Lilyfield
A household income at the 96.4th percentile nationally is Lilyfield's standout signal, alongside a density of 3,539.5 residents per square kilometre and a population of 7,641. The suburb has an established inner-west profile, with a median age of 41, university attainment of 57.6% and 65.0% working from home. Compared with nearby Leichhardt and Annandale, Lilyfield's key distinction is the combination of high household resources and a mixed low-rise housing base. Growth is subdued at 0.24% annually, while the 28.5% overseas-born share and overseas migration add change. The 6.2% ten-year population change and aging trajectory point to measured evolution rather than a population surge.
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
81
Lilyfield's housing choices favour established low-rise living: 50.0% of dwellings are separate houses, 22.9% are semi-detached and 27.0% are apartments. Three-bedroom homes are the largest bedroom group at 38.9%, followed by two-bedroom dwellings at 29.8%, giving buyers more choice than a pure apartment market. The $3,600 monthly mortgage marker sits alongside a 29.1% mortgage-to-income ratio and no mortgage stress flag, while weekly rent is $520. Ownership is split between 28.5% outright and 34.5% with a mortgage, with 36.3% renting. Compared with apartment-led pockets around Rozelle, Lilyfield's house and semi-detached share may appeal to buyers seeking more space.
For Buyers
Lilyfield's housing choices favour established low-rise living: 50.0% of dwellings are separate houses, 22.9% are semi-detached and 27.0% are apartments. Three-bedroom homes are the largest bedroom group at 38.9%, followed by two-bedroom dwellings at 29.8%, giving buyers more choice than a pure apartment market. The $3,600 monthly mortgage marker sits alongside a 29.1% mortgage-to-income ratio and no mortgage stress flag, while weekly rent is $520. Ownership is split between 28.5% outright and 34.5% with a mortgage, with 36.3% renting. Compared with apartment-led pockets around Rozelle, Lilyfield's house and semi-detached share may appeal to buyers seeking more space.
For Investors
Investors get a broad tenant base because 36.3% of households rent, while weekly rent is $520 and the vacancy rate is 9.0%. That vacancy rate is higher than a tightly constrained market would usually suggest, so leasing quality, property presentation and exact micro-location matter more than headline rent alone. Development activity is notable at 83 applications in 12 months, including demolition, alterations and additions, and new structures. This pipeline may improve amenity but can also create local disruption. Overseas migration is the primary growth driver, while annual growth is only 0.24%, lower than a high-growth corridor. Compared with Balmain or Rozelle, Lilyfield suits an established-demand strategy more than a rapid-growth approach.
Development Activity
Total DAs
554
Last 12 Months
81
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-19.8%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
With a median age of 41, Lilyfield is 1.0 year older than the national median and is moving along an aging trajectory. University attainment reaches 57.6%, 27.5 percentage points higher than the national figure, helping explain the strong representation of professionals at 1,585 and managers at 947. Overseas-born residents account for 28.5%, 6.9 points above the national share, with Italian, Greek, Canton, Mandarin and Arabic among the recorded languages. No religion is recorded for 3,741 people, compared with 3,065 identifying with Christianity. Average household size is 2.5, while 75.7% stayed at the same address. Compared with nearby Leichhardt, Lilyfield's older profile is a key distinction.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
50.0%
Houses
22.9%
Townhouse
27.0%
Apartment
Tenure
Households face a mixed tenure market: 28.5% own outright, 34.5% hold a mortgage and 36.3% rent. That spread is wider than a suburb dominated by one tenure, because Lilyfield combines 50.0% separate houses, 22.9% semi-detached homes and 27.0% apartments. Three-bedroom dwellings lead at 38.9%, followed by two-bedroom homes at 29.8% and 4-plus-bedroom stock at 20.6%, so the profile reaches beyond small units. Housing costs look manageable in aggregate: rent equals 18.2% of household income and mortgage costs 29.1%, with neither stress flag active. Household income sits at the 96.4th percentile, higher than national levels, helping explain the capacity to sustain ownership. Compared with apartment-led parts of Rozelle, Lilyfield has a stronger attached-house and separate-house mix.
Mortgage / mo
$3,600
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (April to June 2026), NSW Rental Bond Board (DCJ). Census 2021 median: $520.
