Suburb snapshot
Russell Lea is a smaller suburban community in the Canada Bay area, home to around 4,920 residents (2021 Census). Available data shows 173 offences in Jan 2025 to Dec 2025 with rising year-on-year trends (+10%), roughly 35.2 offences per 1,000 residents, median weekly rent around $850 (flats $800, houses $1,100), 1 school and preschool site in the area, strong public transport coverage with many public transport stops, a reasonable spread of amenities, and notable planning and development activity on record. See the sections below for population, safety, schools and local activity.
Population
- Population
- 4,920
- Median age
- 43
- Median household income / week
- $2,658
- Dwelling vacancy
- 7%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 133 of 1,911
- Median monthly mortgage
- $3,290
- Employment rate
- 62.5%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 74 / 138 / 417
Contributes to desirability score · Community (5%)
Employment, household income and age diversity (2021 Census)
Data sources & freshness
- 2021 Census — General Community Profile — Australian 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)
- $800
- Houses (January to March 2026)
- $1,100
- All types (January to March 2026)
- $850
- Rental bonds lodged (January to March 2026)
- 242
Median weekly rent from NSW DCJ rent tables. Figures can be unreliable where few bonds were lodged in the quarter.
Contributes to desirability score · Housing (15%) · Future Growth (7%)
Median price, rental yield and vacancy Recent price momentum
Data sources & freshness
- DCJ rent tables — NSW Department of Communities and Justice · Period: January to March 2026 · Updated on site · Quarterly releases
Crime & safety
- Total offences (Jan 2025 to Dec 2025)
- 173
- Against the person
- 43
- Against property
- 90
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 35.2
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 114 residents
- State safety percentile
- 11.3th (lower crime is better)
- Increase (daily rate)
- +10.5%
Reported offences increased compared with the previous period.
Reported offences by period
Most common offence types
- Break And Enter Dwelling84
- Fraud107
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassment78
- Malicious Damage To Property80
- Steal From Motor Vehicle79
Contributes to desirability score · Safety (18%)
Crime rate and year-on-year trend
Data sources & freshness
- BOCSAR postcode crime statistics — NSW 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
- 1
- Median school ICSEA
- 1,140
- Russell Lea Public SchoolPrimary
Contributes to desirability score · Education (15%)
School and preschool counts, median school ICSEA
Data sources & freshness
- ACARA school locations — Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority · Period: 2025 · Updated on site · Annual ACARA release
- School ICSEA scores — Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority · Period: 2025 · Updated on site · Annual ACARA release
Public transport
31 public transport stops in this suburb
- Hampden Rd At Mons St
- Hampden Rd At Sibbick St
- Hampden Rd At Sibbick St
- Hampden Rd At The Parade
- Lyons Rd Opp Mons St
Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)
Public transport stop coverage
Data sources & freshness
- Timetables Complete GTFS stops (© Transport for NSW, CC BY 4.0) — Transport for NSW — Open Data Hub · Period: current · Updated on site · GTFS static feed (updated nightly)
Planning & development
Development applications from NSW Planning Portal (lodged 2020–2026).
203 planning-related records
2026· 8 proposals
June 2026
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation3 THE CRESCENT RUSSELL LEA 2046Under Assessment
April 2026
- Subdivision33 BYRNE AVENUE RUSSELL LEA 2046Withdrawn
March 2026
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation43 BYRNE AVENUE RUSSELL LEA 2046Withdrawn
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure7 HAMPDEN ROAD RUSSELL LEA 2046Determined
- Demolition; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation35 BURNELL STREET RUSSELL LEA 2046Under Assessment
February 2026
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure57 RUSSELL STREET RUSSELL LEA 2046Determined
January 2026
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Carport61 BURNELL STREET RUSSELL LEA 2046Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation90 HENLEY MARINE DRIVE RUSSELL LEA 2046Determined
2025· 32 proposals
December 2025
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Driveways and hard stand spaces65 EDENHOLME ROAD RUSSELL LEA 2046Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation3 THE CRESCENT RUSSELL LEA 2046Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure6 HAMPDEN ROAD RUSSELL LEA 2046Determined
November 2025
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure49 BURNELL STREET RUSSELL LEA 2046Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure29 LENORE STREET RUSSELL LEA 2046Determined
- Demolition; Subdivision7 MOOCULTA STREET RUSSELL LEA 2046Determined
October 2025
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure90 HENLEY MARINE DRIVE RUSSELL LEA 2046Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure3 BORONIA AVENUE RUSSELL LEA 2046Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure51 RUSSELL STREET RUSSELL LEA 2046Determined
- Subdivision39 BYRNE AVENUE RUSSELL LEA 2046Determined
September 2025
