Cherrybrook
NSWCherrybrook is a declining suburb in NSW with 19,082 residents.
- SAL code
- 10897
- SA2
- 115011558
- Population
- 19,082
Cherrybrook, NSW had 19,082 residents at the 2021 Census, with the broader statistical area showing a 2.3% decline over the last five years. The predominant age group is 5-14 years, and the median age sits at 43. Households are most often couples with children, and those with a mortgage repay a median of $3,000 a month. Around 82.4% of homes are owner-occupied, with the largest single tenure being owned with a mortgage at 42.9%. Most dwellings are separate houses, making up 81.5% of the suburb's housing stock. The suburb has 22 parks and reserves mapped within its boundary. Source: ABS Census 2021 and Estimated Resident Population, with amenity counts from state Open Data and OpenStreetMap.
Suburb analysis
Cherrybrook, NSW at a glance
Cherrybrook is an established upper-middle-income suburb ~29 km northwest of Sydney CBD, straddling Hornsby Shire and The Hills Shire. Most homes are detached 4-bedroom houses on generous lots from the 1980s and 90s build-out, anchored around Cherrybrook Village and the 2019 Metro station. The data tiles below cover the demographic baseline; this card adds the live market, lifestyle and council pipeline.
For homebuyers
Cherrybrook reads like a mature Hills-District family suburb that finally got rapid transit. Detached 4-bed houses on ~700-900m² blocks dominate, streetscapes are wide and treed, and Greenway Park (indoor heated pool, upgraded NSWRL-grade fields opened June 2025) plus The Lakes of Cherrybrook anchor recreation. Cherrybrook Village (Woolworths-anchored) handles day-to-day shopping; Castle Towers is ~10 min by car, Hornsby Westfield ~12 min. The Sydney Metro station (opened May 2019) puts Chatswood ~22 min and Martin Place ~38 min direct. Schools are the headline draw: Cherrybrook Technology High is the state's largest government secondary (2,000+ students, consistently strong HSC), with John Purchase and Cherrybrook Public both well-regarded; Tangara School for Girls and Inala (Steiner) add private options. In short: a settled, school-driven family suburb with a proper metro line and a town-centre rezoning that will reshape its skyline.
For investors
Cherrybrook is a capital-growth play, not a yield play. Median house $2,405,000 against $1,130/week rent gives a 2.40% gross yield; units $1,535,000 / $862/wk → 2.89% (Your Investment Property May 2026). 12-month house growth +1.82% (units +5.50%) after a strong multi-year run; quarterly +0.21% / +0.33%. 172 house + 28 unit sales in 12 months — a deep house market with thin strata. Days-on-market 32 (houses) / 26 (units).
Strengths
- Direct Sydney Metro access since 2019 (Chatswood ~22 min, Martin Place ~38 min) underpins long-run demand.
- School catchment premium — Cherrybrook Technology HS is the largest state secondary in NSW and a primary driver of family in-migration.
- Deep, owner-occupier-dominated house market (172 sales over 12 months) supports price resilience.
- Cherrybrook Station Precinct rezoning (up to 9,350 new homes, 28-storey buildings) signals a step-change in town-centre amenity over the next decade.
Trade-offs
- Yields are very low (~2.4% houses / 2.9% units) — holding costs need to be funded from elsewhere.
- 12-month house growth has slowed to +1.82% (Your Investment Property May 2026) after the 2020-2023 surge — entry prices are at cycle highs.
- Days-on-market 32 (houses) is longer than Sydney's tighter inner-ring suburbs — stock is moving but not at auction-frenzy pace.
- The Cherrybrook Precinct rezoning is contested — The Hills Shire Council has formally rejected the State proposal, so density and infrastructure timing remain uncertain.
What's coming
The NSW Government's State-led Cherrybrook Station Precinct rezoning (exhibited Nov-Dec 2025, finalisation expected 2026) proposes up to 9,350 new dwellings within a 10-minute walk of the metro, including buildings to 28 storeys, a new town centre, parks and 5-10% affordable housing. Hornsby Shire's 2025/26 capital program includes a Pecan Close gross pollutant trap and the recently completed Greenway Park No.2 sports building.
