NSW · North Sydney Council

Crows Nest (NSW), NSW, 2065

Desirability index

92.1/100

#52 among Metro Sydney suburbs

How this score is calculated

Suburb snapshot

Crows Nest (NSW) is a smaller suburban community in the North Sydney area, home to around 4,974 residents (2021 Census). Recent indicators show 1,341 offences in Jan 2025 to Dec 2025 with relatively stable year-on-year trends (+4%), roughly 269.6 offences per 1,000 residents, median weekly rent around $900 (flats $890, houses $1,200), 3 school and preschool sites in the area, strong public transport coverage with many public transport stops, a higher concentration of local shops, services, and recreation amenities, 2 active roadworks or transport incidents on nearby routes, and notable planning and development activity on record. Snapshot data also shows parks or public open space within the suburb and hospitals or GP clinics within the suburb.

Population

Population
4,974
Median age
36
Median household income / week
$2,614
Dwelling vacancy
11%
Unoccupied private dwellings
294 of 2,663
Median monthly mortgage
$3,033
Employment rate
74.8%
Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
93 / 622 / 1,441

Data sources & freshness

  • 2021 Census — General Community ProfileAustralian Bureau of Statistics · Period: 2021 · Updated on site · 2021 Census release

    The 2026 Census runs in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.

Housing

Flats / units (January to March 2026)
$890
Houses (January to March 2026)
$1,200
All types (January to March 2026)
$900
Rental bonds lodged (January to March 2026)
631

Median weekly rent from NSW DCJ rent tables. Figures can be unreliable where few bonds were lodged in the quarter.

Data sources & freshness

Crime & safety

Total offences (Jan 2025 to Dec 2025)
1,341
Against the person
279
Against property
569
Rate per 1,000 residents
269.6
Person-crime prevalence
About 1 in 18 residents
State safety percentile
18.4th (lower crime is better)
Year-on-year change
+3.6%

Most common offence types

  • Fraud88
  • Intimidation, Stalking And Harassment97
  • Malicious Damage To Property94
  • Steal From Retail Store98
  • Transport Regulatory Offences233

Data sources & freshness

  • BOCSAR postcode crime statisticsNSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research · Period: Jan 2024 to Dec 2024 → Jan 2025 to Dec 2025; Jan 2025 to Dec 2025 · Updated on site · Rolling 12-month windows

Schools & preschools

Schools & preschools
3
Median school ICSEA (3 schools)
1,195
  • Cammeraygal High SchoolSecondary
  • North Sydney Boys High SchoolSecondary
  • North Sydney Girls High SchoolSecondary

Data sources & freshness

Public transport

61 public transport stops in this suburb

  • Concourse N
  • Concourse S
  • Crows Nest Station
  • Crows Nest Station, Pacific Hwy
  • North Sydney Girls High School, Pacific Hwy

Data sources & freshness

Roadworks & transport

2 active roadworks / incidents

  • RoadworksWarringah Freeway Southbound31 Dec 2023 – 31 Dec 2026
  • RoadworksPacific Highway, Rocklands Road01 Jul 2026 – 06 Jul 2026

Data sources & freshness

  • Road incidents & closuresState road authority open-data feeds · Period: current · Updated on site · Hourly refresh where supported

Planning & development

Development applications from NSW Planning Portal (lodged 2020–2026).

337 planning-related records

2026· 27 proposals
  • June 2026

  • Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation
    50 HOLTERMANN STREET CROWS NEST 2065Under Assessment
  • Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation
    86 HOLTERMANN STREET CROWS NEST 2065Under Assessment
  • Shop top housing
    71 WILLOUGHBY ROAD CROWS NEST 2065Under Assessment
  • Signage; Advertising and signage
    405 PACIFIC HIGHWAY CROWS NEST 2065Under Assessment
  • Secondary dwelling; Demolition; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure
    112 ERNEST STREET CROWS NEST 2065Under Assessment
  • Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure
    69 HAYBERRY STREET CROWS NEST 2065Under Assessment
  • Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation
    52 HOLTERMANN STREET CROWS NEST 2065Under Assessment
  • May 2026

  • Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure
    3 MATTHEW LANE CROWS NEST 2065Additional Information Requested
  • Demolition; Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure
    106 ERNEST STREET CROWS NEST 2065Under Assessment
  • Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure
    146 ATCHISON STREET CROWS NEST 2065Under Assessment
  • Restaurant or cafe; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Food and drink premise
    6-8 FALCON STREET CROWS NEST 2065Determined
  • April 2026

  • Attached dwelling; Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation
    55 HAYBERRY STREET CROWS NEST 2065Under Assessment
  • Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure
    97 ERNEST STREET CROWS NEST 2065Determined
  • March 2026

  • Commercial development; Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia
    L SE 301 12-14 FALCON STREET CROWS NEST 2065Additional Information Requested
  • Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure
    54 ERNEST STREET CROWS NEST 2065Determined
  • Demolition; Business premises; Office Premise; Erection of a new structure; Retail Premise
    51-59 ALEXANDER STREET CROWS NEST 2065Determined
  • Advertising and signage; Food and drink premise; Hours of operation and trading
    68 WILLOUGHBY ROAD CROWS NEST 2065Determined
  • Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Garage, carport or carparking space; Residential Accommodation; Supporting Development
    126 ERNEST STREET CROWS NEST 2065Withdrawn
  • Attached dwelling; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure
    4 39 WILLOUGHBY ROAD CROWS NEST 2065Withdrawn
  • Demolition; Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Erection of a new structure
    136 BURLINGTON STREET CROWS NEST 2065Under Assessment
  • Shop top housing; Erection of a new structure
    129 WILLOUGHBY ROAD CROWS NEST 2065Determined
  • Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure
    96 HAYBERRY STREET CROWS NEST 2065Determined
  • February 2026

  • Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure
    109 BURLINGTON STREET CROWS NEST 2065Determined
  • Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure
    20 HAYBERRY STREET CROWS NEST 2065Determined
  • January 2026

  • Demolition; Residential flat building; Erection of a new structure
    6 SOPHIA STREET CROWS NEST 2065Withdrawn
  • Dual occupancy; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Dual occupancy (attached)
    83 FALCON STREET CROWS NEST 2065Determined
  • Attached dwelling; Demolition; Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation
    100 BURLINGTON STREET CROWS NEST 2065Determined
2025· 61 proposals
  • December 2025

  • Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Recreation facility (indoor)
    104 ALEXANDER STREET CROWS NEST 2065Determined
  • November 2025

  • Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Semi-detached dwelling
    113 ERNEST STREET CROWS NEST 2065Determined
  • Demolition; Residential flat building; Erection of a new structure
    111 CHANDOS STREET CROWS NEST 2065Determined
  • Residential flat building; Shop top housing; Subdivision; Erection of a new structure
    27 FALCON STREET CROWS NEST 2065Determined
  • Restaurant or cafe; Advertising and signage; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure
    88 WILLOUGHBY ROAD CROWS NEST 2065Determined
  • Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure
    79 HAYBERRY STREET CROWS NEST 2065Determined
  • Office Premise; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Fences
    103 ALEXANDER STREET CROWS NEST 2065Determined
  • Demolition; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Health consulting room; Medical centre; Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia; Health services facility; Hospital; Health Infrastructure
    22-26 CLARKE STREET CROWS NEST 2065Determined
  • Erection of a new structure; Garage, carport or carparking space
    82 Falcon Street Crows Nest 2065Determined
  • Demolition; Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure
    100 ERNEST STREET CROWS NEST 2065Determined
  • Shop top housing
    71 WILLOUGHBY ROAD CROWS NEST 2065Withdrawn
  • October 2025

  • Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure
    75 HOLTERMANN STREET CROWS NEST 2065Determined
  • Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure
    78 ERNEST STREET CROWS NEST 2065Determined
2024· 40 proposals

40 proposals lodged in 2024. Individual listings are kept for the most recent proposals.