$900
Bond data Jun 2026 · houses $1,110 · units $680
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
51.5%
Couples with children
33.6%
Couples, no children
13.7%
Single parent
2,000
Total families
Economy & Employment
Lilyfield's economy is weighted toward knowledge and service work. Professional/Tech is the largest listed industry at 17.9% and 572 workers, followed by Healthcare at 13.3% and 425, Education at 11.5% and 367, Finance at 11.3% and 359, and Construction at 6.9% and 219. The occupation mix reinforces that pattern, with 1,585 professionals and 947 managers. Labour-force participation is 67.5%, unemployment is 4.3% and 64.5% of employed residents work full time, supporting a relatively strong income base. SEIFA places Lilyfield in decile 10 for education and occupation, decile 8 for economic resources and decile 10 for IRSAD, all above national benchmarks. The decile 8 result suggests high advantage overall, with some variation in household resources.
Unemployment
4.3%
Labour Force
4,141
Unemployed
180
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
64.5%
Part-time
26.6%
Participation
67.5%
Employed
3,961
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
57.6%
Postgraduate
18.4%
Born Overseas
28.5%
Dwellings
2,899
Transport to Work
Lilyfield supports a work-from-home and short-trip lifestyle, with 65.0% working from home, 25.9% driving, 4.5% walking or cycling and 2.9% using public transport for the recorded journey-to-work measure. The public transport share is lower than a rail-led suburb, so route planning matters even in a well-connected inner-west setting. Families should check enrolment zones against the exact address and compare nearby public, Catholic and independent options, because school access can cross suburb boundaries. The IRSAD score of 1,155 places Lilyfield in decile 10, above the national median, and the IEO score of 1,168 also reaches decile 10. For safety, current street-level checks of lighting, traffic and evening activity are more useful than assuming every pocket is the same. Compared with quieter residential streets in Annandale, Lilyfield's livability depends more on local route and traffic conditions.
Drive
25.9%
Public Transport
2.9%
Walk / Cycle
4.5%
Work from Home
65.0%
Population Forecast
+0.24%/yr
(+34 people/yr)
EstablishedLilyfield's established forecast points to slow expansion rather than a rapid population lift. The annual trend is 0.24%, lower than faster-growing outer suburban markets, and overseas migration is the primary driver. Across the wider area, population change is 6.2% over 10 years, while the trajectory is labelled Aging, consistent with a 4.4-point rise in the senior share and a 6.0-point fall in the working share. Gentrification signals are restrained: the headline score is 10 and the stage is Not gentrifying, although the shift measure records a score of 30 and Early signs. Rents have grown 20.0%, while the affordability trend is labelled Improving, with recorded measures of 44.8% in 2011 and 38.9% in 2021. Because growth is modest and ageing is pronounced, Lilyfield is more likely to change through household turnover than rapid expansion.
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?
For many households, yes. Lilyfield combines a median age of 41, 65.0% working from home and an IRSAD decile of 10, indicating resources above the national median. Its 2.9% public transport share means exact commute planning matters more than relying on inner-west proximity alone.
What is the median house price in Lilyfield?
Check recent Lilyfield sales for the current median house price and separate houses from apartments when comparing results. The housing mix includes 50.0% separate houses, 22.9% semi-detached dwellings and 27.0% apartments, making one headline figure less representative than in a uniform market.
What schools are in Lilyfield?
Verify nearby school options by exact address because enrolment zones can cross suburb boundaries. Compare public, Catholic and independent choices, then confirm intake rules and transport. This matters in a suburb where 20.6% of dwellings have 4 or more bedrooms and 51.5% of families are couples with children.
Is Lilyfield safe?
Use current street-level crime information and inspect lighting, traffic routes and evening activity before deciding. Lilyfield covers 2.16 square kilometres at a density of 3,539.5 residents per square kilometre, so conditions can vary by pocket more than a single suburb-wide impression suggests.
Is Lilyfield good for property investment?
It can suit an established-market investor, but not a high-growth strategy. Renting is 36.3%, weekly rent is $520, vacancy is 9.0% and 83 development applications were recorded in 12 months. Overseas migration drives growth, yet annual growth is 0.24%, lower than a rapid-growth corridor.
How is Lilyfield's population changing?
Change is measured rather than rapid. The annual trend is 0.24%, and population change across the wider area is 6.2% over 10 years, below a high-growth pattern. Overseas migration is the primary driver, while the senior share has risen 4.4 points and the working share has fallen 6.0 points.
What development is happening in Lilyfield?
Development activity includes 83 applications over 12 months, with examples covering demolition, alterations and additions, and new structures. That volume is higher than a quiet established suburb might record, so buyers should check construction timing, street impacts and proposed changes near a property before committing.
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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