Lenah Valley
Detached houses make up 88.4% of the dwelling stock here, a striking figure for a suburb only 5km from central Hobart, and that scarcity of apartments helps explain a $857,500 median house price. University qualifications reach 52.4%, which is 22.3 points above the national figure, and household income sits in the 72.2nd percentile. The suburb scores decile 8 on IRSAD and decile 9 on IEO, well into the advantaged tier, yet the median age of 37 runs 3.0 years below national, an unusually young profile for an established, owner-heavy market.
Population
6,522
Median Age
37.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,931/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
2
Median House
$858K
YTD 2026
The $857,500 median reflects a house-dominated market, since 88.4% of dwellings are separate houses and apartments account for just 6.3%, leaving buyers little cheaper entry stock. Prices rose from $765,000 in 2024 to $800,000 in 2025 and $857,500 in 2026, but the latest figure still sits 5.8% below the 2022 peak of $910,000, so today's buyer is paying less than the cyclical high. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 45.0% and four-plus-bedroom homes at 28.4%, a family-sized stock. Affordability is the standout: monthly mortgage repayments average $1,625, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 19.4%, far below the 30% stress threshold, because household incomes in the 72.2nd percentile comfortably cover Hobart-level prices.
For Buyers
The $857,500 median reflects a house-dominated market, since 88.4% of dwellings are separate houses and apartments account for just 6.3%, leaving buyers little cheaper entry stock. Prices rose from $765,000 in 2024 to $800,000 in 2025 and $857,500 in 2026, but the latest figure still sits 5.8% below the 2022 peak of $910,000, so today's buyer is paying less than the cyclical high. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 45.0% and four-plus-bedroom homes at 28.4%, a family-sized stock. Affordability is the standout: monthly mortgage repayments average $1,625, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 19.4%, far below the 30% stress threshold, because household incomes in the 72.2nd percentile comfortably cover Hobart-level prices.
For Investors
Renters make up 26.2% of households and weekly rent averages $380, which against the $857,500 median implies a gross yield near 2.3%, low but typical for a capital-city market. The 5.1% vacancy rate points to reasonable tenant demand rather than oversupply. Rent has climbed 48.0% over the measured period, a stronger driver of returns than yield alone. Demand support is mixed: overseas migration adds 82 residents a year while net internal migration removes 138, so population growth leans on arrivals from abroad. Development is minimal at 2 applications in 12 months, which constrains new supply and supports existing values. With the stock 88.4% detached houses, the investment case rests on scarce family housing and rent escalation more than volume.
Development Activity
Total DAs
2
Last 12 Months
2
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
—
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Lenah Valley iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Lenah Valley Primary School
K-6 · 525 students
Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic School
Prep-6 · 195 students
Demographics
The median age of 37 is 3.0 years below the national figure, a young profile for an established suburb, and average household size of 2.5 matches national exactly. University qualifications reach 52.4%, which is 22.3 points above national, reflecting a professional resident base. Overseas-born residents sit at 22.5%, only 0.9 points above national, so the suburb skews Anglo: English ancestry leads at 2,677, followed by Irish (776) and Scottish (712), with Chinese (279) the largest non-European group. The top non-English languages are Nepali (87), Mandarin (80) and Greek (32). Families are weighted toward couples with children (2,307) over couples without (1,423, or 28.0%), consistent with the family-sized three and four-bedroom housing stock.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
88.4%
Houses
5.0%
Townhouse
6.3%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure is owner-heavy: 35.7% own outright, 38.1% carry a mortgage and 26.2% rent, so two-thirds of households are owner-occupiers. The stock is overwhelmingly detached at 88.4% separate houses, with apartments just 6.3% and semi-detached 5.0%, which keeps prices elevated through scarcity of any cheaper format. Three-bedroom homes account for 45.0% and four-plus-bedroom 28.4%, while one and two-bedroom dwellings together make up only 26.6%. The median rose from $765,000 in 2024 to $857,500 in 2026, yet remains 5.8% below the 2022 peak of $910,000. Over 30 years the median grew from $125,000 in 1996 at a 6.6% compound annual rate. Both mortgage-to-income (19.4%) and rent-to-income (19.7%) stay well below the 30% stress line, a sign housing costs are manageable relative to local incomes.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,625
Rent / wk
$380
HH Size
2.5
Personal Income / wk
$939
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
5.1%
Unoccupied
137
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.7%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.4%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
28.0%
Couples, no children
5,081
Total families
Economy & Employment
The workforce is concentrated in public-facing sectors: Healthcare leads at 23.0% (638 workers), Education follows at 15.1% (418) and Public Admin at 13.7% (379), with Professional/Tech at 8.6% and Hospitality at 5.6%, a mix typical of a state-capital suburb close to government and hospital employment. By occupation, Professionals (1,206) far outnumber the next groups, Community/Personal (495) and Managers (467), which aligns with the decile 9 IEO score for education and occupation. Unemployment is 5.1% and the participation rate is 65.6%, with 1,486 residents not in the labour force. One anomaly: the IER score for economic resources sits at decile 5, well below the decile 8 to 9 readings on the other three SEIFA indexes, because a 26.2% renter share and modest weekly incomes depress aggregate household wealth measures even in an educated suburb.
