Lake Munmorah

Lake Munmorah is positioned among the lower quartile of areas assessed nationally for population growth based on AreaSearch's assessment of recent, and medium term trends

The population of Lake Munmorah is estimated at around 5,202 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 118 people since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 5,084 people. The change is inferred from resident population estimates by AreaSearch following examination of latest ERP data release by ABS in June 2024 and additional validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 911 persons per square kilometer. Lake Munmorah's growth rate of 2.3% since census positions it within 1.4 percentage points of the SA4 region (3.7%). Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration contributing approximately 75.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered, NSW State Government's SA2 level projections are used, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Looking ahead, lower quartile growth is anticipated, with the suburb expected to increase by 5 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting a decline of 1.3% in total over the 17 years.

The level of residential development activity in Lake Munmorah is very low in comparison to the average area assessed nationally by AreaSearch

Based on AreaSearch analysis, Lake Munmorah received around 9 dwelling approvals per year over the past 5 financial years ending June 2021. This totals an estimated 45 homes. As of FY-26, which began July 2021 and ends June 2022, 3 approvals have been recorded. Lake Munmorah's population decline suggests new supply has kept up with demand, offering buyers good choice.

New properties are constructed at an average expected cost of $221,000, below the regional average. In FY-26, $290,000 in commercial approvals have been registered, indicating minimal commercial development activity. Compared to Greater Sydney, Lake Munmorah's building activity is 59.0% lower per person. This constrained new construction typically reinforces demand and pricing for existing dwellings. Nationally, it is also below average, reflecting the area's maturity and possible planning constraints.

New development consists of 86.0% detached houses and 14.0% attached dwellings, maintaining Lake Munmorah's traditional low density character focused on family homes. The estimated population per dwelling approval is 735 people. With stable or declining population forecasts, Lake Munmorah may experience less housing pressure, creating favourable conditions for buyers.

Lake Munmorah has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 50% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified three projects expected to affect the region: Crangan Bay Residential Estate, Lake Munmorah Recreation Facility, Lakes Ridge Residential Estate, and Darkinjung LALC & Landcom Housing Project. The following details those likely most relevant.

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

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Lake Munmorah has seen below average employment performance when compared to national benchmarks

Lake Munmorah has a balanced workforce comprising white and blue collar jobs. Essential services sectors are well represented in the area. The unemployment rate was 4.6% as of September 2025, with an estimated employment growth of 2.2% over the past year.

This is based on AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data. As of September 2025, 2,153 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 0.4% higher than Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%. Workforce participation lagged significantly at 51.8%, compared to Greater Sydney's 70.0%. According to Census responses, 22.5% of residents worked from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered.

Employment among residents is concentrated in health care & social assistance, construction, and retail trade. Notably, employment levels in construction were at 1.8 times the regional average. Conversely, professional & technical services showed lower representation at 3.8% compared to the regional average of 11.5%. The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. Based on AreaSearch's analysis of SALM and ABS data aggregated from broader statistical areas, during the year to September 2025, employment levels increased by 2.2% while labour force increased by 3.3%, leading to a rise in unemployment rate by 1.0 percentage points. This contrasts with Greater Sydney where employment rose by 2.1%, labour force grew by 2.4%, and unemployment rose by 0.2 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 provide further insight into potential future demand within Lake Munmorah. These projections, covering five and ten-year periods, suggest that national employment is forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. However, growth rates differ significantly between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to Lake Munmorah's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.5% over five years and 13.5% over ten years, though these are simple weighting extrapolations for illustrative purposes and do not take into account localised population projections.

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

Lake Munmorah suburb's median taxpayer income was $51,791 and average was $62,811 in financial year 2023, according to postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch. This is lower than the national averages of $60,817 (median) and $83,003 (average). By September 2025, estimated median income would be approximately $56,380 and average $68,376, based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since financial year 2023. Census data from 2021 shows incomes in Lake Munmorah fall between the 10th and 15th percentiles nationally. Income distribution reveals that 30.0% of residents (1,560 people) earn within the $400 - $799 bracket, unlike regional levels where the $1,500 - $2,999 bracket dominates at 30.9%. Housing affordability is severe with only 83.5% of income remaining, ranking at the 11th percentile nationally.

