Lakes Entrance

Lakes Entrance lies within the top quartile of areas nationally for population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, Lakes Entrance's population is around 11,928 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 764 people (6.8%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 11,164 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 11,301 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 256 validated new addresses since the Census date. This population level equates to a density ratio of 55 persons per square kilometer, providing ample space per person. Lakes Entrance's 6.8% growth since the 2021 census exceeded the SA3 area (6.5%), marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by interstate migration, which contributed approximately 77.9% 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 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 from these aggregations are also applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Regarding demographic trends, a significant population increase in the top quartile of Australia's regional areas is forecast, with the area expected to expand by 3,944 persons by 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting an increase of 27.8% in total over the 17 years.

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

Lakes Entrance has seen around 83 new homes approved per year, with 415 homes approved over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25) and 27 so far in FY-26. With an average of 1.6 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 shows this has moderated to 0.8 people per dwelling over the past 2 financial years, suggesting an improved supply-demand balance. Development projects average $348,000 in construction value. Additionally, $6.8 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded this financial year, demonstrating the area's primarily residential nature.

Compared to the rest of Victoria, Lakes Entrance shows 11.0% lower construction activity (per person) while it places among the 77th percentile of areas assessed nationally. Meanwhile, recent development has been entirely comprised of detached houses, preserving the area's low-density nature with an emphasis on detached housing attracting space-seeking buyers. At around 152 people per approval, Lakes Entrance reflects a developing area.

Looking ahead, Lakes Entrance is expected to grow by 3,317 residents through to 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). Development is keeping a reasonable pace with projected growth, though buyers may face increasing competition as the population expands.

Lakes Entrance has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 34thth percentile nationally

Nothing can influence an area's performance as much as changes to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. In total, 7 projects have been identified by AreaSearch that are likely to have an impact on the area. Key projects include the North Arm Water Main Replacement, Jemmys Point Lookout Stage 2 and Kalimna Loop Walk, Lakes Entrance Northern Growth Area, and the Lakes Entrance Slipway Redevelopment, 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.

Employment performance in Lakes Entrance has been below expectations when compared to most other areas nationally

Lakes Entrance has a balanced workforce spanning white and blue collar employment, with essential services sectors well represented, an unemployment rate of 5.8%, and 6.2% estimated employment growth over the past year. As of December 2025, 4,431 residents are in work, while the unemployment rate is 2.1% above Regional Vic.'s rate of 3.7%, and workforce participation lags significantly (48.5% compared to Regional Vic.'s 61.5%). Based on Census responses, a moderate 13.6% of residents work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered.

The dominant employment sectors among residents include health care & social assistance, accommodation & food, and construction. The area shows particularly strong specialization in accommodation & food, with an employment share 2.0 times the regional level. In contrast, agriculture, forestry & fishing employs just 4.6% of local workers, below Regional Vic.'s 7.5%. The area appears to offer limited employment opportunities locally, as indicated by the count of the Census working population versus the resident population.

Based on AreaSearch analysis of SALM and ABS data, during the year to December 2025, employment levels increased by 6.2% and the labour force increased by 5.3%, causing the unemployment rate to fall by 0.8 percentage points. This compares to Regional Vic., where employment fell by 0.6%, the labour force contracted by 0.7%, and unemployment fell 0.1 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 can offer further insight into potential future demand within Lakes Entrance. 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 Lakes Entrance's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.4% over five years and 13.3% over ten years (please note this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections).

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

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for FY-23 reveals that income in the Lakes Entrance SA2 is lower than average on a national basis, with the median assessed at $41,478 while the average income stands at $52,402. This contrasts with Regional Vic.'s figures of a median income of $50,954 and an average income of $62,728. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.25% since FY-23, current estimates would be approximately $44,900 (median) and $56,725 (average) as of September 2025. From the 2021 Census, household, family and personal incomes in Lakes Entrance all fall between the 3rd and 7th percentiles nationally. The data shows the $400 - 799 earnings band captures 30.2% of the community (3,602 individuals), diverging from the metropolitan region where the $1,500 - 2,999 category predominates at 30.3%. While housing costs are modest with 86.7% of income retained, the total disposable income ranks at just the 6th percentile nationally.