Unemployment
2.0%
Labour Force
5,420
Unemployed
106
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
57.4%
Part-time
37.5%
Participation
65.6%
Employed
3,334
Occupations
Top Industries
University
52.4%
Postgraduate
17.5%
Born Overseas
22.5%
Dwellings
2,543
Transport to Work
Car reliance is high at 75.8% of commuters driving, while public transport carries 7.4% and 7.8% walk or cycle, below the active-transport share seen in denser inner suburbs. The area scores decile 8 on IRSAD, the advantaged tier, and decile 8 on IRSD for relative disadvantage, meaning few residents face deprivation, and only 4.6% (294 people) need daily assistance. Volunteering runs at 22.5%, a marker of an engaged resident base. No schools are recorded inside the 8.36 km2 boundary in this dataset, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring suburbs, though the highly educated profile (52.4% university qualified, 22.3 points above national) signals strong demand for schooling nearby. Rent-to-income at 19.7% keeps tenants comfortable relative to the 30% stress threshold.
Drive
75.8%
Public Transport
7.4%
Walk / Cycle
7.8%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.51%/yr
(+47 people/yr)
EstablishedGrowth is slow and steady rather than explosive: the trend forecast adds 47 residents a year, or 0.51% annually, and the 10-year change came in at 10.2%. Overseas migration is the primary driver at 82 net arrivals a year, offsetting a net internal outflow of 138, so the suburb depends on international inflows to grow at all. The gentrification reading is split: the shift model scores 57 and labels the suburb Active gentrifying on rising rents (up 48.0%) and worsening affordability (37.1% in 2011 to 39.3% in 2021), while the migration-based signal records net internal outflow as not gentrifying. Real incomes grew 13.8% over the decade, and the senior share rose 2.3 points against a 1.1-point fall in the young-adult share, a gentle aging that still leaves the median age 3.0 years below national.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+82
Net Internal / yr
-138
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Net internal outflow -138/yr
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Lenah Valley compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Lenah Valley a good suburb to live in?
Lenah Valley scores decile 8 on IRSAD and decile 9 on IEO, both in the advantaged tier, with household income in the 72.2nd percentile and university qualifications of 52.4%, which is 22.3 points above national. Housing costs are manageable, with a mortgage-to-income ratio of 19.4%, well below the 30% stress line.
What is the median house price in Lenah Valley?
The median house price is $857,500 in 2026, up from $765,000 in 2024 and $800,000 in 2025, though still 5.8% below the 2022 peak of $910,000. Weekly rent averages $380 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $1,625, a manageable 19.4% of income.
What schools are in Lenah Valley?
No schools are recorded inside the 8.36 km2 Lenah Valley boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. The local population is highly educated, with university qualifications at 52.4%, which is 22.3 points above the national figure.
Is Lenah Valley safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Lenah Valley in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb scores decile 8 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage, an advantaged tier, and only 4.6% of its 6,522 residents need daily assistance, both consistent with a low-disadvantage area.
Is Lenah Valley good for property investment?
Rent of $380 a week against an $857,500 median gives a gross yield near 2.3%, low but normal for a capital city, while the 5.1% vacancy rate signals steady demand. Rent rose 48.0% over the period, so returns lean on rent growth and scarce detached stock rather than yield.
How is Lenah Valley's population changing?
Population growth runs about 0.51% a year, adding 47 residents annually, with a 10.2% rise over the past decade. Growth depends on overseas migration of 82 a year, which offsets a net internal outflow of 138. The profile is gently aging, with the senior share up 2.3 points.
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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