Lake Munmorah
Half of Lake Munmorah homes are owned outright at 50.2%, while the median age is 50, or 10 years above the national average. With 5,084 residents across 5.71 square kilometres, density reaches 890.7 people per square kilometre, yet 96.6% of dwellings are separate houses. The result is a low-rise, older housing market rather than a dense apartment setting. Compared with nearby Lake Haven and Toukley, Lake Munmorah reads as a quieter detached-home locality, with ageing households likely shaping demand for healthcare, maintenance and accessible services.
Population
5,084
Median Age
50.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,155/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
39
For buyers, Lake Munmorah's strongest point is the dominance of conventional housing: 96.6% of dwellings are separate houses, compared with only 1.2% apartments and 1.9% semi-detached homes. Three-bedroom properties account for 41.1% of homes and four or more bedrooms for 30.8%, giving family buyers more choice than a compact unit market. A $1,733 monthly mortgage represents 34.7% of household income, while household income sits at the 22.1 percentile, below the national midpoint. That combination makes budget discipline important, particularly for households borrowing rather than owning outright.
For Buyers
For buyers, Lake Munmorah's strongest point is the dominance of conventional housing: 96.6% of dwellings are separate houses, compared with only 1.2% apartments and 1.9% semi-detached homes. Three-bedroom properties account for 41.1% of homes and four or more bedrooms for 30.8%, giving family buyers more choice than a compact unit market. A $1,733 monthly mortgage represents 34.7% of household income, while household income sits at the 22.1 percentile, below the national midpoint. That combination makes budget discipline important, particularly for households borrowing rather than owning outright.
For Investors
Lake Munmorah has a smaller rental base than its owner-occupied market, with 18.1% of homes rented compared with 50.2% owned outright and 30.3% under mortgage. Weekly rent is $380 and vacancy is 7.2%, so investors should allow for more tenant choice than in a tightly occupied market. Development activity is notable, with 37 applications in 12 months, although examples include sheds, retail alterations and swimming pools rather than a clear count of new dwellings. Balanced migration and an aging trajectory may support steady demand for practical, low-maintenance homes, but rental growth of 46.2% deserves testing against current local leasing evidence.
Development Activity
Total DAs
171
Last 12 Months
39
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+69.6%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Lake Munmorah
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Demographics
Lake Munmorah has an older population profile than Australia overall: the median age is 50, or 10 years above the national figure. University attainment is 17.3%, which is 12.8 percentage points below national levels, and the overseas-born share is 11.9%, 9.7 points below the national comparison. English ancestry is recorded for 2,335 people, followed by Irish at 573 and Scottish at 490. Christianity has 2,900 adherents, while 1,817 report no religion. Average household size is 2.3, or 0.2 below national levels, because couples without children make up 49.0% of families compared with 32.0% for couples with children.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
96.6%
Houses
1.9%
Townhouse
1.2%
Apartment
Tenure
Lake Munmorah's housing stock is overwhelmingly detached, with 96.6% separate houses, 1.2% apartments and 1.9% semi-detached dwellings. The tenure split is also distinctive: 50.2% of homes are owned outright, 30.3% carry a mortgage and 18.1% are rented. Compared with apartment-oriented areas, the bedroom mix is more spacious, with 41.1% of homes containing 3 bedrooms and 30.8% containing 4 or more. Financial pressure remains relevant because mortgage costs equal 34.7% of household income and rent equals 32.9%. Household income is at the 22.1 percentile, below the national midpoint, which can limit purchasing flexibility despite substantial outright ownership.
Mortgage / mo
$1,733
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (April to June 2026), NSW Rental Bond Board (DCJ). Census 2021 median: $380.
$675
Bond data Jun 2026 · houses $700 · units $480
HH Size
2.3
Personal Income / wk
$625
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
7.2%
Unoccupied
168
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
32.9% stressed
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
34.7% stressed
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
32.0%
Couples with children
49.0%
Couples, no children
17.8%
Single parent
1,477
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is Lake Munmorah's largest listed industry at 21.5% and 278 workers, followed by construction at 15.5% and 201, education at 10.5% and 136, retail at 8.0% and 104, and public administration at 7.7% and 99. Trades lead occupations with 327 workers, ahead of professionals at 281 and clerical or administrative roles at 280. Unemployment is 4.6%, participation is 48.4%, and 1,033 employed residents work full time compared with 695 part time. The socioeconomic pattern is uneven: IEO decile 1 is lower than IER decile 4, while IRSD decile 3 and IRSAD decile 2 sit between them. That mix suggests service and trade employment alongside constrained education and resource outcomes.
