
<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 5
<LEGEND>
This schedule contains summary financial informaiton extracted from the balance
sheet of Commercial Net Lease Realty, Inc. at September 30, 1998, and its
statement of earnings for the nine months then ended and is qualified in its
entirety by reference to the Form 10-Q of Commercial Net Lease Realty, Inc. for
the nine months ended September 30, 1998.
</LEGEND>
       
<S>                                     <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                                    9-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1998
<PERIOD-END>                               SEP-30-1998
<CASH>                                       5,824,000
<SECURITIES>                                         0
<RECEIVABLES>                                2,541,000
<ALLOWANCES>                                         0
<INVENTORY>                                          0
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                                     0<F1>
<PP&E>                                     485,603,000
<DEPRECIATION>                              15,843,000
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                             612,098,000
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                                0<F1>
<BONDS>                                              0
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                0
<PREFERRED>                                          0
<COMMON>                                       294,000
<OTHER-SE>                                 381,982,000
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>               612,098,000
<SALES>                                              0
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                            46,447,000
<CGS>                                                0
<TOTAL-COSTS>                               14,979,000
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                                     0
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                     0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                           9,175,000
<INCOME-PRETAX>                             23,854,000
<INCOME-TAX>                                         0
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                         23,854,000
<DISCONTINUED>                                       0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                      0
<CHANGES>                                            0
<NET-INCOME>                                23,854,000
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                     0.82
<EPS-DILUTED>                                     0.82
<FN>
<F1>Due to the nature of its industry, Commercial Net Lease Realty, Inc. has an
unclassified balance sheet; therefore no values are shown above for current
assets and current liabilities.
</FN>
        




</TABLE>
