Lismore Surrounds
Statistical Area - sa2

Lismore Surrounds has seen population growth performance typically on par with national averages when looking at short and medium term trends

Lismore Surrounds' population, as of November 2025, is approximately 16,188, reflecting a growth of 402 people since the 2021 Census. This increase represents a 2.5% rise from the previous population count of 15,786. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 16,091 as of June 2024 and an additional 130 validated new addresses since the Census date. The population density ratio is 13.1 persons per square kilometer. Lismore Surrounds' growth rate exceeded that of the SA3 area (0.5%) between 2021 and 2025, indicating a leadership role in regional growth. Overseas migration contributed approximately 55.6% of overall population gains during this period.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data, NSW State Government's SA2 level projections from 2022 (base year: 2021) are applied. Growth rates by age group are projected for all areas between 2032 and 2041. Population projections indicate an above median growth for regional areas nationally, with Lismore Surrounds expected to increase by 2,179 persons to 2041, reflecting a total increase of 12.9% over the 17-year period.

AreaSearch analysis of residential development drivers sees Lismore Surrounds recording a relatively average level of approval activity when compared to local markets analysed countrywide

Lismore Surrounds has received approximately 51 dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling 258 homes. In FY-26, 11 approvals have been recorded to date. On average, 1.9 new residents per year per dwelling constructed were noted between FY-21 and FY-25. The average construction value of new properties is $285,000, aligning with regional trends.

This financial year has seen $2.3 million in commercial approvals, indicating limited focus on commercial development. Compared to the Rest of NSW, Lismore Surrounds has shown elevated construction activity, 15.0% above the regional average per person over the five-year period. However, recent periods have seen a moderation in development activity. The national average is higher, suggesting potential planning limitations in the area.

New developments consist predominantly of standalone homes (95.0%) with townhouses or apartments making up the remainder (5.0%), preserving Lismore Surrounds' low-density nature and attracting space-seeking buyers. There are an estimated 564 people per dwelling approval, reflecting a quiet development environment. Population forecasts project Lismore Surrounds to gain 2,082 residents by 2041. Construction is maintaining a reasonable pace with projected growth, but buyers may face increasing competition as the population grows.

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

AreaSearch has identified 50 projects that could impact the area, with notable ones being North Lismore Plateau Urban Subdivision (Allura Parklands), Northern Rivers Rail Trail - Lismore to Bentley, Goonellabah Affordable Housing Project - Bristol Circuit & Cynthia Wilson Drive, and Pineapple Road Sewerage Scheme. 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.

While Lismore Surrounds retains a healthy unemployment rate of 3.1%, recent employment declines have impacted its national performance ranking

Lismore Surrounds has an educated workforce with significant representation in essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate is 3.1%, as of June 2025.

In this month, 8,063 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 0.6% lower than Rest of NSW's rate of 3.7%. Workforce participation is similar to Rest of NSW at 59.4%. Employment is concentrated in health care & social assistance, agriculture, forestry & fishing, and education & training. Notably, employment levels in agriculture, forestry & fishing are 2.3 times the regional average.

Conversely, public administration & safety has lower representation at 4.2% compared to the regional average of 7.5%. The area may offer limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by a decrease in labour force by 4.8% and employment by 4.1% over a 12-month period ending June 2025. This contrasts with Rest of NSW where employment contracted by 0.1%, the labour force grew by 0.3%, and unemployment rose by 0.4 percentage points during this same period. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 project national employment growth at 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Lismore Surrounds' employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.4% over five years and 13.5% over ten years, though these are simple weighted extrapolations for illustrative purposes only.

Income figures position the area below 75% of locations analysed nationally by AreaSearch

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 shows Lismore Surrounds had a median income of $44,275 and an average income of $56,482. This is lower than the national average. Rest of NSW had a median income of $49,459 and an average income of $62,998 during the same period. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% since financial year 2022, current estimates for Lismore Surrounds would be approximately $49,858 (median) and $63,604 (average) as of September 2025. Census data reveals household, family, and personal incomes in Lismore Surrounds rank modestly, between the 29th and 35th percentiles. The earnings profile shows that 31.3% of residents (5,066 people) fall into the $1,500 - 2,999 income bracket, aligning with the regional trend where this cohort also represents 29.9%. Housing costs are manageable with 86.8% retained, but disposable income is below average at the 38th percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 5th decile.

