Lake Cargelligo
At a median house price of $305,000, Lake Cargelligo sits well below the national median, yet household income ranks in just the 22.3rd percentile nationally, which means affordability is not as comfortable as the raw price suggests. The suburb is notable for its ownership culture: 45.4% of households own their homes outright, a figure that points to long-term residents rather than a mobile buyer market. With a population of 1,430 spread across 1,788 square kilometres, this is one of NSW's more sparsely settled towns, and a vacancy rate of 15.8% reflects genuine oversupply rather than speculative emptiness.
Population
1,430
Median Age
40.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,158/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
9
Median House
$305K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The median house price of $305,000 makes Lake Cargelligo one of the more affordable entry points in western NSW, though price movement has been unfavourable: prices fell from $335,000 in 2024 to $250,000 in 2025, a 25.4% decline over the period. Monthly mortgage repayments average $867 against a median household income of $1,158 per week, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 17.3%, below the 30% stress threshold. The stock is almost entirely separate houses at 91.4%, with 4-plus bedroom homes accounting for 35.0% of dwellings and 3-bedroom stock at 41.6%. For buyers who want space and low mortgage stress, the fundamentals are workable, though the falling price trend warrants caution relative to other regional NSW markets.
For Buyers
The median house price of $305,000 makes Lake Cargelligo one of the more affordable entry points in western NSW, though price movement has been unfavourable: prices fell from $335,000 in 2024 to $250,000 in 2025, a 25.4% decline over the period. Monthly mortgage repayments average $867 against a median household income of $1,158 per week, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 17.3%, below the 30% stress threshold. The stock is almost entirely separate houses at 91.4%, with 4-plus bedroom homes accounting for 35.0% of dwellings and 3-bedroom stock at 41.6%. For buyers who want space and low mortgage stress, the fundamentals are workable, though the falling price trend warrants caution relative to other regional NSW markets.
For Investors
A 32.2% renter share provides a reasonable tenant pool, and weekly rent of $170 keeps housing costs low for tenants. However, the 15.8% vacancy rate is well above the 3% level typically associated with a balanced market, signalling genuine excess supply relative to demand. The gross yield calculation against a $305,000 median and $170 weekly rent gives approximately 2.9%, modest for a regional market of this size. Development activity is low at 8 applications in the past 12 months, limiting near-term supply pressure. The participation rate of 50.1% is below typical levels, and household income ranks at the 22.3rd percentile nationally, which constrains the tenant base's ability to absorb rent increases. Investors should weigh the low entry cost against limited demand drivers.
Development Activity
Total DAs
72
Last 12 Months
9
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-35.7%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Lake Cargelligo iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
St Francis Xavier's Primary School
K-6 · 41 students
Lake Cargelligo Central School
K-12 · 227 students
Demographics
The median age of 40 matches the national figure, meaning the population is not skewing younger or older than average. Overseas-born residents account for 7.0%, which is 14.6 percentage points below the national average, reflecting a predominantly locally-born population. Ancestry is strongly Anglo-Celtic, led by English (437), Scottish (131) and Irish (107). University qualifications reach just 14.8%, which is 15.3 points below the national rate, consistent with a regional town where trade and agricultural occupations dominate over knowledge-sector work. Average household size is 2.4, marginally below the national figure, and 29.1% of families are couples without children, suggesting some empty-nester households alongside families with children at 41.7%.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
91.4%
Houses
N/A
Townhouse
8.6%
Apartment
Tenure
Outright ownership at 45.4% is the dominant tenure, well above typical national rates, and it indicates a population that has largely paid down debt over time. Mortgage holders account for 22.4% and renters 32.2%. The 15.8% vacancy rate is the key risk signal: one in six dwellings sits empty, which depresses rents and limits price recovery. Separate houses make up 91.4% of stock, with virtually no apartments, and the bedroom profile skews larger, with 35.0% of dwellings having 4 or more bedrooms. Prices dropped from $335,000 in 2024 to $250,000 in 2025, a 25.4% fall. Rent-to-income at 14.7% keeps tenants well below the stress threshold of 30%, because both rents and incomes are relatively modest in absolute terms.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$867
