Lidcombe

Population growth drivers in Lidcombe are strong compared to national averages based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Lidcombe's population was around 24,012 as of November 2025. This reflected an increase of 2,815 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 21,197 people. The change was inferred from the estimated resident population of 23,949 in June 2024 and an additional 532 validated new addresses since the Census date. This resulted in a population density ratio of 3,751 persons per square kilometer, placing Lidcombe in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Lidcombe's growth of 13.3% since the 2021 census exceeded both the state (6.7%) and metropolitan area growth rates, making it a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 88.1% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch adopted ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilised NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Growth rates by age group were applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Future population trends forecast a significant increase in Lidcombe's top quartile statistical area, with an expected growth of 6,923 persons to 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting a total gain of 28.6% over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Lidcombe among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

Lidcombe averaged approximately 221 new dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling 1,109 homes. As of FY-26, 33 approvals have been recorded. Between FY-21 and FY-25, an average of 2.3 people moved to Lidcombe per new home constructed. The average construction cost value for new homes was $211,000 during this period.

In FY-26, there have been $90.7 million in commercial approvals. Lidcombe's development levels are similar to Greater Sydney when measured per person, maintaining market equilibrium with surrounding areas. New developments consist of 29.0% detached houses and 71.0% medium and high-density housing. This shift from the current 46.0% houses suggests diminishing developable land availability and responds to evolving lifestyle preferences and housing affordability needs. With approximately 296 people per approval, Lidcombe reflects a transitioning market.

By 2041, AreaSearch estimates Lidcombe will gain 6,860 residents. Given current construction levels, housing supply should meet demand adequately, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling population growth that exceeds current forecasts.

Lidcombe has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 20% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 43 projects that could affect this region. Notable initiatives include The Concourse at Lidcombe - DOOLEYS Regeneration Project, Lidcombe Town Centre Public Domain Plan, New Auburn Basketball Centre, and Central Lidcombe Multi-Storey Warehouse. Below is a list of 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.

The employment environment in Lidcombe shows above-average strength when compared nationally

Lidcombe's workforce is highly educated with strong representation in professional services. The unemployment rate was 3.1% as of September 2025, lower than Greater Sydney's 4.2%.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 3.4%. There were 14,262 residents employed by September 2025, with an unemployment rate 1.1% below Greater Sydney's rate and workforce participation at 55.3%, compared to Greater Sydney's 60.0%. Employment is concentrated in health care & social assistance, retail trade, and accommodation & food, particularly notable being the latter at 1.7 times the regional average. Professional & technical services have limited presence with 8.3% employment compared to 11.5% regionally.

Many residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census working population counts. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment levels increased by 3.4%, labour force grew by 4.1%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 0.7 percentage points in Lidcombe. In contrast, Greater Sydney saw employment rise by 2.1% with a 0.2 percentage point increase in unemployment. State-level data from NSW as of 25-Nov shows employment contracted by 0.03%, losing 2,260 jobs, and the state unemployment rate was at 3.9%. National forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia project national employment to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Lidcombe's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.7% over five years and 13.9% over ten years, based on simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

The Lidcombe SA2 had a median income of $42,443 and an average income of $53,855 among taxpayers in the financial year 2022, according to ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch. This compares to Greater Sydney's figures of $56,994 and $80,856 respectively. By September 2025, estimates based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% suggest the median income will be approximately $47,795 and the average income around $60,646. Census data shows household income ranks at the 58th percentile ($1,886 weekly), while personal income is at the 29th percentile. In Lidcombe SA2, 33.7% of individuals fall within the $1,500 - $2,999 income range, consistent with surrounding regions' trends showing 30.9% in the same category. Housing costs consume 19.7% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 53rd percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 6th decile.

Lidcombe displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Lidcombe's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 46.3% houses and 53.7% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Sydney metro had 33.5% houses and 66.5% other dwellings. Home ownership in Lidcombe was at 24.8%, with mortgaged dwellings at 31.0% and rented dwellings at 44.1%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,230, higher than Sydney metro's average of $2,167. The median weekly rent figure for Lidcombe was $480, compared to Sydney metro's $470. Nationally, Lidcombe's mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $2,230 versus the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Lidcombe features high concentrations of group households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households account for 75.2% of all households, including 35.8% couples with children, 25.9% couples without children, and 10.9% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 24.8%, with lone person households at 15.8% and group households comprising 8.9%. The median household size is 3.0 people, larger than the Greater Sydney average of 2.8.

The educational profile of Lidcombe exceeds national averages, with above-average qualification levels and academic performance metrics

The area's educational profile is notable regionally with university qualification rates of 37.5% among residents aged 15+, surpassing the Australian average of 30.4% and NSW's rate of 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are the most prevalent at 26.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (9.1%) and graduate diplomas (1.7%). Vocational pathways account for 23.6% of qualifications among those aged 15+, with advanced diplomas at 12.7% and certificates at 10.9%.

Educational participation is high, with 32.1% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, including 9.0% in tertiary education, 7.0% in primary education, and 5.6% pursuing secondary education.

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

Lidcombe has 102 active public transport stops offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by 24 individual routes that facilitate 16,369 weekly passenger trips in total. Residents enjoy excellent transport accessibility, with an average distance of 148 meters to the nearest stop.

The service frequency across all routes is 2,338 trips per day, which amounts to approximately 160 weekly trips per individual stop.

Lidcombe's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Health outcomes data shows excellent results across Lidcombe, with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups. The rate of private health cover is found to be quite low at approximately 47% of the total population (around 11,285 people), compared to the national average of 55.3%.

The most prevalent medical conditions in the area are diabetes and arthritis, affecting 4.7 and 4.0% of residents respectively. A significant majority, 83.1%, declare themselves completely free from medical ailments, which is slightly lower than the Greater Sydney average of 83.5%. The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 13.6% (around 3,270 people) compared to Greater Sydney's 11.1%. Despite this, health outcomes among seniors in Lidcombe are particularly strong and broadly align with the general population's health profile.

Lidcombe is among the most culturally diverse areas in the country based on AreaSearch assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Lidcombe has a highly diverse population, with 68.0% born overseas and 79.3% speaking languages other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Lidcombe, accounting for 36.8%. However, Buddhism is more prevalent here compared to Greater Sydney, comprising 10.4%.

The top three ancestry groups are Chinese (24.9%), Other (24.1%), and Korean (15.9%). Notably, Vietnamese (4.5%) and Filipino (3.4%) are overrepresented in Lidcombe compared to regional averages of 2.6% and 2.5%, respectively. Conversely, Lebanese representation is lower at 3.2%, against a regional average of 4.1%.

Lidcombe's population is younger than the national pattern

Lidcombe's median age is 35 years, which is slightly younger than Greater Sydney's 37 and the national average of 38. The 25-34 age group constitutes 23.2% of Lidcombe's population, higher than Greater Sydney's percentage but lower than the national average of 14.5%. The 5-14 age group makes up 7.8%, which is less prevalent compared to Greater Sydney. Between 2021 and present, the 15-24 age group has grown from 13.4% to 14.6%, while the 65-74 cohort increased from 7.4% to 8.6%. Conversely, the 45-54 age group declined from 11.4% to 9.7%, and the 5-14 group dropped from 8.8% to 7.8%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate significant demographic changes for Lidcombe, with the 75-84 age cohort projected to grow exceptionally by 1,079 people (123%), increasing from 881 to 1,961.