Lane Cove, NSW: suburb profile

The population of Lane Cove NSW is 12,363 according to the 2021 Census. The median personal income in Lane Cove is $1,377 per week ($71,604 per year). Median rent in Lane Cove is $533 per week ($2,310 per month). Lane Cove has a median age of 38 years, equal to the national median. Lane Cove has a population density of 4,792 people per km².

The most common overseas birthplace in Lane Cove is China. The most common religion is No religion (40.7% of residents). After English, the most spoken language is Mandarin. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Lane Cove is $2,905.

There were 77 recorded offences in Lane Cove in 2025-26, a rate of 6 offences per 1,000 people. The most common offence category was theft (35 offences).

Population
12,363
Census 2021
Median income
$1,377/wk
Personal, Census 2021
Median rent
$533/wk
Weekly, Census 2021
Median age
38years
Census 2021

Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing 2021; offences from NSW BOCSAR (bocsar.nsw.gov.au), 2025-26.

Lane Cove vs the typical NSW suburb

The median personal income in Lane Cove is $1,377 a week, 80% above the typical NSW suburb ($765). That ranks 73rd of 2,150 NSW suburbs with 200 or more residents. Median rent is $533 a week, $148 more than the typical NSW suburb. Rent takes 21.0% of the median household income here, against 22.6% in the typical NSW suburb. The median resident is 38, 5 years younger than in the typical NSW suburb (43).

The typical suburb is the median across suburbs with 200 or more residents. ABS Census 2021, calculated by GDP.com.au.
MeasureLane CoveTypical NSWDifferenceTypical Australia
Personal income$1,377/wk$765/wk +80%$766/wk
Household income$2,539/wk$1,704/wk +49%$1,637/wk
Rent$533/wk$385/wk +38%$330/wk
Mortgage repayment$2,905/mo$1,965/mo +48%$1,733/mo
Median age3843 −5 yrs42
Rent share of household income21.0%22.6% −1.6 pts20.3%
Income, rent and mortgage against the typical suburb Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS, calculated by GDP.com.au
Bar chart of median income, rent and mortgage repayment in Lane Cove, the typical NSW suburb and the typical Australian suburb.

Lane Cove Population

12,363 residents at the 2021 Census.

Lane Cove Median Income & Rent

Median Income
$1,377/wk
$71,604 per year
Ranked 195 of 14,663
Median Rent
$533/wk
$2,310 per month
Ranked 460 of 14,663
Median Age
38years
Same as the national median
Mortgage
$2,905/mo
Avg household size: 2.4 · 1 per bedroom

Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing.

Lane Cove Rent Prices & Affordability

21% of median household income goes on median rent

Marks at 25% and 35%. Band: affordable.

Household income $2,539/wk
Median rent $533/wk
Rent to income 21.0%

Rent is under 25% of household income, generally considered affordable.

Median rent in Lane Cove against your income

About $11,002 a month
Median rent $533/wk
Left after rent $2,006/wk
Rent share 21.0%

Lane Cove Schools

27
schools nearby
15
government
1145
avg ICSEA score
16,726
total students
Lane Cove Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 688 students
1178
ICSEA
St Michael's Catholic Primary School Catholic
Primary · K-6 · 502 students
1176
ICSEA
Greenwich Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 367 students
1175
ICSEA
International Chinese School Independent
Primary · K-6 · 116 students
1172
ICSEA
Artarmon Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 1,063 students
1167
ICSEA
Villa Maria Catholic Primary School Catholic
Primary · K-6 · 360 students
1166
ICSEA
Lane Cove West Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 474 students
1163
ICSEA
Saint Ignatius' College Independent
Secondary · 5-12 · 1,613 students
1159
ICSEA
Lindfield Learning Village Government
Combined · K-12 · 803 students
1152
ICSEA
Hunters Hill Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 228 students
1149
ICSEA
Boronia Park Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 409 students
1145
ICSEA
Our Lady of Dolours Catholic Primary School Catholic
Primary · K-6 · 355 students
1144
ICSEA
St Pius X College Independent
Combined · 5-12 · 1,183 students
1144
ICSEA
Chatswood Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 1,083 students
1143
ICSEA
Mowbray Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 714 students
1143
ICSEA

Showing 15 of 27 schools.

Source: Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA), 2025. ICSEA is the Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage (national average 1000).