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

Dwelling structure in Lake Munmorah, as evaluated at the 2016 Census, comprised 96.6% houses and 3.3% other dwellings. In comparison, Sydney metro had 55.9% houses and 44.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Lake Munmorah was 51.3%, with mortgaged properties at 30.7% and rented properties at 17.9%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,733, below Sydney metro's average of $2,427. Median weekly rent was $380, compared to Sydney metro's $470. Nationally, Lake Munmorah's mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents exceeded the national figure of $375.

Lake Munmorah features high concentrations of lone person households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 66.8% of all households, including 21.8% couples with children, 32.5% couples without children, and 11.7% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 33.2%, with lone person households at 30.6% and group households comprising 2.7% of the total. The median household size is 2.3 people, which is smaller than the Greater Sydney average of 2.7.

Lake Munmorah faces educational challenges, with performance metrics placing it in the bottom quartile of areas assessed nationally

The area's university qualification rate is 12.5%, significantly lower than Greater Sydney's average of 38.0%. This disparity presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 9.6%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (1.7%) and graduate diplomas (1.2%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 43.1% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials - advanced diplomas (9.4%) and certificates (33.7%).

A substantial 23.6% of the population is actively pursuing formal education, including 8.1% in primary education, 6.8% in secondary education, and 3.0% in tertiary education.

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

Lake Munmorah has 47 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are serviced by 57 individual routes, offering a total of 454 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically located 193 meters from the nearest stop. As primarily residential, most commutes are outward-bound, with cars being the dominant mode at 97%. On average, there are 1.3 vehicles per dwelling. According to the 2021 Census, 22.5% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions.

Service frequency averages 64 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 9 weekly trips per stop.

Health performance in Lake Munmorah is well below average with a range of health conditions having marked impacts on both younger and older age cohorts

Health data indicates significant health challenges in Lake Munmorah. AreaSearch's assessment shows marked impacts of various health conditions on both younger and older age groups.

Private health cover is relatively low at approximately 52% of the total population (~2,694 people), compared to 59.9% across Greater Sydney. The most common medical conditions are arthritis (14.1%) and mental health issues (10.1%). Conversely, 54.4% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 74.6% in Greater Sydney. Working-age population faces notable health challenges with elevated chronic condition rates. The area has 33.3% of residents aged 65 and over (1,732 people), higher than the 15.4% in Greater Sydney. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, broadly in line with national rankings.

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

Lake Munmorah's population was found to have below average cultural diversity, with 88.1% born in Australia, 92.6% being citizens, and 96.8% speaking English only at home. The predominant religion in Lake Munmorah is Christianity, comprising 60.7% of the population, compared to 49.2% across Greater Sydney. In terms of ancestry, the top three groups are English (33.6%), Australian (31.9%), and Irish (8.2%).

Notably, Maltese, Australian Aboriginal, and Lebanese groups have different representations: Maltese at 1.0% (vs regional 1.0%), Australian Aboriginal at 3.8% (vs regional 1.3%), and Lebanese at 0.4% (vs regional 2.6%).

Lake Munmorah ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

Lake Munmorah's median age is 50 years, which is significantly higher than Greater Sydney's 37 years and the national average of 38 years. Compared to Greater Sydney, Lake Munmorah has a higher percentage of residents aged 75-84 (14.3%) but fewer residents aged 25-34 (8.7%). This concentration of 75-84 year-olds is well above the national average of 6.1%. Between the 2021 Census and the present, the percentage of Lake Munmorah's population in the 75 to 84 age group has grown from 12.0% to 14.3%, while the percentage of residents aged 85 and above increased from 3.1% to 4.6%. Meanwhile, the percentage of residents aged 45-54 has declined from 10.8% to 8.5%, and the percentage of residents aged 25-34 has dropped from 10.1% to 8.7%. By 2041, Lake Munmorah's age composition is expected to change significantly. The number of residents aged 85 and above is projected to grow by 85%, reaching 442 from 239. This demographic shift will be led by the growth of the 85+ group, with residents aged 65 and older representing 99% of anticipated population growth. Conversely, both the 65-74 age group and the 15-24 age group are expected to decrease in number.