Girards Hill
At a median age of 47, Girards Hill sits 7 years above the national figure, and that older resident base shapes almost every other metric. The suburb's 1,318 residents are spread across a compact 0.73 km2 near Lismore, producing a density of 1,804 people per km2. Median house prices are $510,000, well below the NSW average, which reflects both the regional setting and an income base in the 27th percentile nationally. A standout is the education profile: 37% hold university qualifications, 6.9 points above national, concentrated in a workforce dominated by Healthcare at 35.6% of local jobs.
Population
1,318
Median Age
47.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,237/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
4
Median House
$510K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The $510,000 median house price makes Girards Hill affordable by NSW standards, with monthly mortgage repayments averaging $1,463 and a mortgage-to-income ratio of 27.3%, below the 30% stress threshold. Prices eased 2.9% from $525,000 in 2024, which means buyers now enter at a lower point than a year ago. Separate houses make up 82.6% of dwellings, so freestanding stock dominates over apartments (16.2%). Three-bedroom homes are the most common at 50.8%, followed by two-bedroom at 29.3%. Outright owners at 37.6% outnumber mortgage holders at 28.3%, consistent with the older median age of 47 where many residents have paid off their homes.
For Buyers
The $510,000 median house price makes Girards Hill affordable by NSW standards, with monthly mortgage repayments averaging $1,463 and a mortgage-to-income ratio of 27.3%, below the 30% stress threshold. Prices eased 2.9% from $525,000 in 2024, which means buyers now enter at a lower point than a year ago. Separate houses make up 82.6% of dwellings, so freestanding stock dominates over apartments (16.2%). Three-bedroom homes are the most common at 50.8%, followed by two-bedroom at 29.3%. Outright owners at 37.6% outnumber mortgage holders at 28.3%, consistent with the older median age of 47 where many residents have paid off their homes.
For Investors
The 34.1% renter share provides a reasonable tenant base, and rent at $290 per week sits at an accessible level for renters in a regional NSW market. Against the $510,000 median, that implies a gross yield near 2.96%, higher than inner-city NSW markets. The 6.4% vacancy rate is elevated compared to a tight market target of under 3%, which warrants attention before purchasing. Development activity is low at only 4 applications in the past 12 months, indicating minimal new supply pressure. The older resident profile means turnover is modest, with 76.1% of residents having stayed in the suburb, suggesting a stable but slow-moving market rather than one driven by population inflows.
Development Activity
Total DAs
37
Last 12 Months
4
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-50.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
The median age of 47 is 7 years above the national average, making this one of the older suburban profiles in the region. Overseas-born residents make up 12.5% of the population, which is 9.1 points below the national figure, reflecting an Anglo-dominant ancestry base led by English (592 residents), Irish (249) and Scottish (193). University qualifications reach 37%, sitting 6.9 points above the national average, a notable result for a suburb with household incomes in the 27th percentile. Average household size is 2.1, 0.4 below national, consistent with older couples without children: 31.6% of families are couples with no kids. The volunteering rate of 20.1% is above average nationally, suggesting an engaged community.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
82.6%
Houses
0.7%
Townhouse
16.2%
Apartment
Tenure
Girards Hill is strongly detached-house dominated: 82.6% of dwellings are separate houses, compared to just 16.2% apartments. The three-bedroom configuration leads at 50.8%, followed by two-bedroom at 29.3% and four-plus at 17.3%. Tenure splits clearly: 37.6% own outright, 28.3% carry a mortgage and 34.1% rent. The high outright ownership rate, compared to the national profile, reflects the older age base where many residents have cleared their mortgages. Prices declined 2.9% from $525,000 to $510,000 over the 2024 to 2025 period. Rent-to-income at 23.4% remains below the 30% stress threshold, meaning current rents are manageable for typical renters in the suburb.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,463
Rent / wk
$290
HH Size
2.1
Personal Income / wk
$677
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
6.4%
Unoccupied
40
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.4%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
27.3%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
31.6%
Couples, no children
870
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the dominant employer by a wide margin at 35.6% of local workers (154 people), reflecting the suburb's proximity to Lismore Base Hospital and allied health services. Education is second at 13%, followed by Retail at 9% and Professional/Technical at 7.2%. By occupation, Professionals lead at 176 workers, followed by Community and Personal Services at 93 and Labourers at 85. The unemployment rate is 7.5%, above the national average, and the participation rate of 54.1% is low, with 426 residents not in the labour force. The full-time employment rate is 51.5%, with part-time work nearly as common at 277 workers versus 294 full-time, pointing to a labour market with significant part-time and casual roles relative to national norms.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
51.5%
Part-time
41.0%
Participation
54.1%
Employed
571
Occupations
Top Industries
University
37.0%
Postgraduate
8.9%
Born Overseas
12.5%
Dwellings
579
Transport to Work
The suburb is car-reliant, with 79.9% of residents driving to work, though 10.8% walk or cycle, which is reasonable for a compact 0.73 km2 footprint. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary, so families depend on nearby Lismore facilities. Crime data is not available for Girards Hill in this dataset. Rent stress is low, with rent-to-income at 23.4% staying below the 30% threshold, and mortgage stress is similarly contained at 27.3%. The need-for-assistance rate is 7.5% (93 residents), which is higher than lower-disadvantage suburbs and aligns with the older median age of 47 and household incomes in the 27th percentile nationally. Volunteering at 20.1% reflects community participation above typical national levels.
Drive
79.9%
Public Transport
N/A
Walk / Cycle
10.8%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Girards Hill compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Girards Hill a good suburb to live in?
Girards Hill offers affordable housing at a $510,000 median with mortgage-to-income at 27.3%, below the 30% stress threshold. University qualifications reach 37%, which is 6.9 points above national. The trade-offs include household incomes in the 27th percentile nationally and a 7.5% unemployment rate above the national average.
What is the median house price in Girards Hill?
The median house price is $510,000 as of 2025, down 2.9% from $525,000 in 2024. Weekly rent averages $290 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $1,463, with a mortgage-to-income ratio of 27.3%. Separate houses make up 82.6% of dwellings.
What schools are in Girards Hill?
No schools are recorded within the Girards Hill suburb boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in the broader Lismore area. The local adult population is relatively well-educated, with 37% holding university qualifications, which is 6.9 points above the national figure.
Is Girards Hill safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Girards Hill in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb has a need-for-assistance rate of 7.5% (93 residents out of 1,318), and household incomes sit in the 27th percentile nationally. Prospective residents should check NSW Police local area crime data for current figures.
Is Girards Hill good for property investment?
At $290 weekly rent against a $510,000 median, the gross yield is near 2.96%, higher than most metro NSW markets. The vacancy rate of 6.4% is elevated above the 3% threshold investors typically target. Low development activity (4 applications in 12 months) limits new supply risk, but population growth signals are limited.
How is Girards Hill's population changing?
The current population is 1,318 across a 0.73 km2 area. The suburb has an older resident base with a median age of 47, which is 7 years above the national average. Turnover runs at 23.9%, meaning 76.1% of residents have stayed, indicating a stable rather than rapidly-growing population base.
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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