Lilydale
Despite a median age of 40, Lilydale has a substantial working-family base, with 17,348 residents across 29.17 square kilometres and a density of 594.6 people per square kilometre. Its housing is strongly detached, with 79.9% separate houses, while household income sits at the 62nd percentile nationally. Compared with nearby Mooroolbark and Mount Evelyn, Lilydale functions as an established activity and services centre, supported by a 1.9% public transport share and 67.3% car-driver share. The profile is settled rather than transient: 82.3% of residents stayed at the same address, and the 40-year median age is paired with an aging trajectory.
Population
17,348
Median Age
40.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,764/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
15
Median House
$932K
October to December 2025
A $1,950 monthly mortgage equates to 25.5% of household income, below the stated mortgage-stress threshold, while 45.0% of homes are mortgaged. Supply is concentrated in separate houses at 79.9%, with 3-bedroom homes making up 41.3% and 4-plus-bedroom homes 36.7%. Compared with apartment-led areas, Lilydale is better suited to households prioritising land and space.
For Buyers
A $1,950 monthly mortgage equates to 25.5% of household income, below the stated mortgage-stress threshold, while 45.0% of homes are mortgaged. Supply is concentrated in separate houses at 79.9%, with 3-bedroom homes making up 41.3% and 4-plus-bedroom homes 36.7%. Compared with apartment-led areas, Lilydale is better suited to households prioritising land and space.
For Investors
For investors, Lilydale combines a 19.2% renter share with a weekly rent of $369, but a 5.1% vacancy rate means leasing conditions are less constrained than in a low-vacancy market. Recorded rent growth of 40.5% supports income upside, although the vacancy level argues for realistic appraisal of letting time. Development activity reached 15 applications in 12 months, so investors should distinguish individual permits from a substantial new-dwelling pipeline. The 0.89% annual growth trend and Balanced migration profile favour a steady, diversified strategy over a high-growth bet. Detached housing remains the dominant asset type at 79.9%.
Development Activity
Total DAs
36
Last 12 Months
15
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 Lilydale
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Edinburgh College
Lilydale Primary School
St Patrick's School
Victoria Road Primary School
Lilydale Heights College
Demographics
Lilydale has a settled, older-leaning demographic profile. The median age is 40, exactly in line with the national comparison, but the age structure is moving older: senior share has risen 5.6 percentage points while young share fell 1.7 points. Overseas-born residents account for 17.8%, 3.8 points below the national comparison, and university participation is 27.5%, 2.6 points below national. English, Scottish and Irish ancestry counts are 7,527, 1,828 and 1,770, while no religion and Christianity record 8,268 and 7,723. Household size is 2.5, and 82.3% stayed at the same address, suggesting established family networks rather than rapid turnover. Compared with a younger university-heavy suburb, Lilydale is more likely to appeal to families, long-term owners and downsizers.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
79.9%
Houses
19.0%
Townhouse
0.1%
Apartment
Tenure
Lilydale's house-price history shows substantial long-term growth but a softer recent peak. Tenure is mortgage-belt oriented: 45.0% of homes are mortgaged, 33.5% are owned outright and 19.2% are rented. Compared with nearby Mooroolbark and Mount Evelyn, Lilydale is best read as a conventional family market because 79.9% of dwellings are separate houses, 19.0% are semi-detached and 41.3% have 3 bedrooms.
Mortgage / mo
$1,950
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (year ending Sep 2025), Homes Victoria bond data (year-ending median). Census 2021 median: $369.
$600
Bond data year ending Sep 2025 · houses $600 · units $500
HH Size
2.5
Personal Income / wk
$798
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
5.1%
Unoccupied
353
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.9%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
25.5%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
45.0%
Couples with children
38.5%
Couples, no children
15.2%
Single parent
4,889
Total families
Economy & Employment
Lilydale's economy is anchored by healthcare at 17.6% of employment, followed by construction at 15.7%, education at 12.2%, manufacturing at 8.4% and professional and technical services at 7.9%. These sectors create a practical mix of local services, trades and office-based work. The labour force totals 9,292, with a 64.6% participation rate and 3.4% unemployment rate. Professionals number 1,619, trades workers 1,567 and clerical and administrative workers 1,298. SEIFA results are mixed: the economic resources decile is 8, above the education and occupation decile of 5, while disadvantage is at decile 7 and advantage at decile 6. This spread is consistent with established households and strong trade employment alongside a university share below the national comparison.
Unemployment
3.4%
Labour Force
9,292
Unemployed
320
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
59.4%
Part-time
34.3%
Participation
64.6%
Employed
8,972
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
27.5%
Postgraduate
5.1%
Born Overseas
17.8%
Dwellings
6,531
Transport to Work
Everyday access is practical but car-oriented. About 67.3% of residents drive to work, compared with 1.9% using public transport, while 25.6% work from home; this suits households with vehicles more than those seeking transit-first routines. Lilydale has 8 local schools spanning government, Catholic and independent sectors, with primary, secondary, combined and specialist options. Safety requires normal urban precautions: 1,411 recorded offences equate to 81.3 per 1,000 residents, led by 734 property and deception offences, followed by 269 justice procedures offences. The IRSAD decile is 6, above the midpoint, suggesting moderate relative advantage. Check enrolment zones and transport times against the exact address because both vary across the suburb.
Drive
67.3%
Public Transport
1.9%
Walk / Cycle
1.3%
Work from Home
25.6%
Population Forecast
+0.89%/yr
(+41 people/yr)
EstablishedGrowth is steady rather than explosive: the annual trend is 0.89%, with migration classified as Balanced. Across the wider area, population change over 10 years is 10.8%, while Lilydale's shift trajectory is Aging, linked to a 5.6-point rise in senior share and a 1.7-point fall in young share. Compared with the 0.89% annual trend, rent growth of 40.5% has been the sharper movement, which matters for landlords more than for population scale. The gentrification rating is 19 with a stage of Not gentrifying, although shift indicators record a score of 36 and Early signs. Affordability is Stable, moving from 34.7% in 2011 to 35.6% in 2021.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+10
Net Internal / yr
+4
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Population +13% since 2011, Accelerating: -1% → 14%
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
1,411
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
81.3
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 Lilydale compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Lilydale a good suburb to live in?
That depends on priorities, but Lilydale suits households wanting established services, detached housing and a settled community. It has 17,348 residents, 79.9% separate houses and an IRSAD decile of 6, while car use at 67.3% is higher than public transport at 1.9%.
What schools are in Lilydale?
Lilydale has 8 local schools across government, Catholic and independent sectors. Options include primary, secondary, combined primary-secondary and specialist settings, so families should check the exact enrolment zone and year-level availability before committing to an address.
Is Lilydale safe?
Lilydale recorded 1,411 offences, equal to 81.3 incidents per 1,000 residents. Property and deception offences accounted for 734, so buyers and renters should compare the immediate street, lighting, parking and security arrangements rather than relying on a suburb-wide rate alone.
Is Lilydale good for property investment?
It can suit a measured investment strategy: 19.2% of homes are rented, weekly rent is $369 and vacancy is 5.1%. Rent growth of 40.5% is encouraging, but the 0.89% annual growth trend and 15 development applications favour conservative cash-flow and supply assumptions.
How is Lilydale's population changing?
Lilydale is changing gradually, with an annual growth trend of 0.89% and 10.8% population change across the wider area over 10 years. The trajectory is Aging: senior share rose 5.6 points and young share fell 1.7 points, while migration is classified as Balanced.
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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