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Lane Cove is well-off — but expensive to rent

Lane Cove 2066 · Chatswood - Lane Cove, Greater Sydney, NSW

Lane Cove is among the more advantaged parts of Australia (SEIFA decile 10 of 10); well served for the everyday — 4 schools and 5 supermarkets. The trade-offs: renting is expensive, a median of $780 a week (DCJ, 2026-Q1); the population is barely moving.

Mostly apartments, with a median age of 38 and households on a median $2,648 a week at the 2021 Census.

Compiled from ABS regional population (SA2), the 2021 Census, SEIFA 2021, NSW DCJ median rents, NSW DCJ median sale prices, NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research reported offences, OpenStreetMap and ACARA Schools NSW / NSW Dept of Education · figures current to September 2026.

Median sale price$1,170,000All dwellings · 2025-Q4
Population (ERP)16,705▲ 4,635 since 2001
YoY growth+0.28%▼ state average +1.18%
Net migration-421,805 in · 1,847 out

What it costs to buy

NSW DCJ Rent and Sales Report · 2025-Q4

Median sale price from the NSW Department of Communities and Justice's recorded property sales. Compare year-on-year — quarter-to-quarter moves are mostly seasonal noise.

Median sale priceDCJ
$1,170,000
All dwellings · 2025-Q4
NSW DCJ Rent and Sales Report · 2025-Q4
vs Greater SydneyDCJ
−$30,000
Greater Sydney median $1,200,000
NSW DCJ Rent and Sales Report · 2025-Q4
HouseDCJ
$3,675,000
44 sales this quarter
NSW DCJ Rent and Sales Report · 2025-Q4
Unit / flatDCJ
$1,000,000
143 sales this quarter
NSW DCJ Rent and Sales Report · 2025-Q4

By dwelling type — 2025-Q4 quarter

TypeMedian sale price
House$3,675,000n=44
Unit / flat$1,000,000n=143

The median sale price across all dwellings in Lane Cove was $1,170,000, based on sales in postcode 2066, for the 2025-Q4 quarter. That is $30,000 below the Greater Sydney median. By type: a house $3,675,000 and a unit / flat $1,000,000.

This is the median price of properties recorded as sold this quarter — settlement can lag a purchase decision by weeks, so the most recent quarter can revise slightly as more sales are recorded.

Show every quarter, with the year-on-year change
Lane Cove — all-dwellings median sale price by quarter, latest first, with the year-on-year change and the Greater Sydney median, NSW Department of Communities and Justice
QuarterMedian priceYear on yearGreater Sydney
2025-Q4$1,170,000—$1,200,000

Sale price data © NSW Department of Communities and Justice, Rent and Sales Report, based on sales in postcode 2066, December 2025 release. Figures are the median for properties sold in the quarter. DCJ suppresses a median where too few properties sold.

What it costs to rent

NSW DCJ Rent and Sales Report · 2026-Q1

Median weekly rent for new tenancies, from the NSW Department of Communities and Justice's bond lodgements. Compare year-on-year — quarter-to-quarter moves are mostly seasonal noise.

Median weekly rentDCJ
$780
All dwellings · 2026-Q1
NSW DCJ Rent and Sales Report · 2026-Q1
vs Greater SydneyDCJ
+$0
Greater Sydney median $780
NSW DCJ Rent and Sales Report · 2026-Q1
Sample sizeDCJ
375
new bonds lodged in the 2026-Q1 quarter
NSW DCJ Rent and Sales Report · 2026-Q1

By dwelling type — 2026-Q1 quarter

TypeStudio1 bed2 bed3 bed4+ bed
House———$1,150low sample$1,888low sample
Unit / flat—$700n=95$750n=157$1,100n=35—

n is the number of new bonds behind each median — treat a figure marked low sample as indicative only.

The median weekly rent across all dwellings in Lane Cove was $780, based on new bonds lodged in postcode 2066, for the 2026-Q1 quarter. By type: a 3-bedroom house $1,150 and a 2-bedroom unit $750.

This is the median rent on new leases signed this quarter, not what existing tenants pay. It usually runs higher than the Census figure.

Show every quarter, with the year-on-year change
Lane Cove — all-dwellings median weekly rent by quarter, latest first, with the year-on-year change and the Greater Sydney median, NSW Department of Communities and Justice
QuarterMedian rentYear on yearGreater Sydney
2026-Q1$780—$930

Rent data © NSW Department of Communities and Justice, Rent and Sales Report, based on new bonds in postcode 2066, March 2026 release. Figures are the median for new bonds lodged in the quarter, not all tenancies. DCJ suppresses a median where too few bonds were lodged.

