South Lismore

South Lismore has shown very soft population growth performance across periods assessed by AreaSearch

South Lismore's population, as estimated by AreaSearch using ABS updates and new address validations, was around 1,658 as of Nov 2025. This figure reflects a decrease from the 2021 Census population of 1,775 people, a change inferred from the resident population estimate of 1,654 by AreaSearch following examination of ABS's latest ERP data release in June 2024 and additional validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 226 persons per square kilometer. The primary driver for population growth in South Lismore was overseas migration, contributing approximately 87.0% of overall population gains during recent periods. AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 with a base year of 2022, and NSW State Government's SA2 level projections released in 2022 with a base year of 2021 for areas not covered by the former data.

Applying growth rates by age group from these aggregations to all areas, projections indicate an overall population decline in South Lismore by 181 persons by 2041. However, specific age cohorts are expected to grow, notably the 25 to 34 age group projected to increase by 14 people over this period.

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

South Lismore has seen minimal residential development activity with an average of 2 dwelling approvals annually over the five-year period from January 1, 20XX to December 31, 20XX (totaling 12 dwellings). This low level of development is characteristic of rural areas where housing needs are modest and construction activity is limited by local demand and infrastructure capacity. It should be noted that with such low approval numbers, yearly growth figures and relativities can vary considerably based on individual projects.

South Lismore has substantially lower development levels compared to the Rest of NSW. This activity level is also below national patterns. Recent building activity in South Lismore consists entirely of townhouses or apartments, indicating a shift from the area's existing housing stock which is currently 88.0% houses. This focus on higher-density living creates more affordable entry points and suits downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers. The location has approximately 299 people per dwelling approval, indicating a low density market. With population projections showing stability or decline in South Lismore, housing demand pressures are expected to remain relatively low, benefiting potential buyers.

With population projections showing stability or decline, South Lismore should see reduced housing demand pressures, benefiting potential buyers.

South Lismore has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 10% nationally

Eleven projects have been identified by AreaSearch as potentially impacting the area, notable ones being the Lismore Flood Recovery and Resilience Program, East Lismore Build-to-Rent Apartments, Lismore Flood Restoration - Roads and Bridges, and Northern Rivers Conservatorium Flood Resilience Upgrades.

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

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Employment performance in South Lismore has been below expectations when compared to most other areas nationally

South Lismore has a balanced workforce with both white and blue collar jobs, with essential services well represented. Its unemployment rate is 5.6%, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data.

As of September 2025, there are 764 employed residents, with an unemployment rate 1.7% higher than Rest of NSW's rate of 3.8%. Workforce participation in South Lismore is fairly standard at 60.6%, compared to Rest of NSW's 56.4%. The majority of jobs for residents are in health care & social assistance, retail trade, and construction. Notably, health care & social assistance accounts for an employment share that is 1.4 times the regional level.

Conversely, education & training has a limited presence with 6.9% employment compared to the regional figure of 9.6%. The area functions as an employment hub with 1.2 workers per resident, hosting more jobs than residents and attracting workers from nearby areas. Over the year ending September 2025, labour force levels decreased by 3.0%, while employment declined by 1.3%, leading to a fall in unemployment rate of 1.6 percentage points. This contrasts with Rest of NSW where employment contracted by 0.5%, labour force fell by 0.1%, and unemployment rose by 0.4 percentage points. State-level data from 25-Nov-25 shows NSW employment contracted by 0.03% (losing 2,260 jobs), with the state unemployment rate at 3.9%. Nationally, the unemployment rate is 4.3%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that while overall employment is projected to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, growth rates vary significantly between sectors. Applying these projections to South Lismore's employment mix indicates local employment should increase by approximately 6.5% over five years and 13.9% over ten years, though this is a simplified extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

Income metrics place the area in the bottom 10% of locations nationally according to AreaSearch analysis

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year ending June 2023 shows South Lismore's median income among taxpayers is $41,847, with an average of $53,564. This is below the national average. The Rest of NSW has a median income of $52,390 and an average of $65,215. Based on Wage Price Index growth since June 2023, current estimates for South Lismore would be approximately $45,555 (median) and $58,310 (average) as of September 2025. The 2021 Census indicates household, family, and personal incomes in South Lismore fall between the 17th and 17th percentiles nationally. Income brackets show that 34.1% of residents (565 people) earn between $1,500 and $2,999 annually, reflecting regional patterns where 29.9% occupy this range. Housing affordability pressures are severe in South Lismore, with only 83.1% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 17th percentile nationally.

