Lorne
The suburb is low density at 12.9 people per sq km across 102.65 sq km, and 54.1% of homes are owned outright. A 68.6% vacancy rate points to a strong holiday-home and short-stay presence, so Lorne feels less like a conventional commuter market. For buyers comparing Lorne with nearby Aireys Inlet, the standout themes are established wealth, detached housing and an older resident base rather than entry-level affordability.
Local council: Surf Coast
Population
1,327
Median Age
56.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,525/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
2
Median House
$2.6M
October to December 2025
Only a handful of houses sold here in this period, so this median can jump sharply from one quarter to the next for reasons that have nothing to do with the market. Treat it as a rough guide, not a settled price.
The stock is mainly detached, with 86.1% separate houses versus 5.4% apartments, and larger homes are common: 38.2% have 3 bedrooms and 36.1% have 4 or more. Outright ownership is 54.1%, which can support price resilience, but mortgage repayments equal 32.8% of household income and are flagged as stressed. Compared with a lower-cost regional market, buyers should allow for fewer affordable entry points and inspect holiday-use, maintenance and insurance costs closely.
For Buyers
The stock is mainly detached, with 86.1% separate houses versus 5.4% apartments, and larger homes are common: 38.2% have 3 bedrooms and 36.1% have 4 or more. Outright ownership is 54.1%, which can support price resilience, but mortgage repayments equal 32.8% of household income and are flagged as stressed. Compared with a lower-cost regional market, buyers should allow for fewer affordable entry points and inspect holiday-use, maintenance and insurance costs closely.
For Investors
Investment returns in Lorne depend heavily on occupancy rather than rent alone. Weekly rent is $363 and 23.4% of households rent, versus 54.1% owning outright, but the vacancy rate is an exceptional 68.6%, indicating substantial non-permanent or holiday use. That can lift seasonal income while making annual cash flow less predictable than in a tightly occupied rental market. The latest 12-month development count is only 1, limiting near-term new supply, while the wider growth trend is 1.36% a year and migration is labelled Balanced. Rent growth of 56.0% supports the long-run case, yet investors should model vacancy, management and seasonal demand before relying on the $363 weekly figure.
Development Activity
Total DAs
7
Last 12 Months
2
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-33.3%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Lorne
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Lorne P-12 College
Demographics
Lorne has an older, relatively settled population: its median age is 56, which is 16 years above the national figure, while 72.2% of residents stayed at the same address and turnover was 27.8%. University attainment is 37.7%, or 7.6 percentage points above national, despite a modest overseas-born share of 18.3%, 3.3 points below national. English, Irish and Scottish ancestry counts are 556, 229 and 202; no religion is recorded by 649 people versus 484 identifying with Christianity. Couples without children make up 54.4% of families, helping explain the average household size of 2.1. Compared with nearby Aireys Inlet, Lorne suits buyers seeking an established coastal setting more than a young, high-turnover demographic.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
86.1%
Houses
7.0%
Townhouse
5.4%
Apartment
Tenure
Lorne's price history is strong but uneven. Tenure is unusually ownership-heavy: 54.1% own outright, 18.0% hold a mortgage and 23.4% rent. Separate houses account for 86.1%, with 36.1% containing 4 or more bedrooms. The latest price is below the peak, but the long-run uplift supports Lorne's premium positioning; buyers comparing it with nearby Aireys Inlet should test whether coastal amenity justifies the entry cost.
Mortgage / mo
$2,167
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$363
Census 2021
HH Size
2.1
Personal Income / wk
$893
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
68.6%
Unoccupied
1,093
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.8%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
32.8% stressed
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
30.5%
Couples with children
54.4%
Couples, no children
13.8%
Single parent
305
Total families
Economy & Employment
Lorne's economy is led by visitor-facing work: Hospitality accounts for 26.0% of employment, above Construction at 13.5%, Healthcare at 11.5%, Retail at 8.4% and Professional/Tech at 7.5%. The occupational mix is broader than the industry headline, with 144 managers, 103 professionals and 94 trades workers. Unemployment is 1.0%, participation is 50.2%, and employment includes 264 full-time and 248 part-time workers, so seasonal and flexible work likely matters. Household income is $1,525 a week, around the 47.8th percentile, while SEIFA places IEO and IER in decile 8, IRSD in decile 9 and IRSAD in decile 8. These above-average area scores alongside mid-ranked household income suggest accumulated wealth and housing advantage are not captured by wages alone.
Unemployment
1.0%
Labour Force
600
Unemployed
6
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
44.4%
Part-time
41.8%
Participation
50.2%
Employed
594
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
37.7%
Postgraduate
8.1%
Born Overseas
18.3%
Dwellings
498
Transport to Work
Lorne offers a low-density coastal lifestyle, with 12.9 people per sq km across 102.65 sq km. Daily travel is car-led: 57.5% drive, compared with 13.0% who walk or cycle, while 26.0% work from home. The suburb has 1 government P-12 college, Lorne P-12 College, covering primary and secondary years. Families should confirm the exact enrolment zone, year-level availability and transport arrangements before buying, because school choice within a small coastal settlement is more limited than in larger regional centres. Recorded crime was 67 offences, or 50.5 per 1,000 residents; property and deception offences numbered 40, compared with 21 crimes against the person. Socioeconomic conditions rank above the middle, with IRSAD decile 8 and IRSD decile 9.
Drive
57.5%
Public Transport
N/A
Walk / Cycle
13.0%
Work from Home
26.0%
Growth Outlook
Growth is steady rather than explosive. The annual trend is 1.36%, with migration classified as Balanced, while population change across the wider area is 26.8% over 10 years. Lorne's shift trajectory is Aging: the senior share rose 9.2% and the young share fell 4.0%, a clear 9.2% vs -4.0% tilt toward older households. Gentrification is marked Early signs with a score of 22, although the separate shift measure records Active at 45. Together, these figures point to gradual premium-market change driven by lifestyle demand and an established resident base, not a rapid family expansion cycle. Rent growth of 56.0% and real income growth of 33.9% may support further price pressure, but affordability remains a constraint.
Population trend: Surf Coast council area
Lorne sits in the Surf Coast council area. These are the council area's residents, not Lorne's.
Residents 2025
40,265
Growth, 5 yr average
+2.4%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+1.1%
2024 to 2025
ABS Estimated Resident Population by LGA, 30 June each year; council area, not this suburb
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
67
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
50.5
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 Lorne compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
What schools are in Lorne?
The suburb has 1 government P-12 college, Lorne P-12 College, covering primary and secondary years. Families should confirm the exact enrolment zone, year-level availability and transport arrangements before buying, because school choice within a small coastal settlement is more limited than in larger regional centres.
Is Lorne safe?
Lorne recorded 67 offences, equal to 50.5 offences per 1,000 residents. Property and deception offences were the largest category at 40, followed by 21 crimes against the person. Check current local police updates because incident levels can change over time.
Is Lorne good for property investment?
Lorne may suit a specialised coastal investment strategy, but vacancy is the central risk. Weekly rent is $363, renting households are 23.4% and vacancy is 68.6%. Rent growth reached 56.0%, while migration is Balanced and only 1 development was recorded in 12 months. Model seasonal occupancy rather than assuming a standard long-term yield.
How is Lorne's population changing?
Lorne's population is ageing rather than becoming younger: the shift trajectory is Aging, senior share is up 9.2% and young share is down 4.0%. Population change across the wider area is 26.8% over 10 years, with an annual trend of 1.36% and Balanced migration. That points to gradual change, not a rapid population surge.
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).
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