Chatswood West vs Lindfield

In both, most households own their home and most households are couple families. In Chatswood West, the large majority of homes are detached houses. Houses cost more in Lindfield: a median of $3.86 million, against $2.47 million in Chatswood West, though rent is higher in Chatswood West. On these figures, Chatswood West tends to suit buyers on a tighter budget.

Which one suits you?

There is no overall winner — the suburb that suits a family with school-age kids is routinely the wrong one for someone commuting into the city. So each of these answers its own question, against a checklist you can see, using the same figures in the tables below.

Families with school-age kids

Lindfield

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more childcare (11 vs 0)
  • has more schools inside the suburb (8 vs 0)
  • has more parks and reserves (19 vs 5)
  • But Chatswood West has more separate houses rather than flats (94% vs 52%)

Weighs schools, house stock, crime, parks, childcare, and who already lives there.

First-home buyers

Chatswood West

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($2,468,333 vs $3,860,000)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Lindfield

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (29% vs 15%)
  • has cheaper rent ($600/wk vs $750/wk)

Weighs rent, rental stress, and how much is for rent.

Commuting to the city

Lindfield

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (89/100 vs 62/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, rail access, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Lindfield

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (48% vs 6%)
  • has more GPs (4 vs 0)
  • is more walkable (89/100 vs 62/100)
  • But Chatswood West carries lower crime risk (18/100 vs 31/100)

Weighs smaller dwellings, who already lives there, GPs, walkability, and crime.

Investors

Lindfield

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (11.8% vs 1.5%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

Chatswood West and Lindfield drawn to the same scale. Both outlines are shown together, so the map answers whether they share a border and how their areas compare.

Chatswood West Lindfield
Hides rows where both suburbs match

Bars start at zero. Scores, risks and rankings are drawn against their full 0–100 range; other rows are drawn in proportion to the larger of the two.

Side by side, out of 100

Risks are inverted — shown as safety and low exposure — so a longer bar always means better.

Chatswood West Lindfield
Walkability 62 / 89
Chatswood West — Walkability: 62/100 Lindfield — Walkability: 89/100
Safety 82 / 69
Chatswood West — Safety: 82/100 Lindfield — Safety: 69/100
Low fire risk 22 / 30
Chatswood West — Low fire risk: 22/100 Lindfield — Low fire risk: 30/100

Demographics

Lindfield has more residents (10,943 vs 1,521); Chatswood West rents higher ($750/wk vs $600/wk).

Chatswood West Lindfield
Population 1,521 10,943
+619% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +1.5% +11.8%
Median age 42 40
Median household income $162,292/yr
+9% vs other
 $147,316/yr
Median weekly rent $750/wk
+20% vs other
 $600/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Chatswood West Lindfield
0-4 5.0% / 5.3%
Chatswood West — 0-4: 5.0% Lindfield — 0-4: 5.3%
5-14 14.4% / 14.8%
Chatswood West — 5-14: 14.4% Lindfield — 5-14: 14.8%
15-19 6.1% / 6.6%
Chatswood West — 15-19: 6.1% Lindfield — 15-19: 6.6%
20-24 5.2% / 5.6%
Chatswood West — 20-24: 5.2% Lindfield — 20-24: 5.6%
25-34 7.6% / 9.5%
Chatswood West — 25-34: 7.6% Lindfield — 25-34: 9.5%
35-44 15.0% / 14.8%
Chatswood West — 35-44: 15.0% Lindfield — 35-44: 14.8%
45-54 14.5% / 14.7%
Chatswood West — 45-54: 14.5% Lindfield — 45-54: 14.7%
55-64 12.4% / 11.5%
Chatswood West — 55-64: 12.4% Lindfield — 55-64: 11.5%
65-74 10.6% / 9.0%
Chatswood West — 65-74: 10.6% Lindfield — 65-74: 9.0%
75-84 6.2% / 5.6%
Chatswood West — 75-84: 6.2% Lindfield — 75-84: 5.6%
85+ 2.7% / 2.5%
Chatswood West — 85+: 2.7% Lindfield — 85+: 2.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (15.0%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Chatswood West 66.4% couple families
Chatswood West — Couple Families: 66.4% Chatswood West — Lone Person: 17.3% Chatswood West — One Parent Families: 10.1% Chatswood West — Group Household: 4.8% Chatswood West — Other Families: 1.3%
Lindfield 58.0% couple families
Lindfield — Couple Families: 58.0% Lindfield — Lone Person: 25.5% Lindfield — One Parent Families: 12.9% Lindfield — Group Household: 2.4% Lindfield — Other Families: 1.2%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Chatswood West 14.9% renting
Chatswood West — Owned Outright: 46.3% Chatswood West — Mortgage: 38.8% Chatswood West — Renting: 14.9%
Lindfield 29.2% renting
Lindfield — Owned Outright: 38.4% Lindfield — Mortgage: 32.4% Lindfield — Renting: 29.2%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

Highest non-school qualification, residents 15+, 2021 Census.

