Lane Cove North

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

The estimated population of the suburb of Lane Cove North is around 13,774 as of Feb 2026. This figure reflects an increase of 2,001 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 11,773 people. The change is inferred from the resident population of 13,389 estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 and an additional 507 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 5,836 persons per square kilometer, placing Lane Cove North in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The suburb's 17.0% growth since the 2021 census exceeded both the SA4 region (5.8%) and the SA3 area, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration that contributed approximately 78.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting 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 aggregated SA2-level projections, Lane Cove North is expected to expand by 1,217 persons to 2041, reflecting an increase of 6.0% in total over the 17-year period.

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

Based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers, Lane Cove North has experienced around 136 dwellings receiving development approval each year. Over the past 5 financial years, from FY2021 to FY2025, approximately 683 homes were approved, with a further 26 approved in FY2026 so far. On average, 0.5 people have moved to the area annually for each dwelling built over these years, indicating that supply is meeting or surpassing demand.

The average construction value of new properties is $753,000, suggesting a focus on premium segment development. This year has seen $166.5 million in commercial approvals registered, demonstrating strong commercial development momentum. Compared to Greater Sydney, Lane Cove North records 77.0% more building activity per person, which should provide buyers with ample choice despite recent moderation in development activity. The area has approximately 631 people per dwelling approval, indicating an established market. Future projections estimate Lane Cove North will add 832 residents by 2041, suggesting that current development rates should comfortably meet demand and potentially support growth beyond current population projections. New development consists of 19.0% standalone homes and 81.0% townhouses or apartments, reflecting a trend towards denser development that appeals to downsizers, investors, and entry-level buyers.

Future projections show Lane Cove North adding 832 residents by 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

Lane Cove North has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 10% nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 31 projects that may affect this region. Notable ones include Mowbray Road Affordable Housing, Chatswood Golf Club Redevelopment, St Andrews Anglican Church Redevelopment, and 10 Gordon Avenue Development. The following list details those most likely to be relevant.

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

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AreaSearch assessment positions Lane Cove North ahead of most Australian regions for employment performance

Lane Cove North has a highly educated workforce, with the technology sector prominent. Its unemployment rate is 4.0%. Over the past year, estimated employment growth was 0.5%, according to AreaSearch aggregation of statistical area data.

As of December 2025, 7,902 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 0.2% below Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%. Workforce participation stands at 73.0%. Census responses indicate that 60.4% of residents work from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. Employment is concentrated in professional & technical (1.7 times the regional level), health care & social assistance, and finance & insurance sectors.

Construction employment is limited at 5.5%, compared to the regional average of 8.6%. The area offers limited local employment opportunities, as suggested by the ratio of working population to resident population. In the 12 months ending December 2025, employment increased by 0.5% while labour force grew by 1.0%, resulting in a 0.4 percentage point rise in unemployment. This contrasts with Greater Sydney's employment growth of 2.2%. Jobs and Skills Australia forecasts national employment to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but growth varies significantly between sectors. Applying these projections to Lane Cove North's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.5% over five years and 15.0% over ten years, though this is a simplified 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

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year ended June 2023, Lane Cove North had median taxpayer income of $74,002 and average income of $121,353. These figures place Lane Cove North in the top percentile nationally, compared to Greater Sydney's median of $60,817 and average of $83,003. Based on Wage Price Index growth rate of 8.86% from financial year ended June 2023 to September 2025, estimated current incomes are approximately $80,559 (median) and $132,105 (average). Census 2021 income data shows Lane Cove North's household, family, and personal incomes rank between the 87th and 96th percentiles nationally. Income brackets indicate that 31.7% of residents (4,366 people) fall within the $1,500 - $2,999 bracket, consistent with metropolitan region trends at 30.9%. Economic strength is evident through 40.6% of households earning high weekly incomes exceeding $3,000, supporting elevated consumer spending. High housing costs consume 17.7% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 83rd percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