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Driveways and hard stand spaces65 EDENHOLME ROAD RUSSELL LEA 2046Determined
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure25 BURNELL STREET RUSSELL LEA 2046Determined
August 2025
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Garage, carport or carparking space77 BURNELL STREET RUSSELL LEA 2046Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah3 BOUVARDIA STREET RUSSELL LEA 2046Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation38 TAIT STREET RUSSELL LEA 2046Determined
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure53 BURNELL STREET RUSSELL LEA 2046Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure402 LYONS ROAD RUSSELL LEA 2046Withdrawn
July 2025
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure40 CLEMENTS STREET RUSSELL LEA 2046Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation20 LEA AVENUE RUSSELL LEA 2046Determined
June 2025
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure37 TAIT STREET RUSSELL LEA 2046Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure50 RUSSELL STREET RUSSELL LEA 2046Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool16A PINE AVENUE RUSSELL LEA 2046Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool16 PINE AVENUE RUSSELL LEA 2046Determined
May 2025
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure51 RUSSELL STREET RUSSELL LEA 2046Determined
- Demolition; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation35 BURNELL STREET RUSSELL LEA 2046Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation7 HAMPDEN ROAD RUSSELL LEA 2046Determined
April 2025
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure59 BURNELL STREET RUSSELL LEA 2046Determined
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool27 UNDINE STREET RUSSELL LEA 2046Determined
March 2025
- Erection of a new structure; Carport; Residential Accommodation5 JANET STREET RUSSELL LEA 2046Determined
February 2025
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure6 LAMROCK AVENUE RUSSELL LEA 2046Determined
January 2025
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure53 BURNELL STREET RUSSELL LEA 2046Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure14 MONS STREET RUSSELL LEA 2046Determined
Contributes to desirability score · Future Growth (7%)
Development and planning activity
Data sources & freshness
- Online DA development application register — NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure · Period: 2020–2026 · Updated on site · Daily open-data feed (applications from Oct 2018)
Amenities
29 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
- Bench
- TABBookmaker
- Brent St at Undine StBus stop
- Brent St opp Alison StBus stop
- Brent St opp Undine StBus stop
- Hampden Rd at Mons StBus stop
- Hampden Rd at Sibbick StBus stop
- Hampden Rd at The ParadeBus stop
- Henley Marine Dr at Brent StBus stop
- Lyons Rd at Byrne AvBus stop
Names and addresses from OpenStreetMap. Unnamed venues show as their type (e.g. Cafe).
Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (15%)
Food, shopping, recreation and sport (OpenStreetMap)
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · Period: current · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
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.
Contributes to desirability score · Community (5%)
Socio-economic advantage (IRSAD decile)
Data sources & freshness
- SEIFA 2021 (IRSAD / IRSD) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Period: 2021 · Updated on site · 2021 SEIFA release
Hazards
- Bushfire planning zone
- No overlay at centroid
Bushfire overlay checked at suburb centroid via NSW bush fire prone land mapping.
Contributes to desirability score · Safety (18%)
Bushfire hazard overlays
Data sources & freshness
- Hazard planning overlays — State government hazard layers · Period: current · Updated on site
Green cover
- Parks & woodland (OSM)
- 1
- Parks (OSM)
- 1
OpenStreetMap parks and natural woodland features mapped within the suburb boundary.
Contributes to desirability score · Environment (10%)
Parks and green cover (OpenStreetMap)
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap green cover features — OpenStreetMap contributors · Period: current · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
Desirability index
- Desirability score
- 45.3/100
- National rank
- 2333rd in Australia
- State rank
- 686th in NSW
- Peer rank
- #133 among Coastal & beach · Established suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #231 among Coastal & beach suburbs
- Data confidence
- 76%
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived score) · Period: current · Updated on site · Derived from source metrics
Recent changes
- Break And Enter Dwellingcrime84
- Fraudcrime107
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassmentcrime78
- Malicious Damage To Propertycrime80
- Steal From Motor Vehiclecrime79
- Hampden Rd At Mons Sttransport
- Hampden Rd At Sibbick Sttransport
- Hampden Rd At Sibbick Sttransport
- Hampden Rd At The Paradetransport
- Lyons Rd Opp Mons Sttransport
Data sources & freshness
- BOCSAR postcode crime statistics — NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research · Updated on site · Rolling 12-month windows
- Timetables Complete GTFS stops (© Transport for NSW, CC BY 4.0) — Transport for NSW — Open Data Hub · Updated on site · GTFS static feed (updated nightly)
Similar suburbs
Suburbs with a similar population, SEIFA decile and location.