Unemployment
4.6%
Labour Force
2,088
Unemployed
97
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
51.9%
Part-time
34.9%
Participation
48.4%
Employed
1,991
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
17.3%
Postgraduate
2.6%
Born Overseas
11.9%
Dwellings
2,164
Transport to Work
Daily travel is strongly car dependent: 71.6% of residents drive, compared with 0.6% using public transport and 1.3% walking or cycling. The 23.3% working-from-home share may reduce commuting for some households, but limited transit use means car access remains more important than in a public-transport-led suburb. Families have access to 2 local government schools, covering primary and secondary education. Enrolment zones should be checked against the exact address because they can cross suburb boundaries. Lake Munmorah covers 5.71 square kilometres and has 5,084 residents, while its IRSAD decile of 2 is lower than its IRSD decile of 3 and IER decile of 4, indicating that affordability and access to resources remain important livability considerations.
Drive
71.6%
Public Transport
0.6%
Walk / Cycle
1.3%
Work from Home
23.3%
Population Forecast
+0.54%/yr
(+60 people/yr)
EstablishedLake Munmorah is forecast to grow at 0.54% annually, with migration classified as Balanced rather than driven by one dominant inflow. Population change across the wider area is 8.9% over 10 years, above zero but consistent with measured expansion. The shift trajectory is Aging: the senior share has risen 7.5 percentage points, while the young share has fallen 3.4 points and the working share has fallen 2.1 points. Rent growth is 46.2%, which may increase pressure on established households. The forecast gentrification score is 0 and the stage is Not gentrifying, although separate shift indicators record a score of 43 and Early signs. Ageing demand, rather than rapid demographic turnover, is likely to shape future services and housing needs.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+34
Net Internal / yr
-15
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Lake Munmorah compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Lake Munmorah a good suburb to live in?
Lake Munmorah may suit buyers seeking detached housing and a quieter, older resident profile. The median age is 50, 96.6% of homes are separate houses and 71.6% of residents drive, so it is better suited to car-oriented households than people relying on public transport.
What is the median house price in Lake Munmorah?
Use recent settled sales to confirm the current median house price rather than treating the $1,733 monthly mortgage figure as a sale-price proxy. Housing is predominantly detached, with 96.6% separate houses, including 41.1% with 3 bedrooms and 30.8% with 4 or more.
What schools are in Lake Munmorah?
Lake Munmorah has 2 local government schools: 1 primary school and 1 secondary school. Families should confirm enrolment zones for the exact address, as boundaries can affect access even within the same 5.71 square kilometre locality.
Is Lake Munmorah safe?
Check current NSW Police incident information for the exact address before deciding, because local conditions can vary across the 5.71 square kilometre suburb. Lake Munmorah has 5,084 residents, so street-level context and recent observations are more useful than relying on a broad suburb impression.
Is Lake Munmorah good for property investment?
It may suit investors targeting detached housing, with 18.1% of homes rented, weekly rent of $380 and a 7.2% vacancy rate. There were 37 development applications in 12 months, while forecast annual growth is 0.54%, so returns should be tested against current prices, costs and tenant demand.
How is Lake Munmorah's population changing?
The wider area records 8.9% population change over 10 years, while the annual forecast trend is 0.54%. Lake Munmorah has an Aging trajectory: the senior share rose 7.5 percentage points and the young share fell 3.4 points, indicating demand is shifting toward older households and accessible services.
What development is happening in Lake Munmorah?
There were 37 development applications in the past 12 months. Recorded examples include a new shed structure, retail premises alterations and a swimming pool, so the activity indicates ongoing property works but should not be interpreted as 37 new homes.
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 education open registers (school locations), 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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