All schools near Lane Cove, with a map

Lane Cove Map

Lane Cove, New South Wales Map data: OpenStreetMap
Loading map…

Lane Cove, New South Wales: 33.8180°S, 151.1650°E

Lane Cove Circle size: offences per 1,000 residents Schools (27)

People in Lane Cove

Demographics

Gender Split

Male 47.7% (5,903) Female 52.3% (6,463)

Population Density

4,792
people per km²
12,363 people · 2.6 km²

Households

2.4
Avg household size
1
Persons per bedroom
$3,375
Family income/wk

Age Distribution

0-4
5-9
10-14
15-19
20-24
25-29
30-34
35-39
40-44
45-49
50-54
55-59
60-64
65-69
70-74
75-79
80-84
85+
Male Female

Source: ABS Census 2021, Suburb and Locality (SAL)

Most common overseas birthplaces

China
5.6%
England
4.9%
India
2.7%
New Zealand
1.9%
South Africa
1.6%
Hong Kong
1.6%
Malaysia
1.4%

Shares are of all residents. Source: ABS Census 2021, G09 Country of Birth by SAL

Most common languages at home other than English

Mandarin
6.3%
Cantonese
3.2%
Spanish
1.4%
Korean
1.4%
Persian (excluding Dari)
1.4%
Hindi
1.3%
Japanese
1.0%

Shares are of all residents. Source: ABS Census 2021, G13 Language Used at Home by SAL

Ancestry

English
29.1%
Australian
24.4%
Chinese
14.0%
Irish
11.6%
Scottish
8.3%
Italian
4.4%
Indian
3.9%
German
3.0%
Filipino
2.0%
Korean
1.8%
Dutch
1.5%

Shares are of the suburb population. People can report up to two ancestries, so shares add to more than 100%. Source: ABS Census 2021, G08 Ancestry by SAL

Religion

No religion
40.7%
Catholic
24.6%
Anglican
10.5%
Not stated
5.0%
Hinduism
3.2%
Buddhism
2.8%
Eastern Orthodox
1.8%
Christian (other)
1.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G14 Religion by SAL

Indigenous Population

0.4%
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander

Source: ABS Census 2021, G07 Indigenous Status by SAL

Marital Status

Married
51.0% 5,077
Separated
2.7% 265
Divorced
8.7% 870
Widowed
4.0% 397
Never married
33.6% 3,351

Source: ABS Census 2021, G05 Marital Status by SAL

Family Structure

Couple: children under 15
49.7%
Couple: no children
28.0%
Couple: no children under 15
12.4%
One parent: children under 15
5.6%
One parent: no children under 15
4.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G29 Family Composition by SAL

Household Size

1 person
28.8%
2 persons
33.4%
3 persons
16.8%
4 persons
14.9%
5 persons
4.9%
6+ persons
1.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G35 Household Size by SAL

Homes in Lane Cove

Housing Tenure

Of the 4,956 occupied private dwellings in Lane Cove at the 2021 Census, 37.3% were rented, 26.9% owned outright and 32.9% owned with a mortgage.

Other tenure type
2.0% 97 dwellings
Owned outright
26.9% 1,333 dwellings
Owned with mortgage
32.9% 1,631 dwellings
Rented
37.3% 1,847 dwellings
Tenure type not stated
0.9% 44 dwellings

Source: ABS Census 2021, Suburb and Locality (SAL)

Dwelling Types

Separate house
80.9%
Semi-detached (2+ storey)
13.1%
Semi-detached (1 storey)
6.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G36 Dwelling Structure by SAL

Number of Bedrooms

1 bedroom
13.4%
2 bedrooms
42.0%
3 bedrooms
25.5%
4 bedrooms
12.4%
5 bedrooms
5.8%
6+ bedrooms
0.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G41 Number of Bedrooms by SAL

Monthly Mortgage Repayments

$0-$299/mo
7.7%
$300-$449/mo
1.8%
$450-$599/mo
0.6%
$600-$799/mo
1.3%
$800-$999/mo
1.0%
$1,000-$1,399/mo
6.9%
$1,400-$1,799/mo
9.9%
$1,800-$2,399/mo
23.5%
$2,400-$2,999/mo
20.6%
$3,000-$3,999/mo
26.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G38 Mortgage Repayment by SAL

Car Ownership

0 vehicles
9.6%
1 vehicle
53.3%
2 vehicles
29.8%
3 vehicles
5.1%
4+ vehicles
2.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G34 Motor Vehicles per Dwelling by SAL

Work, income and education in Lane Cove

Employment

Employed full-time
49.9% 4,524 people
Employed part-time
18.3% 1,656 people
Unemployed
2.9% 267 people
Not in labour force
28.9% 2,618 people