Lane Cove on the map

The Australian Bureau of Statistics Statistical Area 2 outline for Lane Cove, NSW.

Open in OpenStreetMap →
Map

Map tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors. Boundary: ABS SA2 (ASGS 2021), simplified — an SA2 can differ from the gazetted suburb, and detached parts such as islands may not all be shown.

How the population has changed

Lane Cove against the New South Wales average, both set to 100 in the first year shown so the growth rates compare.

Lane CoveNew South Wales average
201620202025

Lane Cove population grew from 14,418 in 2016 to 16,705 in 2025, a change of 15.9% over the period, against the New South Wales average.

Show the data table
YearLane CoveNew South Wales average
201614,4187,732,858
201714,9767,855,316
201815,3477,954,476
201915,6988,046,748
202015,9018,110,610
202115,9378,097,062
202216,0968,182,098
202316,4148,356,387
202416,6598,492,050
202516,7058,592,524

Where the growth is coming from

Lane Cove gained 1,260 residents from internal migration and 545 from overseas in the year to June 2025, while 1,847 people moved away — a net addition of -42 before natural increase.

  • Internal migration in+1,260
  • Internal migration out+1,486
  • Overseas migration in+545
  • Natural increase+88

Components of population change over the sample year. Natural increase is shown apart from migration so the two are not read as one figure.

How it has changed

Census · five-yearly

The 2016 Census against 2021. Older figures are mapped onto today's boundaries via the ABS Time Series Profile, so comparisons are approximate where borders moved.

Measure20162021Change
Population13,79315,888 +15%
Median age3738 +1 yr
Median household income$2,269/wk$2,648/wk +17%
Median weekly rent$530/wk$550/wk +3.8%
Born overseas37.9%40.0% +2.2 pts

Who lives here

Census · five-yearly

From the 2021 Census — the most recent available; 2026 Census data isn't expected until mid-2027. Each figure carries its definition, so you know what is being counted.

People

15,888
Population
Usual residents, Census 2021
38
Median age
Years
40.0%
Born overseas
Born outside Australia
2.4
Household size
Average people per household

Income

$2,648/wk
Household income
Median total weekly household income
$1,361/wk
Personal income
Median total weekly personal income

Housing

$550/wk
Median rent
Median weekly rent for rented dwellings
$3,000/mo
Median mortgage
Median monthly mortgage repayment
36.0%
Separate houses
Share of occupied dwellings
56.3%
Flats & apartments
Share of occupied dwellings
7.8%
Unoccupied
Private dwellings unoccupied on Census night

Work

67.5%
Employment rate
Employed as a share of people aged 15+
3.6%
Unemployment rate
Unemployed as a share of the labour force
87.7%
Year 12 or above
Highest school year completed

Household

60.7%
Couple family
Share of all households · NSW 58.8%
34.3%
Couple family with children
Share of all households · NSW 32.5%
8.3%
One-parent family
Share of all households · NSW 11.2%
27.1%
Living alone
Lone-person households · NSW 24.9%
2.8%
Group household
Unrelated adults sharing · NSW 3.9%

Country of birth

58.3%
Australia
Born here · NSW 65.4%
5.3%
China
Share of residents · NSW 3.1%
4.8%
England
Share of residents · NSW 2.9%
2.8%
India
Share of residents · NSW 2.6%
1.9%
New Zealand
Share of residents · NSW 1.5%
1.6%
Iran
Share of residents

Language at home

67.6%
English only
Spoken at home · NSW 67.6%
5.9%
Mandarin
Share of residents · NSW 3.4%
3.2%
Cantonese
Share of residents · NSW 1.9%
2.8%
Other languages, nec
Share of residents · NSW 3.0%
1.7%
Persian (excluding Dari)
Share of residents
1.5%
Spanish
Share of residents

How homes are held

  • Owned outright 27.1%
  • Mortgaged 32.2%
  • Rented 38.0%
  • Other / not stated 2.6%

How well-off the area is

Census · five-yearly

The ABS SEIFA indexes rank every area by relative advantage and disadvantage. Decile 1 is the lowest tenth of Australia; decile 10 is the highest.

