Eleebana
Almost nine in ten dwellings here are detached houses (89.5%) and 56.9% carry four or more bedrooms, a stock built for families rather than the apartment market most Lake Macquarie buyers compete in. Household income sits in the 84.4th percentile nationally, and the suburb scores decile 9 on IRSD and IER with decile 8 on IRSAD, placing it firmly in the upper advantage tiers. The median age of 45 runs 5.0 years above the national figure, and ownership is unusually settled: 50.1% of homes are owned outright, well above the renting share of just 10.0%. University qualifications reach 39.5%, which is 9.4 points above national, while only 13.9% of residents were born overseas, 7.7 points below national.
Population
6,460
Median Age
45.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,227/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
69
Median House
$1.2M
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The $1,220,000 median reflects a market priced for established families, and values rose 8.3% from $1,150,000 in 2024 to $1,245,000 in 2025. Stock heavily favours large homes: 56.9% of dwellings have four or more bedrooms and 30.1% have three, so two-bedroom options are scarce at 12.6%. Separate houses make up 89.5% of the market against just 1.5% apartments, which means buyers seeking a low-maintenance unit have almost no local supply. The reward for that price is affordability under control: monthly mortgage repayments average $2,167, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.5%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold because household incomes sit in the 84.4th percentile. Owners hold tight here, with 50.1% owning outright and only 10.0% renting.
For Buyers
The $1,220,000 median reflects a market priced for established families, and values rose 8.3% from $1,150,000 in 2024 to $1,245,000 in 2025. Stock heavily favours large homes: 56.9% of dwellings have four or more bedrooms and 30.1% have three, so two-bedroom options are scarce at 12.6%. Separate houses make up 89.5% of the market against just 1.5% apartments, which means buyers seeking a low-maintenance unit have almost no local supply. The reward for that price is affordability under control: monthly mortgage repayments average $2,167, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.5%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold because household incomes sit in the 84.4th percentile. Owners hold tight here, with 50.1% owning outright and only 10.0% renting.
For Investors
A renting share of just 10.0% gives Eleebana one of the shallower tenant pools in the region, which limits the easy turnover investors usually rely on. Weekly rent of $495 against the $1,220,000 median implies a gross yield near 2.1%, low but stronger than premium Sydney harbour suburbs. The 4.0% vacancy rate is moderate rather than tight, and rent grew 36.1% over the period, so the income case rests on escalation rather than scarcity. Demand support is thin: net overseas migration adds 54 residents a year while internal migration removes 23, leaving annual population growth at 0.0%. Development activity is steady at 63 applications in 12 months, mostly pools, sheds and dwelling alterations rather than new rental supply, so investors should expect capital-led returns over yield.
Development Activity
Total DAs
388
Last 12 Months
69
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-4.2%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Eleebana iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Eleebana Public School
K-6 · 506 students
Demographics
The median age of 45 is 5.0 years above the national figure, and the trajectory is clearly aging: the senior share rose 6.6 points while the working-age share fell 6.0 points over the decade. University qualifications reach 39.5%, which is 9.4 points above national, consistent with a professional resident base. Only 13.9% of residents were born overseas, 7.7 points below national, so the population is more Australian-born than most metro suburbs. Ancestry leans Anglo-Celtic, led by English (2,908), Scottish (891) and Irish (745), and average household size is 2.7, which is 0.2 above national. Family households dominate, with 2,411 couples raising children against 1,611 couples with no children, the larger-household profile that explains the four-bedroom-heavy stock.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
89.5%
Houses
9.0%
Townhouse
1.5%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure is heavily owner-skewed: 50.1% own outright, 39.9% carry a mortgage and only 10.0% rent, a settled profile where outright owners outnumber every other group. The stock is 89.5% separate houses with apartments at just 1.5% and semi-detached at 9.0%, so detached living is effectively the only option. Larger homes dominate, with 56.9% of dwellings holding four or more bedrooms and 30.1% three, against only 12.6% two-bedroom. The median house price rose from $1,150,000 to $1,245,000 across 2024 and 2025, an 8.3% move. Both cost ratios stay healthy: mortgage-to-income at 22.5% and rent-to-income at 22.2% both sit below the 30% stress line, a reflection of household incomes in the 84.4th percentile carrying the local price level.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,167
Rent / wk
$495
HH Size
2.7
Personal Income / wk
$900
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
4.0%
Unoccupied
95
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.2%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.5%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
28.9%
Couples, no children
5,584
Total families
Economy & Employment
The workforce leans toward services and care: Healthcare leads at 22.9% (510 workers), Education follows at 15.2% (337), then Professional/Tech at 9.6% (213), Construction at 9.5% (212) and Public Admin at 7.5%. By occupation, Professionals (948) and Managers (458) form the largest groups, which aligns with the decile 7 IEO score for education and occupation. Unemployment is low at 3.4% and the full-time employment rate is 59.1%. Participation reads 57.3%, held down because the aging profile leaves 1,920 residents not in the labour force. Real incomes grew 9.8% over the decade. The IER score for economic resources sits at decile 9, higher than the decile 7 IEO, because the 50.1% outright-ownership base lifts household wealth measures above what occupations alone would predict.
