Lane Cove West
Household income at the 97th percentile nationally places Lane Cove West among Sydney's most affluent pockets, yet it sits in a 1.69 km2 footprint with 3,146 residents and a density of 1,865 per km2. University qualifications reach 62.1%, which is 32 points above the national figure, and the suburb scores decile 10 on IRSAD, IEO and IRSD. The median house price of $2,193,000 reflects premium land values, while a 4.6% vacancy rate and 44.7% renter share point to a more mixed tenure profile than the prestige signal alone would suggest. Population grew 31.1% over the past decade, driven almost entirely by overseas migration rather than internal movement.
Population
3,146
Median Age
37.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,966/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
52
Median House
$2.2M
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The median house price sits at $2,193,000, positioning Lane Cove West well above the Sydney-wide median. Price history shows a decline from $2,590,500 in 2024 to $1,910,000 in 2025, a 26.3% fall, which creates a potential entry window relative to the recent peak. Separate houses account for 54.5% of dwellings, with apartments at 35.6% and semi-detached at 9.9%. Bedroom distribution skews larger: 32.1% of homes have 4 or more bedrooms and 28.9% have 3, meaning buyers are competing for family-sized stock. Monthly mortgage repayments average $3,769, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 29.3%, just below the stress threshold despite incomes that rank in the 97th percentile nationally.
For Buyers
The median house price sits at $2,193,000, positioning Lane Cove West well above the Sydney-wide median. Price history shows a decline from $2,590,500 in 2024 to $1,910,000 in 2025, a 26.3% fall, which creates a potential entry window relative to the recent peak. Separate houses account for 54.5% of dwellings, with apartments at 35.6% and semi-detached at 9.9%. Bedroom distribution skews larger: 32.1% of homes have 4 or more bedrooms and 28.9% have 3, meaning buyers are competing for family-sized stock. Monthly mortgage repayments average $3,769, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 29.3%, just below the stress threshold despite incomes that rank in the 97th percentile nationally.
For Investors
A 44.7% renter share provides a substantial tenant pool, and weekly rent of $570 gives a gross yield of roughly 1.6% against the $2,193,000 median, which is low but consistent with upper-Sydney harbour markets. Vacancy at 4.6% sits above the 3% threshold commonly used as a demand indicator, suggesting modest oversupply in the rental segment. Development activity is active with 50 applications in the past 12 months, mostly alterations and rebuilds rather than new apartment supply. Net overseas migration adds 280 residents a year to the broader Lane Cove area, while internal migration removes 218, meaning overseas arrivals are the primary demand driver. Population growth of 31.1% over 10 years reinforces long-term demand, even if near-term yields are constrained.
Development Activity
Total DAs
254
Last 12 Months
52
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+15.6%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
The median age of 37 is 3 years below the national figure, reflecting a working-age population rather than a retirement demographic. University qualifications at 62.1% are 32 points above the national average, among the highest in NSW. Overseas-born residents make up 40%, which is 18.4 points above the national figure. Ancestry is led by English (843), with Chinese (360), Irish (330) and Scottish (245) also prominent, and the top languages spoken at home are Persian (52), Mandarin (45) and Cantonese (43). Average household size of 2.7 is slightly above national, consistent with the 50.6% of families that are couples with children. Volunteering reaches 16.8% and only 3.3% of residents need daily assistance.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
54.5%
Houses
9.9%
Townhouse
35.6%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure splits are less skewed toward ownership than the price tag implies: 26.1% own outright, 29.2% carry a mortgage and 44.7% rent. The high renter share relative to median price reflects a mix of long-term investment holdings and the appeal to high-income renters near the North Shore employment corridor. Separate houses dominate at 54.5%, with apartments at 35.6%. The 4-plus bedroom category is the largest at 32.1%, followed by 3-bedroom at 28.9% and 2-bedroom at 25.5%. The price fell from $2,590,500 in 2024 to $1,910,000 in 2025, a 26.3% correction. Mortgage-to-income at 29.3% remains manageable for current buyers, and rent-to-income at 19.2% is well below the 30% stress threshold, indicating renters are comfortable relative to their earnings.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$3,769
Rent / wk
$570
HH Size
2.7
Personal Income / wk
$1,293
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
4.6%
Unoccupied
55
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.2%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
29.3%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
22.9%
Couples, no children
2,683
Total families
Economy & Employment
Professional and technical services lead employment at 20.9% (285 workers), followed by Finance at 14.7% (200) and Healthcare at 13.6% (185). Education contributes 8.2% (112) and Construction 5.6% (76). By occupation, Professionals dominate at 671 workers and Managers follow at 365, a combination that explains the household income sitting in the 97th percentile nationally. The full-time employment rate is 70.3% and the unemployment rate is 3.2%, in line with the broader lower-North Shore labour market. Real income growth of 16.5% over the decade has kept pace with cost-of-living pressures. The SEIFA IEO decile of 10 confirms that education and occupation advantage is at its maximum nationally, while the IER decile of 8 is slightly lower, reflecting the 44.7% renter base which dampens aggregate household wealth measures.