  • Relative disadvantage (IRSD)
    Lower decile means more relative disadvantage
    Decile 10
    score 1,098
  • Advantage & disadvantage (IRSAD)
    Higher decile means more relative advantage
    Decile 10
    score 1,155
  • Economic resources (IER)
    Income and housing capacity
    Decile 8
    score 1,052
  • Education & occupation (IEO)
    Education and occupational skill levels
    Decile 10
    score 1,174

Safety context

NSW BOCSAR · June 2026

How much crime is reported in Lane Cove, from the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSAR).

Most-reported offences · Lane Cove, last 12 months

  • Malicious damage to property210 /100k−27% vs Greater Sydney↑ 52%
  • Intimidation, stalking and harassment156 /100k−50% vs Greater Sydney↓ 0%
  • Theft144 /100k+273% vs Greater Sydney↓ 54%
  • Assault120 /100k+127% vs Greater Sydney↑ 11%
  • Drug offences36 /100k+119% vs Greater Sydney↓ 0%

Rate per 100,000 people in Lane Cove; the arrow compares the last 12 months with the 12 before.

Of these categories, malicious damage to property is reported most in Lane Cove over the last 12 months, running 27% below the Greater Sydney rate and up on the year before.

Show the data table
Lane Cove reported-offence rates over the last 12 months, against the Greater Sydney rate, NSW BOCSAR reported offences
Offence categorySuburbGreater SydneyChange
Malicious damage to property210 per 100k287 per 100k↑ 52% vs prior year
Intimidation, stalking and harassment156 per 100k312 per 100k↑ 0% vs prior year
Theft144 per 100k38 per 100k↓ 54% vs prior year
Assault120 per 100k53 per 100k↑ 11% vs prior year
Drug offences36 per 100k16 per 100k↑ 0% vs prior year

Crime statistics © State of New South Wales (NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research), used under CC BY 4.0, updated June 2026. Matched to this suburb from BOCSAR’s own locality-level data — see the safest/highest-crime rankings’ methodology for the locality-to-suburb matching used. Monthly counts are volatile — the 12-month figures above smooth that noise.

Getting around, and what's nearby

OpenStreetMap · quarterly

What OpenStreetMap records inside the suburb boundary. Counts reflect what is tagged in OSM and can undercount a real but less-mapped area. The park count here is OpenStreetMap green space of any kind, including privately held land — it is a different measure from the council parks below.

SchoolsOSM
4
within the SA2
OpenStreetMap · Sept 2026
ChildcareOSM
3
childcare & kindergartens
OpenStreetMap · Sept 2026
Hospitals & GPsOSM
4
0 hospitals · 4 GP/clinics
OpenStreetMap · Sept 2026
SupermarketsOSM
5
full-line grocery
OpenStreetMap · Sept 2026
Green spacesOSM
25
public open space
OpenStreetMap · Sept 2026

Within the Lane Cove SA2, OpenStreetMap records 4 schools, 3 childcare and kindergarten centres, 4 GP or clinic locations, 5 supermarkets and 25 green spaces. For families: 1 library and 19 playgrounds. Eating out and socialising: 13 cafés, 16 restaurants and 2 pubs and bars. Staying active: 5 gyms, 4 public pools and 36 sports fields. Also 3 shopping centres. The nearest train station, Artarmon, is about 2,450 m from the suburb centre. OpenStreetMap also maps 87 bus stops here.

List every mapped place

Schools

  • Lane Cove Primary School
  • Lane Cove West Public School
  • Saint Michael's Primary School
  • Currambena Primary School

Childcare & kindergartens

  • Montessori Academy
  • Kindy Cove

Libraries

  • Lane Cove Library

Gyms & fitness

  • This is Pilates
  • Snap Fitness
  • Anytime Fitness
  • Lane Cove Aquatic Leisure Centre

Public pools

  • Lane Cove Olympic Pool

Shopping centres

  • The Village Shopping Centre
  • Lane Cove Market Square
  • The Canopy Lane Cove

GPs & clinics

  • Burns Bay Medical Centre
  • Lane Cove Child and Family Health Centre
  • Emerald Medical Centre

Supermarkets

  • Harris Farm Markets
  • Woolworths
  • ALDI
  • Coles
  • Spices of Asia

Green spaces

  • Tennyson Park
  • Nichols Reserve
  • Charish Park
  • Best Street Reserve
  • Ludowici Reserve
  • Finlayson Street Playground
  • Turrumburra Park
  • Hands Quarry Reserve

Schools

Every open NSW school whose campus sits inside the SA2 boundary, with the average ICSEA across them. Open a school for its own ICSEA, student background and a link to My School.

