Chatswood (West) - Lane Cove North

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, according to AreaSearch's analysis, was around 23,827 as of February 2026. This figure represents an increase of 2,533 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 21,294. The change is inferred from the 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 4,300 persons per square kilometer, placing it within the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The area's growth rate of 11.9% since the 2021 census exceeded both the SA4 region (5.8%) and the SA3 area, indicating its status as a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 78.4% of overall population gains during recent periods, driving primary population growth in the area.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilises NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Based on population projections, a growth rate just below the national median is expected until 2041, with an increase of 2,420 persons projected, reflecting a total increase of 7.5% over the 17-year period.

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 recorded approximately 151 residential properties granted approval annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25759 homes were approved, with an additional 26 approved so far in FY26. On average, one person moved to the area per dwelling built over these five years, indicating balanced supply and demand. 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. This year, $168.4 million in commercial approvals have been registered, reflecting strong commercial development momentum. Compared to Greater Sydney, Chatswood West - Lane Cove North maintains similar construction rates per person, preserving market equilibrium. However, recent construction activity has eased. New building activity comprises 18.0% detached houses and 82.0% medium and high-density housing, offering affordable entry pathways for downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers.

This represents a notable shift from the area's existing housing composition of 35.0% houses. With around 978 people per dwelling approval, Chatswood West - Lane Cove North reflects a highly mature market. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, the area is forecasted to gain 1,796 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 impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 45 projects likely to affect the area. Notable ones include Chatswood Chase Redevelopment, Mowbray Road Affordable Housing, Chatswood Golf Club Redevelopment, and Chatswood Grand Residences. 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 is 4.9%. As of September 2025, there are 13,521 employed residents, an unemployment rate of 4.9%, which is 0.8% higher than Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%.

Workforce participation stands at 73.1%, slightly above Greater Sydney's 70.0%. According to Census data, 59.3% of residents work from home. Employment concentrations lie in professional & technical (1.7 times the regional level), health care & social assistance, and finance & insurance sectors. Construction employment is lower than average at 5.4%, compared to the regional average of 8.6%.

Over the year to September 2025, labour force levels increased by 0.9% while employment declined by 0.5%, leading to a 1.3 percentage point rise in unemployment rate. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia project growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Chatswood West - Lane Cove North's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.5% over five years and 15.0% over ten years.

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

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023 indicates that Chatswood (West) - Lane Cove North SA2 had a median income among taxpayers of $69,725 and an average of $122,925. Nationally, these figures are exceptionally high compared to Greater Sydney's median of $60,817 and average of $83,003. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since financial year 2023, current estimates for September 2025 would be approximately $75,903 (median) and $133,816 (average). Census 2021 income data shows that household, family and personal incomes in Chatswood (West) - Lane Cove North rank highly nationally, between the 88th and 92nd percentiles. Income analysis reveals that the largest segment comprises 7,243 residents earning $1,500 - $2,999 weekly, which is 30.4% of the population, mirroring the metropolitan region where 30.9% occupy this bracket. A substantial proportion of high earners (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 still 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 a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

In Chatswood (West) - Lane Cove North, as per the latest Census evaluation, 35.4% of dwellings were houses, with the remaining 64.5% consisting of semi-detached homes, apartments, and other types of dwellings. In comparison, Sydney metropolitan area had 55.9% houses and 44.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Chatswood (West) - Lane Cove North stood at 26.4%, with mortgaged properties at 35.4% and rented dwellings at 38.1%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,708, higher than Sydney's average of $2,427. The median weekly rent figure for Chatswood (West) - Lane Cove North was $500, compared to Sydney's $470. Nationally, mortgage repayments in the area were significantly higher at $1,863 and rents substantially above the national average of $375.

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

Family households account for 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 constitute 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 is smaller than the Greater Sydney average of 2.7.

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 notably high, with 59.0% of residents aged 15 years and over holding university qualifications. This compares to 30.4% nationally and 32.2% statewide in NSW. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 36.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 19.2% and graduate diplomas at 3.6%. Vocational pathways account for 19.8% of qualifications, with advanced diplomas at 10.3% and certificates at 9.5%.

Educational participation is high, with 29.9% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.2% in primary education, 7.1% in tertiary education, and 6.7% pursuing secondary education.

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

Chatswood (West) - Lane Cove North has 124 active public transport stops operating within its boundaries. These stops serve a mix of bus routes, totalling 43 individual routes that facilitate 6,309 weekly passenger trips combined. The area's transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents located an average of 108 meters from the nearest transport stop. Primarily residential, most residents commute outward. Cars remain the dominant mode of transportation at 66%, followed by buses at 11% and trains at 11%. Vehicle ownership averages 0.8 per dwelling, lower than the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, 59.3% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 901 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 50 weekly trips per individual stop. The accompanying map displays the 100 nearest stops to the location's centrepoint.

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

Health outcomes data shows excellent results for Chatswood (West) - Lane Cove North, based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. The area has a very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups. Private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 79% of the total population (18,775 people), compared to 59.9% in Greater Sydney and 55.7% nationally.

Asthma and mental health issues are the most common medical conditions, affecting 6.0 and 5.8% of residents respectively. A total of 78.3% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 74.6% in Greater Sydney. The area has 14.5% of residents aged 65 and over (3,447 people). Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

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 notable cultural diversity, with 43.2% of its population speaking a language other than English at home. This is higher than the regional average. Additionally, 49.1% of the population was born overseas, which is also higher than the average.

The dominant religion in this area is Christianity, comprising 39.4% of the population. Judaism is overrepresented compared to Greater Sydney, with 1.1% of the population identifying as Jewish, whereas the regional average is 0.8%. The top three ancestry groups based on country of birth of parents are Chinese (19.3%), English (18.1%), and Other (14.9%). The Chinese population is substantially higher than the regional average of 8.4%. Certain ethnic groups are notably overrepresented in this area compared to Greater Sydney: Korean at 1.7% versus 1.1%, Russian at 0.7% versus 0.4%, and French at 0.8% versus 0.5%.

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, which is equal to Greater Sydney's figure and comparable to Australia's at 38 years. The 35-44 age group makes up 17.7% of the population, higher than Greater Sydney's percentage. However, the 15-24 cohort is less prevalent at 11.7%. Between 2021 and now, the 15-24 age group has grown from 9.7% to 11.7%, while the 0-4 cohort has declined from 6.1% to 5.0%. By 2041, demographic projections show significant shifts in Chatswood (West) - Lane Cove North's age structure. The 55-64 group is expected to grow by 23%, reaching 2,951 people from 2,389. The aging population trend is clear, with those aged 65 and above comprising 53% of the projected growth. Conversely, the 25-34 and 0-4 cohorts are expected to experience population declines.