Lilydale (Vic.)

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

As of Nov 2025, Lilydale's population is estimated at around 18,512, reflecting an increase of 6.7% since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 17,348. This growth is inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of 18,286 residents based on latest ERP data release by ABS (June 2024) and an additional 521 validated new addresses since the Census date. The suburb has a density ratio of 634 persons per square kilometer. Lilydale's growth exceeded that of its SA3 area (3.3%) and SA4 region, marking it as a growth leader. Natural growth contributed approximately 53.0% 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 VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections released in 2023 with adjustments made employing a method of weighted aggregation of population growth from LGA to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group were applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Population projections indicate an above median growth, with the suburb expected to expand by 3,536 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting a total increase of 17.4% over the 17 years.

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

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval data indicates Lilydale recorded approximately 163 residential property approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated 818 homes. As of FY26, 58 approvals have been recorded. The average new resident per year per dwelling constructed between FY21 and FY25 was 0.7, suggesting supply meets or exceeds demand. New properties are constructed at an average cost of $445,000, aligning with regional trends.

This financial year has seen $58.7 million in commercial approvals, indicating robust local business investment. Lilydale has 136.0% more construction activity per person compared to Greater Melbourne. New building activity comprises 57.0% standalone homes and 43.0% medium and high-density housing, offering options across different price points. This shift reflects reduced development site availability and changing lifestyle demands. With around 101 people per dwelling approval, Lilydale exhibits growth area characteristics.

Future projections estimate Lilydale will add 3,218 residents by 2041, with current construction levels likely meeting demand and potentially enabling growth exceeding forecasts.

Lilydale 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 identified 21 projects likely affecting the region. Notable initiatives include Lilydale Structure Plan Implementation, Kinley Estate (Former Lilydale Quarry), Chapel Street Lilydale Drainage Improvements, and Summerset Chirnside Park Retirement Village. The following list details those most relevant.

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

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AreaSearch analysis indicates Lilydale maintains employment conditions that align with national benchmarks

Lilydale has a skilled workforce with the construction sector being particularly prominent. Its unemployment rate was 3.5% in the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 1.4%.

As of June 2025, there are 9,766 residents employed, and the unemployment rate is 1.1% lower than Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.6%. Workforce participation is similar to Greater Melbourne's at 64.1%. The dominant employment sectors include construction, health care & social assistance, and retail trade. Lilydale has a strong specialization in construction, with an employment share 1.6 times the regional level.

However, professional & technical employs only 6.5% of local workers, below Greater Melbourne's 10.1%. The area may offer limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by Census data comparing working population to resident population. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment levels increased by 1.4%, labour force grew by 0.7%, and unemployment fell by 0.6 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Melbourne saw employment rise by 3.5%, labour force grow by 4.0%, and unemployment increase by 0.5 percentage points. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia, issued in Sep-22, project a 6.6% growth over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Lilydale's employment mix suggests local employment could increase by 6.3% over five years and 13.2% over ten years, though this is a simplified extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

Income levels align closely with national averages, indicating typical economic conditions for Australian communities according to AreaSearch analysis

Lilydale had a median taxpayer income of $53,103 and an average of $67,129 according to the latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2022. This was slightly above average nationally, contrasting with Greater Melbourne's median income of $54,892 and average income of $73,761. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.16% since financial year 2022, current estimates would be approximately $59,560 (median) and $75,292 (average) as of September 2025. Census 2021 income data showed household, family and personal incomes in Lilydale clustered around the 50th percentile nationally. Income analysis revealed that the predominant cohort spanned 33.5% of locals (6,201 people) in the $1,500 - 2,999 category, mirroring the region where 32.8% occupied this bracket. High housing costs consumed 15.9% of income, though strong earnings still placed disposable income at the 52nd percentile and the area's SEIFA income ranking placed it in the 5th decile.

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

Lilydale's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 79.9% houses and 20.0% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Melbourne metro's 93.8% houses and 6.3% other dwellings. Home ownership in Lilydale was at 34.3%, similar to Melbourne metro, with mortgaged dwellings at 46.2% and rented ones at 19.5%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,950, aligning with Melbourne metro's average, while the median weekly rent was $369, compared to Melbourne metro's $380. Nationally, Lilydale's mortgage repayments exceeded the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were lower than the national figure of $375.

Lilydale has a typical household mix, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 73.0% of all households, including 33.3% couples with children, 27.7% couples without children, and 11.0% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 27.0%, with lone person households at 25.0% and group households making up 2.1%. The median household size is 2.5 people, which is smaller than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.7.

Lilydale performs slightly above the national average for education, showing competitive qualification levels and steady academic outcomes

The area's university qualification rate is 21.0%, significantly lower than Greater Melbourne's average of 37.0%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 15.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.5%) and graduate diplomas (2.5%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 39.7% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications - advanced diplomas at 12.4% and certificates at 27.3%. Educational participation is high, with 26.8% of residents currently enrolled in formal education: 8.7% in primary, 8.0% in secondary, and 3.8% in tertiary education.

Eleven schools serve 5,431 students, with typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 1025) offering balanced educational opportunities. The area has three primary, five secondary, and three K-12 schools, functioning as an education hub with 29.3 school places per 100 residents, attracting students from surrounding communities. Note that for schools showing 'n/a' in enrolments, please refer to the parent campus.

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

Public transport analysis reveals 90 active transport stops operating within Lilydale. These comprise a mix of train and bus services. There are 25 individual routes servicing these stops, collectively providing 6,202 weekly passenger trips.

Transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents typically located 311 meters from the nearest transport stop. Service frequency averages 886 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 68 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Lilydale is lower than average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts

Lilydale faces significant health challenges with common health conditions prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts.

The rate of private health cover is approximately 53% of the total population (~9,879 people), slightly higher than the average SA2 area. The most common medical conditions are mental health issues impacting 9.4% of residents and arthritis affecting 9.1%. A total of 65.4% of residents declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments compared to 66.9% across Greater Melbourne. There are 3,683 people aged 65 and over in the area, comprising 19.9% of the population. Health outcomes among seniors in Lilydale are above average, performing better than the general population in health metrics.

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

Lilydale's population showed low cultural diversity, with 82.2% born in Australia, 90.8% being citizens, and 91.7% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the dominant religion, comprising 47.1%. Judaism was slightly overrepresented at 0.1%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 0.1%.

Top ancestry groups were English (31.2%), Australian (28.0%), and Scottish (7.6%). Dutch (3.1%) and Hungarian (0.4%) were notably overrepresented, while Italian (5.2%) was slightly more prevalent than regionally.

Lilydale's median age exceeds the national pattern

Lilydale has a median age of 40, which is slightly higher than Greater Melbourne's figure of 37 and Australia's median age of 38. Compared to the Greater Melbourne average, Lilydale has a notably higher percentage of people aged 55-64 (12.6%) but a lower percentage of those aged 25-34 (13.0%). Between 2021 and present, the 75-84 age group has increased from 6.2% to 7.4% of Lilydale's population, while the 45-54 cohort has decreased from 13.9% to 12.9%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests significant changes in Lilydale's age profile. The 75-84 age group is projected to grow by 726 people (53%), reaching a total of 2,096 residents. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups will account for 52% of Lilydale's population growth. Meanwhile, the 0-4 age group is expected to display modest growth of only 15 residents.