Lilyfield
Household income in the 96th percentile nationally and an IRSAD decile 10 establish Lilyfield as inner Sydney premium, yet population has not recovered from a 5.1% COVID dip, sitting 3.0% below pre-COVID levels at 14,167. The $2,215,000 median house price grew just 2.7% in the latest year, modest for this price tier. Walking and cycling at 13.1% are well above the national average, reflecting the compact 2.16 km2 footprint at 3,540 people per km2. University qualifications at 57.6% are 27.5 points above national, the Professional/Tech sector leads employment at 17.9%, and 83 development applications in 12 months confirm ongoing renovation activity.
Population
7,641
Median Age
41.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,858/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
83
Median House
$2.2M
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The $2,215,000 median (2025 PSI derived) rose 2.7% from $2,187,500 in 2024. Housing is mixed: 50.0% detached houses, 27.0% apartments, 22.9% semi-detached. Two and three-bedroom dwellings dominate (29.8% and 38.9%), with 4+ bedrooms at 20.6%. Monthly mortgage of $3,600 produces a mortgage-to-income ratio of 29.1%, approaching the stress threshold despite top-percentile incomes. Outright owners at 28.7% and mortgage holders at 34.8% combine for 63.5% ownership, lower than suburban averages. Walking/cycling at 13.1% and public transport at 6.8% reflect proximity to the CBD. No schools operate within the suburb boundaries, requiring travel to neighbouring areas.
For Buyers
The $2,215,000 median (2025 PSI derived) rose 2.7% from $2,187,500 in 2024. Housing is mixed: 50.0% detached houses, 27.0% apartments, 22.9% semi-detached. Two and three-bedroom dwellings dominate (29.8% and 38.9%), with 4+ bedrooms at 20.6%. Monthly mortgage of $3,600 produces a mortgage-to-income ratio of 29.1%, approaching the stress threshold despite top-percentile incomes. Outright owners at 28.7% and mortgage holders at 34.8% combine for 63.5% ownership, lower than suburban averages. Walking/cycling at 13.1% and public transport at 6.8% reflect proximity to the CBD. No schools operate within the suburb boundaries, requiring travel to neighbouring areas.
For Investors
Renters at 36.6% provide a substantial tenant pool. Weekly rent of $520 against the $2,215,000 median produces gross yield of just 1.2%, extremely low even by inner Sydney standards. The 9.0% vacancy rate is high, suggesting competition from short-stay accommodation. Net overseas migration of 203 per year offsets internal outflow of 215 per year, keeping population roughly stable. Development activity at 83 DAs in 12 months includes subdivisions and dwelling alterations, adding incremental supply. Population grows at just 0.24% per year (34 persons), and the COVID recovery is incomplete, meaning demand is not outpacing stock.
Development Activity
Total DAs
533
Last 12 Months
83
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-19.4%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
The median age of 41 is 1 year above the national median. University qualifications at 57.6% are 27.5 points above national. Overseas-born at 28.5% is 6.9 points above national, with English (2,662), Irish (1,144) and Italian (571) ancestries leading, reflecting the inner west's Anglo-Italian heritage. Italian (95), Greek (51) and Cantonese (35) are the top non-English languages. Average household size of 2.5 equals the national figure. Couples with children (2,911) well outnumber childless couples (1,342), higher than typical for inner-city suburbs. The aging trajectory (senior share up 4.4 points) is moderate. Residential turnover at 24.3% is high, consistent with a renter-heavy area.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
50.0%
Houses
22.9%
Townhouse
27.0%
Apartment
Tenure
Renters at 36.6% form the largest tenure group, ahead of mortgage holders at 34.8% and outright owners at 28.7%. The stock is nearly evenly split: 50.0% houses, 27.0% apartments, 22.9% semi-detached. Studios/one-bedroom at 10.8% and two-bedroom at 29.8% reflect the apartment stock. Prices rose from $2,187,500 to $2,247,000 (2024-2025), a modest 2.7% gain. Despite household income in the 96th percentile, mortgage-to-income at 29.1% approaches stress levels because of the $3,600 monthly repayment. Rent-to-income at 18.2% is comfortable. The IRSD decile 10 and IRSAD decile 10 confirm the suburb's top-tier socioeconomic position.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$3,600
Rent / wk
$520
HH Size
2.5
Personal Income / wk
$1,348
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
9.0%
Unoccupied
288
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
18.2%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
29.1%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
22.7%
Couples, no children
5,904
Total families
Economy & Employment
Professional/Tech leads at 17.9% (572 workers), followed by Healthcare at 13.3% (425), Education at 11.5% (367), Finance at 11.3% (359) and Construction at 6.9% (219). The Finance share at 11.3% is notably higher than suburban averages, reflecting proximity to Sydney's CBD. Professionals (1,585) and Managers (947) dominate occupations. Full-time employment at 70.8% is well above average, unemployment at 4.8% is close to national, and participation at 61.7% is solid. The IEO decile 10 confirms the top educational/occupational tier nationally. Real income grew 12.2% over the decade, modest relative to price growth.