Chatswood West Lindfield
Bachelor Degree 24.9% / 26.9%
Chatswood West — Bachelor Degree: 24.9% Lindfield — Bachelor Degree: 26.9%
Postgraduate Degree 13.8% / 15.3%
Chatswood West — Postgraduate Degree: 13.8% Lindfield — Postgraduate Degree: 15.3%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.8% / 6.8%
Chatswood West — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.8% Lindfield — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.8%
Certificate III & IV 4.9% / 3.4%
Chatswood West — Certificate III & IV: 4.9% Lindfield — Certificate III & IV: 3.4%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.4% / 3.0%
Chatswood West — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.4% Lindfield — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (26.9%).

Where residents were born

Largest overseas birthplaces, as a share of all residents, 2021 Census. A dash means that country is not among the suburb's own eight largest.

Chatswood West Lindfield
China 11.2% / 12.2%
Chatswood West — China: 11.2% Lindfield — China: 12.2%
England 4.7% / 3.9%
Chatswood West — England: 4.7% Lindfield — England: 3.9%
New Zealand 1.8% / 1.5%
Chatswood West — New Zealand: 1.8% Lindfield — New Zealand: 1.5%
South Africa 1.6% / 1.3%
Chatswood West — South Africa: 1.6% Lindfield — South Africa: 1.3%
India 1.4% / 1.5%
Chatswood West — India: 1.4% Lindfield — India: 1.5%
Malaysia 1.1% / 1.6%
Chatswood West — Malaysia: 1.1% Lindfield — Malaysia: 1.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (12.2%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Chatswood West 93.9% houses
Chatswood West — Houses: 93.9% Chatswood West — Flats / Apartments: 0.6% Chatswood West — Townhouses: 5.5%
Lindfield 52.1% houses
Lindfield — Houses: 52.1% Lindfield — Flats / Apartments: 44.7% Lindfield — Townhouses: 3.2%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Chatswood West Lindfield
Median house price $2,468,333 $3,860,000
Median unit price — $1,151,000
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) — 28 days
from 91 sales

House price by bedroom count

Only bed counts both suburbs published enough sales for. Sale counts are shown because the buckets differ in depth.

Chatswood West Lindfield
3 bed $2.45M / $3.35M
Chatswood West — 3 bed: $2.45M (7 sales) Lindfield — 3 bed: $3.35M (17 sales)

7 vs 17 sales

4 bed $3.1M / $3.56M
Chatswood West — 4 bed: $3.1M (5 sales) Lindfield — 4 bed: $3.56M (49 sales)

5 vs 49 sales

Zoning mix

Chatswood West has more land zoned for conservation (44% vs 31%).

Chatswood West Lindfield
Residential 37% 57%
Environmental 44% 31%
Infrastructure and transport 4% 7%
Parks and recreation 7% 4%
Commercial 0% 1%
Planning zones cover 92% of Chatswood West and 100% of Lindfield. The rest is unzoned land such as water or road reserve.
Zoning sets what may be built, not what is there today. A single address can sit in a different zone to the suburb around it. Zones as at 2026-09.

Development activity

Chatswood West Lindfield
New dwellings approved 249
across Willoughby
 908
across Ku-ring-gai
Approvals change year on year +458% +0%

Gross rental yield

Gross — before strata, rates, management, insurance and vacancy. From median advertised rents and median asking prices over the last 6 months. How we calculate.

Chatswood West Lindfield
Houses — 3.5%
$1,900/wk on $2.83M
Units — 4.3%
$950/wk on $1.15M

Ranking within NSW

Chatswood West Lindfield
House price Higher than 90% of NSW Higher than 97% of NSW
Income Higher than 97% of NSW Higher than 94% of NSW
Schools — Higher than 50% of NSW
Walkability Higher than 85% of NSW Higher than 96% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 32% of NSW Higher than 7% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 99% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 83% of NSW Higher than 92% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 45% of NSW
Rental yield (units) — Higher than 37% of NSW

Liveability

Lindfield is more walkable (89 vs 62).

