Lismore
With a median house price of $479,000 and household income sitting at the 14.2nd percentile nationally, Lismore is one of the more affordable regional centres in NSW. The 11.3% vacancy rate stands well above the national average, signalling a soft rental market despite 49.6% of residents renting. Population has been falling steadily, dropping from 14,336 in 2023 to 13,679 in 2025, driven by net internal outflow of 480 residents per year. Healthcare dominates the local economy at 31.4% of workers. The suburb scores in IRSD decile 2 and IRSAD decile 2, placing it among the more disadvantaged areas nationally.
Population
3,656
Median Age
41.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,035/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
42
Median House
$479K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The $479,000 median house price is affordable compared to the NSW state median, and prices rose from $450,000 in 2024 to $510,000 in 2025, a 13.3% gain in a single year. Separate houses make up 69.9% of the stock, so detached-home buyers have reasonable supply to choose from. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,300 and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 29.0% sits just below the 30% stress threshold, giving buyers a thin margin. Three-bedroom dwellings account for 37.4% of stock, followed by two-bedroom at 30.4%. Outright owners (24.6%) are outnumbered by mortgage holders (25.8%) and renters (49.6%), consistent with a market where many residents have not built equity.
For Buyers
The $479,000 median house price is affordable compared to the NSW state median, and prices rose from $450,000 in 2024 to $510,000 in 2025, a 13.3% gain in a single year. Separate houses make up 69.9% of the stock, so detached-home buyers have reasonable supply to choose from. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,300 and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 29.0% sits just below the 30% stress threshold, giving buyers a thin margin. Three-bedroom dwellings account for 37.4% of stock, followed by two-bedroom at 30.4%. Outright owners (24.6%) are outnumbered by mortgage holders (25.8%) and renters (49.6%), consistent with a market where many residents have not built equity.
For Investors
The 49.6% renter share is well above the national average, creating a large tenant pool, but the 11.3% vacancy rate is a meaningful risk signal because it indicates supply already exceeds current demand. Weekly rent of $280 against a $479,000 median implies a gross yield of around 3.1%, modest but higher than many coastal NSW markets. Rent grew 36.4% over the decade, which is a strong long-run trend. Development activity is active at 43 applications in 12 months. The biggest drag is the population trend: net internal outflow of 480 residents per year and a projected decline to 13,288 by 2031 under the medium forecast compress the demand base for both rental and resale.
Development Activity
Total DAs
265
Last 12 Months
42
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-4.5%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Lismore iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
St Carthage's Primary School
K-6 · 580 students
St John's College
7-12 · 774 students
Living School
K-12 · 313 students
Modanville Public School
K-6 · 58 students
Caniaba Public School
K-6 · 29 students
Demographics
The median age of 41 is one year above the national figure, and the aging trajectory is clear with the senior share rising 4.3 points over the decade. Overseas-born residents reach just 12.6%, which is 9 points below national, reflecting a predominantly Australian-born population. The dominant ancestries are English (1,375), Irish (502) and Scottish (441), a strongly Anglo-Celtic profile. University qualifications at 27.1% run 3 points below the national figure. Average household size of 2.1 is 0.4 below national, consistent with the high share of single-person and couple-only households. The volunteering rate of 15.7% and 10.1% needing daily assistance both point to an older demographic with elevated care needs.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
69.9%
Houses
13.7%
Townhouse
14.3%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure is heavily skewed to renting: 49.6% of residents rent, versus 24.6% who own outright and 25.8% who hold a mortgage, a rental share well above the national average. The median house price climbed from $450,000 to $510,000 across 2024-2025, a 13.3% move, though the current PSI-derived estimate sits at $479,000. Monthly mortgage repayments of $1,300 and a mortgage-to-income ratio of 29.0% keep ownership just below stress levels. Separate houses dominate at 69.9%, with apartments at 14.3% and semi-detached at 13.7%. The 11.3% vacancy rate is elevated, meaning landlords face stronger competition to secure tenants than in tighter markets.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,300
Rent / wk
$280
HH Size
2.1
Personal Income / wk
$598
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
11.3%
Unoccupied
186
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
27.1%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
29.0%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
23.5%
Couples, no children
2,095
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the defining industry, employing 31.4% of workers (290 people), more than double the next sector. Education follows at 13.6% (126 workers), then Retail at 9.0%, Hospitality at 7.8% and Construction at 6.7%. By occupation, Professionals lead at 294 workers, followed by Labourers (252) and Community/Personal service roles (234), a distribution that reflects the healthcare and social services base. Unemployment sits at 9.0%, higher than the national average, and the participation rate of 47.6% is low, partly because 1,183 residents are not in the labour force. The IRSD decile of 2 and IRSAD decile of 2 place Lismore among the bottom fifth nationally on socioeconomic advantage.
