Lyons
With 56.2% of residents holding university qualifications, 26.1 percentage points above the national figure, Lyons carries the hallmarks of Canberra's professional workforce. The suburb scores decile 9 on IEO (education and occupation advantage), placing it firmly in the top tier nationally, yet the IER decile sits at only 4, because 45.3% of residents rent rather than own, compressing measured economic resources. Household income sits at the 77.2nd percentile nationally. Population has grown 19.7% over the decade, with a median age of 36, four years below the national average, reflecting the concentration of working-age professionals.
Population
3,271
Median Age
36.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,062/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
9
Median House
$568K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The median house price sits at an estimated $568,000, calculated from 2025 rent data, making Lyons more accessible than many comparable ACT suburbs with similar professional profiles. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,383, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 26.7%, below the 30% stress threshold. The stock is majority separate houses at 51.7%, with apartments at 28.0% and semi-detached at 20.3%. Three-bedroom dwellings are the most common at 33.0%, followed by two-bedroom at 27.7% and four-plus at 25.1%. Outright ownership at 27.8% is lower than typical established suburbs because 45.3% of residents rent, a figure that reflects the transient nature of the public service workforce concentrated in the ACT.
For Buyers
The median house price sits at an estimated $568,000, calculated from 2025 rent data, making Lyons more accessible than many comparable ACT suburbs with similar professional profiles. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,383, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 26.7%, below the 30% stress threshold. The stock is majority separate houses at 51.7%, with apartments at 28.0% and semi-detached at 20.3%. Three-bedroom dwellings are the most common at 33.0%, followed by two-bedroom at 27.7% and four-plus at 25.1%. Outright ownership at 27.8% is lower than typical established suburbs because 45.3% of residents rent, a figure that reflects the transient nature of the public service workforce concentrated in the ACT.
For Investors
The 45.3% renter share is a strong base for rental demand, and weekly rent of $360 against a $568,000 median implies a gross yield near 3.3%, which is reasonable for the ACT market. The vacancy rate at 8.5% is elevated compared to typical investment markets and warrants monitoring, though it partly reflects the ACT's cyclical public service staffing patterns. Development activity is low at 9 applications in 12 months, predominantly alterations and one secondary residence, indicating negligible new supply pressure. Overseas migration averages 59 net arrivals annually while internal migration runs at minus 61, meaning demand depends on overseas arrivals rather than domestic mobility. Rent grew 20.0% over the decade, and real income growth of 15.5% over the same period supports continued rent capacity.
Development Activity
Total DAs
32
Last 12 Months
9
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+28.6%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Lyons iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Lyons Early Childhood School
K-2 · 91 students
Demographics
The median age of 36 is 4 years below the national figure, reflecting the working-age concentration typical of Canberra's government sector. Overseas-born residents reach 36.8%, which is 15.2 percentage points above the national average, and Nepali (109 speakers) is the most common non-English language, followed by Mandarin (22) and Punjabi (19). University qualifications at 56.2% run 26.1 points above national, consistent with the public service and professional focus. Ancestry is led by English (1,022), Other (763) and Irish (352). Average household size is 2.3, slightly below the national figure. Couples with children make up the largest family type (1,067 families), while couples without children account for 30.0% of families.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
51.7%
Houses
20.3%
Townhouse
28.0%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure is weighted heavily toward renting: 45.3% rent, 27.0% hold a mortgage and 27.8% own outright. The 45.3% renter share is well above the national average, driven by the transient public service workforce that is central to the Canberra economy. Separate houses make up 51.7% of stock, with apartments at 28.0% and semi-detached at 20.3%. Three-bedroom dwellings dominate at 33.0%, with 27.7% two-bedroom and 25.1% four-plus bedroom. At a mortgage-to-income ratio of 26.7%, buyers are not under stress relative to national benchmarks, and the rent-to-income figure of 17.5% is equally comfortable for tenants, sitting well below the 30% stress threshold.
