NSW · Hornsby Council
Thornleigh, 2120
Current weather
16.5°CClear sky
55% humidity · 16.4 km/h wind · 21.1° / 13.5° today · 2.8 mm rain
Updated
Desirability score
- High desirability
- Green suburb
- Excellent transport
- Cycling
- Dog friendly
Suburb profile
Thornleigh is a well-connected established suburb in Hornsby with everyday amenities close at hand. Well placed between the city and outer suburbs, it offers practical access in every direction. Generous greenery runs through the area, from street trees to tucked-away reserves.
Residents are mostly families and working professionals, with family life visible on every street. Daily life is practical and well connected, with the city and nearby suburbs easy to tap into. Green space is a real strength, with parks and playgrounds woven through the suburb.
Getting around the metro area is straightforward, with transport tying neighbouring communities together. Homes here are sought-after, with many people drawn to the lifestyle the area offers.
On the desirability index, the suburb rates excellent overall, led by parks and green space and community and employment, while local dining and lifestyle amenities and transport and access sit closer to the middle of the pack for similar metro suburbs.
Population
- Population
- 8,898
- Median age
- 40
- Median household income / week
- $2,681
- Dwelling vacancy
- 4.1%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 126 of 3,097
- Median monthly mortgage
- $2,800
- Employment rate
- 64.1%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 166 / 462 / 237
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
- Flats / units (January to March 2026)
- $625
- Houses (January to March 2026)
- $900
- All types (January to March 2026)
- $830
- Rental bonds lodged (January to March 2026)
- 109
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)
- 221
- Against the person
- 45
- Against property
- 115
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 24.8
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 198 residents
- State safety percentile
- 3.7th (lower crime is better)
- Decrease (daily rate)
- -9.5%
Reported offences decreased compared with the previous period.
Reported offences by period
Most common offence types
- Fraud90
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassment40
- Malicious Damage To Property53
- Steal From Retail Store29
- Transport Regulatory Offences73
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)
- 1,139
- Normanhurst West Public SchoolPrimary
- Thornleigh West Public SchoolPrimary
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
180 public transport stops in this suburb
- Pennant Hills Rd After Loch Maree Av
- Pennant Hills Rd At Railway Pde
- Pennant Hills Rd At Station St
- Pennant Hills Rd Before Trelawney St
- Pennant Hills Rd Opp Nelson St
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).
338 planning-related records
2026· 21 proposals
June 2026
- Demolition; Subdivision52 DUFFY AVENUE THORNLEIGH 2120Additional Information Requested
- Subdivision38 DUFFY AVENUE THORNLEIGH 2120Additional Information Requested
- Demolition; Dwelling house17 MORGAN STREET THORNLEIGH 2120Under Assessment
- Dual occupancy; Demolition; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (detached); Residential Accommodation11 ADAMSON AVENUE THORNLEIGH 2120Additional Information Requested
May 2026
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Erection of a new structure8 COOLABAH CLOSE THORNLEIGH 2120Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure23 VALE ROAD THORNLEIGH 2120Additional Information Requested
April 2026
- Demolition; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (attached)73 DUFFY AVENUE THORNLEIGH 2120Under Assessment
- Signage; Advertising and signage; Advertising structure200-206 PENNANT HILLS ROAD THORNLEIGH 2120Determined
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure50A THE ESPLANADE THORNLEIGH 2120Determined
March 2026
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure1 JUDSON ROAD THORNLEIGH 2120Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure46 WAREEMBA AVENUE THORNLEIGH 2120Determined
- Place of public worship; Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia3 3-5 CHILVERS ROAD THORNLEIGH 2120Under Assessment
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure28 EDMUNDSON CLOSE THORNLEIGH 2120Determined
- Dual occupancy; Demolition; Subdivision; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (attached)8 TILLOCK STREET THORNLEIGH 2120Under Assessment
February 2026
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure50 DUFFY AVENUE THORNLEIGH 2120Determined
- Restaurant or cafe; Food and drink premise; Hours of operation and trading182 PENNANT HILLS ROAD THORNLEIGH 2120Determined
January 2026
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure15 DARTFORD ROAD THORNLEIGH 2120Determined
