Lawson
A median house price of $850,500 sits alongside a population of just 2,651, making Lawson one of the smaller Blue Mountains townships with a distinctly owner-occupier character. Outright ownership reaches 37.7% and 94.3% of dwellings are separate houses, well above national averages. The median age is 45, some 5 years older than the national figure, and 40.2% hold university qualifications, which is 10.1 percentage points above the national rate. Forecasts project strong growth from the current base to around 5,273 by 2031, a rate that places this small settlement in the high-growth category despite its settled feel.
Population
2,651
Median Age
45.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,519/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
32
Median House
$850K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The median house price in Lawson is $850,500, moving from $845,000 in 2024 to $855,000 in 2025, a 1.2% gain over that period. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,849, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 28.1%, which sits below the conventional 30% stress threshold and is more manageable than many comparable Blue Mountains markets. Stock is overwhelmingly detached houses at 94.3%, with apartments accounting for only 4.3%. The dominant bedroom tier is 3-bedroom at 47.1%, followed by 4-plus at 29.9%, indicating family-sized homes are standard rather than the exception. With 37.7% of residents owning outright, the suburb skews toward established, debt-free holders, which tends to keep turnover low and supply tight.
For Buyers
The median house price in Lawson is $850,500, moving from $845,000 in 2024 to $855,000 in 2025, a 1.2% gain over that period. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,849, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 28.1%, which sits below the conventional 30% stress threshold and is more manageable than many comparable Blue Mountains markets. Stock is overwhelmingly detached houses at 94.3%, with apartments accounting for only 4.3%. The dominant bedroom tier is 3-bedroom at 47.1%, followed by 4-plus at 29.9%, indicating family-sized homes are standard rather than the exception. With 37.7% of residents owning outright, the suburb skews toward established, debt-free holders, which tends to keep turnover low and supply tight.
For Investors
The rental pool is relatively thin, with only 18.3% of households renting, compared to a much higher share in metropolitan Sydney. Weekly rents average $387 and the vacancy rate runs at 7.4%, which is elevated and points to softer rental demand in this mountain township. A net overseas migration inflow of 21 residents per year provides modest demand support, while net internal migration is slightly negative at minus 14, suggesting some residents exit to other regions. There were 27 development applications lodged in the past 12 months, covering both residential additions and new structures, consistent with a low-supply, low-turnover market. The 1.2% price growth over 2024-2025 is below most Sydney suburban benchmarks, so the investment case leans more on owner-occupier demand than yield or volume.
Development Activity
Total DAs
157
Last 12 Months
32
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+52.4%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Lawson iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Our Lady of The Nativity Primary School
K-6 · 115 students
Lawson Public School
K-6 · 196 students
Demographics
The median age of 45 is 5 years older than the national figure, placing Lawson firmly in the aging-resident-base category. University qualifications reach 40.2%, which is 10.1 percentage points above the national rate, and Professionals make up the largest occupational group at 365 workers. Ancestry is predominantly Anglo-Celtic, led by English (1,218 residents), followed by Scottish (369) and Irish (363). Overseas-born residents account for 18.1%, which is 3.5 percentage points below the national figure, reflecting a relatively locally-born community. The average household size of 2.4 is marginally below the national average, consistent with a mix of couples without children and family households. Volunteering is high at 19.4% of residents, above many comparable suburban benchmarks.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
94.3%
Houses
1.1%
Townhouse
4.3%
Apartment
Tenure
Lawson's housing stock is dominated by separate houses at 94.3%, one of the highest proportions relative to typical NSW suburban averages. Outright owners account for 37.7%, mortgage holders 44.1%, and renters 18.3%, a tenure split that indicates a stable, long-held community rather than a transient renter market. The 3-bedroom segment leads at 47.1% of dwellings, with 4-plus bedrooms at 29.9% representing a large share compared to inner-urban areas. Median house price is $850,500, up 1.2% from $845,000 in 2024, putting price growth below faster Sydney markets. Rent-to-income at 25.5% and mortgage-to-income at 28.1% both sit below stress thresholds, suggesting housing costs are relatively contained compared to higher-priced Sydney suburbs at similar income levels.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,849
Rent / wk
$387
HH Size
2.4
Personal Income / wk
$732
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
7.4%
Unoccupied
87
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
25.5%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
28.1%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
27.3%
Couples, no children
2,089
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare and Education together employ nearly 40% of the local workforce, with Healthcare at 20.5% (187 workers) and Education at 19.7% (180 workers), reflecting the public-sector character typical of Blue Mountains communities. Public Administration follows at 11.6%, and Professional/Technical services account for 8.0%. The full-time employment rate is 56.7% and the unemployment rate is 4.6%, slightly above the average for comparable higher-education suburbs. Household income sits at the 47.5th percentile nationally, which is below the median despite the 40.2% university qualification rate, likely because the service-sector industries here pay less than finance or tech. SEIFA deciles show a reasonably advantaged community: decile 7 on IRSD and IRSAD, and decile 8 on IEO, with the higher education-opportunity score consistent with the strong qualification profile.