Unemployment
4.9%
Labour Force
8,947
Unemployed
434
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
70.8%
Part-time
24.4%
Participation
61.7%
Employed
3,606
Occupations
Top Industries
University
57.6%
Postgraduate
18.4%
Born Overseas
28.5%
Dwellings
2,899
Transport to Work
Walking and cycling at 13.1% combined with public transport at 6.8% give Lilyfield 19.9% non-car commuting, well above the national average. Car driving at 75.1% remains dominant. No schools operate within the suburb, requiring families to access neighbouring areas for education. The IRSAD decile 10 is the top national tier. No crime data is available. Volunteering at 17.2% is above average. Need for assistance at 5.2% (383 people) is moderate. The high residential turnover of 24.3% reflects the renter-heavy profile rather than instability.
Drive
75.1%
Public Transport
6.8%
Walk / Cycle
13.1%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.24%/yr
(+34 people/yr)
EstablishedPopulation growth is minimal at 0.24% per year (34 persons). The suburb took a 5.1% COVID hit, falling from 14,623 to 13,870, and has recovered only 2.1%, still sitting 3.0% below its pre-COVID peak. Medium forecasts project 14,511 by 2031. Overseas migration at 203 per year offsets internal outflow of 215 per year, producing near-zero net movement. The gentrification score of 10 (not gentrifying) reflects an already-premium market with limited room for further socioeconomic upgrading. The 10-year population change was 6.2%. Affordability improved from 44.8% (2011) to 38.9% (2021) because incomes rose faster than the rent-to-income ratio.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+203
Net Internal / yr
-215
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Net internal outflow -215/yr, Strong overseas inflow +203/yr
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Lilyfield compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Lilyfield a good suburb to live in?
Lilyfield ranks in IRSAD decile 10, the top national tier. University qualifications at 57.6% are 27.5 points above average. Walking/cycling at 13.1% is well above national. The trade-off is a $2,215,000 median house price with mortgage-to-income at 29.1%, approaching stress levels, and no schools within the suburb.
What is the median house price in Lilyfield?
The median house price is $2,215,000 (2025 PSI derived), up 2.7% from $2,187,500 in 2024. Monthly mortgage repayments average $3,600. Weekly rent is $520, producing a gross yield of approximately 1.2%. The rent-to-income ratio is 18.2%, comfortable for tenants.
What schools are in Lilyfield?
No schools are located within Lilyfield's 2.16 km2 boundary. Families access primary and secondary schooling in neighbouring suburbs such as Rozelle, Leichhardt and Annandale, where several schools score above the 1,000 ICSEA national benchmark.
Is Lilyfield safe?
No crime rate data is currently available for Lilyfield. The IRSD decile 10 indicates very low socioeconomic disadvantage, which nationally correlates with lower crime rates. The 7,641 census population lives across 2.16 km2 at a density of 3,540 per km2.
Is Lilyfield good for property investment?
Gross yield of approximately 1.2% ($520/week on $2,215,000) is extremely low. Renters at 36.6% provide a solid pool, but the 9.0% vacancy rate is elevated. Population grew just 0.24% per year with incomplete COVID recovery. The 83 DAs in 12 months add incremental supply. Capital growth of 2.7% in the latest year is modest for this price tier.
How is Lilyfield's population changing?
Population grows at just 0.24% per year (34 persons) and remains 3.0% below the pre-COVID peak of 14,623 after a 5.1% dip. Medium forecasts project 14,511 by 2031. Overseas migration at 203 per year offsets internal outflow of 215. The 10-year change was 6.2%, and the median age of 41 is 1 year above national.
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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