Lurnea
Despite a median household income at just the 27.4th percentile nationally, the median house price in Lurnea has reached $957,750, a gap that defines this Liverpool-area pocket. The mismatch shows up directly in household budgets: mortgage repayments consume 38.8% of income and rent takes 30.7%, both well above the 30% stress threshold. SEIFA places Lurnea in the lowest decile for disadvantage (IRSD decile 1) and the lowest for economic resources (IER decile 1), yet 46.1% of residents were born overseas, 24.5 points above the national figure, and Lebanese ancestry (1,472) leads the mix. With a median age of 32, eight years below national, and 75.3% detached houses, this is an affordable-by-Sydney-standards family suburb under affordability pressure.
Population
10,057
Median Age
32.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,239/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
68
Median House
$958K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The $957,750 median buys a freestanding house in 75.3% of cases, with only 2.9% apartments, so buyers here are competing for land rather than units. Half the dwellings are three-bedroom (50.0%) and another 27.6% have four or more, confirming a family-oriented stock. The catch is affordability: monthly repayments of $2,080 against a household income at the 27.4th percentile push the mortgage-to-income ratio to 38.8%, well above the 30% stress line. Prices rose from $950,000 in 2024 to $975,000 in 2025, a modest 2.6% CAGR, which means buyers are not chasing a fast-moving market but stretching to enter one priced higher than local incomes can comfortably support. Owner-occupation sits at 56.9% (25.3% outright plus 31.6% mortgaged), higher than the 43.0% renting share.
For Buyers
The $957,750 median buys a freestanding house in 75.3% of cases, with only 2.9% apartments, so buyers here are competing for land rather than units. Half the dwellings are three-bedroom (50.0%) and another 27.6% have four or more, confirming a family-oriented stock. The catch is affordability: monthly repayments of $2,080 against a household income at the 27.4th percentile push the mortgage-to-income ratio to 38.8%, well above the 30% stress line. Prices rose from $950,000 in 2024 to $975,000 in 2025, a modest 2.6% CAGR, which means buyers are not chasing a fast-moving market but stretching to enter one priced higher than local incomes can comfortably support. Owner-occupation sits at 56.9% (25.3% outright plus 31.6% mortgaged), higher than the 43.0% renting share.
For Investors
Renters make up 43.0% of households, a deep enough pool, and weekly rent of $380 against the $957,750 median produces a gross yield near 2.1%, low but typical for detached Sydney stock. The 5.1% vacancy rate is moderate, neither tight nor oversupplied. Rent has climbed 75.0% over the cycle and rent-to-income now sits at 30.7%, above the stress threshold, signalling that further rent increases will meet tenant resistance. Demand support comes from overseas migration averaging 172 per year, while internal migration runs at -35, a net domestic outflow. Development is active at 68 applications in the past 12 months, including secondary dwellings, which suggests granny-flat yield plays are already in play. Capital growth at 2.6% per year is below inflation-adjusted expectations, so the case rests on cashflow and infill potential more than appreciation.
Development Activity
Total DAs
414
Last 12 Months
68
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-26.9%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Lurnea iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
St Francis Xavier's Catholic Primary School
K-6 · 400 students
Lurnea Public School
P-6 · 440 students
Lurnea High School
7-12 · 696 students
Demographics
The median age of 32 is eight years below the national median, and average household size of 3.2 is 0.7 above national, both pointing to younger families rather than downsizers. Overseas-born residents at 46.1% are 24.5 points above the national figure, with Lebanese ancestry leading at 1,472, ahead of English (1,236) and Vietnamese (451). Arabic is the dominant non-English language spoken by 1,659 residents, far above Urdu (81) and Serbian (75). The religious split reflects this: Christianity counts 3,671 and Islam 2,908. University qualifications at 23.1% sit 7 points below national, consistent with a workforce weighted toward trades and service roles rather than knowledge work. Residential turnover is low at 18.5%, so 81.5% of residents stayed put, indicating settled, multi-generational households rather than transient renters.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
75.3%
Houses
21.8%
Townhouse
2.9%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure splits into 25.3% owned outright, 31.6% mortgaged and 43.0% renting, so owner-occupiers (56.9% combined) outnumber renters. The stock is overwhelmingly detached at 75.3%, with 21.8% semi-detached and just 2.9% apartments, and bedroom counts skew large: 50.0% are three-bedroom and 27.6% have four or more. Prices moved from $950,000 in 2024 to $975,000 in 2025, a 2.6% CAGR. The strain is structural: with a median price of $957,750 against household income at the 27.4th percentile, both mortgage-to-income (38.8%) and rent-to-income (30.7%) breach the 30% stress threshold. The IER decile 1 ranking (lowest economic resources nationally) sits alongside high owner-occupation, which makes sense when much of household wealth is locked in property bought before the latest price run.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,080
Rent / wk
$380
HH Size
3.2
Personal Income / wk
$486
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
5.1%
Unoccupied
155
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
30.7% stressed
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
38.8% stressed
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
13.1%
Couples, no children
8,405
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare leads employment at 20.4% (284 workers), followed by Education at 11.0% (154), Construction at 10.5% (147), Retail at 9.2% (129) and Transport at 8.1% (113), a service-and-trades profile rather than a professional one. Occupations confirm this: Machinery Operators and Drivers (389) edge out Professionals (383) and Clerical workers (365). The economic signals are weak across the board: SEIFA places Lurnea in decile 1 for disadvantage (IRSD), decile 1 for advantage and disadvantage combined (IRSAD), decile 2 for education and occupation (IEO) and decile 1 for economic resources (IER), all in the bottom fifth nationally. Unemployment at 10.5% is well above the typical national rate near 5%, and personal income of $486 per week sits far below the national median, explaining why affordability stress is so pronounced despite modest house prices by Sydney standards.