Unemployment
1.2%
Labour Force
2,184
Unemployed
27
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
56.7%
Part-time
38.7%
Participation
52.6%
Employed
1,109
Occupations
Top Industries
University
40.2%
Postgraduate
12.4%
Born Overseas
18.1%
Dwellings
1,081
Transport to Work
Car dependence is very high, with 87.3% of residents driving to work, well above national averages, reflecting the limited public transport options typical of Blue Mountains townships. Public transport accounts for only 4.4%, while walking and cycling combined is 4.5%. Crime data is not available for Lawson in this dataset, but as a proxy, the suburb scores decile 7 on IRSAD nationally, in the upper-middle advantage tier, and only 6.6% of residents (169 people) need daily assistance. Housing stress indicators are both below alarm thresholds: rent-to-income at 25.5% and mortgage-to-income at 28.1%. No schools are recorded inside the suburb boundary in this dataset, so families would rely on schools in neighbouring Blue Mountains localities.
Drive
87.3%
Public Transport
4.4%
Walk / Cycle
4.5%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+10.37%/yr
(+302 people/yr)
GreenfieldPopulation growth projections are strong relative to the current small base. From 2,913 residents in 2025, the medium forecast reaches around 5,273 by 2031, an annual growth rate of approximately 10.4% per year. Historical figures show modest gains, rising from 2,886 in 2023 to 2,913 in 2025. The migration mix is balanced, with overseas arrivals adding 21 residents per year and net internal migration at minus 14, resulting in thin but positive net growth. Unlike many established suburbs, Lawson's growth signal is classified as greenfield expansion, meaning new dwelling supply is expected to drive most of the population increase rather than densification of existing stock. No gentrification scoring is available for this suburb.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+21
Net Internal / yr
-14
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Lawson compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Lawson a good suburb to live in?
Lawson scores decile 7 on IRSAD and decile 8 on IEO nationally, placing it in the upper-middle advantage tier. With 40.2% of residents holding university qualifications (10.1 points above national) and housing stress indicators below thresholds, it suits owner-occupiers who value a quieter, well-educated community. The main trade-off is high car dependence at 87.3% and limited local amenity compared to larger centres.
What is the median house price in Lawson?
The median house price is $850,500, rising 1.2% from $845,000 in 2024 to $855,000 in 2025. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,849, and the mortgage-to-income ratio is 28.1%, below the conventional 30% stress threshold. Weekly rent averages $387 for the 18.3% of households that rent.
What schools are in Lawson?
No schools are recorded inside the Lawson boundary in this dataset. Families would typically access schools in neighbouring Blue Mountains localities. Locally, 40.2% of residents hold university qualifications, which is 10.1 percentage points above the national rate, reflecting a well-educated resident base.
Is Lawson safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Lawson in this dataset. As an indirect measure, the suburb scores decile 7 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage nationally, in the upper-middle tier, and only 6.6% of its 2,651 residents (169 people) need daily assistance, consistent with a low-disadvantage setting.
Is Lawson good for property investment?
Weekly rent of $387 against a median price of $850,500 implies a gross yield near 2.4%, below most investor thresholds. The vacancy rate at 7.4% is elevated, pointing to soft rental demand. Growth forecasts project the population could reach around 5,273 by 2031, which may support long-run capital growth, but the near-term rental market is thin with only 18.3% of dwellings rented.
How is Lawson's population changing?
Population has grown modestly from 2,886 in 2023 to 2,913 in 2025. Forward projections are much stronger, with the medium forecast reaching around 5,273 by 2031, an annual rate near 10.4%. Net overseas migration adds 21 residents per year, while net internal migration is slightly negative at minus 14.
How much development is happening in Lawson?
There were 27 development applications lodged in the past 12 months, covering residential additions, new structures and one commercial warehouse application. This level of activity is consistent with a low-density, owner-occupier suburb where alterations dominate over major new supply, despite strong population growth forecasts through to 2031.
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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