Rd
- Cobah Rd Before Arcadia Rd
Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)
Public transport stop coverage
Data sources & freshness
- Timetables Complete GTFS stops (© Transport for NSW, CC BY 4.0) — Transport for NSW — Open Data Hub · Period: current · Updated on site · GTFS static feed (updated nightly)
Planning & development
Development applications from NSW Planning Portal (lodged 2020–2026).
118 planning-related records
2026· 4 proposals
June 2026
- Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool7a Sunnyridge Road, ArcadiaAdditional Information Requested
April 2026
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure36 SMALLS ROAD ARCADIA 2159Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Cabanas, cubby houses, ferneries, garden sheds, gazebos and greenhouses; Swimming pool137-139 ARCADIA ROAD ARCADIA 2159Determined
January 2026
- Erection of a new structure; Group home (transitional)8-12 FAGANS ROAD ARCADIA 2159Determined
2025· 9 proposals
December 2025
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation22 CALABASH ROAD ARCADIA 2159Determined
November 2025
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure6 BAY ROAD ARCADIA 2159Determined
September 2025
- Erection of a new structure; Home industry; Garage, carport or carparking space91 ARCADIA ROAD ARCADIA 2159Withdrawn
July 2025
- Shed; Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure6 ROSCOMMON ROAD ARCADIA 2159Determined
- Farm buildings; Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Erection of a new structure; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support9C SUNNYRIDGE ROAD ARCADIA 2159Determined
June 2025
- Farm buildings; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure9A GEELANS ROAD ARCADIA 2159Determined
May 2025
- Erection of a new structure; Group home (transitional)8-12 FAGANS ROAD ARCADIA 2159Determined
April 2025
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure8 BAY ROAD ARCADIA 2159Determined
January 2025
- Secondary dwelling; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Erection of a new structure26-28 COBAH ROAD ARCADIA 2159Determined
2024· 18 proposals
October 2024
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure6 BAY ROAD ARCADIA 2159Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure6 BANKSIA PLACE ARCADIA 2159Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure8 ROSCOMMON ROAD ARCADIA 2159Determined
September 2024
- Shed; Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure17 HALLS ROAD ARCADIA 2159Determined
- Temporary building, structure or use; Function centre10 BLACKS ROAD ARCADIA 2159Determined
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Landscaping structures; Rainwater tanks; Swimming pool24 COBAH ROAD ARCADIA 2159Determined
June 2024
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure8 ROSCOMMON ROAD ARCADIA 2159Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure6 BAY ROAD ARCADIA 2159Determined
May 2024
- Secondary dwelling; Erection of a new structure21 WYLDS ROAD ARCADIA 2159Determined
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure43-71 CALABASH ROAD ARCADIA 2159Determined
April 2024
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Retail Premise89-91 ARCADIA ROAD ARCADIA 2159Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation8 ROSCOMMON ROAD ARCADIA 2159Determined
March 2024
- Erection of a new structure; Home industry; Farm building22 CALABASH ROAD ARCADIA 2159Determined
February 2024
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Retail Premise89-91 ARCADIA ROAD ARCADIA 2159Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure35A HALLS ROAD ARCADIA 2159Determined
- Secondary dwelling; Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Erection of a new structure152-156 ARCADIA ROAD ARCADIA 2159Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation9 HENSTOCK ROAD ARCADIA 2159Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation8 ROSCOMMON ROAD ARCADIA 2159Determined
2023· 9 proposals
December 2023
- Farm buildings; Erection of a new structure9A GEELANS ROAD ARCADIA 2159Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation9 HENSTOCK ROAD ARCADIA 2159Determined
November 2023
- Demolition; Swimming pool89-91 ARCADIA ROAD ARCADIA 2159Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Agriculture110 ARCADIA ROAD ARCADIA 2159Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure4 BLACKS ROAD ARCADIA 2159Determined
October 2023
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Erection of a new structure; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah; Barbecues and other outdoor cooking structures; Cabanas, cubby houses, ferneries, garden sheds, gazebos and greenhouses; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support; Garage, carport or carparking space; Swimming pool12 BLACKS ROAD ARCADIA 2159Determined
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure43-71 CALABASH ROAD ARCADIA 2159Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Retail Premise89-91 ARCADIA ROAD ARCADIA 2159Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure35A HALLS ROAD ARCADIA 2159Determined
Contributes to desirability score · Future Growth (7%)
Development and planning activity
Data sources & freshness
- Online DA development application register — NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure · Period: 2020–2026 · Updated on site · Daily open-data feed (applications from Oct 2018)
Amenities
12 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
- 10 Bay RdBus stop
- 131 Arcadia RdBus stop
- 137 Arcadia RdBus stop
- 38 Bay RdBus stop
- 5 Bay RdBus stop
- Arcadia Rd after Calabash RdBus stop
- Arcadia Rd at Calabash RdBus stop
- Arcadia Rd at Vision Valley RdBus stop
- Arcadia Rd opp 168Bus stop
- Bay Rd at Calabash RdBus stop
Names and addresses from OpenStreetMap. Unnamed venues show as their type (e.g. Cafe).
Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (15%)
Food, shopping, recreation and sport (OpenStreetMap)
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · Period: current · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
Socio-economic (SEIFA)
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 10/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 10/10
SEIFA indexes from ABS 2021. Decile 10 = most advantaged / least disadvantaged in Australia.
Contributes to desirability score · Community (5%)
Socio-economic advantage (IRSAD decile)
Data sources & freshness
- SEIFA 2021 (IRSAD / IRSD) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Period: 2021 · Updated on site · 2021 SEIFA release
Hazards
- Bushfire planning zone
- Overlay applies
Bushfire overlay checked at suburb centroid via NSW bush fire prone land mapping.
Contributes to desirability score · Safety (18%)
Bushfire hazard overlays
Data sources & freshness
- Hazard planning overlays — State government hazard layers · Period: current · Updated on site
Desirability Index
- Desirability score
- 59.1/100 — Good
- State standing
- Top 15% of New South Wales' suburbs
- National rank
- 930th in Australia
- State rank
- 307th in NSW
- Peer rank
- #16 among Country & regional · Mature suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #51 among Country & regional suburbs
- Data confidence
- 68%
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived score) · Period: current · Updated on site · Derived from source metrics
Recent changes
- 10 Bay Rdamenitiesbus_stop
- 131 Arcadia Rdamenitiesbus_stop
- 137 Arcadia Rdamenitiesbus_stop
- 38 Bay Rdamenitiesbus_stop
- 5 Bay Rdamenitiesbus_stop
- Arcadia Rd after Calabash Rdamenitiesbus_stop
- Arcadia Rd at Calabash Rdamenitiesbus_stop
- Arcadia Rd at Vision Valley Rdamenitiesbus_stop
- Arcadia Rd opp 168amenitiesbus_stop
- Bay Rd at Calabash Rdamenitiesbus_stop
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
More in Hornsby Council
Other suburbs in the same local government area.
Comparable suburbs
Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of New South Wales.