Unemployment
1.4%
Labour Force
6,779
Unemployed
92
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
59.1%
Part-time
37.5%
Participation
57.3%
Employed
2,905
Occupations
Top Industries
University
39.5%
Postgraduate
9.5%
Born Overseas
13.9%
Dwellings
2,285
Transport to Work
Car dependence is near total: 92.6% drive to work while only 0.3% take public transport and 1.9% walk or cycle, well below metro averages and a function of the lakeside, low-density layout at 1,315 residents per km2. The suburb scores decile 9 on IRSD for relative disadvantage, the second-highest tier, meaning very few residents face deprivation. Volunteering runs at 17.0% and only 4.9% (308 people) need daily assistance despite the older median age of 45. No schools are recorded inside the 4.91 km2 boundary in this dataset, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring suburbs, a practical trade-off offset by the large four-bedroom homes that make up 56.9% of stock.
Drive
92.6%
Public Transport
0.3%
Walk / Cycle
1.9%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
0.0%/yr
EstablishedEleebana is effectively flat: annual population growth registers 0.0% and the 10-year change is just 5.0%, classifying it as an established, slow-growth suburb. Medium forecasts hold the population near 12,512 through 2031, so little expansion is expected within the existing footprint. Overseas migration of 54 a year is the only positive driver, offset by net internal outflow of 23. The gentrification reading shows early signs with a score of 31, supported by 36.1% rent growth and 9.8% real income growth over the decade, though affordability held stable from 54.4% in 2011 to 54.8% in 2021. The senior share rose 6.6 points while working-age fell 6.0 points, an aging shift that points to gradual generational turnover rather than rapid redevelopment.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+54
Net Internal / yr
-23
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Eleebana compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Eleebana a good suburb to live in?
Eleebana scores decile 9 on IRSD and IER and decile 8 on IRSAD, the upper advantage tiers, with household income in the 84.4th percentile nationally. University qualifications reach 39.5%, 9.4 points above national. The trade-offs are a $1,220,000 median house price and heavy car dependence, with 92.6% driving to work.
What is the median house price in Eleebana?
The median house price is $1,220,000. Values rose 8.3% from $1,150,000 in 2024 to $1,245,000 in 2025. Weekly rent averages $495 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $2,167, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.5%, below the 30% stress threshold.
What schools are in Eleebana?
No schools are recorded inside the 4.91 km2 Eleebana boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. The local population is well educated, with university qualifications at 39.5%, which is 9.4 points above the national figure.
Is Eleebana safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Eleebana in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb scores decile 9 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage, the second-highest tier, and only 4.9% of its residents (308 people) need daily assistance, both consistent with a low-disadvantage area.
Is Eleebana good for property investment?
Rent of $495 a week against a $1,220,000 median gives a gross yield near 2.1%, and the renting share is only 10.0%, a shallow tenant pool. The 4.0% vacancy rate is moderate and rent grew 36.1% over the period, but with 0.0% population growth returns depend more on capital growth than yield.
How is Eleebana's population changing?
Population growth is 0.0% annually with a 5.0% rise over 10 years, an established slow-growth profile. The mix is aging, with the senior share up 6.6 points and the working-age share down 6.0 points over the decade. Net overseas migration of 54 a year is the only positive driver.
How much development is happening in Eleebana?
There were 63 development applications lodged in the past 12 months. Most are pools, sheds and dwelling alterations or rebuilds rather than new supply, consistent with an established area where separate houses make up 89.5% of stock and population growth runs at 0.0% annually.
How to read these comparisons
Phrases like "above the national average" reference the unweighted median across Australian suburbs with more than 1,000 residents, not population-weighted national figures. Suburb-level medians are more useful for ranking suburbs against each other; ABS census headlines are population-weighted (so dominated by Sydney and Melbourne) and can read very differently.
Current baseline (refreshed 2026-05-10): median age 40, university-educated 30.1%, born overseas 21.6%, average household size 2.5 people.
Data sources: ABS 2021 Census (demographics, income, tenure), state Valuer-General (house prices), Department of Jobs SALM (unemployment), ACARA (school ICSEA), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications). Population forecasts use a Hamilton-Perry cohort model calibrated to ABS ERP.
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