Lake Munmorah
A median age of 50, a full 10 years above the national figure, sets the tone here, and almost everything else follows from it. The detached-house share runs to 96.6% with apartments at just 1.2%, so this is land-and-house territory rather than density. Household income sits in the 22.1st percentile nationally, well below average, yet the median house price has still reached $768,750. The mix of older, lower-income owners and steep entry costs explains both the high outright-ownership rate of 50.9% and the housing stress now showing up among the minority who carry a mortgage or rent.
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
36
Median House
$769K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The $768,750 median is well below Sydney metro levels, which is the main draw, and it rose 7.2% from $736,750 in 2024 to $790,000 in 2025. Stock heavily favours families chasing space: 96.6% are separate houses, three-bedroom homes make up 41.1% and four-plus-bedroom homes 30.8%, leaving little for downsizers or first-home buyers wanting compact dwellings. The catch is affordability relative to local incomes. Average monthly mortgage repayments of $1,733 produce a mortgage-to-income ratio of 34.7%, above the 30% stress threshold, because household income sits in only the 22.1st percentile nationally. Outright owners at 50.9% far outnumber the 30.7% on a mortgage, a sign that recent buyers are stretching against a price base set by an older, debt-free cohort.
For Buyers
The $768,750 median is well below Sydney metro levels, which is the main draw, and it rose 7.2% from $736,750 in 2024 to $790,000 in 2025. Stock heavily favours families chasing space: 96.6% are separate houses, three-bedroom homes make up 41.1% and four-plus-bedroom homes 30.8%, leaving little for downsizers or first-home buyers wanting compact dwellings. The catch is affordability relative to local incomes. Average monthly mortgage repayments of $1,733 produce a mortgage-to-income ratio of 34.7%, above the 30% stress threshold, because household income sits in only the 22.1st percentile nationally. Outright owners at 50.9% far outnumber the 30.7% on a mortgage, a sign that recent buyers are stretching against a price base set by an older, debt-free cohort.
For Investors
With 18.4% of dwellings rented and weekly rent at $380, the tenant pool is shallow compared with metro markets, but rent has grown 46.2% over the period, a strong signal of tightening demand. Against the $768,750 median, that rent implies a gross yield near 2.6%, modest but ahead of premium Sydney suburbs. The vacancy rate of 7.2% points to some slack in available stock rather than acute shortage. Demand support is balanced and thin: net overseas migration adds about 34 residents a year while internal migration removes 15, so growth leans on the 0.54% annual trend. Development is steady at 30 applications in 12 months, mostly alterations and pools rather than new supply, meaning the rental stock expands slowly and existing landlords face limited new competition.
Development Activity
Total DAs
162
Last 12 Months
36
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+80.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Lake Munmorah iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
St Brigid's Catholic College
7-12 · 651 students
St Brendan's Catholic Primary School
K-6 · 431 students
Lake Munmorah Public School
K-6 · 384 students
Lake Munmorah High School
7-12 · 610 students
Demographics
The median age of 50 is 10 years above the national figure, and the trajectory is clearly aging: the senior share rose 7.5 points over the decade while the working-age share fell 2.1 points and the young-resident share dropped 3.4 points. Only 11.9% of residents were born overseas, which is 9.7 points below national, and ancestry is strongly Anglo-Celtic, led by English (2,335), Irish (573) and Scottish (490). University qualifications reach just 17.3%, fully 12.8 points below the national figure, consistent with a workforce skewed toward trades and care roles. Average household size is 2.3, slightly below national, and couples without children make up 36.8% of families, the demographic fingerprint of an older retiree and empty-nester base.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
96.6%
Houses
1.9%
Townhouse
1.2%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure leans heavily to outright ownership: 50.9% own their home debt-free, 30.7% carry a mortgage and only 18.4% rent. The dominance of outright owners reflects the aging resident base, many of whom bought long before prices climbed. The stock is overwhelmingly detached at 96.6%, with apartments at 1.2% and semi-detached at 1.9%, and bedroom counts confirm the family-house profile: 41.1% have three bedrooms and 30.8% four or more. The median price moved from $736,750 to $790,000 across 2024 to 2025, a 7.2% one-year rise. Both stress measures flash red, with mortgage-to-income at 34.7% and rent-to-income at 32.9%, because purchase and rental costs have outpaced a household income sitting in the 22.1st percentile nationally.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,733
Rent / wk
$380
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
36.8%
Couples, no children
3,954
Total families
Economy & Employment
The workforce concentrates in care and trades rather than knowledge sectors: Healthcare leads at 21.5% (278 workers), Construction follows at 15.5% (201), then Education at 10.5%, Retail at 8.0% and Public Administration at 7.7%. By occupation, Professionals (281) and Clerical/Admin (280) edge out Community/Personal workers (264) and Labourers (225), a flatter spread than higher-income suburbs. This profile aligns with the IEO score sitting in decile 1, the lowest tier nationally for education and occupation. Unemployment is 5.3% and the full-time rate is 59.8%, but participation is only 42.3%, well below national, because the aging population leaves 2,030 residents not in the labour force. Real incomes still grew 16.1% over the decade.
