Lawson (NSW)

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

As of Nov 2025, the population of the Lawson (NSW) statistical area (SA2) is estimated at around 2,673 people. This reflects an increase of 22 individuals since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 2,651 people. The change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population at 2,667 following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024, along with an additional 10 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population results in a density ratio of 366 persons per square kilometer. Lawson's growth rate of 0.8% since census is within 0.8 percentage points of its SA3 area (1.6%), indicating competitive growth fundamentals. Natural growth contributed approximately 62.0% 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 by this data, AreaSearch utilises NSW State Government's SA2 level projections released in 2022 with a base year of 2021. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for the years 2032 to 2041. Based on aggregated SA2-level projections, the Lawson (NSW) area is expected to increase by 160 persons to 2041, reflecting an overall increase of 5.5% over the 17-year period.

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

Lawson has seen approximately 12 new homes approved annually over the past five financial years ending June 30, 2025, totalling an estimated 64 homes. As of July 1, 2026, five approvals have been recorded in Lawson this financial year. Despite a population decline during this period, development activity has been adequate relative to the population change, which is positive for buyers. The average expected construction cost value for new dwellings in Lawson is $409,000.

This financial year has also seen $343,000 in commercial approvals, indicating the area's residential nature. Compared to Greater Sydney, Lawson shows 139.0% higher building activity per person as of June 2025. This offers buyers greater choice, although construction activity has eased recently. All recent building activity consists of detached dwellings, maintaining Lawson's traditional low-density character and appealing to those seeking space in family homes.

The estimated population density is 444 people per dwelling approval, reflecting the area's quiet, low-activity development environment. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Lawson is projected to add 147 residents by 2041. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting population growth beyond current projections.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 0 projects that could impact this region. Notable initiatives include Regional NSW Road Network Safety Improvements, Low and Mid-Rise Housing Policy, Paling Yards Wind Farm, and Sydney Metro, with the following list highlighting those most pertinent.

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 labour market in Lawson shows considerable strength compared to most other Australian regions

Lawson has an educated workforce with key sectors well represented. Its unemployment rate is 2.3%, lower than Greater Sydney's 4.2%.

As of September 2025, 1,463 residents are employed, with a participation rate matching Greater Sydney's 60.0% and an unemployment rate 1.9% below the city's. Major industries include health care & social assistance, education & training, and public administration & safety. Education & training has notable concentration, being 1.8 times the regional average. Finance & insurance has limited presence at 1.5%, compared to the regional 7.3%.

The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities based on Census data. From September 2024 to September 2025, labour force levels decreased by 4.1% and employment by 3.1%, reducing unemployment by 0.9 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Sydney saw employment growth of 2.1% and labour force growth of 2.4%, with unemployment rising slightly. State-level data to 25-Nov-25 shows NSW employment contracted by 0.03%, losing 2,260 jobs, with an unemployment rate of 3.9%. Nationally, the unemployment rate is 4.3%. Jobs and Skills Australia's 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 Lawson's industry mix indicates local employment should increase by 6.7% in five years and 13.9% in ten years, though this is a simplified extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

Lawson's median income among taxpayers was $47,979 according to AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year 2023. The average income was $58,187. This is below the national average. In comparison, Greater Sydney had a median income of $60,817 and an average of $83,003 in the same period. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since financial year 2023, current estimates for Lawson would be approximately $52,230 (median) and $63,342 (average) as of September 2025. According to the 2021 Census figures, incomes in Lawson rank modestly with household income at the 34th percentile, family income at the 35th percentile, and personal income at the 36th percentile. The $1,500 - $2,999 income bracket dominated Lawson with 32.2% of residents (860 people), similar to the metropolitan region where this cohort also represented 30.9%. Housing affordability pressures were severe in Lawson with only 82.9% of income remaining, ranking at the 36th percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking placed it in the 5th decile.

Lawson is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Lawson's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 94.3% houses and 5.8% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Sydney metro's 92.3% houses and 7.7% other dwellings. Home ownership in Lawson was at 37.2%, with mortgaged dwellings at 44.0% and rented ones at 18.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,849, lower than Sydney metro's average of $2,033. The median weekly rent in Lawson was $387, higher than the national average of $375 but below Sydney metro's $400. Nationally, Lawson's mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863.

Lawson features high concentrations of lone person households, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households constitute 66.6% of all households, including 27.8% couples with children, 24.9% couples without children, and 12.9% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 33.4%, with lone person households at 30.8% and group households making up 2.4% of the total. The median household size is 2.4 people, which aligns with the Greater Sydney average.

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

The area's educational profile is notable regionally with university qualification rates at 33.7% among residents aged 15+, surpassing the SA4 region average of 23.9%. This indicates a strong emphasis on higher education in the community. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 20.5%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (9.2%) and graduate diplomas (4.0%).

Trade and technical skills are also prominent, with 34.8% of residents aged 15+ possessing vocational credentials - advanced diplomas at 11.0% and certificates at 23.8%. Educational participation is notably high, with 27.3% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 8.4% in primary education, 7.0% in secondary education, and 4.6% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Lawson has 29 active public transport stops, offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by 20 different routes, collectively facilitating 905 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents typically located 278 meters from the nearest stop.

Services operate at an average frequency of 129 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 31 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Lawson is well below average with prevalence of common health conditions notable across both younger and older age cohorts

Lawson faces significant health challenges, as indicated by its health data. Both younger and older age groups have a high prevalence of common health conditions. Approximately half (50%) of Lawson's total population (~1,335 people) has private health cover, which is lower than Greater Sydney's 55.6% and the national average of 55.7%.

Mental health issues and asthma are the most prevalent medical conditions, affecting 10.9% and 9.3% of residents respectively. A total of 62.1% of residents report having no medical ailments, compared to Greater Sydney's 64.1%. Lawson has a lower proportion of seniors aged 65 and over (20.4%, or 545 people) than Greater Sydney (24.3%). The health outcomes among seniors in Lawson are broadly similar to those of the general population.

Lawson ranks below the Australian average when compared to other local markets across a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Lawson's population was found to be predominantly Australian-born, with 81.9% having been born in Australia. Citizenship was high at 91.5%, and English was spoken exclusively at home by 93.6%. Christianity was the dominant religion, comprising 39.5% of Lawson's population.

While Judaism was proportionally similar to Greater Sydney at 0.2%, other religions were not specified in the report. Ancestry-wise, the top three groups were English (30.8%), Australian (26.4%), and Scottish (9.3%). Notable differences existed for Welsh (1.1% vs regional 0.7%), French (0.9% vs 0.6%), and Dutch (1.8% vs 1.6%) ancestry in Lawson compared to Greater Sydney.

Lawson hosts a notably older demographic compared to the national average

The median age in Lawson is 45 years, which is significantly higher than Greater Sydney's average of 37 years and Australia's national average of 38 years. Compared to Greater Sydney, Lawson has a higher proportion of residents aged 55-64, at 16.4%, but fewer residents aged 25-34, at 9.3%. This concentration of 55-64 year-olds is well above the national average of 11.2%. According to the 2021 Census, the proportion of Lawson's population aged 75 to 84 has grown from 4.8% to 6.8%, while the proportion of those aged 55 to 64 has declined from 17.6% to 16.4%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Lawson's age structure. The 75 to 84 age group is expected to grow by 55%, reaching 282 people from the previous 181. Notably, the combined age groups of 65 and above will account for 86% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. In contrast, both the 0 to 4 and 25 to 34 age groups are projected to decrease in number.