Chatswood (West) - Lane Cove North
Statistical Area - sa2

Chatswood (West) - Lane Cove North has seen population growth performance typically on par with national averages when looking at short and medium term trends

Chatswood (West) - Lane Cove North's population is approximately 23,923 as of November 2025. This figure represents an increase of 2,629 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 21,294. The change is inferred from the ABS estimated resident population of 23,203 in June 2024 and an additional 622 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 4,318 persons per square kilometer, placing it in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The area's 12.3% growth since the 2021 census exceeds both the SA4 region (5.4%) and the SA3 area, indicating it is a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 78.4% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch uses NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. According to population projections, the area is expected to increase by just below the median of national areas, expanding by 2,420 persons to 2041 based on the latest numbers, with an overall increase of 7.1% over the 17 years.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Chatswood (West) - Lane Cove North according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

Chatswood West - Lane Cove North has granted approximately 151 residential property approvals annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY2021 to FY2025, a total of 759 homes were approved, with an additional nine approved so far in FY2026. The average number of people moving to the area per dwelling built over these five years is one person. This indicates a balanced supply and demand, maintaining stable market conditions.

However, recent data shows this has intensified to 31 people per dwelling over the past two financial years, suggesting growing popularity and potential undersupply. New properties are constructed at an average expected cost of $356,000. In FY2026, commercial approvals worth $168.4 million have been registered, indicating strong commercial development momentum. Compared to Greater Sydney, Chatswood West - Lane Cove North maintains similar construction rates per person, preserving market equilibrium consistent with surrounding areas. However, construction activity has eased recently.

The new building activity shows 18.0% detached houses and 82.0% medium and high-density housing. This shift towards compact living offers affordable entry pathways and attracts downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers. This represents a notable change from the area's existing housing composition, which is currently 35.0% houses. This trend reflects decreasing availability of developable sites and changing lifestyles that require more diverse and affordable housing options. With around 978 people per dwelling approval, Chatswood West - Lane Cove North reflects a highly mature market. Population forecasts indicate the area will gain approximately 1,700 residents by 2041. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

Chatswood (West) - Lane Cove North has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 10% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 45 projects that could impact the area. Notable projects include Chatswood Golf Club Redevelopment, Arena, Chatswood Chase Redevelopment, and Mowbray Road Affordable Housing. The following list details those most relevant.

Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.

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The employment landscape in Chatswood (West) - Lane Cove North shows performance that lags behind national averages across key labour market indicators

Chatswood West - Lane Cove North has a highly educated workforce with significant representation in the technology sector. Its unemployment rate was 5.1% as of June 2025.

In this period, 13,441 residents were employed while the area's unemployment rate was 0.9% higher than Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%. Workforce participation was at 68.9%, compared to Greater Sydney's 60.0%. Employment is concentrated in professional & technical services (1.7 times the regional level), health care & social assistance, and finance & insurance sectors. Construction employment, however, is lower than average at 5.4% compared to the regional average of 8.6%.

Over the year to June 2025, labour force levels decreased by 0.2%, with a corresponding 1.8% decline in employment, leading to a rise in unemployment rate by 1.5 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Sydney saw employment growth of 2.6% and labour force growth of 2.9%. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia (May 2025) project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to the local employment mix suggests potential growth in Chatswood West - Lane Cove North's jobs of approximately 7.5% over five years and 15.0% over ten years, though these are simple extrapolations for illustrative purposes only.

The economic profile demonstrates exceptional strength, placing the area among the top 10% nationally based on comprehensive AreaSearch income analysis

AreaSearch released postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 on Chatswood (West) - Lane Cove North. The median income among taxpayers was $66,193, with an average of $108,547. Nationally, this is exceptionally high compared to Greater Sydney's median of $56,994 and average of $80,856. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% since financial year 2022, current estimates for September 2025 would be approximately $74,540 (median) and $122,235 (average). Census 2021 income data shows household, family and personal incomes all rank highly in Chatswood (West) - Lane Cove North, between the 88th and 92nd percentiles nationally. Income analysis reveals that 30.4% of residents earn $1,500 - $2,999 weekly, mirroring the metropolitan region where 30.9% occupy this bracket. A substantial proportion, 41.3%, earn above $3,000 per week, indicating strong economic capacity throughout the suburb. High housing costs consume 17.0% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 86th percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

Chatswood (West) - Lane Cove North features a more urban dwelling mix with significant apartment living, with ownership patterns similar to the broader region

The dwelling structure in Chatswood (West) - Lane Cove North, as per the latest Census, consisted of 35.4% houses and 64.5% other dwellings. In comparison, Sydney metropolitan area had 41.1% houses and 58.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in Chatswood (West) - Lane Cove North was at 26.4%, with the rest being mortgaged (35.4%) or rented (38.1%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,708, lower than Sydney's average of $3,033. The median weekly rent figure was $500, compared to Sydney's $560. Nationally, Chatswood (West) - Lane Cove North's mortgage repayments were higher at $1,863 and rents were substantially above the national average of $375.

