Lethbridge
A population of 1,181 spread across 88.32 square kilometres gives Lethbridge a density of just 13.4 people per km2, making it one of the more sparsely settled localities in Victoria. All four SEIFA indexes place the suburb in decile 1, the most disadvantaged tier nationally, yet household income sits at the 73.4th percentile, a divergence that reflects the rural area score (IER decile 1) penalising remoteness rather than outright poverty. Population has grown 34.3% over the past decade, above the state average for small rural towns, and 100% of dwellings are separate houses, a figure that distinguishes the suburb from most Victorian locations.
Population
1,181
Median Age
38.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,955/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
3
Median house price data is not published for Lethbridge due to low transaction volumes, which limits price benchmarking. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,733, lower than in most metropolitan markets, and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 20.5%, below the 30% stress threshold. The ownership structure is notable: 36.3% own outright, 54.2% hold a mortgage and only 9.5% rent, which is well below the national renting average. Every dwelling recorded is a separate house, with 4-plus bedroom homes making up 47.2% and 3-bedroom homes 44.4%, so the stock suits families more than singles or couples. Average household size of 2.9 is 0.4 above the national figure, consistent with that family-oriented profile.
For Buyers
Median house price data is not published for Lethbridge due to low transaction volumes, which limits price benchmarking. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,733, lower than in most metropolitan markets, and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 20.5%, below the 30% stress threshold. The ownership structure is notable: 36.3% own outright, 54.2% hold a mortgage and only 9.5% rent, which is well below the national renting average. Every dwelling recorded is a separate house, with 4-plus bedroom homes making up 47.2% and 3-bedroom homes 44.4%, so the stock suits families more than singles or couples. Average household size of 2.9 is 0.4 above the national figure, consistent with that family-oriented profile.
For Investors
The 9.5% renter share is low compared to the national average, limiting the tenant pool for landlords. Weekly rent averages $350 and the vacancy rate is 6.7%, which is elevated and suggests supply exceeds current rental demand. Development activity has been minimal, with only 2 subdivision applications lodged in the past 12 months. Net internal migration runs at minus 194 people a year, meaning the suburb is losing residents to other parts of Australia even as overseas arrivals add 183 a year. Population growth of 1.55% annually does support a medium-term demand base, and mortgage stress is low at 20.5% of income, indicating existing owners are not under pressure to sell.
Development Activity
Total DAs
13
Last 12 Months
3
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-25.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Lethbridge iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Lethbridge Primary School
Prep-6 · 112 students
Demographics
The median age is 38, two years below the national figure, reflecting a working-age and family-oriented population. Overseas-born residents account for 9.8% of the population, which is 11.8 percentage points below the national average, and ancestry is strongly Anglo-Celtic: English (463), Irish (161) and Scottish (130) lead the count. University qualifications reach 18.5%, which is 11.6 points below national, consistent with the trade and manual-work orientation seen in the industry breakdown. Average household size of 2.9 is 0.4 above national, with 48.3% of families being couples with children, pointing to a settlement dominated by young and mid-aged families. The volunteering rate of 13.9% suggests active community participation despite the low education credential profile.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
100.0%
Houses
N/A
Townhouse
N/A
Apartment
Tenure
Every dwelling in Lethbridge is a separate house, a figure that places it above virtually all urban and peri-urban suburbs in the state. Large homes dominate: 47.2% have 4 or more bedrooms and 44.4% have 3 bedrooms. Ownership is strong, with 36.3% owning outright and 54.2% carrying a mortgage, leaving only 9.5% renting, well below the state average. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,733 and mortgage-to-income sits at 20.5%, below the 30% stress threshold. Rent-to-income of 17.9% is also comfortable. The vacancy rate of 6.7% is higher than typical suburban markets, likely because the rental stock is thin and intermittently unoccupied rather than reflecting structural oversupply.