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 Lane Cove North, as per the latest Census, 23.0% of dwellings were houses while 77.1% were other types such as semi-detached homes, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. This contrasts with Sydney metro's dwelling structure which was 55.9% houses and 44.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Lane Cove North stood at 21.3%, with mortgaged dwellings at 37.8% and rented ones at 40.9%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,600, exceeding Sydney metro's average of $2,427. The median weekly rent figure for Lane Cove North was $480, compared to Sydney metro's $470. Nationally, Lane Cove North's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Lane Cove North features high concentrations of lone person households and group households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households comprise 63.7% of all households, including 30.0% couples with children, 25.2% couples without children, and 7.4% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 36.3%, with lone person households at 31.8% and group households comprising 4.5%. The median household size is 2.3 people, which is smaller than the Greater Sydney average of 2.7.

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

Lane Cove North's educational attainment is notably higher than national and state averages. As of the latest data, 59.5% of residents aged 15 years and above hold university qualifications, compared to Australia's 30.4% and New South Wales' 32.2%. This high level of educational attainment indicates a strong position for knowledge-based opportunities in the area. Among these residents with university qualifications, bachelor degrees are most common at 37.4%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 18.2% and graduate diplomas at 3.9%.

Vocational pathways account for 20.9% of qualifications, with advanced diplomas making up 10.9% and certificates 10.0%. Educational participation is significantly high in Lane Cove North, with 28.1% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 8.6% in primary education, 6.7% in tertiary education, and 5.8% pursuing secondary education.

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 Lane Cove North shows that there are 55 active transport stops operating within the area. These stops serve a mix of bus routes, with a total of 36 individual routes providing service. The weekly passenger trips facilitated by these routes amount to 5,564. Transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically located 99 meters from their nearest transport stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward for work or other purposes. The dominant mode of transportation remains the car at 68%, while bus usage stands at 15% and train usage at 7%.

The average vehicle ownership per dwelling in Lane Cove North is 0.8, which is below the regional average. According to the 2021 Census, a high proportion of residents work from home, with this figure standing at 60.4%. This may be reflective of COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency across all routes averages 794 trips per day, equating to approximately 101 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Lane Cove North's health outcomes show excellent results, as assessed by AreaSearch through 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 75% of the total population (10,289 people), compared to 59.9% in Greater Sydney and 55.7% nationally.

Mental health issues and asthma are the most common medical conditions, affecting 6.8 and 6.7% of residents respectively. A significant majority, 77.3%, report being completely free of medical ailments, compared to 74.6% in Greater Sydney. The area has a lower proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 13.1% (1,804 people), compared to 15.4% in Greater Sydney. Health outcomes among seniors align with national rankings and are generally strong.

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

Lane Cove North has a high level of cultural diversity, with 36.9% of its population speaking a language other than English at home and 45.0% born overseas. Christianity is the main religion in Lane Cove North, comprising 41.5% of the population. Judaism is overrepresented compared to Greater Sydney, making up 1.2% of Lane Cove North's population versus 0.8%.

The top three ancestry groups are English at 19.5%, Australian at 16.7%, and Other also at 16.7%. Notably, Russian (0.9%), Polish (1.1%), and French (0.8%) ethnicities are overrepresented compared to regional averages of 0.4%, 0.6%, and 0.5% respectively.

Lane Cove North's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

Lane Cove North's median age is 36 years, nearly matching Greater Sydney's average of 37 years. This is slightly below the Australian median age of 38 years. Compared to Greater Sydney, Lane Cove North has a higher proportion of residents aged 35-44 (19.6%), but fewer residents aged 15-24 (10.5%). The 35-44 concentration in Lane Cove North is well above the national average of 14.3%. Between the 2021 Census and now, the proportion of residents aged 15-24 has increased from 8.4% to 10.5%, while the proportion of residents aged 35-44 has decreased from 20.5% to 19.6%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests significant changes in Lane Cove North's age profile. The strongest projected growth is in the 55-64 cohort, with a 23% increase adding 273 residents to reach 1,472. Residents aged 65 and above will drive 54% of population growth, reflecting demographic aging trends. Conversely, the 25-34 and 5-14 cohorts are expected to experience population declines.