Lennox Head
At 42, Lennox Head's median age sits 2.0 years above the national figure, while household income is at the 78.3rd percentile. Its 7,687 residents live in a detached-house-dominant coastal market, with 73.7% separate houses and 43.8% containing four or more bedrooms. Compared with nearby Ballina, Lennox Head has a more beach-oriented, village-scale feel, but the numbers point to established wealth rather than a purely holiday market: 39.5% of homes are owned outright and 41.2% of residents hold university qualifications. An aging trajectory is visible as the senior share has risen 5.6 percentage points, so demand is likely to favour practical access, low-maintenance housing and services alongside family-sized homes.
Population
7,687
Median Age
42.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,081/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
154
Buyers are choosing between established family stock and a smaller attached-home segment. Separate houses account for 73.7% of dwellings, while semi-detached homes represent 21.4% and apartments 4.4%. The bedroom profile is generous: 43.8% have four or more bedrooms and 41.9% have three, which suits families but can increase upkeep and purchase costs compared with compact units. A typical mortgage commitment is $2,192 a month, yet mortgage payments equal 24.3% of household income, indicating less pressure than a highly leveraged market. With outright ownership at 39.5% and renting at 23.8%, competition may be strongest for well-presented houses near daily amenities. Compared with nearby Ballina, buyers should assess flood, insurance, coastal exposure and commute conditions street by street rather than treating the suburb as one uniform market.
For Buyers
Buyers are choosing between established family stock and a smaller attached-home segment. Separate houses account for 73.7% of dwellings, while semi-detached homes represent 21.4% and apartments 4.4%. The bedroom profile is generous: 43.8% have four or more bedrooms and 41.9% have three, which suits families but can increase upkeep and purchase costs compared with compact units. A typical mortgage commitment is $2,192 a month, yet mortgage payments equal 24.3% of household income, indicating less pressure than a highly leveraged market. With outright ownership at 39.5% and renting at 23.8%, competition may be strongest for well-presented houses near daily amenities. Compared with nearby Ballina, buyers should assess flood, insurance, coastal exposure and commute conditions street by street rather than treating the suburb as one uniform market.
For Investors
Rental demand has a sizeable, but not dominant, base: 23.8% of households rent and the weekly rent is $580. Vacancy is 9.7%, so investors should allow for more letting competition and seasonal variation than a tightly supplied market. Compared with owner-occupier households, the rental pool is smaller than the 39.5% outright-owned group and the 36.0% paying a mortgage, making property type and tenant appeal important. Development activity is material, with 151 applications in the past 12 months, including attached and detached dual occupancies, which may expand choice for tenants and compete with older stock. Rent growth of 52.6% supports the income case, but the 1.77% annual forecast and Balanced migration signal a market where yield, maintenance and vacancy assumptions deserve equal weight.
Development Activity
Total DAs
855
Last 12 Months
154
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+25.2%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Lennox Head
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Demographics
Lennox Head has an older and more highly educated profile than the national benchmark: the median age is 42, or 2.0 years above national, and university attainment is 41.2%, 11.1 percentage points higher. Overseas-born residents account for 16.2%, 5.4 points below the national comparison, while English, Irish and Scottish ancestry counts are 3,409, 1,285 and 1,099. No religion is the largest recorded affiliation at 3,873, ahead of Christianity at 3,016. Average household size is 2.6, close to the national comparison by 0.1, and couples with children make up 43.3% of families. Compared with nearby Ballina, this is a more education-heavy and family-oriented profile, although the 5.6-point rise in the senior share is shifting future service needs.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
73.7%
Houses
21.4%
Townhouse
4.4%
Apartment
Tenure
Housing is weighted toward ownership and larger dwellings. Outright owners represent 39.5% of occupied homes, mortgage holders 36.0% and renters 23.8%, while 0.8% sit in other tenure arrangements. Separate houses make up 73.7%, compared with 21.4% semi-detached homes and 4.4% apartments. The stock is also bedroom-heavy, with 43.8% at four or more bedrooms and 41.9% at three bedrooms. Household income is $2,081 weekly, and mortgage payments absorb 24.3%, below the rent burden of 27.9%, suggesting ownership remains manageable for many established households. Compared with nearby Skennars Head, buyers should compare land size, dwelling age, insurance and renovation exposure, because headline coastal appeal can conceal materially different holding costs.
Mortgage / mo
$2,192
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (April to June 2026), NSW Rental Bond Board (DCJ). Census 2021 median: $580.