Lismore Surrounds is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

The dwelling structure in Lismore Surrounds, as recorded at the Census conducted on 29 August 2016, consisted of 96.9% houses and 3.1% other dwellings including semi-detached homes, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. This compares to Non-Metro NSW's structure of 86.8% houses and 13.2% other dwellings. In Lismore Surrounds, the home ownership rate was 48.7%, with mortgaged dwellings at 36.3% and rented ones at 15.0%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,733, higher than Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,452. The median weekly rent figure for Lismore Surrounds was $334, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $300. Nationally, Lismore Surrounds' mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 73.2% of all households, including 28.8% couples with children, 33.0% couples without children, and 10.5% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 26.8%, with lone person households at 22.7% and group households comprising 4.1%. The median household size is 2.5 people, which is larger than the Rest of NSW average of 2.4.

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

The area's university qualification rate of 28.9% among residents aged 15+ is higher than the SA3 area average of 20.9% and the Rest of NSW average of 21.3%. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 19.6%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 5.8% and graduate diplomas at 3.5%. Vocational credentials are held by 39.3% of residents aged 15+, with advanced diplomas at 11.9% and certificates at 27.4%.

Educational participation is high, with 30.4% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.9% in primary education, 9.2% in secondary education, and 3.6% pursuing tertiary education. There are 22 schools serving 1,061 students, with typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 1009) and balanced educational opportunities. The educational mix includes 20 primary and 2 K-12 schools. Local school capacity is limited at 6.6 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 15.3, leading many families to travel for schooling. Note: where schools show 'n/a' for enrolments, please refer to the parent campus.

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

Lismore Surrounds has 945 active public transport stops, all of which are bus services. These stops are served by 98 different routes, offering a total of 1,088 weekly passenger trips. Residents enjoy excellent transport accessibility, with an average distance of 175 meters to the nearest stop.

Across all routes, service frequency averages 155 trips per day, resulting in approximately one weekly trip per individual stop.

Lismore Surrounds's residents are healthier than average in comparison to broader Australia with a fairly standard level of common health conditions seen across both young and old age cohorts

Health data for Lismore Surrounds shows positive outcomes with common health conditions similar across young and older age groups. Private health cover is low at approximately 48% of the total population (~7,770 people), compared to the national average of 55.3%.

Mental health issues and arthritis are the most common medical conditions, affecting 8.6% and 8.5% of residents respectively. 68.4% of residents report no medical ailments, higher than the Rest of NSW's 61.9%. The area has 22.5% of residents aged 65 and over (3,639 people), with seniors showing strong health outcomes that exceed general population metrics.

Lismore Surrounds is considerably less culturally diverse than average when assessed alongside AreaSearch's national rankings for language and cultural background related metrics

Lismore Surrounds had a cultural diversity score below average, with 87.8% of its population being citizens born in Australia speaking English only at home (95.2%). Christianity was the predominant religion, comprising 44.6%. Judaism was overrepresented at 0.2%, compared to 0.1% regionally.

Top ancestry groups were English (30.6%), Australian (28.7%), and Irish (11.1%). Notable divergences included Scottish (9.7% vs regional 8.5%), French (0.6% vs 0.4%), and German (3.7% vs 3.4%) groups being overrepresented in Lismore Surrounds.

Lismore Surrounds hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

Lismore Surrounds has a median age of 47 years, which is significantly higher than the Rest of NSW average of 43 and substantially exceeds the national average of 38 years. The age profile shows that those aged 45-54 are particularly prominent, making up 15.2% of the population, while the 25-34 age group comprises only 7.8%. Between 2021 and present, the proportion of people aged 75-84 has increased from 4.8% to 6.1%, while the 55-64 cohort has decreased from 18.0% to 15.9%. By 2041, Lismore Surrounds is projected to experience notable shifts in its age composition. The 75-84 age group is expected to grow by 49%, adding 480 people and reaching a total of 1,461 from the current 980. Meanwhile, the 65-74 cohort is projected to decline by 26 people.