Lyons (ACT)

Population growth drivers in Lyons are slightly above average based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium term trends

Lyons's population is around 3,332 as of Nov 2025. This reflects an increase of 61 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 3,271 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 3,273 from the ABS in June 2024 and an additional 37 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 1,474 persons per square kilometer. Overseas migration contributed approximately 76.9% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered by this data and years post-2032, age group growth rates from the ACT Government's SA2 area projections are adopted, with 2022 as a base. Based on demographic trends, Lyons is expected to increase by 271 persons to 2041, reflecting an increase of 6.4% in total over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development drivers sees a low level of activity in Lyons, placing the area among the bottom 25% of areas assessed nationally

Lyons has seen approximately 9 new homes approved each year over the past five financial years, totalling 46 homes. In FY26 so far, 1 approval has been recorded. On average, between FY21 and FY25, there were around 0 new residents arriving per new home annually, indicating that supply is meeting or exceeding demand.

The average construction value of new dwellings was $229,000 during this period. Compared to the Australian Capital Territory, Lyons shows significantly reduced construction levels, with an 83.0% decrease below the regional average per person. This limited new supply generally supports stronger demand and values for established dwellings. The proportion of new development consists of 50.0% detached dwellings and 50.0% attached dwellings, favouring compact living which offers affordable entry pathways and attracts downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers. Lyons indicates a mature market with around 508 people per approval. According to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate, Lyons is projected to add 212 residents by 2041.

With current construction levels, housing supply should adequately meet demand, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts.

Lyons has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 22ndth percentile nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 22 projects that may affect this region. Notable ones include Woden Town Square Precinct Redevelopment, Woden Experiment Stage 2 - Public Realm & Active Travel Upgrades, Ivy by Morris (Section 54 Phillip), and CIT Woden Campus. The following list details those most likely to be relevant.

Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.

Denotes AI-based impression for illustrative purposes only, not to be taken as definitive under any circumstances. Please follow links and conduct other investigations from the project's source for actual imagery. Developers and project owners wishing us to use original imagery please Contact Us and we will do so.

Employment performance in Lyons exceeds national averages across key labour market indicators

Lyons has a highly educated workforce with essential services sectors well represented. The unemployment rate is 3.4%, with an estimated employment growth of 2.3% over the past year as of September 2025.

There are 1,854 residents in work, with an unemployment rate of 0.2% below the Australian Capital Territory's rate of 3.6%. Workforce participation is somewhat below standard at 66.9%, compared to the Australian Capital Territory's 69.6%. Employment among residents is concentrated in public administration & safety, health care & social assistance, and education & training. Lyons has a particular employment specialization in health care & social assistance, with an employment share of 1.4 times the regional level.

Professional & technical services have limited presence at 8.3%, compared to the regional average of 11.1%. Over the 12 months to September 2025, employment increased by 2.3% while labour force increased by 0.9%, causing the unemployment rate to fall by 1.3 percentage points. In comparison, Australian Capital Territory saw employment grow by 1.4%, labour force expand by 1.2%, and unemployment fall by 0.2 percentage points. State-level data up to 25-Nov shows ACT employment grew by 1.19% year-on-year, adding 710 jobs, with the state unemployment rate at 4.5%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest national employment will expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Lyons's employment mix indicates local employment should increase by 6.6% over five years and 13.6% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

Income metrics indicate excellent economic conditions, with the area achieving higher performance than 75% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch

The Lyons SA2 had a median taxpayer income of $59,200 and an average income of $73,935 in the financial year 2022, according to postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch. This was higher than the national averages for both median ($68,678) and average incomes ($83,634). By September 2025, estimated median income would be approximately $67,251 and average income $83,990, based on Wage Price Index growth of 13.6% since financial year 2022. In Census 2021, individual earnings at the 85th percentile nationally were $1,097 weekly. Distribution data showed that 30.9% (1,029 individuals) fell within the $1,500-$2,999 income range, consistent with regional levels where 34.3% were in the same category. A substantial proportion of high earners (32.7%) had incomes above $3,000 weekly, indicating strong economic capacity. Housing costs consumed 15.2% of income, but disposable income was at the 71st percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking placed it in the 8th decile.