Rent / wk
$170
HH Size
2.4
Personal Income / wk
$641
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
15.8%
Unoccupied
98
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
14.7%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
17.3%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
29.1%
Couples, no children
1,000
Total families
Economy & Employment
The local economy is led by Education at 23.4% of workers (67 people), followed by Agriculture at 19.2% (55 people) and Healthcare at 12.9% (37 people). This reflects the pattern of most small western NSW towns, where government services and farming underpin employment rather than manufacturing or professional services. By occupation, Managers top the list at 153 workers, followed by Community and Personal Services at 79 and Professionals at 75. The unemployment rate of 4.5% is slightly above the national average, and the participation rate of 50.1% is notably lower than national, with 373 residents not in the labour force at all. Personal weekly income of $641 is below the national median, consistent with the 22.3rd percentile household income ranking.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
66.2%
Part-time
29.3%
Participation
50.1%
Employed
535
Occupations
Top Industries
University
14.8%
Postgraduate
2.5%
Born Overseas
7.0%
Dwellings
513
Transport to Work
Car reliance is high at 81.2% of commuters, consistent with a rural town where distances between services require private transport. Walking and cycling account for 12.4%, which is notable for a town of this size and likely reflects the compact central area around the lake foreshore. No schools are recorded in the dataset for this suburb, and with no public transport data available, residents depend on private cars for most services. The volunteering rate of 30.2% is above typical urban averages and indicates strong community participation relative to population size. Housing stress is low: rent-to-income sits at 14.7% and mortgage-to-income at 17.3%, both well below national stress thresholds. The 6.8% rate of residents needing daily assistance (85 people) is a consideration for service planning in this small community.
Drive
81.2%
Public Transport
N/A
Walk / Cycle
12.4%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Lake Cargelligo compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Lake Cargelligo a good suburb to live in?
Lake Cargelligo suits residents who value low housing costs and community stability. Mortgage-to-income is 17.3% and rent-to-income is 14.7%, both well below the 30% stress threshold. The volunteering rate of 30.2% is above average. The main limitations are a 15.8% vacancy rate, limited services, and household income at the 22.3rd percentile nationally.
What is the median house price in Lake Cargelligo?
The median house price is $305,000, well below most NSW regional centres. Prices fell 25.4% from $335,000 in 2024 to $250,000 in 2025. Weekly rent averages $170 and monthly mortgage repayments are approximately $867, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 17.3%.
What schools are in Lake Cargelligo?
No schools are recorded in the Lake Cargelligo dataset. Families in western NSW towns of around 1,430 residents typically rely on local central schools. University qualifications in the suburb are 14.8%, which is 15.3 percentage points below the national average, reflecting limited access to tertiary education locally.
Is Lake Cargelligo safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Lake Cargelligo in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, housing stress is low at 14.7% rent-to-income and 17.3% mortgage-to-income, both below national stress thresholds. Community cohesion indicators are positive, with a volunteering rate of 30.2%, above the national average for comparable towns.
Is Lake Cargelligo good for property investment?
The investment case is mixed. Entry cost is low at a $305,000 median, but prices fell 25.4% over the 2024-2025 period. The 15.8% vacancy rate is well above the 3% balanced-market benchmark, and household incomes sit in the 22.3rd percentile nationally, limiting rent growth potential. Gross yield of approximately 2.9% is modest for this risk profile.
How is Lake Cargelligo's population changing?
The suburb has a stable but not growing population of 1,430. A turnover rate of just 14.4% means 85.6% of residents stayed in place over the measured period, indicating a settled rather than transient community. Development activity is very low at 8 applications in 12 months, and the high vacancy rate of 15.8% suggests supply already exceeds current demand.
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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