NSW · Hornsby Council
Cowan, 2081
Current weather
17°CClear sky
48% humidity · 17.5 km/h wind · 21.2° / 12.6° today · 2.8 mm rain
Updated
Desirability score
- Green suburb
- National parks
- High desirability
Suburb profile
Cowan sits up in the Hornsby hills, a smaller community where elevation and tree cover define the mood. Regional calm with capital access on standby: close enough for outings, distant enough to feel unhurried. Elevated streets and bushland backdrops bring a sense of fresh country air to daily life.
Residents are mostly families and working professionals, with a strong presence of young families throughout. Everyday life leans local, with a handful of trusted shops, a familiar main street and neighbours who know your name. There is enough green space nearby for walks, picnics and after-school play.
Transport options are solid enough for daily errands and regular trips further afield. Housing carries a premium, but residents tend to feel the lifestyle justifies the commitment.
On the desirability index, the suburb sits around average overall, mainly because growth momentum and local dining and lifestyle amenities lag similar regional towns, despite relative strength in housing affordability and community and employment. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.
Population
- Population
- 631
- Median age
- 41
- Median household income / week
- $2,250
- Dwelling vacancy
- 4.1%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 9 of 218
- Median monthly mortgage
- $2,290
- Employment rate
- 64.6%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 16 / 3 / 3
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.
Crime & safety
- Total offences (Jan 2025 to Dec 2025)
- 22
- Against the person
- 3
- Against property
- 9
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 34.9
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 210 residents
- State safety percentile
- 11th (lower crime is better)
- Increase (daily rate)
- +10.3%
Reported offences increased compared with the previous period.
Reported offences by period
Most common offence types
- Fraud24
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassment10
- Malicious Damage To Property19
- Other Theft11
- Transport Regulatory Offences50
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
- 1,063
- Cowan 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
16 public transport stops in this suburb
- Acc To P2
- CCP Pacific Hwy
- Cowan Station
- ENT Pacific Hwy N
- ENT Pacific Hwy S
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).
28 planning-related records
2026· 1 proposal
April 2026
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah1105 PACIFIC HIGHWAY COWAN 2081Determined
2025· 5 proposals
October 2025
- Shed; Erection of a new structure; Emergency services facility1049 PACIFIC HIGHWAY COWAN 2081Determined
July 2025
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure20 Chandler Avenue Cowan 2081Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure4 Cowan Street BrooklynDeferred Commencement
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation25B FRASER ROAD COWAN 2081Determined
January 2025
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure4 cowan street, brooklynWithdrawn
2024· 9 proposals
September 2024
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure10 PARK ROAD COWAN 2081Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure20 Chandler Avenue Cowan 2081Operational consent issued
August 2024
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure1115 PACIFIC HIGHWAY COWAN 2081Determined
June 2024
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure1165 PACIFIC HIGHWAY COWAN 2081Determined
May 2024
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure24 CHANDLER AVENUE COWAN 2081Determined
March 2024
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure33 FRASER ROAD COWAN 2081Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Emergency services facility1049 PACIFIC HIGHWAY COWAN 2081Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure4 Cowan Street BrooklynWithdrawn
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah; Carport1155 PACIFIC HIGHWAY COWAN 2081Determined
2023· 4 proposals
December 2023
- Subdivision1179 PACIFIC HIGHWAY COWAN 2081Determined
November 2023
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure2 GRESHAM STREET COWAN 2081Determined
September 2023
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure1103 PACIFIC HIGHWAY COWAN 2081Determined
June 2023
- Dwelling24 CHANDLER AVENUE COWAN 2081Determined
2021· 7 proposals
December 2021
- Balconies, decks, patios, terraces or verandahs; Garages, carports and car parking spaces1155 PACIFIC HIGHWAY COWAN 2081Determined
- Other9 FRASER ROAD COWAN 2081Withdrawn
June 2021
- Balconies, decks, patios, terraces or verandahs; Alterations and additions to residential development; Garages, carports and car parking spaces1127A PACIFIC HIGHWAY COWAN 2081Determined
April 2021
- Alterations and additions to residential development3 Fraser Road CowanDetermined
March 2021
- Secondary dwelling1 PARK ROAD COWAN 2081Determined
February 2021
- Alterations and additions to residential development; Garages, carports and car parking spaces5 VIEW STREET COWAN 2081Determined
January 2021
- Shed1127A PACIFIC HIGHWAY COWAN 2081Determined
2020· 2 proposals
December 2020
- Alterations and additions to residential development; Garages, carports and car parking spaces7 View Street, CowanDetermined
October 2020
- Dwelling; Pools / decks / fencing; Balconies, decks, patios, terraces or verandahs; Demolition; Earthworks / change in levels; Retaining walls, protection of trees; Garages, carports and car parking spaces9 VIEW STREET COWAN 2081Determined
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
No OpenStreetMap amenities mapped for this suburb yet.
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
Parks & reserves
3 parks and public open space in this suburb
- Cowan ParkPark
- Muogamarra Nature ReserveNature reserve
- Vize ReserveNature reserve
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · Period: current · Updated on site
Socio-economic (SEIFA)
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 9/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 9/10
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
- Overlay applies
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)
- 10
- 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
- 40.4/100 — Average
- National rank
- 3413th in Australia
- State rank
- 1078th in NSW
- Peer rank
- #147 among Country & regional · Established suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #343 among Country & regional suburbs
- Data confidence
- 78%
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived score) · Period: current · Updated on site · Derived from source metrics
Recent changes
- Fraudcrime24
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassmentcrime10
- Malicious Damage To Propertycrime19
- Other Theftcrime11
- Transport Regulatory Offencescrime50
- Acc To P2transport
- CCP Pacific Hwytransport
- Cowan Stationtransport
- ENT Pacific Hwy Ntransport
- ENT Pacific Hwy Stransport
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)
More in Hornsby Council
Other suburbs in the same local government area.
Comparable suburbs
Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of New South Wales.