Chatswood (West) - Lane Cove North features high concentrations of group households, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households comprise 68.6% of all households, including 33.9% couples with children, 25.2% couples without children, and 8.4% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 31.4%, with lone person households at 26.5% and group households comprising 4.8%. The median household size is 2.5 people, which aligns with the Greater Sydney average.

Chatswood (West) - Lane Cove North demonstrates exceptional educational outcomes, ranking among the top 5% of areas nationally based on AreaSearch's comprehensive analysis of qualification and performance metrics

Educational attainment in Chatswood (West) - Lane Cove North is notable. Among residents aged 15+, 59% hold university qualifications, surpassing Australia's 30.4% and NSW's 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 36.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 19.2% and graduate diplomas at 3.6%. Vocational pathways account for nearly 20% of qualifications, with advanced diplomas at 10.3% and certificates at 9.5%.

Educational participation is high, with 30% currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.2% in primary, 7.1% in tertiary, and 6.7% pursuing secondary education. The area's three schools have a combined enrollment of 3,793 students as of the latest data. The ICSEA score for these schools is 1142, indicating significant socio-educational advantages and academic achievement. Education provision is balanced with two primary and one secondary school serving distinct age groups. School capacity exceeds typical residential needs, with 15.9 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 11.9, suggesting the area serves as an educational hub for the broader region.

Transport servicing is high compared to other areas nationally based on assessment of service frequency, route connectivity and accessibility

The analysis of public transport in Chatswood (West) - Lane Cove North shows that there are currently 112 active transport stops operating in the area. These stops serve a mix of bus routes, with a total of 42 individual routes providing service. The collective weekly passenger trips facilitated by these routes amount to 5,076.

The accessibility of public transport is considered excellent, with residents typically located approximately 108 meters from their nearest transport stop. On average, there are 725 trips per day across all routes, which equates to roughly 45 weekly trips per individual stop.

Chatswood (West) - Lane Cove North's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Chatswood (West) - Lane Cove North shows excellent health outcomes, with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all ages. Approximately 75% of its total population of 18,014 people have private health cover, higher than Greater Sydney's 78.2%, but still lower than the national average of 55.3%. The most prevalent medical conditions are asthma (6.0%) and mental health issues (5.8%), with 78.3% of residents reporting no medical ailments, similar to Greater Sydney's 78.0%.

As of 2021, 14.1% of residents are aged 65 and over (3,370 people), slightly lower than Greater Sydney's 15.7%. Despite this, seniors' health outcomes align with the general population's profile.

Chatswood (West) - Lane Cove North is among the most culturally diverse areas in the country based on AreaSearch assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Chatswood (West) - Lane Cove North has a high level of cultural diversity, with 43.2% of its population speaking a language other than English at home and 49.1% born overseas. Christianity is the main religion in this area, making up 39.4% of people. However, Judaism is overrepresented compared to Greater Sydney, comprising 1.1% of the population.

The top three ancestry groups are Chinese (19.3%), English (18.1%), and Other (14.9%). Notably, Korean (1.7%) and Russian (0.7%) are also overrepresented compared to regional averages.

Chatswood (West) - Lane Cove North's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

Chatswood (West) - Lane Cove North has a median age of 37, matching Greater Sydney's figure of 37 years and being comparable to Australia's median age of 38 years. The age group of 35-44 is strongly represented at 18.1%, higher than Greater Sydney's percentage. Conversely, the 15-24 cohort is less prevalent at 11.3%. Between 2021 and now, the 15 to 24 age group has increased from 9.7% to 11.3% of the population. Meanwhile, the 0 to 4 cohort has decreased from 6.1% to 5.2%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Chatswood (West) - Lane Cove North's age structure. The 55 to 64 group is expected to grow by 26%, reaching 2,951 people from the current figure of 2,342. This growth will be led by those aged 65 and above, who are projected to comprise 51% of the population growth. Conversely, the 25 to 34 and 0 to 4 age groups are expected to experience population declines.