Peakhurst - Lugarno

Population growth drivers in Peakhurst - Lugarno are above average based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, Peakhurst - Lugarno's population is around 21,327 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 1,107 people (5.5%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 20,220 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 20,852 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 238 validated new addresses since the Census date. This population level equates to a density ratio of 2,855 persons per square kilometer, placing it in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Over the past decade, Peakhurst - Lugarno has demonstrated resilient growth patterns with a 1.1% compound annual growth rate, outpacing the SA3 area. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration, which contributed approximately 92.5% 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 any SA2 areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch is utilising the NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, as released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are also applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Anticipating future population dynamics, a population increase just below the median of statistical areas analysed by AreaSearch is expected, with the area expected to grow by 2,375 persons to 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting an increase of 8.9% in total over the 17 years.

Recent residential development output has been above average within Peakhurst - Lugarno when compared nationally

Peakhurst - Lugarno has recorded around 86 residential properties granted approval per year, with 434 homes approved over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25) and 119 so far in FY-26. With an average of 2 people per year moving to the area for each dwelling built over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25), supply and demand appear well-balanced, creating stable market conditions, though recent data reveals this has increased to 4.7 people per dwelling over the past 2 financial years, reflecting the area's growing popularity and potential supply constraints. New homes are being built at an average value of $342,000. Additionally, $14.9 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded this financial year, demonstrating moderate levels of commercial development.

Relative to Greater Sydney, Peakhurst - Lugarno has slightly more development (13.0% above regional average per person over the 5 year period), balancing buyer choice with support for current property values, though development activity has moderated in recent periods. Recent construction comprises 36.0% standalone homes and 64.0% medium and high-density housing. This skew toward compact living offers affordable entry pathways and attracts downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers. This represents a notable shift from the area's existing housing (currently 71.0% houses), indicating decreasing availability of developable sites and reflecting changing lifestyles and the need for more diverse, affordable housing options. The location has approximately 371 people per dwelling approval, reflecting an established area.

Looking ahead, Peakhurst - Lugarno is expected to grow by 1,900 residents through to 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). Based on current development patterns, new housing supply should readily meet demand, offering good conditions for buyers and and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

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

Nothing can influence an area's performance as much as changes to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. In total, 34 projects have been identified by AreaSearch that are likely to have an impact on the area. Key projects include the Henry Lawson Drive Stage 1B Upgrade, 824-834 Forest Road Affordable Housing, 2-6 Gover Street and 69 Trafalgar Street Social Housing (Peakhurst), and the Mortdale Local Centre Development Control Plan, with the list below detailing those likely to be of most relevance.

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.

AreaSearch analysis places Peakhurst - Lugarno well above average for employment performance across multiple indicators

Peakhurst - Lugarno features a well-educated workforce, with professional services showing strong representation, an unemployment rate of just 3.0%, and 5.3% in estimated employment growth over the past year. As of December 2025, 12,183 residents are in work while the unemployment rate is 1.2% below Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%, and workforce participation is fairly standard (72.5% compared to Greater Sydney's 70.2%). Based on Census responses, a high 48.9% of residents were found to work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered.

The dominant employment sectors among residents include health care & social assistance, education & training, and professional & technical. On the other hand, health care & social assistance is under-represented, with only 12.7% of Peakhurst - Lugarno's workforce compared to 14.1% in Greater Sydney. The predominantly residential area appears to offer limited employment opportunities locally, as indicated by the count of Census working population vs resident population.

Based on AreaSearch analysis of SALM and ABS data, over the 12 months to December 2025, employment increased by 5.3% while labour force increased by 5.2%, causing the unemployment rate to fall by 0.1 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Sydney experienced employment growth of 2.2% and labour force growth of 2.3%, with a marginal rise. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 can offer further insight into potential future demand within Peakhurst - Lugarno. These projections, covering five and ten-year periods, have been mapped against the local employment profile to estimate growth patterns. While national employment is forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, growth rates differ significantly between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to Peakhurst - Lugarno's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.7% over five years and 13.7% over ten years (please note this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections).

Income analysis reveals strong economic positioning, with the area outperforming 60% of locations assessed nationally by AreaSearch

The Peakhurst - Lugarno SA2's income level is slightly above average nationally, according to the latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for FY-23. The Peakhurst - Lugarno SA2's median income among taxpayers is $54,868 and the average income stands at $69,357, compared to Greater Sydney's figures of $60,817 and $83,003 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since FY-23, current estimates would be approximately $59,729 (median) and $75,502 (average) as of September 2025. Census data reveals household income ranks at the 71st percentile ($2,091 weekly), while personal income sits at the 55th percentile. The data shows the largest segment comprises 28.2% earning $1,500 - 2,999 weekly (6,014 residents), mirroring the metropolitan region where 30.9% occupy this bracket. Economic strength is evident as 33.3% of households achieve weekly earnings exceeding $3,000, supporting elevated consumer spending. High housing costs consume 15.8% of income, though strong earnings still place disposable income at the 72nd percentile and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 7th decile.

