Lake Illawarra
Half of Lake Illawarra's 3,288 residents rent their homes, an unusually high share for a suburb 90 kilometres south of Sydney, and household incomes sit at only the 16.2nd percentile nationally. The median age of 43 is 3 years above the national figure, pointing to an aging, settled population. University qualifications reach just 15.6%, which is 14.5 percentage points below the national rate, and 90.1% of residents commute by car. Healthcare employs more than one in four workers at 25.8%, making the suburb heavily reliant on a single sector.
Population
3,288
Median Age
43.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,069/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
39
Median House
$770K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The median house price of $770,000 sits above many regional NSW markets despite a low-income base, and prices moved modestly from $763,500 in 2024 to $777,000 in 2025, a 1.8% gain. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,733, but against a household income at the 16.2nd percentile nationally, the mortgage-to-income ratio reaches 37.4%, well above the 30% stress threshold. The dwelling stock splits fairly evenly between separate houses (50.2%), semi-detached (26.7%), and apartments (22.3%), with three-bedroom homes the dominant size at 40.7%. Buyers who can absorb the repayment burden gain access to a coastal-adjacent location, though affordability is stretched compared to local incomes.
For Buyers
The median house price of $770,000 sits above many regional NSW markets despite a low-income base, and prices moved modestly from $763,500 in 2024 to $777,000 in 2025, a 1.8% gain. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,733, but against a household income at the 16.2nd percentile nationally, the mortgage-to-income ratio reaches 37.4%, well above the 30% stress threshold. The dwelling stock splits fairly evenly between separate houses (50.2%), semi-detached (26.7%), and apartments (22.3%), with three-bedroom homes the dominant size at 40.7%. Buyers who can absorb the repayment burden gain access to a coastal-adjacent location, though affordability is stretched compared to local incomes.
For Investors
With 50.3% of residents renting, Lake Illawarra offers a deep tenant pool, above the typical suburban renter share. Weekly rent of $328 against the $770,000 median implies a gross yield near 2.2%, low but not unusual for the NSW Illawarra coast. The vacancy rate of 7.4% is elevated, signalling supply exceeds current demand, which limits near-term rent growth. Development activity registered 35 applications in the past 12 months, including residential dwelling approvals, suggesting modest new supply is entering. Population growth is slow given the aging profile and income constraints, so the investment case leans on the suburb's position within the Wollongong metro belt rather than organic demand expansion.
Development Activity
Total DAs
176
Last 12 Months
39
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+25.8%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Lake Illawarra iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Lake Illawarra South Public School
K-6 · 177 students
Lake Illawarra High School
7-12 · 542 students
Demographics
The median age of 43 is 3 years above the national average, and the household composition reflects this, with 30.8% of families being couples without children. Average household size of 2.1 is 0.4 below the national figure, consistent with smaller, older households. Ancestry is strongly Anglo-Celtic, led by English (1,245 residents), Scottish (302) and Irish (271), and the overseas-born share at 19.9% is 1.7 percentage points below national. University qualifications reach only 15.6%, sitting 14.5 percentage points below the national rate, while the participation rate of 42.6% is low, partly because 1,225 residents are not in the labour force. The volunteering rate of 8.2% is modest, and 9.2% of residents need daily assistance, reflecting the older age profile.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
50.2%
Houses
26.7%
Townhouse
22.3%
Apartment
Tenure
Ownership is polarised: only 27.8% own outright and 21.9% hold a mortgage, while 50.3% rent, a majority share that is higher than most comparable coastal NSW suburbs. Three-bedroom homes account for 40.7% of stock and two-bedroom dwellings for 35.9%, so smaller households dominate. The median house price rose 1.8% from $763,500 in 2024 to $777,000 in 2025, a subdued gain compared to stronger regional markets. Rent-to-income sits at 30.7%, meeting the standard stress threshold, and mortgage-to-income is higher at 37.4%, so both renters and buyers face financial pressure relative to local earnings. The vacancy rate of 7.4% means landlords may need to price competitively to attract tenants.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,733
Rent / wk
$328
HH Size
2.1
Personal Income / wk
$608
