NSW · Willoughby Council
St Leonards (NSW), NSW, 2065
Desirability index
#89 among Metro Sydney suburbs
Suburb snapshot
St Leonards (NSW) is a smaller suburban community in the Willoughby area, home to around 7,212 residents (2021 Census). Recent indicators show 1,341 offences in Jan 2025 to Dec 2025 with relatively stable year-on-year trends (+4%), roughly 185.9 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, 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
- 7,212
- Median age
- 34
- Median household income / week
- $2,475
- Dwelling vacancy
- 11.2%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 450 of 4,009
- Median monthly mortgage
- $2,600
- Employment rate
- 74.9%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 132 / 11 / 3,427
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)
- $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
- 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)
- 1,341
- Against the person
- 279
- Against property
- 569
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 185.9
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 26 residents
- State safety percentile
- 15.1th (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 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
- 3
- Median school ICSEA (2 schools)
- 1,140
- Bradfield CollegeSecondary
- International Chinese SchoolPrimary
- Royal North Shore Hospital SchoolSpecial
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
32 public transport stops in this suburb
- St Leonards Station, Herbert St, Stand E
- St Leonards Station, Pacific Hwy (NightRide)
- St Leonards Station, Pacific Hwy, Stand B
- St Leonards Station, Pacific Hwy, Stand D
- St Leonards Station, Platform 2
Data sources & freshness
- GTFS public transport stops — State transport authority open-data feeds · Period: current · Updated on site · GTFS static feed
Planning & development
Development applications from NSW Planning Portal (lodged 2020–2026).
181 planning-related records
2026· 15 proposals
June 2026
- Demolition; Residential flat building; Erection of a new structure14 Marshall Avenue ST LEONARDS 2065Under Assessment
- Residential flat building; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure18 to 32 Holdsworth Avenue, St LeonardsDetermined
- Advertising and signage; Advertising structure2-4 PACIFIC HIGHWAY ST LEONARDS 2065Under Assessment
May 2026
- Residential flat building; Erection of a new structure13 CANBERRA AVENUE ST LEONARDS 2065Determined
- Subdivision1 CANBERRA AVENUE ST LEONARDS 2065Determined
- Demolition; Residential flat building; Erection of a new structure21 HOLDSWORTH AVENUE ST LEONARDS 2065Determined
April 2026
- Demolition; Residential flat building; Erection of a new structure14 Marshall Avenue ST LEONARDS 2065Determined
- Residential flat building; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure18 to 32 Holdsworth Avenue, St LeonardsDetermined
- Warehouse or distribution centre; Advertising and signage; Local distribution premise2 HERBERT STREET ST LEONARDS 2065Determined
March 2026
- Residential flat building; Erection of a new structure13 CANBERRA AVENUE ST LEONARDS 2065Determined
- Demolition; Residential flat building; Erection of a new structure21 HOLDSWORTH AVENUE ST LEONARDS 2065Determined
- Signage; Advertising and signage; Advertising structure2-4 PACIFIC HIGHWAY ST LEONARDS 2065Determined
January 2026
- Demolition; Residential flat building; Erection of a new structure21 HOLDSWORTH AVENUE ST LEONARDS 2065Determined
- Demolition; Residential flat building; Erection of a new structure14 Marshall Avenue ST LEONARDS 2065Determined
- Advertising and signage; Recreation facility (indoor); Hours of operation and trading207 PACIFIC HIGHWAY ST LEONARDS 2065Determined
2025· 27 proposals
November 2025
- Residential flat building; Erection of a new structure1 CANBERRA AVENUE ST LEONARDS 2065Determined
October 2025
- Pub; Hours of operation and trading75-79 CHRISTIE STREET ST LEONARDS 2065Determined
- Residential flat building; Erection of a new structure1 CANBERRA AVENUE ST LEONARDS 2065Determined
- Residential flat building; Erection of a new structure13 CANBERRA AVENUE ST LEONARDS 2065Determined
- Subdivision23 ATCHISON STREET ST LEONARDS 2065Determined
September 2025
- Demolition46-48 NICHOLSON STREET ST LEONARDS 2065Determined
- Demolition; Hotel or motel accommodation; Commercial development; Erection of a new structure; Retail Premise34-42 PACIFIC HIGHWAY ST LEONARDS 2065Determined
- Demolition; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support46-48 NICHOLSON STREET ST LEONARDS 2065Determined
- Residential flat building; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure18 to 32 Holdsworth Avenue, St LeonardsDetermined
August 2025
- Pub; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Hours of operation and trading655 Pacific Highway, St Leonards, NSW 2065Determined
July 2025
- Commercial development; Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia488 PACIFIC HIGHWAY ST LEONARDS 2065Determined
June 2025
- Demolition536 PACIFIC HIGHWAY ST LEONARDS 2065Determined
- Demolition; Residential flat building; Erection of a new structure14 Marshall Avenue ST LEONARDS 2065Determined
May 2025
- Demolition; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support1 CHANDOS STREET ST LEONARDS 2065Determined
- Signage; Advertising and signage; Building identification sign207 PACIFIC HIGHWAY ST LEONARDS 2065Determined
- Residential flat building; Hours of operation and trading18 to 32 Holdsworth Avenue, St LeonardsDetermined
- Demolition; Residential flat building; Erection of a new structure21 HOLDSWORTH AVENUE ST LEONARDS 2065Determined
- Residential flat building; Erection of a new structure13 CANBERRA AVENUE ST LEONARDS 2065Determined
- Demolition; Residential flat building599 Pacific Highway, St LeonardsDetermined
- Demolition; Residential flat building; Erection of a new structure21 HOLDSWORTH AVENUE ST LEONARDS 2065Determined
April 2025
- Demolition; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support46-48 NICHOLSON STREET ST LEONARDS 2065Determined
- Industrial development; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; General industry8 HERBERT STREET ST LEONARDS 2065Determined
- Residential flat building; Hours of operation and trading18 to 32 Holdsworth Avenue, St LeonardsDetermined
March 2025
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Awnings, blinds and canopies39 1 ALBANY STREET ST LEONARDS 2065Determined
February 2025
- Subdivision21-41 Canberra Ave St LeonardsDetermined
2024· 25 proposals
25 proposals lodged in 2024. Individual listings are kept for the most recent proposals.