$820
Bond data Jun 2026 · houses $900 · units $630
HH Size
2.6
Personal Income / wk
$937
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
9.7%
Unoccupied
294
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
27.9%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.3%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
43.3%
Couples with children
41.7%
Couples, no children
13.8%
Single parent
2,129
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare leads local employment at 20.8% with 613 workers, followed by Education at 15.7% and 462, Construction at 11.9% and 351, Professional/Tech at 9.7% and 284, and Hospitality at 6.7% and 196. The occupational mix is headed by 1,193 Professionals and 626 Managers, with 546 in Trades, linking the economy to care, education, building and specialist services. Labour-force participation is 66.5%, unemployment 3.1%, and 49.6% of workers are full-time while 1,737 are part-time. Socio-economic results sit above the middle of the national distribution: IEO is decile 8, IER decile 9, IRSD decile 9 and IRSAD decile 8. The relatively strong deciles alongside substantial part-time work suggest income is supported by skilled households but also by flexible, service-linked employment.
Unemployment
3.1%
Labour Force
4,094
Unemployed
128
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
49.6%
Part-time
43.8%
Participation
66.5%
Employed
3,966
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
41.2%
Postgraduate
8.8%
Born Overseas
16.2%
Dwellings
2,732
Transport to Work
Daily life is car-oriented: 67.6% drive to work, only 0.6% use public transport and 3.7% walk or cycle, while 24.7% work from home. That pattern suits households with cars and remote-work flexibility but makes route planning important for people without one. Lennox Head Public School provides one local government primary option; families should check enrolment zones and secondary-school travel against the exact address, since school access does not stop at a suburb boundary. The area covers 20.67 square kilometres at a density of 371.9 people per square kilometre, giving a less compact setting than a transit-led urban centre. IRSAD sits in decile 8 and IRSD in decile 9, above the middle of the socio-economic distribution. No suburb-level crime rate is quoted, so safety decisions should include current NSW Police information and an in-person look at the street at different times.
Drive
67.6%
Public Transport
0.6%
Walk / Cycle
3.7%
Work from Home
24.7%
Population Forecast
+1.77%/yr
(+182 people/yr)
EstablishedGrowth is positive but structurally older. The annual trend is 1.77%, while migration is classified as Balanced, so expansion is not tied to a single inflow source. The wider area records 25.8% population change over 10 years, and the shift trajectory is Aging: the senior share rose 5.6 percentage points, while the young share fell 1.6 points and the working share fell 2.5. Gentrification is also Active, with a score of 42, alongside real income growth of 26.7% and rent growth of 52.6%. Compared with a static established suburb, this combination points to continuing demand, but the ageing pattern means new housing and services may need to prioritise accessibility, downsizing and local convenience rather than only family expansion.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+80
Net Internal / yr
+123
Gentrification Signal
Active
Population +35% since 2011, Net internal migration +123/yr, Accelerating: 6% → 27%
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Lennox Head compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Lennox Head a good suburb to live in?
Lennox Head suits households seeking coastal living, larger homes and a relatively strong socio-economic profile. Median age is 42, household income is $2,081 weekly and 24.7% work from home. Compared with a transit-led suburb, the 67.6% car-driver share and 0.6% public transport share make access to a car more important.
What is the median house price in Lennox Head?
A reliable current median should be checked against recent settled sales for the exact dwelling type and street. Lennox Head has 73.7% separate houses, 43.8% with four or more bedrooms and a weekly rent of $580, so a single median can hide meaningful differences between family homes, attached dwellings and coastal locations.
What schools are in Lennox Head?
Lennox Head Public School is the one local government primary school. Families should confirm the enrolment zone for an address and check secondary options across the wider area, because the practical trip can differ from one street to another. Public transport accounts for 0.6% of commuting, so school travel may depend heavily on cars.
Is Lennox Head safe?
A suburb-wide crime rate is not quoted, so assess the exact street with current NSW Police information and compare nearby locations before committing. Lennox Head has 7,687 residents across 20.67 square kilometres, and the 0.6% public-transport share means activity and access can vary between coastal, residential and bus-served areas.
Is Lennox Head good for property investment?
It can suit a measured investment strategy, but it is not a set-and-forget proposition. Weekly rent is $580, vacancy is 9.7% and renters account for 23.8%, while 151 development applications in 12 months may increase future competition. Compared with owner-occupier demand, investors should stress-test vacancy, insurance, maintenance and achievable rent rather than rely on 52.6% rent growth.
How is Lennox Head's population changing?
Lennox Head's wider-area population trend is positive at 1.77% annually, with 25.8% change over 10 years and Balanced migration. The trajectory is Aging: the senior share rose 5.6 percentage points while the young share fell 1.6. Compared with a younger growth market, this points to demand for accessible homes, health services and convenient local amenities.
What development is occurring in Lennox Head?
Development activity is material, with 151 applications over 12 months, including attached and detached dual occupancies. That can add housing choice, but it may also create competition for existing landlords and change streetscape conditions. Compare each proposal with the current stock, where 73.7% of dwellings are separate houses and 21.4% are semi-detached.
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 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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