Lakelands
A median age of 32 sits a full 8.0 years below the national figure, and that youth shapes almost everything else in Lakelands. Detached houses make up 99.7% of the dwelling stock, 62.5% of homes carry four or more bedrooms, and 56.0% of households are paying off a mortgage, a classic young-family mortgage belt. The estimated median house price of $442,000 keeps entry costs well below most metropolitan markets, which is why household income at the 64.2nd percentile nationally still stretches to ownership here. Overseas-born residents reach 32.9%, which is 11.3 points above national, giving the resident base a more international tilt than the detached-house format alone would suggest.
Population
6,171
Median Age
32.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,804/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Median House
$442K
Estimated from rent (2025)
Buyers come to Lakelands for space at a reasonable price. The estimated median house price is $442,000, and the stock is almost entirely freestanding, with separate houses at 99.7% and semi-detached homes just 0.3%, so families are not competing with apartment supply. Large floor plans dominate: 62.5% of dwellings have four or more bedrooms and 26.4% have three, leaving smaller homes scarce. Affordability is the draw, because monthly mortgage repayments average about $1,750 and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 22.4%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold even though household income only reaches the 64.2nd percentile nationally. That gap between modest incomes and manageable repayments is what makes the suburb workable for first and second home buyers priced out of inner metro areas.
For Buyers
Buyers come to Lakelands for space at a reasonable price. The estimated median house price is $442,000, and the stock is almost entirely freestanding, with separate houses at 99.7% and semi-detached homes just 0.3%, so families are not competing with apartment supply. Large floor plans dominate: 62.5% of dwellings have four or more bedrooms and 26.4% have three, leaving smaller homes scarce. Affordability is the draw, because monthly mortgage repayments average about $1,750 and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 22.4%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold even though household income only reaches the 64.2nd percentile nationally. That gap between modest incomes and manageable repayments is what makes the suburb workable for first and second home buyers priced out of inner metro areas.
For Investors
The rental case is steady rather than spectacular. Renters make up 23.6% of households and weekly rent averages $350, which against the $442,000 median implies a gross yield near 4.1%, higher than the sub-2% returns typical of premium city suburbs. The main caution is supply: the vacancy rate reads 6.9%, above a balanced market, signalling that tenants have choice and that rent growth may be capped in the near term. Demand support comes from the resident profile, with overseas-born residents at 32.9%, which is 11.3 points above national, and a young median age of 32 that keeps the renting cohort replenished. With detached houses at 99.7% of stock, investors here are buying family rentals rather than yield-focused apartments, so the play leans on tenant stability more than turnover.
Schools in Lakelands iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Mandurah Baptist College
PP-12 · 1383 students
Coastal Lakes College
7-12 · 1145 students
Lakelands Primary School
K-6 · 646 students
Demographics
Lakelands skews young and family oriented. The median age of 32 runs 8.0 years below the national figure, and the average household size of 2.8 is 0.3 above national, both consistent with couples raising children: 2,596 of 5,136 families are couples with children versus 1,127 couples without. University qualifications reach only 20.5%, which is 9.6 points below national, reflecting a workforce weighted toward trades and services rather than professions. Ancestry is largely Anglo-Celtic, led by English (2,743), Scottish (601) and Irish (499), yet 32.9% of residents were born overseas, 11.3 points above national. Afrikaans (39 speakers) is the most common non-English language ahead of Malayalam (16) and Mandarin (15), a mix that points to South African and South Asian migration rather than the East Asian patterns common closer to the city.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
99.7%
Houses
0.3%
Townhouse
N/A
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure here is dominated by mortgages: 56.0% of households are paying off a loan, 23.6% rent and only 20.4% own outright, the inverse of established wealthy suburbs and a clear marker of recent buyers. The dwelling format is almost uniform, with separate houses at 99.7% and semi-detached at 0.3%, so the market offers little variety beyond freestanding homes. Bedroom counts run large, with 62.5% of homes at four or more bedrooms and 26.4% at three, while one and two bedroom dwellings together make up just 11.0%. Against the estimated $442,000 median, this is an affordable detached market, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.4% stays well below the 30% stress line. Rent-to-income at 19.4% is lower still, so neither owners nor tenants face the cost pressure seen in dearer markets.