Source: ABS Census 2021, G46 Labour Force Status by SAL

Occupation

Professionals
48.0%
Managers
22.4%
Clerical & Administrative
11.4%
Technicians & Trade Workers
5.6%
Community & Personal Service
5.3%
Sales Workers
4.9%
Labourers
1.6%
Machinery Operators & Drivers
0.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G51 Industry of Employment by Occupation

Weekly Household Income

Nil/Negative/wk
1.5%
$1-$149/wk
0.6%
$150-$299/wk
0.9%
$300-$399/wk
0.9%
$400-$499/wk
3.4%
$500-$649/wk
2.9%
$650-$799/wk
3.0%
$800-$999/wk
3.4%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
4.6%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
5.1%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
4.9%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
5.1%
$2,000-$2,499/wk
13.0%
$2,500-$2,999/wk
6.1%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
8.0%
$3,500-$3,999/wk
4.9%
$4,000+/wk
31.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G33 Household Income by SAL

Personal Weekly Income Distribution

$0 or less/wk
9.1%
$1-$149/wk
3.0%
$150-$299/wk
3.4%
$300-$399/wk
1.5%
$400-$499/wk
2.0%
$500-$649/wk
1.9%
$650-$799/wk
5.1%
$800-$999/wk
6.6%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
8.9%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
7.8%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
7.8%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
6.9%
$2,000-$2,999/wk
17.2%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
5.5%
$3,500+/wk
13.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G17 Personal Income by SAL

How People Get to Work

Car (driver)
53.0%
Did not go to work
24.9%
Walked only
7.6%
Bus
7.0%
Car (passenger)
4.0%
Motorbike/Scooter
0.9%
Bicycle
0.8%
Other
0.7%
Taxi/Rideshare
0.4%
Truck
0.4%
Train
0.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G62 Method of Travel to Work by SAL

Education Level

Year 12 or equivalent
88.8%
Year 10 or equivalent
7.2%
Year 11 or equivalent
2.9%
Year 9 or equivalent
1.1%

Shares are of people whose highest year of school is Year 9 to 12 only. Source: ABS Census 2021, G16 Highest Year of School by SAL

Qualifications

Bachelor Degree
47.9%
Postgraduate Degree
23.5%
Advanced Diploma/Diploma
13.2%
Certificate III/IV
9.1%
Graduate Diploma/Certificate
5.3%
Certificate I/II
1.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G49 Non-School Qualification by SAL

Field of Study

Management & Commerce
33.3%
Society & Culture
14.8%
Health
10.3%
Engineering
9.6%
Information Technology
7.9%
Creative Arts
6.1%
Education
6.0%
Natural & Physical Sciences
4.6%
Architecture & Building
3.6%
Food, Hospitality & Personal Services
2.8%
Agriculture & Environment
1.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G51 Field of Study by SAL

School & University Attendance

Primary: Government
31.1%
Pre-school
14.1%
Secondary: Catholic
11.6%
Secondary: Government
10.8%
Vocational Education
10.7%
Primary: Catholic
9.2%
Secondary: Other Non-Govt
8.3%
Primary: Other Non-Govt
4.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G15 Type of Educational Institution by SAL

More from the 2021 Census

Need for Assistance

Does not have need for assistance
93.4%
Has need for assistance
3.2%
Need for assistance not stated
3.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G18 Core Activity Need for Assistance by SAL

Long-term Health Conditions

Mental health
802
Asthma
400
Arthritis
238
Heart disease
201
Diabetes
185
Lung condition
118
Cancer
118
Kidney disease
57
Stroke
55
Dementia
19

Source: ABS Census 2021, G19 Long-term Health Conditions by SAL

Unpaid Carers

Provided unpaid assistance
10.8% 1,036
Did not provide
89.2% 8,553

Source: ABS Census 2021, G25 Unpaid Assistance by SAL

Volunteering

Volunteer
17.7% 1,698
Not a volunteer
82.3% 7,893

Source: ABS Census 2021, G23 Voluntary Work by SAL

Military Service

Current ADF: Regular
0.3% 26
Current ADF: Reserves
0.1% 13
Previously served
1.4% 138
Never served
98.2% 9,437

Source: ABS Census 2021, G22 ADF Service by SAL

Children Ever Born

No children
42.4%
1 child
19.1%
2 children
25.9%
3 children
10.1%
4 children
1.9%
5+ children
0.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G28 Children Ever Born by SAL

