Cowan
NSW 2081 · Hornsby
631 (2021) → 629 est. (2025) · Stable
Part of the Hornsby local government area (est. 144,237 residents)
Based on transport, liveability & education. Safety is scored separately below.
Cowan is a stable suburb in Hornsby, NSW 2081, about 34km from Sydney CBD. Its median house price of $1.51M is more expensive than the NSW average. The suburb has 1 school, a transport score of 86/100, and is a short drive from the coast. Cowan has an overall score of 62/100, based on transport, liveability and education, plus a separate residential safety score of 90/100.
Demographics
Age distribution
Housing tenure
- Owned
- Mortgage
- Rented
Commute to work
- Car
- Public transport
- Walk/cycle
- Work from home
Top countries of birth: England (3.49%), South Korea (1.58%), South Africa (1.58%), New Zealand (1.43%), Philippines (1.27%)
Top languages: Korean (1.11%), Persian ED (0.95%), German (0.63%), Nepali (0.63%), Filipino (0.63%)
Source: ABS Census 2021
Property
Median price history
Source: NSW Valuer General · Updated Q4 2025
Residential Safety
Small population (under 3,000) — crime rates may be volatile due to low sample size.
Recorded residential incidents (latest year), with rate per 100,000 residents:
Residential incidents over time
Sum of the five residential categories above — not all recorded crime.
Area crime context
An independent score — crime data quality varies by state, so safety is shown separately and is not part of the overall score.
Source: BOCSAR · Updated 2025
Schools
Average ICSEA of schools within 10km 1094 (above the national average of 1000).
In suburb
- Cowan Public SchoolPrimary · GovernmentICSEA 1045
Nearby (within 10km)
- Brooklyn Public SchoolPrimary · Government · 4.8kmICSEA 1098
- Wideview Public SchoolPrimary · Government · 5.2kmICSEA 1100
- St Bernard's Catholic Primary SchoolPrimary · Catholic · 5.7kmICSEA 1124
- Berowra Public SchoolPrimary · Government · 6kmICSEA 1081
- Pacific Berowra Christian SchoolCombined · Independent · 6.3kmICSEA 1117
Source: ACARA 2023
Transport
Source: TfNSW GTFS
Liveability
Amenities within 2–3km
Counted within a short distance of the suburb centre (so nearby facilities count), with the in-boundary count shown beneath.
Source: Bureau of Meteorology · OpenStreetMap
Population & Growth
StableSource: ABS ERP & NSW DPHI
Nearby suburbs in Hornsby
Compare Cowan with another suburb
Compare two suburbs
Frequently asked questions about Cowan
Is Cowan safe?
Cowan has a residential safety score of 90/100, based on residential crime (break-ins, theft from dwellings, vehicle theft, domestic assault and robbery) per resident relative to the NSW median. Its total recorded incident rate is 6,181 per 100,000 across all categories.
What are property prices in Cowan?
In Cowan, the median house price is $1.51M. Median weekly house rent is $750.
How far is Cowan from Sydney CBD?
Cowan is about 34.2 km from Sydney CBD, an estimated 76 minutes by public transport.
What schools are in Cowan?
Cowan has 1 school, with an average ICSEA of 1045 (the national average is 1000). Schools are listed factually, not ranked.
What is public transport like in Cowan?
Cowan has a transport score of 86/100, including 1 train station and 5 bus stops.