Thinking about buying your first home in Thornleigh (2120)? This page brings together 17 data cards from NSW government, the ABS, Transport for NSW, and Domain auction results to help you decide if Thornleigh 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 Thornleigh a good suburb to buy in 2026?
Thornleigh (2120) 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.
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49 min
42 min
30 min
16 min
62 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
Thornleigh suits established families on strong incomes, given the median household income of $2,681 per week and a median house price of $1,895,000. The public school ICSEA score of 1133 is well above the national average, and all 19 nearby childcare services meet or exceed the National Quality Standard. With 75% owner-occupancy and 77% separate houses, this is a settled, family-oriented suburb. The air quality median AQI of 26 is genuinely clean.
Who would not love it
First home buyers are locked out at the median house price, and the First Home Buyer Assistance Scheme does not apply here. The unit market is a serious concern: the median of $810,000 represents a 19% fall year-on-year, which is a real red flag for anyone buying into that segment. Walkability sits at the 48th percentile, there are no medical services within 1.6 km, and no gyms either. If you rely on walking to daily needs, this suburb will frustrate you.
What to verify before you bid
- Confirm your specific lot's bushfire risk category with Hornsby Council. At 62.5% of the postcode classified as bushfire-prone, the odds are meaningful, and this affects insurance costs and building restrictions. - Investigate the unit price decline further before purchasing any apartment. A 19% drop on 65 sales is a statistically significant signal, not noise. - Check the nearest GP and medical centre location, as the data records zero medical services within 1.6 km.
Refreshed fortnightly; last refresh 12 May 2026. Verify any specific fact against its source card below.
SAFETY
Will I feel safe and comfortable in Thornleigh?
BOCSAR · THORNLEIGH 2120
Recorded incidents reported to police
12-month rolling total at suburb level, indexed against Greater Sydney.
RATE PER 100K3,66412 mo to Dec 2025
VS GREATER SYDNEY−54%Below Sydney average
5-YR TREND (LGA)Hornsby
Within LGA: Hornsby
TOP OFFENCE CATEGORIES
THEFT60%132 reports
TRANSPORT REGULATORY OFFENCES28%61 reports
ASSAULT12%26 reports
ASSAULT SPLIT (DOMESTIC VS NON-DOMESTIC)
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE FLAGGED67%
NON-DOMESTIC33%
Across 24 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 Thornleigh
17
GoodAQI · NSW DCCEEW
Reading may be delayed · 00:00 AEST
Macquarie Park station · 5.9 km from centroid
12-month median:AQI 26 · Good
Air quality is generally safe for outdoor activity.
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.
TFNSW TRAFFIC VOLUME · THORNLEIGH 2120
Road traffic in Thornleigh
Annual average daily traffic (AADT) from TfNSW sensor stations within or adjacent to the suburb. 2023 data.
72,000
Pennant Hills RdMajor arterial
vehicles/day· Heavy vehicles: 8.0% of total traffic · 2023 data
Pennant Hills Rd carries around 72,000 vehicles per day through Thornleigh. Heavy vehicles make up about 8% of that traffic.
Median weekly rent from lodged bonds. Sep 2025. Bond count suppressed by DCJ (30 or fewer 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
Small sample
$660per week
Sep 2025 · bond count suppressed
Quarterly trend · last 12 quarters
Nearby suburbs · same combination
Cherrybrook2126
…
2.9 km away
Normanhurst2076
…
3.7 km away
Epping2121
…
5.1 km away
Turramurra2074
…
5.3 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 · 2120
What’s in the pipeline
NSW Planning Portal feed paused at the source for postcode 2120. Expected back by Q3 2026.
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Compare Thornleigh 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.
Thornleigh is the primary suburb with postcode 2120 in New South Wales. In some cases multiple suburbs share the same postcode — Thornleigh is the main locality.
Which local government area is Thornleigh in?
Thornleigh (2120) is located in the Hornsby local government area in New South Wales.
What data does Stickybeak show for Thornleigh?
Stickybeak shows 16 data cards for Thornleigh (2120) 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 Thornleigh flood prone?
Flood risk varies street by street in Thornleigh. 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 Thornleigh?
The Schools card on this page lists primary and secondary schools within the catchment area for Thornleigh (2120), including their NAPLAN performance data and distance from the suburb centre.
Is Thornleigh (2120) 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 Thornleigh (2120). Eligibility depends on the purchase price and your individual circumstances.
How is Thornleigh changing?
The Change section on this page covers new housing supply from the development pipeline, historical price trajectory, and demographic shifts for Thornleigh (2120) using data from NSW Planning, the ATO, and the ABS.