PrimarySchools
4
including Prep–6
NSW school data
SecondarySchools
0
Year 7–12
NSW school data
Combined / specialSchools
1
Prep–12 and special
NSW school data
GovernmentSchools
2
NSW state schools
NSW school data
Non-governmentSchools
3
Catholic and independent
NSW school data
Average ICSEASchools
1159
4 of 5 schools · 1000 is the national average
ACARA

The Lane Cove SA2 contains 5 schools — 4 primary schools and 1 special school, of which 2 are government and 3 non-government. Its 4 schools with a published ICSEA average 1159 (1000 is the national average); each school's own figure and student background are on its page. NAPLAN results for each school are on its My School profile (ACARA). For area context, Lane Cove sits in decile 10 of the ABS SEIFA index of education and occupation nationally and 88% of adults here completed Year 12 (Census 2021).

Zoned state schools

The centre of this SA2 is zoned for Hunters Hill High School (secondary).

Parts of this SA2 also fall in the catchment of Mowbray Public School (primary), Greenwich Public School (primary), Artarmon Public School (primary).

Catchments can divide a suburb — confirm your address on EdMap.

Want another suburb? Search the catchment finder.

Show school list

School list: NSW Government open data — ACARA Schools NSW, via the NSW data portal, CC BY 4.0. Catchments: NSW Department of Education “School intake zones” dataset, CC BY 4.0. ICSEA: ACARA School Profile. NAPLAN: myschool.edu.au (ACARA).

Nearby, in Chatswood - Lane Cove

Others in the same ABS district, by population growth. If this one doesn't fit, one of these might.

  1. HereLane Cove+0.3%
  2. 01Willoughby+2.8%
  3. 02St Leonards - Naremburn+2.2%
  4. 03Chatswood (West) - Lane Cove North+1.7%
  5. 04Chatswood - East+0.8%
  6. 05Artarmon+0.5%
  7. 06Greenwich - Riverview+0.4%
  8. 07Castle Cove - Northbridge+0.2%

Dots place each suburb's growth on the same scale, slowest at left.

Lane Cove: common questions

Is Lane Cove a good place to live?
Lane Cove is among the more advantaged parts of Australia (SEIFA decile 10 of 10); well served for the everyday — 4 schools and 5 supermarkets. The trade-offs: renting is expensive, a median of $780 a week (DCJ, 2026-Q1); the population is barely moving. Mostly apartments, with a median age of 38 and households on a median $2,648 a week at the 2021 Census.
How much does it cost to rent in Lane Cove?
The median weekly rent across all dwellings in Lane Cove was $780, based on new bonds lodged in postcode 2066, for the 2026-Q1 quarter. By type: a 3-bedroom house $1,150 and a 2-bedroom unit $750.
Is Lane Cove a safe suburb?
Of these categories, malicious damage to property is reported most in Lane Cove over the last 12 months, running 27% below the Greater Sydney rate and up on the year before.
What schools are in Lane Cove?
The Lane Cove SA2 contains 5 schools — 4 primary schools and 1 special school, of which 2 are government and 3 non-government. Its 4 schools with a published ICSEA average 1159 (1000 is the national average); each school's own figure and student background are on its page. NAPLAN results for each school are on its My School profile (ACARA). For area context, Lane Cove sits in decile 10 of the ABS SEIFA index of education and occupation nationally and 88% of adults here completed Year 12 (Census 2021). Lane Cove falls fully within the state-school catchment of Hunters Hill High School.
What amenities and public transport does Lane Cove have?
Within the Lane Cove SA2, OpenStreetMap records 4 schools, 3 childcare and kindergarten centres, 4 GP or clinic locations, 5 supermarkets and 25 green spaces. For families: 1 library and 19 playgrounds. Eating out and socialising: 13 cafés, 16 restaurants and 2 pubs and bars. Staying active: 5 gyms, 4 public pools and 36 sports fields. Also 3 shopping centres. The nearest train station, Artarmon, is about 2,450 m from the suburb centre. OpenStreetMap also maps 87 bus stops here.
Are people moving to Lane Cove?
Lane Cove gained 1,260 residents from internal migration and 545 from overseas in the year to June 2025, while 1,847 people moved away — a net addition of -42 before natural increase.
Is Lane Cove an advantaged area?
On the ABS SEIFA 2021 Advantage & disadvantage (IRSAD), Lane Cove sits in decile 10 of 10 (score 1,155) — decile 10 is the most advantaged in Australia.

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