NSW · Lane Cove Council

Northwood, 2066

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

38.1/100
Below average

1196th in NSW

70% data confidence

How this score is calculated
  • Green suburb
  • High desirability
What Northwood is known for: Green suburb, High desirability

Suburb profile

Northwood is a practical smaller community in Lane Cove, well placed for families who want metro access without the inner-city squeeze. Sitting close to the city centre, it is easy to dip into neighbouring suburbs for work, dining and events. Established families and long-term residents give the suburb a settled feel, with family life visible on every street.

Local shops and services cover the basics well, with more choice a short trip into neighbouring suburbs. Public transport links make it easy to move between neighbouring suburbs without relying on the car. Property is in demand, reflecting the appeal of living in a place people actively choose.

Active development is adding new homes and refreshed pockets throughout the suburb.

The desirability score is below average, weighed down by weaker local dining and lifestyle amenities and housing affordability against similar metro suburbs, even with community and employment and safety holding up better. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.

Population

Population
916
Median age
46
Median household income / week
$5,012
Dwelling vacancy
9%
Unoccupied private dwellings
28 of 311
Median monthly mortgage
$4,200
Employment rate
58.9%
Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
14 / 10 / 4

Contributes to desirability score · Community (5%)

Employment, household income and age diversity (2021 Census)

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)
$750
Houses (January to March 2026)
$1,210
All types (January to March 2026)
$780
Rental bonds lodged (January to March 2026)
375

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)
21
Against the person
6
Against property
12
Rate per 1,000 residents
22.9
Person-crime prevalence
About 1 in 153 residents
State safety percentile
3.1th (lower crime is better)
Decrease (daily rate)
-12.3%

Reported offences decreased compared with the previous period.

Reported offences by period

Most common offence types

  • Break And Enter Dwelling59
  • Fraud103
  • Intimidation, Stalking And Harassment77
  • Malicious Damage To Property65
  • Steal From Motor Vehicle46

Contributes to desirability score · Safety (18%)

Crime rate and year-on-year trend

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

Public transport

14 public transport stops in this suburb

  • Northwood Rd At Cliff Rd
  • Northwood Rd At Fleming St
  • Northwood Rd Opp Cliff Rd
  • Northwood Rd Opp Upper Cliff Rd
  • Point Rd At Northwood Rd

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).

72 planning-related records

2026· 5 proposals
  • May 2026

  • Erection of a new structure; Fences
    13 FLEMING STREET NORTHWOOD 2066Determined
  • Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation
    52A CLIFF ROAD NORTHWOOD 2066Determined
  • April 2026

  • Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure
    25 FLEMING STREET NORTHWOOD 2066Determined
  • March 2026

  • Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure
    27 FLEMING STREET NORTHWOOD 2066Determined
  • February 2026

  • Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah
    143 RIVER ROAD NORTHWOOD 2066Determined
2025· 6 proposals
  • September 2025

  • Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Carport
    101 NORTHWOOD ROAD NORTHWOOD 2066Determined
  • August 2025

  • Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure
    1 BIRRIWA PLACE NORTHWOOD 2066Determined
  • June 2025

  • Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure
    16 FLEMING STREET NORTHWOOD 2066Determined
  • May 2025

  • Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Cabanas, cubby houses, ferneries, garden sheds, gazebos and greenhouses; Residential Accommodation
    8 UPPER CLIFF ROAD NORTHWOOD 2066Determined
  • April 2025

  • Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure
    62 NORTHWOOD ROAD NORTHWOOD 2066Determined
  • February 2025

  • Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure
    4 BAYVIEW STREET NORTHWOOD 2066Determined
2024· 7 proposals
  • October 2024

  • Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure
    4 BAYVIEW STREET NORTHWOOD 2066Determined
  • September 2024

  • Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure
    30 FLEMING STREET NORTHWOOD 2066Determined
  • Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure
    12 POINT ROAD NORTHWOOD 2066Determined
  • August 2024

  • Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation
    52A CLIFF ROAD NORTHWOOD 2066Determined
  • July 2024

  • Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure
    7 POINT ROAD NORTHWOOD 2066Determined
  • April 2024

  • Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Swimming pool; Residential Accommodation
    39 NORTHWOOD ROAD NORTHWOOD 2066Determined
  • January 2024

  • Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure
    60 CLIFF ROAD NORTHWOOD 2066Determined
2023· 10 proposals
  • November 2023

