Lakemba
With 70.0% apartments and 60.1% renters, Lakemba reads more like an arrival and rental hub than a conventional family-house suburb. Its 17,092 residents fit into just 2.19 sq km, lifting density to 7,816.7 people per sq km, while 65.2% were born overseas, 43.6 percentage points above national. Around the station, the pattern is closer to Wiley Park and Belmore than to detached-house parts of Greenacre. Household income sits at the 26.9th percentile nationally, so affordability is central to demand.
Population
17,092
Median Age
32.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,227/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
75
Median House
$517K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
Homebuyers are mainly choosing apartments rather than land: units make up 70.0% of dwellings, compared with 25.6% separate houses, and 64.7% of homes have 2 bedrooms. The median house price of $517,100 and median rent of $350 a week sit alongside household income at $1,227 a week, so budgets matter. A $1,712 monthly mortgage pushes mortgage costs to 32.2% of income, above the common stress line, while renting at 28.5% is lower pressure.
For Buyers
Homebuyers are mainly choosing apartments rather than land: units make up 70.0% of dwellings, compared with 25.6% separate houses, and 64.7% of homes have 2 bedrooms. The median house price of $517,100 and median rent of $350 a week sit alongside household income at $1,227 a week, so budgets matter. A $1,712 monthly mortgage pushes mortgage costs to 32.2% of income, above the common stress line, while renting at 28.5% is lower pressure.
For Investors
Investors face strong tenant depth but not a scarcity market. Renting covers 60.1% of households, higher than the 40.0% owner-occupier share, and weekly rent is $350. The 9.2% vacancy rate is the main caution because it points to more choice for tenants. Development is active, with 60 applications in 12 months, and migration is turnover-heavy: overseas inflow averages +697 people a year while internal movement is -766, so demand is tied to new arrivals more than local upgrading.
Development Activity
Total DAs
316
Last 12 Months
75
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+8.7%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Lakemba iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Al Hikma College
K-6 · 399 students
Rissalah College
K-12 · 946 students
St Therese's Catholic Primary School
K-6 · 176 students
Lakemba Public School
K-6 · 428 students
Holy Spirit Catholic College
7-12 · 730 students
Demographics
Lakemba is notably young and internationally connected. The median age is 32, which is 8.0 years below the national level, and 65.2% of residents were born overseas, 43.6 percentage points above national. University attainment is also high at 49.4%, 19.3 points above national, even though household income is only at the 26.9th percentile. Bengali, Urdu and Arabic are prominent languages, while Islam has 10,462 adherents. Larger households at 3.1 people, 0.6 above national, help explain steady unit demand.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
25.6%
Houses
4.1%
Townhouse
70.0%
Apartment
Tenure
Housing stock is compact and rental-oriented: 70.0% apartments, 4.1% semi-detached homes and 25.6% separate houses. Prices lifted from $465,000 in 2024 to $555,000 in 2025, a 19.4% rise, with the latest level matching the peak and 0.0% below it. Tenure is lower in ownership than many middle-ring suburbs, with 20.8% owned outright, 19.2% mortgaged and 60.1% rented. The $517,100 median house price is about 8.1 times annual household income, so affordability is relative rather than easy.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,712
Rent / wk
$350
HH Size
3.1
Personal Income / wk
$521
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
9.2%
Unoccupied
502
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
28.5%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
32.2% stressed
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
13.0%
Couples, no children
12,846
Total families
Economy & Employment
Local jobs and workers skew toward service sectors. Healthcare is the largest listed industry at 16.3% or 516 workers, above retail at 13.7% and transport at 10.5%, with professional and tech at 9.2%. Occupations are split between 906 professionals and larger lower-paid groups such as 634 labourers and 555 machinery or driver roles. The 16.7% unemployment rate and 35.5% participation rate help explain why income ranks at the 26.9th percentile nationally. SEIFA is uneven: education and occupation sits in decile 4, higher than IRSAD and IRSD decile 1.
Unemployment
8.7%
Labour Force
7,844
Unemployed
680
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
53.8%
Part-time
29.5%
Participation
35.5%
Employed
3,805
Occupations
Top Industries
University
49.4%
Postgraduate
18.1%
Born Overseas
65.2%
Dwellings
4,932
Transport to Work
Lakemba's day-to-day convenience is strongest for households that value schools, shops and the station precinct, but car use remains high. Six schools sit in the suburb with an ICSEA range of 966 to 1049; Al Hikma College at 1049, Rissalah College at 1041 and St Therese's Catholic Primary at 1024 lead the academic index across Independent and Catholic options. Public transport commuting is 14.5% vs 73.7% driving, so access is useful but not car-free. IRSAD decile 1 is lower than affluent Sydney areas, shaping local service needs.
Drive
73.7%
Public Transport
14.5%
Walk / Cycle
5.9%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.41%/yr
(+72 people/yr)
EstablishedGrowth is slow compared with major infill corridors. The trend path adds 0.41% a year, or about 72 residents annually, taking the medium scenario from 17,883 in 2026 to 18,243 by 2031. Migration explains the mixed path: overseas migration is the primary driver at +697 people a year, but net internal movement is -766. The gentrification score is 10 and stage is Not gentrifying, lower than the separate shift score of 37 with Early signs. Rent growth of 16.7% has not translated into rapid population gain.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+697
Net Internal / yr
-766
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Net internal outflow -766/yr, Strong overseas inflow +697/yr
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Lakemba compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Lakemba a good suburb to live in?
Lakemba can suit renters, apartment buyers and larger households wanting density and transport access. It has 17,092 residents, 70.0% apartments and an average household size of 3.1, so it feels busy and urban rather than spacious.
What is the median house price in Lakemba?
The median house price in Lakemba is $517,100. The recent price series moved from $465,000 in 2024 to $555,000 in 2025, a 19.4% rise, so buyers should check the latest listings closely.
What schools are in Lakemba?
Lakemba has 6 local schools across Independent, Catholic and Government sectors. Leading ICSEA results include Al Hikma College at 1049, Rissalah College at 1041 and St Therese's Catholic Primary School at 1024.
Is Lakemba safe?
A specific local crime rate per 1,000 residents is not available, so safety should be checked through street visits and current NSW crime resources. Lakemba has 17,092 residents and a dense station-area setting.
Is Lakemba good for property investment?
Lakemba is a renter-heavy market, with 60.1% of households renting and median rent at $350 a week. The caution is vacancy at 9.2%, so investors should focus on well-located stock and tenant appeal.
How is Lakemba's population changing?
Lakemba is growing slowly, with the trend adding 0.41% or about 72 people a year. The medium path reaches 18,243 residents by 2031, driven by +697 overseas migration and offset by -766 internal movement.
What languages are spoken in Lakemba?
Lakemba is strongly multilingual, with 65.2% of residents born overseas. Major non-English language groups include Bengali with 1,783 speakers, Urdu with 1,366, Arabic with 898, Greek with 211 and Hindi with 198.
Is there much development in Lakemba?
Yes. Lakemba recorded 60 development applications in the past 12 months, including secondary dwelling proposals with 1 and 2 dwellings. That activity supports gradual renewal rather than a major growth surge.
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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