Unemployment
4.2%
Labour Force
4,742
Unemployed
197
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
59.8%
Part-time
34.9%
Participation
42.3%
Employed
1,728
Occupations
Top Industries
University
17.3%
Postgraduate
2.6%
Born Overseas
11.9%
Dwellings
2,164
Transport to Work
Car dependence is near total: 93.3% of commuters drive, far above national, while public transport carries only 0.8% and active travel 1.6%, reflecting a low-density layout at 890.7 residents per km2 across 5.71 km2. The suburb scores in the lower SEIFA tiers, with IRSAD in decile 2 and IRSD in decile 3, both well below the median, which signals relative disadvantage rather than affluence. No schools sit inside the suburb boundary in this dataset, so families rely on neighbouring areas, a notable consideration given the family-house stock. Around 8.8% of residents (430 people) need daily assistance, higher than younger suburbs, a direct consequence of the median age of 50 and the rising senior share.
Drive
93.3%
Public Transport
0.8%
Walk / Cycle
1.6%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.54%/yr
(+60 people/yr)
EstablishedLake Munmorah is a slow-growth established market: the annual population trend is 0.54%, about 60 residents a year, with a 10-year change of 8.9%. Medium forecasts lift the population from roughly 11,084 to 11,598 by 2031, a steady continuation rather than a boom. Net overseas migration of 34 a year is the main positive driver, partly offset by net internal outflow of 15, so growth is balanced and modest. The gentrification reading shows early signs with a score of 43, supported by rent growth of 46.2% and real income growth of 16.1% over the decade, though affordability stayed essentially flat, moving from 62.5% in 2011 to 64.0% in 2021. The aging trajectory remains the defining force.
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?
It suits older owner-occupiers and families wanting detached homes, with 96.6% of dwellings being separate houses and 50.9% owned outright. Entry costs are below Sydney metro at a $768,750 median, but it scores in SEIFA decile 2 on IRSAD and decile 1 on education and occupation, indicating relative disadvantage.
What is the median house price in Lake Munmorah?
The median house price is $768,750, well below Sydney metro levels. Prices rose 7.2% from $736,750 in 2024 to $790,000 in 2025. Weekly rent averages $380 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $1,733, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 34.7%, above the stress threshold.
What schools are in Lake Munmorah?
No schools are recorded inside the Lake Munmorah boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. This matters because the stock is family-oriented, with 41.1% three-bedroom and 30.8% four-plus-bedroom homes, yet university qualifications sit 12.8 points below national at 17.3%.
Is Lake Munmorah safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Lake Munmorah in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb scores in decile 3 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage and decile 2 on IRSAD, both below the national median, while 8.8% of residents need daily assistance, consistent with an older, lower-advantage area.
Is Lake Munmorah good for property investment?
Rent of $380 a week against a $768,750 median gives a gross yield near 2.6%, ahead of premium Sydney suburbs. Rent grew 46.2% over the period, but the 7.2% vacancy rate shows some slack and population growth is only 0.54% a year, so returns lean on rental growth more than rapid capital gains.
How is Lake Munmorah's population changing?
Population growth is 0.54% annually, about 60 residents a year, with an 8.9% rise over 10 years. The profile is aging: the senior share rose 7.5 points and the working-age share fell 2.1 points over the decade, pushing the median age to 50, which is 10 years above the national figure.
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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