Unemployment
12.0%
Labour Force
4,946
Unemployed
595
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
63.3%
Part-time
26.2%
Participation
30.2%
Employed
2,050
Occupations
Top Industries
University
23.1%
Postgraduate
5.2%
Born Overseas
46.1%
Dwellings
2,889
Transport to Work
Lurnea is a car-dependent suburb: 85.6% of commuters drive, public transport carries only 3.6% and walking or cycling accounts for 1.9%, all reflecting low-density detached form at 4,016.7 people per km2 across 2.5 km2. The SEIFA IRSAD decile 1 ranking, the lowest nationally, captures the broad disadvantage profile, and 10.1% of residents (926 people) reported needing assistance with daily activities, above what a younger-than-average population would suggest. Housing pressure compounds this, with rent-to-income at 30.7% above the stress threshold. On the positive side, residential stability is high at 81.5% staying put, and the family-friendly bedroom mix (77.6% with three or more bedrooms) suits households with children. The volunteering rate of 6.2% is modest but indicates some community participation despite economic strain.
Drive
85.6%
Public Transport
3.6%
Walk / Cycle
1.9%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+1.17%/yr
(+161 people/yr)
EstablishedPopulation growth runs at 1.17% per year (161 persons), classified as steady rather than rapid, with a 16.6% rise over the past decade and a +21% increase since 2011. Medium-scenario forecasts project the population reaching 14,531 by 2031. Overseas migration is the primary driver at 172 net arrivals per year, offset by an internal outflow of -35, meaning new residents come from abroad rather than other parts of Australia. The gentrification reading is early-stage (score 22), with the signal being population growth accelerating from 6% to 14%. Affordability has worsened sharply, from 54.9% in 2011 to 74.3% in 2021, while real income grew only 5.2% over the same period, so the suburb is changing through demographic inflow and price pressure rather than income-led improvement.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+172
Net Internal / yr
-35
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +21% since 2011, Accelerating: 6% → 14%
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Lurnea compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Lurnea a good suburb to live in?
Lurnea suits younger families seeking detached housing more affordable than central Sydney, with 75.3% separate houses and a median age of 32, eight years below national. The trade-offs are real: SEIFA ranks it in decile 1 for disadvantage, unemployment runs at 10.5%, and rent-to-income at 30.7% is above the stress threshold. Residential stability is high, with 81.5% of residents staying put.
What is the median house price in Lurnea?
The median house price is $957,750, based on 2024-2025 PSI-derived data. Prices rose from $950,000 in 2024 to $975,000 in 2025, a CAGR of 2.6%. Weekly rent averages $380 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $2,080, which pushes the mortgage-to-income ratio to 38.8%, above the 30% stress threshold.
What schools are in Lurnea?
School-level data is not available in this dataset for Lurnea, so specific schools cannot be listed. The suburb has a family-oriented profile, with a median age of 32 and 77.6% of dwellings having three or more bedrooms, and it sits within the Liverpool area (postcode 2170) which is served by surrounding government and Catholic schools.
Is Lurnea safe?
Crime statistics are not available in this dataset for Lurnea, so a safety rate cannot be quoted. What the data shows is a settled population, with 81.5% of residents staying put and a low turnover rate of 18.5%, alongside a SEIFA disadvantage ranking in decile 1, the lowest fifth nationally, which often correlates with higher reported crime in comparable areas.
Is Lurnea good for property investment?
The case is mixed. Renters make up 43.0% of households and weekly rent of $380 on a $957,750 median gives a gross yield near 2.1%. Vacancy is moderate at 5.1% and development is active with 68 applications in 12 months, but capital growth of 2.6% per year is modest and rent-to-income at 30.7% limits further rent rises.
How is Lurnea's population changing?
Population is growing 1.17% per year (161 persons), up 16.6% over the decade and forecast to reach 14,531 by 2031. Growth is driven by overseas migration at 172 net arrivals annually, while internal migration runs at -35. The median age of 32 is eight years below national, reflecting continued family inflow.
What languages are spoken in Lurnea?
Lurnea is highly multicultural, with 46.1% of residents born overseas, 24.5 points above the national figure. Arabic is the leading non-English language, spoken by 1,659 residents, far ahead of Urdu (81), Serbian (75) and Hindi (74). Lebanese ancestry leads at 1,472, and Islam counts 2,908 followers alongside Christianity's 3,671.
How much development is happening in Lurnea?
Development activity is solid, with 68 applications lodged in the past 12 months. Recent examples include secondary dwellings and new structures, pointing to granny-flat and infill activity on detached lots. This sits against steady population growth of 1.17% per year and a housing stock that is 75.3% separate houses, leaving room for backyard development.
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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