Unemployment
5.9%
Labour Force
6,945
Unemployed
410
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
55.7%
Part-time
35.3%
Participation
47.6%
Employed
1,335
Occupations
Top Industries
University
27.1%
Postgraduate
5.4%
Born Overseas
12.6%
Dwellings
1,450
Transport to Work
Car dependency is high at 78.8% of commuters driving, while only 0.7% use public transport, low even by regional NSW standards. Walking and cycling account for 12.8%, a notable active transport share that reflects the flat, compact 3.68 km2 area and density of 994.7 residents per km2. No schools are recorded inside the suburb boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring areas. The suburb scores in IRSD decile 2 nationally, indicating relatively high levels of disadvantage. Crime data is not available for this dataset. Rent-to-income at 27.1% keeps renters just below the 30% stress threshold, while the 10.1% needing daily assistance points to above-average care demand relative to most suburbs.
Drive
78.8%
Public Transport
0.7%
Walk / Cycle
12.8%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
-1.07%/yr
(-146 people/yr)
EstablishedPopulation has declined 2.2% over the decade and is contracting at 1.07% annually, equivalent to roughly 146 fewer residents each year. This trajectory is weaker than most regional NSW centres and places Lismore below the state average for population growth. The medium forecast sees the population falling from 13,679 in 2025 to 13,288 by 2031. The primary driver is net internal outflow of 480 residents per year, offset only partially by overseas migration averaging 70 per year. Affordability improved from 51.4% to 46.4% of income between 2011 and 2021, and real incomes grew 22.9% over the period. The gentrification score of 27 signals early signs, but the dominant signal remains outward migration.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+70
Net Internal / yr
-480
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Net internal outflow -480/yr
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Lismore compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Lismore a good suburb to live in?
Lismore offers affordable housing at a $479,000 median house price, but it ranks in IRSD decile 2 and IRSAD decile 2 nationally, placing it among the more disadvantaged areas in the country. Unemployment at 9.0% is above the national average, and population has fallen from 14,336 in 2023 to 13,679 in 2025. Healthcare and education services are strong locally due to those sectors employing 45% of the workforce.
What is the median house price in Lismore?
The current median house price is $479,000 based on PSI-derived data. Prices rose 13.3% from $450,000 in 2024 to $510,000 in 2025. Weekly rent averages $280 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $1,300, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 29.0%, just below the 30% stress threshold.
What schools are in Lismore?
No schools are recorded inside the Lismore suburb boundary in this dataset. The suburb covers 3.68 km2 at a density of 994.7 residents per km2, with families typically relying on schools in nearby areas. University qualifications among residents reach 27.1%, which is 3 points below the national figure.
Is Lismore safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Lismore in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, Lismore scores in IRSD decile 2 nationally, placing it in the bottom 20% on the relative disadvantage index. The 9.0% unemployment rate is above the national average, which is associated with higher social stress in regional centres.
Is Lismore good for property investment?
The 49.6% renter share creates a large tenant pool and rent grew 36.4% over the decade, but the 11.3% vacancy rate signals current oversupply. A gross yield of roughly 3.1% (based on $280 weekly rent and $479,000 median) is modest. The biggest risk is population decline: net outflow of 480 residents per year and a forecast drop to 13,288 by 2031 compress long-term demand.
How is Lismore's population changing?
Population is falling at 1.07% per year, dropping from 14,336 in 2023 to 13,679 in 2025. The medium forecast projects a further decline to 13,288 by 2031. Net internal outflow of 480 residents per year is the main driver, partially offset by overseas migration of 70 per year. The young adult share fell 2.2 points over the decade.
How much development is happening in Lismore?
There were 43 development applications lodged in the past 12 months, including subdivision, entertainment facility works and retail alterations. This level of activity is moderate given the population of around 3,656 in the suburb itself, and suggests ongoing investment despite the broader population decline in the region.
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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