Mortgage / mo
$1,750
Rent / wk
$350
HH Size
2.8
Personal Income / wk
$788
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
6.9%
Unoccupied
157
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.4%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.4%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
21.9%
Couples, no children
5,136
Total families
Economy & Employment
The local workforce is built on services and resources rather than knowledge industries. Healthcare leads at 19.5% (354 workers), followed by Education at 12.3% (223) and Mining at 11.8% (215), with Manufacturing (8.2%) and Construction (7.4%) rounding out the top five. By occupation, Community and Personal Service workers (424) edge out Professionals (405), with Machinery Operators and Drivers (319) and Labourers (297) close behind, a spread that matches the below-national university rate of 20.5%, 9.6 points under the national figure. Unemployment sits at 6.0% and the full-time employment rate is 63.4%, while participation reads 60.6%, held down because the young household profile leaves 1,341 residents not in the labour force, many of them raising children rather than working.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
63.4%
Part-time
30.6%
Participation
60.6%
Employed
2,602
Occupations
Top Industries
University
20.5%
Postgraduate
3.5%
Born Overseas
32.9%
Dwellings
2,110
Transport to Work
Lakelands is built around the car: 85.8% of commuters drive, public transport carries just 5.1% and only 2.1% walk or cycle, well above the national reliance on private vehicles and typical of an outer growth corridor. Crime statistics and SEIFA disadvantage deciles are not recorded for the suburb in this dataset, but indirect signals point to a settled family area, with only 4.1% of residents (241 people) needing daily assistance and volunteering at 13.6%. No schools are listed inside the 7.02 km2 boundary in this data, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring suburbs, a common trade-off in newer estates. Housing cost pressure is low, with rent-to-income at 19.4% and mortgage-to-income at 22.4%, both comfortably below the 30% stress threshold.
Drive
85.8%
Public Transport
5.1%
Walk / Cycle
2.1%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Lakelands compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Lakelands a good suburb to live in?
Lakelands suits young families seeking affordable space. The estimated median house price is $442,000, mortgage-to-income sits at a comfortable 22.4%, below the 30% stress line, and 99.7% of homes are detached houses. The median age of 32 runs 8.0 years below national, though the car-dependent layout means 85.8% of residents drive to work.
What is the median house price in Lakelands?
The estimated median house price in Lakelands is $442,000, which is affordable compared with most metropolitan markets. Weekly rent averages $350 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $1,750, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.4%, well below the 30% stress threshold.
What schools are in Lakelands?
No schools are recorded inside the 7.02 km2 Lakelands boundary in this dataset, so families typically rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. The area skews young, with a median age of 32, which is 8.0 years below the national figure, and most households are couples with children.
Is Lakelands safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Lakelands in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, only 4.1% of residents (241 people) need daily assistance and volunteering runs at 13.6%, both consistent with a settled, family-oriented area rather than a high-need one.
Is Lakelands good for property investment?
Weekly rent of $350 against the estimated $442,000 median gives a gross yield near 4.1%, higher than premium city suburbs. The caution is a 6.9% vacancy rate, above a balanced market, suggesting tenant choice. Renters make up 23.6% of households, so the play is family rentals over yield.
How is Lakelands's population changing?
Lakelands shows signs of an active growth corridor. The current population is 6,171, the median age of 32 sits 8.0 years below national, and 56.0% of households carry a mortgage. Turnover runs at 23.7%, with 32.9% of residents born overseas, 11.3 points above national, adding migration-driven demand.
What languages are spoken in Lakelands?
About 32.9% of residents were born overseas, 11.3 points above the national figure. English is the dominant language, with Afrikaans (39 speakers), Malayalam (16), Mandarin (15) and Hindi (14) the most common non-English languages, reflecting South African and South Asian migration.
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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