Mortgage / mo
$2,383
Rent / wk
$360
HH Size
2.3
Personal Income / wk
$1,097
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
8.5%
Unoccupied
126
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
17.5%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
26.7%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
30.0%
Couples, no children
2,355
Total families
Economy & Employment
Public administration dominates at 30.9% of workers (429 people), a proportion far above the national share, because Lyons sits within the ACT government precinct belt. Healthcare follows at 16.6% (230 workers) and Education at 10.5% (146), with Professional/Tech at 9.4% (130) and Retail at 6.4% (89). By occupation, Professionals lead (526 workers) ahead of Managers (285) and Community/Personal service workers (240). Unemployment is 4.4% and the full-time employment rate is 66.5%, with 1,101 people working full time. The SEIFA IEO decile of 9 reflects the high-education, high-occupation profile, while the IRSD decile of 7 and IRSAD of 8 confirm moderate-to-high advantage on deprivation measures.
Unemployment
4.1%
Labour Force
1,923
Unemployed
78
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
66.5%
Part-time
29.1%
Participation
63.6%
Employed
1,656
Occupations
Top Industries
University
56.2%
Postgraduate
23.7%
Born Overseas
36.8%
Dwellings
1,344
Transport to Work
Active transport is notably high: 9.1% of residents walk or cycle to work, above the national share, and 11.5% use public transport, while 71.5% drive. The suburb scores decile 8 on IRSAD nationally, in the upper tier of advantage. Volunteering is strong at 20.2% of residents. Only 5.6% (176 people) need daily assistance with core activities. No schools are recorded inside the Lyons boundary in this dataset, so families draw on neighbouring ACT government and Catholic schools. Rent stress is absent at 17.5% rent-to-income, and mortgage holders are also below the stress threshold at 26.7%. The density of 1,446 people per square kilometre gives Lyons a suburban feel at 2.26 square kilometres, with room for the alterations and additions that dominate recent development activity.
Drive
71.5%
Public Transport
11.5%
Walk / Cycle
9.1%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+1.03%/yr
(+34 people/yr)
EstablishedPopulation grew 19.7% over the decade and sits at 3,271, with annual growth running at 1.03% (roughly 34 people per year). Medium forecasts project 3,577 residents by 2031 if the trend continues. The primary migration driver is overseas arrivals at a net 59 per year, offsetting a net internal outflow of minus 61, so total growth is essentially flat on migration alone. The gentrification score is 6, classified as not gentrifying, consistent with a suburb already at decile 9 advantage. Affordability improved from 38.9% in 2011 to 32.8% in 2021, a positive trend suggesting housing costs have eased relative to incomes over time. The young-adult share rose 0.4 points over the decade, keeping the age profile younger than the national median.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+59
Net Internal / yr
-61
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Population +18% since 2011
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Lyons compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Lyons a good suburb to live in?
Lyons scores decile 9 on IEO nationally, placing it in the top tier for education and occupational advantage. With 56.2% of residents holding university qualifications (26.1 points above national), household income at the 77.2nd percentile, and a rent-to-income ratio of only 17.5%, it offers a financially comfortable environment for renters and owners alike.
What is the median house price in Lyons?
The median house price is estimated at $568,000 (based on 2025 rent data). Weekly rent averages $360 and monthly mortgage repayments average $2,383, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 26.7%, below the 30% stress threshold.
What schools are in Lyons?
No schools are recorded inside the Lyons suburb boundary in this dataset. Families draw on schools in neighbouring ACT suburbs. The local population is highly educated, with 56.2% holding university qualifications, which is 26.1 percentage points above the national average.
Is Lyons safe?
Crime data at suburb level is not available for Lyons in this dataset. As a contextual indicator, the suburb scores decile 7 on IRSD (relative disadvantage) nationally, placing it above average on the low-disadvantage scale. Only 5.6% of residents (176 people) need daily assistance, suggesting a stable and well-supported community.
Is Lyons good for property investment?
A 45.3% renter share and weekly rent of $360 suggest a gross yield near 3.3% on the $568,000 median, reasonable by ACT standards. The vacancy rate of 8.5% is elevated and warrants attention. Rent grew 20.0% over the decade, and low new supply (9 development applications in 12 months) limits stock pressure.
How is Lyons's population changing?
Population has grown 19.7% over the decade and currently sits at 3,271, with annual growth of approximately 1.03% (34 people per year). Medium forecasts project 3,577 residents by 2031. Overseas migration of 59 net arrivals per year offsets a net internal outflow of minus 61.
What languages are spoken in Lyons?
About 36.8% of residents were born overseas, which is 15.2 percentage points above the national figure. The most common non-English language is Nepali (109 speakers), followed by Mandarin (22), Punjabi (19), Italian (18) and Bengali (15), reflecting the suburb's international professional workforce.
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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