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

South Lismore's dwelling structure at the 2016 Census showed 88.3% houses and 11.6% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). Non-Metro NSW had 86.8% houses and 13.2% other dwellings. Home ownership in South Lismore was 29.5%, with mortgaged dwellings at 38.3% and rented ones at 32.2%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,300, below Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,452 and Australia's average of $1,863. Median weekly rent in South Lismore was $300, matching Non-Metro NSW but lower than the national figure of $375.

South Lismore features high concentrations of group households and lone person households, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households account for 61.4% of all households, including 21.1% couples with children, 18.0% couples without children, and 19.9% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 38.6%, with lone person households at 31.5% and group households comprising 7.4%. The median household size is 2.4 people, which aligns with the average for the Rest of NSW.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 14.2%, significantly lower than the NSW average of 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 10.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.1%) and graduate diplomas (1.4%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 41.1% of residents aged 15+ holding them - advanced diplomas comprise 9.6% and certificates make up 31.5%. Educational participation is high at 29.9%, including 11.4% in primary education, 8.2% in secondary education, and 3.6% pursuing tertiary education.

Educational participation is notably high, with 29.9% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 11.4% in primary education, 8.2% in secondary education, and 3.6% pursuing tertiary education.

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

South Lismore has 54 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 45 different routes that together facilitate 604 weekly passenger trips. The average distance from a resident's location to the nearest transport stop is 116 meters, indicating excellent accessibility.

On average, there are 86 trips per day across all routes, which equates to about 11 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Health data indicates significant challenges for South Lismore, with high prevalence of common health conditions across younger and older age groups. Private health cover stands at approximately 48%, or around 798 people, compared to the national average of 55.7%.

Mental health issues affect 14.2% of residents, while asthma impacts 10.4%. About 60.2% report no medical ailments, slightly lower than Rest of NSW at 61.9%. The area has 14.5%, or about 240 people, aged 65 and over, which is lower than the 22.9% in Rest of NSW.

The latest Census data sees South Lismore placing among the least culturally diverse areas in the country when compared across a range of language and cultural background related metrics

South Lismore's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with 91.8% of its population being citizens, 92.8% born in Australia, and 96.5% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the main religion in South Lismore, comprising 43.9% of its population. The most notable overrepresentation was in the 'Other' category, which made up 1.3% of South Lismore's population compared to 1.1% across Rest of NSW.

In terms of ancestry, the top three groups were Australian (30.9%), English (29.3%), and Irish (10.0%). There were notable divergences in certain ethnic groups: Scottish was overrepresented at 8.9%, Australian Aboriginal at 4.7%, and German at 4.3%.

South Lismore's population aligns closely with national norms in age terms

The median age in South Lismore is 39 years, which is significantly lower than Rest of NSW's average of 43 but essentially aligned with Australia's median age of 38 years. Compared to Rest of NSW, South Lismore has a higher percentage of residents aged 15-24 (14.9%) but fewer residents aged 75-84 (4.1%). According to the 2021 Census, the population aged 25 to 34 grew from 11.5% to 12.5%, while the age group of 5 to 14 decreased from 14.3% to 13.1%. By 2041, demographic projections show significant shifts in South Lismore's age structure. Notably, the number of residents aged 85 and above is projected to grow by 3%, reaching 24 from 23. The combined age groups of 65 and above will account for all population growth, indicating an aging demographic profile. Conversely, both the age groups of 25-34 and 0-4 are expected to see reduced numbers.