Crookwell vs Lost River

Lost River is the younger of the two, with a median age of 45 against 52 in Crookwell. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Crookwell, about half of households are people living alone. In Lost River, the large majority of households are couple families. Houses cost more in Lost River: a median of $1.53 million, against $632,000 in Crookwell, though rent is higher in Crookwell. On these figures, Crookwell tends to suit people living alone, older residents, and buyers on a tighter budget, while Lost River suits couples.

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

Crookwell

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (9 vs 0)
  • has more schools inside the suburb (3 vs 0)
  • has more childcare (3 vs 0)
  • But Lost River carries lower crime risk (0/100 vs 52/100)

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

First-home buyers

They split

one each way, out of the 2 things we measure here

  • Crookwell has cheaper houses ($631,750 vs $1,535,000)
  • Lost River leaves households under less mortgage stress (18% vs 26%)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Lost River

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (8% vs 23%)
  • has cheaper rent ($215/wk vs $280/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Crookwell

ahead on 3 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (49/100 vs 0/100)
  • has a shorter drive in (166 min vs 184 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (240.8 km vs 256.7 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Crookwell

ahead on 3 of the 4 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (49/100 vs 0/100)
  • has more GPs (4 vs 0)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (30% vs 20%)
  • But Lost River carries lower crime risk (0/100 vs 52/100)

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

Investors

Lost River

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (25.3% vs 1.7%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Crookwell Lost River
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.

Crookwell Lost River
Walkability 49 / 0
Crookwell — Walkability: 49/100 Lost River — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 48 / 100
Crookwell — Safety: 48/100 Lost River — Safety: 100/100
Low fire risk 88 / 88
Crookwell — Low fire risk: 88/100 Lost River — Low fire risk: 88/100

Demographics

Crookwell has more residents (2,686 vs 94); Lost River has higher household incomes ($133,224 vs $62,192).

Crookwell Lost River
Population 2,686
+97% vs other
 94
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +1.7% +25.3%
Median age 52 45
Median household income $62,192/yr $133,224/yr
+114% vs other
Median weekly rent $280/wk
+23% vs other
 $215/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Crookwell Lost River
0-4 5.2% / 4.3%
Crookwell — 0-4: 5.2% Lost River — 0-4: 4.3%
5-14 9.7% / 13.8%
Crookwell — 5-14: 9.7% Lost River — 5-14: 13.8%
15-19 6.1% / 7.4%
Crookwell — 15-19: 6.1% Lost River — 15-19: 7.4%
20-24 4.4% / 3.2%
Crookwell — 20-24: 4.4% Lost River — 20-24: 3.2%
25-34 8.3% / 6.4%
Crookwell — 25-34: 8.3% Lost River — 25-34: 6.4%
35-44 8.6% / 5.3%
Crookwell — 35-44: 8.6% Lost River — 35-44: 5.3%
45-54 11.0% / 9.6%
Crookwell — 45-54: 11.0% Lost River — 45-54: 9.6%
55-64 16.8% / 24.5%
Crookwell — 55-64: 16.8% Lost River — 55-64: 24.5%
65-74 14.8% / 11.7%
Crookwell — 65-74: 14.8% Lost River — 65-74: 11.7%
75-84 10.2% / 4.3%
Crookwell — 75-84: 10.2% Lost River — 75-84: 4.3%
85+ 5.0% / 4.3%
Crookwell — 85+: 5.0% Lost River — 85+: 4.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (24.5%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Crookwell 33.9% couple families
Crookwell — Couple Families: 33.9% Crookwell — Lone Person: 48.1% Crookwell — One Parent Families: 15.7% Crookwell — Other Families: 1.5% Crookwell — Group Household: 0.9%
Lost River 76.5% couple families
Lost River — Couple Families: 76.5% Lost River — Lone Person: 23.5% Lost River — One Parent Families: 0.0% Lost River — Other Families: 0.0% Lost River — Group Household: 0.0%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Other Families Group Household

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Crookwell 17.6% renting
Crookwell — Owned Outright: 56.0% Crookwell — Mortgage: 26.4% Crookwell — Renting: 17.6%
Lost River 11.5% renting
Lost River — Owned Outright: 57.7% Lost River — Mortgage: 30.8% Lost River — Renting: 11.5%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Crookwell 94.8% houses
Crookwell — Houses: 94.8% Crookwell — Townhouses: 4.5% Crookwell — Flats / Apartments: 0.7%
Lost River 100.0% houses
Lost River — Houses: 100.0% Lost River — Townhouses: 0.0% Lost River — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Qualifications

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

Crookwell Lost River
Certificate III & IV 18.3% / 13.8%
Crookwell — Certificate III & IV: 18.3% Lost River — Certificate III & IV: 13.8%
Bachelor Degree 5.9% / 13.8%
Crookwell — Bachelor Degree: 5.9% Lost River — Bachelor Degree: 13.8%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 6.9% / 3.2%
Crookwell — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.9% Lost River — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 3.2%
Postgraduate Degree 1.5% / 5.3%
Crookwell — Postgraduate Degree: 1.5% Lost River — Postgraduate Degree: 5.3%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.4% / —
Crookwell — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.4% Lost River — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.3%).