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

Dwelling structure within Lakes Entrance, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 88.8% houses and 11.2% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), in comparison to Regional Vic.'s 90.1% houses and 9.9% other dwellings. Meanwhile, the level of home ownership within Lakes Entrance was higher than that of Regional Vic., at 52.8%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged (25.7%) or rented (21.6%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was below the Regional Vic. average at $1,300, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded at $270, compared to Regional Vic.'s $1,430 and $285. Nationally, Lakes Entrance's mortgage repayments are significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents are substantially below the national figure of $375.

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

Family households dominate at 65.7% of all households, comprising 18.4% couples with children, 37.5% couples without children, and 9.4% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 34.3%, with lone person households at 32.2% and group households comprising 2.1% of the total. The median household size of 2.2 people is smaller than the Regional Vic. average of 2.4.

Educational outcomes in Lakes Entrance fall within the lower quartile nationally, indicating opportunities for improvement in qualification attainment

The area faces educational challenges, with university qualification rates (17.1%) substantially below the VIC average of 33.4%. This represents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees lead at 11.6%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.8%) and graduate diplomas (2.7%). Trade and technical skills feature prominently, with 42.3% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials, including advanced diplomas (11.7%) and certificates (30.6%).

A substantial 24.7% of the population actively pursues formal education. This includes 10.0% in primary education, 7.4% in secondary education, and 1.8% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Public transport analysis reveals 69 active transport stops operating within Lakes Entrance. These stops are serviced by 7 individual routes, collectively providing 195 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as limited, with residents typically located 1873 meters from the nearest transport stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward; the car remains the dominant mode at 93%. Vehicle ownership averages 1.4 per dwelling. Some 13.6% of residents work from home (2021 Census; may reflect COVID-19 conditions).

Service frequency averages 27 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 2 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Health data reveals substantial challenges facing Lakes Entrance, based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. The prevalence of common health conditions is notable across both younger and older age cohorts, and the rate of private health cover is extremely low at approximately 46% of the total population (~5,463 people). This compares to 50.5% across Regional Vic. The national average is 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions in the area are arthritis and mental health issues, impacting 12.6 and 8.8% of residents, respectively, while 58.2% declared themselves as completely clear of medical ailments compared to 63.4% across Regional Vic. The working-age population faces notable health challenges with elevated chronic condition rates. The area has 33.9% of residents aged 65 and over (4,038 people), which is higher than the 23.9% in Regional Vic. Health outcomes among seniors are above average, with national rankings even higher than the general population.

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

Lakes Entrance was found to be below average in terms of cultural diversity, with 87.4% of its population being citizens, 85.1% born in Australia, and 95.5% speaking English only at home. The main religion in Lakes Entrance is Christianity, which makes up 46.4% of people. However, the most apparent overrepresentation is in Judaism, which comprises 0.2% of the population, compared to 0.1% across Regional Vic..

In terms of ancestry (country of birth of parents), the top three represented groups in Lakes Entrance are English, comprising 32.9% of the population, Australian, comprising 30.0% of the population, and Scottish, comprising 9.0% of the population. Additionally, there are notable divergences in the representation of certain other ethnic groups: Dutch is notably overrepresented at 2.0% of Lakes Entrance (vs 1.7% regionally), Maltese at 0.6% (vs 0.5%) and French at 0.5% (vs 0.3%).

Lakes Entrance ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

The 54-year median age in Lakes Entrance is significantly above Regional Vic.'s average of 43 and considerably older than the national norm of 38. Compared to the Regional Vic. average, the 65 - 74 cohort is notably over-represented (18.7% locally), while 25 - 34 year-olds are under-represented (7.9%). This 65 - 74 concentration is well above the national 9.5%. Since the 2021 Census, the 35 to 44 age group has grown from 9.1% to 10.6% of the population, while the 75 to 84 cohort increased from 10.9% to 12.1%. Conversely, the 65 to 74 cohort has declined from 21.0% to 18.7% and the 55 to 64 group dropped from 16.1% to 14.9%. By 2041, Lakes Entrance is expected to see notable shifts in its age composition. The 25 to 34 age cohort is projected to expand considerably, increasing by 587 people (62%) from 945 to 1,533.