Lockhart
At 485 square kilometres with only 1,019 residents, Lockhart averages just 2.1 people per km2, making it one of the more sparsely settled rural localities in the Riverina. What stands out is the affordability relative to the rest of NSW: the median house price of $335,000 sits well below the state average, and household income sits at the 17.9th percentile nationally. The median age of 51 is 11 years above the national figure, signalling a mature, established population. Vacancy runs at 10.9%, well above typical metro markets, and 96.8% of dwellings are separate houses, reflecting the classic rural town character rather than apartment-style development.
Population
1,019
Median Age
51.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,111/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
20
Median House
$335K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The median house price of $335,000 is significantly below Sydney and NSW metro benchmarks, and the price history shows notable movement, rising from $275,000 in 2024 to $362,500 in 2025 before the current $335,000 reading, a 31.8% increase from the earlier data point. Monthly mortgage repayments average $867, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 18.0% is comfortably below the 30% stress threshold. Stock is almost entirely separate houses at 96.8%, with apartments under 2%. Three-bedroom homes account for 43.8% and 4-plus bedroom dwellings for 38.7%, so large family homes dominate. Outright ownership at 56.7% far exceeds mortgage holders at 22.3%, which is typical of rural towns with older, debt-free residents who bought at lower historic prices.
For Buyers
The median house price of $335,000 is significantly below Sydney and NSW metro benchmarks, and the price history shows notable movement, rising from $275,000 in 2024 to $362,500 in 2025 before the current $335,000 reading, a 31.8% increase from the earlier data point. Monthly mortgage repayments average $867, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 18.0% is comfortably below the 30% stress threshold. Stock is almost entirely separate houses at 96.8%, with apartments under 2%. Three-bedroom homes account for 43.8% and 4-plus bedroom dwellings for 38.7%, so large family homes dominate. Outright ownership at 56.7% far exceeds mortgage holders at 22.3%, which is typical of rural towns with older, debt-free residents who bought at lower historic prices.
For Investors
Weekly rent of $195 against a $335,000 median implies a gross yield around 3.0%, higher than many metro markets but constrained by the 10.9% vacancy rate, which is elevated compared to national norms. The renter share of 21.0% is modest, meaning tenant demand is thin in absolute terms given the population of 1,019. Development activity shows 17 applications in the past 12 months, a low number relative to most suburbs. The employment base is narrow, with agriculture and healthcare each accounting for 20.4% of workers, making the economy sensitive to seasonal conditions. Population at this scale and income at the 17.9th percentile nationally suggest the investment case depends on yield rather than capital growth.
Development Activity
Total DAs
130
Last 12 Months
20
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+5.3%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Lockhart iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
St Joseph's Primary School
K-6 · 74 students
Lockhart Central School
K-12 · 88 students
Demographics
The median age of 51 is 11 years above the national figure, placing Lockhart among the more age-advanced communities in NSW. The overseas-born share of 6.5% is 15.1 percentage points below national, consistent with the predominantly Anglo-Celtic ancestry: English (453), Irish (182), Scottish (127) and German (61) dominate. The average household size of 2.2 is 0.3 below the national average. University qualifications reach only 17.7%, which is 12.4 points below the national figure, in line with the rural and agricultural character. The volunteering rate of 33.1% is notably high, reflecting the cohesive culture of small rural towns. Couples without children make up 36.3% of families, and the low one-parent family count reflects the older demographic profile.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
96.8%
Houses
1.5%
Townhouse
1.7%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure structure here reflects the older age base: 56.7% own outright, against only 22.3% with a mortgage and 21.0% renting. That ownership concentration is higher than the national average, consistent with long-term residents who paid off loans over decades. The median house price moved from $275,000 in 2024 to $362,500 in 2025, a 31.8% rise over one year, though the current $335,000 reading sits below that peak. The stock is almost entirely separate houses at 96.8%, with semi-detached at 1.5% and apartments at 1.7%, typical of a NSW rural township. Three and four-plus bedroom homes together account for 82.5% of dwellings, suggesting the housing is well-suited to families and farm households.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$867
Rent / wk
$195
HH Size
2.2
Personal Income / wk
$600
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
10.9%
Unoccupied
52
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
17.6%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
18.0%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
36.3%
Couples, no children
725
Total families
Economy & Employment
Agriculture and healthcare are joint leading industries, each employing 20.4% of workers (57 people each), followed by public administration at 11.8%, education at 8.6% and retail at 7.9%. This dual-pillar structure, farming and essential services, is common in Riverina towns and makes the local economy resilient to single-sector shocks but dependent on seasonal conditions. By occupation, managers lead at 94 workers, community and personal service workers follow at 57, and professionals at 52. The unemployment rate of 4.1% is close to national levels, but the participation rate of 49.5% is low because 358 residents are not in the labour force, driven by the high median age of 51. The household income at the 17.9th percentile nationally reflects the rural wage structure rather than high unemployment.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
66.2%
Part-time
29.7%
Participation
49.5%
Employed
397
Occupations
Top Industries
University
17.7%
Postgraduate
2.2%
Born Overseas
6.5%
Dwellings
410
Transport to Work
Walking and cycling account for 17.4% of journeys to work, a relatively high share for a rural town where distances are spread across 485 km2. Car use is the dominant mode at 78.2%, as expected given the geography. Crime data is not available in this dataset. The volunteering rate of 33.1% is above what most suburban areas record, reflecting community participation levels typical of smaller country towns. Housing stress is low: rent-to-income at 17.6% and mortgage-to-income at 18.0% both sit well below the 30% stress threshold, making Lockhart more affordable in day-to-day terms compared to most of NSW. No school records are available in this dataset for the suburb boundary, so families would rely on facilities in nearby centres.
Drive
78.2%
Public Transport
N/A
Walk / Cycle
17.4%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Lockhart compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Lockhart a good suburb to live in?
Lockhart suits residents who value affordability and a rural lifestyle. The median house price of $335,000 is well below NSW metro levels, mortgage-to-income sits at 18.0%, and the housing stress rate is low. The main trade-offs are a high vacancy rate of 10.9%, limited employment diversity and an aging population with a median age of 51, which is 11 years above national.
What is the median house price in Lockhart?
The median house price is $335,000, based on 2024-2025 data. The price rose 31.8% from $275,000 in 2024 to $362,500 in 2025. Monthly mortgage repayments average $867, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 18.0% is comfortably below the 30% stress threshold.
What schools are in Lockhart?
No schools are recorded inside the Lockhart suburb boundary in this dataset. The university qualification rate of 17.7% is 12.4 percentage points below the national average, reflecting the rural and trade-oriented character of the local workforce, which is led by agriculture (20.4%) and healthcare (20.4%).
Is Lockhart safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Lockhart in this dataset. As indirect indicators, the housing stress rate is low (rent-to-income 17.6%), unemployment sits at 4.1% near national levels, and the volunteering rate of 33.1% is high, all of which are associated with stable, lower-risk rural communities.
Is Lockhart good for property investment?
Weekly rent of $195 against a $335,000 median gives a gross yield near 3.0%, higher than many metro markets. However, the 10.9% vacancy rate is elevated compared to national norms, the renter pool is just 21.0% of 1,019 residents, and development activity is low at 17 applications in 12 months. Returns depend more on yield than capital growth.
How is Lockhart's population changing?
The population of 1,019 across 485 km2 gives a density of just 2.1 per km2. Resident turnover is low at 17.7%, with 82.3% having stayed in place. The median age of 51 is 11 years above the national figure, and the identity signals point to an aging base rather than growth, with no forecast migration data available in this dataset.
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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