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
7.4%
Unoccupied
114
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
30.7% stressed
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
37.4% stressed
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
30.8%
Couples, no children
2,323
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare leads local employment at 25.8% (201 workers), far above the typical suburb share, followed by Construction at 13.0% (101) and Education at 11.2% (87). By occupation, Community and Personal Service workers (192) narrowly outnumber Professionals (188), and Labourers (172) form a significant third group. The unemployment rate of 7.0% is elevated compared to national averages, and the participation rate of 42.6% is low, partly because a large share of residents are retirees or outside working age. Full-time employment accounts for 61.5% of employed workers. Income levels are low, with household income at the 16.2nd percentile nationally, meaning four in five Australian households earn more than the typical Lake Illawarra household.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
61.5%
Part-time
31.5%
Participation
42.6%
Employed
1,095
Occupations
Top Industries
University
15.6%
Postgraduate
3.4%
Born Overseas
19.9%
Dwellings
1,418
Transport to Work
Car dependency is near-total, with 90.1% of residents driving to work and only 2.0% using public transport, making access to a private vehicle essential. The suburb's 1.67 square kilometre area sits at a density of 1,965 people per square kilometre, compact enough for walkable local amenity. No schools are recorded inside the suburb boundary in this dataset, so families with children rely on schools in neighbouring areas. Crime statistics are not available for this suburb in the current dataset. The 7.4% rental vacancy rate provides tenants with some choice, though rent stress at 30.7% of income affects a meaningful share of households. The 9.2% needing daily assistance is higher than average, consistent with the older median age of 43.
Drive
90.1%
Public Transport
2.0%
Walk / Cycle
1.8%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Lake Illawarra compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Lake Illawarra a good suburb to live in?
Lake Illawarra suits residents who prefer a coastal-adjacent, car-based lifestyle in the Wollongong region. The median age of 43 is 3 years above the national figure, reflecting a settled, older population. Household incomes sit at the 16.2nd percentile nationally, and both rent stress (30.7%) and mortgage stress (37.4%) affect residents, so affordability is a real consideration.
What is the median house price in Lake Illawarra?
The median house price is $770,000, up 1.8% from $763,500 in 2024 to $777,000 in 2025. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,733, and weekly rent is $328. The mortgage-to-income ratio of 37.4% exceeds the 30% stress threshold given local income levels at the 16.2nd percentile nationally.
What schools are in Lake Illawarra?
No schools are recorded inside the Lake Illawarra suburb boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs within the Wollongong local government area. University qualifications in the suburb are 15.6%, which is 14.5 percentage points below the national rate.
Is Lake Illawarra safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Lake Illawarra in this dataset. As a contextual indicator, the suburb has a 7.0% unemployment rate, which is elevated compared to national averages, and household income sits at the 16.2nd percentile nationally, factors that research associates with higher crime risk in some areas.
Is Lake Illawarra good for property investment?
The 50.3% renter share is above average and provides a broad tenant pool, but the 7.4% vacancy rate is elevated, indicating supply currently exceeds demand. Weekly rent of $328 against a $770,000 median implies a gross yield near 2.2%, modest for the risk profile. Price growth was 1.8% in 2024-2025, below stronger coastal markets.
How is Lake Illawarra's population changing?
The current population is 3,288, in a suburb of just 1.67 square kilometres. The median age of 43 is 3 years above the national average, and the low participation rate of 42.6% with 1,225 residents not in the labour force suggests the suburb skews older. Limited new housing development and income constraints make rapid population growth unlikely.
How much development is happening in Lake Illawarra?
There were 35 development applications lodged in the past 12 months, including at least one new dwelling house and several complying development certificates. The pace is modest relative to growth corridors, consistent with an established suburb with limited vacant land in a 1.67 square kilometre footprint.
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.
Explore Lake Illawarra on the Map
View parcels, zoning overlays, DA applications, schools and more.
Open Interactive Map