Side by sideSuburb comparison

Pennant Hills vs Thornleigh.

Comparing two suburbs with median house prices of $2,102,000 and $1,850,000.

Thornleigh (median $1,850,000) is roughly 14% cheaper to buy into than Pennant Hills ($2,102,000). Over the past year, Thornleigh (-2%) ran 2.0 percentage points ahead of Pennant Hills (-4%) on house-price growth.

Pennant Hills scores higher on walkability (42/100 vs 34/100 ), useful if you're optimising for a car-light household. On school quality, the average ICSEA across schools serving Pennant Hills (1149) sits above Thornleigh (1139).

The takeWhich suburb suits which buyer

For buyers

Thornleigh is the lower entry point at $1,850,000 median, 14% below the other suburb. For first home buyers, that translates to a smaller deposit and lower stamp duty bill.

For investors

Thornleigh carries both higher gross yield (2.71% vs 2.38%) and stronger 12-month growth. On the headline numbers, it's the cleaner investor case of the two.

For families

Pennant Hills edges out on average school ICSEA (1149 vs 1139).

Common questionsPennant Hills vs Thornleigh

Common questions

Is Pennant Hills or Thornleigh cheaper to buy in?

Thornleigh has the lower median house price at $1,850,000, roughly 14% below Pennant Hills ($2,102,000). The gap on units is usually similar but worth checking on the full suburb profiles.

Which has stronger property growth, Pennant Hills or Thornleigh?

Over the past 12 months, Thornleigh grew -2% vs -4% in Pennant Hills, a gap of 2.0 percentage points. Twelve-month growth can swing year to year, so weight long-run trends from the individual suburb profiles before making a buy decision.

Does Pennant Hills or Thornleigh have better schools?

On average school ICSEA (the ACARA index that benchmarks educational advantage), Pennant Hills scores 1149 vs 1139 in Thornleigh. ICSEA is a school-community indicator, not a quality rating, so always check NAPLAN results and catchment boundaries for the specific address you're considering.

Which is more walkable, Pennant Hills or Thornleigh?

Pennant Hills scores 42/100 on walkability vs 34/100. Above 70 is considered very walkable (most errands on foot), 50-69 is walkable for some errands, below 50 typically requires a car for daily life.

Which suburb has higher rental yield, Pennant Hills or Thornleigh?

Gross rental yield on houses is 2.71% in Thornleigh vs 2.38% in Pennant Hills. Gross yield equals annual rent divided by purchase price. Net yield (after strata, rates, insurance, agent fees and maintenance) typically runs 1.5-2 percentage points lower.

The numbers behind the take

Pennant Hills
Metric
Thornleigh

Price & Market

$2,102,000
Median house
$1,850,000
$446,400
Median unit
$446,400
-4.0%
Annual growth (house)
-2.0%
Days on market

Rental

$963/wk
Rent (house / wk)
$963/wk
$650/wk
Rent (unit / wk)
$650/wk
73.0%
Owner occupied
75.0%
23.0%
Renter occupied
23.0%

Lifestyle & Demographics

42
Walk score
34
90
Transit score
0
55
Bike score
45
7,588
Population
8,898
43
Median age
40

Risk & Hazard

Flood class
Bushfire risk

Schools

20
Schools nearby
20
1149
Avg ICSEA
1139

Climate

1302 mm
Annual rainfall
1302 mm
26.0°C
Mean max (Jan)
26.0°C

Green dot = better on that metric (lower price, higher growth, higher walkability, lower risk).