Lyons displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Dwelling structure in Lyons, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 51.7% houses and 48.3% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Australian Capital Territory had 58.4% houses and 41.7% other dwellings. Home ownership in Lyons was at 27.5%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged (27.1%) or rented (45.4%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in Lyons was $2,383, above the Australian Capital Territory average of $2,167. The median weekly rent figure in Lyons was recorded at $360, compared to Australian Capital Territory's $440. Nationally, Lyons's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were less than the national figure of $375.

Lyons features high concentrations of lone person households and group households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 61.2% of all households, including 26.2% couples with children, 25.3% couples without children, and 8.5% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 38.8%, with lone person households at 35.1% and group households making up 3.9%. The median household size is 2.3 people, which is smaller than the Australian Capital Territory average of 2.4.

Lyons demonstrates exceptional educational outcomes, ranking among the top 5% of areas nationally based on AreaSearch's comprehensive analysis of qualification and performance metrics

Lyons has a notably high level of educational attainment among residents aged 15 and above, with 51.4% holding university qualifications compared to the national average of 30.4%. This advantage is driven by a significant proportion of residents having bachelor degrees (26.4%), postgraduate qualifications (19.3%), and graduate diplomas (5.7%). Vocational pathways are also prevalent, with advanced diplomas held by 11.1% and certificates by 11.7%. Educational participation is high, with 29.7% of residents currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes 8.2% in primary education, 7.1% in tertiary education, and 6.8% pursuing secondary education.

Transport servicing is good compared to other areas nationally based on assessment of service frequency, route connectivity and accessibility

Lyons has 17 active public transport stops operating within its boundaries. These stops serve a mix of bus routes, totaling 8 individual routes. The combined weekly passenger trips facilitated by these routes amount to 1,899.

Residents' accessibility to public transport is rated as good, with an average distance of 214 meters to the nearest stop. On average, there are 271 trips per day across all routes, which equates to around 111 weekly trips per individual stop.

The level of general health in Lyons is notably higher than the national average with prevalence of common health conditions low among the general population though higher than the nation's average across older, at risk cohorts

Lyons demonstrates above-average health outcomes with a low prevalence of common health conditions among its general population, although this is higher than the national average in older, at-risk cohorts. The rate of private health cover is very high, at approximately 56% of the total population (around 1,882 people), compared to 68.1% across the Australian Capital Territory.

Mental health issues and arthritis are the most common medical conditions in the area, impacting 8.1 and 7.4% of residents respectively. A total of 70.5% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, which is similar to the 70.1% figure across the Australian Capital Territory. The area has 18.4% of residents aged 65 and over (614 people), indicating a need for more attention than the broader population.

Lyons was found to be more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets in Australia, upon assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Lyons has a high level of cultural diversity, with 36.8% of its population born overseas and 30.6% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Lyons, accounting for 36.2% of the population. Buddhism is overrepresented in Lyons compared to the Australian Capital Territory, with 6.7% of the population identifying as Buddhist, compared to the regional average of 3.3%.

The top three ancestry groups in Lyons are English (23.2%), Australian (21.0%), and Other (17.3%). There are notable disparities in the representation of certain ethnic groups: French is overrepresented at 0.8% in Lyons compared to 0.6% regionally, Sri Lankan at 0.7% compared to 0.4%, and Polish at 1.0% compared to 0.8%.

Lyons's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

Lyons' median age is 37 years, slightly older than Australian Capital Territory's 35 but aligned with Australia's national average of 38 years. The percentage of the population aged 85 and over is strong at 4.1%, compared to Australian Capital Territory, while the 5-14 age group is less prevalent at 9.6%. Between 2021 and present, the 55-64 age group has increased from 9.0% to 9.9% of Lyons' population. Conversely, the 25-34 cohort has declined from 19.0% to 16.5%, and the 5-14 age group has dropped from 11.0% to 9.6%. By 2041, significant demographic changes are forecast for Lyons. The 65-74 age group is projected to increase by 102 people (44%), from 234 to 337. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups will account for 53% of total population growth, reflecting Lyons' aging demographic profile. In contrast, both the 0-4 and 35-44 age groups are projected to decrease in numbers.