Lara
A 5.17% annual growth trend sits alongside a current population of 19,014 and a median age of 37, making Lara a substantial, still-expanding outer Geelong market. Housing is strongly detached, with 89.6% separate houses, while household income ranks at the 74.1st percentile. Compared with nearby Corio and Lovely Banks, Lara has a clearer family-home and mortgage-belt profile, supported by 20.9% working from home. Its 30.8% outright ownership and 46.1% mortgage ownership point to a settled but still paying-down population.
Population
19,014
Median Age
37.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,969/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
28
Median House
$715K
October to December 2025
Lara suits buyers seeking conventional family stock rather than apartment living. Separate houses account for 89.6% of dwellings, while 44.0% have 4 or more bedrooms and 43.2% have 3 bedrooms. Mortgage costs equal 20.3% of household income and the mortgage stress flag is false, although deposit size remains the main hurdle.
For Buyers
Lara suits buyers seeking conventional family stock rather than apartment living. Separate houses account for 89.6% of dwellings, while 44.0% have 4 or more bedrooms and 43.2% have 3 bedrooms. Mortgage costs equal 20.3% of household income and the mortgage stress flag is false, although deposit size remains the main hurdle.
For Investors
Investor demand has a moderate rental base: 21.8% of occupied dwellings are rented, weekly rent is $370, and vacancy is 4.5%. Compared with owner-occupier holdings of 30.8% outright and 46.1% with a mortgage, the tenant pool is smaller, so returns may depend more on long-term price growth and tenant retention than on a deep rental market. The 5.17% annual growth trend, 15.4% rent growth and internal migration driver support the growth case. However, 24 development lodgements in 12 months and a gentrification score of 0, labelled New development, point to ongoing supply and a market shaped by expansion rather than scarcity.
Development Activity
Total DAs
67
Last 12 Months
28
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+75.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Lara
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Lara Primary School
St Anthony's School
Lara Secondary College
Demographics
Lara's median age of 37 is 3 years below the national comparison, and its university-qualified share is 26.6%, 3.5 percentage points below the national figure. Overseas-born residents account for 18.0%, also 3.6 points below national, while average household size is 2.7, or 0.2 above national. English, Irish and Scottish ancestry counts are 6,870, 2,086 and 1,953, reinforcing an Anglo-leaning profile, while Punjabi is the most recorded non-English language at 146 people. Couples with children form 47.5% of families and one-parent families 15.2%, helping explain demand for larger detached homes. With 80.1% staying at the same address, turnover is lower than the 19.9% moving share.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
89.6%
Houses
9.4%
Townhouse
0.9%
Apartment
Tenure
Price history points to a long-run doubling rather than a straight climb. Compared with more apartment-oriented markets, Lara's 89.6% separate-house share and only 0.9% apartment share make land and family-home demand central. Tenure is split between 30.8% outright ownership, 46.1% mortgages and 21.8% renting, with 44.0% of homes containing 4 or more bedrooms.
Mortgage / mo
$1,733
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (year ending Sep 2025), Homes Victoria bond data (year-ending median). Census 2021 median: $370.
$550
Bond data year ending Sep 2025 · houses $500 · units $415
HH Size
2.7
Personal Income / wk
$834
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
4.5%
Unoccupied
301
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
18.8%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.3%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
47.5%
Couples with children
36.2%
Couples, no children
15.2%
Single parent
5,018
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare leads Lara's employment base at 17.3% and 1,027 workers, followed by construction at 12.3% and 732, education at 11.8% and 703, public administration at 9.4% and 557, and manufacturing at 7.7% and 457. This mix is reinforced by 1,633 professionals, 1,490 trades workers and 924 managers, giving the suburb both service and practical-skill depth. Household income sits at the 74.1st percentile, above the midpoint, while unemployment is 4.1% across a labour force of 9,479. SEIFA is uneven: IER ranks in decile 8, versus decile 5 for IEO and IRSAD, with IRSD at decile 6, suggesting solid resources but mixed education and occupation outcomes.
Unemployment
4.1%
Labour Force
9,479
Unemployed
387
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
61.8%
Part-time
31.8%
Participation
61.8%
Employed
9,092
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
26.6%
Postgraduate
5.4%
Born Overseas
18.0%
Dwellings
6,348
Transport to Work
Lara is practical for drivers but less convenient for households relying on public transport: 71.3% travel as car drivers, compared with 1.9% using public transport, while 20.9% work from home. Local education access includes 3 schools across government primary, government secondary and Catholic primary sectors; families should check enrolment zones against the exact address. Recorded crime totals 1,144 incidents, including 640 property and deception offences, at a rate of 60.2 per 1,000 people, so security and transport planning deserve attention. An IRSAD decile of 5 places Lara near the middle of the national socioeconomic distribution, rather than in a top-decile setting.
Drive
71.3%
Public Transport
1.9%
Walk / Cycle
1.2%
Work from Home
20.9%
Population Forecast
+5.17%/yr
(+858 people/yr)
High GrowthLara's forecast is high growth, with annual trend growth of 5.17% and internal migration named as the primary driver. Population change across the wider area is 169.8% over 10 years, a much higher trajectory than a static market, while the shift label is Mixed. Rent growth is 15.4%, and the young share has increased by 2.9 points, which fits demand from incoming households. The gentrification score is 0, with the stage recorded as New development rather than an established gentrification phase. That combination suggests expansion and new housing are driving momentum more than inner-suburban repositioning.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Internal Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+154
Net Internal / yr
+1,124
Gentrification Signal
New development
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
1,144
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
60.2
Offence Categories
Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria / SA Police
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Lara compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Lara a good suburb to live in?
Lara suits households wanting detached homes, space and a car-oriented routine. It has a population of 19,014, a median age of 37, 89.6% separate houses and 20.9% working from home. Public transport use is only 1.9%, so it is better suited to drivers than households seeking a transit-led lifestyle.
What schools are in Lara?
Lara has 3 nearby schools: government primary and secondary options plus a Catholic primary school. Families should check the enrolment zone for the exact address, especially where a child is moving between primary and secondary years. The local mix is more varied than a single-sector area, but school choice should be checked by year level.
Is Lara safe?
Recorded crime was 1,144 incidents, or 60.2 per 1,000 people. Property and deception offences accounted for 640 cases, compared with 190 crimes against the person and 41 drug offences. Those figures support practical checks around property security, lighting and the immediate street rather than relying on a suburb-wide label.
Is Lara good for property investment?
Lara can suit investors seeking a growth-oriented detached-house market, but the rental base is smaller than its owner-occupier base. Median rent is $370 a week, vacancy is 4.5%, renting is 21.8%, and the annual growth trend is 5.17%. A total of 24 development lodgements in 12 months means investors should assess future supply and the exact dwelling location.
How is Lara's population changing?
Lara's current population is 19,014, and the wider area's forecast population change is 169.8% over 10 years. Annual trend growth is 5.17%, with internal migration the primary driver. The trajectory is Mixed, while the young share has risen 2.9 points, indicating expansion with changing household demand rather than a purely ageing pattern.
What development is occurring in Lara?
Development activity is active, with 24 lodgements recorded over 12 months. The examples include subdivision and consolidation applications for 1-lot and 2-lot outcomes, so activity is not limited to one dwelling type. Lara is labelled New development with a gentrification score of 0, making supply, infrastructure and exact street context important when comparing properties.
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), Valuer-General Victoria (house prices), 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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