Lysterfield
A 95.8th-percentile household income profile and a 99.7% separate-house share give Lysterfield a distinctly established, family-oriented character. Its 6,681 residents have a median age of 41, one year above the national figure, while 60.2% of families are couples with children. Compared with nearby Rowville's more urban street pattern, Lysterfield has a lower-density feel because detached housing dominates across 31.58 square kilometres. Growth is restrained at 0.06% annually, so the suburb suits buyers prioritising space and stability over rapid change.
Population
6,681
Median Age
41.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,754/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
17
Median House
$1.5M
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.
For buyers, Lysterfield is primarily a detached-house market: 99.7% of dwellings are separate houses and 70.4% have 4 or more bedrooms. Mortgage commitments look manageable in aggregate, with a $2,200 monthly figure and repayments at 18.4% of household income. That supports established families, but the 53.6% mortgage-held share means rate sensitivity remains relevant. Compared with a smaller-home market, Lysterfield's space premium is higher because apartments make up just 0.3%.
For Buyers
For buyers, Lysterfield is primarily a detached-house market: 99.7% of dwellings are separate houses and 70.4% have 4 or more bedrooms. Mortgage commitments look manageable in aggregate, with a $2,200 monthly figure and repayments at 18.4% of household income. That supports established families, but the 53.6% mortgage-held share means rate sensitivity remains relevant. Compared with a smaller-home market, Lysterfield's space premium is higher because apartments make up just 0.3%.
For Investors
Investment conditions are shaped by scarcity rather than a large tenant base. Only 7.5% of occupied dwellings are rented, compared with 38.2% owned outright and 53.6% held with a mortgage, while the weekly rent is $435 and vacancy is 2.9%. The small rental pool can support tenant competition, but it also narrows the depth of demand compared with a suburb with a higher renter share. There were 17 development matters in 12 months, indicating a limited near-term pipeline. Overseas migration is the primary growth driver, while annual population growth is only 0.06%, making this a low-turnover, established-market proposition rather than a rapid expansion play.
Development Activity
Total DAs
22
Last 12 Months
17
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+466.7%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Lysterfield
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Lysterfield Primary School
Demographics
With a median age of 41, Lysterfield sits 1.0 year above the national median, and its 3.2-person average household is 0.7 higher than the national figure. Families are central: 60.2% of families are couples with children, compared with 30.0% couples without children, while 9.5% are one-parent families. University attainment is 39.1%, 9.0 percentage points above national levels, supporting the suburb's professional and managerial profile. English ancestry is recorded for 2,064 residents, followed by Italian at 602 and Irish at 567. Christianity counts 3,522 people, while 2,462 report no religion. Compared with neighbouring Rowville's more urban setting, Lysterfield's larger household profile helps explain its slower turnover rate of 11.4% and 88.6% staying in place.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
99.7%
Houses
0.0%
Townhouse
0.3%
Apartment
Tenure
Lysterfield's housing stock is unusually concentrated in detached homes, with separate houses at 99.7% and apartments at 0.3%. The bedroom mix reinforces that pattern: 70.4% have 4 or more bedrooms, while 28.5% have 3 bedrooms. Ownership is also strong, with 38.2% owned outright and 53.6% under mortgage; only 7.5% are rented. Compared with nearby apartment-oriented markets, this is a more house-dominated suburb, so buyers pay for family scale and detached living rather than dwelling variety.
Mortgage / mo
$2,200
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$435
Census 2021
HH Size
3.2
Personal Income / wk
$943
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
2.9%
Unoccupied
61
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
15.8%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
18.4%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
60.2%
Couples with children
30.0%
Couples, no children
9.5%
Single parent
1,910
Total families
Economy & Employment
Household purchasing power is a defining feature: weekly household income is $2,754, placing Lysterfield at the 95.8th percentile and well above the national midpoint. Unemployment is 3.4% and labour-force participation is 72.7%. Employment is anchored by healthcare and construction, each around 14.3% with 351 and 350 workers, followed by education at 10.9% and 266 workers. Professional and technical work contributes 9.2%, while manufacturing accounts for 8.8%. The occupational mix includes 801 professionals, 666 managers, 656 clerical and administrative workers, and 564 trades workers. This combination of high household income and a 59.4% full-time employment rate supports renovation capacity and price resilience, although the 1,363 part-time workers indicate a meaningful secondary employment base.
Unemployment
3.4%
Labour Force
4,018
Unemployed
136
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
59.4%
Part-time
35.1%
Participation
72.7%
Employed
3,882
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
39.1%
Postgraduate
7.6%
Born Overseas
23.2%
Dwellings
2,061
Transport to Work
Lysterfield works best for households comfortable with driving. Car drivers account for 64.7% of journeys, compared with 0.9% using public transport and 0.6% walking or cycling, while 29.7% work from home. Families have access to 1 listed local school, Lysterfield Primary School, in the government primary sector, so enrolment zones and secondary options should be checked against the exact address. Reported crime is 147 offences, or 22.0 per 1,000 residents, with property and deception offences the largest category at 81. Social conditions are comparatively strong, with an IRSAD decile of 9, an IRSD decile of 10 and an IER decile of 10. Compared with a transit-oriented suburb, Lysterfield trades lower public transport use for space, home working and a more settled environment, reflected in a 14.1% volunteering rate.
Drive
64.7%
Public Transport
0.9%
Walk / Cycle
0.6%
Work from Home
29.7%
Population Forecast
+0.06%/yr
(+4 people/yr)
EstablishedGrowth is deliberately slow and mature rather than expansionary. The forecast trend is 0.06% a year, and population change across the wider area is 0.6% over 10 years. The trajectory is labelled Aging, with the senior share up 6.3 percentage points and the young share down 5.3 points, which fits the suburb's median age of 41 and 88.6% resident-stay rate. Overseas migration is the primary driver, but that influence has not translated into rapid local turnover. Gentrification is scored at 0 and classified Not gentrifying, while real income growth is 10.0%. Compared with a growth corridor, Lysterfield's appeal is continuity: established housing, rising senior representation and limited population change. Affordability is labelled Improving, with measures of 50.1 in 2011 and 46.1 in 2021.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+45
Net Internal / yr
-65
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
147
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
22.0
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 Lysterfield compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
What schools are in Lysterfield?
Lysterfield Primary School is the 1 listed local option, operating in the government primary sector. Families should confirm the exact enrolment zone and compare secondary pathways, because 1 nearby primary school does not describe every option available across adjoining suburbs.
Is Lysterfield safe?
The recorded crime rate is 22.0 offences per 1,000 residents, with 147 total offences and 81 property and deception offences. That gives buyers a useful baseline, but safety can vary by street and incident type, so compare the address with nearby streets rather than relying only on a suburb-wide average.
Is Lysterfield good for property investment?
It can suit a long-term investor seeking an established owner-occupier market, but the entry price is high. Rent is $435 a week, vacancy is 2.9%, and only 7.5% of dwellings are rented, a lower renter share than the 53.6% mortgage-held share. Review yield, costs and tenant depth before committing.
How is Lysterfield's population changing?
Lysterfield's population is changing slowly. Across the wider area, annual growth is 0.06% and population change is 0.6% over 10 years, while the trajectory is Aging. The senior share has risen 6.3 percentage points and the young share has fallen 5.3 points, so change is more about household age than rapid expansion.
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). Population forecasts use a Hamilton-Perry cohort model calibrated to ABS ERP.
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