Unemployment
4.7%
Labour Force
9,990
Unemployed
467
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
70.3%
Part-time
26.5%
Participation
63.4%
Employed
1,523
Occupations
Top Industries
University
62.1%
Postgraduate
19.3%
Born Overseas
40.0%
Dwellings
1,131
Transport to Work
Car dependency is high: 80.4% of residents drive to work, compared to a lower national share who rely on cars, while only 7.6% use public transport and 5.1% walk or cycle. The suburb scores decile 10 on IRSAD, the top advantage tier nationally, indicating minimal deprivation. Rent-to-income at 19.2% keeps tenants well below financial stress. No schools are recorded within the Lane Cove West boundary in the dataset, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring suburbs such as Lane Cove and Longueville. The 4.6% vacancy rate is slightly elevated, which may reflect turnover among the 40% overseas-born population. Volunteering at 16.8% is above average, and the 77.3% residential stability rate (residents who stayed in the same address) points to a settled community with low churn.
Drive
80.4%
Public Transport
7.6%
Walk / Cycle
5.1%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+1.5%/yr
(+250 people/yr)
EstablishedPopulation grew 31.1% over the past decade, from roughly 2,400 to 3,146, a rate well above most established Sydney suburbs. Annual growth is now trending at 1.5%, or about 250 persons per year. The medium forecast projects the broader area reaching 18,339 by 2031 from a 2025 base of 16,705. Overseas migration contributes a net 280 residents annually while internal migration produces a net outflow of 218, so growth is entirely dependent on overseas arrivals. Affordability improved from 44.2% in 2011 to 40.4% in 2021, suggesting income growth has outpaced price growth over the longer cycle. The gentrification score of 20 signals early-stage change, with population growth and overseas inflows as the primary indicators, though the suburb already sits at decile 10 advantage.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+280
Net Internal / yr
-218
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +31% since 2011, Net internal outflow -218/yr, Strong overseas inflow +280/yr
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Lane Cove West compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Lane Cove West a good suburb to live in?
Lane Cove West ranks decile 10 on IRSAD, IEO and IRSD, the top advantage tier nationally. Household income sits in the 97th percentile and university qualifications reach 62.1%, which is 32 points above the national figure. The main trade-offs are a $2,193,000 median house price, high car dependency at 80.4%, and no schools recorded within the suburb boundary.
What is the median house price in Lane Cove West?
The median house price is $2,193,000. Prices fell 26.3% from $2,590,500 in 2024 to $1,910,000 in 2025. Weekly rent averages $570 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $3,769, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 29.3%.
What schools are in Lane Cove West?
No schools are recorded inside the Lane Cove West boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs such as Lane Cove and Longueville. Locally, university qualifications reach 62.1% of residents, which is 32 points above the national average, reflecting strong educational attainment among the adult population.
Is Lane Cove West safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Lane Cove West in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb scores decile 10 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage, the highest tier nationally, and only 3.3% of its 3,146 residents need daily assistance, both consistent with a low-disadvantage, low-crime profile.
Is Lane Cove West good for property investment?
Rent of $570 a week against a $2,193,000 median gives a gross yield near 1.6%, low by national standards. The 44.7% renter share provides a large tenant pool and population growth of 31.1% over 10 years supports long-term demand. However, the 4.6% vacancy rate signals some oversupply and the 26.3% price fall from 2024 to 2025 adds near-term uncertainty.
How is Lane Cove West's population changing?
The population grew 31.1% over the past decade to reach 3,146. Annual growth is now 1.5%, adding about 250 persons per year. Net overseas migration of 280 per year is the only positive driver, offset by a net internal outflow of 218. The medium forecast projects the broader area growing to 18,339 by 2031.
What languages are spoken in Lane Cove West?
About 40% of residents were born overseas, which is 18.4 points above the national figure. Beyond English, the most common languages at home are Persian (52 speakers), Mandarin (45) and Cantonese (43), reflecting a significant Asian and Middle Eastern migrant community alongside the Anglo-Celtic majority.
How much development is happening in Lane Cove West?
There were 50 development applications lodged in the past 12 months, with recent activity including demolition and rebuild of dwelling houses and alterations to existing buildings. This level of activity is consistent with an established suburb where owners are upgrading or replacing existing stock rather than adding new supply.
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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