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

Dwelling structure within Peakhurst - Lugarno, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 70.8% houses and 29.2% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), in comparison to Sydney metro's 55.9% houses and 44.1% other dwellings. Meanwhile, the level of home ownership within Peakhurst - Lugarno was well beyond that of Sydney metro, at 39.6%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged (39.4%) or rented (21.0%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was above the Sydney metro average at $2,600, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded at $450, compared to Sydney metro's $2,427 and $470. Nationally, Peakhurst - Lugarno's mortgage repayments are significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents are substantially above the national figure of $375.

Peakhurst - Lugarno features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households dominate at 77.8% of all households, comprising 41.4% couples with children, 24.3% couples without children, and 11.2% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 22.2%, with lone person households at 20.6% and group households comprising 1.6% of the total. The median household size of 2.8 people is larger than the Greater Sydney average of 2.7.

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

Educational qualifications in Peakhurst - Lugarno trail regional benchmarks, with 31.2% of residents aged 15+ holding university degrees compared to 38.0% in Greater Sydney. This gap highlights potential for educational development and skills enhancement. Bachelor degrees lead at 21.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (6.9%) and graduate diplomas (2.4%). Trade and technical skills feature prominently, with 32.7% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials, including advanced diplomas (12.0%) and certificates (20.7%).

Educational participation is notably high, with 29.8% of residents aged 15+ currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.7% in primary education, 8.5% in secondary education, and 6.0% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Public transport analysis reveals 164 active transport stops operating within Peakhurst - Lugarno, comprising a mix of buses. These stops are serviced by 27 individual routes, collectively providing 2,099 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically located 144 meters from the nearest transport stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward; the car remains the dominant mode at 85%, with 9% by train. Vehicle ownership averages 1.5 per dwelling, which is above the regional average. A high 48.9% of residents work from home (2021 Census; may reflect COVID-19 conditions).

Service frequency averages 299 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 12 weekly trips per individual stop. The accompanying map shows the 100 nearest stops to the location centrepoint.

The level of general health in Peakhurst - Lugarno 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

Peakhurst - Lugarno demonstrates above-average health outcomes, based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Prevalence of common health conditions is low among the general population, though higher than the national average across older, at-risk cohorts. The rate of private health cover just leads the average SA2 area at approximately 54% of the total population (~11,495 people), compared to 59.9% across Greater Sydney.

The most common medical conditions in the area are arthritis and asthma, impacting 7.8% and 6.1% of residents, respectively, while 72.1% declared themselves as completely clear of medical ailments compared to 74.6% across Greater Sydney. Working-age residents are notably healthy with low chronic condition prevalence. The area has 22.2% of residents aged 65 and over (4,743 people), which is higher than the 15.4% in Greater Sydney, though ranking lower nationally than the broader population.

Peakhurst - Lugarno 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

Peakhurst - Lugarno is more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets, with 29.0% of its population born overseas and 35.4% speaking a language other than English at home. The main religion in Peakhurst - Lugarno is Christianity, which makes up 65.8% of the population, compared to 49.2% across Greater Sydney.

In terms of ancestry (country of birth of parents), the top three represented groups in Peakhurst - Lugarno are Australian, comprising 18.8% of the population, English, comprising 18.4% of the population, and Other, comprising 11.7% of the population. Additionally, there are notable divergences in the representation of certain other ethnic groups: Greek is notably overrepresented at 6.8% of Peakhurst - Lugarno (vs 1.9% regionally), Macedonian at 3.1% (vs 0.4%) and Lebanese at 3.8% (vs 2.6%).

Peakhurst - Lugarno's median age exceeds the national pattern

The 42-year median age in Peakhurst - Lugarno is significantly above Greater Sydney's average of 37 and similarly considerably older than Australia's 38 years. The 75 - 84 age group shows strong representation at 7.9% compared to Greater Sydney, whereas the 25 - 34 cohort is less prevalent at 9.9%. Post-2021 Census data shows the 15 to 24 age group has grown from 12.3% to 13.1% of the population. Conversely, the 25 to 34 cohort has declined from 10.8% to 9.9%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes for Peakhurst - Lugarno. Leading the demographic shift, the 75 to 84 group will grow by 44% (742 people), reaching 2,429 from 1,686. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups will account for 84% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. In contrast, the 55 to 64 and 15 to 24 cohorts are expected to experience population declines.