Thinking about buying your first home in Hornsby (2077)? This page brings together 17 data cards from NSW government, the ABS, Transport for NSW, and Domain auction results to help you decide if Hornsby is the right fit. The analysis covers affordability and FHB scheme eligibility, schools and childcare, dealbreakers like flood and bushfire, and how the suburb is changing. Jump between the four sections using the sticky navigation, or scroll through the full analysis below.
Is Hornsby a good suburb to buy in 2026?
Hornsby (2077) scores a Stickybeak Grade across safety, family fit, financial picture, and lifestyle. Scroll down for the full 17-card analysis, or use the section navigation to jump to what matters most.
Tick the places you actually go and how often. We'll work out your typical travel time from this suburb, so you can compare suburbs against the trips you really do.
Your typical trip from hereTick a destination below
58 min
51 min
45 min
28 min
74 min
Approximate off-peak driving times: straight-line distance × a Sydney detour factor at 35 km/h. Real road times will vary. Saved on this device.
The verdict
Who it is for
Hornsby suits established families and upsizers who can clear the $1,787,500 house median and want a selective school in the postcode. Hornsby Girls High School is a genuine drawcard, and the broader public school network averages an ICSEA of 1108, which is well above the national midpoint. The unit market at $715,000 is more accessible, and with 16 childcare services all meeting or exceeding the National Quality Standard, younger families are well served.
Who would not love it
First home buyers are locked out of the house market entirely, and the First Home Buyer Assistance Scheme does not apply at the median house price. The walkability score sits at the 28th percentile for Sydney, so a car is not optional. More seriously, 68.4% of the postcode is classified as bushfire-prone land. That is not a minor footnote. If you are sensitive to fire risk or struggle to obtain affordable home insurance, this suburb deserves real caution.
What to verify before you bid
- Confirm the specific bushfire attack level (BAL) rating for any property you are considering, as 68.4% bushfire-prone coverage means individual lots vary significantly in exposure and building compliance costs. - Get current building insurance quotes before exchange, as insurers are tightening terms and pricing in high-risk postcodes across greater Sydney. - For unit buyers, obtain the strata records and check the capital works fund balance, given the suburb's 59% apartment stock and a composite grade of C+.
Refreshed fortnightly; last refresh 12 May 2026. Verify any specific fact against its source card below.
SAFETY
Will I feel safe and comfortable in Hornsby?
BOCSAR · HORNSBY 2077
Recorded incidents reported to police
12-month rolling total at suburb level, indexed against Greater Sydney.
RATE PER 100K11,59312 mo to Dec 2025
VS GREATER SYDNEY+45%Above Sydney average
5-YR TREND (LGA)Hornsby
Within LGA: Hornsby
TOP OFFENCE CATEGORIES
TRANSPORT REGULATORY OFFENCES64%1,233 reports
THEFT24%461 reports
AGAINST JUSTICE PROCEDURES13%247 reports
ASSAULT SPLIT (DOMESTIC VS NON-DOMESTIC)
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE FLAGGED40%
NON-DOMESTIC60%
Across 156 assault reports in this window.
DV-flagged assault has risen statewide as reporting has improved. Compare with caution to suburbs whose population has changed materially.
BOCSAR Recorded Criminal Incidents · Updated March 2026 · CC BY 4.0
Air quality
Air quality in Hornsby
26
GoodAQI · NSW DCCEEW
14:22 AEST
Macquarie Park station · 10.7 km from centroid
12-month median:AQI 26 · Good
Air quality is generally safe for outdoor activity.
Pollutants
nearest station
PM2.5i
6.4µg/m³
24-hr avg
PM10i
9.9µg/m³
24-hr avg
NO₂i
0.1pphm
1hr reading
AQI · last 12 months · daily mean
Macquarie Park station · 365 daily points
Source: NSW DCCEEW Air Quality API↗ (CC BY 4.0). Historical data updated weekly; live readings cached 60 minutes.
Median weekly rent from lodged bonds. Sep 2025. Based on 173 new bond lodgements this quarter.
Rents here sit around the Sydney middle. A balance of rental stock and owner-occupier demand.
Median weekly rent · Unit · 2 bed
$680per week
Sep 2025 · 173 bonds lodged
Quarterly trend · last 12 quarters
Nearby suburbs · same combination
Mount Colah2079
…
2.3 km away
Mount Kuring-Gai2080
…
4.3 km away
Normanhurst2076
…
5.2 km away
Turramurra2074
…
5.8 km away
NSW DCJ Rental Bond Board↗ · Sep 2025 · CC BY. Cells with 10 or fewer bond lodgements are suppressed; cells with 30 or fewer have the bond count suppressed but rent published. Figures are transacted rents, not asking rents.
DEVELOPMENT PIPELINE · NSW PLANNING PORTAL · 2077
What’s in the pipeline
NSW Planning Portal feed paused at the source for postcode 2077. Expected back by Q3 2026.
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Compare Hornsby with another suburb
Also in Hornsby
Comparing suburbs in the same area can sharpen your decision. Browse suburb insights for other Hornsby postcodes, or explore the full Hornsby suburb index.
Hornsby is the primary suburb with postcode 2077 in New South Wales. In some cases multiple suburbs share the same postcode — Hornsby is the main locality.
Which local government area is Hornsby in?
Hornsby (2077) is located in the Hornsby local government area in New South Wales.
What data does Stickybeak show for Hornsby?
Stickybeak shows 16 data cards for Hornsby (2077) covering affordability (median sale prices, rental yield, first home buyer eligibility), lifestyle (schools, childcare, walkability, commute times), risk factors (flood zones, bushfire prone land, air quality, traffic volume), and suburb growth signals (development pipeline, price trajectory, demographics).
Is Hornsby flood prone?
Flood risk varies street by street in Hornsby. Check the Dealbreakers section on this page for the latest NSW flood zone mapping sourced from official state government data. Always verify at the property level with a Section 10.7 certificate before purchasing.
What are the best schools near Hornsby?
The Schools card on this page lists primary and secondary schools within the catchment area for Hornsby (2077), including their NAPLAN performance data and distance from the suburb centre.
Is Hornsby (2077) eligible for the First Home Buyer scheme?
The First Home Buyer eligibility card on this page shows which NSW and federal government schemes — including the First Home Guarantee, stamp duty exemptions, and the First Home Super Saver scheme — apply to purchases in Hornsby (2077). Eligibility depends on the purchase price and your individual circumstances.
How is Hornsby changing?
The Change section on this page covers new housing supply from the development pipeline, historical price trajectory, and demographic shifts for Hornsby (2077) using data from NSW Planning, the ATO, and the ABS.
