Crows Nest (NSW)

Crows Nest has seen population growth performance typically on par with national averages when looking at short and medium term trends

The population of the Crows Nest (NSW) statistical area (Lv2) was estimated at 5,304 as of November 2025. This figure reflects a growth of 330 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 4,974 people in the area. The increase is inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population at 5,286 following examination of ABS data released in June 2024, along with an additional 112 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 6,978 persons per square kilometer, placing Crows Nest (NSW) among the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The area's growth rate of 6.6% since the 2021 Census exceeded that of its SA3 area (5.4%) and SA4 region, indicating it as a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 69.0% of overall population gains during recent periods, driving primary population growth for the area.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 with a base year of 2022, and NSW State Government's SA2 level projections released in 2022 with a base year of 2021 for areas not covered by this data. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. By 2041, the Crows Nest (NSW) (SA2) is expected to expand by 268 persons based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting an increase of approximately 2.9% in total over the 17-year period.

AreaSearch analysis of residential development drivers sees Crows Nest recording a relatively average level of approval activity when compared to local markets analysed countrywide

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers allocated from statistical area data shows Crows Nest has seen approximately 37 new homes approved per year over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated 188 homes. As of FY26, eight approvals have been recorded. Despite population decline in the area, development activity has been adequate relative to other areas, which could be beneficial for buyers. The average expected construction cost value of new properties is $895,000, indicating that developers are targeting the premium market segment with higher-end properties.

In FY26, $376.1 million in commercial approvals have been registered, suggesting strong commercial development momentum in the area. Compared to Greater Sydney, Crows Nest shows 248.0% higher building activity per person, providing buyers with ample choice. New development consists of 5.0% detached houses and 95.0% townhouses or apartments, skewed towards compact living which offers affordable entry pathways and attracts downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers. With around 110 people per dwelling approval, Crows Nest is characterised as a low-density area. According to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate, Crows Nest is projected to add 151 residents by 2041.

Based on current development patterns, new housing supply should readily meet demand, offering good conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

Crows Nest has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 10% nationally

The performance of an area can significantly be influenced by changes to its local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has identified a total of 51 projects that are likely to impact the area. Notable among these are Falcon & Alexander (Five Ways), Hume Place, Western Harbour Tunnel, Warringah Freeway Upgrade, and The Collective. The following list details those projects expected to be most relevant.

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

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Employment performance in Crows Nest has been broadly consistent with national averages

Crows Nest has an educated workforce, notably in the technology sector. Its unemployment rate was 4.1% as of September 2025.

Over the past year, employment stability was relative. There were 3,576 employed residents by September 2025, with an unemployment rate of 4.1%, 0.1% below Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%. Workforce participation was high at 77.0%, compared to Greater Sydney's 60.0%. Employment is concentrated in professional & technical (1.9 times the regional level), finance & insurance, and health care & social assistance sectors.

Construction has limited presence with 4.4% employment versus regionally 8.6%. The worker-to-resident ratio was 0.7 at the Census, indicating local employment opportunities above average. Between September 2024 and September 2025, labour force increased by 0.9%, while employment declined by 0.4%, causing unemployment to rise by 1.3 percentage points in Crows Nest. In contrast, Greater Sydney had employment growth of 2.1% and labour force growth of 2.4%. State-wide, NSW employment contracted by 0.03% (losing 2,260 jobs) as of 25-Nov, with an unemployment rate of 3.9%, favourable to the national rate of 4.3%. Job forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia suggest national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Crows Nest's employment mix indicates local employment should increase by 7.7% over five years and 15.2% over ten years, though this is a simple extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

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

The suburb of Crows Nest had a median taxpayer income of $85,220 and an average income of $130,035 in the latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for the financial year 2023. This places it among the top percentile nationally, contrasting with Greater Sydney's median income of $60,817 and average income of $83,030 during the same period. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $92,770 (median) and $141,556 (average) as of September 2025. Census data reveals household, family and personal incomes all rank highly in Crows Nest, between the 92nd and 99th percentiles nationally. Distribution data shows that 33.3% of locals (1,766 people) fall into the $4000+ category, differing from patterns across the surrounding region where $1,500 - 2,999 dominates with 30.9%. Higher earners represent a substantial presence with 45.9% exceeding $3,000 weekly, indicating strong purchasing power within the community. High housing costs consume 18.2% of income, though strong earnings still place disposable income at the 90th percentile and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 10th decile.

