Lakewood
With a median age of 58, Lakewood sits 18 years above the national figure, one of the most pronounced aging profiles in coastal NSW. The suburb is overwhelmingly owner-occupied: 59.3% of households own outright, well above average, and 93.9% of dwellings are separate houses. Household income ranks in just the 14.2nd percentile nationally, a sharp contrast to the $660,000 median house price, which reflects equity accumulated by long-term residents rather than current earning power. Only 1,249 people live across 2.15 square kilometres, and 82.2% of residents stayed at the same address in the prior year, signalling stability rather than churn.
Population
1,249
Median Age
58.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,036/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
14
Median House
$660K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The median house price stands at $660,000, drawn from PSI data, with the price history showing $690,000 in 2024 falling to $635,000 in 2025, a decline of 8.0%. Buyers considering entry should note that monthly mortgage repayments average $1,540, but the mortgage-to-income ratio reaches 34.3%, above the 30% stress threshold, because household incomes sit in the 14.2nd percentile nationally. Stock is almost entirely detached: 93.9% separate houses, 3.9% semi-detached. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 57.9% and four-plus bedroom at 31.7%, so the suburb suits families or downsizers seeking space rather than buyers after compact units.
For Buyers
The median house price stands at $660,000, drawn from PSI data, with the price history showing $690,000 in 2024 falling to $635,000 in 2025, a decline of 8.0%. Buyers considering entry should note that monthly mortgage repayments average $1,540, but the mortgage-to-income ratio reaches 34.3%, above the 30% stress threshold, because household incomes sit in the 14.2nd percentile nationally. Stock is almost entirely detached: 93.9% separate houses, 3.9% semi-detached. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 57.9% and four-plus bedroom at 31.7%, so the suburb suits families or downsizers seeking space rather than buyers after compact units.
For Investors
At 17.2% of households, the renter base is lower than the national average, and weekly rent of $390 against a $660,000 median implies a gross yield near 3.1%, modest but not negligible for a coastal location. The vacancy rate of 3.8% is slightly elevated, suggesting supply broadly keeps pace with demand. Development activity is light at 13 applications in the past 12 months, and recent DAs are dominated by pool installations and minor alterations rather than new dwellings, consistent with an established suburb with low turnover. The 82.2% residential stay rate means rental demand depends on retirees, seasonal visitors, or workers in healthcare and construction rather than a transient renter pool.
Development Activity
Total DAs
84
Last 12 Months
14
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
0.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
The median age of 58 sits 18 years above the national figure, making Lakewood one of the most distinctly retired communities in the data set. Overseas-born residents account for 10.5% of the population, which is 11.1 percentage points below the national average, and the ancestry profile is strongly Anglo-Celtic, led by English (582), Irish (174) and Scottish (144). University qualifications reach only 17.0%, which is 13.1 points below national, consistent with a working-age population concentrated in trades and services. The average household size of 2.2 is 0.3 below national, and 46.0% of families are couples without children, reflecting the predominance of empty-nesters and retirees.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
93.9%
Houses
3.9%
Townhouse
N/A
Apartment
Tenure
Ownership patterns in Lakewood are unusually weighted toward outright ownership: 59.3% own without a mortgage, compared to the national average that is considerably lower, while only 23.4% carry a mortgage and 17.2% rent. This split reflects the long tenure of residents, with 82.2% staying at the same address, rather than recent buyer activity. The price trend moved from $690,000 in 2024 to $635,000 in 2025, a fall of 8.0% in one year. Three-bedroom dwellings make up 57.9% of stock and four-plus bedroom 31.7%, giving Lakewood a predominantly family-sized footprint even as household size of 2.2 sits below national. Rent-to-income reaches 37.6%, which is above the 30% stress threshold, pointing to affordability pressure for the smaller renter cohort.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,540
Rent / wk
$390
HH Size
2.2
Personal Income / wk
$497
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
3.8%
Unoccupied
21
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
37.6% stressed
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
34.3% stressed
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
46.0%
Couples, no children
972
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the largest local industry at 20.7% of employed residents (54 workers), followed by Construction and Education, each at 13.0% (34 workers). Retail accounts for 8.8% and Other Services 7.7%. By occupation, Professionals lead at 63 workers and Community/Personal Service workers are second at 59, with Labourers (50) reflecting the construction presence. The unemployment rate is 6.2%, higher than national benchmarks, and the participation rate of just 36.5% is notably low, driven by the large retired population: 616 residents are not in the labour force. Household income places Lakewood in the 14.2nd percentile nationally, indicating that the local economy provides modest wages relative to most Australian suburbs.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
55.2%
Part-time
38.6%
Participation
36.5%
Employed
375
Occupations
Top Industries
University
17.0%
Postgraduate
4.6%
Born Overseas
10.5%
Dwellings
510
Transport to Work
Car dependence is near-total in Lakewood: 90.3% of residents drive to work and only 0.9% use public transport, lower than the national average, which signals limited transit infrastructure for a suburb of this size. Walking and cycling accounts for 4.7%. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary, so families depend on neighbouring areas, a practical consideration given the aging dominant profile. The volunteering rate of 16.6% suggests community engagement is active relative to the retired population. About 9.4% of residents (112 people) need daily assistance, a share that is elevated compared to younger suburbs and consistent with the 58-year median age. The 3.8% vacancy rate and 59.3% outright ownership create a settled, low-turnover residential environment.
Drive
90.3%
Public Transport
0.9%
Walk / Cycle
4.7%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Lakewood compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Lakewood a good suburb to live in?
Lakewood suits owner-occupiers and retirees well: 59.3% of households own outright and the median age is 58, with 82.2% of residents staying year to year. Car access is essential as only 0.9% of residents use public transport. Household income ranks at the 14.2nd percentile nationally, so cost-of-living pressures exist despite the stable ownership base.
What is the median house price in Lakewood?
The median house price is $660,000 based on PSI data. The price history shows $690,000 in 2024 dropping to $635,000 in 2025, a fall of 8.0%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,540, but the mortgage-to-income ratio is 34.3%, above the standard 30% stress benchmark.
What schools are in Lakewood?
No schools are recorded within the Lakewood suburb boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. The local university qualification rate is 17.0%, which is 13.1 percentage points below the national figure, consistent with a working-age workforce oriented toward trades and health services.
Is Lakewood safe?
Detailed crime rate data is not available for Lakewood in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb has a high residential stability rate: 82.2% of residents stayed at the same address in the prior year. The 59.3% outright ownership rate and low 17.2% renter share suggest a settled, low-transience community.
Is Lakewood good for property investment?
Weekly rent of $390 against a $660,000 median implies a gross yield near 3.1%. The vacancy rate is 3.8% and the renter base is small at 17.2% of households, lower than the national average. The price fell 8.0% in one year from $690,000 to $635,000, so investors should weigh the yield against recent capital decline and limited development pipeline of just 13 DAs in 12 months.
How is Lakewood's population changing?
Population stands at 1,249 with no current growth forecast available. The median age of 58 is 18 years above national, and the labour-force participation rate is just 36.5%, both pointing to a predominantly retired, slowly declining active cohort. The 82.2% stay rate indicates few people leave, but natural growth from a predominantly older population is constrained.
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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