2023· 33 proposals
33 proposals lodged in 2023. Individual listings are kept for the most recent proposals.
2022· 26 proposals
26 proposals lodged in 2022. Individual listings are kept for the most recent proposals.
2021· 36 proposals
36 proposals lodged in 2021. Individual listings are kept for the most recent proposals.
2020· 19 proposals
19 proposals lodged in 2020. Individual listings are kept for the most recent proposals.
Data sources & freshness
- Online DA development application register — NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure · Period: 2020; 2020–2026; 2021… · Updated on site · Daily open-data feed (applications from Oct 2018)
Amenities
215 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
- BWSAlcohol
- Commonwealth BankATM
- Next PaymentsATM
- a.bakeryBakery
- Bakery
- Pide on PizzeriaBar
- St Leonards TavernBar
- Bbq (2)
- Forty WinksBed
- Bench (14)
Names and addresses from OpenStreetMap. Unnamed venues show as their type (e.g. Cafe).
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · Period: current · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
Parks & reserves
5 parks and public open space in this suburb
- Christie Street ReservePark
- Gore Hill ParkPark
- Newlands ParkPark
- Propsting ReservePark
- Wadanggari ParkPark
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · Period: current · Updated on site
Health access
- Hospitals & GP clinics
- 19
- Emergency department
- On site
- Castlereagh Imaging St LeonardsPacific Highwaymedical_imaging
- Clinic 16 - Northern Sydney Sexual Health Clinicclinic
- Discountpharmacy
- Douglass Hanly Moirsample_collection
- Douglass Hanly Moir St Leonards Laboratorylaboratory
- Dr Anubhav Mittaldoctor
- Forum Medical CentreHerbert Streetdoctor
- Forum PharmacyPacific Highway underpasspharmacy
- Inpatient Drug and Alcohol ServiceSturt Driverehabilitation
- North Shore Private HospitalWestbourne Streethospital
Data sources & freshness
- Hospitals & clinics — OpenStreetMap + state health datasets · Period: current · Updated on site
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
- SEIFA 2021 (IRSAD / IRSD) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Period: 2021 · Updated on site · 2021 SEIFA release
Heritage
1 state heritage place
- Gore Hill Memorial CemeteryPacific Highway, Gore HillSHR
Data sources & freshness
- State heritage register — State heritage authority · Period: current · Updated on site
Childcare
4 childcare services from OpenStreetMap
- HEI Schools St Leonard'schildcare
- Only About ChildrenPacific Highwaykindergarten
- RNSH Childcare Centerchildcare
- Reddam Early Learning Schoolkindergarten
Data sources & freshness
- Childcare services — OpenStreetMap · 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 overlays — State government hazard layers · Period: current · Updated on site
Green cover
- Parks & woodland (OSM)
- 8
- Parks (OSM)
- 6
OpenStreetMap parks and natural woodland features mapped within the suburb boundary.
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap green cover features — OpenStreetMap contributors · Period: current · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
Desirability index
- Desirability score
- 87.2/100
- Cohort rank
- #89 among Metro Sydney suburbs
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived score) · Period: current · Updated on site · Derived from source metrics
Recent changes
- St Leonards Station, Herbert St, Stand Etransport
- St Leonards Station, Pacific Hwy (NightRide)transport
- St Leonards Station, Pacific Hwy, Stand Btransport
- St Leonards Station, Pacific Hwy, Stand Dtransport
- St Leonards Station, Platform 2transport
- HEI Schools St Leonard'schildcarechildcare
- Only About ChildrenchildcarePacific Highwaykindergarten
- RNSH Childcare Centerchildcarechildcare
- Reddam Early Learning Schoolchildcarekindergarten
- Gore Hill Memorial CemeteryheritagePacific Highway, Gore HillSHR
Data sources & freshness
- Childcare services — OpenStreetMap · Updated on site
- State heritage register — State heritage authority · Updated on site
- GTFS public transport stops — State transport authority open-data feeds · Updated on site · GTFS static feed
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