Crows Nest
Just 0.76 km2 of land holds 4,974 residents at 6,526 people per km2, and 61.2% of the dwellings are apartments, which explains why only 11.2% are separate houses. Household income sits in the 93.7th percentile nationally, yet 55.0% of residents rent rather than own. The suburb scores decile 10 on the IRSAD, IEO and IRSD indexes, the top advantage tier on three of four SEIFA measures, while university qualifications reach 67.2%, fully 37.1 points above the national figure. The median age of 36 runs 4 years below national, a young, educated, high-earning renter base packed into a dense lower-North-Shore pocket.
Population
4,974
Median Age
36.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,614/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
82
Median House
$1.7M
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The $1,712,000 median house price reflects scarcity more than size, because separate houses make up just 11.2% of stock against 61.2% apartments and 26.4% semi-detached terraces. The median rose 8.7% from $1,610,000 in 2024 to $1,750,000 in 2025, so detached buyers compete for a shrinking pool. Two-bedroom dwellings dominate at 37.4% and one-bedroom-or-studio at 32.0%, leaving 4-plus-bedroom homes at only 6.2%, which means family-sized houses are rare. Monthly mortgage repayments average $3,033 for a mortgage-to-income ratio of 26.8%, below the 30% stress threshold despite the high price, because household incomes reach the 93.7th percentile. Outright owners (20.4%) are outnumbered by mortgage holders (24.6%), and both trail the 55.0% who rent.
For Buyers
The $1,712,000 median house price reflects scarcity more than size, because separate houses make up just 11.2% of stock against 61.2% apartments and 26.4% semi-detached terraces. The median rose 8.7% from $1,610,000 in 2024 to $1,750,000 in 2025, so detached buyers compete for a shrinking pool. Two-bedroom dwellings dominate at 37.4% and one-bedroom-or-studio at 32.0%, leaving 4-plus-bedroom homes at only 6.2%, which means family-sized houses are rare. Monthly mortgage repayments average $3,033 for a mortgage-to-income ratio of 26.8%, below the 30% stress threshold despite the high price, because household incomes reach the 93.7th percentile. Outright owners (20.4%) are outnumbered by mortgage holders (24.6%), and both trail the 55.0% who rent.
For Investors
A 55.0% renter share and weekly rent of $550 give landlords a deep tenant pool, the dominant tenure here. Against the $1,712,000 median, that rent implies a gross yield near 1.7%, low even by inner-Sydney standards, so the case rests on capital growth rather than cashflow. The 11.0% vacancy rate signals genuine slack in the apartment segment, which is 61.2% of dwellings, a risk for owners chasing yield. Development activity is moderate at 77 applications in 12 months, weighted toward cafe and dwelling alterations rather than large new supply, which limits future dilution. With incomes in the 93.7th percentile and rent-to-income at a comfortable 21.0%, tenants can absorb increases, so rent escalation is the more realistic return driver than the sub-2% starting yield.
Development Activity
Total DAs
405
Last 12 Months
82
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+3.8%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Crows Nest iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
North Sydney Girls High School
7-12 · 916 students
North Sydney Boys High School
7-12 · 933 students
Cammeraygal High School
7-12 · 905 students
Demographics
The median age of 36 is 4.0 years below the national figure, a younger profile than most premium suburbs. Overseas-born residents reach 41.0%, which is 19.4 points above national, and ancestry leans Anglo-Celtic led by English (1,635), Irish (621) and Scottish (516), with Chinese (544) the largest non-European group. The top non-English languages are Mandarin (85 speakers), Cantonese (54) and Japanese (37). University qualifications at 67.2% run 37.1 points above national, among the highest anywhere. Average household size is 2.0, which is 0.5 below national, consistent with the small-dwelling, couples-and-singles mix: 40.3% of families are couples with no children, slightly outnumbered by the 1,407 couples with children.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
11.2%
Houses
26.4%
Townhouse
61.2%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure is renter-led: 55.0% rent, 24.6% carry a mortgage and only 20.4% own outright, a reversal of the typical owner-majority suburb. The stock is 61.2% apartments and 26.4% semi-detached, leaving separate houses at just 11.2%, which keeps detached-house prices elevated through scarcity at a $1,712,000 median. Two-bedroom dwellings account for 37.4% and one-bedroom or studio 32.0%, while 4-plus-bedroom homes are 6.2%. The median rose from $1,610,000 to $1,750,000 across 2024 to 2025, an 8.7% one-year move. Mortgage-to-income at 26.8% and rent-to-income at 21.0% both stay below the 30% stress line, a comfortable result that reflects how the 93.7th-percentile incomes offset even high purchase prices.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$3,033
Rent / wk
$550
HH Size
2.0
Personal Income / wk
$1,657
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
11.0%
Unoccupied
294