Property market

Crookwell Lost River
Median house price $631,750 $1,535,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price $275,000 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 54 days
from 59 sales
 —

Zoning mix

Lost River has more rural and farming land (100% vs 90%).

Crookwell Lost River
Rural and farming 90% 100%
Environmental 5% 0%
Residential 4% 0%
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

Crookwell Lost River
New dwellings approved 44
across Upper Lachlan
same for both
Approvals change year on year +175%
same for both

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.

Crookwell Lost River
Houses 3.4%
$480/wk on $725K
 —
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Crookwell Lost River
House price Higher than 22% of NSW Higher than 76% of NSW
Income Higher than 24% of NSW —
Schools Higher than 75% of NSW —
Walkability Higher than 81% of NSW Higher than 37% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 64% of NSW —
EV adoption Higher than 7% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 77% of NSW Higher than 19% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 42% of NSW —

Liveability

Crookwell is more walkable (49 vs 0).

Crookwell Lost River
Grade B —
Score 51/100 —
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 3/10
 advantaged area
decile 7/10

Risk profile

Crookwell carries more crime risk (52 vs 0).

Crookwell Lost River
Bushfire Low
12/100
same for both
Crime Moderate
52/100
 None
0/100
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 0
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Crookwell Lost River
Inside the suburb 3 0
Rated above peers 1 0
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 2 0

Schools in Crookwell

  • St Mary's Primary School Catholic · Primary above peers
  • Crookwell High School Government · Secondary below peers
  • Crookwell Public School Government · Primary below peers

Schools in Lost River

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

Amenities in the suburb

Crookwell Lost River
Supermarkets 1 0
Cafes & restaurants 5 0
Parks & reserves 9 0
Childcare 3 0
GPs 4 0
Pharmacies 2 0
Hospitals 1 0
Police stations 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 2 0
Fuel stations 1 0
Waterways 34 15

Mobility

Lost River sits further from the CBD (256.7 km vs 240.8 km).

Crookwell Lost River
Walkability score 49/100 0/100
Distance to Sydney 240.8 km 256.7 km
+7% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 166 min 184 min
Electric vehicle share 0.1%
postcode 2583
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 47
postcode 2583
same for both

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.

Crookwell Lost River
Car (driver) 78.4% / 52.0%
Crookwell — Car (driver): 78.4% Lost River — Car (driver): 52.0%
Worked from Home 9.8% / 38.0%
Crookwell — Worked from Home: 9.8% Lost River — Worked from Home: 38.0%
Walked Only 6.2% / 10.0%
Crookwell — Walked Only: 6.2% Lost River — Walked Only: 10.0%
Car (passenger) 4.9% / —
Crookwell — Car (passenger): 4.9% Lost River — Car (passenger): not among its largest
Bus 0.4% / —
Crookwell — Bus: 0.4% Lost River — Bus: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (78.4%).

Setting

Crookwell Lost River
Elevation 889 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 869 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Crookwell Lost River
Connectivity score 70/100 15/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises Satellite (Sky Muster)
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 49%
1,454 premises
 0%
23 premises

Climate

Crookwell Lost River
Annual rainfall 840 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Council rates

Crookwell Lost River
Average residential rate $636/yr
same for both
Council Upper Lachlan
same for both

Federal electorate

Crookwell Lost River
Division Riverina
same for both
Member Michael Mccormack
same for both
Party The Nationals
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Crookwell Lost River
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Crookwell

Affordable Retirees River Rural

Lost River

Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Crookwell

Crookwell vs Laggan Crookwell vs Binda Crookwell vs Grabben Gullen Crookwell vs Bannister Crookwell vs Roslyn Crookwell vs Pejar

Other comparisons with Lost River

Lost River vs Binda Lost River vs Grabben Gullen Lost River vs Narrawa Lost River vs Wheeo
Full data on Crookwell Full data on Lost River
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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