suburb.guide

NSW · North Sydney Council

Crows Nest, 2065

Current weather

17.1°CClear sky

51% humidity · 17.1 km/h wind · 21.2° / 13.8° today · 2.5 mm rain

Updated

Desirability score

64.4/100
Good

Top 9% of New South Wales' suburbs

89% data confidence

How this score is calculated
  • Café precinct
  • Green suburb
  • High desirability
  • Excellent transport
  • Dog friendly
What Crows Nest is known for: Café precinct, Green suburb, High desirability, Excellent transport, Dog friendly

Suburb profile

Crows Nest is a lively inner mid-sized suburb with dining, shopping and leisure options right on the doorstep. Its inner position means surrounding suburbs are never far away, whether for a meal out or a change of scene. Families and commuters make up much of the community, with a strong presence of young families throughout.

Cafés, dining and leisure activities are easy to find, with neighbouring suburbs adding even more choice. There is enough green space nearby for walks, picnics and after-school play. Getting around the metro area is straightforward, with transport tying neighbouring communities together.

Housing carries a premium, but residents tend to feel the lifestyle justifies the commitment. Construction and infill projects are noticeably reshaping parts of the area.

On the desirability index, the suburb rates good overall, led by growth momentum and transport and access, while housing affordability sit closer to the middle of the pack for similar metro suburbs.

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

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)
$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.

Contributes to desirability score · Housing (15%) · Future Growth (7%)

Median price, rental yield and vacancy Recent price momentum

Data sources & freshness

Crime & safety

Total offences (Jan 2025 to Dec 2025)
210
Against the person
44
Against property
89
Rate per 1,000 residents
42.2
Person-crime prevalence
About 1 in 113 residents
State safety percentile
17.1th (lower crime is better)
Increase (daily rate)
+3.7%

Reported offences increased compared with the previous period.

Reported offences by period

Most common offence types

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

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

Contributes to desirability score · Education (15%)

School and preschool counts, median school ICSEA

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

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)

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 & closures — State 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· 13 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

Contributes to desirability score · Future Growth (7%)

Development and planning activity

Data sources & freshness

Amenities

208 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).

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

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

Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)

Hospitals and GP clinics

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.

Contributes to desirability score · Community (5%)

Socio-economic advantage (IRSAD decile)

Data sources & freshness

Heritage

1 state heritage place

  • Electricity Power House23 Albany Street Crows NestSHR

Data sources & freshness

  • State heritage register — State heritage authority · Period: current · Updated on site

Childcare

3 childcare services from OpenStreetMap

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

Contributes to desirability score · Education (15%)

Childcare centre count

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.

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)
8
Parks (OSM)
7

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
64.4/100 — Good
State standing
Top 9% of New South Wales' suburbs
National rank
481st in Australia
State rank
180th in NSW
Peer rank
#45 among Metro Sydney · Growth area suburbs
Cohort rank
#131 among Metro Sydney suburbs
Data confidence
89%

Data sources & freshness

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

Recent changes

  • Albanyamenitiesbeauty
  • Alexander St after Burlington Stamenitiesbus_stop
  • Alexander St after Falcon Stamenitiesbus_stop
  • Ampol Foodary Crows Nestamenities111-121 Falcon Streetfuel
  • Angel's Apparelamenitiesdry_cleaning
  • Australia Postamenitiespost_box
  • BagamenitiesAlbany Streetbag
  • Bakers Delightamenities11 Willoughby Roadbakery
  • Bamiyanamenitiesrestaurant
  • Bean DrinkingamenitiesUnit 1 13 Ernest Place, Crows Nestcafe

Data sources & freshness

More in North Sydney Council

Other suburbs in the same local government area.

Comparable suburbs

Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of New South Wales.