- Secondary dwelling; Demolition; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure35 STATION STREET THORNLEIGH 2120Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure18 ADAMSON AVENUE THORNLEIGH 2120Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure67 BERESFORD ROAD THORNLEIGH 2120Determined
- Dual occupancy; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Dual occupancy (attached); Residential Accommodation15 BERESFORD ROAD THORNLEIGH 2120Determined
2025· 19 proposals
December 2025
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support24 MORGAN STREET THORNLEIGH 2120Determined
- Commercial development; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure21-31 CENTRAL AVENUE THORNLEIGH 2120Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure16 COOLABAH CLOSE THORNLEIGH 2120Determined
- Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia; Light industry6 LYMOORE AVENUE THORNLEIGH 2120Deferred Commencement
November 2025
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure50A THE ESPLANADE THORNLEIGH 2120Determined
- Restaurant or cafe; Advertising and signage; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Food and drink premise182 PENNANT HILLS ROAD THORNLEIGH 2120Determined
October 2025
- Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia; Recreation facility (indoor)7 PIONEER AVENUE THORNLEIGH 2120Operational consent issued
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation54 GOODLANDS AVENUE THORNLEIGH 2120Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Medical centre; Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia; Health services facility22 THE ESPLANADE THORNLEIGH 2120Determined
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure83 WAREEMBA AVENUE THORNLEIGH 2120Determined
September 2025
- Demolition34 HILLMONT AVENUE THORNLEIGH 2120Determined
- Demolition; Subdivision56 THE ESPLANADE THORNLEIGH 2120Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure28 EDMUNDSON CLOSE THORNLEIGH 2120Determined
- Dual occupancy; Demolition; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (detached); Residential Accommodation11 ADAMSON AVENUE THORNLEIGH 2120Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure34 HILLMONT AVENUE THORNLEIGH 2120Determined
- Signage; Advertising and signage; Advertising structure200-206 PENNANT HILLS ROAD THORNLEIGH 2120Determined
- Demolition; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (attached)73 DUFFY AVENUE THORNLEIGH 2120Withdrawn
August 2025
- Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia; General industry11 SEFTON ROAD THORNLEIGH 2120Determined
- Advertising and signage; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia; Recreation facility (indoor)35E SEFTON ROAD THORNLEIGH 2120Determined
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
262 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
- Dan Murphy'sAlcohol
2-12 The Comenarra Parkway
- Oxford BathroomsBathroom Furnishing
- Bench (27)
- CyclesportBicycle
- Bicycle Parking (2)
- Bike Lockers - Thornleigh Station, Railway PdeBicycle Parking
- 31 Wareemba AvBus stop
- 36 Norman AvBus stop
- 62 Norman AvBus stop
- 79 Wareemba AvBus 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
Parks & reserves
8 parks and public open space in this suburb
- Brickpit ParkPark
- Hawkins HallPark
- Headen ParkPark
- Janet ParkPark
- Oakleigh ParkPark
- The Esplanade GardenPark
- Thornleigh ParkPark
- Wanawong Drive ParkPark
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · Period: current · Updated on site
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
- No overlay at centroid
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
Green cover
- Parks & woodland (OSM)
- 27
- Parks (OSM)
- 15
OpenStreetMap parks and natural woodland features mapped within the suburb boundary.
Contributes to desirability score · Environment (10%)
Parks and green cover (OpenStreetMap)
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap green cover features — OpenStreetMap contributors · Period: current · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
Desirability Index
- Desirability score
- 73.6/100 — Excellent
- State standing
- Top 2% of New South Wales' suburbs
- National rank
- 84th in Australia
- State rank
- 31st in NSW
- Peer rank
- #14 among Metro Sydney · Established suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #19 among Metro Sydney suburbs
- Data confidence
- 78%
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived score) · Period: current · Updated on site · Derived from source metrics
Recent changes
- 31 Wareemba Avamenitiesbus_stop
- 36 Norman Avamenitiesbus_stop
- 62 Norman Avamenitiesbus_stop
- 79 Wareemba Avamenitiesbus_stop
- ALDIamenitiessupermarket
- Ashleigh Lodgeamenitiesnursing_home
- Australia Postamenitiespost_box
- Benchamenitiesbench
- Benchamenitiesbench
- Benchamenitiesbench
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.