2023· 34 proposals

34 proposals lodged in 2023. Individual listings are kept for the most recent proposals.

2022· 71 proposals

71 proposals lodged in 2022. Individual listings are kept for the most recent proposals.

2021· 80 proposals

80 proposals lodged in 2021. Individual listings are kept for the most recent proposals.

2020· 24 proposals

24 proposals lodged in 2020. Individual listings are kept for the most recent proposals.

Data sources & freshness

Amenities

188 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km

  • Chambers CellarsAlcohol

    Unit 2 162 Willoughby Road, Crows Nest

  • Jim's CellarsAlcohol
  • Bag

    Albany Street

  • Bakers DelightBakery

    11 Willoughby Road

  • CresentBakery
  • La BaguetteBakery

    18 Willoughby Road, Crows Nest

  • Commonwealth BankBank
  • NABBank
  • St. George / WestpacBank
  • Tachinomi YPBar

    Unit 1 20 Burlington Street

Names and addresses from OpenStreetMap. Unnamed venues show as their type (e.g. Cafe).

Data sources & freshness

  • OpenStreetMap amenitiesOpenStreetMap contributors · Period: current · Updated on site · Weekly refresh

Parks & reserves

5 parks and public open space in this suburb

  • Cahill PlaygroundPark
  • Ernest PlacePark
  • Hume Street Park ExpansionPark
  • St Thomas Rest ParkPark

Data sources & freshness

Health access

Hospitals & GP clinics
4
Emergency department
Not in suburb
  • Blooms The Chemistpharmacy
  • Crows Nest Child and Family Health CentreErnest Placenurse
  • Doctordoctor
  • TerryWhite ChemmartWilloughby Roadpharmacy

Data sources & freshness

Socio-economic (SEIFA)

IRSAD decile (2021)
10/10
IRSD decile (2021)
10/10

SEIFA indexes from ABS 2021. Decile 10 = most advantaged / least disadvantaged in Australia.

Data sources & freshness

Heritage

1 state heritage place

  • Electricity Power House23 Albany Street Crows NestSHR

Data sources & freshness

  • State heritage registerState heritage authority · Period: current · Updated on site

Childcare

3 childcare services from OpenStreetMap

  • Crows Nest Kindergartenkindergarten
  • Kelly’s Place Childcare Centrekindergarten
  • kindergartenkindergarten

Data sources & freshness

  • Childcare servicesOpenStreetMap · Period: current · Updated on site

Hazards

Bushfire planning zone
No overlay at centroid

Bushfire overlay checked at suburb centroid via NSW bush fire prone land mapping.

Data sources & freshness

  • Hazard planning overlaysState government hazard layers · Period: current · Updated on site

Green cover

Parks & woodland (OSM)
8
Parks (OSM)
7

OpenStreetMap parks and natural woodland features mapped within the suburb boundary.

Data sources & freshness

  • OpenStreetMap green cover featuresOpenStreetMap contributors · Period: current · Updated on site · Weekly refresh

Desirability index

Desirability score
92.1/100
Cohort rank
#52 among Metro Sydney suburbs

Data sources & freshness

  • Suburb Guide desirability indexSuburb Guide (derived score) · Period: current · Updated on site · Derived from source metrics

Recent changes

  • Concourse Ntransport
  • Concourse Stransport
  • Crows Nest Stationtransport
  • Crows Nest Station, Pacific Hwytransport
  • North Sydney Girls High School, Pacific Hwytransport
  • Crows Nest Kindergartenchildcarekindergarten
  • Kelly’s Place Childcare Centrechildcarekindergarten
  • kindergartenchildcarekindergarten
  • Electricity Power Househeritage23 Albany Street Crows NestSHR
  • Blooms The Chemisthealthpharmacy

Data sources & freshness

Similar suburbs

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