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.0%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
26.8%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
40.3%
Couples, no children
3,477
Total families
Economy & Employment
The local workforce concentrates in high-paying knowledge sectors: Professional/Tech leads at 22.5% (605 workers), Finance follows at 14.3% (384) and Healthcare at 13.3% (357), with Education at 7.8% and Retail at 5.3%. By occupation, Professionals (1,414) and Managers (741) dominate, which aligns with the decile 10 IEO score for education and occupation. Unemployment is low at 3.2%, the full-time employment rate reaches 79.0% and participation is strong at 71.6%. One anomaly stands out: the IER economic-resources score sits at decile 5 against decile 10 on the other three SEIFA indexes, because the 55.0% renter base depresses the household-wealth and asset measures that IER weights, even though incomes rank in the 93.7th percentile.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
79.0%
Part-time
17.8%
Participation
71.6%
Employed
2,981
Occupations
Top Industries
University
67.2%
Postgraduate
21.8%
Born Overseas
41.0%
Dwellings
2,353
Transport to Work
Active and public transport carry an unusually high share for a Sydney suburb: 27.9% walk or cycle and 16.7% take public transport, while only 51.7% drive, well below the national reliance on cars, a function of the dense 6,526-per-km2 layout near North Sydney rail and bus links. The suburb earns decile 10 on IRSAD, the top advantage tier nationally, and decile 10 on IRSD for relative disadvantage, so very few residents face deprivation. Only 2.0% of residents (94 people) need daily assistance, consistent with the younger median age of 36. Volunteering runs at 14.5%. No schools sit inside the 0.76 km2 boundary, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring suburbs, a practical trade-off for the compact, apartment-dominant setting.
Drive
51.7%
Public Transport
16.7%
Walk / Cycle
27.9%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Crows Nest compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Crows Nest a good suburb to live in?
Crows Nest scores decile 10 on IRSAD, IEO and IRSD, the top advantage tier nationally, with household income in the 93.7th percentile. University qualifications reach 67.2%, which is 37.1 points above national. The main trade-offs are a high $1,712,000 median house price and an 11.0% apartment vacancy rate.
What is the median house price in Crows Nest?
The median house price is $1,712,000, with the market rising 8.7% from $1,610,000 in 2024 to $1,750,000 in 2025. Weekly rent averages $550 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $3,033, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 26.8%, below the 30% stress threshold.
What schools are in Crows Nest?
No schools are recorded inside the 0.76 km2 Crows Nest boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. The resident base is highly educated, with university qualifications at 67.2%, which is 37.1 points above the national figure.
Is Crows Nest safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Crows Nest in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb scores decile 10 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage, the highest tier, and only 2.0% of its residents (94 people) need daily assistance, both consistent with a low-disadvantage area.
Is Crows Nest good for property investment?
Rent of $550 a week against a $1,712,000 median gives a gross yield near 1.7%, low for the market, and the 11.0% vacancy rate signals apartment slack. With 55.0% of residents renting and incomes in the 93.7th percentile, returns depend on capital growth and rent escalation rather than starting yield.
How is Crows Nest's population changing?
The population of 4,974 lives at 6,526 per km2, and resident turnover runs at 36.6%, meaning more than a third moved within five years. The renter share of 55.0% and a younger median age of 36, which is 4 years below national, point to a transient, high-churn population profile.
What languages are spoken in Crows Nest?
About 41.0% of residents were born overseas, 19.4 points above the national figure. English dominates, while Mandarin (85 speakers), Cantonese (54), Japanese (37) and French (36) are the most common non-English languages, reflecting an international resident mix on Sydney's lower North Shore.
How to read these comparisons
Phrases like "above the national average" reference the unweighted median across Australian suburbs with more than 1,000 residents, not population-weighted national figures. Suburb-level medians are more useful for ranking suburbs against each other; ABS census headlines are population-weighted (so dominated by Sydney and Melbourne) and can read very differently.
Current baseline (refreshed 2026-05-10): median age 40, university-educated 30.1%, born overseas 21.6%, average household size 2.5 people.
Data sources: ABS 2021 Census (demographics, income, tenure), state Valuer-General (house prices), Department of Jobs SALM (unemployment), ACARA (school ICSEA), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications). Population forecasts use a Hamilton-Perry cohort model calibrated to ABS ERP.
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