Council (LGA) · Area profile
Lane Cove
10 km²
High levels of education and income set Lane Cove apart as one of the most advantaged areas in the region. The community is characterized by a highly qualified workforce and a growing population that has increased by 25% since 2011. It is a professional hub where over half of the adults hold a university degree. This combination of wealth and skill creates a prosperous, cosmopolitan environment with a strong international presence.
Lane Cove's schools draw a community as advantaged as its high household incomes suggest.
A fast-growing area where schools haven't kept pace per child.
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The population is a little younger than the national figure, with a typical resident aged 37. It is a growing area of nearly 40,000 people, though the proportion of seniors is much lower than in most similar areas.
International roots are very common here, as 38.7% of residents were born overseas, which is far above the national figure. English, Australian, and Chinese are the most common ancestries.
Reflecting its overseas birth rate, 28.3% of people use a language other than English at home, a figure that has risen significantly since 2011. Mandarin and Cantonese are the most frequent non-English languages.
About 40.9% of residents report having no religion, which is well above the New South Wales average. This figure has climbed by 16 points over the last decade.
Educational attainment is exceptionally high, with 56.7% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher—far above the national figure of 26.3%. Most residents have completed Year 12, and many hold postgraduate qualifications.
Incomes are far above the national average, with 45.4% of households earning $3,000 or more a week. The typical family earns $3,619 weekly, which is much higher than the typical New South Wales family.
Residents generally enjoy good health, with far fewer people needing help with daily activities or living with long-term health conditions compared to most other areas.
Caregiving is common here, as 28.2% of people provide unpaid childcare, which is higher than the national average. Around 17.9% of the population also spends time volunteering.
The First Nations community is small, making up 0.4% of the population. However, this group has a very high Year 12 completion rate of 69.5%, which is far above the state average.
Most households are couples with children (62.2%) or couples without children (27.9%). One-parent families are much less common here than in most other areas.
The area is dominated by flats and apartments, which make up 56.7% of homes. Renting is much more common than in most areas, and typical weekly rents are well above the state average at $540.
Working from home is very common, with 55.7% of the workforce doing so—far above the national figure. The area is well served by public transport, and nearly 10% of homes do not own a car.
The population is quite mobile, as 47.8% of residents have moved house in the last five years, a rate well above the national average.
Job prospects are strong, with 70.2% of adults working or looking for work. The workforce is heavily concentrated in professional, technical, and managerial roles.
Lane Cove is ranked among the most advantaged areas in the country for both overall resources and job skills, receiving a maximum score of 10 in these categories.
The area receives far more rainfall than the New South Wales average, with an annual average of 1,255mm.
Crime rates are very low across the board, with recorded offences and theft rates among the lowest for areas at this level.
The area is very walkable, with 100% of homes within a 10-minute walk of public transport and a 15-minute walk of a park. Most residents can easily reach groceries and health services on foot.