Chatswood West Lindfield
Grade A
same for both
Score 70/100 69/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
same for both

Risk profile

Lindfield carries more crime risk (31 vs 18).

Chatswood West Lindfield
Bushfire High
78/100
 High
70/100
Crime Low
18/100
 Low
31/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 4
within 5 km
 3
within 5 km

Schools

Chatswood West Lindfield
Inside the suburb 0 8
Rated above peers 0 2
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0 1
Universities within 10 km 3
Macquarie University Wallumattagal Campus at North Ryde, 3.5 km
 2
Macquarie University Wallumattagal Campus at North Ryde, 3.2 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 4.0% 4.5%

Schools in Chatswood West

No schools recorded inside this suburb's boundary. Children here will be zoned to schools nearby.

Schools in Lindfield

  • Holy Family Catholic Primary School Catholic · Primary above peers
  • Lindfield Public School Government · Primary above peers
  • Lindfield Learning Village Government · Combined below peers
  • Aurora College Government · Secondary
  • Highfields Preparatory and Kindergarten School Independent · Primary
  • Lindfield Montessori Preschool Independent · Primary

Amenities in the suburb

Chatswood West Lindfield
Supermarkets 0 3
Cafes & restaurants 0 9
Parks & reserves 5 19
Childcare 0 11
GPs 0 4
Pharmacies 0 4
Banks & Bank@Post 0 3
Fuel stations 0 1
Waterways 6 9

Mobility

Chatswood West Lindfield
Walkability score 62/100 89/100
Distance to Sydney 13.3 km 14.6 km
+10% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 20 min 22 min
Public transport score 79/100
Bus
 95/100
Rail · Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 44.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
 155.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
 0 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 4.0%
postcode 2067
 4.7%
postcode 2070
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 11
postcode 2067
 25
postcode 2070

How people get to work

Method of travel on census day 2021 — which fell during COVID restrictions, so working from home is inflated and every travel mode understated.

Chatswood West Lindfield
Worked from Home 61.8% / 63.2%
Chatswood West — Worked from Home: 61.8% Lindfield — Worked from Home: 63.2%
Car (driver) 30.7% / 26.2%
Chatswood West — Car (driver): 30.7% Lindfield — Car (driver): 26.2%
Train 2.8% / 6.3%
Chatswood West — Train: 2.8% Lindfield — Train: 6.3%
Car (passenger) 1.9% / 2.0%
Chatswood West — Car (passenger): 1.9% Lindfield — Car (passenger): 2.0%
Walked Only 1.4% / 1.9%
Chatswood West — Walked Only: 1.4% Lindfield — Walked Only: 1.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (63.2%).

Setting

Chatswood West Lindfield
Elevation 35 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 67 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 8.2 km
4.9 km to a named beach
 8.6 km

NBN connectivity

Chatswood West Lindfield
Connectivity score 75/100 86/100
Most common technology Hybrid fibre-coaxial Fibre to the premises
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
551 premises
 45%
5,070 premises

Climate

Chatswood West Lindfield
Annual rainfall 1,176 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Chatswood West Lindfield
PM2.5 5.4 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 14.2 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.23 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Chatswood West Lindfield
Average residential rate $1,275/yr $1,626/yr
Council Willoughby Ku-ring-gai

Federal electorate

Chatswood West Lindfield
Division Bennelong Bradfield
Member Jerome Laxale Nicolette Boele
Party Australian Labor Party Independent

First Home Owner Grant

Chatswood West Lindfield
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Chatswood West

Middle-Ring Parks Premium Professionals Quiet River

Lindfield

Apartments Easy Commute Middle-Ring Multicultural Parks Professionals River Trains Transport Hub

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Chatswood West

Chatswood West vs Chatswood Chatswood West vs North Ryde Chatswood West vs Roseville

Other comparisons with Lindfield

Lindfield vs Chatswood Lindfield vs North Ryde Lindfield vs Macquarie Park Lindfield vs Killara Lindfield vs Roseville Lindfield vs East Lindfield
Full data on Chatswood West Full data on Lindfield
Unlock full address-level data — $29/month

Information shown is provided as-is from Australian government and commercial data sources.
Always verify with the relevant authority before making property decisions.
See Data Sources and How We Calculate for details.

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