Bottom line
For homebuyers: a school-and-metro suburb that's about to gain a genuine town centre. For investors: a long-horizon capital-growth and rezoning-optionality play, not a cashflow one.
Population
?19,082
Suburb · Census 2021
5-Year Growth
-2.3%
3yr: +1.1% · 10yr: -2.3%
SA2 · 5yr
Household Income
$2,924/wk
Suburb · Census 2021 median
Median Age
43
Suburb · Census 2021
Socio-Economic Index
?10/10
SA2 · least disadvantaged
Unemployment
?2.1%
SA2 · Q4 2025
Schools
3
2 primary, 1 secondary
Hospitals
No data for this suburb
Childcare services
?10
5 long day, 3 OSHC, 1 family
Parks & green space
?22
Parks, reserves
Transport stops
?144
GTFS stops
Dwelling approvals
No data for this suburb
Median Weekly Rent
Based on NSW rental bond lodgements, aggregated at postcode level. All SALs sharing this postcode show the same median.
Median House Sale Price
Source: state Valuer-General (suburb-level quarterly medians).
→ Calculate stamp duty on this suburb's median price→ Estimate mortgage repayments→ Calculate rental yield (price + median rent)
Safety & Crime
2025 Q4Reported incidents from NSW police. Offence rates may not reflect all crime.
Population over time — Cherrybrook (SA2)
ABS publishes annual estimates only at SA2; Cherrybrook suburb alone is ~19,082 (Census 2021).
Source: ABS ERP (latest release · 2025) · Census 2021. Numbers refreshed quarterly.
Growth at a Glance
Population grew from 19,059 to 19,063 over 24 years, averaging 0.0% per year.
Schools
3 in suburbSector
3 public
Type
2 primary · 1 secondary
Total enrolment
3,533
Avg per school
1,178
Government school catchment
Intake zonePrimary
John Purchase PS48.5%
- Cherrybrook PS 42.7%
- Oakhill Drive PS 6.7%
- West Pennant Hls PS 1.3%
- Pennant Hls PS 0.4%
- Dural PS 0.4%
- Thornleigh WPS 0.0%
- Murray Farm PS 0.0%
Secondary
Cherrybrook THS79.2%
- Pennant Hls HS 21.7%
- Galston HS 0.4%
- Carlingford HS 0.0%
Source: NSW Department of Education — School Intake Zones. Boundaries can be amended without notice; confirm with the school before relying on enrolment.
Profile
Census snapshot
Housing
Almost entirely detached houses (81.5%), owner-occupied (82.4%), built for families (55% are 4 bed).
Dwelling mix
Tenure
NSW 33%
Number of bedrooms
Bushfire risk
Source: NSW RFS BFPL via SEED
As of May 2026
Overlap is the percentage of the suburb's land area inside the mapped bushfire polygons. Always verify the exact property address with the relevant authority before making decisions.
Flood risk
This suburb falls outside every flood polygon mapped by the relevant authority. Always confirm at the property address — local conditions and unmapped overlays can still apply.
Overlap is the percentage of the suburb's land area inside the mapped flood polygons. Always verify the exact property address with the relevant authority before making decisions. Source when available: NSW Rural Fire Service (BFPL) and NSW DPHI EPI Flood.
Planning zones
8 zones in suburb| Code | Zone | % covered | Area |
|---|---|---|---|
| R2 | ZoneResidential | 69.0% | 5.70 km² |
| C1 | ZoneEnvironmental | 20.1% | 1.66 km² |
| RE1 | ZoneRecreation | 7.2% | 0.59 km² |
| SP2 | ZoneSpecial use | 2.0% | 0.16 km² |
| RE2 | ZoneRecreation | 0.7% | 0.05 km² |
| MU1 | ZoneBusiness | 0.5% | 0.04 km² |
| E1 | ZoneEnvironmental | 0.4% | 0.04 km² |
| R4 | ZoneResidential | 0.2% | 0.02 km² |
Source: NSW DPHI EPI Land Zoning (ZONE_NSW/2026-04-29/1eccf1a530fa1be5) · As of Apr 2026. Zone boundaries are amended periodically; verify the exact property with the relevant council before relying on permitted use.