  • Erection of a new structure; Air-conditioning units; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah; Driveways and hard stand spaces; Hot water systems; Rainwater tanks; Swimming pool
    30 UPPER CLIFF ROAD NORTHWOOD 2066Determined
  • Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure
    15 FLEMING STREET NORTHWOOD 2066Determined
  • October 2023

  • Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure
    113A NORTHWOOD ROAD NORTHWOOD 2066Determined
  • September 2023

  • Demolition
    62 CLIFF ROAD NORTHWOOD 2066Determined
  • August 2023

  • Dwelling
    60 CLIFF ROAD NORTHWOOD 2066Determined
  • July 2023

  • Dwelling
    18 FLEMING STREET NORTHWOOD 2066Determined
  • June 2023

  • Alterations and additions to residential development
    8 UPPER CLIFF ROAD NORTHWOOD 2066Determined
  • April 2023

  • Alterations and additions to residential development
    2 BAYVIEW STREET NORTHWOOD 2066Determined
  • February 2023

  • Alterations and additions to residential development
    43 CLIFF ROAD NORTHWOOD 2066Determined
  • January 2023

  • Alterations and additions to residential development
    113 NORTHWOOD ROAD NORTHWOOD 2066Determined
2022· 12 proposals
  • December 2022

  • Dwelling
    60 CLIFF ROAD NORTHWOOD 2066Determined
  • October 2022

  • Balconies, decks, patios, terraces or verandahs
    3A BIRRIWA PLACE NORTHWOOD 2066Determined
  • September 2022

  • Demolition; Alterations and additions to residential development
    85 NORTHWOOD ROAD NORTHWOOD 2066Determined
  • Dwelling
    52A CLIFF ROAD NORTHWOOD 2066Determined
  • Dwelling
    66 CLIFF ROAD NORTHWOOD 2066Withdrawn
  • August 2022

  • Alterations and additions to residential development
    43 CLIFF ROAD NORTHWOOD 2066Determined
  • July 2022

  • Alterations and additions to residential development
    5 UPPER CLIFF ROAD NORTHWOOD 2066Determined
  • Dwelling
    60 CLIFF ROAD NORTHWOOD 2066Deferred Commencement
  • May 2022

  • Dwelling
    52A CLIFF ROAD NORTHWOOD 2066Determined
  • Alterations and additions to residential development
    68 CLIFF ROAD NORTHWOOD 2066Determined
  • Alterations and additions to residential development
    19 UPPER CLIFF ROAD NORTHWOOD 2066Deferred Commencement
  • April 2022

  • Alterations and additions to residential development
    10 PRIVATE ROAD NORTHWOOD 2066Determined

Contributes to desirability score · Future Growth (7%)

Development and planning activity

Data sources & freshness

Amenities

18 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km

  • Bbq
  • Bench
  • Northwood Rd at Cliff RdBus stop
  • Northwood Rd at Fleming StBus stop
  • Northwood Rd at Upper Cliff RdBus stop
  • Northwood Rd opp Cliff RdBus stop
  • Northwood Rd opp Upper Cliff RdBus stop
  • Point Rd at Northwood RdBus stop
  • River Rd opp Lane Cove Country ClubBus stop
  • Drinking water (2)

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

Parks & reserves

1 parks and public open space in this suburb

  • Endeavour PlaygroundPark

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

  • Northwood House & Cottage1 Private Road NorthwoodSHR

Data sources & freshness

  • State heritage registerState heritage authority · 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 overlaysState government hazard layers · Period: current · Updated on site

Green cover

Parks & woodland (OSM)
3
Parks (OSM)
2

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 featuresOpenStreetMap contributors · Period: current · Updated on site · Weekly refresh

Desirability Index

Desirability score
38.1/100 — Below average
National rank
3798th in Australia
State rank
1196th in NSW
Peer rank
#74 among Metro Sydney · Mature suburbs
Cohort rank
#662 among Metro Sydney suburbs
Data confidence
70%

Data sources & freshness

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

Recent changes

  • Bbqamenitiesbbq
  • Benchamenitiesbench
  • Bob Campbell Ovalamenitiespitch
  • Drinking wateramenitiesdrinking_water
  • Drinking wateramenitiesdrinking_water
  • Fitness Stationamenitiesfitness_station
  • Northwood Rd at Cliff Rdamenitiesbus_stop
  • Northwood Rd at Fleming Stamenitiesbus_stop
  • Northwood Rd at Upper Cliff Rdamenitiesbus_stop
  • Northwood Rd opp Cliff Rdamenitiesbus_stop

Data sources & freshness

More in Lane Cove Council

Other suburbs in the same local government area.

Comparable suburbs

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