When Migrants Arrived

Before 1951
42
1951: 1960
92
1961: 1970
237
1971: 1980
327
1981: 1990
601
1991: 2000
641
2001: 2010
1,117
2011: 2015
805
2016
226
2017
178
2018
194
2019
166
2020
83
2021
59

Source: ABS Census 2021, G10 Year of Arrival by SAL

Population Mobility

18.7%
moved in the last year
52.0%
moved in the last 5 years
3.8%
unemployment rate (Census)
70.3%
labour force participation

Source: ABS Census 2021, G43 Summary by SAL

Where Residents Moved From

Same address
9,593
Moved from NSW
1,455
Moved: same area (SA2)
492
Moved from overseas
159
Moved from VIC
44
Moved from ACT
12
Moved from QLD
9
Moved from TAS
6
Moved from SA
5
Moved from NT
3
Moved from WA
3

Source: ABS Census 2021, G44 Address 1 Year Ago by SAL

Unpaid Domestic Work

Less than 5 hours
22.3%
5: 14 hours
35.3%
15: 29 hours
14.4%
30+ hours
8.1%
Did not do domestic work
19.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G24 Unpaid Domestic Work by SAL

Family Blending

Intact family: no other children
93.0%
Step family: no other children
5.4%
Blended family: no other children
1.3%
Intact family: other children present
0.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G31 Family Blending by SAL

Lane Cove Crime Statistics

77 reported offences in 2025-26, by category.

Theft
35
Other Against Person
10
Other Against Property
10
Assault
7
Property Damage
6
Sexual Offences
4
Weapons
3
Drug Offences
2

Total offences by year

2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025

Source: NSW BOCSAR (bocsar.nsw.gov.au).

Cheaper alternatives with similar incomes

Rushcutters Bay
Income: $1,480/wk Rent: $450/wk $83/wk less rent
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Income: $1,157/wk Rent: $470/wk $63/wk less rent
Jerrabomberra
Income: $1,485/wk Rent: $490/wk $43/wk less rent
Bungendore
Income: $1,298/wk Rent: $510/wk $23/wk less rent
Voyager Point
Income: $1,152/wk Rent: $325/wk $208/wk less rent
Merewether
Income: $1,102/wk Rent: $420/wk $113/wk less rent
Gladesville
Income: $1,200/wk Rent: $450/wk $83/wk less rent
Sutherland (NSW)
Income: $1,109/wk Rent: $450/wk $83/wk less rent

Suburbs near Lane Cove

The closest suburb to Lane Cove is Riverview (NSW), 0.8 km away.

Riverview (NSW)
0.8 km away · income $1,417/wk · rent $1,000/wk
Lane Cove West
1.2 km away · income $1,293/wk · rent $570/wk
Longueville
1.2 km away · income $1,453/wk · rent $1,100/wk
Lane Cove North
1.4 km away · income $1,374/wk · rent $480/wk
Artarmon
2.0 km away · income $1,202/wk · rent $525/wk
Hunters Hill
2.0 km away · income $1,239/wk · rent $530/wk

Compare Lane Cove

Frequently Asked Questions About Lane Cove

What is the population of Lane Cove NSW?

The population of Lane Cove NSW is 12,363 according to the ABS Census 2021. The suburb has a population density of 4,792 people per km². Lane Cove is ranked #423 out of 14,663 suburbs by population.

What is the median income in Lane Cove?

The median personal income in Lane Cove NSW is $1,377 per week, or $71,604 per year. The median household income is $2,539 per week. Family income is $3,375 per week. Lane Cove is ranked #195 by income out of 14,663 Australian suburbs.

How much is rent in Lane Cove?

Median rent in Lane Cove NSW is $533 per week ($2,310 per month). Rent represents 21.0% of household income, which is considered affordable. Lane Cove ranks #460 out of 14,663 suburbs by rent.

What are mortgage repayments in Lane Cove?

The median monthly mortgage repayment in Lane Cove NSW is $2,905. This data comes from the ABS Census 2021 and reflects mortgage repayments for owner-occupied dwellings.

What is the median age in Lane Cove?

The median age in Lane Cove NSW is 38 years. This is equal to the national median age of 38 years.

Is Lane Cove a good suburb to live in?

Lane Cove is a suburb in New South Wales with a population of 12,363. The median income is $1,377/wk, which is above the typical NSW suburb ($765/wk). Rent affordability is rated as affordable (21.0% of household income). See the full suburb profile above for detailed statistics.

Explore More

Australian Average Salary Australian House Prices Sydney Cost of Living

Data: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2021. SA2 area: 12275. All dollar figures in AUD.