Crows Nest features a more urban dwelling mix with significant apartment living, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

The dwelling structure in Crows Nest, as per the latest Census, consisted of 11.2% houses and 88.7% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Sydney metro's 17.9% houses and 82.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Crows Nest was at 20.3%, with mortgaged dwellings at 24.6% and rented dwellings at 55.0%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $3,033, below Sydney metro's average of $3,085. The median weekly rent figure was $550, compared to Sydney metro's $582. Nationally, Crows Nest's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Crows Nest features high concentrations of lone person households and group households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 56.8% of all households, including 20.6% couples with children, 29.3% couples without children, and 6.0% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 43.2%, with lone person households at 38.5% and group households comprising 4.7%. The median household size is 2.0 people, which is smaller than the Greater Sydney average of 2.1.

Crows Nest demonstrates exceptional educational outcomes, ranking among the top 5% of areas nationally based on AreaSearch's comprehensive analysis of qualification and performance metrics

Crows Nest's educational attainment is notably higher than national and state averages. Among residents aged 15 and above, 64.3% have university qualifications, compared to Australia's 30.4% and NSW's 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are the most prevalent at 40.4%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (19.4%) and graduate diplomas (4.5%). Vocational pathways account for 18.4%, with advanced diplomas at 10.0% and certificates at 8.4%.

Currently, 23.3% of the population is actively engaged in formal education. This includes 6.6% pursuing tertiary education, 6.3% in primary education, and 4.1% in secondary education.

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

Crows Nest has 38 active public transport stops, a mix of lightrail and buses. These stops are served by 60 individual routes, providing 10,552 weekly passenger trips in total. Residents have excellent transport accessibility, with an average distance of 129 meters to the nearest stop.

Service frequency is 1,507 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 277 weekly trips per individual stop.

Crows Nest'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 across Crows Nest, with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups. The rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 78% of the total population (4,141 people), compared to 84.7% across Greater Sydney and a national average of 55.7%. The most common medical conditions in the area are mental health issues and asthma, impacting 7.6 and 7.4% of residents respectively, while 76.8% declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments compared to 75.2% across Greater Sydney.

As of 12th May 20XX, Crows Nest has 12.2% of residents aged 65 and over (647 people), which is lower than the 20.1% in Greater Sydney. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, broadly in line with the general population's health profile.

Crows Nest was found to be more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets in Australia, upon assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Crows Nest has a high level of cultural diversity, with 25.8% of its population speaking a language other than English at home and 41.0% born overseas. Christianity is the dominant religion in Crows Nest, accounting for 38.4% of people residing there. Notably, Judaism is overrepresented in Crows Nest compared to Greater Sydney, with 1.2% of its population identifying as Jewish versus 1.0%.

The top three ancestry groups based on country of birth of parents are English at 23.7%, Australian at 17.7%, and Other at 12.0%. Some ethnic groups have notable representation in Crows Nest compared to regional averages: French at 1.4% versus 1.1%, Polish at 1.1% versus 0.9%, and Hungarian at 0.4% versus 0.4%.

Crows Nest's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

Crows Nest's median age is 36 years, nearly matching Greater Sydney's average of 37. This is modestly below the Australian median of 38. Compared to Greater Sydney, Crows Nest has a higher concentration of residents aged 25-34 (23.4%) but fewer residents aged 5-14 (7.4%). The 25-34 concentration in Crows Nest is well above the national average of 14.5%. Between the 2021 Census and now, the 75 to 84 age group has grown from 2.8% to 4.3% of the population. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests Crows Nest's age profile will significantly evolve. The 75 to 84 cohort is projected to grow by 42%, adding 95 residents to reach 324. Senior residents aged 65 and above will drive 69% of population growth, highlighting demographic aging trends. Conversely, the 5 to 14 and 0 to 4 age cohorts are expected to experience population declines.