Mortgage / mo
$1,733
Rent / wk
$350
HH Size
2.9
Personal Income / wk
$797
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
6.7%
Unoccupied
27
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
17.9%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.5%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
25.3%
Couples, no children
991
Total families
Economy & Employment
Construction leads local employment at 15.6% (61 workers), followed closely by Healthcare at 15.3% (60 workers), an unusual pairing that reflects both the rural building trade and the region's ageing-support services. Professional/Tech and Public Admin each account for 8.2% (32 workers each), and Manufacturing adds 7.9% (31 workers). The unemployment rate is 3.7% and the full-time employment rate is 61.4%, broadly in line with state averages. All four SEIFA deciles sit at 1, which nationally flags disadvantage, but household income in the 73.4th percentile shows the area is not low-income in absolute terms. The IER decile 1 score primarily captures geographic remoteness and reduced access to services rather than household poverty.
Unemployment
14.8%
Labour Force
10,563
Unemployed
1,560
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
61.4%
Part-time
34.9%
Participation
62.2%
Employed
544
Occupations
Top Industries
University
18.5%
Postgraduate
3.7%
Born Overseas
9.8%
Dwellings
375
Transport to Work
Car dependency at 93.8% is well above the national average, reflecting the rural setting where public transport is effectively absent. Walking and cycling account for only 3.0% of commutes. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary, so families rely on facilities in nearby towns, a practical consideration for households with children. The crime rate of 26.2 incidents per 1,000 residents, drawn from 31 total recorded offences, is moderate and broadly comparable to similar-sized rural localities. IRSAD sits at decile 1 nationally, which signals limited access to services and economic resources typical of remote Victoria rather than acute personal deprivation. Rent-to-income at 17.9% and mortgage-to-income at 20.5% both indicate housing costs are manageable relative to local incomes.
Drive
93.8%
Public Transport
N/A
Walk / Cycle
3.0%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+1.55%/yr
(+355 people/yr)
EstablishedPopulation grew 34.3% over the past decade, outpacing most small rural Victoria localities, and the current 2025 count of 22,894 in the broader SA2 area is forecast to reach approximately 25,427 by 2031 under medium projections. Annual growth is 1.55%, adding around 355 people a year. The main driver is overseas migration at a net 183 arrivals annually, which more than offsets the net internal outflow of 194 people a year. The gentrification score of 23 indicates early signs of change, with population up 38% since 2011 and the suburb classified as established by forecast type. Real income growth of 36.8% over the decade and improving affordability from 51.5% in 2011 to 49.0% in 2021 add to the gradual upward trajectory.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+183
Net Internal / yr
-194
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +38% since 2011, Net internal outflow -194/yr, COVID recovered (-2% dip → full recovery)
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
31
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
26.2
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 Lethbridge compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Lethbridge a good suburb to live in?
Lethbridge suits households who want space and low housing cost pressure. Mortgage-to-income sits at 20.5% and rent-to-income at 17.9%, both well below stress thresholds. The main trade-offs are a SEIFA IRSAD decile 1 ranking, which reflects limited service access in rural Victoria, and 93.8% car dependency with no recorded schools inside the boundary.
What is the median house price in Lethbridge?
A published median house price is not available for Lethbridge due to low transaction volumes. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,733 and the mortgage-to-income ratio is 20.5%, both below stress levels. Weekly rent averages $350. All 100% of dwellings are separate houses, with 47.2% having 4 or more bedrooms.
What schools are in Lethbridge?
No schools are recorded within the Lethbridge suburb boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in nearby townships. The suburb's university qualification rate is 18.5%, which is 11.6 percentage points below the national average, consistent with a trade and rural workforce profile.
Is Lethbridge safe?
There were 31 recorded offences in Lethbridge, giving a crime rate of 26.2 per 1,000 residents. Property and deception offences were the largest category at 11 incidents, followed by crimes against the person at 10. The absolute numbers are low due to the small population of 1,181, and the rate is comparable to similar rural localities.
Is Lethbridge good for property investment?
The investment case is mixed. Weekly rent of $350 and a vacancy rate of 6.7% indicate modest rental demand. The 9.5% renter share is low compared to the national average, limiting the tenant pool. Annual population growth of 1.55% and a 34.3% increase over 10 years support long-term demand, but thin transaction volumes make price discovery difficult.
How is Lethbridge's population changing?
Population grew 34.3% over the past decade and is growing at 1.55% annually, adding around 355 people a year. Medium forecasts project the broader area reaching approximately 25,427 residents by 2031. Overseas migration adds a net 183 arrivals a year, offsetting a net internal outflow of 194, so the growth base depends on continued international arrivals.
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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